qebo's 2014 books (2)

Philadelphia Flower Show exhibits from 2009 and 2010. The PFS is held annually during the first week of March, perfectly timed to catch the desperation and anticipation of the winter/spring transition.

Books Read



ROOTs Read



Books Acquired

Currently Reading

Read But Not Yet Reviewed

January
#01: The Hot Zone by Richard Preston -- (Jan 3) - ROOT
#02: Micro by Michael Crichton and Richard Preston -- (Jan 9) - ROOT
#03: Regency Buck by Georgette Heyer -- (Jan 14) - library
#04: Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver -- (Jan 20) - ROOT (e-book)
#05: American Nations by Colin Woodard -- (Jan 26) - ROOT
#06: January magazines -- (Jan 27)
#07: Spider Woman's Daughter by Anne Hillerman -- (Jan 28) - library

February
#08: Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard -- (Feb 2) - new
#09: The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver -- (Feb 3) - library
#10: The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde -- (Feb 4) - new (e-book)
#11: Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold -- (Feb 10) - new (e-book)
#12: A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan -- (Feb 17) - new (e-book)
#13: Pigs in Heaven by Barbara Kingsolver -- (Feb 20) - library
#14: February magazines -- (Feb 25)

March
#15: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen -- (Mar 2) - new (e-book)
#16: The Great Influenza by John M. Barry -- (Mar 4) - ROOT
#17: The Thing with Feathers by Noah Strycker -- (Mar 11) - ER
#18: Death Comes to Pemberley by P. D. James -- (Mar 12) - ROOT
#19: Five Days at Memorial by Sheri Fink -- (Mar 19) - library
#20: March magazines -- (Mar 28)
#21: My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell -- (Mar 30) - ROOT

April
#22: The Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon -- (Apr 5) - library
#23: The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion -- (Apr 12) - new (e-book)
#24: Animal Wise by Virginia Morell -- (Apr 23) - ER

May

June

And now I'm thinking that I want to get to the Philadelphia Flower Show this year. Not today, because we're still on the winter side of the transition, expecting another round of snow.

ETA: lauralkeet sez there are butterflies. Ah, yes. Now I have to go.

That would be a cool trip! I'm thinking of a day trip to Longwood Gardens up your way when the weather gets warmer and stuff starts blooming.

>6 drneutron: I haven't been to Longwood Gardens in the spring in ages. I was there a couple years ago in the fall.

Happy new thread!

I hope you make it to the Flower Show Katherine! We live about 20min from Longwood Gardens which is nice because we can visit a few times a year and see everything change through the seasons. They do a fine Christmas display as well, which we've made a family Christmas Eve tradition.

I'm back with a link to information on the butterfly exhibit:
http://theflowershow.com/attractions/the-butterfly-experience/

>9 lauralkeet: So glad you mentioned the butterflies, because I'd skimmed the exhibits without seeing them. I'm supposed to be chipping away at house tasks on weekends, but if I do a few little things during the week I can skip a day. I should get to Longwood Gardens more often, but it's an awkward drive.

From your last thread: she wants to marry him for his library

To me this seems completely logical. :-) If you like someone's books, it must stand to reason that you would like the person. Unless they are an unscrupulous poser who bought a library intact in order to misrepresent his or her self. Grrr

Our croci (crocuses? Microsoft doesn't like croci) are coming up!

Aha! made it. the flowers look wonderful. I wonder if my brother and sister-in-law go to the flower show - she's an avid gardener, so maybe. And I'll have to look up Longwood Gardens. I've never been there. If it's a doable distance from my brother's place, I might suggest an expedition.

>11 qebo: it's an awkward drive I get that, since it's rather awkward from my house to Lancaster, and I know you prefer to use public transportation.

>13 ffortsa: Judy where does your brother live?

I have a mystery for Kindle set at the Philadelphia Flower Show called Final Arrangements. I got it because of the setting. I haven't read it yet, so I have no idea if it's any good -- I think it was a freebie, or at least a cheapie. Maybe I'll read it for Mystery March!

>14 lauralkeet: Matt lives in Bryn Mawr, so it would take about an hour, according to the Rand McNally map site.

>16 ffortsa:: Hm, I would have thought even less since I can get to Bryn Mawr in an hour and Longwood is 20 minutes along the way. In any case, it sounds doable for you. It's a lovely place to visit although I'd wait until spring or summer! The conservatory is lovely but I wouldn't make the drive just for that, except at Christmas. Also, I can't remember if you're a Downton Abbey fan but just down the road from Longwood, Winterthur Museum just opened a "Costumes of Downton Abbey" exhibit which I believe runs through the rest of the year. Also near Longwood is the Brandywine River Museum, home of all things Wyeth. Well, you really could make quite an outing of it. :)

>12 labfs39: Our croci (crocuses? Microsoft doesn't like croci) are coming up!
Merriam-Webster says croci is fine. I bet there’s all sorts of things hidden under our snow.

>13 ffortsa: If it's a doable distance from my brother's place
Oh, good, lauralkeet to the rescue.

>14 lauralkeet: awkward
Route 41. Hate. Narrow with aggressive trucks.

>15 tymfos: set at the Philadelphia Flower Show
Hmm, a series. But no reviews.

41 is indeed a hateful road. You are all making me nostalgic!

I got rather behind all over LT, qebo, but I particularly wanted to thank you for your review of A Natural History of Dragons on your last thread. It sounds really interesting and I've thrown it onto the wishlist.

>20 rosalita: Thank the synchronicity of my friends' daughter and norabelle414. :-)

>17 lauralkeet:. I've been to the Brandywine, but that was years ago. It would be nice to go back.

I'm woefully behind on your thread(s), especially considering you just reviewed such an excellent book ;-) I wouldn't consider them to be YA at all. They wouldn't be inappropriate for young adults but I don't think a 7-year-old is going to get the social nuances, just like you generally wouldn't hand a 7-year-old a copy of Pride and Prejudice. The second book in the series comes out today, but I got an ARC a few months ago and I think it's even better than the first.

>23 norabelle414: The blurb said 7th grade +. Struck me as akin to Leviathan/Behemoth/Goliath, another highly enjoyable series. I dunno; you're more up on these things than I am. I'm definitely going to get the next one.

>24 qebo: Ahhh 7th grade. I totally misread that, sorry. I think it would definitely appeal to 7th graders but I'm still hesitant to call it YA. But I also hate book blurbs so don't mind me :-)

If you or your friend's daughter is interested in more dragons I recommend Naomi Novik. The dragons are more twee (they talk) but the manliness of the Napoleonic Wars/British Navy more than compensates.

>25 norabelle414: I recommend Naomi Novik
Oh dear, there are a lot of them... The author has degrees in English literature and computer science, an interesting combo. No idea what the friends' daughter reads, though I know she does, and I'm sure it's dragon related.

I'm not minding you at all. :-) There are plenty of books meant for adults that are just dumb, and I'd much rather read one that's smart regardless of intended audience.

>26 qebo: The Noviks are all in a series, so if you want to read them you can start with His Majesty's Dragon and keep reading until you don't want to read anymore.

I'd much rather read one that's smart regardless of intended audience
Amen.

#15: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen -- (Mar 2)

why now: Death Comes to Pemberley was passed along to me last year, and I considered putting it in the Little Free Library last month, then decided I may as well read it first. Except I read Pride and Prejudice 30+ years ago and was vague on details. Meanwhile I was watching the tutored read and realized I’d missed a lot in ignorance. And a bunch of people were saying good things about Longbourn so I added it to the wishlist.

So I read it, keeping the tutored read up for reference as I went along. For my current purposes, useful background. I enjoyed it. I don’t really have anything else to say. Surely the 782 existing reviews cover whatever you might wish to know.

>28 qebo: Katherine, must say I was chuffed that you referred to the tutorial thread after the fact and found it informative and helped you appreciate the novel more. I know it certainly did for me, as you might have noticed if you read some of my more personal comments giving reasons why I hated it the first time. I decided this year not to worry too much about reviews and write as many or as little as I like. Not necessarily in order of reading either, and I do want to write a little something about P&P, if only to point out once again how helpful the tutorial was and for myself to be able to compare my impressions of first and second reading.

I'm looking forward to Sense and Sensibility next in mid-March. I personally quite liked Longbourn, another I definitely want to write a few words about. Not everyone agrees, but on the whole I think it was rather well appreciated.

>29 Smiler69: The tutorial was sooo useful, both questions and answers. As were your personal reactions, because I saw aspects of the characters that I hadn't before. I kind of doubt that I'll suddenly delve into all of Jane Austen, but I'll follow the S&S tutorial.

>26 qebo: Don't be deterred by the number of the Temeraire books; they're short and quick reads and you can stop at any time. Meanwhile, I should really read A Natural History of Dragons at some point.

In earlier topics, I'm fortunately(?) far enough behind on everything that despite just seeing your comments now, I still haven't started The Picture of Dorian Gray yet, so I'll try to check where the text in my volume came from while avoiding the standard introduction spoilers. Hmm.

Also, I hope your ear problems are getting better.

>31 _Zoe_: labfs39 is doing it the right way, reading both at once; here is her helpful information about the uncensored version.

>31 _Zoe_: I hope your ear problems are getting better.
So far, worse. I hope just post-surgery recuperation. ENT followup next week.

>32 qebo: Hmm, I don't know if I'm committed enough to that book to read multiple editions simultaneously, but I'm impressed that someone is doing it! And I'm sorry to hear that the ear surgery hasn't helped yet.

Oh bleh! Rats! Is there a lag time with this type of procedure or is it supposed to work immediately?

I was told to expect some days of discomfort. The two week followup is because that's when it's reasonable to expect things to have settled.

>30 qebo: As were your personal reactions, because I saw aspects of the characters that I hadn't before

Interesting comment, I'd be curious to know about what aspects that made you see.

>32 qebo: So far, worse.

HISS! BOO! Hope you do get better soon.

>36 Smiler69: I'd be curious to know about what aspects that made you see.
You had a strong reaction to Lydia and the lack of parental discipline, so I paid more attention and was more sympathetic than I would've thought to be otherwise.

Yay for the P&P read and you overall experience of it! I am sure there is a lot of stuff I missed when I read P&P but I still came away quite happy that I had embarked upon a Jane Austen journey.

>32 qebo: Sorry your ears feel worse and not better, Katherine. I do hope it's just a relatively brief post-surgery thing.

>18 qebo: Route 41. Hate. Narrow with aggressive trucks.
>19 sibylline: 41 is indeed a hateful road. You are all making me nostalgic!

That's a drive I haven't made for a while . . . nostalgia isn't quite the word . . . though memorable . . .

I hope your ears clear up soon, Katherine. I posted a link to an article in one of our community newpapers about LFLs on my thread--you might be interested.

I drive Rt 41 from Avondale into Delaware every weekday ...such a joy. Although it's worse from Avondale to Lancaster.

Goodness, Katherine. I'm another in the camp ready for your ears to show definite improvement from surgery.
The flower show looks lovely, but I won't make it - ever.
I wonder how a young adult would take to the huge Sunrunner/Dragon books of Melanie Rawn written sometime in the 80s.... They were a guilty pleasure back then. (Sunrunner's Fire is the first, I think.) I'll bet that they're dated.
ETA: Nope, the first one is Dragon Prince.

>39 tymfos: >41 lauralkeet: Glad it's not just me.
>40 ronincats: Went over there to take a look. Thanks!
>42 LizzieD: surgery Yeah. Or maybe this is middle age disintegration of an unexpected body part, surely I have more to look forward to.

>42 LizzieD:>43 NOOOOOOOOO. You're much too young to start that!

I hit 40 a few years ago and everything started to go to hell in a handcart. Eyes, hips, knees, arthritis: you name it. Growing older is not for the faint of heart. Now if I would only start acquiring the wisdom that is supposed to offset the physical decline!

Getting older isn't for sissies, but it definitely beats the alternative.

Look where I was today.

ENVY!!!!
That's lovely. I'm glad you enjoyed it!
>45 labfs39: At 69-going-on-70 I'm still waiting for the wisdom to hit too. *sigh*

>47 qebo: I think you should consider traveling with a butterfly all the time Katherine. It seems to be attached to you;-)

I think ear disorders are fairly common in middle age. I was diagnosed with Meniere's disease when I was in my early 50s and it still plagues me in my mid-60s. My sister in law experienced something called sudden spontaneous hearing loss where she had a viral infection that left her completely deaf in one ear and with significant balance problems. Growing old is not for sissies. I hope your ear problems get resolved.

>47 qebo: love it!

>47 qebo: Nice!

>47 qebo: Lovely! Every year I see less and less butterflies in town, which I find really sad. Not sure why that is.... maybe I don't spend as much time outdoors near plants like I did as a child. I don't know but I do love to watch them flutter around.

Ears better yet?? It does seem as though the butterflies are fewer, although it does make a difference when one has the right plants around. Two summers ago a kind of decorative oregano we have was glorious and we had a zillion butterflies. Last year they just didn't ever look the same and there weren't so many butterflies either. I captures and tossed lots of milkweed seeds (as best as one can) into a couple of place this year and am hoping for some good result.... even a few would be enough. Plan to get really serious now about butterfly food, in fact.

It's only in the low 20's here today, but the sun is glorious and several birds are chirping and carrying on romantically. Such optimists!

I'm sorry to hear about your ear problems. That sounds incredibly annoying and downright distracting. I know I would find it very hard to concentrate. I hope the surgery helps soon.

I love the butterfly! I'm a long way from butterfly season yet, so it's nice to see them and know they'll get her eventually. I rarely, rarely see Monarchs, though.

>52 lkernagh: The butterflies were landing on lots of people. One person who saw mine volunteered to take a photo with my camera. Seemed though that the butterflies didn't have many alternatives. It was a temporary exhibit, with plants around the edges, and a few posters with information, but not nearly as extensive as permanent exhibits. The Smithsonian, for example, also has an indoor exhibit but it's arranged for the entire life cycle, and the chrysalides are collected for observation. At an outdoor exhibit in Los Angeles, the chrysalides are left in place with paper arrows pointing to them. I doubt there were any chrysalides at the flower show; it wasn't a breeding setup with appropriate plants for caterpillars. Half or more of the butterflies were monarchs, which have multiple generations that live for mere days then a winter generation that migrates and lives for months. No idea where the flower show monarchs came from, and there wasn't anyone to ask. Or maybe there was, if I'd had the presence of mind to ask one of the assistants inspecting for stowaways as people walked out.

>53 sibylline: I captures and tossed lots of milkweed seeds
The trouble though seems to be that fewer monarchs are getting north; more "efficient" agriculture in the midwest is doing them in. After an encouraging first year with milkweed in 2012, I doubled the patch in 2013, saw fewer monarchs and no caterpillars, not even any eggs. (Though the milkweed attracted lots of other critters.) Most of the plants in my back yard now is host to some species of caterpillar / butterfly, but what I mostly see are swallowtails, on non-native dill and fennel (the native plant in the same family is golden alexander; I planted some last fall).

>54 streamsong: incredibly annoying and downright distracting
Yup.

>56 qebo:

I saw the same thing. I had the same milkweed plants, but many less butterflies this past year. I don't think that was only due to me not paying attention to them either. My husband always told me when he saw a large butterfly. I hope this year will be better as I plan to pay more attention to placing butterfly friend native plants in my garden.

Hi Katherine, you've reminded me we have a 'Butterflies Go Free' exhibit here at the botanical gardens every year. It's a bit out of the way, but I think I might make a date of it with a friend and trek out there. I remember going once as a student and it was absolutely magical. Probably a great way to get a break from end-of-winter blues. Here's the site to our exhibit: http://calendrier.espacepourlavie.ca/butterflies-go-free-361732

Butterflies have suddenly started appearing here over the last few days, as the weather has suddenly got a lot warmer, up to 18 degrees C, and spring has sprung with a vengeance. Unfortunately the cat was interrupting her sunbathing today with a little butterfly chasing, and managed to catch a Peacock, which are my favourite of all the butterflies that we get here. Mr SandDune rescued it, but it looked a little the worse for wear.
March is such a variable month here weather wise, it can be lovely and yet the worst snow that I've ever encountered was in March.

>59 Smiler69: Probably a great way to get a break from end-of-winter blues.
That's why I went to the flower show!

>60 SandDune: Peacock
This? Pretty.

This weekend I made friends with a guy who is in charge of the butterfly exhibit at the National Museum of Natural History. I've never been before because it costs money, but we should go the next time you're here.

>62 norabelle414: That's the one I went to! With the Transformation Station. It's really nicely done. You have a friend there!?!

>61 qebo: Yes that's the one. They're probably one of the more brightly coloured ones we get: not the most common but you do see a fair few around!

>47 qebo: How neat! Reminds me slightly of a favorite photo of my son from when he was young. I actually considered posting it -- not sure if you'd mind.

>65 tymfos: Oh, do!

This was taken in the Adirondacks, at one of the nature Interpretive Centers (operated by Paul Smith University, I believe). They had a butterfly house, and my son was fascinated.

I rarely post pictures of him online, but I don't think he'd mind. It was taken many years ago.

>67 tymfos: Nice! Are those monarchs tagged?

>68 qebo: I don't know a lot about butterflies, but it looks like it, doesn't it?

>69 tymfos: Yeah. Which suggests they were to be released. (I gather this was an enclosed area?)

Almost done with two books in progress. I want to read... American Gods for OLTOB, Independent People for a group read, Five Days at Memorial for a group read, Going Clear for the Religion, Science, & History group read, The Speed of Dark because it was mentioned in last week’s What Are You Reading Now biography... all by the end of March. I don’t think this will happen. Maybe I can manage three of them.

Yeah, that's a bunch!

>72 drneutron: Yeah. I'm finding LT rather demoralizing lately... I think spring needs to happen. Today was a brief glimpse, temperature in the 60s, snow gone from half the yard, bits of green under the mess of debris.

I'm still on my planned reads from February....

>63 qebo: Just an acquaintance. We had a nice discussion about how they have to get all of their butterflies as pupae instead of caterpillars, but now of course I can't remember why.

>75 norabelle414: I'd expect caterpillars to be difficult to transport. The Philadelphia Flower Show got theirs as butterflies, folded into envelopes at low temperature and sent by FedEx.

>76 qebo: now that's an inventive shipping choice.

Doesn't tagging the monarchs add weight to those tiny things? What does that do to their territorial and migratory range?

>77 ffortsa: I would've thought so too, but it's been standard procedure for decades, and monarchs are more robust than they appear. Monarch Watch sells tags. I considered getting a supply last year, but was queasy about catching and applying.

>71 qebo: And the winner is... Five Days at Memorial because it's from the new books section of the library and I can't keep it beyond next week. Also started My Family and Other Animals because it's been in the soonish stack for awhile and is physically small so ideal for the train...

...to see the ENT in Harrisburg. The train was an hour late, ticket agent said because of a fire in New Jersey, but the ENT was fairly pleasant about fitting me in anyway. Alas, he is not a theory kind of guy; it's pretty much if symptom X, apply treatment Y. Why did symptom X appear following surgery? Shrug. Sigh. But as life issues go, this is merely a nuisance.

Yesterday was spring. Tomorrow will be spring. Today, not so much. Temperature below freezing with 25mph gusts of wind. I almost wimped out of walking the three miles from the ENT office to the train station, across the Susquehanna, but once I set forth it was not so bad. I am grateful that the snow they were muttering about last week did not happen here. Conceivably I'll be able to start cleaning up the yard this weekend.

Oh, I read and absolutely ADORED My Family and Other Animals last year I think. Five Days at Memorial is on the tbr. I could spend my entire days reading and probably not be able to catch up with my tbr.

So did the ENT actually recommend or prescribe anything?

Reading My Family and Other Animals is one of my fondest childhood reading memories. Sorry the ENT couldn't explain things; hope you are feeling better soon.

MORE symptoms. Egad.

My daughter and I read My Family and Other Animals a few years ago, and she has wanted to be him ever since. We read it when she was young enough to still play with playmobil, and she set up a whole house and Corfu with all the little animal pieces.

>80 Smiler69: So did the ENT actually recommend or prescribe anything?
Yeah, prescribe. More with a let's-try-this attitude than scientific insight.

>82 labfs39: Aw, sweet!

>80 Smiler69: >81 rebeccanyc: >82 labfs39: If I read My Family and Other Animals, then another of my ought-to books will probably have to drop off the list.

And it's spring today, as promised, 40s and sunshine! I really do not feel like working this afternoon.

Yes, yes, yes, yes!!! Read My Family And Other Animals. NOW. You will laugh. It will be good for your ears.

We read it to my daughter on a camping trip some years ago, and she has wanted to visit Corfu ever since.

>84 banjo123: Hmm, an LT meetup in Corfu might be well attended.

Today is spring. The temperature will drop some tomorrow and more on Monday, and they're muttering about possible light snow, but I am optimistic and have begun the annual garden thread.

Self-motivation rule of the day: I am allowed to plant seeds after I finish painting the closet.

What seeds are you planting?

>88 SqueakyChu: Stay tuned to the garden thread... I organized this morning, but won't be sure until I'm done.

Hooray for optimism! Two years ago at this time it was HOT here and so dry we were having 'red flag' fire warnings. Also the very first frogs, the wood frogs, were already at it creaking away out there. Hard to believe. This year we have at least 14-16 inches of snow (it has kind of compressed)........ and no signs of any kind of true relenting in the offing. Only a gradual lessening of bitter cold. (It was 10 this morning, which is 'warm' for this winter). The sun does pack a punch though, so that is good.

Hi, Katherine! I thought Five Days at Memorial was very good -- hope you are finding it so, too.

And I hope whatever the ENT prescribed will help!

Loving the garden thread-- I always think I'll start one of my own next year, and then when planting season comes around I think of the work involved and decide to postpone it one more year.

For me this will be another year of vicarious gardening, and I'll lurk on your thread faithfully.

Hope your health improves quickly, Katherine!

>91 tymfos: Five Days at Memorial is well worth reading, but IMO it would've benefited from stringent editing. Or maybe I'm just feeling pressed for time; I have 100 pages to go and it's due back at the library on Thursday.
Perhaps the ENT knows what he's doing; things are improving with time or medication or the combo.

>92 swynn: I decided a few years ago that I'd rather spend weekends digging in the yard than training for another half marathon; I didn't have the energy for both. You apparently have made the opposite decision for now.

My Family and Other Animals is one of my all time favourites as well.

Hi, Katherine. I hope that the first "this" that you are trying for your ears is the one that works.
I want to read the Durrell, but I'm still leery of the *5 Days*. On the other hand, I'm sure that you should read *Speed of Dark* sooner rather than later. I think about it to this day!
Love all the butterfly pictures and talk! We have strange red flowers (research shows Turk's Cap or Malvaviscus drummondii), but we don't get many butterflies.

I opened Facebook this morning and saw my Little Free Library in a feed from a city organization. Apparently some random passerby took a photo. Alas on one of our less attractive days of grungy snow mounds, and I wasn't prepared for candid camera. In my fifteen minutes of fame, I took the opportunity to put in a request for book donations.

>96 qebo:: I saw that on Facebook -- pretty cool even if it wasn't an "attractive" day.

>97 lauralkeet: It is kinda cool. Turns out that my brother knows who took the photo, and FB comments have revealed another city LFL that I hadn't been aware of.

Congratulations on the photo and article about your Little Free Library, Katherine!

>96 qebo: That's great, Katherine! Hey, the snow mounds in the photo will remind everyone how nice it is to have a good book to read on snowy days.

>99 kidzdoc: >100 tymfos: Apparently as a consequence, in a two day period about a dozen books were taken, but another dozen were returned or donated.

>101 qebo:

Hurray for the returns, but especially for the donations!!

Sounds like you're really getting some traction with it!

Just checking in...

BTW, I saw two juncos interacting the other day, and I wasn't sure if it was some sort of mating ritual or if it was territorial chest bumping. Do you know which is more likely? Odd question, I know, but I thought you might know the answer.

>104 labfs39: I don't know. I've don't typically see more than one at a time over the winter, and they're focused on food.

That's right, you live in an area where they would be migrating. We have them year round.

Well done with the Little Free Library. How I would love such a service in Kuala Lumpur. It woul save me a pretty penny for sure. xx

Have a glorious weekend, Katherine.

I checked the Little Free Library map. The closest one to you, Paul, is located in India. A little too far, I'd say! ;)

I was hoping to get partially caught up on reviews this weekend, but alas this is several places back in a queue of other necessary items, e.g. clerical tasks for the community garden, and arranging travel to my niece's wedding. What you seen in post >2 qebo: as current and pending is what you'll get bookwise for the month, plus a batch of magazines that I got started on just a couple days ago when I realized 2/3 of the month had zipped by.

>107 PaulCranswick: You should _start_ such a service. Who knows what people will donate to your cause. And your family will be thrilled to surreptitiously slip books out the door.

Very cool about your LFL and your fame!

That's great that your LFL is getting a buzz!

>109 qebo:

I agree. I think Paul should start his own LFL!

Congrats on your LFL getting some online buzz and increased interest! So exciting!

Apparently my multitasking abilities are limited. Community garden activity is picking up, and I volunteered for behind-the-scenes bureaucratic tasks, so when I'm sitting at the computer working, I switch to a flurry of emails and a spreadsheet rather than to LT. I haven't even been lurking much on the threads. Or reading much. The situation may get worse before it gets better; if spring ever arrives, I'm heading outside.

The partial nuclear meltdown at Three Mile Island was 35 years ago today. I recall a newspaper diagram with rings of danger, Lancaster rather too close for calm.

>#115 I can look out a window in my office building and see the towers. I was not in Pa. in 1979, but my husband was. Many people voluntarily evacuated from his college- at least one professor never returned. We hear the sirens when they test the notification system. Home is further away, but when we still got a phone book it included evacuation routes and shelter locations.

A physics professor here picked up his family and left the state, IIRC, but he was said to be a panicky sort.

Q - have you heard of the stratigrapher movement to rename our period as the Anthropocene instead of Holocene? The argument being that later geologists will find (when we are long gone and rat men have inherited the earth, by the way) a ghastly layer where we busily stripped the earth of life as we know it. Double Elizabeth Kolbert article in the last two issues of Dec 13. Not a cheery way to end the year, but certainly very thought-provoking.

>118 sibylline: Oh dear, that sounds interesting, and may get me to dig up last year's New Yorkers, which I'd set aside entirely. (Though I am right on track with 2014 with my new strategy.)

Hi, Katherine. You have been busy. I visited your garden thread and loved all the seedlings! Here's some inspiration, hopefully--my peas this week. Your time is coming.

>120 ronincats: Inspiration... Envy... Inspiration... Envy...

snort. I don't even have visible snowdrops yet!

Have I even reviewed a book this month? No. A not-really-review for Pride & Prejudice. And it’s not that I can’t find the time. Just don’t feel like it. I’ll end up doing them all in a spurt once I get rolling. Surprised anyone's still talking to me here. A series of onerous weekend tasks: Last weekend travel arrangements to Maine (I’ll be in Portland on June 3... what to do?). This weekend health insurance, which turned out to be fairly straightforward. Next weekend taxes.

I'm feeling much the same, Katherine. Reading actually seems like a chore, and the chores themselves, well -- at least I've managed to assemble the data for my mother's taxes, and will send it to the accountant tomorrow. I was spending too much time avoiding that.

As for still talking to you here, it's always a pleasure, books or no books.

Katherine, it seems quite a few people are going through a reading slump lately. So if we were to decide not to talk to you on those grounds, we'd have to stop talking to lots of folks. ;-)

I ONLY write reviews when I'm in the mood for it. Even when I was reviewing every single book I read, I put it off till the mood struck and then ended up having dozens to catch up on which was stressful and unpleasant, so I've put an end to that, and now write them in any order and only on those books I'm inspired to write something about. It's not like we're being paid to do it, and it shouldn't be an unpleasant chore either (nor should reading be!). When I'm in the mood for it, I really enjoy it, and the reviews usually seem to just get written by themselves. Otherwise, why bother? is my thinking on the matter.

I agree with Ilana. Write the books reviews that inspire you - simply because they do that. Some books I read have reviews that write themselves in my mind as I read them. I'm reading one of those books now. Then I try to capture that on paper (or on type) before I forget what it is I'm telling myself. Other books, mostly my tutored reads, do not lend themselves to reviews. I usually just post that I finished them and skip the reviews.

I think that a review that is written with the energy of your soul and done less frequently is more appreciated by others than ones you just write as a chore. Make your time online fun!

>126 SqueakyChu: The chore sometimes is for my memory though, not for other people; sometimes the effort to construct a few coherent sentences is enough to get a book set in my brain.

>127 qebo:

You could always put a short plot summery under private comments. At least, that's what I often do - particularly if a particular book is a collection of short stories.

>128 SqueakyChu: That'd be more organization than I'm up to these days. I confine I-read-it comments to my threads though.

:)

I'm way better at keeping up with threads when they don't have too much content :P

>131 _Zoe_:

Zoe,while you're here... :) ...

Are you going to the LT Toronto meet-up later this year? Do you know when it's going to be?

I'm planning to go to the Toronto meetup, but the date hasn't been decided yet—it seems like people are leaning towards the time of the Luminato festival, which has some author events, but I'm personally hoping they'll decide on a time around Canada Day instead. I think someone will make a decision soon. I hope you'll be able to come!

If I don't get up there, can you bring back a paperback book from @jessibud2 for me?

Morning, Katherine!
I don't *ever* like writing reviews - sheer laziness on my part - but I do like reading others', which makes me feel guilty sometimes. Ha! Anyway, it's your thread and your reads - reviews or no, we'll still be here for your company!

Go ahead, fill the vacuum. :-)

Link fairy: Toronto meetup.

>134 SqueakyChu: Sure!

Hi Katherine! I hear you on the review writing and book slump. I finished only 7 books last month. One was from a Bible commentary series that I spend 15 minutes a day with; two were audiobooks in the car. That means I only sat down and purposely read 4 books. Ugh! It'd be nice to finish one more today -- the RL book club selection from November on Einstein. 45 pages to go. We shall see.

I always put off writing reviews (I'm supposed to be writing three right now!) but once I start writing I remember how cathartic it is. And it also only gets more difficult the longer I wait.

Yeah, yeah, we all know the consequences of procrastination, and yet...

>140 qebo: Yup. I wrote a nice long cathartic review a few days ago, and was really happy to have done it. And yet I still didn't go on to write my next overdue review.

I am another one unusually behind with my reviews. I think I have about five to review to get up to speed.

Nothing much else to say Katherine other than to wish you the very best of weeks and I hope that Little Free Library is still doing its rounds.

Hi, Katherine. I'm just here to speak. One way to get the reviews cranked out is to do what I do and write a comment or two and let it go at that. At least, it gives me enough to jog my memory when I have completely forgotten a book.....
On the other hand, I love other people's real reviews, so I say write it when you feel like it!
And happy persevering through all the stuff going on right now!

>137 _Zoe_:

Thanks!

I'm just stopping by to say "hello." I seem not to be writing any reviews lately--it's more than I can do to just keep up with my thread--but it's still nice to hear about butterflies and LFL fame.

I notice you are reading The Great Influenza. I have that one as an audiobook and may try to squeeze it in this month.

I hope your ear troubles are improving.

Maine? June 3? We fly in for my sister's wedding on June 4th (I think). What will you be doing in Portland, for how long? I would LOVE to meet up if at all possible. Can you hear the excitement in my online voice?!

>146 labfs39: Hmm... I'll be in Brunswick for my niece's wedding on Saturday May 31. I'm planning to stay until Monday because I've never been there before, and there won't be any time to trek around before the wedding. Then sometime Monday I'll go to Portland, because I've been there only once, about 15 years ago in January when it was all frozen, and stay until late afternoon Tuesday June 3. The flight to/from Portland is set, though I might be able to shift to a day later. I have to be back home before June 5. There's some wiggle room in the Brunswick/Portland transition June 1-3. It'd be a shame to miss you by a day!

It would be awful! Let me see what I can do on my end. We are trying not to fly until the last minute because we are taking Katie out of school and she won't return before the end of the school year. Perhaps I can fly out ahead of them? But it would be cool for Katie to meet you too! Let me work on it. My sister's wedding isn't until the 7th, but my daughter's birthday is the 5th. She wants to have a party with her friends the 31st or 1st before she leaves, then be in Maine for the 5th.

Brunswick is pretty, and Bowdoin has a Peary Museum. LT is in Portland, but I don't know that they are receptive to meetups.

>148 labfs39: LT is in Portland, but I don't know that they are receptive to meetups.
Yeah, I didn't think they'd be pleased if I just dropped by to say hello.

It'd be so much fun to meet you and Katie! Let me know, because I really do think I could switch my return flight to the 4th, but I have an event early in the day here on the 5th.

Any more, I only write real reviews for ER books -- and then they are usually pretty brief. The rest, I may put comments in my thread, or sometimes I really don't say much more than that I read it and whether I liked it or not. Frankly, I'm intimidated by the quality of a lot of the reviews I see.

>150 tymfos: Frankly, I'm intimidated by the quality of a lot of the reviews I see.
Me too. When I really care about a book, I can produce multiple paragraphs, but it takes me an eternity and the result always feels strained. I keep hoping that ease will come with practice, but three years into this, it hasn't. I envy people who can pour forth personal thoughts and express intriguing ideas in a single sentence.

It's the opposite for me, I always set out to write something short and sweet, but I don't seem to be able to stick to pithy comments. That is a skill I simply can't seem to get the hang of, and I often wish I could blabber less.

I think I'm more like you, Ilana, I start out thinking, oh I don't really have anything to say, and then as often as not I'm off and running....

>152 Smiler69: I am 50% there with the "short and pithy", I am certainly short anyways. I like to mix up my reviews somewhat and don't want them all to be exercises in faux intellectualism as it wouldn't suit me any. I try to inject a little humour here and there and I don't like to regurgitate the plot as it can be ruinous to those who may otherwise have wanted to follow.

>154 PaulCranswick: Paul, I think your most memorable review to date has got to be the one you wrote for As I Lay Dying. I still laugh just thinking about it. :-)

>155 Smiler69: When one receives praise
One can only simper and blush;
In effecting thoughts to self-amaze
Having dashed out words in a hastening rush.

>155 Smiler69: Aw, c'mon, give us a link! It's not posted as a review and there are too many "conversations" to wade through.

I'll try to find it now Katherine. Be back shortly.

Katherine, is anything green poking through there yet?
I'm rooting for you!

Ah! Here we go: http://www.librarything.com/topic/169079#4540039

(just 7 threads back or so)

>157 qebo: & >160 Smiler69: Still blushing. My reviews will never take me more than 15 minutes to do as I simply type them straight out, "off the cuff" so to speak. If I spent too long thinking over them I would never get anything done.

>159 ronincats: I raked winter debris yesterday and discovered the tippy tops of violet sprouts at the surface.
>160 Smiler69: Well that made me laugh on this dreary drizzly morning.
>161 PaulCranswick: The off-the-cuff gene disappeared from my family tree generations ago.

>161 PaulCranswick: What a wonderful review, Paul! Thanks for posting it, Smiler. Now I want to read the book. (Maybe).

Happy Wednesday, Katherine!

The view from my mom's camp...

>164 labfs39: Oh, pretty!

>148 labfs39: Yay, mini-meetup w/ labfs39 arranged for June 3-4 in Portland ME.
>159 ronincats: Noticed the bleeding hearts today, 1/2" above ground. And a few hellebore buds.

>118 sibylline: I found those Elizabeth Kolbert articles fascinating and am planning to buy her new book (from which those articles were excerpted I believe), The Sixth Extinction, although maybe not until it comes out in paperback.

Bleeding hearts are so sweet.

>167 rebeccanyc: I haven't read the articles yet, but I added the book to my wishlist. I'm another "wait for the paperback" which forces occasional delayed gratification.

>169 qebo: There are few things more frustrating to me than having bought the hard cover edition and not having read it by the time the paperback comes out. I am trying to be more rigorous about not buying hardcovers if I realistically think I won't read them right away.

>170 rebeccanyc: having bought the hard cover edition and not having read it by the time the paperback comes out
Yes, I have a bunch of those myself. I _had_ to have it immediately.

Possible Philadelphia meetup on May 10 when kidzdoc will be there-ish.

#18: Death Comes to Pemberley by P. D. James -- (Mar 12)

why now: This was passed along to me by my mother, who was unimpressed. I read the Adam Dalgliesh series in high school, so I was curious enough to give it a try. I reread Pride and Prejudice in preparation, then hurried to read this before I forgot again.

Six years after Pride and Prejudice, it is the evening before the annual ball at Pemberley, Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth Darcy are hosting a small dinner party, Charles and Jane Bingley have arrived, the children are settled with the nanny, and suddenly Lydia Wickham, who was not invited, dramatically bursts into the domestic tranquility, screaming that her husband has been killed. Actually Wickham’s friend Denny has been beaten to death, and a bloody Wickham is discovered with the body. The three were passing through the woods with a plan that the men would drop off Lydia as a surprise then continue on to a hotel, when the driver was instructed to stop the carriage, Denny ran off, Wickham chased after him, and gunshots were heard. With no evidence of an alternative culprit, Wickham is arrested and brought to trial.

Don’t expect any of the humor or social commentary of P&P. This is more a procedural of early 1800s law and justice, with all the appropriate facts as backstory but disappointingly cardboard characters. Darcy asks lawyer Henry Alveston to defend Wickham. Colonel Fitzwilliam assists with the investigation; he was absent from dinner but has an alibi, a meeting in public with an evasively identified lady. Meanwhile Georgiana is courted by both men, and there is concern that her history with Wickham will be revealed. What happened in the woods? A servant’s family lives in a cottage near the scene of the crime, and two servant girls saw a ghost. Events around the murder are recounted several times by several people, with slightly different details emphasized or omitted. Wickham remains a cad, but is he a murderer?

Mildly worth reading if you happen upon it, and are in a whatever-happened-to frame of mind, but probably not worth seeking intentionally.

Katherine, you don't encourage me to spend time with James at Pemberley, and I thank you for it.
Glad to hear about signs of spring. We are deep in pine pollen and looking forward to rain tomorrow to wash some of it away. Golly, I hope we've had the last really cold weather until next winter!
And I appreciate Paul's review of the Faulkner too. Got to get back to the man one of these years.

Thanks for the review of Pemberley. As Peggy says, it's helpful to be encouraged away from books that seem like they might appeal.

>173 qebo: I think I will happily pass, I am not even a P&P fan!

Shame about Death Comes to Pemberley. So far, I haven't seen anyone get excited by it. Too bad, because as you describe it, it sounds like a great yarn.

Guess what I should be doing this weekend.

http://www.vox.com/2014/4/12/5609068/what-if-the-irs-discovered-the-quadratic-eq...
http://www.cs.amherst.edu/~djv/irs.pdf

>178 qebo: I love that!!

Me too!

Love it three! The funny thing is that the darn thing works!

Yup, that's what I worked on yesterday, too. Today, I need to check it with fresh eyes, proof and submit.

(I'm also working on some sort of review for the Einstein book by Isaacson). Maybe I'll just give up reviews for a while and list books. You know, go out and work in the yard.

I've sent that on to my spousal unit - I'm sure he'll have fun with it!

Oh - and back to say I wasn't very impressed with Pemberly either. I keep hearing contradictory things about Longbourn, some seem to like it others, not.

And taxes are DONE!

Damn. Just found out that Jane Goodall will be speaking here on Friday. And tickets are sold out.

Damn, indeed. She has a few Ted talks online...

>185 karspeak: ... and was on the Colbert Report last week. Colbert was respectfully toned-down for this interview.

Still, Katherine, it stinks that you have to miss seeing her in person.

Yeah. The appeal of in-person is that we don't get lots of royalty around here and I'd be curious who shows up.

Oh darn. That would be a very interesting event to go to, I'm sure. Still, now I know to look for her on Ted.

Sorry you're missing out on seeing Jane Goodall, but glad you got through the tax thing. :)

>183 qebo: Mind doing mine too?

Another weekend, another apology for behindness and not aroundness. It'll be two days of sun and 60s, and I'm going outside.

Sounds like a perfect plan to me!

That's where I'd be if it wasn't RAINING! In fact, Miss Po and I were out in it and after I toweled her off when we got home the fam indignantly asked me if I'd 'bothered' drying her.... I showed them the soaked towel and said, "Your turn!"

I heard a vaguely interesting interview with P.D. James about Death Comes to Pemberley on BBC's World Book Club. There were two other interviewees. Turns out P.D. James is a huge Austin fan and was trying to pay her homage. Sounds like it didn't work.

Pride and Prejudice
Sat, 5 Jan 13
Duration:
53 mins
Harriett Gilbert is joined by P D James, Moni Mohsin and Susannah Fullerton to celebrate 200 years of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice at the BBC Radio Theatre.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/wbc/all

>191 qebo: It'll be two days of sun and 60s, and I'm going outside.
It's been nice in our neck of the woods, hasn't it? Last weekend was marvelous and this one is turning out nicely. Lots of gardening happening -- assume the same for you? I planted lettuce & carrots today.

>195 lauralkeet: Yeah, these days I'm mostly over here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/171560 . Why don't you join us?

Q - need to mention - I was wrong, the Marathon is today. I do think, however, they were starting the security arrangements and set up as early as Saturday, since so many weren't going to be working on Sunday.

>197 sibylline: Yeah, I figured. Especially big deal this year because of the bomb last year. Waiting for the live feed (http://watchlive.baa.org/) to start...

Jane Goodall in Lancaster: http://www.fandm.edu/news/article/jane-goodall-brings-message-of-hope-to-f-m-vid...

I haven't watched it yet.

I wish you could have gotten a ticket...

Another weekend spent outside. And next weekend I'll be in DC for the meetup. Really I have not forgotten my purpose in life! Every day I read a few pages. But the back yard is sprouting through the winter disarray, the community garden has become a part time job, nephew and niece have weekly track meets, Little Free Library activity has picked up. I posted a sign requesting books, and got seven donations of bags and boxes. I'd expected to pass everything through BookCrossing for the rest of the year, but one day last week I had to replenish the supply, I did not have a spare hour for data entry, and it was _such_ a relief to enter only author and title on the spreadsheet, no squinting to see the ISBN, no stepping through redundant pages typing required comments. So that's the end of it. If I get BC books, I'll make a journal entry; otherwise, not happening.

sounds like a reasonable decision.

I expected not to get an April ER because I haven't yet reviewed January or February (and haven't yet received March)... but I'm getting The Map Thief. Not sure what to think of the ER algorithm.

It might still be too early for January and February to be counting against you.

But I also think there are basically too many books being offered to too few people, because they mix in the e-books with the physical books. If you're fully up-to-date on reviews, you have a good chance of winning every single month. If you're a couple of reviews behind, it probably doesn't do too much harm. And even if you have a pretty bad record, you can still win a couple of books every year. The fact that continual not-winning increases your chances probably helps with that.

I sort of feel like I can never catch up, because as soon as I get through just one book in my backlog, I end up winning another. And I haven't requested more than two books in a batch since August 2012.

I also feel like the program could be improved in numerous ways, but since they're deliberately so secretive about the process and not particularly interested in feedback, I'm not going to bother offering suggestions.

>204 _Zoe_: Well, I have actually read the two books I've received (not that the ER algorithm would have any way of knowing), which is why I felt optimistic about requesting another. So maybe "honor system" is a chunk of the algorithm. I could string together 25 words for each book too, but they're decent books with interesting content and deserve real reviews. In early April, I assumed I'd catch up with reviews by the end of the month. Instead, I've managed to reach 200 thread posts with two not-really-reviews in two months, and improved conditions nowhere in sight.

Maybe I just have no honour :). I know it would make sense to stop requesting until I get caught up on reading, but I figure the algorithm is already taking that into account, so I just continue requesting individual books that seem interesting. Oops.

In early April, I assumed I'd catch up with reviews by the end of the month. Instead, I've managed to reach 200 thread posts with two not-really-reviews in two months, and improved conditions nowhere in sight.

Sounds like me. I did write a tiny review yesterday, and I'm hoping it might break the logjam in my head...

>203 qebo:

I found that I get ER books whether or not I do the reviews. I try to do them, but I have not finished all of them. I've only skipped a few though. Most of them I try to do in a timely fashion. I think that the algorithm favors those of us who are more likely to complete a review. Seriously.

>201 qebo:

If I get BC books, I'll make a journal entry; otherwise, not happening.

Okay.

:(

>206 _Zoe_:

I know it would make sense to stop requesting until I get caught up on reading, but I figure the algorithm is already taking that into account, so I just continue requesting individual books that seem interesting. Oops.

Me, too!

*blushes*

>209 SqueakyChu: Sorry. BC is a really cool idea, but the reality (for my LFL anyway) is there's very little bang for the buck (nearly 300 books taken, only two journalers w/ a half dozen books total), and the data entry is inefficiently implemented and extremely time consuming.

>211 qebo: I understand.

You have terrific turnover in your library!

Yes, you do, I'm really impressed! Too bad the data entry is such a pain.

I always feel pressure to read and review the ER books, because it might help the authors. I need to get pickier about what I request--right now I do have two languishing, ready to be read.

Hi, Katherine! It's great that your Little Free Library is so busy! :)

Re: ER books: I got one this month. But earlier this year there was one I really wanted, and I didn't get any that month. And I was totally caught up on reviews, except for the books I never received, which I reported in the appropriate way. Not sure what that means.

>215 tymfos: Maybe there's really no algorithm but they just pretend to keep us in line.