Nittnut - Birds of a Feather Read Together - One Tui

http://www.doc.govt.nz/conservation/native-animals/birds/birds-a-z/tui/

Welcome to my first thread of 2015! I am halfway through my 6th year with LibraryThing and the 75ers. I feel pretty lucky to belong to the best book club in the world.

A little about me - I grew up in Southern California. I have been married nearly 22 years to the best guy in the world who kindly puts up with my reading addictions. We have three children ages 16, 10 and 8 and I am doing my utmost to instill an addiction to reading in all three. We have lived in California, Oregon, Colorado, and now we live in New Zealand. We just moved from Wellington north up the Kapiti coast and we now live about five minutes from the beach. The first thing I did after we got the keys to the house was take the kids to the library for library cards.

I thought this year I would top my threads with native NZ birds. My daughter and I are working on seeing as many native bird species as we can - just for fun.

Reading goals (flexible, of course):

Wheel of Time series - enough of you have recommended it and so I will begin
American Author Challenge - I'd like to join in on this fun group challenge
TIOLI - loved it when I was participating and I'm going to get back into it again
2015 Challenge

Currently Reading: Words of Radiance, A Patriot's History of the United States

Pages read: 5076

January Planned Reading:

TIOLI
The Narrow Road to the Deep North #2 - Complete
The Kingdom of This World #4
Sea of Poppies #5 - Complete
Gilead #12 - Complete
Change of Heart #15 - Complete
Countdown #15 - Complete
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry #19 - Complete
The Ballad of the Sad Cafe #22 - Complete

American Authors
The Ballad of the Sad Cafe - Complete

ANZAC
The Narrow Road to the Deep North - Complete
The Captive Wife - Complete

Read:
Change of Heart
Countdown
The Ballad of the Sad Cafe and Other Stories
The Way of Kings
Eight Cousins
The Collected Works of A.J. Fikry
The Captive Wife
Now That I've Found You
Sea of Poppies
River of Smoke
The Narrow Road to the Deep North
An Appetite for Wonder
Gilead

2014 Favorites

2015 Challenge

Rollover - books from my 2014 challenge (and maybe one from 2013)
Off The Shelf
Fantasy
New Zealand
Animal Sciences
TIOLI - it's been awhile since I participated here
Book Bullets
Reading Aloud With the Family
Award Winners
American Author Challenge
US History
YA - always
Mystery
Memoir
Next in a Series

American Authors Challenge

January - Carson McCullers - The Ballad of the Sad Cafe (audio)
February - Henry James- The Wings of the Dove
March - Richard Ford - Canada
April - Louise Erdrich- The Roundhouse
May - Sinclair Lewis- Main Street
June - Wallace Stegner- American Places OTS
July - Ursula K. Le Guin - Lavinia
August - Larry McMurtry- Lonesome Dove OTS
September - Flannery O' Connor- A Good Man is Hard To Find - started but never finished
October - Ray Bradbury- Green Shadows, White Whale
November - Barbara Kingsolver- The Poisonwood Bible - this is a re-read
December - E.L. Doctorow- Ragtime

ANZAC Challenge

Australia

January- Richard Flanagan - The Narrow Road to the Deep North
February-Cate Kennedy
March-Michelle De Kretser
April- Roger McDonald
May- Christina Stead
June- Kim Scott
July- Peter Carey
August- Helen Garner
September- Ruth Park
October- Robert Hughes
November- Kerry Greenwood
December- Matthew Reilly

New Zealand

January- Fiona Kidman - Captive Wife
February- Maurice Shadbolt
March- Elizabeth Knox
April- Alan Duff - Once Were Warriors
May- Katherine Mansfield
June- Witi Ihimaera
July- Lloyd Jones
August- Keri Hulme
September- Michael King
October- Patricia Grace
November- Ngaio Marsh
December- Paul Cleave

Hi Jenn! Wishing you a great reading year for 2015.

Hi Jenn! Never heard of a Tui but now I know (a little) about them. I love that you're going to feature native New Zealand birds on your 2015 thread. I'm loving following your adventures in NZ. Enjoy your summer. I'm sitting here looking out at snow and fog!

Hi Jenn! Can't wait to follow your NZ adventures and your reading this year.

>6 kiwiflowa: Hi Lisa! Same to you. :)

>7 phebj: Pat!! So nice to see you. Did you listen to the recording of the Tui's song? You can't believe the sounds that bird can make.

>8 porch_reader: Hi Amy :)

Here we go!! Making my rounds, finding my friends. :)


ETA - I'm working through The Wheel of Time series as well.....it's been about a year and I'm maybe halfway through the books??

Hey Jenn! Looking forward to following your thread once again!

I've heard great things about the Wheel of Time series too. I hope you like it!

Hi Jenn! Stopping by to wish you a great reading year and to drop a star so that I can find my way back here.

Jenn, I feel lucky to belong to the best book club in the world too! Well said, my friend. Dropping a star, and wishing you HNY and happy reading!

The best book club in the world? Yep, I think I could agree with that, but I think we are a little more than that too.

Jenn, I trust that your first full year in NZ will be a productive and happy one for you and yours.

Hi Jenn! Love the bird, and the plan to top with native NZ birds (not that I need a reason to visit your threads...)

Happy New Year to you. Miss you.

Jenn, I went back to listen to the Tui's songs. I loved the territorial one. And I also like the white tuffs on their chests. Do you see these were you live?

I love the NZ bird them, Jenn. I got Haley a bird feeder and book on birds for Christmas. She is so excited to learn more. She loves watching the birds over here and is a quick learner. She also wants to put out a garden this year. Her parents will have to help her with that one! I look forward to following you again in 2015. You made a smart move to be close to the beach. Take more pictures please!

Hi Jenn, love your NZ bird theme. I am being driven mad by the squirrels in my yard who invariably eat more of the seed I put out for the birds. And with them hanging about the feeder, the poor birds are being kept away and can only stand and watch miserably until the furry critters have had their fill and jumped off.

Wow! Lots of visitors today! :)

>10 jolerie: Thanks for the stars Valerie! I noticed Wheel of Time on your thread when I was over there starring you. It is encouraging to see that you're still persevering. :)

>11 katiekrug: Thanks Katie!

>12 The_Hibernator: Hello Rachel. I don't think we've crossed paths before, so I dropped by your profile. Between your cover photo of the Brown bear and your personal description - "human. scientist. blogger" - I decided I wanted to be friends. :) Off to find your thread and star it.

>13 lkernagh: Hi Lori! Same to you. Looking forward to another great year.

>14 lit_chick: Hi Nancy. Patiently waiting for you to make a new thread... *fingers drumming on table*

>15 PaulCranswick: True words, Paul. As always. :)

>16 AMQS: Hi Anne! A Happy New Year to all of you there in CO. We are looking forward to hearing when you're coming for a visit...:)

>17 phebj: Hi Pat. We do see the Tui and hear them. We saw more of them at our old house which was near Zealandia. We had a kowhai tree in our yard, and the Tui love those flowers. That is the tree in the thread topper. They are very common and fun to listen to.

>18 Donna828: So fun to start a new bird watcher off. It's a life long source of entertainment. :)

>19 cameling: Hi Caro! I can't say how long it's been since I've been over to your thread. I'll have to rectify that in 2015. No idea what the solution is with those squirrels. A common problem for sure. Squirrels can be fun to watch too though.

Happy new year, Jenn! I love the tui picture. See you on Saturday!

Starred you Jenn.

>21 lunacat: Thanks!!

>22 cushlareads: Happy New Year Cushla! Crossing fingers that the weather holds. :)

>23 SandDune: Waving at Rhian :)

Dropping my star to see what you are reading this year. I tend to lurk more than talk when life catches up with me, but hopefully I'll be able to let you know I'm still alive once in awhile.

Jenn, well into 2015 on North Island:



Happy New Year from your friend in Kuala Lumpur

Happy New Year, Jenn!

Happy New Year Jenn!

Happy New Year, Jenn. Great list of favorites; The Last Days of the Incas looks good. I'll have to check it out. I look forward to following your reading this year.

>25 thornton37814: Hi Lori, lurk away. :)

>26 PaulCranswick: And a Happy New Year to you too Paul.

>27 ronincats: Roni, I love the beach photo. :)

>28 scaifea: Hi Amber! Hope the eyes are better.

>29 The_Hibernator: Happy New Year Rachel.

>30 BLBera: Hi Beth :) I just gave you a wave over on your thread. :)

#1 Change of Heart - from Megan (ireadthereforeiam), TIOLI, 2015 Challenge

First, a little about the author, who is new to me. Barbara Anderson was born in New Zealand. She didn't begin her writing career until she was in her fifties. She received the Icon Award in 2011, just two years before she passed away. This is beginning to sound like a 10 year old's book report. Lol.

I. loved. this. book. It's quirky and endearing. Some of the humorous moments are also a bit pathetic, but they are so life-like. Most of the story is from the point of view of Oliver Perkins. Oliver is a seventy-five year old man who leads a quiet, orderly life. Then something happens that causes him to evaluate his relationships. He decides that his wife has spent their entire marriage accommodating to his needs, and he should try to accommodate hers a little. He begins, but it turns out to be harder than he expected. Oliver is a funny guy. He is very attached to his routine, he places a much higher than reasonable importance to his dead father's opinions, and he doesn't like confrontation. He has a strong desire to take care of people and he deeply cares for them, but has a hard time communicating this. He blunders around in the most endearing way, learning things he would probably rather not know about his family, but in the end, he finds it was worth the effort.

Quotes:

"A cardiac incident, be it mild, certainly concentrates the mind."

How I abominate this passion for sharing, this fear of being alone with your own indecisions, this need to belong.

Money does not bring happiness, but it can help you enjoy your misery in comfort.

>32 nittnut: Hahaha sometimes 10 year olds do decent book reviews. xx
Wishing you a lovely weekend in the NZ summertime.

I'm not much for poetry in general, but when I like a poem, I like it. :) Here's one I like.

“Why I Wake Early"

Hello, sun in my face.

Hello, you who made the morning
and spread it over the fields
and into the faces of the tulips
and the nodding morning glories,
and into the windows of, even, the
miserable and the crotchety –

best preacher that ever was,
dear star, that just happens
to be where you are in the universe
to keep us from ever-darkness,
to ease us with warm touching,
to hold us in the great hands of light –
good morning, good morning, good morning.

Watch, now, how I start the day
in happiness, in kindness.”

― Mary Oliver

>33 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul. I think...
Lol

We've had a lovely weekend so far. We just had Cushla and the family over for beach and BBQ. Was so much fun, we'll do it again soon. We tried for a meetup photo, but as Cushla said, the one we got was "shocking" and so we'll have to try again another day. :)

Waving a Jenn, shivering in 0 degrees. I love Mary Oliver.

>34 nittnut: Most will know that poetry is "one of my things". I also really like Mary Oliver - she should be far more well known.

Jenn, I'm incapable of following all the threads I would like to so this is just a flying visit - but I do like your top photo a lot. If I had feathers, I would preen. Happy reading for 2015.

Great poem, Jenn! Mary Oliver is the author of two of my favorite quotes:

"Instructions for living a life: Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it."

"Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?"

Also, I completely understand not posting the "shocking" meetup photo, but I must admit my curiosity was piqued!

I love the picture of the tui up top, Jenn! Good luck to you and your daughter with your bird spotting.

Glad to see that your reading for 2015 has started off with a bang! I have added the book to the BlackHole. Thanks for the recommendation.

Happy New Year, Jenn! Love the bird photo up top, just gorgeous!

I plan on reading The Ballad of the Sad Cafe this month, too.

Jenn, thanks for a lovely day!! We had a great time too.

Teresa has some rather obvious tog marks from sunburn.... but she tells me sunburn does not hurt. I think she might be about to find out that she hasn't been sunburnt before.

Honest, everyone, the boys in my family do not have a good track record of photos of me and Jenn. Last time was Fletcher taking a photo of me, Jenn and Megan. Today was Tim's turn. Hopefully the next chance we get will be soon and we will be getting someone else to capture the moment!

Loads of tui here tonight (the bird kind, not the rare Canadian reading kind).

>38 tiffin: You're welcome to fly through anytime Tui. Or even stay and give us a song. :)

>39 porch_reader: Hi Amy. Those are a couple of favorite quotes of mine as well. Love her.

>40 alcottacre: Hiya Stasia! So happy to add to the black hole, lol. That was a book I got from Megan at our meetup in November. Nothing better than trading books with book lovers!

>41 Copperskye: Hi Joanne! I am looking forward to the book. It will be great to talk about with so many.

>42 cushlareads:. Uh oh. If she's sunburnt, she will not be happy. Have you got some aloe? We will have Margo take the photo next time. I have a feeling she will be more emotionally involved. Lol

Off to read some more of Countdown, which was a gift from Kerry, and so far is excellent. It's timely too because we are watching a series called Granite Flats with the kids and we've been explaining the cold war and other things about that time period.

Here's a link to Granite Flats if anyone is interested... http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2624370/

Hi Jenn! Happy weekend! >34 nittnut: love the poem.

Money does not bring happiness, but it can help you enjoy your misery in comfort. Ah, yes, indeed … at least so I've always thought.

Hi Jenn!

>32 nittnut: I. loved. this. book. That's all I need -- Change of Heart is on my list now.

>32 nittnut: yay! You loved it. *my job here is done*

Love that you are topping threads with NZ birds, I feel proud :)

Jenn, I love that Mary Oliver poem. I have a small collection of poems that speak to me in Evernote. Into the file with "Why I Wake Early". Thanks! I hope you and Cushla have another "shocking" meetup soon. Haha.

Hello Monday morning. My husband is back to work and we are back on some kind of a schedule. We are going to have an informal US history lesson and then do a walk in the hills near Waikanae. That will probably be all, other than the usual chores. It's a gorgeous day so I will get some laundry on the line.

>Happy rest of your weekend Rachel!

>I've always thought so too Nancy. :)

>I hope you like it Anne.

> You do good work Megan. lol

> I think we'll do a beach day sometime this week Donna. I will have Margo take the photo. She's much more interested in the process.

#2 Countdown - Thank you Kerry! 2015, TIOLI

This has been on my list for a while. Countdown is set in the days just before and after the Cuban Missile Crisis. The book is chock full of news articles, song lyrics, political cartoons, catch prases, etc. which contribute hugely to the atmosphere of the story. Franny, a 5th grader whose father is a pilot in the air force, narrates her story. Along with the usual 5th grade issues of liking a neighbor boy, fighting with friends, the first boy-girl party and sibling rivalry, Franny is also a worrier. All the cold war news has her awake at night worrying about the end of the world. Thanks to the notes at the back of the book, I discovered that the story is vaguely auto-biographical. I liked that personal aspect. There was one glaring historical error regarding the length of the Truman presidency, which appears in one of the "school report" style graphics. Overall, this is a great read and one I will probably give to my own "fifth grader" to read.

Just some random stuff...

Tonight at dinner -
Eli: Mum! What is that green stuff in the corn fritters?
Me: It's a spring onion.
Eli: Oh. I thought it was mold.
Me: Why would I put mold in your food?
Eli: Well, you might not have noticed.

It's a well known fact that mothers regularly, accidentally put mold in food without noticing.

Tomorrow is a dedicated sewing day. Just thought if I say it somewhere, it might happen. We've had two fun filled days with new friends and I need a cave day. I've got a pair of cargo pants cut out for Eli of the mold police and I'd really like to make them. If I can get it right and he likes them, then I will chance making a pair of shorts for Margo.

I am 79th in line for The Narrow Road to the Deep North. Hopefully I will get it before the end of the month. I did pick up a couple of books by Fiona Kidman. That's the ANZAC challenge sorted. I have started listening to The Ballad of the Sad Cafe on audio for the American Authors challenge. I will be listening to that while I sew tomorrow.

I am about 20% into The Way of Kings and I am struggling a little. Mostly I am trying to get my head around this world he's created, but so far there isn't a lot of explanation. It's just sort of growing on me I guess. I like it, I'm just confused sort of.

My daughter is reading the Narnia books straight through for the first time. So cool.

And... it's really time to take down the Christmas tree. Sigh. Maybe I will listen to my audio book and just get it done.

>49 nittnut: Countdown looks pretty good. Into the BlackHole it goes!

*snork!* Love the mold story!

I'm going to do my best to get my foot into the sewing room today, too. It needs a good tidying and that's what I'm not exactly looking forward to doing...

Hi Jenn! Just passing through... We still haven't taken our Christmas stuff down, either. I guess that will be on the agenda for the weekend.

It's a well known fact that mothers regularly, accidentally put mold in food without noticing. Oh, is that what I've been sprinkling on the girls' food? LOL.

Yay for the Narnia series! I've lost count of how many times I've read it. I've read the entire series aloud three times -- how wonderful!

I love the mold story too. My 10 year old freaks out anytime there is something green in his food. I can't tell you how many time I've tried to convince him that parsley isn't going to kill him. Maybe he thinks it's mold!

Love the Narnia books! I started re-reading them a few years ago.

>51 alcottacre: Woot! Hit Stasia with a BB. ;)

>52 scaifea: Nope. Cleaning the sewing room isn't nearly as fun as messing it up.

>53 katiekrug: Hey Katie. I got the tree down last night. Funny how clean the house feels when Christmas decor is put away, isn't it?

>54 AMQS: Hi Anne. See? And you probably didn't even realize it.

>55 porch_reader: We have the same problem here Amy. Any green flecks in the food are a no-go.

Well. Today I did manage to dedicate some time to sewing. There was a flub-up of some kind regarding the zipper, which is normal for me, so I didn't get as far as I would have liked to. I will have to re-do that bit tomorrow and see if I can figure out where I went wrong. It's not a total loss though. I successfully created my first welt pockets and I finished most of The Ballad of the Sad Cafe. I have a few of the additional short stories to go, but I'm mostly done. We then went to dinner at the home of some new neighbors and after a few hours of being social, I am exhausted. I need to inflate my bubble and go to bed with a book. Probably more The Way of Kings which is becoming less opaque and more fascinating.

The mold police??? *speechless*

I do hope you get to the Flanagan book soon, though you may want to use the intervening time to prepare yourself -- it's a grueling read.

It's unfortunate that the rare Canadian reading Tui is indeed so scarce, and typically only to be found online, especially during a northern hemisphere winter... :-)

>56 nittnut: A sewing project isn't really a sewing project for me until the seam ripper comes out of its drawer, I'm afraid. Best of luck with the zipper today, Jenn.

Love the mold story, too. My daughter used to ask me frequently, about expiration dates. Don't all mothers feed their kids toxics? (That was often my reply to her questions about whether something was "still good.")

>57 Chatterbox: Hi Suzanne! I know it's going to be a bit rough, which is why I'm hoping I get it sooner than later. Even if I'm "supposed" to read it in January, I don't want to read it in a day. It is nice to see that Canadian Tui out and about, isn't it?

>58 scaifea: So very true Amber, and particularly true for me when zippers are involved. Someday I will conquer the zipper in 2 attempts or less...

>59 BLBera: Oh my gosh Beth! My oldest son used to do that. Of course, It may have been prompted by his finding a 4 years past expiration bottle of Ranch dressing in the pantry and me saying to open it and see if it really was bad. It was. I sometimes use canned goods that are a little past the "best by" date, but after that, he was the expiration date police. My only excuse is being raised by a dad who was a product of parents who grew up in the Depression. To this day he will take dodgy leftovers out of the fridge and just fry them up good and eat them. I'm not that bad. lol

Re: expiration dates, I have been programmed to go by them. My husband argues that they are mostly made up (he means the pantry stuff, not perishable stuff). Over Christmas, I got to see where he gets this from when his mother got a bit huffy and passive-aggressive over a jar of mustard I noticed was a year and a half old. But lesson learned for me because later, while we were at the store, she spent 10 minutes in the condiments aisle, comparing various mustards, sizes, quantities, and prices. TEN MINUTES. I should have just eaten the out of date mustard and welcomed the slow, agonizing death.... ;-)

>61 katiekrug: I'd definitely eat out of date mustard. In fact, I probably often do if my friend is cooking and uses it. I'm afraid I'm with your husband on the pantry cupboard stuff - if it still looks and smells fine then I'll give it a go, no matter how old it is. I might be a little hesitant about tasting it but if it tastes alright as well? No need to throw it out!

The only thing I pay any attention to is dates on meat. If it's on it's expiry date and we haven't used it then it gets thrown in the freezer. I know things have freezer expiry dates as well (like use within three months) but we pay no attention to that.

I've only ever got food poisoning once, and that was eating an item that was within it's date range, so had no reason to be bad. Either I've got a cast iron stomach, or I've just been really lucky.

>62 lunacat: - Oh, I've consumed "out of date" stuff, too. As long as someone else is around to do the initial smell and taste test, I am not too bad about it. It's not like I was refusing to eat the mustard, I just made the mistake of making a joke of it to my husband that the MIL overheard.

What's really funny is that our kids think we would feed them stuff that is bad. I know some dietitians and they said the expiration date is basically a "sell by" date; I forget, though, how much past they said the stuff could be used. Although when you think about it, should we really be eating stuff that never goes bad? The preservatives can't be good for us...Maybe it's better not to look at the date.

>62 lunacat: I am the same way. I will say though, that old Ranch dressing is pretty gross. The one we opened had gone sour. Probably the milk. Makes sense. I pay no attention to freezer expiry either. I just look at it. I have had some stuff get freezer burn and not be worth cooking.

>63 katiekrug: I have to be careful about what I say around my MIL too. No sense of humor, generally. Going grocery shopping with her is a nightmare. She has to read all the ingredients, compare prices, and sometimes, if she is visiting me and she wants something, but doesn't want to pay for it, she'll put it in my shopping cart. Oh yes, we have separate shopping carts. That's her, not me. She also makes a special box for "her" food and stashes it in her room. After their most recent visit, I had 5 bottles of apricot jam and 4 bottles of mayo in my fridge. She wanted her own container so the kids didn't put germs in, but apparently she was buying a new one every time she went to the market.

>64 BLBera: I know. Kids have some real trust issues around food, don't they?

Apparently, and I don't want to think about this too much, dead bodies are decomposing more slowly than they used to. One of the theories is the preservatives in our food. Ick. There are fewer preservatives in the food here in NZ. I know this because bread only lasts a day or two on the counter before molding as opposed to the Orowheat I always bought in the states which seemed to last a week or two in the cupboard...

Anything with eggs and dairy in it -- you need to watch that.

>65 nittnut: That is freaky about decomposition. One more factor in favor of cremation. (Aside from the fact that I'm claustrophobic, and yes, I realize the irrationality.)

Sometimes kids are right to have the trust issues....

My SIL was feeding her kids breakfast one time and one of the boys just refused to drink his cup of milk. For the sake of not wasting, she demanded that he finish it before he could leave the table. He kept saying it smelled weird and he really didn't want to. She thought he was just making excuses. Half and hour later...the battle of wills continued and my nephew still refused to drink it. My SIL finally went over to check out why he was being so difficult. Poor kid...the milk was way, way, beyond bad. She held back her gagging and told him it was okay and he beelined out of the kitchen as fast as he could. Can't blame my SIL either..she has 4 boys under 4 at the time. Forcing your kid to drink expired milk was probably the least of her worries...haha!

I'm coming out of lurking to share a story about cooking at my dad's house in 2012. I made bread. I could not fathom why it turned out so badly, as I had tested the yeast, being suspicious about how long he holds onto food. I finally thought to look for the expiry date on the flour--1987.

I threw it out without asking for permission and bought him some new the next day.

Several years ago I took the girls to Cyprus to visit my mother in law. The girls and I went about 2 weeks ahead of my husband. At one point, she tried to make them a sandwich with mayonnaise that had expired about 5 years previously. Not only expired , but it was opened and in the fridge. I refused, and what ensued was a battle that lasted the rest of the summer. She brought out an unopened jar of mayonnaise from the pantry, but as it had expired three years previously I refused it as well. When my husband arrived two weeks later, and had kept both jars to prove a point to him about his wife's unreasonableness.

Yikes.

>66 Chatterbox: It's hard to be completely rational about death when you're alive.

>67 jolerie: I have been that mom Valerie. My oldest son would tell you. I saw a funny comedy routine the other day, can't remember the guys name. He said "What's it like having four kids? Imagine you're drowning, and somebody hands you a baby." So funny.

>68 ipsoivan: Hi Maggie, de-lurk any time ;). That's funny about the bread. Checking the date on the flour wouldn't be the first thing I would think of.

>69 AMQS: Eek! Mayonnaise is scary. I am suspicious of it in the most brand new and fresh circumstances. No way would I eat any expired. Ah. MIL's. The stories we could tell.

Amazing how much audio book you can get through when it takes two tries plus a YouTube video to complete a zip fly in a pair of pants. Extra especially when you finish the fly, but haven't completed the waistband and you zip the zip right off the zip. Oops. It took me about an hour to figure out how to put the zip back together without totally deconstructing the beautifully finished fly, but I managed it. Phew!

#3 The Ballad of the Sad Cafe and Other Stories - American Authors

It is for this reason that most of us would rather love than be loved. Almost everyone wants to be the lover. And the curt truth is that, in a deep secret way, the state of being beloved is intolerable to many. The beloved fears and hates the lover, and with the best of reasons. For the lover is forever trying to strip bare the beloved.

If you take a ballad, and then imagine it in the form of a novel, then you have the idea of The Ballad of the Sad Cafe. It explores the transformative power of love, but seems to claim that in the end, the transformation can only bring pain. While the writing is musical and the story it compelling, it's impact is in the lack of redemption for both the lover and the beloved. There is only betrayal and retribution and betrayal.

Following The Ballad, there is a collection of short stories. These were powerful and intense. A couple that reallly stood out to me were Wunderkind and A Domestic Dilemma. In Wunderkind, McCullers explores the emotional pain suffered by a young and gifted pianist as she realizes she will never become great. In A Domestic Dilemma, a husband watches his wife descend into alcoholism. He realizes she is a danger to his children and his career and he must decide what to do. In the end, we have no idea what he will do, only that he will do something, and it is ominous.

While the stories she tells are not happy, Carson McCullers is skillful at exposing the emotional lives of her characters in a way that is somehow both raw and beautiful.

>50 nittnut: I am 79th in line for The Narrow Road to the Deep North. Hopefully I will get it before the end of the month
You reckon!!?! That sounds an awfully long queue!

>65 nittnut: ew ew ew re: slower decomposition due to preservatives. Not that is should matter, I suppose. But, still. Ew.

^ Oh but I'm all the way to 75th today. Hope springs eternal.

A series from the beach with Cushla and the kids today. My daughter definitely took better photos, but we were photo bombed relentlessly by the younger contingency.






And a couple cute girls digging for pippis.

Love the photos! Looks like a fun day.

Yes it was such a fun day!! We also went to the swimming pool in the morning so the kids and I were shattered by the time we got home, but in a good way.

Jenn what number are you up to in the countdown now? It's funny watching you slog your way from 79th to 1st place.

My New Year's wishes are late but none the less heartfelt. Hope 2015 treats you well.

What fun having a fellow 75er as a near neighbour! I suppose if I was back at home John Simpson and I would be regulars in guzzling coffee and chewing the fat. Sometimes feel isolated over here but it is nice seeing you and the respective kids getting along so swimmingly.

^ it is cool, isn't it Paul? I feel isolated here too, even though I have met the picture people and your good self! I think that is why I love other peoples meetups so much. And just wait til you hit USA!! You will be back to back meetups the whole time!!!

Great pics, Jenn :) Looks like a great day. Oh, and LOVING the food stories! Wow, 1987 flour, sour milk and mayonnaise reputed to be good after years in the jar. Wow.

>74 AMQS: Hi Anne :)

>75 cushlareads: Ha! I am 74th.

>76 RebaRelishesReading: Hello Reba! Happy to see you. :)

>77 PaulCranswick: It is such fun Paul. And since I have seen many a photo of LTers enjoying lovely meals with you and your family, I really can't feel too sorry for you. ;)

>78 LovingLit: There were some really good food stories. Gross, but good.

No finished books to report at the moment. I'm into a real chunkster and I've had company over the weekend so I haven't read much. Off to read myself to sleep.

#4 The Way of Kings - 2015 Category Challenge

Roshar is a world with a wide variety of people and landscapes. It took me a little while to get my head around things, but once I did, I was able to relax into the story more. As the opening book of what looks to be an epic series, The Way of Kings spends a lot of time on character and world building. We have four main characters to get to know and each of their sections are peopled by supporting characters with important roles. The people who live in Roshar have a complex theology and different groups have their own interpretations of the theological lore. This makes for complicated politics both within groups and between nations. The characters are realistic and flawed and able to explore the morals and attitudes of their belief system without coming across as preachy. They also have magic. Like his Mistborn series though, the magical system is science based. There is physics and chemistry and work involved. Not the typical potions and such, but a combination of skill, effort, ethics and science that is unique and just plain cool. I am also pleased to report that the only budding romance in this enormous book is also atypical and was between... nope, I'm not going to tell. I really enjoyed The Way of Kings, and I am looking forward to the next book. I will be taking my time with this series though, as book three is only just begun and I hate waiting ages for the next book of a series.

This is the seventh book I have read by Brandon Sanderson and the third unique world of his creation that I have encountered. There are more. If you want an overview of the day to day operations of this crazy prolific writer, check out his blog. I learned about Sanderson from one of my cousins, who was at university with him. IMO, he is fairly young for producing such a quantity of books.

In other news:
I had to get up at 5:30 this am to take my husband to the train. Miracle of miracles, my youngest did not wake up until 8 am. This is so unusual, I actually checked to see if he was still alive. I am so happy I stayed up and did some work. It's so unusual to get a couple hours of quiet at any time of the day.

Also, said child has just achieved Official Independent Reader status. Thank you Dinosaur Cove and the summer reading program at the Paraparaumu Library. Invisible Ink Pens! What a motivator.

#5 Eight Cousins

This is part of an ongoing effort to share some of my childhood favorites with my daughter. She really enjoyed the story and was excited to know there was a sequel. For anyone who is not familiar with the story, it is about a young girl whose father dies and she is given to the guardianship of her uncle. She is the only girl in the family and has 7 boy cousins. The boys take it upon themselves to make her feel at home and all kinds of fun ensues.

Oh how I miss living next to a beach.....what fun pictures!

I have The Way of the Kings sitting on my TBR mountain. Everytime I think about starting it, I think of all the other series I'm in the middle of and the sheer size of that thing...talk about doorstoppers!

Hi Jenn - Eight Cousins brings back memories. I loved that book as a kid. I should get a copy for future reading with Scout.

I've never even heard of Eight Cousins! And Louisa May Alcott?? How could that be? I'll look for a copy.

I've never heard of Eight Cousins either.

The food stories were all very entertaining in a horrifying kind of way. Especially considering having dates on food items is a relatively new thing...

Congrats on your new independent reader Jenn!

#6 The Collected Works of A.J. Fikry

A.J. Fikry is a curmudgeon. He is opinionated, abrasive and lonely. He is also the proprietor of a bookshop in a small town on a small island. A series of events cause A.J. to change his life. This book was more than just the story of A.J. Fikry. It is also an ongoing book chat and it was an absolute pleasure to read. I was about 68 pages in and liking it, and then the author poked fun at James Patterson and I was hooked. 5 stars.

Quotes:

The waiter is dressed in a puffy white shirt that is clearly in conflict with his black glasses and spiky hair. The look is pirate hipster. 'Ahoy landlubbers,' the waiter says flatly. 'Try a themed cocktail?'

In reference to The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County
Proto-postmodernist story of a habitual gambler and his bested frog. The plot isn't much, but it's worth reading because of the fun Twain has with narrative authority. (In reading Twain, I often suspect he's having more fun than I am.)

Not particularly apropos of writing but... Someday you may think of marrying. Pick someone who thinks you're the only person in the room.

Years ago, Lambiase had to institute a 'leave your weapons' policy after a young cop had pulled a gun on another cop during a particularly heated discussion of The House of Sand and Fog. (Lambiase would later reflect to A.J. that the selection had been a mistake. 'Had an interesting cop character but too much moral ambiguity in that one.')

And the best of all:
Why is any one book different from any other book? They are different A.J. decides, because they are. We have to look inside many. We have to believe. We agree to be disappointed sometimes so that we can be exhilarated every now and then.

>83 BLBera: I hope you do Beth. It's definitely a different style than most of what we read now, but a sweet little book.

>84 AMQS: And you a librarian Anne! Lol. Just when I think I've read everything by an author, something else turns up. Treats!

>85 Copperskye: Hi Joanne! I am so excited that he's reading on his own. I love it when they realize all those books are theirs for the reading and they don't have to wait for someone to read it to them.

I read Eight Cousins and Rose in Bloom a couple of years ago. I had a weird sense of deja vu while doing so, so I think I must have encountered them as a child but I don't have a clear recollection of it...

I love the passage about the "no weapons" policy for the book group. A. J. Fikry is such a fun read.

>88 katiekrug: That is bound to happen to people who read a lot of books. Oh. That's us. ;)

>89 BLBera: I know. I giggled just a little when I read that. I had the same exact response to House of Sand and Fog. Well, the moral ambiguity bit, not the gun. Now, If I'd had a gun when I read The Time Traveler's Wife, I might have used it for target practice.

Finally finished the cargo pants I was making for my son. The ones with the zipper drama. I am dragging him down to the beach to take pictures, and if he lets me, I will share some tomorrow. I still need to make his "Hawaiian shirt" but that's for another day. There is no local fabric store, so I dropped in to Salvation Army, and lo and behold, they have a rather well stocked sewing section. Loads of buttons - which was what I needed. For 50 cents I got the buttons to finish. Woot! Off to fix dinner and take it down to the beach for eating.

So, I just realized I never told you all about my zipper drama. It's funny now, but it wasn't that funny when it happened. I mentioned back in >56 nittnut: that I had messed up the zip fly somehow and had to pick it all out. It's important to note that I use zip tape and zip pulls that come separately so I can make the zip the length I want.

I went back to it the next day and with the assistance of a YouTube video and the photos from the instructions I managed to get it put in correctly and beautifully. Then, in my joy, I zipped the zip up all the way and zipped the pull right off the zip tape. Some mild swearing occurred. It took me roughly half an hour to figure out how to fix the zip without taking the whole fly apart, and it took another 45 minutes to fix the zip and put the necessary parts back together. Sigh. But the project is done satisfactorily and maybe it will go easier next time. Ha!

Oh, man, zippers. Yeah. Been there. I can't wait to see the photos of the finished product!

Jenn, I am so impressed that you are able to sew a zip fly. Have never even attempted to do a fly in trousers! Drama aside, and the swearing might have been more than "mild" in my case, what a great job!

For anyone who is interested, I used a digital pattern from Blank Slate Patterns. I liked it.

In other news, my daughter, who wants to be a veterinarian when she grows up, has rescued her first animal. She was at the park on Tuesday and saw a little bird struggling in a tree. She went to investigate and saw that it was tangled in some string. She carefully soothed it and untangled it (wow!) and then sent her brother to find me. When I got to the park I could see that the bird was probably in shock. It also looked like some of the string was round its neck. I showed her how to catch it safely - we used her brother's t-shirt - and we took it home and put it in a box with a dish of water. I called Nga Manu reserve, which is nearby and they said to keep it warm and quiet over night and see how it was in the morning. I admit to being a little worried about the bird being dead in the morning, so we had a conversation about how she had done everything she could and no matter what, she could be happy about that.
Yesterday morning, it was pretty perky, so we took it out to the reserve. They checked it over to make sure there was no string and that its feet and wings were OK. Then they gave it back to Margo and sent her out into the reserve to release it. What an awesome experience for her. After we released the bird, we saw it had laid an egg in the box. She was sad about that, and started worrying about whether the bird had a nest near where we found it, etc. So, we talked about the bird being alive to lay more eggs in a new nest and how if we had left it at the park it would probably have died because it was in shock and struggling to get off the ground. Life is full of such dichotomy, no? I'm proud of her for helping.

What a wonderful story! Love it, and brava to Margo (and to you for your wise words and forethought). What could be a better lesson in kindness and doing your best?

What a great story, Jenn. Nice looking pants, too. I started to sew some things for my granddaughter this summer, after not sewing for years, and there was some language at times.

>93 nittnut: that is lovely for her! When I was young a bird flew into the closed window and was stunned. I was able to pick it up and have it sit on my hand for a good 5 minutes or so. Then it flew off. It was such a lovely experience for me, I felt like Snow White :)

What a fantastic job on your son's cargo pants, Jenn! I'm uber impressed! Love the story of your daughter having rescued her first animal.

I totally wish I could sew. It is such a useful skill to have!
Looks like your daughter has totally found her calling. :)

Thanks all! Both for the compliments on the pants and cheers for my girl. :)

#7 The Captive Wife - ANZAC challenge

When I picked this book up at the library, I didn't know it was based on a true story. I am glad I realized it before I started reading, as it put an entirely different perspective on what I was reading. The story begins in Australia. John Guard is a former convict who has served his time and is busy establishing himself as a whaler and trader. He contracts to marry Betty, a 14 year old girl who is the niece of his housekeeper and cook. He takes her off to New Zealand with him, where he has established a whaling station. His relationship with the local Maori tribe is a little tenuous, and eventually sets him at odds with the enemy tribes. When they are shipwrecked in the enemy territory, his wife and children are taken captive by the local tribe and held for ransom.
The book is well written and even though it jumps around a bit in time, it is clear as to who is speaking and where in the timeline we are. The most compelling aspect to me was what happened after Betty and her children are rescued. The misogyny of the time period is well depicted, as well as the total lack of options available to a woman who could no longer rely on the support of her husband or other close male family member. A nice depiction of life in Australia and New Zealand in the 1830's, and rather than seeming to side with the Maori or the Pakeha, it gives an equally uncomplimentary picture of both. Or, I should say, depicts rather well that all groups of people have their good and bad individuals.

Oh, and the other day I was fantasising about sending you a dress I love with the desired modifications and seeing if you could make me one in different fabric. I have a wedding to go to very soon, and it would have been perfect if I could have fantasised about it earlier….after all you do make clothing for the rich and famous!

HA! That would in fact be fantasy. I have never done such a thing with adult clothing. I'd be terrified. Lol. I give you permission to go buy yourself a fab new dress. Just let your lovely other know I said so. ;)

BTW - Love the photo you posted over at Amber's place. Adorable pout. Your boys look like you!! But I'm sure you noticed.

^ we are talking very plain here. The style is basically t-shirt with length! And of course in black. I have one I like that has irritating buckle straps. I reckon without them it would be an ace shift dress. But I am challenged in that area and can never seem to find things I like……and hey! You make things with ruffles. How could you not master anything flat!? ;)

LOL. Maybe I could figure that out. Can you not just alter the straps? Photo?

^ I have a photo at home, but I am at my sister's place right now looking after our combined kiddos while she teaches a yoga class. I will post one tomorrow (I hope) just so you can see how simple the original is, and must insist that you feel no pressure. And as to the question of me being able to do it…..bwa ha haaa! No, I could not. I am all thumbs.

Oh, lovely job on the pants - well done, you!

I love the story about your daughter and the bird!

Also, your son is a cutie and has some nice pants :)

>104 LovingLit: OK. I'll take a look, lol

>105 scaifea: Thanks! He went right into the water and got soaked, so we also got to see how well they washed up. ;)

>106 katiekrug: This is why I like you Katie. Well, this and your taste in books and farmers.

We went out and saw The Hobbit finale last night. Finally. It was pretty good. I still am having some issues with the "extra" material, and I still think Legolas looks odd. I'll have to go back and have a look at LOTR for comparison I guess. Smaug was stellar and his death scene was magnificent. As was Thorin's. Glad I saw it in the theater. I admit I was looking at the scenery trying to figure out if I knew where they were. Mostly no. lol

#8 Now That I've Found You

A little light reading for the weekend. It was just OK. The story was pretty predictable, but some of the characters are pretty fun. The thing I struggled with most was that the story was set in Ireland and the author put so much of the dialogue in slang and it was just too much work. I probably won't read any more of hers, but if you don't mind slogging through Irish slang and like a light romance, don't let me put you off.

Wow, I have missed a lot here! Loved the various food stories - I can even relate to some of the stories! *shudders at the memories* - and great job on fixing the zipper issue!

>108 nittnut: I find Irish slang hard to plow through.

Glad you liked the new Hobbit movie. I really should see it in the theater too, but theaters are sooo expensive and my BF hasn't seen any of the Hobbit movies, so I can't start him with this one. haha. I'll have to find someone else to go with.

Happy weekend!

>109 lkernagh: Ha! We all have a couple of food related horror stories, no?

>110 thornton37814: I went from that to Sea of Poppies and am now working my way through the pidgin whatever that the sailors speak. It's like foreign non-language week. Lol

>111 The_Hibernator: Rachel, if you're a big fan, it's worth finishing up in theaters. I loved Smaug. I probably said that already. :)

Interspersing Sea of Poppies with a little Appetite for Wonder (Richard Dawkins is a trifle annoying at the moment) and A Patriot's History. Pretty good reading, all in all.

I am still #70 on the hold list at the library for Narrow Road to the Deep North. You all know I am about to buy it for my Kindle. Sigh. You knew it days ago. Didn't you?

#9 Sea of Poppies

A large cast of characters populates this novel of India, China and the British opium traders. It took me awhile to get into the story. This was partly due to the heavy use of a sort of maritime patois which was both colorful and difficult to understand, partly due to a little trouble keeping track of whose story was being told at the moment. I eventually got the thread of the story and enjoyed it very much. Bringing the wide array of characters together on a ship was a clever way to show the clash of culture, religion and class on a personal level.

#10 River of Smoke

For some reason, it was disorienting for me to have this sequel to Sea of Poppies begin far into the future with everyone settled in a satisfactory way (maybe). I assumed that this would be clarified at some point in the narrative, but it wasn't. Instead, a bunch of characters make their way, separately, to Canton. New characters join and become important to the narrative, but other characters are only alluded to and left to their own devices somewhere else. One of the character insertions that really annoyed me was Robin - a half caste son of a semi-famous painter. He seemed to have been inserted in the story just so he could become a disinterested observer to the events in Canton. Well, that and provide some light entertainment as he describes his search for a "Friend."
Meanwhile, in Canton, we are treated to an up close and personal view of the machinations of the British. Desperate to maintain the opium trade and to gain a foothold in China, they are willing to go to war and no personal sacrifice on the part of any of their trading partners is too great to keep them from this goal.
Mainly, I was overwhelmed by the descriptions of every blessed thing, from boats to clothing. These exhaustive descriptions were even included in "newsy" letters from Robin to Paulette (female amateur botanist not allowed into Canton). This tended to detract from the flow of the story.

Overall, both books were good reads and an interesting perspective on the historical events.

>93 nittnut: What a sweet story! And kudos to a kind hearted daughter and a smart mom.

Hi Joanne. :) She is a sweet girl. I imagine there are many rescues in our future.

I have finished two books that I really did not love. I don't regret reading them, as the parts I liked best were in the second halves of each book. That said, both were a real slog. I was probably due. I have read a lot of great books in a row.

#11 The Narrow Road to the Deep North - ANZAC

Dorrigo Evans is the nihilistic and uninspiring anti-hero of this novel, and we follow him from childhood in Tasmania to POW in Burma and his life after the war as a successful surgeon and de facto war hero who destroys every meaningful relationship in his life. If the story were simply about Dorrigo's experience as a POW and subsequent efforts to have a normal life after the war, I think it would have been a powerful story. Unfortunately, a sordid affair with his uncle's wife takes up most of the first half and detracts from the story. In the end, it is a slog through the horrors of betrayal and war and selfish and self-destructive habits of a lifetime. I have read other accounts of life in Japanese POW camps, and while nothing can or should soften the horror of what happened there, it is possible to celebrate the small acts of heroism and resistance that made it possible for so many to survive. On the other hand, there is something deeply personal in the telling, which makes me curious about the author's father and whether this in any way reflects his own story. Also, it is one of the best portrayals I have read of the Japanese thought process, training and justification as well as the hypocrisy of the war tribunals that punished the lower ranks and not the Emperor or higher ranking officials for the brutality and horror carried out in their name. Overall, I didn't like it.

#12 An Appetite for Wonder - 2015 challenge

I had been looking forward to reading this memoir by Richard Dawkins. As a zoologist, I would say that Dawkins' work on the gene theory of evolution had a huge impact on my studies. I had one professor (Comparative Animal Physiology) who held that all organisms were motivated by the "genetic imperative" to pass on their genetic material. Without that imperative, there would be no procreation. A little extreme, and leads to all sorts of discussion of will and higher/lower order organisms, etc. Either way, definitely influenced by Dawkins.

I was a little disappointed in this book. I think that writing a memoir must be challenging. The writer needs to have some idea of what anecdotes and stories his audience will be most interested in. The writer needs to develop some way of talking about themselves in a way that softens hubris and doesn't put off the reader. In my opinion, Dawkins struggled with both of these things. His tales of his early years in Africa, often seen through reminiscences of his parents were charming. His tales of his time at all boys boarding schools were often boring and occasionally weird. For example, his assertion that although he had to fend off nighttime sexual advances by older boys, the behavior was not motivated by homosexual or paedophilic tendencies, just the lack of girls. Okaaay... So perhaps not, but alternatively, if there had been girls to attack, that would have been what happened instead? Weird. And why include it? As he moves in to a discussion of his university years at Oxford, he spends too much time wondering how he even made it in - he was lazy, distracted, unfocused, desultory, whatever. Is this an attempt at modesty? Are we exploring how to share that I used to be nothing much, but look how great I turned out? Again, why include it? One of the most memorable eye-rolling moments for me was when he was telling of a much loved professor and said, basically, that he couldn't do better than to quote himself when describing this man. He went on to quote a passage from the eulogy he wrote for the professor's funeral. Wow. He is also over careful to make sure that nothing he says would lead the reader to infer that he is at all religious (he views religious people as contemptible fools) or might believe in God or anything like God.
Things got better when he started discussing his experiments and theories that led to the writing of The Selfish Gene. It was fascinating to get an overview of the gene theory in its infancy. Basically, the idea is that an animal or even a species is too short-lived or transient to be a good example of the idea of natural selection. The only true measure of natural selection has to be on the genetic level. Because organisms are just the temporary vessels of the gene. It's a little science fiction, but very cool. Sadly, this was but a quarter of the entire book.

Well. On to something else, and hopefully more interesting. I think I will read Gilead, which I received in my SantaThing books. Or maybe another Brandon Sanderson. So many choices. :)

Having a lot of choices does not seem to be a huge problem with this group. :)

Two good, thoughtful reviews, Jenn. I'm pleased to see a bit of balance to all the raves of The Narrow Road to the Deep North. I still want to read it, but hopefully my expectations will be tempered going in.

Appreciate your review of River of Smoke, Jenn. I read Sea of Poppies some time ago, enjoyed very much, and have been meaning to get to the next in the trilogy.

>116 jolerie: Too true.

>117 katiekrug: That's me. Just providing balance. Lol.

>118 lit_chick: Hi Nancy! It really was a good read, even in spite of the heavy description from time to time. I am looking forward to the third book - hoping some of those loose ends get tied up.

It's a gorgeous Monday morning here. The last week of summer holidays. We will make the most of it. I took a walk at 6 am and now I'm catching up on LT, planning my menu for the week (kumara and black bean burritos tonight) and making a list of needed school supplies. I need to make my son a new sun hat today and finish a pair of shorts for my daughter. Tomorrow we register for school and then spend the day at the beach with friends.
I've got a new church assignment that will take a chunk of my reading time. I've been asked to teach seminary, which is an early morning Bible study class on M-F for high school age kids. I'm looking forward to it, but also a little overwhelmed in regards to lesson preparation. I'm hoping to use this week to get a week ahead in the lessons so that I am not scrambling to keep up. I am also looking for a part-time job.

I am reading Gilead and I really like it. Also plugging along at A Patriot's History, which is very good.

Hi Jenn. Whew! I was nervous about you not liking Gilead. I know it's not for everyone after the women in my circle at church dissed it. Last book meeting I lead there. How could a bunch of church ladies not like Gilead??? I didn't like the part about the uncle's wife in The Narrow Road either, but I think I forgot about it after the horror of the prison camp. I've had some unpopular opinions lately, but as I said on my thread, a difference of opinion makes the discussion more interesting…both here and in RL book groups.

Kudos to Margo for bird rescue and to Eli for his modeling poses. I can see why you wanted to live close to the beach. Lucky you!

>121 Donna828: Hi Donna! I think Gilead is very sweet. I love the idea of a father leaving letters for his son. I'm not all that far in, but so far I find it just lovely. Rather a polar opposite to The Narrow Road, isn't it? Funny that the church ladies didn't like it! Lol! Was it the epistolary style? Some people really don't like that.

>122 nittnut: I must read Gilead soon. It has been on the TBR mountain for far too long.

^ I am enjoying it Paul. It's a slow paced story and a relaxing read.

I took this photo yesterday at a stoplight. Word crimes!

>125 nittnut: Terrible grammar, and I don't get it! Daughter in the back? Huh? Weird.

>93 nittnut: Love the story!

I am starting The Ballad of Sad Cafe today, trying to get it read before the end of the month. I do enjoy Carson McCullers but I have not read this one before. I hope I like it as much as you did, Jenn.

Oh, God! Driving around advertising the fact that your grammar is deplorable! Makes me cringe!

>126 lunacat: My guess is, don't mock the truck because I've got your daughter inside. Why that would stop anyone from mocking the truck, I am not sure.

>127 alcottacre: Hi Stasia! I bet you can read it in a day. :) It's not too long.

>128 lit_chick: I know. If I were that person's mother...

Thanks for the heads up on Appetite for Wonder. I liked The Selfish Gene and have Appetite in my OWL for a read later this year. I think I'll still aim to read it but I'm dialing back on my expectations.

I don't understand how so many people (and I work with some of them) can't seem to distinguish between 'your' and 'you're'. I mean, really... is it that difficult?

>125 nittnut: Hand me the red ink!

>130 cameling: Well, hopefully you'll like it better than I did. I struggle when hubris overtakes the story. Your/You're. Not that difficult.

>131 thornton37814: I know. If I'd seen it in a parking lot, I might have been tempted. Sigh. I'd probably get arrested or fined. Nobody appreciates the grammar police.

#13 Gilead - 2015 Challenge, TIOLI

Lucky number 13! What a fabulous book. It's a slower paced read, and very thoughtful. John Ames is a minister who is nearing the end of his life. He contemplates what he would like his young child to know and writes it in a long letter to his imagined, but unknown, grown up son. He tells stories of his family, his ministry, his friend and fellow preacher Boughton who is a close neighbor. Through the letter, there is a slow build-up of tension regarding recently returned prodigal son of Boughton who is named after John. This adds some depth and suspense to an otherwise gentle and peaceful narrative. When the reveal finally occurs, it is juxtaposed with personal reflection and a thoughtful sermon on the idea of forgiveness and grace. As a Christian, many of the things John Ames was thinking about and sorting in his head resonated with me, and I think reflect the life of a man truly aiming to live his beliefs and become better, while acknowledging his imperfections. It's a beautiful read and beautifully written and well worth the time.

A man can know his father, or his son, and there might still be nothing between them but loyalty and love and mutual incomprehension.

"Have I offended you in some way, Reverend?" my father would ask.
And his father would say, "No Reverend, you have not offended me in any way at all. Not at all."
And my mother would say, "Now don't you two get started."

I feel sometimes as if I were a child who opens its eyes on the world once and sees amazing things it will never know any names for and then has to close its eyes again. I know this is all mere apparition compared to what awaits us, but it is only lovelier for that. There is a human beauty in it. And I can't believe that, when we have all been changed and put on incorruptibility, we will forget our fantastic condition of mortality and impermanence, the great bright dream of procreating and perishing that meant the whole world to us. In eternity this world will be Troy, I believe, and all that has passed here will be the epic of the universe, the ballad they sing in the streets. Because I don't imagine any reality putting this one in the shade entirely, and I think piety forbids me to try.

It seems to me people tend to forget that we are to love our enemies, not to satisfy some standard of righteousness, but because God their Father loves them.

I don't think I've seen one negative review of Gilead from our group....
Good thing I have the book sitting on my TBR mountain. :)
Wonderful review, Jenn. Your thoughts about his Christianity resonating with you resonated with me. :)

Thumb!

Thanks Valerie! It was really a lovely book. I got it from SantaThing, and what a thoughtful choice it was.

Another happy Gilead reader, I see! ;-)

Jenn, Gilead has been on my list for so long. I really have to get there; thanks for the push!

Hi Lori and Nancy. It appears my work here is done. ;)

Last year things got way too bulky for touchstones with all my lists. This year I am going to start a new thread each month, even if I haven't maxed out conversation-wise. Or, I hope to, once I figure out why I don't have the option yet. Maybe you have to have a certain number of posts?

Jenn, I'm so glad you enjoyed Gilead. Lovely book. Happy weekend to you!

Hi Anne. Happy weekend to you too - mine is just about over. Summer holidays are ending and school starts tomorrow. I think we're ready. :)

Okaaay. Apparently there is a magic number of posts before you can continue your topic. I will either have to abandon my plan for monthly threads or attract more visitors... I am guessing the magic number is 150. So, naturally, I will have to test that theory. Lol

January Wrap up

Change of Heart
Countdown
The Ballad of the Sad Cafe and Other Stories
The Way of Kings
Eight Cousins
The Collected Works of A.J. Fikry
The Captive Wife
Now That I've Found You
Sea of Poppies
River of Smoke
The Narrow Road to the Deep North
An Appetite for Wonder
Gilead

Best of January: Change of Heart and Gilead.

Worst of January: An Appetite for Wonder - probably because I had high expectations.

I think the magic number is 150.

So

Here

You

Go.

Hope

It

Helps

!

Progress on Challenges

2015 Challenge

8 completed out of 75

ANZAC Challenge

Completed

American Authors Challenge

Completed

TIOLI

8 planned, 7 completed
The Kingdom of this World was unavailable in English for Kindle, and not available in the library system here. It's on its way, but too late for January.

I think we can all agree that Katie comes through on every occasion. :)

Please to join me on my new thread - as soon as I reserve a few spots.