brenzi Welcomes 2015 with Open Arms

---MOON STORY Shiori Matsumoto

First of all, I want to thank all my LT friends who visited (and kept alive) my last 2014 thread. I can’t tell you how much I appreciated your heartfelt and genuine thoughts and how much they helped me get through the darkest days. I can’t thank you all enough.

I continue to miss my sweetheart terribly but I am learning to live a different life now and my reading will probably be changed for that reason. I am still waiting for the results of one final test to determine whether or not I will need chemo before I begin my radiation treatments. I go back to the oncologist on January 5 and will hopefully begin treatment shortly thereafter.

I pondered for quite a while whether or not I would have a thread in 2015 and finally decided that I would have a very different thread than I’ve had in the past. Even before my world changed completely in late August, I had been woefully behind in my reading and I will end the year having read only a little more than half what I read the year before, 47 books. Pitiful, I know. I failed miserably in the other goals I had set for myself too, including my WWI reading. But I am finally reading again and enjoying what I’m reading mostly books from my shelves or on my iPad (how the heck did that TBR get so out of control??). Right now I’m lapping up the final hundred pages of Tana French’s first book in her Murder Squad mystery series, In the Woods. It’s been very good and I know it won’t be long before I pick up the second one. I also recently finished another book that a lot of LTers found enjoyable, The Martian by Andy Weir. It was pretty good but the technological stuff was a little much. The point is, I’m actually reading and pretty much enjoying it. I doubt that I’ll write many, if any reviews. So with that said here are:

My Goals for 2015

1. Read whatever I feel like reading.
2. Read what is conveniently available on my iPad and on my shelves.
3. If I really want a book I don’t already own and don’t want to purchase order it up from the library, although I hate the idea of the due date.

Not very challenging, really but keep in mind that I just don’t have the time to read the way I used to. I’m pretty busy taking care of the love of my life, my darling Mia.

WHY PEOPLE READ



Best of 2014 - Fiction
1. An Officer and a Spy by Robert Harris
2. Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather
3. The Last Chronicle of Barset by Anthony Trollope
4. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
5. Not So Quiet: Stepdaughters of War – Helen Zenna Smith

Best of 2014 – Non-fiction
1. The Guns of August by Barbara Tuchmann
2. In the Kingdom of Ice by Hampton Sides
3. The War that Ended Peace by Margaret MacMillan

BOOKS READ IN 2015

February

The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics - Daniel James Brown - eBook - 5 stars
Crossing to Safety - Wallace Stegner - OTS - 4.8 stars
The Eustace Diamonds - Anthony Trollope - eBook - 4 stars

January

The Girl on the Train - Paula Hawkins - eBook - 3.8 stars
The House of Mirth - Edith Wharton - OTS - 4.7 stars
Morality Play - Barry Unsworth - OTS - 4.2 stars
Elizabeth is Missing - Emma Healey - eBook - 4 stars
In the Heart of the Sea - Nathaniel Philbrick - NF - OTS - 4.5 stars
Station Eleven - Emily St. John Mandel - eBook - 4.5 stars

CURRENTLY READING



2015 STATS:

total books read: 9

BOTS (books off my shelf): 4

Fiction: 7
Non-Fiction: 2

male author: 5
female author: 4

US authors: 4
authors from other countries: 5
living author: 5
deceased author: 4



A CENTURY OF BOOKS (idea stolen from Heather)

1900
1901
1902
1903
1904
1905 - The House of Mirth - Edith Wharton
1906
1907
1908
1909
1910
1911
1912
1913
1914
1915
1916 - Mr. Britling Sees it Through - H. G. Wells
1917
1918 - A Diary Without Dates - Enid Bagnold
1919
1920 - William: An Englishman - Cecily Hamilton
1921
1922
1923
1924
1925
1926
1927 - Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather
1928
1929
1930 - Not So Quiet...Stepdaughters of War by Helen Zenna Smith
1931
1932 - Light in August -William Faulkner
1933
1934
1935
1936
1937
1938 - Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day - Winifred Watson
1939
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946 - Delta Wedding - Eudora Welty
1947
1948 - The Franchise Affair - Josephine Tey
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959 - The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz - Mordecai Richler
1960
1961
1962 - The Guns of August - Barbara Tuchman
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968 - True Grit - Charles Portis
1969
1970
1971 - Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont - Elizabeth Taylor
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987 - Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner
1988
1989
1990
1991 - Wilderness Tips by Margaret Atwood
1992
1993
1994 - The Shape of Water by Andrea Camilleri
1995 - Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson
1996
1997
1998
1999

Happy New Thread, Bonnie! I am so glad you decided to keep up a thread. You have always been one of my favorite people on LT and I would hate to see you fade away. Stop by, when you can and good luck in the new year! I hope your final health results are positive!

Love your best of lists! An Officer and a Spy was a top read for me, as well. I still need to get to All the Light We Cannot See & The Guns of August. I have In the Kingdom of Ice saved on audio. My next Sides, is my next NF, Blood and Thunder, which I've put off, for far to long.

I hope you are enjoying In the Woods.

Oh, Bonnie, I'm so pleased you decided to have a thread for the new year! It wouldn't be the same here without you - no matter how much or how little you decide to post or review or visit.

And hooray for getting some reading mojo back! In the Woods is a fantastic one to get lost in...

And and Mia is just too beautiful. I mean really gorgeous, not just baby cute :)

OK, enough gushing. But I'm so happy to see you here and to know that, while things are hard, you still have good things happening too.

All the best to you!!

ETA: And of course, I've dropped off a star...

Bonnie, so glad you are here. I wouldn't be the same for me without you around. Your No. 5 Fiction book is unfamiliar to me. Oh no! Book Bullet! You haven't lost your mojo… And keep those Mia pictures coming.

>3 msf59: Hi Mark and welcome to one of my very first LT pals. Really, if I abandoned LT completely, how would I know what to read? Really? I have Blood and Thunder on my shelf along with Ghost Soldiers so I'm sure I'll have some Sides in my future:-)

>4 katiekrug: Hi Katie and please, don't let me stop you from gushing about Mia. LOL. And thank you for your very much appreciated welcome. I do love my LT friends.

>5 Donna828: Hi Donna. Helen Zenner Smith was a very obscure and unread novelist in the years during and following WWI. Her book was a response to All Quiet on the Western Front and addressed the conditions that the women Volunteer ambulance drivers toiled under. I actually only gave it 4.8 stars but it has stayed with me since I read it in August and was a very powerful book.

I think LT has made us all better readers! It has changed me in so many positive ways. Speaking of NF, I also have Deep Dark Down waiting nearby and that has been getting some great buzz.

And yes, keep those gorgeous Mia photos coming!

Welcome back!

That is a beautiful picture of Mia, Bonnie. Grandchildren are the best reason that our reading numbers may slip.

I'm happy to see you here. I love Tana French. Enjoy.

I wish you a healthy new year filled with love and warm hugs.

Bonnie, I'm so glad to see you here in the 2015 group. And guess what? I'm reading a Tana French novel now myself, Faithful Place, the third in the series. I'm enjoying the series and I think it's just the kind of thing you'll enjoy in 2015 with your new approach to reading.

Also echoing praise for Not So Quiet. It made my 2014 "honorable mention" list.

I'm so happy to see you're reading and threading again, Bonnie!

Welcome back, Bonnie. I'm so glad you decided to start a thread for 2015 and you're in my thoughts and prayers for a healthy year ahead.

I had read In the Woods and while I wasn't wowed by it, I have received many a recommendation by other LTers to keep with this series because it gets better. So I'm going to try another by Ms French this year. I may not read this in order though.

Hi Bonnie! Glad you decided to have a thread this year, and if it reaches 120 or only 40 we'll be happy. Remember, Pat the Bunny still counts as a book. ;)

>8 msf59: Oh yes Mark, LT and the 75ers have made an enormous difference in my reading. I seldom get steered wrong and have made some discoveries that would never have been possible otherwise.

>9 drneutron: Thanks Jim!

>10 NanaCC: Thank you Colleen. Yes I guess I can't think of a better reason for not reading than playing with grandchildren. And happy New Year to you too.

>11 lunacat: Hi Jenny! Happy New Year to you too.

>12 lauralkeet: Thanks Laura. I just finished the French book and really enjoyed it so I will look forward to continuing this series in 2015. If I had known you were reading it I would have started sooner lol.

>13 Carmenere: Thanks Lynda. I'm happy to be threading too:-)

>14 cameling: Thanks Caro. I'm hoping to be a better LT participant in 2015 too.

>15 cammykitty: Oh my Katie, I just read Pat the Bunny this morning haha.

Bonnie - I'm so glad to see you in the 2015 group and to hear that you are enjoying your reading again. Here's to a year filled with reading what you want and enjoying precious Mia! Prayers for your health.

Oh, yay, Bonnie's here! I am so delighted you chose to start a 2015 thread! However you choose to read, and whatever you choose to read, I am looking forward to stopping by on a regular basis. Truthfully, I think your new goals of reading whatever you feel like and whatever is readily available are fabulous.

Happy New Year! Mia continues to be an absolute darling.

HAPPY NEW YEAR, BONNIE!!! I look forward to following and maybe discussing your reading adventures for another 12 months! I join the chorus who are relieved to know you'll still be here.

Dear Bonnie, veritable and venerable Queen of Reviews. I trust that 2015 brings you health and consolation my dear:



Happy New Year from your friend in Kuala Lumpur

>17 porch_reader: Thanks Amy. And thank you so much for your warm wishes for 2015:-)

>18 lit_chick: Thanks Nancy. It's so good to be around people who are so very welcoming. Thank you my friend:-)

>19 LizzieD: Thank you so much Peggy. So good to see you.

>20 PaulCranswick: Thank you Paul. Warm wishes from Kuala Lumpur are always appreciated, my friend.

Hi Bonnie - happy new year! It's great to see you back for 2015.

Happy New Year, Bonnie. I hope 2015 is kind to you. Mia is adorable! I love your list of favorites, and I love your reading plan. I look forward to following your reading this year. Good luck with the docs.

Bonnie, it's good to see you back. I hope that 2015 is much kinder to you than 2014 was. Mia is a beautiful baby and I'm sure she brightens any room with her presence.

I really liked In the Woods, and The Likeness was almost as good. I'm looking forward to Faithful Place and I'll hopefully get to it sometime this year.

I'm so glad you're here with us again, Bonnie. And that Mia is such a gorgeous baby! Thanks for sharing her with us.

>22 cushlareads: Hi Cushla. Happy New Year to you too:-)

>23 BLBera: Happy New Year Beth! And thank you for all your kind words.

>24 cbl_tn: Hi Carrie. I finished In the Woods and really liked it so I'm looking forward to The Likeness. Mia has made life worth living during the four months that we've had her. Total joy.

>25 scaifea: Thanks Amber. I'm happy to share Mia, believe me:-)

Happy New Year! And what a beautiful baby.

Hi Bonnie! I'm glad you decided to make a thread this year. From my own experience (as apparently yours) LT people are very supportive, even when you're slipping off the edge of the cyberworld. I am so grateful for LT people!

Bonnie! I am very glad you decided to have your own thread again. You are one of my favorites here and I hope that when Mia isn't around to cheer you up that we can pick up the slack. Good luck with everything and I heartily endorse your reading priorities. ; )

LOL! I predict you will read Pat the bunny more often than any other book this year!

Bonnie, I'm very glad that you have decided to join us again for 2015. Here's hoping that Mia will bring you much joy in the coming year.

Happy New Year, Bonnie! I'm also glad that you decided to create a thread for this year.

>27 banjo123:. Thanks Rhonda and Happy New Year to you, too!

>28 The_Hibernator:. Hi Rachel. I couldn't agree with you more. LT people are the best and I appreciate them very much.

>29 Berly:. Hi Kim. Thank you so much for your kind thoughts. Must look for your new thread.

>30 cammykitty:. Haha you may be right Katie, but let's not forget Goodnight Moon;-)

>31 SandDune:. Thank you Rhian and Happy New Year!

>32 kidzdoc:. Thank you Darryl. I really appreciate that.

Ok I've made another decision regarding my reading by Unsubscribing myself from Kindle deals and all the other cheap e book subscriptions I had signed up for. I've made that decision after looking at all the e books I own, many of which I will probably never read. The siren song that is the kindle deal is no longer singing to me. I think, in the end, it will cost me less to buy an e book that I really want to read, immediately, at full price, than collect these cheap books that I'm only half interested in and which will most likely sit, unread, for decades. So I've cut the cord, so to speak. We'll see how this works out.

I was just thinking of going the opposite way and signing up for the Kindle Unlimited deal (or whatever it is called) where you pay $10/month and have unlimited access. I don't think I will go overboard on all sorts of mediocre "free" books since I don't now, but I would get the ones I want. Question is would I save money? I plan on seeing what I spend in January and February and then deciding.

>35 Berly: I looked at Kindle Unlimited when it first came out but the books available are very limited. Unfortunately, the five major book publishers have decided that its not worth it to participate so many popular titles are not available on kindle Unlimited. Scribd and Oyster are similar services that the big publishers do participate in and have a much greater selection of books. But for me, it seems that these services don't provide anything that the public library doesn't provide.

Bonnie, sounds like sound reasoning to me: it will cost me less to buy an e book that I really want to read, immediately, at full price, than collect these cheap books that I'm only half interested in …. I had a running subscription to Audible for a couple of years; I love my audiobooks for walking. I collected quite a WL of what I wanted to listen to … now that I've met that list, it's time to stop spending and start listening. And like you say: We'll see how long this lasts.

Happy New Year, Bonnie! That's a beautiful photo of Mia up in >1 brenzi:.

Glad you'll have a thread this year, and I'm four square behind your reading approach. Hope you enjoy Station Eleven; for me it was well-written and a page-turner.

Bonnie, I know what you mean about the Kindle deals. So far I've been pretty good at exercising restraint although I admit to having a few titles where I now ask myself, "why did I buy that?" It seems like my local library is gradually building up a decent collection of Kindle loans, and I love being able to borrow from the library without even having to go there! The other day I passed up a daily deal because my library has the book in Kindle format, and I felt rather proud of myself. :)

I've looked at Scribd, Oyster and all of those services and completely agree with you on the cost/benefit analysis. It's great for people who don't have adequate libraries or who can't get to them, but for the rest of us, there is little point. And unless/until Kindle Unlimited includes the big publishers, there is little point to it for me. I gave it a whirl, but there simply isn't enough stuff there for $120 a year -- that's not inexpensive!

Meanwhile, I'm sure we can find lots and lots of stuff to help you keep reading for fun... *cue evil chortle*

Clearly I need to check out the Kindle selection at my library!! Very helpful discussion here. Thanks all!

>37 lit_chick: time to stop spending and start listening That's it in a nutshell Nancy. The fact is, I still prefer reading real books so why not just get the book out of the library? I do like the convenience of having books available at my fingertips no matter what the situation, but I don't need a lot of books that only half appeal to me.

>38 jnwelch: Thanks Joe and Happy New Year to you as well. I'm really enjoying Station Eleven.

>39 lauralkeet: It sound like you exercise a greater amount of restraint than I can manage, Laura. The thing about the library downloads is the sneaky due dates that don't even allow you to pay the fine. No, just boom! and the book's gone whether you're finished or not. So I hesitate to download books from the library unless I know for sure I have the time to get it finished before it disappears. Give me the good old 3 week borrowing period any day lol.

>40 Chatterbox: Well Suzanne, as the number one person who contributes way, way, way too many books to my teetering tower you need to slow down with your reading. My problem is that, in my enthusiasm to add the books that you rave about and give 4.5-5 stars to, I totally forget that there is no way on earth that I could read even a small fraction of the books you do. So I look longingly at the list of books that you recommend and think to myself, "how can I fit some of these in?" Epic fail.

>41 Berly: Happy to help Kim:-)

Hani bought me a Kindle for my last birthday but one. Despite having literally thousands of books available to it I have only actually read four books on it. I am an old fashioned guy I suppose and miss the feel of turning the pages and dislike the tracking of my reading progress by percentages.

Have a lovely weekend, Bonnie.

Bonnie I'm so glad you decided to join in this year. Mia is beautiful, and how lucky you are to have her to help ease your mind. I hope your tests in the next few days are positive.

>44 PaulCranswick: You don't have to look at the percentage tracking; you can modify what it displays so it doesn't show anything.... :-)

I love my Kindle. Thousands of books at my fingertips; a portable library. And if I knock put it down and it gets knocked to the floor I don't worry about losing my place. Or about a bent page. But yes, I like the differences in book design, etc. I just don't like cheap old paperbacks that feel dreadful on the fingertips.

>42 brenzi: sneaky due dates ... boom! and the book's gone whether you're finished or not.
Yes that's so annoying! For some reason the Kindle lending period is 2 weeks instead of 3, and there's no option to renew (or pay a fine). This means I have to be prepared to start reading immediately any title that I've been waiting for on hold. And the shorter lending period means I won't borrow really chunky books (like The Luminaries or The Goldfinch) in Kindle format. Which means I often end up buying it for Kindle because I'd rather not lug it around. Oh, it's all so complicated ... !

>47 lauralkeet: I believe that as long as you don't turn on your wireless, the book won't go away. You just wouldn't be able to download another book until you finished reading the one that is overdue.

Hi, Bonnie! Happy New Year! So glad to see you're enjoying reading again and have joined us again on the threads for this new year. Mia is absolutely adorable!

Hi Bonnie, and Happy New Year! I join others in saying I'm very glad you decided to join the group and have your own thread in 2015. Good idea to adapt your reading goals to suit your needs and current reality too. I'm still addicted to the thrill of acquiring books, so not ready to break with Kindle Deals yet, but I do see your point. There's only so many books we actually want to read ultimately. Hope you've having a lovely weekend!

>48 NanaCC: ooh now that's clever, Colleen. I never thought of that!!

>48 NanaCC: That's exactly what I do. I'm sneaky like that... :-)

Hi, Bonnie! So glad to see you back this year. Let's hope that 2015 is a better one. I'm looking forward to your reviews when you get around to any. What a pretty little granddaughter!

>48 NanaCC: >52 Chatterbox: Sneaky! And I like it. : )

>44 PaulCranswick: I see your point Paul as I still prefer actual books for the most part too.

>45 arubabookwoman: Thank you Deborah. Mia has been an absolute God-send for me and I know how lucky I am in that regard:-)

>46 Chatterbox: I just don't like cheap old paperbacks that feel dreadful on the fingertips. Well, when you put it that way Suzanne, it's fairly hard to make an argument lol.

>47 lauralkeet: And the shorter lending period means I won't borrow really chunky books (like The Luminaries or The Goldfinch) in Kindle format. Which means I often end up buying it for Kindle because I'd rather not lug it around. Oh, it's all so complicated ... ! Yes I've faced that exact situation too Laura. That's when a Kindle book comes in handy...for the chunksters that you don't want to lug around.

>48 NanaCC: No that won't work on the iPad Colleen, where the wireless is always on, so to speak.

>49 tymfos: Thanks Terri. I'm happy to be here:-)

>50 Smiler69: Thanks Ilana. I'm not actually saying that I'm not going to acquire any new books. I'm just not going to invest in e books that I probably will never feel the need to read. I haven't lost my mind completely haha.

>51 lauralkeet: and >52 Chatterbox: I would say take advantage if you can.

>53 Cariola: Thanks Deborah. I'm certainly looking forward to 2015:-)

>54 Berly: And I'm not surprised Kim;-)

Happy New Year Bonnie

I think of you often. I'm so glad you decided to return. It just wouldn't be the same without you.

That photo of Mia is ever so delightful.

Hi Bonnie, Happy 2015! Sweet, sweet Mia, such a doll!

I've gotten very cheap in my ebook buying. I don't see the point in spending even $0.99 or $1.99 on an ebook that is readily available from the library. I never really feel attached to my ebooks as I do to my real books so whether I own it or borrow it, it's really all the same to me. That said, I do own a lot of ebooks that I will probably never get to. At least I don't need to shelve them somewhere!

I'm also very happy that I can now freeze my library ebook loans if I'm not quite ready for a particular book.

I'm looking forward to following along with your reading again this year, Bonnie. You're one of my oldest friends here!

Found you Bonnie. So pleased to have you back with us in 2015 and looking forward to following you whilst you read what you feel like. :-)

Bonnie, as someone whose reading habits have changed substantially over the past several years, I hope that you do what you said - Read whatever you want. Do not obligate yourself. You need time to heal, physically and emotionally.

Sorry if that sounded preachy. I did not mean it that way.

>56 Whisper1: Thank you so much Linda. I was missing everyone here during that hiatus so it wasn't a very hard decision to join in again. Mia is a tremendous blessing.

>57 Copperskye: Hi Joanne. If I remember correctly, we became friends in the 50 Book Challenge back in 2009 along with Mark so yes, we're old friends. And good friends too. The thing with eBooks compared with real books for me is that out of sight, out of mind. My physical books are staring at my, accusingly, every day whereas the Kindle books are hidden away and I have to make a point of looking to see what exactly I have.

>58 souloftherose: Hi Heather. Glad to see you and I'm particularly looking forward to February and The Eustace Diamonds. I need some Trollope. I'm suffering from withdrawal;-)

>59 alcottacre: That didn't sound preachy at all Stasia. It just sounded like common sense and I think I will be able to do that so thanks for the encouragement:-)

>55 brenzi:. Sorry Bonnie, I was thinking of the Kindle. I don't read on my iPad, athough I do use it for the pictures and maps that are sometimes difficult to see on the Kindle.

SO I finished my first book of the year and it was a humdinger:



Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel 4.5 stars

I can see why this book (a finalist for the National Book Award) is prominent on so many end of the year end Best of 2014 lists. I'm not much of a reader of post-apocalyptic or pandemic fiction but Mandel has written a rip-snortin' tale that I found hard to put down. What I liked best about it is how the survivors managed to work together to create a new existence where hope, love and the connections between the characters stand center stage and help to showcase a work of art that emphasizes loss, longing, memory and desire. These characters will stay with me for a long time and I will be looking for more by this author:-)

>61 NanaCC: Not a problem Colleen. I go back and forth about getting a Kindle. I have an Amazon GC that could be used for that purpose but I just don't have a burning desire to own one. I like having everything in one place on my iPad but we'll see. I know the Kindle is a lo lighter but that hasn't been much of a problem for me. We'll see. As I said, I go back and forth.

Bonnie, I'm not much for post-apoocalyptic fiction, either, but your review is a rip-snortin' endorsement that maybe this is one I need to read. I have enjoyed some post-apocalyptic work: Atwood's Oryx and Crake comes to mind. And woot! to 4.5* for your first 2015 read!

Thanks for the review of Station Eleven Bonnie. I am not a fan of post-apocalyptic fiction and I'm probably not going to read this, but your review has at least made pause and consider adding this to my obese wish list.

But much like you unsubscribing yourself from Kindle deals and other sites offering e-book deals and free e-books, I have decided to be more circumspect in adding books to my OWL, because I'm finding that when I'm in a bookstore looking to buy books, I'm no longer able to remember why certain books are in my OWL and whether or not it's a book I really really want to read or a book that I might like to read.

Good to see more love for Station Eleven. It was kind of inevitable that I'd love it as I enjoy post-apocalyptic/dystopian works, but it's satisfying to see it having broader appeal.

>62 brenzi: Well, since I am a fan of post-apocalyptic fiction, this is a definite book bullet.

I liked Station Eleven a lot, too, Bonnie. Glad it worked so well for you.

Hi Bonnie - I'm glad that you enjoyed Station Eleven; it seemed to me that it was much more about what we keep and what we leave behind than the actual apocalypse. I also enjoyed the fun that poked at zombies...

What a nice start to your 2015 reading.

>64 lit_chick: Honestly Nancy, this book is so well done I think you would enjoy it. The writing is quite lovely and the characters are very well developed. And she's Canadian! Come on.

>65 cameling: I hear you Caro. In the old days I would keep a running list in a small notebook of books I wanted to read. Within a couple of weeks, some would be purchased and read, some I would get from the library, and as time went by, I would ignore the rest and eventually, scratch them off the list. Now I'm much more likely to purchase those books as eBooks when they show up as deals and then I have them forever. But why did I think I'd like this book?? Can't remember.

>66 lunacat: It's been a long time since I've read anything like this Jenny but I really enjoyed it. Makes me think I should be reading more of the same and since I have the Kindle version of The Handmaid's Tale I think I might move that up the pile:-)

>67 TadAD: Hi Tad, I was aiming at you LOL.

>68 jnwelch: I literally could not put it down Joe.

>69 BLBera: Zombies? That must've gone right over my head Beth, having read nothing at all about zombies in the past. It was a great start to the year.

Bonnie, it's good to see your flock is still around you! Lots of activity here like the good ol' days. I still subscribe to the Kindle Daily Deal but I don't buy many of them. I agree with you that it is easy to forget about those books that aren't staring us down all the time. I am making slow progress on reading my own books because I know we will downsize in a few years and I'll just take the cream of the crop with me!

I found much to admire in Station Eleven but the realist in me wondered why an epidemic would cause the power systems to go down. Little things like that bother me. I know, I should just get over it and read for all the good things you said about the book. Actually, I still think about it, so I must have liked it better than I thought.

>72 Donna828: Well Donna, I'm downsizing right now and have removed about a hundred books from my shelves that my library was happy to take off my hands for their sale. I used to use the library a lot more and I'd like to get back to that. No 7 day books though. I just don't think I can get them read in time anymore. It just dawned on me when I looked through my Kindle books that there were an awful lot of head scratchers there. Why in the world did I buy that????

Here's a fun meme that's going around:

Describe yourself: True Grit (what else?)

Describe how you feel: An Unnecessary Woman

Describe where you currently live: A Land More Kind than Home

If you could go anywhere, where would you go: The Other Side of the Bridge

Your favorite form of transportation:

Your best friend is: Phineas Finn

You and your friends are: We Are Completely Beside Ourselves

What’s the weather like: In the Kingdom of Ice

You fear: The Martian

What is the best advice you have to give: Wilderness Tips

Thought for the day: Sense and Sensibility

How I would like to die: Burial Rites

My soul’s present condition: The Cuckoo's Calling

Bonnie, fun that you caught the meme bug! I like this one : ).

Argh! A book bullet. I have been dodging this one for days, but you got me with Station Eleven.

>72 Donna828: I had no problem with some of those issues in Station Eleven. Given the devastation of the population, you lose the know-how to extract resources, operate power plants, etc. After a while, you literally lose the technical know how. And with a fraction of the population, you don't have the same need, either. Operating a major power plant or a pipeline system requires a critical mass of people with expert skills and it only works if there are enough people on the other end consuming the output (and paying for it). When the whole structure collapses, it was convincing to me that this would collapse, too.

I'll look forward to your thoughts on The Handmaid's Tale. That was an early dystopian book for me, and very interesting to me as an embryonic feminist. It seemed to pose the question, ok, this is the world that you say you want, one based on religion and in which women's roles are rigidly defined in this way and their lives constrained -- and here are the consequences. Is it still what you want? It's still a great way to create dramatic tension in a book, I think. I like some of Atwood's earliest novels best, but this is a fave, too.

Interesting discussion about e-books and the tendency to buy marginally interesting titles when they go on sale. It made me realize that I've purchased way too many of those books in the past few years, and although I'll still maintain my subscriptions to the Kindle Daily Deals and other sites I will be much more judicious in choosing which books, print or electronic, I decide to purchase this year.

One question I intend to ask myself before I buy a book is "Are you really going to read this book this year (or next if it's toward the end of the year)?" If not, then I shouldn't buy it, right? Too often I've purchased shiny new books, and simply added them to my massive TBR collection, where plenty of books that I'd rather read more already reside. As long as I have to work I don't have time to read more than 100-125 books in most years, so why am I buying 200 or more books a year? And, if I'm going to read 100+ books a year, I'd rather read quality books than a sizable number of mediocre ones.

I have purchased two e-books so far this year, but I intend to read both of them in 2014, namely Station Eleven, based on all of the glowing reviews I've read of it, and The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula Le Guin, which I'll read for Mark's American Author Challenge.

Good luck on achieving your goal, and hopefully I can accomplish the same thing.

I pulled the plug in Kindle Daily Deals last year but remembered that around Christmas time is when really good books pop up. Wouldn't you know, I purchased The Martian for $2.99 and Lavinia for Mark's Challenge. But that's it! No mas!!! Oooooo, but Station Eleven still calls to me, everyone is raving about it......oooo, maybe just one more!

I've only had my Kindle for a little over a year, so maybe I'm still sort of a newbie. I do subscribe to Kindle Daily Deals and a few others, but most of them feature books I'd never read (lots of cowboy romances, for some reason). I have purchased some of those "marginal" ones, however, and I need to cut back. Last summer I gave away over 400 print books so that I could actually walk through my house again, and the Kindle has been a blessing in terms of space saving. But yeah, I have way too many books on there already (plus about a dozen samples) and need to be more circumspect.

>79 Carmenere: I got The Luminaries around Christmas time; think it was $2.99.

>70 brenzi: The Handmaid's Tale is brilliant, I think you'd really enjoy it as it's not as blatant or in your face as something like The Road. It's the only book I actually enjoyed studying at school, and I got a lot more out of it by having the different metaphors and symbols analysed and picked apart.

If you liked the before/after aspects of Station Eleven and how previous lives impact what happens in the new world order then The Handmaid's Tale is perfect for that. I'm probably due a re-read at some point, if I can find a copy round here - I think both mine are at my mum's, in the depths of some boxes.

Count me as another one who is so glad you decided for a 2015 thread. Whether you decide to review a lot is no biggie to me (even though you are the source of so many BBs for me..hehe) as long as we can see how you are doing from time to time. You are in my thoughts and prayers. 2014 is gone and I wish you nothing but the absolute best in this coming year my friend.
Dang! I keep seeing all these great reviews for Station Eleven. Can't decide if I want to buy it or just borrow it.....

Mia is soooo beyond gorgeous and I can see why she is the love of your life. ;)

Also putting in a plug here for The Handmaid's Tale … and looking forward to your thoughts.

I LOVE The Handmaid's Tale. I reread it last year, and it was even better than I remembered. I love what Atwood does with the language.

I will get the Daily Deals without too much angst or worrying about when I'll read them, as there rarely are enough of them for me to fuss about how much I'm spending (the big Xmas/holiday sales are the only exception...) Regular e-books are another matter, and there I'm MUCH more disciplined than I used to be. I placed fewer than 100 orders for regularly priced e-books in 2014, compared to more than 250 in 2013. (it's hard to be terribly precise, as digital orders lump together the cost of my NetGalley PDF deliveries, any Kindle Fire app orders, which are free but still show up as orders, and video rentals, etc.) But my total digital orders were only 231, vs 471 in 2013 and 527 in 2012. Even if the proportion of Daily Deals and sale items was higher in earlier years, it still wouldn't have been more than half.

If I'm paying $1.99 for a book, I'm happy if it's a book I'll read at some point. Or even if it enables me to replace a physical book in my library and reduce the amount of space I need for bookshelves.

>82 jolerie: Station Eleven is a reasonable bargain on Kindle, or was the last time I looked -- $6 or thereabouts.

>74 brenzi: You've got some great meme answers! I will remember to ask should I ever need any Wilderness Tips! ;)

Hi Bonnie! I am so glad you loved Station Eleven. She somehow made something stale, fresh!

In the Heart of the Sea sounds good. Hope you are enjoying it.

>75 lit_chick: Fun isn't it Nancy?

>76 Berly:. Dodging it? Whatever for Kim? (Bats eyes innocently)

>77 Chatterbox:. Yes, I agree Suzanne. I had no problem with that aspect of the book. We may be a mechanized society but without 99% of the humans left to do the jobs that humans do, I could see the world falling apart in the way Mandel described.

>78 kidzdoc:. I hope we're both successful Darryl but I'm not putting any money on my own success. I know just how withy washy I am LOL.

>79 Carmenere:. Hi Lynda. Station Eleven is a Kindle Deal for $5.99 right now. Just sayin'

>80 Cariola:. Last summer I gave away over 400 print books so that I could actually walk through my house again, . And I was one of the lucky recipients! Thanks again Deborah!

>81 lunacat:. Hi Jenny. There's a possibility that I read The Handmaid's Tale eons ago but if I did, I remember absolutely nothing about it. I'm looking more and more forward to it as so many people seem to love it.

>82 jolerie:. Thank you so much Valerie. I'm really happy to get back in the swing of things around here. Station Eleven would be right up your alley I think.

>83 lit_chick:. And another Atwood fan. Thanks Nancy.

>84 BLBera:. I like most of the Atwood I read Beth. Alias Grace is my current favorite.

>85 Chatterbox:. But my total digital orders were only 231, vs 471 in 2013 and 527 in 2012. . Well now, that's quite a revelation Suzanne. Pat yourself on the back for your improvement though. The mind absolutely boggles. 527? And I don't suppose you acquired any physical books during that time period, did you? (I hope you can tell I'm teasing you while at the same time being privately jealous.)

>86 cbl_tn:. And I will be happy to oblige Carrie lol.

>87 msf59:. I read somewhere that they are making a movie out of In the Heart of the Sea Mark, and since I've had it on my shelf forever, I decided to read it now. I'm only about forty pages in but it's quite good so far.

Great to see you and your thread here, Bonnie! And I've just requested Station Eleven, and it was due to your words. Thanks!

Karen O.

>89 klobrien2: Hi there Karen. Great to see you. I hope you enjoy Station Eleven.

Get a look at the new books that will be released this year:

Sweetland by Michael Crummey (loved, loved his Galore)

Honeydew by Edith Pearlman (loved her previous Short story collection, Binocular Vision)

The Last Good Paradise by Tatjana Soli (loved The Lotus Eaters

A God in Ruins by Kate Atkinson (love everything she's written)

Flood of Fire by Amitav Ghosh (who I had the pleasure of meeting at a very casual gathering a few years ago)---the final volume in The Ibis Trilogy

Lots more at The Millions: Most Anticipated: The Great 2015 Book Preview

http://www.themillions.com/2015/01/most-anticipated-the-great-2015-book-preview....

It's a great time to be a reader!

That's a great upcoming list, Bonnie! I also loved Galore & Binocular Vision. I have not read The Lotus Eaters, but have it on shelf. Atkinson continues to be red-hot and I can't wait for the new Ghosh. Sweet!

LOL - funny meme! Station Eleven sounds interesting, but I think maybe your next book should be Harold and the Purple Crayon. ;)

Hi Bonnie! I just finished Station Eleven too. I was lucky enough to have it with me during a four-hour airplane delay, and it sure made the time go faster. I loved the way she wove the stories together!

>92 msf59: Lots to look forward to Mark, isn't there. I actually have two other books by Michael Crummey on my shelf so I don't know why I haven't read either of them yet. Pull down The Lotus Eaters. It's really good.

>93 cammykitty: Oh my I haven't thought about Harold since I taught first grade Katie haha.

>94 porch_reader: Yes Amy, exactly. She did a wonderful job with that. I just couldn't put it down.

I'll definitely get A God in Ruins and Flood of Fire this year. I was disappointed that The Mirror and the Light, the final novel in Hilary Mantel's Cromwell Trilogy apparently won't come out this year.

I've just finished The Last Good Paradise and it was great fun -- somewhat satirical, with a nod in the direction of both Shakespeare's Tempest and Robinson Crusoe. Amnesia -- an ARC thereof -- is en route to me right now. I already had identified both "Outline" and Almost Famous Women as books to read!

Honeydew landed on my Kindle yesterday -- it was a pre-order. Of the February books, I have the Laura van den Berg book on my watch list, and have already read the Mohsin Hamid anthology, parts of which are excellent. I have The Half Brother by Holly McCraw thanks to NetGalley, but haven't read it; I am VERY eager to read the new Ishiguro.

The Tusk that did the Damage just landed in Vine for All this evening, as did The Last Flight of Poxl West; after some debating, I requested both. I've got So You've Been Publicly Shamed from the same source. The Hanif Kureishi novel intrigues me.

I'll definitely want the second volume of the Jane Smiley book, but either via the library or an ARC; not sure about the Kate Atkinson sequel, as I struggled with Life After Life. I may re-read it first to decide. Anne Enright's book will be a library book, as it sounds too similar to her prior books, though I love her prose. I've wanted to read Vendela Vida's work for a while, so maybe this year's book will be the one??

I definitely will look for The Confession of the Lioness by Mia Couto; not an easy writer, but an interesting one. And the Ghosh novel will galvanize me into reading the second book in the Ibis trilogy.

Hi Bonnie, I am so glad to see you back :)
Mia must be an incredible joy to you, and oh boy, she is gorgeous!

>34 brenzi: good idea, I say. Collecting half interesting books is never going to replace reading ones you are desperate to read.

>94 porch_reader: thank goodness you had a good book for such a long delay. It would have been hell (hell I say) to have nothing to read.

I too am waiting to come across Station Eleven as have heard so much good about it!

Whelp, I've kept myself from looking at the Millions list so far, but I think I'll just have a little peek...

Thanks for posting the link, Bonnie. I saw several that I will watch for. I'm ambivalent about the Atkinson. Life After Life was so good - do we need a part 2?

Great list of books to be released this year, Bonnie! I'm curious … where did you find it? In any case, two that I personally want to watch for are Sweetland and A God in Ruins.

OOoooo! The last of the Ghosh trilogy (of course, I have to read #2, but never mind)! Thanks for posting the list, Bonnie. I also just read the first 2 reviews of Epitaph, which is scheduled for March 2 and may be another of my Thingaversary books.
Thanks for your review of *11th Station*. I'm counting on the cost for Kindle staying low so that I can get it when I'm more ready to read it.

I agree...lots of interesting books coming out in 2015. I'm going to take a look at that list and I KNOW I'll be adding more to my WL. Thanks Bonnie! Now it's not just your reviews that give me BBs but the links you provide. You are wonderful! ;)

Thanks for the list of upcoming titles Bonnie. I'm particularly excited about Flood of Fire, but looks like we'll have to be patient, as it only comes out in August... I love Kate Atkinson, but didn't especially like the construction of Life After Life, which I found offputting. Just reserved the audiobook of Galore from the library. Not sure when I'll get to it, but it's a first step. :-)

>96 kidzdoc:. Hi Darryl. I have to agree with you. It is very disappointing that the Mantel book is not coming out this year. I can only imagine the pressure she's under to produce a book that will be the equal of her other Man Booker Prize winners. She's probably trying to make it perfect, at least I hope she is lol.

>97 Chatterbox:. Of course I knew you would have a jump on all the newest titles about to be published Suzanne, and of course I'll be watching with interest as you make your way through them all and serve as my personal test pilot. Then I can read your reviews and eliminate all the ones that don't knock your socks off. It's a win-win for me;-)

>98 LovingLit:. Hi Megan. Yes, reading books that are only half- interesting is sort of what I did before LT. I expect a lot more now. I just wish I wasn't tempted so often. And yes, Mia is a source of complete joy for me. Absolutely.

>99 scaifea:. Hi Amber. Well, if you trust yourself to just take a little peek, be my guest.

>100 BLBera:. You're probably right Beth. Why do we need a part two? But I think I'll trust this particular author to pull it off.

>101 lit_chick:. Hi Nancy. Did you mean Where did I find The Millions? It's a bookish website that I follow pretty regularly....the millions.com.

>102 LizzieD:. I'm disappointed they didn't include Epitaph in their list Peggy, because I'm certainly looking forward to its release too. I hope you get lucky with the price of Station Eleven.

>103 jolerie:. Well all I can say Valerie, is I'm happy to oblige, either way;-)

>104 Smiler69:. Oh Ilana, if you only like Galore half as much as I did you're going to love it:-)

Hi Bonnie. I'm finally getting a start on my 2015 thread and trying to share new year's wishes with my favorite people. Mia is beautiful and will bring you a lot of joy this year, I know. I hope the rest of the year is also kind to you. (((((Bonnie)))))

So much book talk on your thread, Bonnie! Like you , I'm dying for Kate Atkinson's next up novel. It's on my radar too!

Oooh, I LOVE all the new book talk! This could be another killer year!

Hi, Bonnie! I heard a film version of In the Heart of the Sea, directed by Ron Howard is coming out soon. I might see if I can find that one on audio, plus it sounds like my cuppa!

>106 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks so much Reba. Mia has been my savior, that's for sure. I'm looking forward to a good year.

>107 vancouverdeb: Hi Deborah! Great to see you here. Yes, I can't wait for the new Atkinson, along with a bunch of other books.

>108 msf59: That upcoming movie is what prompted me to pull In the Heart of the Sea down off the shelf Mark. I should finish it up later today. It's been very good and certainly would be your cuppa.

In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex

I'll be the first to admit that I'm a sucker for a good adventure story. This was a terrific narrative non-fiction account of the loss of the whaleship Essex after being rammed by an 86 foot sperm whale in the South Pacific in 1820. It served as the basis for Melville's masterpiece, Moby Dick and was a story of unlikely survival under extreme odds, indecision and poor leadership, and survival by sheer determination. It was also a well-researched study of what was the ultimate whaling town at that time, Nantucket, and its stern Quaker population. Horrific, triumphant, poignant and completely unputdownable.

Ron Howard directed the movie which will be released in March. Can't wait.

Bonnie, If you like a good true life adventure, I might recommend Island of the Lost: Shipwrecked at the Edge of the World by Joan Druett. I read that one in 2013, and it was another unputdownable book. I loved it.

Since we visited Nanticket last summer, I've been fascinated by the whaling industry. And I liked Philbrick's Bunker Hill quite a lot. So In the Heart of the Sea sounds like one I should try. Thanks, Bonnie!

I'm planning to read In the Heart of the Sea next month, in anticipation of the film in March. Glad to see it was a good read for you, Bonnie!

>111 NanaCC: Well Colleen, apparently you've added a book to my teetering tower because Island of the Lost sounds irresistible.

>112 porch_reader: I think if you've been to Nantucket, Amy, you will appreciate the detailed information about the town when it ruled the whaling industry, before it was supplanted (disappointingly, for its residents) by New Bedford. Just fascinating stuff.

>113 katiekrug: Katie that was why I decided to read this book, which has been gathering dust on my shelf for years. I read somewhere about the upcoming movie. I hope you like it as much as I did:-)

Bonnie, In the Heart of the Sea sounds fabulous! You find the best non-fiction! Love that this will be a movie with Ron Howard directing … must keep an eye out for it.

Hi Bonnie

I'm simply stopping by to let you know I continue to hold you in the light.

Good review of In the Heart of the Sea, Bonnie! I will be tracking this one down.

Hi Bonnie! Finally found some time this weekend to try and catch up with my peeps on LT. Hope it was a good one for you! In The Heart of the Sea sound very good. And FYI I loved Life After Life and The Handmaid's Tale. Station Eleven is calling to me from my Kindle!

On to the list goes IN the Heart of the Sea...

In the Heart of the Sea sounds good! Even the reference to Moby Dick didn't turn me off and that is say a lot....haha!

Hey Bonnie, I'm sure I own a copy of In the Heart of the Sea! I didn't know a movie is forthcoming. thanks for the heads up!

Hi Bonnie - glad to see you liked In the Heart of the Sea. I read it at the urging of my son and I think part of the enjoyment was knowing he had loved it and wanted me to as well!

Re Emily St. John Mandel - have you decided if you'll read any of her other books? I've been meaning to look into those and to see what to try next.

I must be one of the lone few on LT without a Kindle. I listen to a lot of audiobooks and I borrow most paper books from our excellent county library system. And I always have something light on my iPhone just in case I'm stuck somewhere for 30 seconds or so without a book. All the others in my book group have readers but somehow I've never been too interested.

Bonnie - I read In the Heart of the Sea years ago and found the whaling fascinating, as well as the fact that it was the basis for Moby Dick -- even though I am not a Moby Dick fan.

>115 lit_chick: I have been able to unearth some great NF reads Nancy and most of that is because I hear about them on LT (most notably from Mark) but this one I just picked up on a whim at my local used bookstore many years ago. Then it just sat. When I heard about the movie I figured it was time to pick it up.

>116 Whisper1: Thank you Linda. I appreciate your kind thoughts and prayers.

>117 msf59: Turn about is fair play Mark. I have Endurance downloaded since you raved about it not long ago. I'll put a little distance between the two sea faring tales though.

>118 Berly: Hi Kim. It's very hard to keep up these days isn't it? You might want to move Station Eleven to the top of your pile. Soooo good.

>119 drneutron: Go for it Jim.

>120 jolerie: I've never read Moby Dick Valerie, although I did make an attempt in high school. From what I remember, this is a much more engaging read.

>121 Carmenere: You're very welcome Lynda. I'm looking forward to the movie.

>122 vivians: Hi Vivian. I don't own a Kindle but I do read eBooks on my iPad and I've come very close to purchasing a Kindle on several occasions. I go back and forth on it. But your approach makes much more sense. We have a great library system where I live too but I do like the convenience of knowing I have a couple hundred books available to me on my iPad (or my phone).

I actually heard great things about Emily St. John Mandel's Last Night in Montreal when it came out a few years ago so I plan to look for that one.

>123 BLBera: I'm not a Moby Dick fan either Beth. But Philbrick's book is very engaging and readable.

Bonnie--I got stuck somewhere today without my paper book and so I stared Station Eleven! It is going to be hard to go back and finish my other book...

I started reading In The Heart of the Sea after I read Why Read Moby Dick? but I still haven't finished it. Thanks for the reminder!

The movie has been pushed back until the end of the year, unfortunately, so I have more time now to get to it.

Why Read Moby Dick? was excellent, by the way. It almost made me want to read Moby Dick!

Happy Saturday Bonnie! I have Station Eleven on my kindle and In the Heart of the Sea sounds interesting.

>124 brenzi: I am making a conscious effort to read at least three non-fiction books monthly this year. I hardly touched any last year and I wanted to make some inroads especially into biography and history books I have added and not gotten around to. I am reading Winter King at the moment about Henry VII and the establishment of the Tudors - fascinating.

Have a lovely weekend, my dear.

>125 Berly: Oh yeah Kim, I imagine that would be quite difficult LOL.

>126 Copperskye: Hi Joanne. I am not feeling a need to read Moby Dick but maybe Why Read Moby Dick?. I really liked the Philbrick.

>127 souloftherose: Hi Heather. You should probably move Station Eleven up. Really good.

>128 PaulCranswick: Winter King sounds good Paul. I've gradually increased my number of non-fiction reads over the past few years. History is my favorite form of NF.

Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey

Thanks to Nancy (litchick) for recommending this book which won the Costa Prize for new novelists a couple of weeks ago. It certainly struck a chord with me. Elderly Maud is on the cusp of dementia at the novel's start and is searching for her friend Elizabeth. At the same time, she mulls over the disappearance of her sister Suki many years earlier, in the years following WWII. Healey alternates narrative threads and weaves a compelling story of two mysteries attempting to be solved by someone whose mind is not really up to the challenge. I could easily relate to the reality of a dementia patient, who remembers clearly events that happened sixty years ago, but can't remember things related to her in the last five minutes. My parents exhibited the same strange and mysterious characteristics. Well written with well-drawn characters, I really enjoyed this novel.

>130 brenzi: This one has intrigued me for a while. Enticing review.

Bonnie, I'm so glad you enjoyed Elizabeth is Missing. It's true, and yet so baffling, the plight of the dementia patient: who remembers clearly events that happened sixty years ago, but can't remember things related to her in the last five minutes.

>110 brenzi: >111 NanaCC: have you guys heard of/read the sub Antarctic shipwreck adventures? Wrecked on a Reef and The Castaways of Disappointment Island? The latter is excellent.
eta: and the boat they made to escape to NZ in is in the local museum here.

>133 LovingLit: Megan, thank you. I haven't heard of those books, and will check them out.

And wanted to add>130 brenzi: Elizabeth is Missing sounds quite good, Bonnie.

>130 brenzi: That one sounds good!

>110 brenzi: In the Heart of the Sea has been on my list forever, and the library has it. I should read it!

>131 lauralkeet: Thanks Laura!

>132 lit_chick: Yes Nancy, so much of this book rang true for me. I would have suspected that a much older person had written it but actually, Healey wrote the book to fulfill her Master's requirements which set off a bidding war among the publishers. She will be a writer to watch.

>133 LovingLit: I've never heard of either of those books Megan but will be looking for them. I also have The Perfect Storm sitting on my shelf that I need to get to. How cool that you have the boat involved in the disaster in your local museum.

>134 NanaCC: Yes indeed Colleen:-)

>135 tymfos: I would think that In the Heart of the Sea would be right up your alley Terri. I know you read some disaster books and this would fit right in.

Morality Play by Barry Unsworth 4.2 stars

Set in the 14th century, a young cleric, Nicholas Barber, the book's narrator, has abandoned his diocese and takes up with a traveling band of actors who perform the normal types of plays known at the time. They are in dire straights though, and very low on funds when they enter a town where a boy has been murdered and a local woman has been tried and is set to hang within a few days. Something is just not right and it doesn't take long for the troupe's leader to come up with an idea that ultimately will offer the actors both freedom like they have never known while also putting their lives in extreme danger. I couldn't put this book down. Unsworth establishes a tremendous sense of foreboding almost from the first page. This book was on the Booker shortlist in 1995. I also read and loved Unsworth's Sacred Hunger which did win the Booker in 1993. Highly recommended.

>137 brenzi: No BB for me because that one is already on my TBR list. I must see what I can do to fit it in somehow.

Bonnie - You're doing it again! Another book to add to my TBR list.

Great review of In the Heart of the Sea, Bonnie. I've only read Mayflower, Nantucket and Bunker Hill by Philbrick and I really like his writing style. I will have to add this one to my obese wish list.

Woot! You go, Bonnie! Sounds like Morality Play is one I would enjoy, too. Thanks for posting : ).

>138 cbl_tn: Hi Carrie. Do try to fit it in. It's been sitting on my shelf forever and I'm happy it finally got it's chance.

>139 BLBera: Well Beth, what can I say? Turn around is fair play LOL.

>140 cameling: Thanks Caro. I had never read anything by Philbrick but his narrative non-fiction style is very engaging and I hope to read more of his books. Do you have a favorite?

>141 lit_chick: Oh Nancy I think you're right. Morality Play is certainly something that would be right up your alley:-)

I keep meaning to try something by Unsworth, Bonnie, and your comments are further shaming me that I haven't already! I think I have Morality Play on my shelf, so maybe I'll just start there.

The title Morality Play put me off because I had to read some of those plays when I was in college, but the novel sounds great! I knew there was going to be a murder ala Cadfael!

>137 brenzi: I'll second that Sacred Hunger was terrific, Bonnie. And I thought that Morality Play packed a lot of a great story into a little book.

You're tempting me with Morality Play, Bonnie. I didn't realize it was a Booker nominee ... And really liked Sacred Hunger too.

>137 brenzi: That one goes on the list. See, this is why this group is a problem. It's only January 19th and I've already added a dozen books onto the Wish List.

I loved Morality Play too Bonnie, it was my firth Barry Unsworth, and I've since followed it up with several of his books and become a big fan of his. Haven't yet read Sacred Hunger, but it's on the tbr, and I intend to read as many of his novels as I can get my hands on. I've had Elizabeth is Missing on the tbr for a while too. Glad you enjoyed it—will have to squeeze it in soon.

Hi, Bonnie. Late to the party, but dropping by to say how glad I am to see your thread. I, too, am in the no-plan stage of reading/posting for this year. And oddly, reading has become more fun again.

A few bb's from here...off to explore Philbrick's works.

You hit me with a BB, too, Bonnie, with Morality Play. He's an author I've wanted to read. Onto the WL it goes.

>143 katiekrug: If you have Morality Play on your shelf Katie, I suggest you give it a whirl. It's a short book but packs a punch:-)

>144 cammykitty: Hmmm I'm only vaguely familiar with Cadfael Katie, but yes, there's a murder mystery involved. And lots more too:-)

>145 NanaCC: Hi Colleen. I read Sacred Hunger about the time it was published so my memory of it isn't crystal clear but the conditions on the slave ship will stay with me forever, I think. Another good one along the same lines was Middle Passage by Charles Johnson. Two books that illustrate in great detail man's inhumanity to man. Powerful stuff.

>146 lauralkeet: Well Laura can I tempt you a bit more by saying that it's a short book that I read in a day;-)

>147 TadAD: And that's a problem Tad?? LOL. Happy to add to the pile;-)

>148 Smiler69: I need to check out some of his other books Ilana. Do you have a favorite?

>149 Matke: Hi Gail. Great to see you. There were many reasons I wanted to just read whatever I felt like reading but one was that I was putting too much planning into my reading and then putting pressure on myself to complete the plan. Then when that didn't work out for one reason or another, I would be disappointed. I'm enjoying just reading whatever I feel like a lot more:-)

>150 jnwelch: Hi Joe. I wasn't aiming particularly at you but, hey, I hope you enjoy it when you get to it.

>137 brenzi: Sounds interesting.

Hi Bonnie! I have still not read Unsworth and Morality Play sounds like a good one. I think I just heard that book mentioned on a podcast. Was it BOTNS?
Hmmmmm...

Hope you are enjoying the Wharton. I was a big fan of that one.

>152 thornton37814: Hi Lori, it's very, very interesting:-)

>153 msf59: I think I just heard that book mentioned on a podcast. Was it BOTNS? Hahahaha you caught me Mark. They mentioned it in the last podcast and since the book was sitting on my shelf and I've wanted to read it for quite a while.....

Anything written by Edith Wharton makes me happy. I'm only a hundred pages in but I foresee some problems for/caused by Lily Bart. Am I a good prognosticator?

I think you a perfect prognosticator, Bonnie. I think I heard Michael mention that book before. I better get to Unsworth and I do not have any of shelf.

I think I might be starting The Lotus Eaters as my next print book, due to your nudge.

>130 brenzi: Nancy (and Rhian I think) also hit me with that a BB for Elizabeth is Missing Bonnie so really pleased to see you also enjoyed it.

>137 brenzi: I really need to try Barry Unsworth's books at some point...

>154 brenzi: 'I'm only a hundred pages in but I foresee some problems for/caused by Lily Bart. Am I a good prognosticator?'

As Liz would say, 'Wait and see!'

:D

Must get to Barry Unsworth! Thanks for the nudge.
I just finished another BOTNs recommendation - The Miniaturist on audio but was disappointed. A very slow read.

>155 msf59: Oh, I hope you like The Lotus Eaters as much as I did Mark:-)

>156 souloftherose: Hi Heather. Ahhh wait and see. Yes I recall Liz saying that once or ten times LOL.

>157 lyzard: Oops;-)

>158 vivians: I just finished another BOTNs recommendation - The Miniaturist on audio but was disappointed. A very slow read. Gah! I downloaded that one a few weeks ago Vivian. I guess I won't be in a huge hurry to read it.

Lily Bart eh? Wait and see, indeed.

Well, yay! I have In the Heart of the Sea and am encouraged that you liked it so much. I am a big Moby-Dick fan, but I haven't reread it in time - should have been in my last decade, or maybe actually I have this last year. I'm always taken by his wit, which I never expected.
I also own unread both Morality Play (I'm with you in Sacred Hunger love and I also greatly enjoyed The Ruby in Her Navel last year) and Elizabeth is Missing. I do wish I could read faster!

Ohh ! I really enjoyed Elizabeth is Missing, so I am glad that you did too! Ah! Kindle Deals - as far as I know they don't offer them in Canada, so that is somewhat of a relief to me! A Century of books! You are so organized and structured, Bonnie!

Hi Bonnie, I'm so glad I found your thread. I look forward to following your reading this year. I read In the Heart of the Sea last year and really enjoyed it. I've read several of Philbrick's books and loved every one. Mayflower is probably my favorite.

>160 lauralkeet: Heh;-)

>161 LizzieD: Hi there Peggy. I have only read those two by Unsworth and you have given me a good idea what my next one will be. I'll be on the lookout for The Ruby in her Navel.

>162 vancouverdeb: Hi Deborah. A Century of books! You are so organized and structured, Bonnie! Well, I'd like to take all the credit but I'm afraid I stole the idea from Heather so I'll have to credit her I'm afraid. Yay another fan of Elizabeth!

>163 Oregonreader: Hi Jan! It's great to see you. I will have to look for Mayflower which I think I actually owned at one time but I lent it out to someone (?) and never got it back.

The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton 4.7 stars

You just cant beat Wharton's writing; it's just so smooth and carries you along so that the time appears to fly by and you notice that you've consumed another bunch of pages. This is my 4th Wharton and she just gets better and better for me. This is the story of Lily Bart, NYC socialite who, unfortunately, doesn't have the financial backing to live among the upper echelon and struggles to figure out how to do so. She becomes the victim of slanderous gossip through her own foolish mistakes and gives up a good man who doesn't have a lot of money to continue searching for the elusive wealthy man who can make her dreams come true. Wharton just creates the most fascinating, complex characters. I couldn't help rooting for Lily, in spite of her many faults, because the bleak landscape invented by the author would trip up anyone. Very highly recommended.

"Is this thing the right size?" said Mia.

Reading roll Bonnie, I must say. Very pleased to see you enjoyed Morality Play as it was one of my favourite reads of the 1990s.

I have yet to read my first Wharton. Hopefully sometime this year?

Aww...Mia is just too adorable. What a sweetie. :)

Great review, Bonnie. And Mia ... melt.

Woot! So delighted you enjoyed House of Mirth, Bonnie! You're spot-on about Wharton's writing. I also could not help but root for Lily Bart.

Mia is precious! Her hair! And your caption is perfect, LOL!

Hi Bonnie! Lots of love for The House of Mirth. Hooray! I agree, it is such a great book. The British series with Gillian Anderson was excellent too.

I am making my way through The Lotus Eaters. It is a slow read, languidly paced but I am enjoying it. She is a good writer.

>167 PaulCranswick: It certainly is a roll Paul and I love it. Yay, another fan of Morality Play.

>168 jolerie: Thanks Valerie. Oh you really must try Wharton. Choose one of her short ones...Ethan Frome was excellent!

>169 lauralkeet: Thanks Laura!

>170 lit_chick: Haha Nancy, it seems she can't do a thing with her hair;-)

>171 msf59: Hi Mark. The writer who wrote the introduction to my copy thought Anderson over-played the part of Lily. I might check it out and form my own opinion.

Suzanne was recently praising Tatjana Soli's latest novel. I loved the Viet Nam setting of The Lotus Eaters.

Mia is adorable. How old is she now? I imagine you are having fun with her.

Hi Beth. Mia will be five months old in another week and she is the love of my life. She's over her collicky stage and is now pure delight.

>165 brenzi:. Wharton's writing is really wonderful. I still have a lot more of her books to read. So far, The Custom of the Country is still my favorite.

Mia is such a cutie. My niece's baby is about the same age, and the hair is similar. It adds to the cuteness.

I saw a flurry of activity over here and thought to myself, "Must be a new Mia pic!" :-) She is just too adorable!

Oh, and hi, Bonnie!

>166 brenzi: Awwww! What a cutie! And I love the caption. And a very nice Wharton review. I love her work. Should read another one...Hugs!

>165 brenzi: 'You just cant beat Wharton's writing'

Completely agree, Bonnie. Glad you loved The House of Mirth so much. I bought some less well-known books by Wharton last year and really need to get round to reading them.

>166 brenzi: What a cutie Mia is! I'm sure she'll grow into that highchair all too soon....

I need to get round to The House of Mirth soon.
And Mia is such a cutie-patootie!

Hah! Look at that brilliant hair! I love baby hair, it's so out of control and wispy and gravity-defying.

>176 NanaCC: We've tried slicking down the hair Colleen, but to no avail. It really has a mind of its own;-) I've loved every Wharton I've read but I haven't read The Custom of the Country yet. I expect I'll do so in the next few months.

>177 katiekrug: Yes, there's nothing like a baby to attract a crowd Katie. LOL.

>178 Berly: Hi Kim. I only "discovered" Wharton a few years ago and have only read four of her books so I will continue exploring her works for quite a while.

>179 souloftherose: Hi Heather. I only have one more of Wharton's well-known works to read and then I'll start on her lesser known books. Luckily she was fairly prolific.

>180 scaifea: Thanks Amber. We're fairly fond of her;-)

>181 lunacat: I love baby hair, it's so out of control and wispy and gravity-defying. Gravity-defying really defines it well Jenny.

>166 brenzi: Awww! Mia's adorable! Great photo caption too. Lol.

Mia is just like her mother - gorgeous!
I'm eager for you to get to *Custom*. That and The Age of Innocence are the only 2 Whartons I've read. I'm not sure what I'm saving them for.
Read on, my friend, read on - and review!

>183 Copperskye: Thanks Joanne. I thought it needed some kind of explanation:-)

>184 LizzieD: Now that surprises me Peggy. I somehow would have figured that you would've made your way through Wharton's entire oeuvre. Anyway I've loved all that I've read and look forward to Custom

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins 3.8 stars

Well, it took reading through 3/4 of the book to get to the "can't put it down" stage and although I only liked Gone Girl a wee bit better, this was still what I would call a good read. But it didn't have the punch to the gut feel that I got when Amy started telling her story in Gone Girl, that audible catch of breath when you know something totally unexpected happened. Still, there are plenty of similarities: three narrative threads, all female telling the same story from different viewpoints. The "girl" is Rachel, an out of work, boozed-up, down-in-the-dumps divorcee, who rides the commuter train every morning because she doesn't want her roommate to realize that she lost her job. During the ride, she fantasizes that a couple, whose house she can see from the train, is known to her and she makes up a life for them. She gets drunk enough to black out frequently and she's sure she sees something during one of her blackouts that effects the woman she fantasizes about. But she can't be sure. Did she? Or not?

And since I finished The Girl on the Train I thought I may as well read this book that I've had for some time:



Hmmm, I seem to be onto some kind of transportation theme...

Ohh Bonnie, I'm looking forward to reading A Girl on a Train . Great review! I'm on the library waiting list, but I may yet purchase it! Enjoy your transportation reads! :)

I'm #234 on my library waiting list for The Girl on the Train. Good to see you enjoyed it but who knows how long it will take for me to read it!

>186 brenzi:. It sounds like I must put The Girl on the Train onto my crazy big wishlist. Your review is great.

Bonnie, I'm on a longish library list for The Girl on the Train. It's a book that might be suffering from a slight case of *cough cough* overhype! When I see a full page ad for a book, my inner alarm goes off. But I still requested a copy!

That Mia is so photogenic. I'm sure part of the size of that high chair tray is due to the angle. It looks perfect for my Molly!

I'm not much of a thriller reader, so I'll probably pass on The Girl on the Train. Boys in the Boat, however, looks good.

>188 vancouverdeb: Hi Deborah. I picked it up when the price dropped for the Kindle version. Enjoy it when you get to it:-)

>189 lauralkeet: Wow 234 sounds like a long wait Laura, although maybe they have numerous copies and the wait won't be that long at all. Keep telling yourself that lol.

>91 brenzi: Thanks for this list!

I'm thinking of you Bonnie, and sending love.

>190 NanaCC: Thanks Colleen. Make room on that WL.

>191 Donna828: Yes Donna, I'm sure the angle has something to do with it although she does look like a peanut in it even in person haha. And there certainly has been a lot of hype for the book. That's part of the fun I think. It doesn't bother me in the least.

>192 BLBera: Sixty pages in and The Boys in the Boat is excellent Beth. Another wonderful narrative non-fiction:-)

>194 Whisper1: Thank you Linda. That's so kind of you right now when you're waiting for your own major surgery. Good luck to you:-)

Bonnie, you've piques my interest with The Girl on the Train, in your comparison of it to Gone Girl (which was also a rec I picked up from you, actually). This one I've heard of, but only the title, didn't know anything about it until I read your review. Btw, I'm looking forward to watching the movie Gone Girl. Will you watch? I love Rosamund Pike.

Hi Nancy. I've already seen the Gone Girl movie and it is excellent except, having read the book, there's no shock to anything that happens. Rosamund Pike was amazing in the role of Amy. I think you'll like The Girl on the Train.

I've seen several articles about The Girl on the Train, but couldn't quite figure out if it was my kind of book or not. Based on your comments, I think I'll give it a try. I've got The Boys in the Boat on my Kindle, so I'll be looking forward to your thoughts on that one!

>199 porch_reader: About a hundred pages in and The Boys in the Boat is fabulous Amy. Absolutely wonderful narrative non-fiction. This guy can write!

Anyone else sick to death of winter? I certainly am and they're calling for 10-14" overnight with blowing and drifting and poor visibility. I know it's only February 1, but come on.

Boo to winter, Bonnie! We are getting slammed at the moment too, with our biggest snowstorm of the season. About 10-12. I can't complain much though. It's been a mild winter.

I am so glad you enjoyed The Girl on the Train, since I just snagged it, in print and on audio. I will try to get to it, in the coming weeks.

My prediction is you will LOVE The Boys in the Boat. One of my favorite NF reads of last year.

They have downgraded our snow forecast from the original forecast of 10 - 14 inches to 8 - 10 inches. But they've added freezing rain tomorrow morning on top of it. Snow is bad enough, but I hate ice. I'm looking forward to my annual vacation in Florida in March. I have about 6 weeks to go.

>201 brenzi: Anyone else sick to death of winter?

I certainly am. We're only expected to get 6", but then it switches to freezing rain. :-(

Lots and lots of buzz for The Girl on the Train. I know I will read it at some point......

Our Groundhog tradition was today and apparently Spring is supposed to come early this year, but it's Alberta, who are we kidding? I'm still expecting a month or two of solid winter weather.... :/

>202 msf59: Hi Mark. I wouldn't call this winter mild.....there was that seven feet we got in November. LOL. Anyway, I can't wait for it to be over. You'll like The Girl on the Train I'm sure.

>203 NanaCC: Six weeks in Florida sounds heavenly Colleen. Maybe next year...

>204 TadAD: Sounds like you and Colleen must live in the same vicinity Tad:-)

>205 jolerie: The groundhog makes me angry nearly every year Valerie. As a matter of fact, I can't remember the last time he didn't see his shadow!

>206 brenzi:. Oh, not 6 weeks in Florida, Bonnie. I will leave in about 6 weeks. I'll be there about 2 1/2 weeks. Still nice though.

>137 brenzi: I really enjoyed Morality Play, too, Bonnie!

>166 brenzi: Aw! What a sweetheart -- and a great caption! She looks a little lost behind that huge tray!

>186 brenzi: I'm debating whether to add The Girl on the Train to my TBR list. It just arrived at our library. Another review (I think it was Kim's) caught my interest, but your comparison to Gone Girl gives me second thoughts -- I really didn't like Gone Girl that much.

I'm sick of winter, too, Bonnie! We haven't had the kind of massive storms you've had there, but it's been pretty relentless. It seem like every time I turn around, it's snowing, or we're dealing with sub-zero wind chills, or both.

Our daughter LOVED The Girl on the Train. As someone probably has said, it gets a lot of comparisons to Gone Girl, which she also loved (and I liked). It was getting huge buzz last weekend at the American Library Association conference in Chicago.

Baby Mia is adorable! I just want to pick her up and give her some extra love...what a sweetheart.

I love Wharton too. Don't forget to check out her ghost stories.

The idea of reading The Boys in the Boat right after The Girl on the Train makes me chuckle. Can't wait to see what you think of the Boys.

>207 NanaCC: Six minutes would be good at this point Colleen:-)

>208 tymfos: I get sick of winter at about this time every year Terri so don't mind me. The only similarity The Girl on the Train has to Gone Girl, as far as I'm concerned is the fact that somebody is missing and there are multiple narrators telling the story. Not great literature, certainly, but entertaining and a fast read too. Mia is getting used to sitting in her high chair and eating cereal and sweet potatoes. That's it so far; very limited menu lol.

>209 jnwelch: Well Joe, it's one of those hyped books I guess. I'm not exactly sure why. For me, it didn't have the sucker punch of a plot that shocked the heck out of you like Gone Girl.

>210 Matke: Ahhh another Wharton fan! If it weren't for LT I wouldn't have ever thought to explore Edith Wharton's work Gail but am I ever glad I did. I certainly will look for her ghost stories. Any particular title? Mia frequently mugged by me with kisses. She's very lovable:-)

>211 RebaRelishesReading: The Boys in the Boat is very entertaining Reba but I haven't had much time for it the last couple of days. Now I wonder why that might be.......

Hi Bonnie! I started the Night Watch. Not very far in but I really like it. Have you read this one? It sure seems like your cuppa.

>213 msf59: Hi Mark. I own The Night Watch but haven't read it. I received Waters' The Paying Guests last July as an ER book and I haven't gotten around to that yet either. I have no idea why since I absolutely loved Fingersmith.

Hi Bonnie - you just whacked me good and hard with a book bullet! I am heading to my Kindle to see how much The Boys in the Boat is... sounds like my kind of book.

Hope winter starts to ease up a bit soon.

Hi Bonnie--I am another The Girl on the Train fan. : )

Hi Bonnie -- hope you're staying warm and cozy!!

Well, Bonnie, I'm number 11 in line for The Girl on the Train at my local library. It is possible that I'll purchase it if I decide I just must have it NOW, but I'm trying to be patient, which is not one of my virtues! :) I'm more or less sick of winter, but here we rarely get snow - perhaps once of twice a year for a day or two, but what we do get is a LOT of rain and overcast. Right now we have a " rainfall warning " place. Vancouver is a temperate rainforest. It can get very tiresome. But then I don't like a lot of heat in the summer either , so there is no pleasing me. Well - a perfect day for me is about 70 F and sunny. Ah, you are not over the top about The Girl on The Train - I shall remain on the library wait list! :)

>215 cushlareads: Sorry about the whack Cushla but The Boys in the Boat is heading towards the 5 star level. I wish I had more time for it.

>216 Berly: Hi Kim!

>217 RebaRelishesReading: As long as I stay inside I'm fine Reba. Haha. It's outdoors that's the problem so I'll just stay cozy inside with Mia and a fire going in the fireplace as the temperature plunges into the single digits and the winds kick up.

>218 vancouverdeb: You and I have the same idea about a perfect day Deborah. I think it was Henry James who said, "The two most beautiful words in the English language: summer afternoon." Can't argue with that.

"The Boys in the Boat is heading towards the 5 star level." Swoons a little...

Cozy inside with Mia and a fire in the fireplace sounds heavenly!!

I just got news from the library that I can go pick up The Rosie Effect and that was a really long wait list--yay!! I am trying to buy less and borrow more. Since I used the library 0 times last year, I am already way ahead. ; )

Waters seems to be just as divisive choice for February as Lively was for January. Do hope that you manage to give us your insight into one of her novels this month, Bonnie.

Have a restful Sunday.

>220 msf59: And it made it Mark. What a book!

>221 RebaRelishesReading: Yes Reba, it's the best:-)

>222 Berly: I'm a pretty regular library user Kim but have to admit I haven't taken anything out since last July. I'm trying to read all that I own on my real shelves and my virtual shelves as well. Enjoy The Rosie Effect.

>223 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul. I might get to Waters this month but then again, maybe not. The mood will have to strike me. I hope you had an enjoyable weekend:-)

>142 brenzi: Bonnie, if you're enjoying Philbrick's writing style, I urge you to read Mayflower. That's my favorite of his works that I've read thus far.

>225 cameling: Thanks Caro. I think I'll take you up on that.

The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown

Five stars doesn't begin to cover it. I wish I could've given it more because I did not want this book to end. Daniel James Brown is a master of narrative non-fiction. His story starts by telling the tale of Joe Rantz who grew up during the Depression quite on his own after the death of his mother and the abandonment of his father and step-mother while he was still a child. His gritty spirit carried him through incredibly tough times until he ended up at the University of Washington where he took up rowing. The rest is history. Underdogs no matter when or where they competed, the boys who manned the boat grew under the tutelage of their coach and the incredible builder of the boats, George Yeoman Pocock, to be one of the greatest teams in history. It was "the shared experience---a singular thing that had unfolded...when nine good-hearted men strove together, pulled together as one, gave everything they had for one another, bound together forever forever by pride and respect and love." The writing is absolutely incredible and when you add in heart-pounding races, the trials of the Great Depression and the rise of Hitler, well, it just doesn't get much better. Very highly recommended.

SO what to read that won't fall flat after reading a five star book?? I've got it narrowed down to the following:

Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner
The Professor's House by Willa Cather
Stoner by John Williams
A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute
The Good House by Ann Leary



Well now that you mention it Mary....

Always tough to follow a 5-star read ... All of those sound good (and the Cather is good, I've read it). Hope you enjoy whatever you choose, Bonnie.

Woot! No kidding, hard to follow a five star read! Appreciate your comments on Nine Boys in a Boat, Bonnie. Sounds superb!

Can't speak to the particular choices you've got shortlisted there, but Wallace Stegner scored two 5* ratings from me for both Angle of Repose and The Hard Rock Candy Mountain. Crossing to Safety is on my list.

>229 lauralkeet: I'm just trying to read something from my shelves Laura and these are books I saw/heard mentioned this past week.

>230 lit_chick: I read through Stegner's oeuvre back in the late 80s early 90s and loved everything I read so this would be a reread Nancy. That said, I don't remember what the books were about so I'm thinking it will be like reading a new book.

Hi Bonnie - Congrats on the 5-star read. I also just finished a 5-star nonfiction book. I'm going to try for a light novel.

Thanks Beth and congrats to you too. I don't need something light as The Boys in the Boat was quite an uplifting read. By the time I go to bed I'll have chosen one of those five, that I know:-)

Yes! I'm glad that The Boys in the Boat was such an excellent read for you, Bonnie! And I'm happy because I have it (unread) on my Kindle. I'm hoping you pick Stoner for your next book because it is also (unread) on my Kindle. Maybe I can just follow in your footsteps for a couple of books.

I've added Boys in the Boat to my must read list. It sounds incredible.

Stegner is one of my all time favorites and Crossing to Safety and Angle of Repose are two of his best.

I liked A Town Like Alice; it's a very different kind of book.

I've got both the boys/boat and girl/train here, unread, the latter thanks to Katie! So I'll have to make time for 'em.

Is it completely white where you are?? It is here!

Happy Sunday, Bonnie! I am so glad you loved The Boys in the Boat. Now, you can see why it was one of my top reads of 2014.

I hope you pick the Stegner. I wasn't as crazy about Stoner as many others were, but you might flip for it.

>234 porch_reader: I'm not the LT Oracle Amy, but I predict with certainty that you are going to love The Boys in the Boat. It's going to stay with me for a long time I know. I love it when a book teaches you something and yet is hard to put down. You can certainly follow me if you'd like but that means you'll have to read Crossing to Safety:-)

>235 Oregonreader: "Incredible" is an appropriate adjective for it Jan. I'm already loving Crossing to Safety, just a few pages in.

>236 Chatterbox: Of course it's completely white Suzanne. And the snow doesn't seem to want to stop. And since we haven't had any weather warm enough to diminish it, I'm looking at some fairly high snowbanks. What happened to a January Thaw?? Not this year. I know you've been dealing with a lot of snow too. Maybe that's unusual for Providence (?) but here it's best to sport a "what will be will be" attitude:-)

>237 msf59: Hi Mark. Stegner it is. And as I was browsing my library's eBook offerings last night, I noticed that they have The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival by John Vaillant which I know you and some other LTers raved about and there's no waiting list so I may snag that one day soon too.

I look forward to your thoughts on Crossing to Safety, Bonnie. I have a copy and am saving it for the AAC, whichever month we're reading Stegner.

The Tiger is fantastic, Bonnie! I know we both go NUTS for our NNF!!

>227 brenzi: Bonnie, that review makes me want to read my copy on the iPad. I have been saving it for some reason. I read Brown's Indifferent Stars Above about the Donner Party of all things. It made my Top Ten in 2009 so I know what a fantastic author he is.

I'm another who will be looking forward to your thoughts on Crossing to Safety, Bonnie.

>239 lauralkeet: Oh, I didn't realize Stegner was one of the ACC authors. I'm marching to my own beat this year;-)

>240 msf59: I never thought anything could rival literary fiction but you've shown me the error of my ways Mark LOL.

>241 Donna828: And now Indifferent Stars Above resides on my Kindle (and it was only $2.99!). Thanks Donna. Daniel James Brown is a master of narrative non-fiction. Any Top Ten book of yours is guaranteed to be a great read for me:-)

>242 lit_chick: Well thirty pages in and I'm already enjoying it Nancy:-)

Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner 4.8 stars

I seldom reread books but then every writer isn't Wallace Stegner. In the late 80s/early 90s I voraciously consumed most of Stegner's oeuvre. I thought at the time that if I never found another author to love I could easily live the rest of my life reading and rereading Stegner. He's that good. And although I never had to resort to only reading Stegner all these twenty some years, this was the first time I ventured back into Stegner territory. I was not disappointed. Crossing to Safety is the story of two married couples who become life-long friends after meeting at a Wisconsin university, where both of the men teach in 1937. In 1972, Larry Morgan looks back over his life as he and Sally return to the Vermont farm owned by their friends Sid and Charity Lang, that served as a refuge to the couples through the years. Stegner's writing was what hooked me back in the 80s and it's still the star of the show but his characterizations are simply incredible, especially the metamorphosis of Charity, from lovable social butterfly to nagging, controlling shrew. She will live in my memory for years to come. If you haven't dipped into Stegner yet, don't let the opportunity pass, and Crossing to Safety would be a great place to start.

I'm sorry to say I don't know Stegner but after reading >244 brenzi: I will definitely give him a try!

>245 RebaRelishesReading: B-b-b-but Reba, he won the Pulitzer Prize in 1972 for Angle of Repose . Aren't you the one who has a challenge going to read all the Pulitzer Prize winners?? LOL

>227 brenzi: Oh my, Bonnie. The Boys in the Boat just moved way up my tbr. Thumb from me for the compelling review.

ETA: Whoops. If you post the review, I will thumb it.

>247 jnwelch: Hi Joe. I think you'll love The Boys in the Boat as much as I did. Pretty hard to put down:-)

Happy Sunday, Bonnie! Good review of Crossing to Safety. I also thought it was an excellent read and think it would be perfect for the AAC.

Great review / comments on Crossing to Safety. You have me interested! It is a challenge to find a suitable book after a 5 star read, isn't it!

Hi Bonnie, Isn't it wonderful to discover a writer you absolutely love! I've only read Stegner's Where the Bluebird Sings to the Lemonade Springs and The Big Rock Candy Mountain (what great titles, seen together) and I loved them both. I hope to read Crossing to Safety this year. And maybe soon.

>227 brenzi: I'm very late here, only just discovered your thread. Trying to avoid too many additions to the TBR pile but after your review, The boys in the Boat: Nine Americans looks too good to miss out on. Had not come across this at all and find books about this period invariably gripping. Thank you!

Great review of the Stegner, Bonnie. I'm really looking forward to reading that one.

Have you read Elizabeth is Missing? I devoured it over a couple of days last week and gave it 5 stars. It is my duty to pass this information on to you. :) I hope to post a review on my thread later today.

Bonnie - I will get to Stegner one of these days. Should I start with Angle of Repose or Crossing to Safety?

>244 brenzi:. You've pushed Crossing to Safety nearer to the top of my TBR. I have it on my bookshelf, so I may actually get to it this year. :). My wishlist is outrageous.

Woot! Great review of Crossing to Safety, Bonnie! I think my Wallace-Stegner-meter is running low: I thought at the time that if I never found another author to love I could easily live the rest of my life reading and rereading Stegner. He's that good. I remember thinking the same thing when I was reading Angle of Repose a couple of years ago, which was my first Stegner.

I read Big Rock Candy Mountain a couple of years ago as my introduction to Wallace Stegner and I thought that was pretty great. I meant to read Angle of Repose last year but didn't manage to fit it in, so glad I'll have the opportunity to do so in June thanks to the AAC, but of course I've now added Crossing to Safety to the wishlist based on your recommendation. There's is a growing corner of the wishlist with your name on it by the way! ;-)

>249 msf59: Thanks Mark. Which Stegner will you be reading?

>250 vancouverdeb: Thanks Deborah. It's always problematic to find the perfect book to follow a five star read. I got lucky this time:-)

>251 Copperskye: It's always good to have a "go to" author Joanne, isn't it? Stegner is a good one to keep in mind.

>252 charl08: Hi Charlotte and welcome. Glad to add to your TBR. That happens frequently around here. I hope you like The Boys in the Boat as much as I did:-)

>253 lauralkeet: Thanks Laura. Too late. Look up at >130 brenzi: LOL.

>254 BLBera: Hi Beth. You can't go wrong no matter where you start:-)

>255 NanaCC: Hi Colleen. Outrageous eh? That's a good general description for all of us I bet haha.

>256 lit_chick: Thanks Nancy. Sounds like you need to get you some Stegner time LOL.

>257 Smiler69: Hi Ilana. I'm always happy to add to your (or anybody's really) wishlist. Haha.

I will be reading Beyond the Hundredth Meridian for the Stegner AAC. I've wanted to try his NF and I love the subject matter.

I've had a long time love affair with Stegner despite the way he treats his women. After all, he was a man of his time. I will be rereading Angle of Repose in June. I am so looking forward to it.

Stay warm, Bonnie. We got our first real snowfall today, about 6 inches. I know, that's nothing to you!

Hi Bonnie! I have only read Stegner's Angle of Repose, which I loved. Another author I should get back to....

>259 msf59: Yay Mark. I just downloaded Beyond the Hundredth Meridian for $2.85 on my Kindle. I haven't read any of his non-fiction but I can't help but think it must be pretty darn terrific.

>260 Donna828: 6"? Bwwhahahaahaha. That's a good one Donna. Did I ever mention that our first frost drifts?

>261 Berly: Yes Kim, you certainly should. And soon;-)

>258 brenzi: D'oh! And then in >131 lauralkeet: I commented on it! Well I think it must have been you and Nancy combined who nudged it onto my February reading list. And I agree, too, that the way she had Maud so clearly remember her past was brilliant.

I enjoyed your review of Crossing to Safety. That was my first Stegner as well and I was hooked. I just moved his All the Little Live Things to the top of my TBR pile.

Glad to see that you were not disappointed after your five star rating, Bonnie. 4.8 stars is pretty darn close to 5. I definitely will have to keep my eyes out for Crossing to Safety since I've never read any Stegner before!

>263 lauralkeet: :-)

>264 Oregonreader: Hi Jan. The thing is that there are so many good Stegners to choose from:-)

>265 jolerie: Never read Stegner before?? Well delay no more Valerie. You have a treat in store.

>246 brenzi:(blushing deep red) -- not only am I the one who is working on reading all of the Pulitzers, I have actually read Angle of Repose and enjoyed it and even remember it somewhat --

>244 brenzi: I keep meaning to try Stegner, and must get to him soon!

Bonnie, I saw your great review of Crossing to Safety and then found the book on the shelf at my library. What a great read! Thank you so much for reviewing it :-) Of course I want to read all his other books now.

Hi Bonnie! Just checking in. Hope all is well and I hope your books are treating you just fine.

Bonnie, I finished Galore last night! Oooohhhhh, I can't thank you enough for putting Crummey onto my radar!

Hi Bonnie! Hoping you are in the midst of a great weekend. : )

>267 RebaRelishesReading: Haha that's ok Reba. I was just teasing.

>268 tymfos: I think you'd enjoy his books Terri.

>269 susanj67: Hi Susan, and welcome. I'm so glad you enjoyed Crossing to Safety and have fun making your way through his oeuvre.

>270 msf59: I've been in Trollope-land Mark so not much time for anything but trying to get through another really long book:-)

>271 lit_chick: Yay for you Nancy. Galore is such a great novel!

>272 Berly: At least the sun is shining Kim. And the temperature is out of the negative numbers. Coldest February on record according to the local weatherman.