SusanJ's 75 Books Challenge - Thread 3

Hello, and welcome to my third thread for 2015.

I'm Susan, a Kiwi living in London for the past 20 years. During the working week I'm a lawyer so I love nerdy legal stuff, which crops up in more books than you might expect.

Over the past couple of years I've started to read mostly non-fiction, and this year my goal is 150 books, one-third fiction and two-thirds non-fiction.

I combine reading with too many courses on Coursera and EdX, which in turn leads to many more reading recommendations.










Top Fiction Reads of 2014

Tooth and Claw by Jo Walton
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
Watership Down by Richard Adams
The Tilted World by Tom Franklin

Top Non-Fiction Reads of 2014

Merchant Adventurers by James Evans
Deep Sea and Foreign Going by Rose George
Empire of Necessity by Greg Grandin
Cheek by Jowl by Emily Cockayne
In These Times by Jenny Uglow

January reads

1. Thank You For Smoking
2. The Invention of the White Race, vol 1
3. Centuries of Change
4. Phineas Finn
5. Salvage the Bones
6. When Britain Burned the White House
7. The Collected Works of A J Fikry
8. Counting Sheep
9. Good Times, Bad Times: The Welfare Myth of Them and Us
10. The Declaratory Judgment
11. The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes, And Why
12. Albion's Fatal Tree
13. Capital (Rana Dasgupta)
14. Horrorstor
15. The Blessing Way
16. Magna Carta (Dan Jones)
17. Mr Lynch' s Holiday
18. The Amistad Rebellion
19. The Day of the Triffids

February reads

20. The Portrait of a Lady
21. The Cold Dish
22. Mr and Mrs Disraeli: A Strange Romance
23. The Invention of the White Race vol 2
24. Plants: From Roots to Riches
25. Sophia: Princess, Suffragette, Revolutionary
26. 1815: Regency Britain in the Year of Waterloo
27. The Eustace Diamonds
28. The Brother Gardeners
29. Gone Tomorrow
30. Dirty Old London: The Victorian Fight Against Filth
31. A Man Called Ove
32. The Poet's Tale: Chaucer and the Year That Made the Canterbury Tales
33. Reading the World
34. Crossing to Safety
35. 61 Hours
36. In the Family Way (Jane Robinson)
37. Frankenstein

March reads

38. Leaving Before the Rains Come
39. Worth Dying For
40. The Affair
41. Heirs to Forgotten Kingdoms
42. A Spool of Blue Thread
43. Dance Hall of the Dead
44. The Dry Grass of August
45. The Leopard's Spots
46. The Fever Trail
47. Bad Blood
48. The Clansman
49. Clean
50. The Traitor: A Story of the Fall of the Invisible Empire
51. Endangered
52. Between Two Worlds: How the English Became Americans
53. Bitter Greens

March intended reads

The Sleepwalker's Guide to Dancing
Mansfield Park for the tutored read
East of Eden, because of Nancy
1215: The Year of Magna Carta, because of the anniversary and this has been on my shelves for years

33. Reading the World by Ann Morgan

Where I got it: Library
Why I read it: I saw a review, and I think I also read about it here

This is the author's story of how she spent a year reading books from the 196 countries (plus Kurdistan) recognised as nations by the UN. But it's not just a list of the books (although there is one) - it's really about issues that cropped up along the way about how to decide which countries counted, whether books should be *about* a country or by an author *from* that country, the difficulties in getting hold of books written in languages other than English because so few are translated, and a really good chapter about translation generally, and whether it interferes with the relationship between the author and the reader, by interposing another person's view in the middle. Ms Morgan discusses a lot of things that had never really occurred to me before, and it's a thought-provoking and entertaining read. Highly recommended, and I'm definitely going to try some of the books that she discusses even if I'm not going to spend a year reading just fiction!

I took it back to the library this morning. No new reserves had come in. Phew! My next read from this week's pile is going to be the book about illegitimacy (which is a ridiculous and patriarchal term I disapprove of) but first I'm going to finish a novel that I borrowed last week.

Nice new thread Susan! You already got me with that BB with your in-progress report.

Happy New Thread, Susan!

Susan I hadn't realised before this year that we share a legal background. I don't do arbitration or construction claims work so much these days as projects have tended to take over my life.

I must say that I am impressed by both your reading progress this year as well as making top 20 in the posting league which I keep for reasons that I have long forgotten. Happy new thread. xx

Happy new thread, Susan.

happy new thread. - re >3 susanj67: I wonder at what point fiction=work means that reading becomes a turn off. I'm not willing to risk it...

Happy new thread, Susan! Reading the World sounds interesting - wondering if my library has it.

For those who missed it on the last thread, Reading the World is being published as The World Between Two Covers in the U.S. in May.

Oh, thanks for that, Lori!

>11 Crazymamie: You're welcome!

Nice new thread you've got here, Susan!

Happy new thread, Susan. Reading the World sounds like something I would like. I'll look for it.

Lovely new thread, Susan!

Hi, Susan - Happy New Thread!

>4 cbl_tn: Hi Carrie! Yay for the bB!

>5 scaifea: Hi Amber!

>6 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul. Yes, I've been lawyering for years, although not arbitration or construction. That department is always going to glamorous places for their arbitrations :-) So far my reading year is going well - I just hope I can keep it up!

>7 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara :-)

>8 charl08: Charlotte, I did get the feeling that she felt a bit overwhelmed with the project - she said that it took eight hours a day *on top* of a full-time job and a husband. I'm not sure I could do eight additional hours even with my total lack of any responsibilities outside work. And yes, it would be a shame to spoil a love of books by over-booking oneself. I've read some book prize judges say that having to read so much in such a short time took all the fun out of it.

>9 Crazymamie: >10 thornton37814: >11 Crazymamie: >12 thornton37814: Hi Mamie! Hi Lori! I hope you can find a copy when it comes out there.

>13 katiekrug: Thanks Katie. I might fancy it up a bit on the weekend.

>14 BLBera: Beth, I'm sure you would!

>15 ronincats: Hi Roni :-)

>16 lyzard: Thanks Liz :-)



34. Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner

Where I got it: Library
Why I read it: I saw Bonnie's great review and it was right on the shelf at the library

I am now a Wallace Stegner fan-girl. What a great read! I loved this - the story of two married couples and of the friendship that lasted over the decades as their lives took them in quite different directions. Beautiful writing, believable characters, and it was partly set in Vermont, with all the lush loveliness of that state. I immediately started looking up the author's other works, and I'm going to reserve some of them. I particularly wanted to read Big Rock Candy Mountain after seeing it mentioned here last year (I didn't realise it was the same author) but it's £9.71 for Kindle and even a *used paperback* is over £11. Yikes! So I'm going to read some of the others :-)



35. 61 Hours by Lee Child

Where I got it: Library ebook
Why I read it: It's Jack Reacher #14

I bookhorned this one in on the Kindle, because I couldn't help myself. This time Jack finds himself in a small town in South Dakota where bad things are happening in the *extreme cold*. The cold is mentioned in nearly every paragraph. I think it's cold in South Dakota. It was good, but I worked out the baddie before Jack did, and that was a disappointment. I was waiting for the twist that showed "my" baddie wasn't the real one, but it never came. I may have reserved the next one, in a moment of weakness.

Not gonna be reading that Lee Child book, Susan. I get more than enough 'extreme cold' in RL. Instead I'm going with Sacred Hunger which seems to be headed for Africa with nary a single snowflake in sight!

I'm thinking I'll make Crossing to Safety my choice for Stegner month in the AAC!

Re post on my thread. Clarification sought: does an 'easter reading extravaganza' involve chocolate?

>18 Fourpawz2: Charlotte, Lee Child is actually a Brit, and the whole book read like he'd been in US cold weather and Just Couldn't Believe It. And therefore had to discuss it over and over again. I thought that rough tough Jack Reacher probably would have been more stoic.

>19 katiekrug: Katie, definitely! And then we can discuss it :-)

>20 charl08: Charlotte, probably hot cross buns. It's really just two weeks off work, during which I hope to read myself silly. Only a month to go!

I have Crossing To Safety on my shelf and I am also planning on reading it for the AAC. Looking forward to discussing it with both you and Katie, Susan.

>3 susanj67: ...and you hit me with another book bullet! It's now on hold (under its US title) from my library.

>22 DeltaQueen50: Judy, that will be great! He's one of those authors I'd never heard of, despite what I can see is going to be a whole of of excellent books.

>23 susanna.fraser: Susanna, that's great :-) I hope you all like it now - that's the pressure of an LT recommendation :-)

I was going to go out today to get a gift for my former office roomie's little boy, who was finally born on Wednesday morning (which, to be fair to him, was his due date, but they induced his mother on Sunday afternoon, so it was quite a wait for them, and apparently not without drama. But everyone is OK now, and it's time for gifts. His grandma has knitted a world of clothes, so I thought about books :-) I was thinking along the lines of one lovely book in its own case, like a compendium of fairy stories or nursery rhymes, but I'm having trouble finding something, so now I'm looking for two or three books, not as fancy but still "gift" books. I'm going to go to the big Waterstones in Piccadilly, and/or Hatchards, but it's rainy and cold today so now it will be tomorrow. In the meantime, any suggestions welcome! (I did look at the Folio Society, but they didn't really have anything suitable and also I'm not sure they're actually meant for kids, are they? Even the children's ones!)

Oooh, I just found these with a quick google: http://www.usborne.com/catalogue/series/1~1263/clothbound-nursery-rhymes-and-tal... That's exactly the sort of thing I'm after.

Meanwhile, housework...But I did manage a couple of chapters of one of my library books before I got up :-)

>24 susanj67: Oh, have fun in the children's section. I like those wee board books that come with an attachment for the pram, but not quite the kind of thing you mean gift-wise. Classics, but can't resist mentioning Allan Ahlberg and Janet Ahlberg's books - so beautifully illustrated might be gift-worthy (and enough detail to hold the attention of the -adult- reader on multiple readings).

>25 charl08: Charlotte, I love the Ahlberg books! I'll see what's available in hardback. Maybe a bundle of lovely hardback individual story books would work. I feel wickedly spendthrifty buying hardbacks, even for someone else :-)

Our church is having a baby shower at short notice for a couple who moved away and are now expecting their first child. Since I have a guest dog this weekend and the shower is next weekend, I decided to shop for books on Amazon. Their nursery theme is elephants so I purchased The Saggy Baggy Elephant, Horton Hears a Who, and, because it was my favorite as a small child, Go, Dog, Go!.

All reading extravaganzas should come complete with hot cross buns. Far too yummy not to indulge.

Oh! Children's books - how fun. That's what we always give for a baby gift, too. Some of our kids' favorites from younger days that have really fun illustrations are by Audrey Wood - The Napping House was one we read over and over. Also Quick as a Cricket. William Joyce has some really funny ones - George Shrinks is our favorite. But, if you are looking for a lovely hardback with multiple stores, beautiful illustrations and a charming storyline, then I would suggest the Brambly Hedge stories - all of my kids loved these stories, and we had them in tiny little hardbacks that I think are no longer available. Recently though, they came out with a larger hardback edition that has all the stories - it's a lovely book, and I bought a copy of it as someone borrowed one of our tiny books and never returned it, so we were missing a story.

Oh, yes, Each Peach Pear Plum is wonderful!

Awwww, Brambly Hedge! I love those books, the illustrations are so detailed and intricate. My mum has the complete hardback collection as well, and it brings back lovely childhood memories.

How about some boardbooks of classics?

We went through multiple copies of The Very Hungry Caterpillar with Conor, who wanted it read to him about 100 times a day

Others:
Dear Zoo - very simple text and flaps to lift but quite short and sweet and funny
I love Julia Donaldson's books - The Gruffalo, Room on the Broom and Monkey Puzzle are available in boardbook format
Whatever Next is another fun little story

Probably less likely to be a bookshop, but The Puffin Book of Fantastic First Poems edited by June Crebbin, was a huge part of bedtime for a while here.

If you're not exclusively looking for classics, I highly recommend Mo Willems' Elephant & Piggie books. They were Miss Fraser's favorites when she was little, and I've been giving them as shower gifts ever since. There is a Bird on Your Head is probably my favorite. Jane Yolen's How Do Dinosaurs... series is delightful, too.

>27 cbl_tn: Carrie, I love the idea of a nursery theme! I don't think my roomie and his wife have one, or if they do he hasn't said what it is. They do seem to have bought the entire nursery department from John Lewis (department store), though...

>28 lunacat: Jenny, definitely. And M&S's never-ending offer of two packs of four for £2.50 means that I always have some in the freezer.

>29 Crazymamie: Mamie, what a gorgeous illustration! That hardback is for sale here, so I will have a look for it. I used to stitch birth samplers for new babies and switch to books after that, but I can't stitch any more so this is my first book-as-birth-gift.

>30 scaifea: Amber, Peepo is another lovely one - I think I've probably bought them all over the years, for various babies. The first of my friends' babies is now 23. *23*!!! Hard to believe :-)

>31 lunacat: Jenny, I see they came out in 1980, so they weren't around when I was a kid, but they look gorgeous, and good for a boy or a girl. I usually find when I'm shopping for girls I can only find books with boys in them, and then vice versa.

>32 elkiedee: Thanks Luci - I am writing a list! Dear Zoo is quite amazing, I think - I passed it over to start with when I was buying books, because it looked so simple, but a friend's daughter had it and could sit and listen to it over and over - I think my record was five times in a row and she still wanted it again - "more!". Her mother used to say "cheeky monkey" on the monkey page and tickle her, and I could see her just waiting for the tickle. I started buying it for other kids and they all loved it too.

>33 susanna.fraser: Thanks Susanna! The shop I'm going to tomorrow has a huge kids' department so I hope to have a bit of a choice. At least I think I'll go tomorrow, but I still have next weekend if necessary and we don't get a bit of sun tomorrow. I don't want to get rained on carrying books, of all things.



36. In the Family Way by Jane Robinson

Where I got it: Library
Why I read it: I saw a good review, and I liked this author's Bluestockings when I read it

Subtitled "Illegitimacy Between the Great War and the Swinging Sixties", this book looks at the attitudes towards children born out of wedlock, the experiences of their mothers when the children were conceived, born and either adopted or blended into the family, and what happened to children adopted or sent away as child migrants. A lot of it is really sad, but it's quite startling to see how quickly attitudes have changed on the issue of "illegitimacy", as more children in Britain are born to unmarried parents these days than to married ones (not in all ethnic and religious groups, however) and I doubt that children today are bullied for "not having a Dad" like they were until just a few decades ago.

One of the chapters looks at sex education, and how it was completely lacking from young people's lives until quite recently:

"Even at university, before the Second World War students at women's colleges were advised, if they needed to sit down on a chair recently vacated by a man, to place newspaper on the seat first. The suggestion was that the ambient warmth of the boy's behind might kindle unsuitable stirring. Telephone directories served much the same purpose. In mixed company, young ladies should always keep at least one foot on the ground. If any male had occasion to visit their rooms, even if it was a family member, the bed must first be removed. They should never initiate conversation with a man they did not know, or to whom they had only just been introduced, in case things got spontaneously out of hand and they ended up ruined. It must have seemed as though sex were some rampant and unpredictable monster lurking at every corner, liable to leap out at any moment and devour them whole."

It reminded me of the old joke about aspirin being the best contraceptive - take one aspirin, keep it between your knees...

But I had "the talk" at school when I was 12, which was 1980, and there wasn't a vast amount of information available even then. We all attended with our mothers. That was the only time I was ever in the vicinity of a discussion about bodies with my own mother. We never said anything about it (or maybe "it") again. I suppose the author ended the book with the "swinging Sixties" because that was when it all became OK, but I would dispute that. Still, she had to end it somewhere ;-)

There is a lovely anniversary special edition of Guess how much I love you? out at the moment. It's very pretty.

>28 lunacat: I didn't realise that was a rule; we have hot cross buns (from Sainsbury's, not M&S - we're clearly the poor relations), so I clearly need a book >;-)

>35 BekkaJo: Thanks Bekka :-)

>36 Helenliz: Helen, and now that butter turns out not to be bad for us after all, we can have buns, butter *and* books.



37. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Where I got it: Kindle freebie
Why I read it: For the Berkeley book club on edX

This is the Boringest. Book. Ever. I just wish the creature could have killed everyone quicker, and made it a lot shorter. I only finished it so I could count it. It was that bad. I'm bemused at its fame and all the adulation - I wonder if it originally got published because Mary Shelley was something of a celebrity at the time, and then no-one dared to say they hated it? Or maybe I'm missing something. Perhaps I should have read it more quickly (the course ran all month) but, as it was, I had to bribe myself to keep going. And the course itself was a disappointment - basically just "read these chapters and argue with strangers", which isn't what I was hoping for. But then "book club" perhaps suggests that it's not going to be a *teaching* of the book. Anyway, urgh. Somehow I already know that this one will head my "worst reads of 2015" list.

#37 Buns, butter + books? Sounds like my kinda night.

Buns, butter, books and wine, I assume you meant to say!

>37 susanj67: I honestly don't think I've ever tried to read the book. I'm not even sure I've seen the full movie although I know what Frankenstein is supposed to look like from the movie character perspective. Your review doesn't tempt me to pick it up.

>38 BekkaJo: Bekka, also good in the mornings!

>39 lunacat: Jenny, a glass of milk at present. Still awesome.

>40 thornton37814: Lori, I find so many of the "classics" to be a disappointment - I think it must be me.

Today is bright and sunny, and the stupid UK Sunday trading hours mean that nothing opens before 12, so I have the morning to make granola and do another load of laundry and read. I started Leaving Before the Rains Come last night and it's good so far, although the studied eccentricity of the Fuller family has the potential to irritate.

Today is bright and sunny and I am up and about to leave to go ringing, followed by coffee (Costa opens at 9:30, which is when we finish) and home again - all before the shops open. I'd love a sunday lie in...

>41 susanj67: I liked its predecessors,but gave this up in disgust at the sense she was just retreading what had gone before.

>42 Helenliz: Helen, I find I wake up bright and early on the weekends - so annoying. At least I can read in bed for a while before I get up.

>43 charl08:. Charlotte, ah. Well, it's a while since I read the first one, so maybe I won't recognise the rehash :-) I'm only a couple of chapters in - I may have a different opinion later!

The first batch of granola is done, and I've even opened the balcony door a tiny bit. I feel like one of those olden-days children sewn into their undies for the winter :-)

The shopping trip was a success - I bought these two:



The first one is a mixture of poems and stories, and the second one is nursery rhymes. I'm keeping all the ideas above for next year, though - I saw the Brambly Hedge book, Mamie, and it's gorgeous, so that's a definite buy at some point. It's so nice to have a child to buy books for again - I miss picture books :-)



38. Leaving Before the Rains Come by Alexandra Fuller

Where I got it: Library
Why I read it: This is another memoir by Ms Fuller, whose first book, Don't Let's Go To The Dogs Tonight, I totally loved

And I thought this one was great too, although I agree with Mamie that it's best read after the earlier two books (or at least Dogs) in order to understand what she's talking about. The Unbearably Sad Thing from the first book is revisited here, and made me just as sad this time around, but she then talks about her life in Wyoming with her husband, and how very different the US was from her childhood, with so much choice (and heated driveways). I love her writing style. I mean to get some of her other non-memoir books, and in fact I think I may have read one. I didn't realise that she'd started out writing novels, giving up only after book *nine* had been rejected.

Next is Heirs to Forgotten Kingdoms but I think I might veg out on TV for the rest of the afternoon, and see whether Indian Summer or the Casual Vacancy are any good.

Happy new thread, Susan!

I have yet to read Stegner but all the love I am seeing is making me kind of look forward to that AAC month. Love your review of Frankenstein!

Happy new thread! haha, sorry you didn't like Frankenstein. I read it in high school and vaguely remember enjoying it. But I don't know what I'd think of it now.

Oooh, Lavender's Blue is lovely! Charlie has a copy, but we don't read it often - he's never really enjoyed the nursery rhymes for some reason. I take it off the shelve and just oogle the illustrations sometimes, though...

>45 susanj67: These look great.

I had no idea Alexandra Fuller had written so many novels. I am hoping she might do more in the vein of her book accompanying the veteran.

I liked Frankestein just fine, but I loves your review of it even more!

Nice picks on the books for baby! Those both look lovely. And so excited that you looked at the Brambly Hedge - the illustrations are so detailed and gorgeous, and the stories are a perfect match.

AND...you liked Leaving Before the Rains Come! Hooray!

>46 lkernagh: Hi Lori! You'll love the Wallace Stegner AAC month!

>47 The_Hibernator: Rachel, I think it must be me - most people love it. But I woke up this morning and had a moment of panic that I had chapters still to read, and then remembered it was March :-)

>48 scaifea: Amber, I always think there should be something in it for the parents too :-)

>49 charl08: Thanks Charlotte :-) The novels weren't published - they were all rejected. Her agent said that she might have a voice but she had no story. And then she turned to non-fiction and the rest is history :-)

>50 Crazymamie: Ha, thanks Mamie! Poor Frankenstein. But I read all the one-star reviews on Amazon, nodding along. Brambly Hedge is gorgeous, but there's quite a lot of type on some of the pages so I thought it would work well for when he's older. But the illustrations are so lovely - I envy people with that sort of talent!

I picked up a book about the cure for malaria yesterday, the name of which escapes me. I had to get the desk to issue it because the self-service didn't work. "Are you waiting for many other reserves?" the assistant asked.

"Hundreds," I said. "Well, nine."

"Shall I check where they are?" he said, "Or have you looked recently?"

"I check every day," I said, "so I know how fast I have to read the things I already have."

He smiled nervously.

There's a fine line between being a great customer and an unhinged one. I fear I am approaching it.

Definitely bordering on unhinged. Join the club! ;)

Alexandra Fuller was on Woman's Hour on Radio 4 this morning - you should be able to find it on podcast.

>51 susanj67: :-D I do sometimes wonder what my local librarians make of the odd selection of books I reserve. Perhaps I'm better off not knowing!

I'm definitely at the unhinged end of the spectrum in library use. But I always try to be very nice to the workers.

>54 souloftherose: My local library say they reckon they can tell if a book will be for me when it arrives on the van before checking the catalogue. Not sure what that says about my choice of books for reserving!

This is why I hide via the automated machines to pick up my reservations :-)

I picked up four library reserves on my way to get allergy shots today. The selection wasn't as odd as it is most of the time - three books on St. Brendan and the final book in the Call the Midwife trilogy. I read the children's book about St. Brendan as soon as I got home.

>56 Helenliz: I get that too, though generally in a positive way (a couple of the librarians take an interest in my old mysteries).

Love your library story. I, too, have come close to the "crazy book lady" category when my reserve spot just has a place holder, that says, check another shelf (there were too many)...

I once had to pick up I am not a Serial Killer from reserve... That one got some looks.

>52 lunacat: Jenny, I think it's quite a big club!

>52 lunacat: Thanks Luci - I'll look for that.

>54 souloftherose: Heather, I definitely think that! But my best ever library experience was when I reserved something obscure on the West Indian sugar islands and as I was having it issued at the desk, the library man asked me if I'd read one of their other obscure books on the same subject (which I had). Now *that's* what a library should be like :-)

>55 elkiedee: Luci, when the one nearest me opened a few years ago they had staff who I think had been redeployed from some other part of the council, as they were, at best, totally uninterested and at worst aggressively rude. They current ones are a lot better. I don't think they're qualified library people but they don't look at books with that bemused expression that suggests they've never read one and can't imagine why anyone else would. I even see them sitting in front of the shelves first thing in the morning, checking that the books are in order. I'm often tempted to ask whether I could pull up a chair and join them.

>56 Helenliz: Helen, yes, that sounds a bit worrying! Now that our reserve shelves are out in the open for anyone to ogle I can see that there are quite a few weird things on them so I don't feel so alone.

>57 charl08: Charlotte, that works for the new books, but the older ones from other library systems often won't check themselves out so I have to go to the desk. They're standardising the bar code or the magnetic thing across all the libraries now so it should cease to be such a problem. One of the earlier librarians insisted that everyone used the self-servce desk and refused to check out books - not helpful.

>58 cbl_tn: Carrie, I noticed all your St Brendan reading on your thread. It looks good!

>59 lyzard: Liz, that must be nice. Apart from the one incident I've described above, no-one has ever taken an interest in my books.

>60 BLBera: Beth, I love that! I think you're my hero :-)

>61 drneutron: Jim, I bet it did! But at least it said NOT a serial killer.



39. Worth Dying For by Lee Child

Where I got it: Library ebook
Why I read it: I couldn't help myself

This is Jack Reacher #1 squillion. Yet again there was a high body count, but Jack never kills a person who doesn't need to be killed. Somehow I've already started the next one. If anyone finds my self control, please could they return it?

I started Heirs to Forgotten Kingdoms last night, and what an interesting read it promises to be! I'm only a tiny way into it, but I'm looking forward to reading some more tonight, before The Good Wife.

Meanwhile, my ten reserves are sitting there on the system, technically "active" but with nothing actually happening to them. Whew! That should give me the weekend to catch up a bit. The Easter Reading Extravaganza is still three weeks and one day away so I can't just borrow anythying I want to (yet).

Most public library staff aren't qualified librarians, I don't think. A lot are library assistants, but many of those are enthusiastic about books, people and the job - but sometimes ground down by endless restructures and worried both about their jobs and the services. I'm currently involved in a campaign to defend services, especially the children's library - space, services, staff - at Tottenham's main library.

>64 elkiedee: I'm still panicking about The Narrow Road to the Deep North sitting on the shelf at the library taunting me! Think I will be OK if I finish Bad Blood tonight.

I love reading your thread, Susan! Our library has two young men working there that are exceptional, and they have learned that there are six of us, each with a separate library card but living in the same house - they now "bundle" our stuff together and check it out on our separate accounts to whoever walks in first. We don't even need the other cards - so convenient!!

>64 elkiedee: Luci, I hope your campaign succeeds - libraries closing is such a loss. I'm pretty surprised that we haven't faced closures in Tower Hamlets, but it's one area of service that's remained untouched (although maybe they are saving on staff costs by hiring unqualified people). They even poshed up another branch near me, although half of it seems to be a One Stop Shop for other council services. But still, it's a brand new building and pretty nice for the area. I visited before Christmas and managed to find something to borrow...

>65 charl08: Charlotte, I'm intrigued by Bad Blood, which also appears to be on the shelf over the road. I need a willpower transfusion, because I can see myself trotting over there are lunchtime, particularly now the police investigation into the person with a knife (allegedly) on the Jubilee Line at the station has been resolved.

>66 Crazymamie: Mamie, I dream of service like that :-) Of course, I don't have a family whose books need bundling, but how nice of them to do that. Maybe you need your own family shelf, like Beth in post 60 :-)



40. The Affair by Lee Child

Where I got it: Library ebook
Why I read it: Jack Reacher

This book goes all the way back to 1997, and Jack's last case for the army. We see his discovery of the folding toothbrush (often his only luggage in later stories) and his first decision just to buy new clothes and throw the existing ones away when they get dirty, because laundry just complicates things, as does luggage. It's a good story involving some suspicious deaths near an army base in Mississippi, and lots of running around the area, with various baddies thrown in (and then knocked out).

I only have three left to read now before I'm up to date with the series, so I must stop for a while. Funnily enough, I recommended these to a friend, who in turn told his mother about them. He gave her a Kindle which is linked to his account, and he says that every time he turns his Paperwhite on there seems to be a new Jack Reacher novel on it, so she's making pretty good progress too!

>64 elkiedee: good luck with that - it's a service that's worth retaining, imo. Even if accommodations have to happen; the other council services being accessed through the library being an example. One thing I did learn about library access in our council is that if you visit more than one library, they assume that you can always visit the other libraries - so the calculation as to how many people would be affected by closing one library only counts people who only visit that library. It's cheating (to my mind), as if I mainly visit library A and happen to visit library B in passing that does not imply that I could use library B with the same ease as library A. So I make damn sure that the only library I visit is the one in my town. I'm happy to pay to reserve books and have them delivered rather than pick them up from another location if that counts towards the stats that help keep my local library open.
Stats prove what the presenter wants them to prove...

We're not facing library closures here, but the loss of space and services. I think having stuff aimed at young children and at teenagers is really valuable for getting them young.

Ahh, we've been through a first round of closures, with potentially more to follow. Entirely agree on the provision for children & young people - without that you've got a library that will only die in the future.

Hi Susan: I have 13 items on reserve right now. Seven are not yet available. On the others I am # 1 on three, #4, #8, and # 14. And I just know, they will all come in at once! It's like a library law.

>68 Helenliz: I like the possibility that ordering books on reserve might help to keep my library open. Thank you! :-)

Susan, I wish you a lovely weekend.

>68 Helenliz:, >69 elkiedee:, >70 Helenliz: I can remember visiting the library from the very beginning of the time I can remember anything. I suppose we were taken once a week, but I recall being put in charge of my younger brother while my mother went to the adult section, and pulling out picture books to read to him. If it's a normal routine activity then I'm sure kids are much more likely to keep it up.

>71 BLBera: Beth, ooh, I bet they do! Someone should research that. Scientists discovered why toast generally falls butter side down a few years ago, but library book reserve patterns would be just as interesting!

>72 charl08: Charlotte, I agree! I have two free slots. Maybe I'd better fill them, as a public service. My existing ten are still sitting on the system, unmoving.

>73 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara! You too :-)



41. Heirs to Forgotten Kingdoms by Gerard Russell

Where I got it: Library
Why I read it: I saw Jennifer's great review

In this book, the author looks at some of the lesser-known religions in the Middle East. We all know about Islam and Judaism and Christianity, but maybe not the Druzes, or the Zoroastrians, or the Kalashas or the Yazidis, although we know more about the Yazidis after what happened last year on Mt Sinjar. And most of us have probably heard complaints from Egypt's Coptic Christians about the violence they have suffered recently. That's what makes the book so topical, although I almost hope that the other religions *aren't* in the spotlight if we only learn about them because something terrible has happened.

You might think a book about religions would be very historical and academic, and there is lots of history in it, but the author also looks at how the adherents of the religions live today. Having worked for the Foreign Office in Egypt, and later in the Green Zone in Baghdad, he starts most of the chapters with his own experience in meeting people from a particular religion, and looks at how they got where they are, what they practice today and the challenges to their religions continuing. I learned so much, and I'll watch the news about the region with a new interest now. Thanks to Jennifer for an excellent recommendation.

Next up for me will be Anne Tyler's A Spool of Blue Thread and then The Fever Trail which is the book about finding the cure for malaria.

>74 susanj67: I was in the library the other day and heard a senior member briefing junior on the clearing policy. Books that hadn't been borrowed three times in the past year get cleared out, apparently. Felt the need to borrow several 'favourites' repeatedly in case they were culled...

Interesting to take the memoir approach to a subject like comparative religion. I don't usually read on this topic (overdosed on it as a kid) but if anything would make me read on it, this would. (I'm still 74 for A Spool of Blue Thread but the total reservations have nearly hit 100!)

>75 charl08: Charlotte, that's interesting about the borrowing numbers - I wonder what my own library's rule is. They've got some obscure things that look like no-one's ever borrowed them. And I wonder what happens to the books they clear out. No library sales here like they have in the US! The religion book was not something I would ever have considered had it not been for LT, but it's really well done. Oh dear about your reserve position for A Spool of Blue Thread! Surely they must be getting more than one copy, though?



42. A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler

Where I got it: Library
Why I read it: I'm an Anne Tyler fan

I've loved Anne Tyler's writing since high school, when we studied Searching for Caleb in English. And I've read everything else she's written. This one can be summed up in just three words: Fabulous. Fabulous. Fabulous. I started it last night but made myself put it down so I could save some of it for today. And this morning I've been out on the balcony, in the sun (!) finishing it. The perfect Sunday!

This afternoon I'm going to read Dance Hall of the Dead, and then it's back to the malaria book. I read the introduction yesterday.

Sold! Adding it to my library hold list! Happy Sunday, Susan!

Happy Sunday, Susan. I just added a reserve for A Spool of Blue Thread.

>76 susanj67: Happy to wait - plenty to read before it arrives, and as you say there is more than one copy (actually 20 copies, which makes me feel bad for moaning, because clearly it's not going to be that long before I get it!). Library system in Lancashire is spread across quite a distance (for the UK!) though, so I'm not sure how 'true' the full list of copies are - as in sometimes I order things and they don't move from a particular library, so I wonder if they can be blocked (or are automatically blocked) from moving between the top to the bottom of the county. It's a good system, and I hope we hold on to it through some planned council cuts which are a bit jaw dropping (recent leaflet: How do you think we should cut x million £ from our budget?).

Maybe they group the libraries by area, or have some system when there are so many copies and reservations. When I worked in Camden and placed reservations there, I noticed that there were some branches, one in particular, where books just never came through. As Holborn Library was about 15/20 minutes walk from work (and about 5 from Persephone Books, had I realised), I actually went down there one day and found two reserved books on the shelves - I had to get a reservation cleared before I could actually borrow one of the books.

Hope you get to read it soon. I enjoyed it when I read it a few months ago. She is saying that this might be her last novel, and I only have one left that I've not read, Back When We Were Grownups. I might have to start a reread, perhaps of 14 rather than all 20 - not the last 3 published and not the two I've only read quite recently, and I'll read Back When first - but I read most of her work 15-25 years ago.

>77 Crazymamie: Mamie, enjoy! (I know you will :-) )

>78 BLBera: Excellent, Beth! And happy Monday.

>79 charl08: Charlotte, yes, cuts are a vexed question. Libraries vs home care for the elderly is one example I see cited, and that's hard to argue with I suppose, although library books are such a pick-me-up for people without much else to do. My grandma was never without a book to read, although she did have other hobbies. And while we can now amass enough on the Kindle to see us through several retirements, it is nice to get the new stuff :-)

>80 elkiedee: Luci, Tower Hamlets is part of the London Libraries Consortium, which is now 16 boroughs, I think, with a shared catalogue of 6 million items (according to the web page) I'm not quite sure how they organise the reserves, though - sometimes I wait a while for something that appears to be available in another borough, and I wonder whether I'm waiting for a Tower Hamlets copy to become available, but I don't know. I do get lots of things from other boroughs - maybe a request goes consortium-wide after a certain period of time.



43. Dance Hall of the Dead by Tony Hillerman

Where I got it: Amazon marketplace
Why I read it: For Roberta's Leaphorn/Longmire project (Hi Roberta!)

This is the second of the Joe Leaphorn series, in which a Navajo police officer solves crimes. Once again there was lots of Indian folklore, and a slightly unexpected baddie. I liked this, although I think I need to print out a map of the area to keep all the locations straight in my head.

I returned the weekend's books this morning and only borrowed Bad Blood. The Sleepwalker's Guide to Dancing was on the shelf but it's huge, and I have a couple of reserves in transit now, so I'm going to wait for that one. If it's still there in a couple of weeks I'll borrow it for Easter. Just nineteen more days till the Extravaganza - woohoo!

>81 susanj67:: I'm very envious of that consortium membership. I'm thinking of getting a Hackney library card. The nearest Hackney branch to me is run by volunteers instead of paid staff, and I object to that on principle as it replaced a library with paid staff, but Stoke Newington is more conventional and really not much further away. Maybe when my sister and her family move to their new house there (they have the builders in) and I can combine visits to her and her baby with going to the library.

>82 elkiedee: Luci, and once you're a member of a consortium library you can use the card at any of them, and technically return books to any of them, although I have only tried that within my borough.

This morning's new display at the library was on a science theme (which I am thinking of copying for the book exchange) and one of the books had the *best title ever* - We Need to Talk About Kelvin. I actually laughed out loud when I saw it. Then looked around to see if anyone was watching. And I now have *three* reserves on their way, including the brand new C J Box novel, which I didn't even think was out yet. And that reminded me of an ebook reservation for the new book about Diana Mitford, which comes out in about a week. I think I'm first on the list for that one. Another busy weekend looms!

Love that title (and also envious of what sounds like a library card with superpowers).

Just to tempt you, Susan, THe Sleepwalker's Guide to Dancing is a VERY fast read for a big book.

>84 charl08: Charlotte, yes, I wonder how long the author had it in mind before he started the book!

>85 BLBera: Beth, hmmmmm. :-) I just checked the reserve situation and four are now on their way, but if they haven't turned up by Thursday then I think I'll get it for the weekend. I'm trying to take Friday off so I hope to have an extra day.

This morning I woke up at 5, and couldn't get back to sleep, so I used the time to finish an ebook on my Kindle:



44. The Dry Grass of August by Anna Jean Mayhew

Where I got it: Library ebook
Why I read it: Because of Charlotte's (charl08) review

This was a superb read. And it's a first novel! It's set in North Carolina/Georgia/Florida in the autumn of 1954, and narrated by thirteen-year-old June Bentley Watts, the second child of a troubled family, recalling the time and she and her siblings and their mother and their black maid, Mary, take a trip to visit their uncle in Florida. "Whites only" signs are everywhere, pools and beaches are out of bounds for Mary, and people are talking about what Brown v Board of Education might mean for their schools. I think this is going to be one of my books of the year. Thanks, Charlotte, for a great recommendation!

Glad you liked it. Another LT win, as I only ordered if because of another 75s thread :-)

Heading to the library for lunch as In the Wolf's Mouth has turned up on the reserve shelf, and I can finally with good conscience return the Brink that has been making me feel guilty about not reading it for weeks.

>87 charl08: Charlotte, ha! I said on Beth's thread that I might wait and see what the LT opinion of the Baileys list is - clearly a sound policy! Have a great lunchtime - I am lecturing for hours today (not to the same people, fortunately for them) so lunchtime for me will not involve a pizza and Jack Reacher anything mind-improving, but more likely a quick look at the Evening Standard online.

Oh dear. Five reserves are on their way now. Gulp.

But I finished my first lecture of the day - actually a workshop for some university students. I noticed a table of four older ones at the back, which is a bit unusual, but I didn't think that much of it until one of them offered to help hand out the case study documents. I've never had a student do that before. I looked at her name badge and saw that she was "Dr" someone. I gave her some documents for her table. "Only if you have enough," she said. But I always have enough. I finished going round the room and then a thought occurred to me. "Oh yes," said graduate recruitment, in response to my email, "they're teachers." So I didn't make them answer any of the questions :-)

That must make lecturing so much more terrifying! Hope it all went okay.

Susan, my homepage tells me it's your thingaversary today so happy thingaversary!

>90 BekkaJo: Bekka, yes it was fine. They (I assume) teach the law part of law, and I was talking more about the procedural aspects of cases. And no-one put their hand up to say "Actually, that's wrong." So that was lucky!

>91 souloftherose: Heather, goodness I hadn't even realised that myself! Thank you for the thingaversary wishes :-) I've been on LT for six whole years (and one day, now).

A small cloud has appeared over my Easter Reading Extravaganza, in the sense of possibly urgent work during those two weeks, which will mean no holiday. I won't find out till Monday, but I'm annoyed because I deliberately waited to book holiday until the potential work appeared not to be happening, and now it seems to have resurrected itself. And I have to take all my outstanding days by the end of April or I'll lose them. Grumble.

>92 susanj67: We sometimes call Easter Resurrection Day, but that's not the kind of resurrection we want. I hope your urgent work doesn't materialize to spoil your holiday.

>92 susanj67: Boo. That's even worse than no chocolate.

>92 susanj67: That is terrible! I hope you are able to take those days.

So sorry that your Book Reading Holiday is in danger. Looks as if you ought to buy a few books for solace and you have the perfect reason as it is your Thingaversary!

Here is hoping the work that resurrected itself sees its shadow and decides to fall back into hibernation for another 6 weeks. ;-)

>93 cbl_tn: Thanks Carrie. Me too. I'm currently doing two lots of holiday cover for people, and I'd like a chance at my own!

>94 charl08: Charlotte, I may have to rethink the Easter egg situation. When I was 3, apparently I received 33 Easter eggs, which my parents said was my record. I remember being given a little one to cheer me up when I got a finger caught in the vise on my Dad's work bench. I don't think I'll aim for 33, though :-)

>95 thornton37814: Thanks Lori.

>96 Fourpawz2: Charlotte, or I could reserve some more. Actually one more and then I have no slots. Waaah!

>97 lkernagh: Thanks Lori. Clients, eh?

One of my reserves has come in - Clean: An Unsanitised History of Washing which is called The Dirt on Clean in the US. The author was interviewed in a very good programme called "How We Got To Now", which is a BBC/PBS co-production, looking at clean, time, cold, and two other concepts (I have yet to watch) which have changed the world. There is no sign of the other four, though, which are still on their way (slowly). Meanwhile, my new work read for down times is Data Protection Law and Practice - the new edition!

Happy Thingaversary, Susan!

I will keep my fingers crossed that the zombie work doesn't materialize to ruin your holiday plans :)

>98 susanj67: - I know! What is up with that?! Bad Clients! ;-)

Hi Susan! I can't believe I missed the baby book discussion. Sounds like you picked some winners!

Love that you're a Stegner fangirl:) I loved Crossing to Safety also.

Have a great week!

>99 katiekrug: Hi Katie! I hope your jet lag is getting better. I read your thread on the bus - I must hop over and post on it.

>100 lkernagh: Lori, all I can do is shake my head. I've tried to get details of exactly what will be discussed at the meeting but nada. Anyone instructing a professional services firm should be *very precise* about exactly what they want, or it just wastes time and money.

>101 AMQS: Anne, I'm pleased with my picks. I've brought them into the office today to wrap them up ready for Monday when my former office roomie gets back. I wonder just how tired he'll look :-)

I just got an email from Twinings, announcing their new "Intensely" flavours (we're currently on a box of Intensely Raspberry & Dragonfruit): Intensely Beetroot Burst (which has blackcurrant in it), Intensely Liquorice & Mint and Intensely Fiery Ginger & Rhubarb. Oooooh :-) I've got to get the beetroot one, if only to freak out my roomie. I'm not a big fan of mint tea bags since I went to a restaurant where they made mint tea with fresh mint leaves, and now I'm a mint snob. The ginger & rhubarb sounds interesting too, so I'll keep an eye out for that one.

>103 charl08: Beetroot tea? Oh dear. Make mine a Tetley's please. :-)

>103 charl08: Charlotte, that's what my roomie said, except without the reference to the Tetley's :-) She said she tried beetroot in the Nutribullet recently and it doesn't make a good smoothie because it tastes bitter. But I think that's what the blackcurrant is for. If Waitrose has it in stock, I'll try it and confirm that :-)

No more library books have arrived, despite the fact that I have *three* days off from tomorrow, and only three books. OMG what if I *run out*??

>104 susanj67: Well I'm jealous of your day off, hope you have a good one.

I want to finish Gone to Ground, get back to the regency history book (which I have sadly neglected but is due back at the library soonish) and I've just bought second hand a lovely book of interviews of African writers, so I want to write up some stuff from that. Instead I get RL. Never mind... Hopefully there will be lots of coffee (and no beetroot tea {shudder})

(have you tried these guys? http://www.eteaket.co.uk/product-category/teas/ - I was amazed by the flowering tea - a thing of beauty!)

>105 charl08: Charlotte, so far it's going well. And the beetroot tea is great! My favourite is still blackcurrant and rhubarb, though, so I picked up another box of that as well. Thanks for the website link - some of those look really good! I've tried flowering tea once at Wagamamas, where they have a jasmine one. One of the girls I was with ordered it and I thought I'd try something new. It's lovely!



45. The Leopard's Spots by Thomas Dixon

Where I got it: Ebook from the Internet Archive https://archive.org/details/leopardsspotsrom00dixo

Why I read it: My edX course on the Civil War and Reconstruction has reached reconstruction, and last week the lecturer showed some clips from "Birth of a Nation" as part of a discussion about the historiography of the period. I noticed that the film was based on The Clansman by this author, so I downloaded it. But it's the *second* book in a trilogy and, as I can't read books out of order, I hunted around for the first one.

This was a very bad OCR scan from a printed copy, so I spent a lot of the time wondering what words were actually supposed to be, but I got there in the end (maybe not with all of the words - it is possible that there are actual Southern words that I'm just not familiar with :-) ) The book starts at the end of the Civil War, after Confederate troops have surrendered and are making their way home. It looks at how society (allegedly) changed as a result of emancipation and voting rights given to black people and at the beginnings of the Ku Klux Klan. If it was published today, the internet would explode, but at the time the trilogy of books were bestsellers. I think I'll read the next one to see what happens to the main character, who is annoyingly prissy but nevertheless has just been elected Governor of North Carolina at the end of this one.

But this afternoon I must get back to the malaria book, which is not quite as speedy a read as I had hoped, mostly because people keep failing to bring cinchona bark back to Europe, instead dying of strange diseases due to the "curse" on the project and shipwrecks if they manage to send anything back at all. One of them, perhaps unwilling to risk his whole future on the bark, has developed an alpaca-smuggling plan, but I get the feeling that his future riches don't rest with the alpacas either.

>106 susanj67: Would love to read a modern novel set in Reconstruction period (this does not sound like that novel, though!) I've come across a couple of histories of women who set up schools in this period, and found their lives/ work fascinating.

>107 charl08: Charlotte, I agree that this is probably not that novel :-) The trilogy certainly had a huge impact at the time, though, and the white characters keep repeating the "one drop of blood" theory of who counts as black, which still seems to be more of a thing in the US today than it is here. I've got The Invention of Wings on my Kindle, which I'm sure someone told me was about the Civil War, but it doesn't seem to be from the Amazon description. Maybe they said *before* the Civil War.

I've read a bit more of the malaria book (more rain, lost samples, sabotage of the Wardian cases, grumpy porters, Peruvians taking a most unhelpful attitude to the export of their native flora etc despite all the awesome things they'd received from civilisation, like sheep...and measles - it is a wonder that the British Empire didn't die out completely from want of quinine), then I started Bad Blood (superb), and the first couple of chapters of Clean, which is good so far but isn't quite what I thought it would be. I was expecting more about domestic cleanliness but it's about personal cleanliness instead. Anyway, it's still interesting. And apparently it's not true that no-one took a bath from the time at which the Romans left to the 20th century - there was quite a bath culture in the middle ages until the plague put a stop to it. But so far I'm only up to the ancient Greeks and the Romans.

You have captured my undivided attention with you reports on the malaria book, Susan, so I have to ask, what is the title of the book?

>109 lkernagh: Hi Lori! I'm reviewing it below.



46. The Fever Trail: The Hunt for the Cure for Malaria by Mark Honisgsbaum

Where I got it: Library
Why I read it: It was referred to in Plants: From Roots to Riches which I read recently

In this book, the author looks at how the West discovered that cinchona bark was useful in treating malaria, and how they went about getting the bark and seeds from South America and transporting them to India and other places in order to have their own plantations, which were becoming vital as malarial regions were colonised by people with no immunity to the disease. He then looks at what's happening now in the fight against it.

I found the first eight chapters relatively hard going, as they seemed just to be an endless travelogue of explorers going to dangerous places and falling ill, but I suppose it brought home just how hard people had to work to try and get the plants and seeds, often against export bans from the countries they were taking them from. And, of course, there was a hit-and-miss element to planting them in new countries, like India and on Java. In this respect, the book reminded me of last year's book about how the British stole tea plants from China and created their own tea plantations in the Empire. But then it goes on to look at how scientists finally discovered the connection between mosquitos and malaria, and at what's going on now in terms of research.

As it was published in 2001, there is only a tiny mention of the Gates Foundation's efforts, but I googled to bring myself up to date. So a bit of a mixed read, but overall an interesting one. There are maps at the front but they didn't seem to go very well with the text so I read part of it with an atlas open, and that helped. Also, it turns out that Colombia is not where I thought it was, so I learned something unexpected :-)

There's a lovely picture gallery in the Telegraph today, looking at the differences between the illustrations in Ladybird books over the decades: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/howaboutthat/11467176/Ladybird-...

47. Bad Blood by Lorna Sage

Where I got it: Library
Why I read it: I saw the great review on Charlotte's thread (charl08)

This is a memoir of a childhood and adolescence on the Welsh borders, starting in the 1940s when Lorna Sage was growing up in her grandparents' vicarage, which was in a state of permanent warfare due to her grandmother's hatred of her grandfather. The grandparents were deliciously dreadful, and for me that part of the book was the strongest, but I liked all of it and I can see why it's become so popular (although I'll admit to never having heard of it until Charlotte's thread). Thanks Charlotte for another great recommendation :-)

That leaves me with Clean, my Mansfield Park chapters for the tutored read and The Clansman, which I started last night but which doesn't have the same people in it as the first book at all. Humph! I always think "trilogy" means novels with the same characters in them, but evidently not. At least I have a Gutenberg version which is easier to read than the first book.

Six reserves are now on their way, but that's OK because they should (fingers crossed) take me into my holiday weeks, when I will have lots of time to read them. But I'll find out more about that on Monday.

>81 susanj67: Howdy Susan!

>112 susanj67: Glad you liked it. I found a second hand copy in Oxfam and was sorely tempted. (Only put off by the memory of the last time I moved house. It's going to happen again at some point, and I try to remember how much the boxes weighed...). I've just reserved John Aubrey: My own life but as the library has yet to get a copy it will be a while yet (I kind of secretly hope).

>110 susanj67: Sounds like the malaria book needs updating - will you be looking for another?

>113 luvamystery65: Hi Roberta! I hope you're having a good weekend.

>114 charl08: Charlotte, I think the Aubrey book will rush in, just to spite you :-). I'd like to read another malaria book (I like sciencey things if they're not too hard) - I'll keep an eye out.

I'm on my way to an exhibition. Exciting! I spend too much time at home so today I have made myself go out. The fact that there are books en route is neither here nor there...Well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

The new book about Diana Mitford appeared overnight in my library e account, so I downloaded it and read a chapter this morning. It read very much like it was just cut and pasted from all the other books written about the family. Then there was a statement that Lord Redesdale wouldn't let his daughters do sports because they would end up with "legs like gateposts" and after this phrase (which was in quotes) there was a footnote. The footnote referred to a statement by *Uncle Matthew* in one of Nancy's books. Now, I know that Uncle Matthew was modelled on Lord Redesdale, but footnoting something from a novel in support of what a real person supposedly said is very dubious. So I googled to see if anyone had reviewed the book (no) and then found some articles in which Daphne Guinness (Diana Mitford's granddaughter) had accused the author of being a shameless profiteer and a charlatan, which was pretty much the conclusion I was coming to, so I deleted it. Maybe that leaves me some room for another Jack Reacher. Ooh :-)

Bad Blood goes on to the wishlist. Looks really good.

Hope you enjoy the exhibition, Susan.

>116 Fourpawz2: Charlotte, I hope you can find it - I think you'd like it :-)

I did enjoy the exhibition, which was "Fashion on the Ration" at the Imperial War Museum http://www.iwm.org.uk/exhibitions/iwm-london/fashion-on-the-ration - all about fashion during WWII, including clothes coupons, the "make do and mend" mantra, utility fashion and so on. It's a mixture of actual clothes and posters/booklets/letters/magazines and some film footage and it's really well done. I saw the related book reviewed yesterday in the Telegraph with a link to details of the exhibition, so I reserved the book and decided to visit it today before I made up an excuse to stay at home reclining.

I did get comically lost on the way there, but that's a risk at Waterloo, which has a bewildering number of entrances and exits which, combined with my total lack of a sense of direction, usually ends badly :-) I decided just to count the extra steps as exercise, and be glad I wasn't on my way to a client meeting. And afterwards I walked about half of the way home, before it started to rain and I crossed the river to pick up a bus. So quite a bit of exercise for me today! The only slightly sad thing was that the building which used to house the remainder bookshop is being demolished, so there is no more bookshop :-(.

Today is the 20th anniversary of the day I arrived in the UK. I remember it was colder that day (but of course I hadn't converted to puffa coats...) but not raining like it is today. Apart from never managing to work out the point of washing-up bowls, I think I've adapted reasonably well :-)

I took my weekend books back to the library this morning and picked up The Sleepwalker's Guide to Dancing, which was still sitting patiently on the shelf. Six reserves are in limbo, so I didn't want to over-borrow. OK, I didn't think I *should* over-borrow, but there was plenty that looked good and which I might snaffle in a week or so, for my holiday (if it's still happening).

Ah, 'over-borrowing'. A thing that never happens to me (er, as I plan to return 3 books I have only just finished in order to take out the 3 that have arrived!). Hope you like The Sleepwalker's Guide to Dancing.

Happy anniversary, Susan. I'll be looking for your comments on The Sleepwalker's Guide to Dancing.

Erm, what's a washing-up bowl?

Happy Anniversary Susan! I was telling one of the dog rescue ladies about you the other day. When I told her you loved Big Rich Texas she looked at me horrified and said, "I hope she doesn't think we all wear our hair that way!" Ha! I said, "No, only the ladies from Dallas."

Just kidding KAK!

>119 charl08: Charlotte, I'm sure that never happens to you :-)

>120 BLBera: Thanks Beth! I'll try and start it tonight.

>121 katiekrug: Katie, here's one (the red bowl in the sink):



And another one, this time in use:



I've never worked out why you can't just put the plug in the sink, run the water and wash the dishes like that, instead of introducing another layer of bowl into the sink (and cutting down useful space). But they're sold everywhere. I feel like it's a secret of the British that I have yet to discover - some vital thing that leaves me on the outside. And possibly I have been washing dishes incorrectly for decades.

>122 luvamystery65: Thanks Roberta! How funny about your dog rescue lady - I do of course just think it's just in Dallas (Hi again Katie!). I watched some of the spin-off in which Whitney had a baby, which was deeply worrying because I wouldn't trust Whitney with a stuffed toy.

ETA: My Easter holiday is back on track - woo-hoo!

If it helps I'm British and also haven't been let into the secret...

And WOO for Easter read-a-thon!

I just want to reassure everyone that I don't have Dallas hair :) And am not friends with anyone who does!

Re: the washing-up bowl - my mother-in-law does that! I've never understood it either....

>124 BekkaJo: Ha! Thanks Bekka :-) That does help. I'm excited that the readathon is back on - now I just need my reserves to show up. Oooh, one has finally arrived! I'll pick up Bitter Greens after work.

>125 katiekrug: Katie, does that mean you won't be seen with me if I get my hair floofed when I visit? Because I'd already pencilled in some extra days for the grilled cheese restaurant :-) I wonder whether someone will appear to explain the washing-up bowl. Maybe it's from ye olden days when sinks were ceramic or stone or whatever sinks were made of, and might not have been kind to crockery and glass. But everything seems to be stainless steel now.

>127 susanj67: - No, when you come to Texas, I'll be so excited, I might pouff up my hair in celebration!

When Susan gets to Texas, I want to see the pictures! Katie, Ro and Susan your motto could be "Bring a book to share and wear poofed-up hair!"

happy anniversary, susan. I can't believe that the weather hasn't improved in 20 years!
Washing up bowls are an integral part of the nation, if you need them explaining you'd never understand.
>;-)

>129 DeltaQueen50: I love that motto Judy and yes, even I will poof up my hair for Susan's visit! We will also have to take you to Cavender's. https://www.cavenders.com/

>127 susanj67: - they (dishpans - as they are called here in New England) definitely hark back to enamel sinks. In fact I am the owner of a big ol' double enamel sink AND my umpteenth dishpan rests, at this moment, in the right-hand sink. I have broken my fair share of glasses in that sink and chipped more than one dish/mug/cup in it as well. Personally I do not undrestand the obsession with things stainless steel. SS sinks always sound to me as if I'm washing the dishes in a tin bucket. And I don't like SS appliances as they make the kitchen look way too much like a restaurant kitchen or a morgue - cold and antiseptic and not at all like Granny's cozy kitchen which is the kind of kitchen that I love.

I was thinking the dishpan/wash up bowl was to protect the sink. I'm not that much of a perfectionist. My sink looks "lived in."

We're ambiguous on the washing-up bowl question. We have one in the sink in the utility room, don't have one in the sink in the kitchen. Don't know why ...

>128 katiekrug: Katie, ha!

>129 DeltaQueen50: Judy, I love that motto! Oooh, there could be a t-shirt!

>130 Helenliz: Helen, I feared that :-) They might have to sit alongside Twiglets.

>131 luvamystery65: Roberta, what a great website! I love the cowgirl slippers, among many other things. The Texas flag wallet is also very cute!

>132 Fourpawz2: Charlotte, I had wondered what a dishpan was :-) And that makes sense if the sink is going to break things. I've always had stainless steel (and so did my parents) but a friend has just had a new kitchen put in with a butler (ceramic) sink. I should ask her whether she uses one :-)

>133 luvamystery65: Roberta, yes, pots and pans could chip the sink too, so a bowl might protect from both things. Quite a sink battle going on! I still don't get why people use them in stainless steel sinks, but maybe it's just a tradition that no-one questions, like that old tale about all the women in a family cutting the ends off their roasting joints, and no-one could explain why until they asked great-grandma and she said that she'd done it because her roasting pan was too small :-)

>134 SandDune: Rhian, how I envy your utility room!



48. The Clansman by Thomas Dixon

Where I got it: Project Gutenberg
Why I read it: It's the second of the novels in this author's "Reconstruction" trilogy

This was much like the first one, but it looks at the beginnings of the Ku Klux Klan, although quite vaguely. More interesting is the way that the Northern characters who find themselves in the South are pretty much instantly converted to the Southern way of life and world-view. It's made me want to read more about what happened during reconstruction from a more neutral point of view, because I think it's easy to think of the end of a war as "The End" and not to concentrate so much on what happened afterwards. And yet it's that which can lead to more wars (WWI and the Treaty of Versailles, for example). The edX course page lists four books which I will try and hunt down. Amazon markeplace, here I come!

>135 susanj67: A Reconstruction group read? Which books does EdX recommend?

>136 charl08: Charlotte, the books are:

Blight, D W (David if D W gets no results), Race and Reunion: The Civil War in American Memory

Foner, Eric (he's the course professor), A Short History of Reconstruction

Gienapp, W E, The Civil War and Reconstruction: A Documentary Collection (no touchstone here but this is the Amazon link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Civil-War-Reconstruction-Documentary-Collection/dp/03939... - at that price I'll be giving this one a miss :-)

Litwack, L F (Leon), Been in the Storm So Long: The Aftermath of Slavery

I've just reserved the Litwack one from the library, and bought Eric Foner's The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery because it won the Pulitzer prize and I'm a fan-girl of his excellent lectures. I see his full-length reconstruction one is a good price for Kindle, though (well, compared to the paperback) so I like the sound of that one: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Reconstruction-American-Nation-Eric-Foner/dp/0060937165/...

Litwack sounds interesting - short histories invariably annoy me, but given he's the professor...

I did a quick search on H-Net for reconstruction - reviewer mentions
Stetson Kennedy After Appomattox: How the South Won the War
an earlier book by Foner Reconstruction: America’s Unfinished Revolution
and an early classic Black Reconstruction in America

http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=42438

The Foner one in your post is the one I've linked to on Amazon at the end of my post - his full reconstruction book rather than the shorter history listed for the class (which I think was written with the class in mind as he does sometimes refer to the longer one for more detail on things). I'm in if you are!

Oops sorry. Need to pay more attention. Let me have a look at the catalogue and see what they have!
ETA Embarrassment of riches at the library
Major problems in the gilded age and the progressive era .Reconstruction after the Civil War The death of Reconstruction : race, labor, and politics in the post-Civil War North, 1865-1901 White Terror: The Ku Klux Klan Conspiracy and Southern Reconstruction as well as the Foner.

Lancashire has this which looks interesting (grim) Slavery by another name: the re-enslavement of Black Americans from the Civil War to World War II

I use a washing up bowl. Re lack of space - I don't like to have too much stuff in the bowl at once, Mike drives me crazy because he puts stuff in the bowl without throwing away any leftover food on it first, then leaves it there in water which quickly goes cold and greasy. Plates chip against each other, and it's hard to see what you're doing with loads of stuff in the bowl. And you need less water to fill a bowl enough to wash up in it. I don't actually wash up very much very often, but I like to be able to wash up what I need as I need it. And limescale is such a problem here I scrub a mug at least once per two cups of tea, I don't like drinking from mugs which are all brown instead of white, or brown/white instead of black inside (my favourite mugs at the moment are all black with pictures in white or orange (we have a couple of London Zoo tiger mugs).

Luci, I'm with you on the leftover food in the bowl! I clean everything up before I start, but I like to put everything in the hot water for a good soak as I wash up. Well, I say "everything" - usually it's bowl + spoon or plate + fork, and I just do them under hot running water...

Another reserve has arrived - yay! (I ordered a couple more last night, just to prove I was serious). This one is Between Two Worlds: How the English Became Americans. It will be interesting, I'm sure, because Americans ARE very different, and yet the earliest ones were English.

I was reading a chapter in Clean at lunchtime about the markedly different approach to personal cleanliness taken in the US in the 19th century compared with Europe, and the author mentions new buildings suiting plumbing better, and more room for large houses with bathrooms etc etc, but (a) Europe could have put in plumbing if it had really wanted to and (b) most Americans hailed from Europe, and there have been whole chapters on the filth of Europe. Bathing was actually thought to be *dangerous* in Europe, so how did the Americans decide that they didn't care/would take the risk anyway? The author thinks that they were proud to be thought of as innovators, and that cleanliness was a mark of high class in a society where there was no traditional class system.

>110 susanj67: - That sounds fascinating. Sorry to see that the information may be a bit dated as far as more recent developments go. I was going to suggest Fiammetta Rocco's book Quinine - which I thought was quite well done and give a more personal perspective - if you are still interested in the topic but I see that the Rocco book was published in 2004. It was also more about the history of the search for a cure.

Love the washing up bowls discussion. I can see and possibly understand using a washing up bowl if you are cleaning vegetables and want to be able to then use the now dirty water to water plants (my mom does that and keeps an eagle eye on how I use water when I am home visiting) but for soapy water that can have no other use, I am at a loss, although I do like the comments about enamel sinks and protecting the dishes.

>143 lkernagh: Lori, thanks for the Rocco recommendation - I have just reserved it. Ahem. I liked the historical part of The Fever Trail but I thought it was a bit repetitive at the beginning as they were all running around South America and encountering the same issues. But overall it was good. I think I should have had a map with me for more of it. On the water issue, "grey" water is promoted here too, and water butts to take rainwater from the roof, except with those there is a risk of...mosquitos :-)



49. Clean: An Unsanitised History of Washing by Katherine Ashenburg

Where I got it: Library
Why I read it: I saw the author interviewed in a documentary

Although this got off to a bit of a slow start, by the time I finished it I had enjoyed it a lot. Much like Dirty Old London, though, there is a vast amount of filth in it, so there are quite a few "ewwww" moments. The author looks at how people have washed themselves (or not) since ancient Greek and Roman times, and it's a real eye-opener. We think of people in history as less clean than we are (which they were) but the interesting thing for me was that we haven't become steadily cleaner - there was quite a fashion for baths in medieval times and then the fashion changed back to very few, although Elizabeth I took a bath every month, whether she needed it or not. But the centuries after that were the real low point, as bathing was seen as useless at best, and dangerous at worst. It was even thought risky to have a bath the *day after* a big meal. And even more recently than the 1600s and 1700s, new buildings at Cambridge University did not include bathrooms because "the young men are only with us for eight weeks at a time."

What I *didn't* like about the book was a formatting issue - little quotes and fascinating facts on every page, half in the margin and half in the text, so that I had to pause in an appropriate place to read the little quotes and then go back to the body of the text. It's distracting and it annoyed me, but that's a small quibble.

ETA: In the US, this is called "The Dirt on Clean".

I read the preface and prologue of Between Two Worlds last night and it looks excellent, although it has heavy paper and quite a tight binding, so I fear for my arms. I'll have to make sure to sit with it on a cushion and not try to hold it up!

And even more recently than the 1600s and 1700s, new buildings at Cambridge University did not include bathrooms because "the young men are only with us for eight weeks at a time."

This Oxbridge level of sanitation reminds me of the er, 'delights' of mixed accommodation where I studied as an undergraduate (we did have bathrooms, I hasten to add!). I started reading Foner on reconstruction on googlebooks - looks good.

>145 charl08: Charlotte, that sounds a bit grim! It's good to hear you like the Foner - I'll download it at the weekend and may even be able to make a start as the reserves are still stubbornly in transit. Humph!

I was in early today so I went down to play with the book exchange, and I took some photos:

Part of the romance + saga section - you could probably guess this by all the pink covers...



From the far left of this picture: Children/YA on the top shelf (including a complete set of Twilight!), Sci-fi underneath and the next two bays are non-fiction, which continues for another shelf out of the picture



This one shows the new shelves, which extend for one more set not shown, and then there are shelves back to back with them, so altogether eight sets of three shelves each. These books are from crime + thrillers, which continues around the corner for two more shelves. Crime is out of control in this area! Horror and general fiction are on the shelves on the other side of these ones. The tops of these cabinets are on a slight slope, which means I can't display things on them.

>146 susanj67: Wow - impressive stuff. Do you have a comments book for people to show some (bookish) love?

>146 susanj67: - Nice, Susan! I had imagined the space as dark and cramped and with a lot fewer books. That's practically a library in and of itself!

Awesome book exchange - as Katie said, practically a library! I want one :/

Lovely photos! I was picturing something much smaller. And you will be delighted to know that when I first readyour post, I read it as: Horrible and general fiction are on the shelves on the other side of these ones.

Fantastic pictures of the book exchange setup! You have done a wonderful job organizing it. ;-)

Oh wow - the book exchange looks amazing! It's like a real library :-)

Your Book Exchange is lovely, Susan! Boy, if I were in charge of the world every business would be required to have such a thing on the premises. I so miss not working in a place where people read. Nobody to talk to about books! :(

>147 charl08: Charlotte, there is no comments book - I'm just happy if people pay their 50p and actually return the books...

>148 katiekrug: Thanks Katie! It is like a little library, as long as no-one looks too closely at the order of the non-fiction - I'm aiming for Dewey but I'm not sure I'm succeeding :-)

>149 BekkaJo: Thanks Bekka!

>150 Crazymamie: Mamie, ha! We have no horrible fiction :-) There were duplicates of quite a few books so I picked the best-looking ones and the rest went to charity. Now we have a tiny bit of spare room I'm keeping duplicates of currently popular books.

>151 lkernagh: Thanks Lori!

>152 souloftherose: Thanks Heather! It's been fun, and now that the sorting out is done, the upkeep is minimal, time-wise. I can just pop down at lunchtime.

>153 Fourpawz2: Thanks Charlotte! I get a thrill when I see people browsing.

Thank you all for the lovely comments!

I'm in early today because of the eclipse. I decided that I didn't want to be on the bus in traffic when the world went dark. So far it hasn't gone dark, though. I thought it was supposed to be happening at 8.25 in London, not that I dare look out of the window. OK, I just dared a tiny bit and it's still not dark.



50. The Traitor: A Story of the Fall of the Invisible Empire by Thomas Dixon

Where I got it: Internet
Why I read it: It's the third in the increasingly melodramatic Reconstruction trilogy

This book tells the story of how the Ku Klux Klan in North Carolina was disbanded once it had achieved its aim, and how it was reinvented by bad people who wanted to use it for outright criminality. This, I think, is an actual argument in the real world (the Columbia lecturer made the point that Birth of a Nation, based on the second book, was a big influence on people's thinking about Reconstruction, so the same is probably true of the books themselves), but it's hard to distinguish between fact and fiction in these books. Yet again there were Southern belles and men smitten by them, and a lot of sewing of white outfits by the womenfolk, despite the apparent shortages of everything (including, you might think, fabric).

Between Two Worlds is a much saner read, which I am really enjoying, and last night I started Bitter Greens which also looks promising. The reserves remain in transit - never have I had such a tardy bunch! Usually they come flying in all at once.

A friend from NZ emailed to ask if I'd been to the Alexander McQueen exhibition at the V&A, and said how much she would love to go (she can't come to the UK this year for various reasons). So I thought I should go and at least buy her some merchandise from the shop :-) I clicked on "Book tickets" which goes to a third party website, and a message appeared saying that I was in a QUEUE (for a website?!!!) with an estimated waiting time of 15 seconds. Then there were maximum number of tickets warnings, and don't buy from touts warnings (this may be common for pop concerts but I've never experienced it at the V&A) and then the calendar wouldn't display, so I thought it would be easier just to buy myself an annual membership from the museum's own website, and that allows entry at any time, without the need to book. They have some good things coming up this year so I'll be sure to go to all of them :-) The V&A "skull" design is the major motif for the exhibition, and I'll have to get one of these tote bags for myself: http://www.vandashop.com/The-Skull-Black-Tote-Bag/dp/B00TXL5WZ0?field_availabili...

It was ~9:30 here, so I imagine London might have been a minute or two different, but not an hour. It went dull. There was cloud, but just the right amount that you could see the shape of the sun without being dazzled. As I went into the osteopath it just had a small nibble out of it, when I came out it had reduced to a crescent. It's noticeably lighter here than it was.

>154 susanj67: That's crazy re the exhibition. I find this kind of queuing to see art mentality really odd. I saw Klimt at Tate Liverpool a few years back, and the gallery had planned for one way traffic to deal with the crowds. No chance of making your own connections if they went against the flow of people. Sigh.

Hope your friend likes her merch, the V and A do some lovely things.

>155 Helenliz: Helen, no-one here saw much, so I don't think I missed anything. My meeting had started in a windowless room by 9.30 but a few people were deliberately late so they could see it, and then wished they hadn't bothered. Of course now we have bright blue sky.

>156 charl08: Charlotte, it annoys me too, although the V&A don't pack as many people in per time slot as the British Museum, where you can hardly see anything because so there are so many sharp-elbowed people. Exhibitions really show people for what they are! No doubt the V&A will have a "no photos" policy for this one and people will ignore it like they did last weekend at the Imperial War Museum, even though everyone was told *individually* by the lady taking the tickets at the door. And then they start huffing and tutting when you dare to move into their shot because you're actually there to SEE things, and not live through your phone. Grrrr. This winds me up - can you tell? :-) I remember now why I mostly stay home...

The new C J Box novel arrived at the library today so I've just picked it up. I think Bitter Greens might have to go on the back burner while I see what happens to Joe Pickett as he tracks down his foster-daughter and her good-for-nothing boyfriend.

>You know you're middle-aged when...students don't take notes from the slide on the screen - they just whip out their phones and take a picture of it.

Hi Susan! I remember enjoying Bad Blood when I read it several years ago. Glad to see you liked it as well.

Colleagues find it very amusing how paper-and-pencil I am when I am the tech expert in the building. I certainly take photos with my phone, but note-taking by hand is the most effective method for me.

Happy weekend!

Hi susan, I've finally got some time to visit your thread. I wish you a lovely weekend.

Happy Saturday Susan! I love the V&A and I'd probably do the membership thing if I still lived there.

My brother and SIL are supposed to be in Paris sometime this month. I'll have to check in with them to see if they were there for the eclipse!

Susan, your lending library is awesome. You've done an excellent job in organizing it and making into a welcoming place to browse away.

>159 AMQS: Hi Anne :-) I always tell the students that when they are trainees they should carry a pen and paper whenever they go to see someone about work, or they're invited to a meeting. Then on Friday morning I attended a seminar for senior lawyers, and only one of us at my table had any paper, and I had to share my pen with the lawyer next to me (who fortunately is a friend). Very poor :-)

>160 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara :-) What pretty flowers.

>161 cbl_tn: Hi Carrie! I think the eclipse got less interesting the further south people were, but they might have seen something. I'm waiting impatiently to get my V&A membership pack, even though I don't plan to go to anything for at least another week.

>162 DeltaQueen50: Thanks Judy! I do love putting things in order :-)

Yesterday I went to the National Maritime Museum, which has some new galleries (maybe not "new" in the sense of "just finished", but new to me). I looked at the Nelson exhibition, which included the coat he was wearing when he was fatally shot (and he was *tiny*!) and the Atlantic and Slavery room, and the Trade room, which was mostly about the East India Company.

Greenwich is an area that is popular with young families, and I was amused to see quite a few tired-looking young men pushing buggies with babies in them, followed by lively toddlers, one of whom was wearing a Spiderman outfit that I'm pretty sure was actually pyjamas. Evidently Sunday morning is the Dads' time for looking after the kids. It made me remember frequent trips to the zoo on Sundays with my own father and brother which, in hindsight, must have been to give my mother a break. I never remember her coming to the zoo, but my father reckoned he knew all the animals by name :-)

And then I came home and read for *hours*. I'm making good progress with Between Two Worlds, and also Bitter Greens, but I had to bookhorn in the latest C J Box novel.



51. Endangered by C J Box

Where I got it: Library
Why I read it: It's book 15 in the Joe Pickett series

This was another excellent instalment, with all the usual characters except Joe's dreadful mother-in-law. I do hope we see Missy again soon :-) I read this in one sitting, and now it's a year till the next one :-(

Another reserve is available for collection - An Empire on the Edge: How Britain Came to Fight America by Nick Bunker. I think I read about this on Susanna's thread, and it looks really good.

I was green with envy to read about Bamber Gascoigne (UK TV personality) unexpectedly inheriting an amazing house, with *three miles of books* in it. This is an amazing article: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/11486628/Bamber-Gascoigne-to-save-...

>163 susanj67: Your comments about Greenwich made me smile. Love it there. The churro stall was always a favourite. Chocolate on mine please!

I found out that my brother and SIL and their niece won't be in Paris until next week so they missed out on the eclipse. They're night owls so they probably wouldn't have been awake that early anyway.

Finally getting around to the threads again, Susan. Love the lending library--it does look amazingly large for such a thing. Belated happy Thingaversary!

>164 charl08: Charlotte, I will have to look for the churros next time! I had planned to continue by walking up the Greenwich peninsula to the tube station at North Greenwich, but there was a freezing wind and then it started raining, so I decided against it. It's still a walk I'd like to do, though.

>165 cbl_tn: Carrie, I really don't think they missed much!

>166 ronincats: Hi Roni! Thank you for liking my library! I think they had a space that had nothing assigned to it, so it became the book exchange by default, to fill it up.

I started The Sleepwalker's Guide to Dancing this afternoon, which is excellent so far, and I'm up to date with my Mansfield Park for the group read, so this evening I'm vegging out on TV :-)

We have zoo membership which we'll renew when it comes up shortly. Extravagant but worth it. Mike's aunt twice gave me £100 to take the boys out on a day trip, and that almost covered the first year. I'll pay this year out of my Christmas money.

>168 elkiedee: Luci, I think if you go a lot then the annual passes are well worth it. A friend who lives near Windsor had a Legoland pass when her girls were little - all their circle of Mums had them so they had somewhere to meet up that included inside space if the weather was a bit iffy, and of course the kids loved all the Lego. I think they only had to go three times in a year to equal the cost of the pass, and they went a lot more than that.

With one week to go until my holiday, now is the time for the library reserves to start pouring in. *Checks reserve page - notable absence of pouring*. I did pick up An Empire on the Edge this morning, though, and it looks good but a bit daunting (small print, tight binding). But it should follow on nicely from Between Two Worlds, which is now up to about the 1670s, and looking at how colonial America had started to become different from Britain.

Fingers crossed for your reservations. I'm so tempted to jump straight into Ghettoside even though it's only just arrived! Shiny new books...

I've reserved Ghettoside too, but it's not in transit yet. I think there's only one copy in the system, though. I'd filled up my reserve list in the expectation that they would all come for the holiday - I'm getting a bit worried now that they might all come afterwards!

Well, my good intentions to finish So long a letter already disappeared into the rear view mirror. Caught by Jill Leovy's discussion of why black on black murder has been under prosecuted over time (I'm a sucker for a an introduction laced with historical context).

I always think it's fine to read a few chapters of a new thing, even if there are other things on the go :-) Just to, you know, see what they're like and how long they might take, and whether anything else should be temporarily abandoned...

Thank you for that :-) I feel vindicated.

I'll watch for your Ghettoside comments. I loved that book and think Charlotte is totally vindicated in dropping all else to read it.

I hope your reserves come in soon.

>174 charl08: Charlotte, always happy to help :-)

>175 BLBera: Beth, if it ever comes, I will comment!

Six reserves are now on their way - maybe via Edinburgh. Or St Helena. But it's a bit early in the day to think they won't come - sometimes they sneak in around lunchtime. I expect there are three deliveries per day.

I read my chapters of Between Two Worlds last night (so new it doesn't seem to have a touchstone) and then switched to Bitter Greens. Well. There is something SO AWFUL in the middle of it that I wouldn't have read it had I known. I was tempted to give up there and then, but I figured that it surely couldn't get worse. I hope I'm right.

Hmmm. Eight reserves are now on their way. I think that old saying is true: A watched reserve list never produces any books.

Hall of shame for me re the reservation list. I got distracted by a broken auto-issue machine (it computer-says-no to me when I tried to pay the reservation fee) and ACCIDENTALLY walked out without issuing myself the books (even though I did pay the reservation fee to the librarian!). Oops.

What'll you do if they don't turn up? Or is that prospect not even to be considered?
Hope you get Ghettoside soon - the legal side of things would be interesting from your perspective. I'm not sure I agree with some of her conclusions from the data. But I haven't finished it yet, so maybe unfair to say so at the moment.

Oh dear! Didn't the book beep as you went through the scanner at the door? Mind you, ours quite often do because there's a bug in the system...As you're one of their best customers, I think you'll be OK. But you might now get another copy if the reserve is still on the system :-)

If they don't turn up then I'll have a very busy mid-April indeed. Really I don't need all of them this week - I'll be here for groceries anyway during my time off so I can pick them up as they arrive, but I want them before the end of my holiday. I should probably cancel the four outstanding ones, but I know I won't. I wish we could put reserves on hold, like you can with ebooks, and reactivate them when there is more time. At the moment I have to finish Between Two Worlds (nearly done), The Sleepwalker's Guide to Dancing (20% done), Bitter Greens (50% done) and read yesterday's new one. I wanted something a bit lighter before more history, though.

I had to check it wasn't 1 April when I saw this story in the Telegraph about an app that takes out swear-words in novels. It even has settings - "clean" (just the worst words), "cleaner" and "squeaky clean", which blanks out even "damn". http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/11492003/Joanne-Harris-condemns-Cl...

It's sort of a shame it doesn't replace them - "You jolly rotter" - but I suppose matching up the language to the period would be too hard. It could be quite funny, though. Hey, there's another app idea right there!

I used to be on a forum that would change swearwords to a row of **** only it wasn't very clever and did very interesting things to legitimate words. Scunthorpe, for example, threw it. >:-)

This reminds me of the oral history project I had links with, run with support from the local council, that had problems with *all* their emails getting chewed by the council's anti-porn filter.

>176 susanj67: I found certain sections of Bitter Greens very disturbing too. I don't think it gets any worse.

>180 susanj67: I like the idea of being able to select some amusing replacements for the swear words but otherwise I would have assumed an April Fool's joke too.

>181 Helenliz: Helen, yes, I can see that it would do that...

>182 charl08: Charlotte, that must have been very inconvenient!

>183 souloftherose: Heather, I'm glad I'm not the only one re Bitter Greens. I really didn't expect that in the retelling of a fairy tale.



52. Between Two Worlds: How the English Became Americans (yay, the touchstone works!) by Malcolm Gaskill

Where I got it: Library. Brand new :-)
Why I read it: I like reading about colonial history, and I'm always interested in why people leave their home countries to go somewhere else

This is a superb history of the 1600s in the US, from the very first settlements up to 1692 and the witch paranoia. It's split into three parts - "Planters", "Saints" and "Warriors" and there is a massive amount about life and politics and social history and wars, and how the English settlers saw themselves in relation to England (a view which of course changed over time). Very highly recommended although it's not a quick read. It's very well-written, though.

There has been no movement on the reserve list this morning, but actually I need to finish what I have at home if I'm going to borrow the 12 books on it!

I am skipping all of the book bullets - I just cannot take any more! - and waving "Hello"

Hi Stasia! I hope you're winning against the Java programming course :-)

>184 susanj67: I love colonial U.S. History so this one is going on the wishlist!

>187 cbl_tn: Carrie, I'm sure you'll love it.

I just took it back to the library, where NO reserves were waiting. I gave the reserve shelf a glare, just so it got the message. I want to try and finish Bitter Greens tonight, but I have a seminar that's going to run till 6 so I might not be able to do that before Tiny House Nation starts :-) Tonight some crazy people in Vermont are going to live in 400 sq ft. I'm sure Vermont will be pretty, though.

Good luck with Bitter Greens. And yay for a brand new copy of Between Two Worlds: How the English Became Americans. I'm off to do some apologising to the librarian for the Reservation Shelf Error.

>189 charl08: Charlotte, I hope they let you out :-)

I just checked my account again and two reserves have now arrived! Later I'll pick up Is Shame Necessary? New Uses for an Old Tool and The Looting Machine: Warlords, Tycoons, Smugglers, and the Systematic Theft of Africa's Wealth, which won't show up as a touchstone.

>180 susanj67: - Interesting idea, but I think I will continue to read books with the swear word in. ;-)

>180 susanj67: very interesting. I loved the tweet from Ian Rankin at the end of the article: "I've just installed Dirty Reader and it has done wonders for the Miss Marple books." LOL.

On the surface, I am as appalled as the authors. On the other hand, the user has the choice to filter or not. There is no other hand for my husband -- I showed him the article (he creates and develops apps). He is simply appalled.

I've fallen out with our reserve system. I spent a substantial amount of time trying to reserve some books for Cass the other day. Needless to say it DID NOT work and I ended very frustrated. I'll just have to hope they are still there on Saturday :)

And that Dirty Reader thing? Why??? I don't get it myself. But then I have been known to swear like a trucker when not around kids...

>186 susanj67: Nope, I have temporarily retired from the battlefield. The combination of a course I have no familiarity with and an unresponsive instructor did me in. I am registered to take it again the session after next.

>192 AMQS: I can't see the point of this. I was a bit offended by the Guardian review article at the weekend which included, in big bold letters 'this article contains words that may offend'. I'm a grown up, I can choose to stop reading (and the language was nothing particularly awful). As it was, instead of thinking about the book I spent the review thinking about what was seen as so offensive as to merit the warning....

>191 lkernagh: Lori, it's true what they say - there's an app for everything :-)

>192 AMQS: Anne, does this mean your husband isn't interested in my cool idea to substitute historically accurate alternatives? Darn!

>193 BekkaJo: Bekka, maybe it's like a sort of TV watershed time for books :-)

(For overseas readers, the "watershed" in the UK is 9pm, which means that mature content/swearing/canoodling etc isn't supposed to be shown before then)

>194 alcottacre: Stasia, that sounds like the best plan if the instructor just isn't helping. I hope you get a different one.

>195 charl08: Charlotte, the library let you out! That is odd for the Guardian, I would have thought. I'm more offended by all their typos and basic lack of maths - if ONE member of a FIVE member boy-band quits, that is not one QUARTER of the band, as they said yesterday...



53. Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth

Where I got it: Library
Why I read it: It's created quite a buzz on LT

The sickening sexual violence made this an epic fail for me. I see it's had five-star reviews all over the place, but it doesn't get a single star from me. I'm still freaked out by the worst scene, in the middle of it, and I wish I'd never picked it up.

In happier news, Isaac's Storm arrived last night (Hi Katie!), and it's a lightly-read ex-library copy from East Dunbartonshire (Scotland). There seem to be careful and tidy readers in Scotland :-)

The reserve list now seems to be going backwards - one that was on its way yesterday has slipped back to merely being "active". There are five still on their way.

I had to put that one aside because of the sexual violence, Susan - too much for me in a fairy tale.

>196 susanj67: I think I'll avoid this one, thank you for the warning.

On a different note - has anyone come across anything on why fairy tales / retelling fairy tales seems to be enjoying a resurgence lately? I tend to avoid these, but I can see from the threads that there a lot out there being enjoyed.

Sounds like I will be avoiding reading Bitter Greens. Thanks for reading it for me, Susan! I owe you one... okay, probably more than one given what you had to endure while reading it.

>184 susanj67: You've become my go-to source for nonfiction book bullets of late...

>197 Crazymamie: Mamie, I'm glad I'm not the only one. It was getting so many glowing reviews that I thought it was just me.

>198 charl08: Charlotte, no, I haven't, but they're not really my thing either. And I'm not sure I'll change that now!

>199 lkernagh: Thanks Lori. The thing that made it even worse, in a way, was that it's the author's first non-YA book, so it was written in what seemed to me like quite a YA style (in fact at one point near the beginning I checked to see whether it was actually YA) and then BAM - suddenly not YA at all. It's almost like she thought that she could take a YA story and make it "adult" by putting in all the violence towards women.

>200 susanna.fraser: Susanna, I'm just about to start An Empire on the Edge, which I'm pretty sure I got from you!

Reserves update: Everything is still on the way. Humph. I think that reserves always come in at once *unless you want them to* and then they just taunt you. Not that I'm short of stuff to read :-)

Ha! A reserve has arrived. I'll pick up Miraculous Fever-Tree, which is another book about malaria, after work. That gives me plenty for the next few days.

This morning while I was lecturing upstairs I saw a *drone* hovering over the top of a block of flats near the office. For a while I couldn't quite believe what I was seeing, and peered up to see if maybe it was attached to something. After a little while it descended down in line with the building, but I didn't see whether it reached street level or stopped at someone's balcony :-) After Amazon's statement yesterday that it was going to trial drone deliveries in the UK because the air regulations were less tight than the US (which I find hard to believe) I wondered if maybe it was trying to deliver a parcel, but I suppose I'll never know :-)

We had a camera one fly over the campus last summer. Turned out they were filming a promotional video, but I did wonder for a moment if I'd stepped into a Blade Runner set...

Yes, it's quite spooky, isn't it? I googled a bit and there is a company in that area which does "helicam" work with drones, taking pictures for property developers, so it might have been doing that, or being demonstrated to a potential customer. But it's more fun to think it was an emergency delivery of a One Direction CD to a fan on compassionate leave, which apparently people have been asking for since Zayn left! (Yesterday I had no idea who Zayn was).

Thanks for the comments on Bitter Greens. I will definitely avoid it. Good luck with your library reserves.

>205 BLBera: Thanks Beth. I have four on the way now, and five not moving. And three empty slots...:-)

The new thread is up! With the Easter Reading Extravaganza!