Anne (AMQS) reads in 2015 -- chapter 2

Welcome to my second thread! This is my 6th year in this wonderful group. I am hoping to reach 75 books (74 in 2014) but no matter the number, I sure have fun trying!

I am continuing to feature illustrations from picture books this year. This one is one of my favorite picture books of recent years: Me...Jane, written and illustrated by Patrick McDonnell.


This is one that belongs in any child's library -- it is that lovely. Jane receives a toy chimpanzee she names Jubilee. With Jubilee at her side, Jane spends hours observing the natural world, and recording her observations in her notebook.


She dreams of one day living a life with and helping all animals, and one day she finds that her dream has come true.


I have read this book aloud countless times, and I get goosebumps every time. And young children, some of whom have never heard of Jane Goodall, always gasp when I get to this page. It is that wonderful. The book contains biographical information about Dr. Goodall, and a letter from Dr. Goodall to young readers, encouraging them to take an interest in the world around them, and offering suggestions for ways they can take action.

June, 2015
36. A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd
37. The Most Beautiful Walk in the World: A Pedestrian in Paris by John Baxter

May, 2015
31. Death in the Garden by Elizabeth Ironside
32. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
33. The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm
34. A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway
35. Parnassus on Wheels by Christopher Morley

April, 2015
24. Midnight in Peking by Paul French
25. Last Night at the Lobster by Stewart O'Nan
26. The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim
27. Mama's Bank Account by Kathryn Forbes
28. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
29. King Lear by William Shakespeare
30. Around the World in 80 Days by Michael Palin

March, 2015
17. The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett
18. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Method of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo
19. Drama by Raina Telgemeier
20. The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton
21. A Week in Winter by Maeve Binchy
22. The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier
23. Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare

February, 2015
10. The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicolas Flamel by Michael Scott
11. All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot
12. Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
13. El Deafo by CeCe Bell
14. Among Others by Jo Walton
15. Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman
16. The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex

January, 2015
1. Lexicon by Max Barry
2. Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
3. The Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare
4. The Small Rain by Madeleine L'Engle
5. Through the Language Glass: Why the World Looks Different in Other Languages by Guy Deutscher
6. The Corinthian by Georgette Heyer
7. Knucklehead: Tall Tales & Mostly True Stories About Growing Up Scieszka by Jon Scieskza
8. Indian Creek Chronicles by Pete Fromm
9. Dear Committee Members by Julie Schumacher

I hope I am not too early to intrude. Happy new thread, Anne. xx

16. The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex

*Most* days, I have the best job in the world. I was ordering books for the library recently, and saw a starred review for a soon-to-be-published book called Smek for President. I noticed it was a sequel, so I ordered the first book: The True Meaning of Smekday while wishlisting the second. The True Meaning of Smekday was checked out by a sweet boy named Corey who has been talking to me about it ever since. Recently the second book was published, and Corey was literally rendered speechless by excitement. I love it when that happens! So in honor of Corey, I checked out and read The True Meaning of Smekday.

What a hoot! And a rare thing: a book combining sci-fi, humor, and a touching, unconventional friendship story featuring an 11 year-old African American girl. Gratuity Tucci is a very intelligent and resourceful girl, even more so since her mother was abducted by aliens. When the conquering aliens (the "Boov") require all human Americans to relocate to Florida, Gratuity decides to drive there with her cat Pig. Along the way the and Pig meet J.Lo, a Boov who helps Gratuity with kindness, and perhaps an agenda. The unlikely trio have adventures all across the United States, and may save the world in the process. Good book -- lots of adventure, humor, creative problem-solving, and reflection on who you can count on and what makes a friend. My only complaint is that it is too long. Otherwise, a terrific book to recommend to readers 4th grade and up.

>3 PaulCranswick: Dear Paul, you are here just at the right time! Thank you for your wishes.

Happy New Thread, Anne!
Charlie and I love Me...Jane!

Happy New Thread, Anne, and Happy Reading!

Happy new thread, Anne. Me … Jane looks fabulous! I love the thought of the children gasping at the photo of Dr Goodall with her beloved animals.

Congrats on the new thread, Anne. I like the looks of Me . . . Jane a lot, too.

Happy new thread, Anne!

Happy new thread!

Hi Anne! Love the Me... Jane Topper. :) I am also intrigued by The True Meaning of Smekday. I will maybe add it to the list for Margo.

>4 AMQS: I think I may have read The True Meaning of Smekday, it sounds so familiar, but in the off chance that I have not, I put it on hold at the local library :)

Hi Anne!

>1 AMQS: How sweet!

I love the Jane Goodall themed story, and that her story really does read like a dream come true (working with animals, not the fate of them, unfortunately). Nice for kids to see that they can dream big!

Happy new thread, Anne. I love the picture book topper. I will add The True Meaning of Someday to my Scout list.

>6 scaifea: Hi Amber! So glad you and Charlie love Me...Jane. It's such a lovely book.

>7 LizzieD: Hi Peggy! Happy reading to you as well!

>8 lit_chick: Nancy, I love sharing Me...Jane with kids, for that and many other reasons. The book is written and illustrated by Patrick McDonnell, who writes/draws the Mutts cartoon. I think the kids respond that way because the illustrations are sweet, but very cartoon-like. When they see a real photograph of the real Jane with a real chimpanzee the effect is pretty dramatic. I usually don't talk to them about Jane Goodall until after I read the book.

>9 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe! Me...Jane is a special book, for sure.

>10 jolerie: Thank you, Valerie!

>11 thornton37814: Thanks, Lori!

>12 nittnut: Hi Jenn! The True Meaning of Smekday might be a good one for Margo's list. It's a great book for both girls and boys, and I like the sci-fi aspects of it, along with the friendship story.

>13 alcottacre: LOL, Stasia! Many of the books seem familiar, don't they? I imagine after a quick perusal you'll know if you've read it or not. If you have, then maybe check out the new one: Smek For President. I think School Library Journal gave it a starred review also.

>14 Copperskye: Hi Joanne!

>15 LovingLit: Hi Megan! Yes, it makes a big impact on kids. In the notes about the author it describes her childhood and that time period -- women were definitely not expected to have careers, and especially not like that. Her parents encouraged her to follow her dreams where ever they might take her. There's such a focus on STEM disciplines even in elementary school, so I love to encourage students to pursue their passions.

>16 BLBera: Thanks, Beth! I think The True Meaning of Smekday would be a good addition to Scout's list, but to be honest, it was Scout I was thinking of when I decided to feature Me...Jane. If any book should be on her list, it's that one! I bought it for my little niece -- she was definitely too young at the time, but I love the idea of her growing up with that picture book in her library.

Hi Anne! happy New Thread!

>18 cbl_tn: Hi Carrie!

Happy new thread, Anne!

>4 AMQS: - What a great personal story! The book looks pretty good, too!

>20 lkernagh: Thank you, Lori! The True Meaning of Smekday is a good one:)

17. The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett, narrated by William Dufris

The 1933 classic introduces the characters Nick and Nora Charles (of movie/TV fame) to the world, and epitomizes the hard-boiled style of detective stories while also poking fun at 1930s New York Society. Nick and Nora are staying at the Normandie Hotel while attending to their New York vacation business: leisure and drinking. Nick gave up the private detective gig to marry Nora, a wealthy socialite, but they are plunged back into the world of gangsters, murder, and detecting when an old associate of Nick's ropes him into a murder investigation and the murder suspect's estranged family insinuate themselves into Nick and Nora's leisure like boozing, whiny locusts. Nick is bitingly cynical about the whole affair, while Nora is thoroughly pleased. I quickly lost track of the drinks requested and consumed -- they started before breakfast, and continued until bedtime -- about 6:00am. A very fun and darkly funny read.

>17 AMQS: Yes! Enjoyed the book, and love the movies with Myrna Loy and William Powell.

Happy New thread, Anne! I hope all is well. I loved The Thin Man but I have not read Hammett in many years. I NEED to correct that.

Anne - Thanks! I think Me...Jane would be a good Easter book. I loved The Thin Man.

Happy Friday. Have a great weekend.

Wishing you a lovely weekend, Anne.

>23 jnwelch: Hi Joe! I have never actually seen The Thin Man movies, but I remember watching Murder by Death as a kid, which spoofed so many great detective stories. My mom explained to me that Dick and Dora Charleston (played by David Niven and Maggie Smith) were spoofing Nick and Nora Charles. Did you ever see that movie? Hammett's other famous detective Sam Spade is also spoofed (Peter Falk plays Sam Diamond and Eileen Brennan plays his secretary).

>24 msf59: Thanks, Mark! I'd never read Hammett until this one -- so fun!

>25 BLBera: Hi Beth -- a great Easter book! Hope you have a wonderful weekend as well.

>26 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul! Thank you for stopping by with your thoughtful wishes. Hope you and your family enjoy the weekend, too.

18. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo

This book was a gift from my brother, who loved it so much he gave me, my husband, and my mom EACH a copy. Having now read it, I find that fascinating, and I would like to talk to him more about why he responded so strongly to the book. I thought some of her ideas were great, but I can't call the experience life-changing or magic (granted, I have not attempted her decluttering or organizing method...) Ms. Kondo is a highly-sought tidying expert in Japan. She recommends a different approach: tidy by category, rather than by room. Thoroughly purge by touching each object and determining if it brings you joy, then organize. Some of her ideas I want to try right away. Others not so much (I can't see myself emptying my purse every night to give it a rest, or thanking my socks for cushioning my feet; nor will I take her advice to rid my home of all but 30 books to be stored in the closet!)

#22: I also loved the Thin Man. Great wry dialogue. A lot of fun.

#28: Forget it. I do no have a closet so large to fit all my books.

Happy new thread, Anne! I saw an article about the Japanese decluttering lady, and it does seem a bit...extreme (I love the purse suggestion!). And only thirty books! Slightly reminiscent of Tiny House Nation, which is my new TV addiction. I'm all for not hoarding, but I think there's a balance.

The Thin Man sounds good - I've never got into that classic American crime fiction, but I looked it up in the library catalogue and added it to my wishlist. I wonder whether that has a limit, although I now seem to have two starting pages that link to the catalogue, and two different lists as a result.

I loved Murder by Death! I need to rewatch it now that I am more familiar with who is being spoofed.

Anne, loved your comments on The Life Tidying Magic of Tidying Up. Not familiar with this one but I, too, am curious to know what made your brother react so strongly to it. This made me smile out loud: I can't see myself emptying my purse every night to give it a rest, or thanking my socks for cushioning my feet … Um, yeah, cannot see that happening in this house either, LOL!

>29 ctpress: Hi Carsten! Forget it. I do no have a closet so large to fit all my books. Ah, but if you if you follow her special Kon-Mari method you will, for you see you will only have 30 books at the most, and you will have discarded 90% of your clothes! As if!

>30 susanj67: Susan, many have said they feel a primary difference between her mindset and theirs is an east/west philosophy difference. Another suggestion: everything should have a place (of course), but if you can't figure out a place for something to live, you should ask your house. I may try that just to see what my house says...

I never really got into crime fiction either, and this one I enjoyed just for the humor and the fun, stylized 1930s vibe. It was a hoot.

>31 cbl_tn: Carrie, I actually requested it from the library after I wrote that, as I would like to see it again as well. I think my girls would enjoy it -- like me at their age they won't know many of the character references, but they'll love the wordplay ("...a deranged dry-cleaner..." and they'll love seeing some familiar actors (Bob Hoskins, Maggie Smith, Alec Guinness). Hope it stands up for you after all this time!

>32 lit_chick: Thanks, Nancy. Some of her ideas made me laugh. I also think that as she is a much younger single woman living alone in Tokyo, our lives are completely different!

19. Drama by Raina Telgemeier

Raina Telgemeier's graphic novels are hot. I ordered this for my library, and then read it to make sure it's appropriate for my students and to be prepared for any parent complaints. This book is unrelated to her Smile books, but still a great story for grades 5-9. Callie loves the theater, and devotes herself to stage crew. Like many middle school stories, there's drama, crushes, relationships, and figuring out who you are. What is (fairly) new for children's fiction are a couple of gay characters. One of my favorite aspects of the book is how this is handled: in a very straight forward, non-sensational way (Callie feels very awkward at first, not sure if she can say the word "gay." Beyond that it's really just one of those things).

I have the book at home so my Callia can read it. Like Callie, Callia has fallen in love with stage crew. While I kind of wish in my heart of hearts to see her on the stage, she loves the behind-the-scenes world, and thrives on the creativity, construction, and problem-solving (there's a generous measure of all of these things in Drama). Also like Callie, Callia has friends cautiously or proudly coming out, and most likely some friends who can't at this time. I love knowing that some young young adults will see themselves and their world in this book, just as completely normal a part of the middle school experience as anything else.

>34 AMQS: Ooooh, I'm putting that one on my wishlist! Thanks for the review!

Drama sounds like an excellent choice for your students, Anne, but I expect you're also right about the parent complaints. This is something I've never understood: sheltering children from reality? to what end? eta Not to say that I think children need to be exposed to ALL of our world's harsh realities, but our social landscape has changed dramatically and continues to change … this I think children need to be aware of.

>34 AMQS: That does sound good, Anne. I haven't read one of hers yet, but I've seen they're hot. Would you start with Smile, or Drama?

>35 scaifea: Hope you enjoy it, Amber!

>36 lit_chick: Nancy, I completely agree with you. Unfortunately, with this particular reality, some parents are fairly distanced from, well, reality. Look at the stink raised about And Tango Makes Three, which was the true story of real penguins!

>37 jnwelch: Hi Joe! I enjoyed both Drama and Smile. If I had to pick, I guess I'd go with Smile. This is the author's own story, which is so very honest. It had a much bigger emotional impact on this reader, anyway:) Smile was followed up by Sisters. Drama is a stand-alone story.

>28 AMQS: The idea of emptying your purse at night to let it rest cracks me up. I'd never manage to have everything I need if I did that. In fact, I fill my purse at night with what I need for the next day so I can rest.

Hi Anne...>28 AMQS: So you don't thank your socks for cushioning your feet? You probably don't wear Thorlo socks! They were part of my Valentine's gift from DH and my feet feel soooo much better. Iwrote about them on my thread as I was so thankful. I don't think anyone on LT wants to be limited to 30 books, though, or keeping them in a closet.

>34 AMQS: Sadie and Audrey loved this one! It may have inspired Sadie to try out for the Middle School play, Aladdin Jr. She made her debut last weekend, and we went up to KC to see it. Very cute.

>39 nittnut: Ditto, especially if I'm flying the next day. I do not rest unless everything is ready to grab and go.

I do confess to having books in my closet. More than 30. There is a wall that is the perfect size for a small bookshelf, and otherwise the space would be wasted. I need all the bookshelf space I can get! My books seem to like it there.

I came home yesterday with Around the World in a Hundred Years and Where Do You Think You're Going, Christopher Columbus? by Jean Fritz. I may squeeze in one or both this weekend.

Looks like some excellent reading going on here, Anne. :)

Hi Anne - Drama sounds like another future Scout read.

I just got Me...Jane and it is great. It's going into Miss Scout's Easter basket - (along with an adorable miniature drum set). :)

Love your children's book thread topper! You KNOW I'm going to be buying a copy of Me...Jane for my niece, who has turned into quite the reader. (I wonder how that happened. lol)

>28 AMQS: I wishlisted this, if only to borrow a copy from the library and see what it's all about. In doing so, I read a couple more reviews on the book's page and saw porch_reader's review that begins: I enjoy reading books about time management and organization much more than I enjoy applying the principles found in them, which just about sums it up for me too!

Edited to correct punctuation.

De-cluttering and tidying up? What does that even mean?? HA!

The only time I empty my purse is when I get a new one. :D

>33 AMQS: Anne, I tried asking the house about some prospective shopping, but it ordered me to build a 1000 sq ft extension and put it in there. Now I'm not sure what to do...

I'm not quite as bad as >45 jolerie: on the purse-emptying, but I definitely do not empty mine more than once or twice a month unless I have a good reason to switch purses. I will generally empty it before I go on a trip to make sure I have what I will need in there.

>28 AMQS: only allowed 30 books? Was your brother trying to tell you something???! I presume the author feels that her book be one of the 30.
I will probably forego this one, the book I want all the people I know to own is Being Mortal!

>39 nittnut: Jenn, I am just like you! I pack the cars, the backpacks, the purses... anything to make the morning easier (with nary a thought about resting my things)...

>40 Donna828: Hi Donna! I do have a pair of Thorlos, but they're winter/ski socks. I am very thankful for them! So glad the girls enjoyed Drama!

>41 cbl_tn: Hi Carrie! Books bring me joy, so I do not limit my number. How do you like the Jean Fritz books?

>42 MickyFine: Hi Micky!

>43 BLBera: Beth, that's the best Easter present! Who knows if Drama will still be around when Scout is the right age. Graphic novels are exploding right now -- kids just love them. Even Marina, who is usually lukewarm about GNs requested the GN version of The Graveyard Book. She read the book dozens of times, but I think she loves seeing the images imagined by artists as well.

>44 Storeetllr: Thanks, Mary! Me...Jane is such a wonderful book -- how wonderful that your niece is such a reader, and that she had you to give such great books!

>45 jolerie: I'm about like you, Valerie. As for tidying... I did have a vision of a perfectly tidy home when the kids were both in school full-time, but that never happened. If anything you get busier! There are far more important things than tidying!

>46 susanj67: LOL, Susan! I say your house has spoken, so go shopping!

>47 thornton37814: Hi Lori! I do empty out my purse when I travel, but that's about it. I generally change purses only when the previous purse literally falls apart!

>48 LovingLit: Hi Megan! Actually, she says to chuck her book if it doesn't bring you joy. What I'm not sure she'd understand is the joy my uh... far greater number than 30 books bring me. I completely understand the value of weeding, but the books stay. They bring me joy!

20. The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton

This book was everything the cover blurbs said it is: haunting, compelling, deeply atmospheric. I would even add "a page-turner." But was it good? I didn't love it, that's for sure, though it had a lot of promise. 18 year-old Nella arrives in 17th century Amsterdam as the new bride of legendary merchant Johannes Brandt. But Johannes is not at home to receive her, and so Nella begins her married life in the company of very odd servants and one bear of a sister-in-law. In an oppressive city where spying on neighbors is encouraged, and Burgomasters, guilds, and fiery preachers rule the land, Nella finds the atmosphere in her home equally as oppressive. Secrets mount upon secrets, family members and servants speak in riddles, and misery pervades. Nella's husband, when he appears, keeps his distance, but gives her an unusual wedding gift: a miniature of their house. When Nella commissions a miniaturist to furnish her small house, she receives disturbing and prophetic miniatures along with her commissions.

This book had a lot of promise, but it never did work for me. Too many mysteries, too many riddles, too much cryptic subterfuge for the characters to be credible, or the story to satisfy. The book has ardent fans, though, so don't take my word for it.

Wonderful review of The Miniaturist, Anne. So much promise, but sounds overdone.

Hi Anne, Stopping by to get caught up. I love the idea of decluttering but I am not sure what I think about a book that suggests emptying my purse in at night to give it a rest.... I am the one who has been lugging everything in the purse, not the purse, although I guess that not quite the point the writer was trying to make. ;-)

>38 AMQS: Smile it is, thanks.

>50 AMQS: Nice even-handed review. I don't think The Miniaturist is one for me.

Hi Anne! Haven't been around in ages.

The True Meaning of Smekday sounds like a lot of fun. I think I'm going to have to see if my library has it. I've got The Miniaturist at home on Mt. TBR. I may move that down a little in the stack now.

>51 lit_chick: Hi Nancy! It was overdone for me, at least. I did enjoy the historical details, though. In many ways the book reminded me of The Night Circus: fantasy elements, mystery, secrecy, but as a whole, The Night Circus didn't work well for me either.

>52 lkernagh: Hi Lori! No, probably not. The writer was clearly a young, single person, so some of her suggestions were just completely incompatible with my life. I am itching to tackle my clothes using her method. My closet could use a thorough weeding. I can't say that I see it happening until the school year is over, though.

>53 jnwelch: Joe, I hope you enjoy Smile! As for The Miniaturist, I will say that it is a page-turner. It kept me very engaged, even though it didn't work for me overall.

>54 tapestry100: Hi David! Yes, it's been a long time -- how is everything? The True Meaning of Smekday is a very fun read, and Smek for President is very well-reviewed as well. I had no idea it was going to be a movie until I happened to see a movie preview for Home - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2224026/. That should generate some publicity for the book. It's interesting that Jennifer Lopez has a part in the movie (she plays Gratuity's mother). Too bad they changed the alien's name to Oh -- J.Lo just fit.

As for The Miniaturist, it appears to be well-loved, so my review might not be the one to go by. As I told Joe, I thought it was a page-turner, so it has that going for it:)

I quite liked the Miniaturist, but since I didn't write a review for it, I don't remember what I liked about it. Not really the book's fault but rather a reflection of my brains inability to retain anything non-essential. I do remember that there were definitely some flaws to the story, but overall I enjoyed the experience.

>50 AMQS: I agreed with much of your comment on The Miniaturist but came away with an overall better impression I think - at least enough to look out for her next book. I wonder if she will choose the same setting?

>56 jolerie: a reflection of my brains inability to retain anything non-essential Valerie, I wish I could tell you this will get better. I used to have an amazing memory! Now I can retrieve random bits of fluff and the occasional useful tidbit:)

>57 charl08: Hi charl08! I felt like she perhaps left the door open for more from these characters. I might be tempted -- we'll see:) Have a great weekend!

Hi Anne - I know the styles of children's books changes so much. A lot of my childhood favorites are no longer in print. So, I try to pick up good ones to put away for Scout.

Nice comments on The Miniaturist; I've heard a few other comments similar to yours, so I will put it on the "Maybe Someday" list.

>59 BLBera: That's a good plan, Beth. She will always have a supply of good reads thanks to you! I think most people enjoyed The Miniaturist more than I did, for what it's worth. I certainly don't regret reading it or anything, but I didn't love it like I hoped I would.

21. A Week in Winter by Maeve Binchy, narrated by Rosalyn Landor

In big letters on the back of this book it says "WOMEN'S FICTION," which Wikipedia defines as "an umbrella term for women centered books that focus on women's life experience that are marketed to female readers, and includes many mainstream novels. It is distinct from Women's writing, which refers to literature written by (rather than promoted to) women. There exists no comparable label in English for works of fiction that are marketed to males." Does that mean this is a chick book? Not that it matters, I suppose, but as it turns out, this was the perfect book at this time for this chick.

This was my second Maeve Binchy book -- the first being This Year It Will Be Different, a collection of Christmas stories that I found profoundly sad. This one, however, swept me away, and I loved every moment I spent in and around Stone House, the old manor house atop a cliff over the Atlantic turned into a restful inn. This is a collection of stories of individuals who come together for the first week of Stone House -- the proprietor Chicky Starr, Rigger, her manager, Orla, Chicky's niece, and all of the guests who come to Stone House from Ireland, England, America, and Sweden. Rosalyn Landor, with her lovely, musical Irish accent, was the perfect narrator for this book. Ms. Binchy's western Ireland is described so lovingly I am seized by the desire to go. I told my husband that we are going to Ireland to stay in Stone House and get in touch with my Irish roots. The dear man: he gently pointed out that Stone House is a fictional place and that I don't have any Irish roots, but otherwise he is quite game. This book was a cozy winter escape.

>61 AMQS: I have Irish roots! Maybe I should go to an Irish B&B and get in touch with them.

I hope you're having a good weekend!

>62 cbl_tn: YES! How about this one: http://iskeroon.com/

It looks close to Stone House in my mind:) The homepage even lists "interesting books" as an amenity. I spent a lot of time searching for a Stone House-like place before I could even write my review -- that's how much it has captured my imagination!

>63 AMQS: Perfect!

Oh, love your review of A Week in Winter and your comments on women's fiction/literature. Funny, I've had this one on hand for some time. Deb (I think it was Deb, as in vancouverdeb) read it some time ago and also enjoyed a cozy read. Must get to it. Thanks, Anne : ). And how wonderful that your husband is game to go! Irish roots are highly overrated, as are non-fiction stone houses, LOL!

>56 jolerie: Ha! I sometimes think I've got it back, then I realize, not so much. Like last week when I managed to lock myself out of my house twice in three days. Because my car key is remote and not attached to my house keys, sometimes I leave the house without my house keys. I assure you, it makes sense in the moment. I now have a house key taped inside my car and one hidden outside the house. I can't face the property managers again. :P

>61 AMQS: this was the perfect book at this time for this chick
That's a great line. :) I read A Week In Winter a few years ago and really liked it.

Happy Sunday, Anne! I also loved Drama. It was such a sweet story.
I may still give The miniaturist a try. You never know, right?

Hope all is well.

Kind of catching up, Anne! I loved Hammett years ago when I think I read everything except maybe The Thin Man. I'll keep it in mind since I don't seem to have a copy.
30 books? In a closet??? That woman is from another planet. I'm not big on thanking my socks either. In fact, as a pack rat from a long line of pack rats married to another of the same ilk, I probably occupy a different universe from Marie Kondo!

Absolutely nothing wrong with a chick book! There is a time and place and mood for chickly books. Well, at least for me. ;)

>64 cbl_tn: You're on, Carrie! It looks like there are only three rooms, so we'll need to jump on the reservation right away. Meet you there!

>65 lit_chick: Nancy, a cozy read awaits you when you get around to A Week in Winter. My husband is usually game for anything, and remarkably tolerant of my fiction-induced whims and other book-related behaviors:)

>66 nittnut: Oh no! You're smart to provide yourself with so many emergency keys. When I was growing up we were very close with our neighbors, and we hid our house keys on each other's property. The busier the kids get, it's not a bad idea for everyone to be able to find their way in.

>67 msf59: You never know, Mark. I'll look forward to your thoughts on The Miniaturist. Hope you're having a good week. We've had the most glorious weather -- on the 60s and 70s with endless sunshine. Endless, that is, until today. Now it is snowing like mad. It's supposed to return to the 70s tomorrow, though. Must be springtime in the Rockies!

>68 LizzieD: Hi Peggy! The Thin Man is a very fun read. I was thinking that Ms. Kondo and I were from separate planets long before the 30-books-in-a-closet bit, but that certainly cemented it for me. In her defense, she does advocate for keeping what brings you joy, saying you do not need to justify whatever it is to anyone. I think she was addressing non-book lovers who may acquire books they mean to read but don't, but who then feel guilty about the unread books and can't get rid of them.

>69 jolerie: Me, too, Valerie! And this was a good one!

The 2015 Colorado Children's Book Awards have been announced, and the winners are The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt (picture book) and Ungifted by Gordon Korman (junior book). Also announced were the 2016 CCBA nominees, which I will be promoting between now and next February, when children all over Colorado vote. I will be reading the 10 CCBA junior book nominees over the next few months, starting with The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier, which is a doozy!

22. The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier

"Stories come in all different kinds." Hester scooted closer, clearly enjoying the subject at hand. "There's tales, which are light and fluffy. Good for a smile on a sad day. Then you got yarns, which are showy -- yarns reveal more about the teller than the story. After that there's myths, which are stories made up by whole groups of people. And last of all, there's legends." She raised a mysterious eyebrow. "Legends are different from the rest on account no one knows where they start. Folks don't tell legends; they repeat them. Over and over through history. And the story I have for you"-- she sat back on her stool-- "why, that one's a legend."

Molly was trying to follow. "So legends are true, then?"

The woman shrugged; again, not an answer. "Who's to say? Truer than the rest, I suppose." She raised a finger. "But you should know: legends are very expensive."

I loved this book, which both tells an enthralling story and celebrates the power of storytelling. Molly and Kip are young, desperately poor Irish siblings who travel to England to work as servants after losing everything in the Potato Famine. They are seeking work in an isolated, decrepit old Victorian home, and are traveling exhausted, starving, and scared. Molly helps Kip bear their wretchedness by weaving stories that comfort and transport. Despite being warned away, they arrive to discover a house nearly consumed by a sinister, twisting tree, and a family consumed by a mysterious secret. Soon, Molly and Kip become aware of a malevolent night visitor who enters the locked house each night, leaves muddy footprints, and takes... well, you'll have to read the book to learn what he takes:)

This is a spot-on historical novel that brings the Victorian era to life. It details the Irish experience of blight and starvation, and the deplorable conditions of those who fled by sea (one in five died of disease, starvation, or drowning). It shows a society in transition to the modern age -- men of science battle traditional superstition, while still clinging to notions of anglo-centric superiority of race and intelligence. It is also a genuinely scary story, perfect for kids who love a spine-tingling tale. The gloomy atmosphere that pervades the book gradually heightens to a truly creepy, breathless thrall. Countering the very real menace are two courageous children who battle grief and temptation to do what is right, and are characters the reader both cheers and aches for.

>72 AMQS: - Great review, Anne - you know I am a sucker for a good Victorian era story! - and I love that cover!

The Night Gardener is already on my library list but a definite thumb from me!

>73 lkernagh: Lori, it's a good one! Children's book -- I'm not sure my review made that clear. Probably ages 11 and up. Isn't the cover wonderful?

>74 jolerie: Valerie, I hope you love it as much as I did! Thanks for the thumb:)

Some health/pet woes in our family. Our biggest worry at the moment is Marina, our 13 year-old, who is seeing a pediatric rheumatologist and being investigated for some kind of inflammation in her hands. Her knuckles are all swollen and knobbly -- possibly some kind of juvenile arthritis or RA. She had 9 vials of blood taken from her (!) and a series of x-rays yesterday. Waiting is so hard, and I refuse to search the internet until we know more.

Our greyhound Whistler impaled his paw on something -- probably a twig -- last week and needed stitches (and sedation, of course). He's healing nicely, but just itching to go -- we were told to keep him quiet while he healed, and even though greyhounds sleep nearly 22 hours a day, it's hard to keep a dog quiet! Now our cat Maya is unwell -- drooling and gunky. Maybe a bad tooth, poor kitty. She goes to the vet tomorrow. I'm glad to be on spring break while looking after all of this, but kind of sad to be spending spring break this way.

>76 AMQS: Nine vials is a lot of blood! It sounds like they're being very thorough with their tests. I hope you don't have a long wait on a diagnosis or get inconclusive results that leave you in limbo. I'm with you in avoiding the internet until you know what you're dealing with. I do the same thing.

I hope your vet appointment goes well today.

>76 AMQS: Ane, I'm sorry to hear about Marina. I hope you get a diagnosis soon and they can start treating whatever is wrong. I had one of those multi-vial blood tests a few years ago, and they can certainly test for a lot of things. All the best with the pets too.

Sorry to hear about the health woes, Ann. I hope everything turns out okay with Marina. Keep us updated and give Whistler a hug too.

Oh, Anne, sorry to hear about health woes. I do hope Marina, Whistler, and Maya are all 100% very soon.

Great review of The Night Gardner. Sounds wonderful! And thanks for posting about the children's literature awards.

Oh, Anne ~ I am sorry to hear about the health issues of Marina and your furry kids and am sending healing thoughts their way (and strengthening thoughts yours). It is hard to not know what's going on. I hope you get a diagnosis very soon.

>21 AMQS: I told my husband that we are going to Ireland to stay in Stone House and get in touch with my Irish roots. The dear man: he gently pointed out that Stone House is a fictional place and that I don't have any Irish roots, but otherwise he is quite game.

Hahahaha, that is so funny, but wonderful when a novel makes such a strong impression that it seems like real life! I've only read one other Binchy, so long ago I forgot the title, but A Week in Winter sounds so good, especially read by Landor! I'll have to see if I can borrow the audio from the library.

Also, nice review of The Night Gardener. Yet another book bullet hits the target. Congrats on your aim! (I just realized it's the same title as a thriller by George Pelecanos I read a few years ago. No wonder it sounded familiar at first, at least until I read your review.)

{{{{Anne}}}} Hope the pets both end up okay, and that the docs figure out what is causing Marina's symptoms and that it's NOT RA. Sending love and prayers.

>77 cbl_tn: Carrie, thank you. Marina had to have a second breakfast! We go back to the rheumatologist on April 7, so we won't know anything until then, but I'm really hoping we'll have a diagnosis and a course of action. I'm pretty quick to look things up (librarian), but often just get scared when looking up a symptom. I decided it doesn't make sense to search when I really have no idea at this point. As for the vet -- we had to leave Maya there, which feels awful. She'll have her teeth tended to and have an x-ray. That's to start. We'll get her back this afternoon and hopefully know more.

>78 susanj67: Thank you, Susan. She had a very basic screen last year. I'm hoping this major draw will give us good answers.

>79 msf59: Thank you, Mark, I will. Of the three, Whistler is the best off -- healing nicely. I did ask the vet this morning if we can walk him yet, and the answer is no. His biggest problem now is boredom. We'll know more about Marina on April 7.

>80 lit_chick: Thank you, Nancy, I appreciate your good wishes. The CCBA nominees tend to be pretty good for the most part. Some picture books I enjoy reading aloud more than others, but they were all great this year, and there wasn't a runaway favorite like there have been in previous years. I'll be reading more of the junior books in the upcoming months. Some I am not too thrilled about (Ever After High), and some I really look forward to (Fish in a Tree). I shouldn't judge before reading them -- last year one that was highly praised I couldn't stand (Three Times Lucky), and one I reluctantly read I ended up loving (Gaby, Lost and Found).

>81 Storeetllr: Thank you, Mary -- all of us appreciate your good thoughts. We'll know more on April 7 when we go back to the rheumatologist. As for A Week in Winter, it is an easy read to get lost in. Lost in Ireland, even:) Rosalyn Landor was simply splendid. And The Night Gardener is terrific.

>82 ronincats: Thank you, Roni. I'm hearing of more and more people who had juvenile arthritis or RA as a child. From what I'm hearing, their outcomes have been pretty positive, so that's reassuring. Even better news: Marina does not have any pain, which surprises her doctors, and her large joints do not seem to be affected. We'll know more in a couple of weeks. Maya will be home later today, and Whistler is definitely on the mend. I appreciate your hugs!

(((Hugs))) for you and Marina! That's scary and not fun. We will hope for the very best outcome. Hope the pets feel better too. Don't forget to give yourself some down time. Have a little fun in the midst of all that. ;)

You got me with The Night Gardener. It sounds fun.

Oh dear, poor Marina, Whistler and Maya! And mom!

I had a problem with swollen joints and RA as a result of untreated strep many years ago (we were driving cross country and closing on our house so a doctor visit was low priority - stupid). I'll never let that happen again. I hope they are able to figure out what's going on with Marina quickly. Waiting for answers is so hard.

And when your child is sick, pets tend to take a back seat but I know they are a concern, too. Hope Maya comes home feeling better and Whistler is napping quietly!

Hugs to you all!

Oh wow, Anne! So much on your plate right now. Sending you hugs and prayers. Good for your for not self diagnosing because I'm so bad with that and it totally doesn't help! I hope everyone in the family gets better soon and you get some answers as well. *Hugs*

>84 nittnut: Thank you, Jenn! Waiting and worrying is hard, but Marina has a great attitude and I am trying to follow her lead:) These things have consumed more of spring break than I would have liked, but we've managed to get some fun in as well. Wish spring break could be two weeks, but looking at my planning calendar, there aren't many weeks left of school and soon it will be summer. The Night Gardener is really a great read -- I thought it was very well done.

>85 Copperskye: Thank you, Joanne. Before my internet research ban I did read that sometimes a round of antibiotics can solve or ease the problem. Interesting that you had trouble after strep -- when Callia was in 5th grade she had strep over and over. When she met with an ear-nose-throat specialist he wanted to test the rest of the family before considering any further steps, and lo and behold Marina was a carrier. I'll have Stelios bring that up when we go back to the rheumatologist, though that was 5 years ago. The lesson has to be to take care of yourself! That's such a common thing with women especially -- we're just too busy to be sick. Maya ended up having to stay overnight, so we're missing her tonight, but Whistler is indeed napping, which he is about 90% of the time. He hasn't received permission to go for walks yet, so he's a bit restless.

>86 jolerie: Thank you, Valerie, I appreciate your hugs and prayers. Hopefully answers for Marina on April 7. I told her doctor that she would be going on tour in April with the Chorale and out of the country for two weeks, and he was totally unconcerned. I'm taking that as a good sign. Still, I will be glad to have some answers and a path.

*************************************

Thank you so much for all of the wishes. We are feeling the love tonight, and we are very grateful. This feels like such a safe place to share what is going on in my house and heart in a way that FB never does, and this lovely community always comes through with gentle care and good wishes, and I appreciate all of you very much.

Here's what we know now: Marina is doing well and waiting for her appointment April 7. Whistler is well on the mend, but can't be too active yet or his stitches could tear. He should be good to go on Monday. I have heard from Maya's vet -- in person -- twice today. She's just lovely. Poor Maya had to have 7 teeth removed! Poor kitty. No wonder she had been feeling so awful. So she was in a lot of pain and is still in a lot of pain, which is why the vet wanted to keep her (also so she could get fluids). Her teeth are really terrible, so we will likely go through this again down the road. We should be able to bring her home tomorrow (Friday) some time.

I'm sorry to hear that Marina isn't feeling well, Anne. It's always so hard when your children aren't well, especially if you're not sure what's wrong. Sending good thoughts, hugs and sympathy your way.

Oh, POOR Maya! {{{for you all}}}

Hi Anne - I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Marina and your furry kids.

Great review of The Night Gardener. I love the cover.

>88 scaifea: Thank you, Amber. The good news is that Marina is feeling just fine, but there are problems with her wrists and hands. The doctors were pleased (and surprised) that she has no pain. As hard as this is, I know it would be a lot harder if she had pain. We appreciate your good thoughts!

>89 ronincats: Thank you, Roni! She is home now, and she must be feeling better. She was so out of sorts yesterday she didn't know what to do with herself. There's something wrong with her back legs -- they are super-weak and it's hard for her to walk and nearly impossible for her to jump. The vet thinks it's because of the painkiller shot she received, which lasts 3 days. I hope that's true. She's been through a lot!

>90 BLBera: Thank you, Beth. We're watching and waiting with Marina, have only 2 more days until Whistler is cleared to resume normal dog activities, and we're watching Maya as well. It's been a tough spring break. We've had some fun sprinkled in, though. I'm very proud of the girls -- they have worked very hard on schoolwork over this break. Callia has a draft of a term paper due Tuesday, which is the first day they're back, and has been working on English writing (they're studying Jane Eyre which she is enjoying very much). Marina has had a bit of schoolwork due next week, but she has diligently been working ahead -- the Chorale leaves on its tour of Sweden, Estonia, Finland, and Russia on April 19. Her teachers have been great about helping her work ahead, and she has really dedicated herself to the task, as hard as that is to do on break!

The Night Gardener is a great read. There are children who truly love a good, creepy scare, and it's hard to find just the right one that's appropriate for middle-grade readers. There is one girl in particular I will recommend this to when we're back in school next week. She has read all of the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark books, all of the Short and Shivery books, and especially loves Mary Downing Hahn. I think she'll be thrilled, and hopefully this might interest her in historical novels as well.

Woo, catching up, Anne. So sorry to hear about Marina, Whistler and Maya. 7 teeth! Ouch.

Hope the news is good for M & W going forward.

>72 AMQS: Great review of The Night Gardener! That's a new one for me. Thumb for the review, and onto the WL it goes.

Trying to catch up and so sorry to hear about Marina's health worries. I'll be thinking about you on April 7 and hope the news is positive.

Getting caught up here and sorry to read about all the family health issues you have been dealing with. Here is hoping for positive news for all afflicted family members, human and furkid.

I'm sorry to hear about all of the stress in your life this week, Anne. I hope things get better very soon.

Anne, it sounds like you are having too many health woes in your family. Please give Marina a big hug from me. I will be keeping my fingers crossed for good health news on April 7th. It is a good sign that the doctor isn't concerned about her traveling with the Children's Chorale. I had a student with Juvenile RA. She was smart and delightful, she just needed to have a little extra rest from time to time. I don't blame you about saving your research until you get a diagnosis. Too many scary stories out there. Oh yeah, hugs for Whistler and Maya as well. It will be good when the whole family feels A-OK once again.

>92 jnwelch: Hello Joe, and thank you for your wishes. The Night Gardener is a great read. I was looking forward to seeing a 4/5 class so I could recommend it to a girl who loves her books spooky. She came back into the library later that day to tell me how much she was enjoying it:)

>93 RebaRelishesReading: Thank you, Reba. Waiting is hard, but Marina does not have any pain and is in very good spirits, so that helps. We'll see what we find out.

>94 lkernagh: Thank you, Lori. Whistler went on his first walk last night, so he's back in happy-dogland. Maya had a couple of rough days but is feeling better as well and acting like herself again. Marina feels good, too, which makes the waiting a bit easier.

>95 MickyFine: Thank you, Micky! Wish we were still on spring break, but we can see summer right around the corner.

>96 Donna828: Yes, too many at the moment, Donna. Marina will be very glad for a hug. She is in great spirits and feels good, so that helps. I can't see that the prednisone has done anything about the inflammation, but I really don't know what I would be looking for. Just waiting until April 7. Stelios will take her that day. It's hard to hand the reins over on this one, but I think it's good for him to be involved and to get to know the doctor as well. Thank you!

23. Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, fully dramatized audiobook by Arkangel Shakespeare

Beware the Ides of March.

I am really loving these Arkangel Shakespeare fully dramatized and scored productions. This story is moving -- really more about Brutus than about Caesar, and the conflict between patriotism and loyalty that torments him. Caesar is suspected of ambition, and pays with his life. Brutus, Cassius, and other conspirators claim to act for Rome, and pay with theirs. Marc Antony delivers a stirring and masterful oration, captivating the crowd like an enchanter. As usual, the Royal Shakespeare Company actors are phenomenal.

Some memorable quotes:

“Men at some time are masters of their fates. The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings.”

“The evil that men do lives after them; The good is oft interred with their bones.”

“Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once.”

Those are great quotes from Julius Caesar, Anne! So true! Delighted you continue to enjoy the Arkangel productions.

Hi, Anne! Stopping by to say I loved your review of The Night Gardener. I think I'll have to move that one up on my list :) Glad your pets are improving and I hope you get good news about Marina on April 7!

>72 AMQS: wow, that is way out of my genre comfort zone, but you have me interested! If I see it, no doubt it will end up in my possession.

Sorry to hear about Marina....what a worrying situation for you all! I can hardly even bear it when my kids have a fever. I hope that they can sort you out a game plan at least and that she isnt struggling too much!

Happy Easter, Anne! Have a great weekend.

Stopping by to wish you and your family a Happy Easter weekend, Anne and for good news for Marina.

Getting caught up here. The Night Gardener sounds interesting.

I have been more than a little MIA in the group in the last few weeks, but like a hoarse voiced Frankie I am making a tremulous comeback!

Have a lovely Easter weekend, Anne.

>99 lit_chick:, >102 lit_chick: Thanks, Nancy! The Arkangel productions are an unexpected treat -- I stumbled upon them one day at the library and decided to give them a go. I decided if my 16 year-old can love Shakespeare I would try them myself:) Happy Easter to you as well. This is a year we get to celebrate twice: we'll hunt for eggs tomorrow and have a family dinner, then next week we'll have a bigger "do" for family and friends on Greek Easter!

>100 aktakukac: Thank you, Rachel!

>101 LovingLit: Megan, you know it is a children's book, right? It's meant for ages 10 and up or so. If your boys are into scary stories when they're that age it might be a good one to read together:)
Thank you for your wishes for Marina. It is the worst when your kids are sick. She really isn't struggling much, but I have every long-term, worst-case scenario running through my head -- even though I am not googling it. We'll see what we find out.

>103 lkernagh: Thank you, Lori! We'll celebrate a small Easter with just us this weekend, and celebrate Greek Easter next week. I'm considering cooking an octopus for the occasion. We'll see. Thank you for your wishes for Marina. I can't tell that the Prednisone has done anything for her, and of course, I don't know what that would mean anyway. Hope we can get some answers on Tuesday.

>104 thornton37814: Hi Lori! The Night Gardener is a good one. Kids do love scary stories, and too many of them are not really satisfying reads, or what was thought to be scary actually has a very ordinary explanation. This one is the real deal!

>105 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul! I have been absent myself. Have you been sick? Hope you and your voice are doing well. We're celebrating the first Easter weekend this weekend, as well as my birthday today ("celebrating" may be the wrong word: I will celebrate my birthday by attending the birthday party of a friend...) Next weekend is Greek Easter. We haven't had a huge Greek Easter bash in a long time, but I am exerting myself this year, and we'll host a couple of families.

Happy Easter, Anne. Hope the Bunny is good to you :)

24. Midnight in Peking: How the Murder of a Young Englishwoman Haunted the Last Days of Old China by Paul French

This Edgar Award-winning book is an utterly compelling and very disturbing account of the 1937 murder of Pamela Werner, set against the foreboding backdrop of Peking on the cusp of monumental change. Pamela's murder was particularly gruesome, and a tricky thing to investigate: she was an English girl, which required the involvement of the British legation, yet the crime was committed outside the Legation Quarter, which made it within Chinese jurisdiction. The diplomatic maneuvering made investigation very difficult, as did nationalistic face-saving on all sides. The interactions of so many groups of people in a relatively small area: legations of wealthy British, American, French, German, Spanish, and Dutch; along with Japanese military and the unease they brought (justifiably, considering the full-scale Japanese assault and occupation of China later that year); desperately impoverished and stateless White Russian exiled from Bolshevik Russia; and the nearby Badlands -- den of opium, heroin, prostitution and other vice -- made this an area of volatility and subterfuge. No one was what they seemed on the surface: not Pamela, not her father, not her friends, not the investigators, no one.

This is a great, if disturbing read. The depth of research is astonishing, yet the book reads like a thriller. The author's skill is impressive, but more impressive is the body of research collected at the time by one key player, especially given the condition and confusion of China in the late 1930s. This is fascinating true history.

>107 RebaRelishesReading: Thank you, Reba! Hope he is good to you as well. Are you home or are you traveling?

Happy Easter, Anne!

Lucky you getting to celebrate two Easters. I look forward to hearing more about Greek Easter!

Happy Easter to all!

Here's a little treat



Great review of Julius Caesar. It's my favorite Shakespeare. Maybe because it was the first one. There wasn't much to like about my freshman English teacher, but the fact that she passed over Romeo and Juliet in favor of Julius Caesar is something.

Happy Easter to you and the family, Anne!

>106 AMQS: I thouh it was a kids book, but I was thinking more YA than little kid...still, I will look out for it as a rec is a rec!

Happy Birthday!! I heard on fb ;)
eta: spelling, always with the spelling!

Also wishing you a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Anne. I thought Callia's message to you on fb was lovely. xx

>110 Storeetllr: Thank you, Mary! I hope your Easter is lovely also. What beautiful weather! Any plans today with your little niece?

>111 Donna828: Hi Donna! Yes, we are lucky. Every four years they are on the same day, but this year we have two to celebrate:)

>112 nittnut: Love the little treat, Jenn, and Happy Easter to you! My favorite Shakespeare from high school is King Lear, which is the Arkangel I'm going to look for next.

>113 jolerie: Thank you, Valerie! I'm so hoping there will be monkey pictures on your thread!

>114 LovingLit: Thank you, Megan! It was a nice birthday yesterday. Callia had her defensive driving skills day -- obstacle courses, driving on the skid pad, car maintenance, changing a tire, driving the "distractions" course -- first with the drunk goggles, and then while texting. Big day for her. Then a friend of ours whose 50th is today hosted a wonderful party at the beautiful History Colorado Center with cocktails on the terrace for the sunset, dinner, dancing, and a private tour of the museum. All in all a very nice day!

I would think The Night Gardener would work well as a YA also.

>115 PaulCranswick: Dear Paul, thank you! The family spoiled me yesterday, and it was indeed lovely!

Happy belated birthday, Anne!

Thank you, Katie!

Hi Anne - Nice comments on Midnight in Peking - it did read like a thriller, didn't it?

Happy belated birthday.

Happy birthday, Anne! And I hope the news about Marina is good tomorrow, or at least that the doctor explains what's going on and you can figure out what to do next. Her Chorale tour sounds wonderful!

Julius Caesar was the first Shakespeare play we read at school and I loved it. Must be time for a re-read.

Oh, darn, I missed your birthday! Hope it was everything you wished for, Anne : ).

Oh dear. I missed your birthday as well. Happy belated!
I'll be thinking of Marina tomorrow. Hope you get good information. :)

Birthday?! I missed your birthday? Happy belated birthday wishes Anne!

What?? Birthday?? Happy belated birthday Anne! :D

>119 BLBera: Thank you, Beth! Yes, it did -- Callia is reading it now. Hope you're having a great week!

>120 cushlareads: Thank you, Cushla. My husband will be taking Marina tomorrow -- we'll see what we find out. Hopefully something. Did you have a nice Easter?

I think Julius Caesar was my first Shakespeare play as well:)

>121 lit_chick: Thank you, Nancy! It was a very nice day, with lovely weather. We had a low-key celebration, with Callia being busy that day, and a lovely party my friend had for her 50th. My husband got me a spa day: massage, pedicure, facial. I'll be scheduling that very soon!

>122 nittnut: Thank you, Jenn! I'm a little nervous tomorrow as I have no idea what to expect. Hopefully good news, or any news, really.

>123 lkernagh: Thank you, Lori! It was a nice day. Even though we were busy with stuff, it was nice to celebrate my birthday on a weekend -- I got to sleep in a little!

>124 jolerie: Thank you, Valerie!

25. Last Night at the Lobster by Stewart O'Nan

I've been wanting to read Stewart O'Nan as he is a favorite of Joanne (coppers), and I was not disappointed. This book has the economic loveliness and unexpected impact of a good short story. It is a short story, really; definitely a small story of a man giving his best effort because that's how you do things. Manny is the manager of a Red Lobster that is being closed down by corporate types. Manny and four other employees will be moved to an Olive Garden nearby; everyone else will lose their jobs. On the last day -- four days before Christmas, and on the day of a huge blizzard, Manny does his best to run the restaurant with integrity in the face of terrible weather, internal turmoil, and a reduced, somewhat mutinous staff with very little incentive to be there.

Really Mr. O'Nan had me at the dedication: "For my brother John and everyone who works the shifts nobody wants." This book shines a light on the hard-working people who operate a chain restaurant: their daily struggles, their small triumphs and personal humiliations, their enduring bonds, and the endless parade of people who come through the door -- either as customers or as short-term employees. A little book with a big imapct.

>125 AMQS: Anne, I got my days wrong! Yes, we had a lovely Easter. It was nice all being home for 4 days (Friday and Monday are public holidays here).

Last Night at the Lobster sounds good - thanks for the review. I'll add it to my library list.

^ are Good Friday and Easter Monday public holidays there, Anne?

Callia's driving test sounds a lot more comprehensive than mine was! I had to do a three-point turn in a dead end street about as wide as an international airport runway....it didn't tax me too much!!

>126 AMQS: - Great review of a favorite book of mine! Like joanne, I'm a big fan of O'Nan and have really liked everything of his that I've read. TO paraphrase you, his "small" stories of regular people leave a big impact.

Anne, that is a wonderfully enticing review of Last Night at the Lobster. Thank you! This sounds like another one I would really like ...

Belated Happy Birthday wishes, Anne!

Have you found anything out yet?

Great comments on the O'Nan book, Anne. I have to get to him soon.

Happy belated birthday wishes, Anne!!

I'm tickled to read that you tried an O'Nan book because he's such a favorite of mine and thrilled that you liked it!!

Thinking of you and Marina and hope all is going well.

>127 cushlareads: Cushla, you may have got your days wrong because we're a full day+ behind you! A four-day holiday sounds wonderful, and I'm glad you enjoyed your time off!

>128 LovingLit: Megan, they are not. I remember living in Cyprus and feeling like I had won some amazing prize when I had those days off! Here there's no time off, really, as Easter is a Sunday..
Callia's day wasn't her test -- we still need to schedule that. This was a defensive skills day, and part of a package for her driver's education program. Great skills, though -- my husband said he wouldn't mind taking the course!

>129 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie! I look forward to reading more of his books. Any particular ones you recommend?

>130 lit_chick: Thank you, Nancy -- I think you would!

>131 ronincats: Thank you, Roni. Sort of. See below. Thank you for checking on her.

>132 BLBera: Thank you, Beth! I hope to read more by him, particularly with Joanne and Katie enjoying his work so much.

>133 Copperskye: Thank you for the recommendation, Joanne -- I love it when a trusted friend and like-minded reader steers me to a new-to-me author!

Waiting to see below...

So Marina returned to the rheumatologist today. Her blood looks very good, and he can see that the prednisone has decreased the swelling in her knuckles even if we can't. He showed her how the tissue around some of her knuckles is "doughy" (bad) and some others are bony (good). I guess it's very common in children not to have any sort of RA markers in their blood. He said she has juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, but he's officially calling it unspecified juvenile arthritis, which is a billing code more than a diagnosis. From what I'm reading it's more common that I knew in children. We're staying on prednisone for the short term, and adding an immune-suppressing med she will take once a week -- possibly for the rest of her life. Can't think of what it's called just now. She has to take daily folic acid while she's on this, and have her blood tested for liver damage four times a year. I read about this mostly while sitting in the waiting room of an urgent care clinic with Callia, our other daughter. It's been a rough day. Callia will be fine, and Marina likely will be, too, but we have a lot to absorb and a lot to learn about. We'll seek another opinion, as these meds are pretty serious. I've been so grateful to everyone sending good wishes and thinking about us on April 7, so I wanted to update everyone and mostly to thank you for thinking of us. I'll update more as I learn more.

A lot to swallow, indeed! And what was Callia up to? Something acute but temporary, I would guess.

A second opinion is wise indeed with such powerful medications involved. You know you have my best wishes and support.

I second Roni's thoughts on the second opinion - good thinking, just to be sure. Hugs to all of you.

I'm way late on the birthday wishes, Anne, but I'm sending them and hoping you had a good one.

Sorry to hear about Marina's RA. We had serious health issues with our daughter seasonsoflove (asthma so bad they thought it might be CF). She's been on daily medication since she was a little girl, and has had plenty of prednisone in her young life. I mention it because she's fine, under control, and a wonderful person. I'm wishing the same for Marina; there's a lot they can do to help these days.

>126 AMQS: I read Last Night at the Lobster several years ago and enjoyed it.

Good luck with the medical worries, Anne. Thank goodness for good medical care.

Suddenly I have a hankering to eat at Olive Garden. I wonder why...

Thanks for updating us in regards to Marina's situation. That is indeed a lot to take in all at once. I hope maybe a second opinion will offer a different prognosis. Either way, sending you and the family my prayers and thoughts. I hope it all works out for the good of everyone. Hugs to you Anne!

Oh, goodness, Anne, I'm sorry to hear about Marina's diagnosis. A rough day hardly begins to cover it. Thinking of you.

Oh dear. That is a lot to absorb, but at least you got a diagnosis and a course of helpful drugs. I know it's hard to think about the meds she has to take. Try not to think about the long haul and take one day at a time. Hugs to you and your family, Anne, and belated birthday wishes.

>134 AMQS: - Not being much of a short story reader, I was surprised by how much I liked In the Walled City, which is a story collection. Last year I read A Prayer for the Dying which was historical fiction (1870s Wisconsin), and I also really liked the first of his that I read, Snow Angels. I don't think you can go wrong.

I'm sorry you have so much to absorb right now, and I hope that things settle down a bit for you soon.

Anne, that is a lot to think about. I hope you can get the second opinion soon and then start the appropriate treatment, and that Marina continues not to feel pain from it.

I'm looking up books by Stewart O'Nan :-)

Hi Anne. It sounds like you really did have a rough day. I hope Callia is feeling better and that you are getting some rest. :) I suppose it's helpful to have a diagnosis for Marina, even if it's not what you want for her. A second opinion is always a good thing. I do think it's amazing how many medications are available to help us with all the various problems life throws our way. Does this affect her trip with the choir?

I'm glad you have a diagnosis for Marina and that her condition is treatable. Perhaps in time the currently available treatments will be replaced by something with less risks and side effects.

I read Last Night at the Lobster at Christmas time a couple of years ago and I liked it a lot. I will try O'Nan again at some point.

Oh boy, that's a lot to take in, Anne. With a second opinion, you'll have more info and maybe more options for a treatment plan going forward. I feel for Marina, it's a scary thing for a youngster. Hugs to you all.

Here to echo what everyone else has been saying. A lot to take in. I have my fingers crossed that the second opinion will be a more viable solution for Marina. Keeping you and your family in my thoughts while the medical assessment continues.

Thank you, thank you, thank you: Roni, Amber, Joe, Lori, Beth, Valerie, Nancy, Donna, Katie, Susan, Jenn, Carrie, Joanne, and Lori. It's been a long, long week, and your thoughts and messages and hugs have helped a lot. We haven't been able to consult another provider yet (we do have an appointment at Children's Hospital on August 31). Now we're focusing on her tour, which begins next weekend. We decided, with encouragement from her pediatrician, not to start this new medication (Methotrexate) just before she goes on tour, so we will hold off until she's back on May 2. Marina is really doing well -- I'm the one who's rattled, but it's all very new and will take some getting used to. I feel better knowing we're not going to start any new meds when she's going halfway around the world without us. I know my Chorale colleagues will take excellent care of her, but I want her to feel great and not worry about any side-effects, so my mind is eased on that matter. I was in a state of Wednesday -- worry plus sleep-deprivation -- each of your heartfelt messages touched me and helped me by sharing the worries, so to speak. Thank you.

>139 jnwelch: Joe, that helps a lot. All the medicines sound scary, so it is very helpful to share stories of successful experiences. Thank you!

>144 Donna828: Donna, you are so right -- it helps to think about each day as it comes. Much more than that and it's overwhelming!

>145 katiekrug: Thank you for the recommendations, Katie!

>147 nittnut: Jenn, she should be just fine on her tour. I want it to be an amazing experience for her, so I was very relieved when we made the decision not to start the new meds until she gets home.

Oh good, best to keep to Marina's regular routine as much as possible. I'm glad this hasn't changed her plans with the chorale. Kids are so resilient. It'll all be ok.

Joanne, thank you. Yes, it will all be ok. Good to remember that! Hope you have a wonderful weekend.

So smart about not starting the medication until she is back. Peace of mind for you and guaranteed amazing experience for Marina!

Have a great weekend, Anne!

Thank you, Katie. Peace of mind, or at least an easier mind, is a beautiful thing! It's Greek Easter this weekend: we're looking forward to hosting some friends for a Greek feast:)

26. The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim, audiobook narrated by Nadia May

I haven't been doing much reading this week, but I still have been a captive audio book listener in the car, and this 1922 novel was the perfect distraction. During a miserably wet and gray London March, Mrs. Wilkins, a worn down, unhappy woman, happens to read an advertisement for a month in a wisteria-covered medieval seaside Italian castle. After seeing another woman -- an equally unhappy Mrs. Arbuthnot linger over the ad, she surprises herself by suggesting they take it and share it between them. Unable to afford the cost on their own, they place an ad of their own seeking two additional women to share the cost and the castle. And so begins the holiday of Mrs. Wilkins, Mrs. Arbuthnot, the imperious widow Mrs. Fisher, and the irresistibly beautiful Lady Caroline Dester. While three of the women vie for positions and maneuver for the private use of the best sitting room, a secluded garden spot of one's own, the best bedroom, and mistress-of-the-house duties (or exemption from them), Lottie Wilkins almost instantly transforms, filling with love and goodwill, accurately "seeing" and understanding things about her cohorts, and wanting to share the exquisite beauty and restful seclusion with her husband, from whom she took such great pains to get away.

Ms. von Arnim delves deeply into the characters of each of the women. None of them are particularly likable at first, but all of them reflect a lot during their Italian holiday, and each emerges with new understandings about herself and very positive and surprising changes. This is a light but not fluffy read -- perfect for the beach, or that holiday at an Italian villa, or as a spring tonic. The Enchanted April has a 1991 and a 1935 movie adaptation -- I've heard great things about the 1991 version, so may look for it at the library.

>156 AMQS: The 1991 version of The Enchanted April is one of my all-time favorite movies! I think I'm due for a rewatch soon.

Enjoy your Greek Fest this weekend, and eat an extra pastry for me. (I assume there will be pastries?!)

>157 cbl_tn: Good to know, Carrie! Then I shall definitely watch it:)

I'm making kataifi, which is like bakalva, only way easier to make. Instead of phyllo leaves, the phyllo is shredded (kataifi takes about 4 steps to make, versus about 40 with baklava:) I'll definitely have an extra in your honor. I'm also making Greek halvah, which is different from the Arabic halvah. It is a farina pudding that becomes solid so you can cut it into squares. I'll eat one of those in your honor as well!

>158 AMQS: i love kataifi! I thought I liked baklava until the first time I had kataifi. If I had a choice I'd take kataifi every time.

I'm not sure I've ever had halvah, either Greek or Arabic.

>156 AMQS: Lovely comments about The Enchanted April, which I also enjoyed a great deal. Hope that the film version works too.

Hi Anne. I heard some heartbreaking news this morning. There was a fire this morning at Knoxville's Greek Orthodox church that destroyed the main sanctuary. No one was injured other than one firefighter, but I'm sure the beautiful mosaics were destroyed. The church website has a thumbnail photo of the mosaic under the dome. The photographs don't capture the vivid color and its immensity when you're standing underneath it. It's so sad that this happened on Easter of all days. The church has hosted an annual Greek Fest for decades so many Knoxvillians have been inside that sanctuary.

>161 cbl_tn: I posted photos of the church on my thread. So tragic!

>156 AMQS: I highly recommend the 1995 version of Enchanted April. It's stunning.

>159 cbl_tn:, 161 Carrie, that is such sad news. Not only the destruction of such a beautiful church, but on the most important holiday of the year. So sad. That didn't make our news here, so thank you for letting me know. I hope the firefighter is okay, and I'm glad that no one else was hurt.

I had um... a few pieces of kadaifi -- some for you and some for me:) There's hardly any halvah left -- it was really popular this year (my girls ate quite a lot, saying it has been too long since I had made it, but it is a fairly popular dessert for kids). The Greeks make halvah in two ways: the one I did is stove-top: you toast the farina in butter while boiling a syrup of milk, water, and sugar (I add a little rose water as well). You pour the syrup into the farina and let it sit about 30 minutes, then pour and mold into a dish or dishes and sprinkle with cinnamon. It is sweet and simple and comforting.
Here's mine:
Then there's oven halvah, which is the same concept, but with more butter and sugar and 5 eggs (!). I haven't tried that one.

Arabic halvah is more like candy: it is a very sweet confection of sesame and sugar, sometimes with chopped pistachios. It's also really good, but nothing like Greek halvah. Here's a picture of it:


>160 charl08: Hi Charlotte! I'm getting more and more endorsements of the movie, so I'll have to watch it. I think I saw it at the library. Hope you had a great weekend.

>162 thornton37814: Oh Lori, that's so sad! My heart goes out to their community.

>163 nittnut: Jenn, that does it -- I have to watch it!

Hi Anne. According to the latest news reports, some of the most valuable pieces in the sanctuary were rescued by firefighters. It sounds like the mosaic underneath the dome was damaged but not destroyed. Right now it appears that the fire could have started in the foyer area where prayer candles were lit, but they haven't yet ruled out arson.

Anne, sending best wishes about Marina's health. And at least you do have a diagnosis now: I always think it is better to know what the problem is and then you can start to deal with it. The Enchanted April is a great feel good book isn't it?

>165 cbl_tn: I think I saw a report while ago that says arson has now been ruled out.

>151 AMQS: it will be a relief for you not having to worry about potential side effects when she is away with people who don't know and love her the way ony a mother can! Good move on postponing the start date for mess. What a tricky thing to come to grips with, glad Joe could offer some support by way of having been through similar. Kids are amazing creatures really, they just roll with things. Especially if the parents make that possible. I feel like you never really know worry til you have had kids!

I love halvah! I used to get it from the Greek shops in Fremantle, Western Australia when I lived there.

>165 cbl_tn: Thanks for the update, Carrie. I'm sure their community is grateful for anything that could be saves!

>166 SandDune: Thank you, Rhian. It seems like we caught this before it caused pain , or really affected her joints to a great degree. In a way it seems unreal because she feels so good. We want it to stay that way! Yes, The Enchanted April is definitely a feel-good read. I came across it in the Bas Bleu catalog and was able to request the audio from the library. I hadn't heard of it or the movie before that!

>167 thornton37814: Lori, I'm glad to hear that!

>168 LovingLit: I feel like you never really know worry til you have had kids! It's unlike anything else, isn't it? Marina is doing great, which is as much as I could ask for. We'll see how she fares on her new meds -- and I am so relieved she won't start those until she returns!

27. Mama's Bank Account by Kathryn Forbes

We don't have much time to read aloud these days, so it took us a long, long time to get through this one, but we absolutely loved every word, and are now ordering our own copy so we can have it forever. We loved this book. Like so many great reads, I would never have heard of this book without LT, and we have Joanne (coppers) to thank for this one. The chapters in this book are small vignettes of life in early 20th century San Francisco in a Norwegian-American family. Mama, the unquestionable head of the family, handles every issue large and small with quiet strength, creativity, love, and true wisdom. Based on the author's own childhood, Mama's Bank Account is just delightful. This is a superb read aloud, and the whole family LOVED it! Thank you, Joanne!

>170 AMQS: Adding that one to the wishlist - it sounds great!

Good call on not starting the meds before the trip. Will continue to keep your family in my thoughts and especially for your upcoming appointment at the Children's hospital.

>170 AMQS: Oh, your post made me so happy tonight, Anne!! Thank you. I'm thrilled that you liked Mama's Bank Account and that it worked as a read aloud! (I get a little nervous after I get enthusiastic about a book and recommend it, especially when it's a little obscure.)

I came over to let you know that we missed you yesterday! Hope you can make it the next time.

Did you get a snow day today?

>171 scaifea: Oh, Amber, it is wonderful! I was reading some reviews and came across some written by teachers who said they read aloud to their middle schoolers (though I can't see how, given what teachers have on their plates, they can still read aloud to children, but if they do I LOVE it). Hope you enjoy it as well. There was a play and a TV series based on it (I Remember Mama) -- I've heard lots of people from my parents' generation say they watched it when they were young.

>172 jolerie: Thank you, Valerie! Marina is getting busy getting ready and packed -- she leaves Sunday -- and she is very relieved not to have to worry about new meds. Unfortunately our upcoming appointment is still a ways off: August 31. Crazy. I really appreciate your good wishes!

>173 Copperskye: Joanne, we loved it from start to finish! Callia was so sad when I returned it to the library until I promised we'd buy our own copy. I know what you mean -- sometimes a book is just perfect -- for you. You wonder how it will go over with someone else and their kids. This one was a home run!

I was very sorry to miss you as well. This is a crazy week and I just couldn't make it work, but I was thinking about you. Yes, I did have a snow day today! I was hoping for one for our district -- just one day at home with the girls sounded wonderful, but it was only mountain area schools, which meant me but not them. I actually slept for about half of it -- we all are run pretty ragged around now. Hope you stayed safe and warm and dry, and I hope you have a great weekend!

>174 AMQS: Okay, so how cool is this: I went to my local library's book sale yesterday and guess what I found? A copy of Mama's Bank Account! For $.50!! And it's a funky 'vintage' copy in excellent shape, too! I'm really excited!

And Mama's Bank Account drops onto the pile. :)

>175 scaifea: Amber, that is so cool! Very serendipitous:) I love it when things like that happen!

>176 nittnut: Oh Jenn, you will LOVE it!

28. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro -- hybrid reading experience of print and audiobook narrated by Rosalyn Landor

At about 10 minutes into the audio I was pretty sure this wasn't the book for me. But by minute 15 I was completely hooked. This is a dystopian tale far more subdued, and more menacing than the breathless (and sometimes excellent) YA fare of late. Kathy reflects on her life and recounts events large and small from her childhood at the exclusive private school Hailsham and young adulthood at The Cottages. Small details of the world these characters inhabit are revealed little by little to them and to the reader. Everything about the book is quiet, with a disturbing undercurrent below the smooth surface. The characters don't rebel, and rarely question. Kathy and others reflect on the value of their lives such as they are, and of art, of meaning, companionship, happiness. I've been talking about this one for days to my family -- it definitely made an impression.

29. King Lear by William Shakespeare. Fully dramatized and scored audiobook by Arkangel Shakespeare

I remember loving King Lear in high school -- reading it aloud, and then watching both the amazing James Earl Jones production and the devastating and beautiful Japanese interpretation Ran by Akira Kurosawa. I enjoyed this audio version, but the more disjointed experience of listening in the car cannot compare to those amazing movies. Nevertheless, this was an excellent production of the classic Shakespeare tragedy -- Lear's rage, madness, and desperate grief were palpable, as were the oily ambitions of Edmund and Cornwall, the earnest, touching deceptions of Edgar and Kent, and the cold-hearted schemings of the daughters Goneril and Regan. A very nice performance of a play that captivated me as a 17 year-old, though I think my next Shakespeare will be a comedy:)

On that note, here's a page Bas Bleu shared today on Facebook: How To Tell if You are in a Shakespearean Comedy.

I love the first comment: "Before this, I never properly appreciated how Shakespearean middle schoolers are." LOL!

It's been a grand few days at our house. The Chorale's Spring Concert was on Saturday, and then Marina left on tour on Sunday. First stop: Sweden. As I am typing this, she is (presumably) asleep on an overnight ferry from Stockholm, Sweden to Tallinn, Estonia. If you're interested, here's the first of the tour blog posts:
https://choraleconnection.wordpress.com/2015/04/21/ntc-baltic-region-tour-2015-p...

And on Monday, Callia got her driver's license! The first place she drove solo: the library.

Wow, lots going on in your world, Anne! Callia looks so excited.

Anne, congratulations to Callia! I hope Marina is having a great time. I looked at the blog post but couldn't recognise her. I loved the Shakespeare post :-)

Congrats, Callia!! And condolences to mom? Anyways, I love that her first stop was the library!

>180 AMQS: Ha! Perfect. The acorn doesn't fall far from the tree.

Oh, busy household, Anne! Congratulations to Callia on her driver's license! And I know Marina will have a wonderful tour.

So glad you enjoyed Never Let Me Go. I was like you: didn't think it was for me, and then just got hooked. Loved it, and I think gave it 4.5 or 5*.

>180 AMQS: Congrats to Callia! I'm hoping to get my license next month (at a much more advanced age :P).

>178 AMQS: Loved your review of Never Let Me Go. I had the exact same reaction - first 20 pages or so I thought it was definitely not for me. Then I really liked it.

Hooray for Callia! Excellent choice of destination. :) She just gets prettier all the time too.

Stopping by to get caught up here and will start off by stating that I love baklava but have never tried kataifi or halvah. Obviously, I need to rectify that and will need to taste both Greek and Arabic halvah as I 'love' pistachios. ;-)

>170 AMQS: - Mama's Bank Account sounds like a fun read!

I still haven't gotten up the gumption to attempt any Kazuo Ishiguro books - I absolutely love the movie adaptation of The Remains of the Day and do not want to shatter my love for Ishiguro's works should my chosen read be sub-par... silly, I know.

Congratulations to Callia on her driver's license... one of those super proud 'rights of passage' moments from child/teen to adulthood. ;-)

Happy weekend to you and your family, Anne!

>180 AMQS: Congrats to Callia!

So much going on here, Anne. Congrats to Callia. How great that her first trip was to the library -- you've raised that girl with the right priorities. Mama's Bank Account sounds great. I read the Ishigura and it did stick with me, in a disturbing way.

I was lucky enough to see Ian McKellen live in King Lear when the Royal Shakespeare Company did a couple of performances in the States. It was the premier theater-going experience of my life. Absolutely fantastic.

Woohoo! What an exciting milestone. I didn't get my license till much later in life, but even then, the idea of freedom was intoxicating so I can imagine how much more amplified it must feel as a teenager. ;)

I think I congratulated Callia on Fb on her driver's licence. Does this mean she has to get a car of her own now?!

Enjoy what is left of your weekend, Anne. xx

*slinks in*

Sigh... it's sad when life keeps me away from a favorite place. I miss all of you very much, and WILL be around to all of your threads to visit.

Busy around here, but good. Marina is back from her tour, and had an amazing time -- the tour of a lifetime, really. Here is a photo of her on the overnight ferry from Stockholm to Tallinn:


Here is a sweet photo of the homecoming. Callia missed her very much, and drove herself to the store to buy the flowers for Marina. She also drove us to the airport, but on the way back she wanted to sit in back to catch up with her sister:)


To catch any tour news and videos, you can check out the Chorale blog: https://choraleconnection.wordpress.com/

Not to be outdone, Callia got her driver's license (see above), and went to prom.

Thank you to Roni, Susan, Amber, Joe, Nancy, Micky, Jenn, Lori, Joanne, Beth, Valerie, and Paul for your visits and kind words! It's been a busy bot good stretch for us. Now there's just three weeks left of school, but they will be busy. The girls are starting to study for finals already.

Rain, rain, rain around here -- fairly unusual for us. Tomorrow we're expecting up to a foot of snow!

Catching up on reviews:



30. Around the World in 80 Days by Michael Palin, audiobook narrated by the author.

Monty Python's Michael Palin follows in the footsteps of Jules Verne's Phileas Fogg and attempts a circumnavigation of the earth in 80 days following Fogg's route as much as possible, and using (mostly) transportation available to Fogg in 1872 (no air travel). As with Fogg, Mr. Palin is accompanied by Passepartout -- in this case, a 5-person BBC film crew documenting the whole adventure. Mr. Palin is very appealing as he chronicles his journey -- commenting on sights, people he encounters, and significant setbacks along the way. Oddly enough, much of the narrative left me feeling a little melancholy. This style of travel appears to have been much easier in Fogg's time. The modern-day travels via cargo boat, train, and other non-air transport leave the traveler to experience the happy good and appalling bad interaction of humankind with each other and with the earth -- you always know you're approaching land because of the floating garbage, for example. Still, the many experiences and acquaintances are shared with curiosity, goodwill, and intimacy, and it is fun to be along for the ride. The most touching: Mr. Palin's friendships with the ship crews of his many sea crossings. "Among the things this traveler has learned is that those who have the least are prepared to give the most." Many of the routes no longer have any passenger service, so cargo ships carried the group, making sacrifices of space, provisions, and in some cases, manpower (where human substitutions were necessary, the crew were flown to the destination at the BBC's expense, but it obviously meant extra work for everyone else). Mr. Palin had a few stops planned, but my Colorado heart was proud that the only unscheduled but deliberate break in the journey was in Aspen, Colorado, as Mr. Palin found he couldn't just pass through such a spectacularly beautiful place.

Another thing I found interesting: last year I listened to John Steinbeck's Travels with Charley. Though it was written in the 1960s, I often felt he could have been describing the present day. Mr. Palin's travels in Around the World in 80 Days took place in 1988, yet it often felt as though it could have been 100 years ago. I simply cannot imagine attempting a voyage of that sort without cell phones and the internet!

31. Death in the Garden by Elizabeth Ironside

This was a fantastic and very intelligent mystery spanning nearly a century, incorporating both World Wars, and wrapping up beautifully in the 1990s. The story centers around glamorous Diana Pollexfen, who is celebrating her 30th birthday by hosting a group of friends at the country home she shares with her husband in 1925. The reader is introduced to each of the friends -- how they know Diana, how they live and travel in the circles of the upper classes of the 1920s, and how they each were affected by their experiences in The Great War. As the visit is concluding, Diana's husband George is found poisoned. Diana is charged, and acquitted in a very controversial verdict after a sensational trial.

The narrative then shifts to the 1990s, when Diana's great-niece Helena embarks upon a quest to learn the truth about George's murder while examining her own life and choices in the context of family, loyalty, and obligation. This was such a satisfying read -- a terrific historical piece, a psychological examination, and a page-turning thriller. Elizabeth Ironside is the nom-de-plume of Lady Catherine Manning, the wife of the former British ambassador to the US, and based on this book, I would gladly read anything else she has written. An excellent mystery.

How sweet that Callia missed her sister. The flowers are beautiful and so are your girls. I'm glad to hear Marina had such a good tour. It doesn't sound like her health problems are interfering with her singing and traveling. When will you begin the new drugs? Maybe a slower paced summer will give her the time to get used to them. I know, summers are busy for you, too, Anne. I hope we can get together. I am tentatively planning on early August for my summer visit. Just about the time you start gearing up for a new school year. Sorry about my bad timing.

Hi Donna, and thank you! Marina had a wonderful tour, but is very happy to be home. It is hard to live out of a suitcase. She started her new medicine the night she got home. She has to take 6 pills once a week, so she took her first dose when she went to bed the night she got home. She appears to have suffered no ill effects, but will take the second dose tonight. We'll see. From what I can tell, the nausea is a brain reaction rather than a stomach reaction, so with or without food doesn't necessarily help, but taking at bed might.

June is shaping up to be really busy with Vail for Marina and me (hopefully Callia, too), Ride the Rockies for Stelios, and then Callia and I are taking a trip just the two of us:) July is quieter for now, though it is time to start looking at colleges, so we may try to start that then. I am back at school August 6, but if I am able I would love to see you when you're here and you have plans. Oh, little Hope will be so big when you come again!

Anne, it's good to get the update from you--I know it's a very busy time of year at school. Can't believe you are going to get snow tonight--but it's from the same storm that just dumped .7 inch of rain on my garden, pretty much unheard of for May here.

Hi Anne! You have two beautiful daughters, and I'm glad that Marina arrived home in plenty of time to help you celebrate Mother's Day tomorrow.

Both of your reviews sound like my kind of books! I hope the library has the audio of Michael Palin's book. I would enjoy listening to that one.

>193 AMQS: Two beautiful young ladies! I'm glad Marina had a good tour!

Good to see you back here, Anne. It sounds like your busy days will be continuing long into the summer.

Death in the Garden sounds interesting!

Anne, I'm so glad Marina had a great time on tour, and that the new medicine seems to be going well. And Callia's prom outfit was lovely! Goodness, it's hard to imagine that you're looking at colleges already :-) What does Callia want to study?

Snow in May? Crazy. Stay warm!

Happy Mother's Day!

Marina looks so happy, and Callia looks gorgeous in her prom dress. So much fun you are all having. :)

What a beautiful photo of your Callia and Marina, Anne! I have four sisters, but it's the one next to me in age that I'm closest to. We are kindred spirits as another Anne would say : ).

Happy Mothers' Day, Anne! Beautiful pics of both your beautiful girls!

Happy Mother's Day, Anne and it sounds like life continues to be busy! Happy to see that Marina had a good tour and how touching to read that Callia missed her sis so much!

>196 AMQS: Nice review, Anne! That's a new one to me, and I added it to the WL.

Glad the trip was successful and Marina and Callia are reunited.

One thing to be said for getting so far behind is that I was able to get to the better times quickly. Anne, I'm so sorry that your girls and you have had such a hard spring, and even gladder that things are looking up. Hooray for Marina's tour! Hooray for Callia's license! And PROM! Hooray for sisterly love and flowers! Home! Meds that work! Libraries and librarians!
If you don't do anything else for yourself until school is out, do find the later film version of Enchanted April. It's not exactly the book, but it is a wonderful, wonderful experience itself.
How wonderful that you found a vintage copy of Mama's Bank Account! I love that book too. Peace for you as you finish out the school year.

...in reverse ordedr...

>193 AMQS: uh oh. All growed up!! Callia looks lovely, and so much older than when in civvies.

>178 AMQS: that is the same edition I have, only I have not read mine yet. I really keep meaning to, and I love that you were convinced it wasn't for you, and then the opposite. I love those surprises.

>170 AMQS: I am channelling that lady from your book. I could do with some of her "quiet strength, love and true wisdom" right now! My children try me at present. If I could see a day when they would buy each other flowers and choose to both sit in the back for any reason other than for fighting, I would sleep easier at night!

And finally, firstly? Welcome home to your baby daughter...shame she didn't tour NZ so I could have met her too ;)

Sounds like a busy whirlwind of a time for you and the family. I hope you guys can have some time during the summer holidays for some R&R. Your girls are beautiful inside and out and I love how much they love being with each other. What milestones to celebrate with each one of them. :)

Anne - What beautiful daughters. Thanks for sharing the photos. The Ironside book sounds good. I am looking forward to having time when I am done with grading, but I know I am being very unrealistic about what I will be able to get to.

>199 ronincats: Hi Roni! We're still getting snow -- not where I live, but near my school :) You're not still getting rain, are you? I know how badly you need it.

>200 cbl_tn: Thank you, Carrie! Yes, it is wonderful to have Marina home. I really enjoyed both Around the World in 80 Days and Death in the Garden, though the former made me a bit melancholy as well. Definitely worth the read, and I enjoyed Michael Palin's narration.

>201 Copperskye: Hi Joanne! Yes, I will be very busy through June, but still will be very glad when school is done. The girls will be done next week, and I will finish the following week. Huzzah! I know every teacher and student is counting down the days. How are you? Is Chris finished (and is he coming home)?

>202 susanj67: Hi Susan! Callia does not know for sure, and the American system lets kids try things, take general ed courses, and change their minds even when they are at university. She knows she wants to go into science, but whatever science class she is taking right now is her favorite. Last year biology was the best subject ever, and this year chemistry is. She complains about homework, of course, but she does love being a student, and it is so fun for me to watch her interests and passions develop. I feel like all of her doors are open right now -- can't wait to see where she goes.

>203 nittnut: Thank you, Jenn! It's pretty fun, and will be even more fun when school is out:)

>204 lit_chick: Thank you, Nancy! I am very close to my brother, but I love that my girls have a sister, and that they (usually) enjoy each other's company. I never knew you were one of five girls! What was it like to grow up with so many sisters?

>205 Storeetllr: Thank you, Mary!

>206 lkernagh: Hi Lori! Life is very busy, as it is for everyone. School is so close to being out that we can all taste it! The sisters are still very glad to be back together, and Marina is enjoying her tour memories:)

>207 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe! Death in the Garden is definitely worth a read. A nice historical mystery.

>208 LizzieD: Thank you so much, Peggy, for all of your wishes! Thanks for reminding me that I need to find a copy of The Enchanted April!

>209 LovingLit: Thank you, thank you, Megan! Yes, we're all hoping to get to NZ someday. It's not the place you can just pop over to, though, so it will take some doing:) There have been some days/years when I despaired of the girls ever being lasting friends, and I could use Mama's serenity and wisdom EVERY day. Every stage is so different, with different challenges. Rest assured that you're doing it right. It's too easy to dwell on your shortcomings.

>210 jolerie: Thank you, Valerie! Yes, looking forward to summer and hanging out with the girls. You are so sweet!

>211 BLBera: Thank you, Beth. When will you be done with grading? I even have a hard time staying on top of it, and as the librarian I really don't grade all that much! When will you be done?

32. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen, audiobook narrated by Johanna Ward

"...formed just such a contrast with his early opinion on the subject... as time is for ever producing between the plans and decisions of mortals, for their own instruction, and their neighbours' entertainment."

I have finally read all of the "big" novels of Jane Austen. Mansfield Park was very different from the others, being less of a romance and more of a moral study. Not my favorite Austen, but that doesn't mean I didn't thoroughly enjoy it. And a huge surprise: what a treat the tutored read is! I have been following along very late, but my understanding and enjoyment has been immeasurable increased by the expert analysis and explanations of lyzard. So grateful for this community -- not only a shared love of great books, such genuine friendships, but the generous imparting of time and knowledge.

I actually started listening to Mansfield Park years ago, but stopped because I didn't care for the narrator's voice. It took me awhile (and an app) to find this one.

>213 AMQS: yippee! Great advice for me at present, Anne. Thank you....I was employing deep breathing techniques last evening to no avail. In fact I employed them so hard that I almost crossed over into panic attack mode....it is so hard to calmly explain things to a 6 year old who is so. darned. irrational (not to mention extreme in his righteousness).

Good luck for Callia at university- it is such an exciting and formative time.

Megan, we've all been there! You're definitely doing it right. And talk about hyperventilating: Callia has two more years before university! Just making tentative forays into talking about campus visits! (*lies down*)

>216 AMQS: The two years will fly by Anne!

>212 AMQS: Chris graduated from CSU last weekend so technically he's done but he was student teaching high school English in Ft Collins this past semester and the high school is still in session for two more weeks and he agreed to stay. The same school hired him for next year - yay! He'll be coming back and forth this summer.

I've read all of Austen's big ones, but now I want to listen to them. Have been collecting the audiobooks for some time. Thanks for the reminder, Anne.

Hi Anne - I'm done! I finished my last essay on May 18. So, I'm taking a week off before I start to get ready for summer school. I hope to read a lot. Right now I'm finishing A God in Ruins, which I am loving.

Yay for being done grading!!! Hope you are enjoying your reading time!

>217 Copperskye: Wow, graduated already? A job already! I'm so impressed, Joanne. That's just huge -- you must be so proud! Congrats. The years are already flying by -- we're trying everything we can to slow them down. The girls are studying for finals, but we spent a good chunk of the weekend with a jigsaw puzzle, which felt very, very good! Hope your Memorial Day weekend is wonderful.

>218 lit_chick: Hi Nancy! My first foray into audiobooks was with Jane Austen books (and my first Jane Austens were audios). When I was student teaching I had a terrible commute up to North Dakota a far north Denver suburb, and the commute was made 1000% better with Austen on audio. I grinned for the entire 8 hours of Persuasion and have never looked back!

>219 BLBera: Oh, Beth, only a week? Hope your week was wonderful and relaxing. How is little (or probably not-so-little-anymore) Scout?

>220 porch_reader: Hi Amy!

33. The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm, narrated by Georgette Perna

I spend a good chunk of my time promoting the Colorado Children's Book Award nominees. This one is a 2016 nominee by Jennifer L. Holm, the author of the hugely popular GN series Babymouse and Squish. This one is an entertaining and thought-provoking read that feels younger than the target age, or that could be the narration -- though Georgette Perna was a capable narrator, she sounded like she was about 5. One night, a mysterious teenager shows up at the home of 6th grader Ellie and her mother. He turns out to be Ellie's grandfather, a driven scientist, who has discovered a rare jellyfish that can reverse aging, but has been chased from his own lab and into the custody of his daughter, Ellie's mom. Grandpa must enroll in middle school, and serve as Ellie's babysitter, while trying to figure out how to break into his lab to recover the precious jellyfish specimen. Things are tense -- middle schoolers learn garbage (he's not even listed in their science textbook!), and he is perpetually disappointed in Ellie's mom's life choices (she is a high school drama teacher). He does awaken a curiosity about science in Ellie, however, and the two become close. Ellie is inspired by scientists Jonas Salk, J. Robert Oppenheimer, and Marie Curie, until she begins to question the ethics and dark sides of scientific discoveries. A good book to recommend to kids interested in science, but not a top read for me.

34. A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway

I enjoyed Hemingway's vignettes about the bohemian life in 1920s Paris, when he was a struggling writer living cheaply with his wife and child, writing in cafes, and mingling with Ezra Pound, Gertrude Stein, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and other writers. Hemingway holds nothing back: sharing successes and failures, weaknesses for betting and drink, and unflinchingly honest opinions about his cohorts. Interesting read.

Recommended by Kerry (aviatakh) in New Zealand---Under the Egg, shades of The Mixed-Up Files and Chasing Vermeer with some Holocaust history thrown in, very good middle-school book!

Hi Anne - Scout is a delight. Thanks for asking. I could go on for a while, but I'll refrain. I loved A Moveable Feast when I read it years ago. I keep meaning to revisit.

I hope you're done with school?

The Fourteenth Goldfish sounds wonderful, Anne!

Just back to speak and marvel at your busy, busy life. Actually, all of you are busy, busy women. I love that reading is part of the mix.

Happy Memorial Day, Anne! I hope you are enjoying the holiday weekend, with the family.

And hooray, for A Moveable Feast! The Paris Wife makes a perfect companion piece, if you haven't all ready, read it.

>224 ronincats: Roni, thank you for the recommendation! When I popped over to your thread, the book sounded so familiar that I checked my Follett account, and saw that I had already added the book to my list of books to order for my library in the fall. I can't wait!

>225 BLBera: Hi Beth! No need to refrain around here -- we're like family! Not done with school yet -- in fact I have two more weeks. Students are finished on Thursday (Callia and Marina take finals Wednesday and Thursday), and though teachers are done on Friday, librarians have to go for a few more days. Between end-of-year meetings, summer institute courses, and wrap-up work at school, I'll be going through Friday, June 5. And then we begin our Vail residency with the Chorale and 72 middle schoolers on June 6:)

>226 lit_chick: Hi Nancy! I'll be interested to see what kids think of it. I think it might have been a better read for me in print. I'll probably be able to interest a lot of kids in it because of the popularity of the Babymouse and Squish books.

>227 LizzieD: Hi Peggy! I know we're all a very busy bunch around here! This year I have managed to get reading time in (particularly with audio books for commuting), but less LT time. Nice to know this wonderful community is here even when I can't visit as often as I would like.

>228 msf59: Hi Mark! Looks like you visited while I was posting:) We are loving the long weekend, and have even seen a few glimpses of this giant yellow orb in the sky that has been completely missing for the past few weeks! This is graduation weekend, and though Callia is a sophomore, she has been busy performing with the school choir at graduation, and visiting graduating friends' parties. Now the girls are studying for their finals next week.

Yes, I have The Paris Wife on my list. A Moveable Feast definitely left me wanting to know more, though I suspect it will make me sad.

35. Parnassus on Wheels by Christopher Morley, audiobook narrated by Nadia May

"A good book ought to have something simple about it. And, like Eve, it ought to come from somewhere near the third rib: there ought to be a heart beating in it. A story that's all forehead doesn't amount to much ... I've learned that honest work counts in writing books just as much as it does in washing dishes."

This 1917 novella was fun and charming. Helen McGill has been keeping house for and working the farm with her brother, who had suddenly got the notion to write, and published successfully. Helen doesn't think much of his literary aspirations, nor his increasing absences from the farm. When a man comes through in a mobile bookstore, wishing to sell the whole thing, horse and dog included, Helen buys it herself, mostly to prevent her brother from doing it. As she sets off, however, she relishes the opportunity for a vacation and an adventure of her own. What follows is an unexpected adventure, and a celebration of good books.

While I enjoyed the book, the audio experience was less than satisfactory. I know I shouldn't complain about something that's free, but this was my first loan from Hoopla via my local library. I have borrowed audiobooks via OneClick Digital and Overdrive before, but Hoopla was altogether different. As I downloaded the app, I was surprised to read so many negative reviews -- books stopping unexpectedly, starting again in random places, but that was exactly my experience as well. My biggest complaint was the book returning to the beginning. Often. It was a frustrating (though as I said earlier, free) experience. Also, this version did not open with the charming letter from the author to David Grayson, author of Adventures in Contentment, which inspired, if not the author, then at least his principal character. Still, I'm glad I read it. I have this book's sequel: The Haunted Bookshop in my TBR pile.

Hi Anne - It doesn't sound like you are going to have much of a break. I loved Parnassus on Wheels, which reminds me, I've always meant to read The Haunted Bookshop, too. Your thread has been a good source of suggestions. Too bad about the audio experience. Thanks for the warning.

I've had better luck than you with Hoopla, Anne, though I have experienced some of the issues you mentioned. Mostly, the stopping without reason issue, which means I have to go to the app and bring it back. Luckily, it usually starts up again where it left off.

Having said that, I prefer Overdrive (not having been able to get One Click to work for me on any of my devices).

I loved Parnassus on Wheels! It's the type of book I usually enjoy in audio. I'm sorry your audio experience was so bad.

I loved Parnassus On Wheels. It's quite a charmer!

Sorry to hear you had a problem with Hoopla. I've listened to a few books on it and never had a problem except that it would start playing again anytime any audio started (like a phone. call) on my phone. I usually just check out CDs when I can since that's the easiest way for me to listen in the car. Saving things to my iPod is a pain although I can listen to it in the car. I still need to figure out how to connect my phone through my car's sound system. First world problems!

I enjoyed Parnassus on Wheels too, but I had the print version. Much more stable interface!

I have a vague recollection of liking *Haunted Bookstore*, but I'm sure I've never read *Parnassus*. One day but on the page!

>216 AMQS: oh yea! Callia was only 13 (?) when I met her, she cannot be at university already...unless...As i suspected, that she was gifted ;)

>232 BLBera: Hi Beth! The audiobook itself was not a problem, but the platform was as problematic as the app reviews said it would be. I look forward to The Haunted Bookshop at some point. As for a break, I will have one, but not for awhile. After Vail I will have some time, which I am looking forward to! I love Vail also, and though it is a lot of work, it's very different work than school-work!

>233 Storeetllr: Hi Mary! It was frustrating. If I have the choice in the future I will not choose Hoopla, though the app reviews indicate that the problems started when the app updated. I'll bet they'll fix their issues eventually.

>234 cbl_tn: Hi Carrie! It's such a fun book, isn't it? The production was fine -- only the delivery was troublesome. I was glad the book was so short. Each time I had to find my place again I was glad I didn't have to sort through several hours of audio:)

>235 Copperskye: Hi Joanne, I usually do CDs also, but I've been trying other audio formats (Playaways, digital audio downloads) because I can't always get to the library when I need to. I like Playaways a lot -- they're so easy to play anywhere. Have you read The Haunted Bookshop also?

>236 ronincats: Roni, print is definitely more stable! It's interesting -- e-books do not check out at all. Even my colleagues in middle and high schools say they can't get kids to check out either ebooks or ereaders. We're not the only ones who like print books:)

>237 LizzieD: Hi Peggy! Parnassus on Wheels is fun, and very short. Definitely worth a read, I think.

>238 LovingLit: LOL, Megan:) I think she was 14. She's a smart cookie, but progressing at the normal pace, which is fine by me.

Yikes I somehow lost your thread and so much has happened since I was last here. The description of listening to Persuasion in particular made me smile - thanks.

>240 charl08: Hi Charlotte! I am having a very hard time keeping up with threads this year. Glad you found mine again!

36. A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd, audiobook narrated by Cassandra Morris

This is another 2016 Colorado Children's Book Award nominee. I'm not quite sure what to make of this book. It's the kind of book I wanted to love, but the narrative was sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo cute it detracted from a pretty good story. Felicity Juniper Pickle has arrived with her mother and younger sister in Midnight Gulch, Tennessee. Mama's people are from Midnight Gulch, and the town used to be magical, until the most magical folks, the Brothers Threadbare, grew jealous of each other, dueled, and were cursed. All that remains are "snickers" of magic. Felicity hopes to break the curse, unlock the magic, and cure her mother's wandering heart, which she tries to do the help of her new best friend Jonah, some magical ice cream, and her collection of words. Yeah. Sweet story, and if kids like it, there's a pretty cool anonymous-do-gooder element it would be fun to explore with social action next year, but it may be too cutesy to be widely popular with students.

The 2016 CCBA (junior book) nominees, by the way, are:
A Snicker of Magic
The Fourteenth Goldfish
Sisters
Loot: How to Steal a Fortune
Fish in a Tree
My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish
I Funny
Ever After High: The Storybook of Legends
Everyday Angel: New Beginnings
The Night Gardener

Thanks for the reminder about Parnassus and The Haunted Bookshop. They are languishing on my Kindle. Might be a good month to read those. :)

Congrats on finishing all the novels of Jane Austen.

I guess this one will be at the bottom on my Austen-list but still I've read it twice and will continue to read them all again in the future.

>243 nittnut: Jenn, I think it would! How's everybody at your house?

>244 ctpress: Hi Carsten! Yes, I never tire of re-reading Jane Austen!