Donna Is A Book Junkie! (4)

Nothing says SUMMER like wild daisies! The roadsides are a feast of wildflowers this time of year.

If I Had My Life Over - I'd Pick More Daisies
by Nadine Stair

If I had my life to live over, I'd dare to make more mistakes next time. I'd relax, I would limber up. I would be sillier than I have been this trip. I would take fewer things seriously. I would take more chances. I would climb more mountains and swim more rivers. I would eat more ice cream and less beans. I would perhaps have more actual troubles, but I'd have fewer imaginary ones.

You see, I'm one of those people who lived sensibly and sanely, hour after hour, day after day. Oh, I've had my moments, and if I had to do it over again, I'd have more of them. In fact, I'd try to have nothing else. Just moments, one after another, instead of living so many years ahead of each day. I've been one of those persons who never goes anywhere without a thermometer, a hot water bottle, a raincoat and a parachute. If I had to do it again, I would travel lighter than I have.

If I had my life to live over, I would start going barefoot earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall. I would go to more dances. I would ride more merry-go-rounds. I would pick more daisies.


And, because this is a book thread, here is today's picture from the Johnson County Friends of the Library Book Sale in Overland Park, KS.My three oldest grandchildren -- Audrey, Sadie, and Griffin -- had fun shopping! Their haul of 30 books is in front of them. We like to support (and use) libraries!

Six-Month Quick Summary
On track for Books Read - 58 this year compared to 54 at this time last year. Goal of 100
On track for Pages Read - 18,012. Goal of 30,000 Pages

TOP FIVE So Far:
Through Black Spruce - Joseph Boyden
Lamentation - C. J. Sansom
The Razor's Edge - W. Somerset Maugham
The Whistling Season - Ivan Doig
I Capture the Castle - Dodie Smith.
(only new-to-me books)








Books Read in August.
67. Mirror Dance by LM Bujold; read by Grover Gardner. 3.6 ⭐️
68. Some Luck by Jane Smiley. (read for Book Group) 3.7 ⭐️
69. Dead Man's Walk by Larry McMurtry. 3.8 ⭐️
70. 🏆Flood of Fire by Amitav Ghosh. 4.6 ⭐️
71. The Shore by Sara Taylor. 4 ⭐️
72. One Was A Soldier by Julia Spencer-Fleming; read by Suzanne Toren. 3.9 ⭐️
73. Brighton Rock by Graham Greene. 4.2 ⭐️
74.Another Man's Moccasins by Craig Johnson. 3.6 ⭐️

Books Read in July:
58. 🏆A God In Ruins by Kate Atkinson. 4.5 ⭐️
59. Academy Street by Mary Costello. 4.2 ⭐️
60. People of Darkness by Tony Hillerman. 3.4 ⭐️
61. The Dispossessed by Ursula Le Guin. 4.2 ⭐️
62. The Book of Strange New Things by Michel Faber; audio read by Josh Cohen. 4 ⭐️
63. The Little Free Library Book by Margaret Aldrich. 3.8 ⭐️
64. The Short History Of A Prince by Jane Hamilton. 3.7 ⭐️
65. The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold. Audio by Grover Gardner. 3.7 ⭐️
66. Dewey: The Library Cat by Vicki Myron. 4 ⭐️

Books Read in June:
50. Our Souls At Night by Kent Haruf. 4.2 ⭐️
51. The Coroner's Lunch by Colin Cotterill. 3.5 ⭐️
52. 🏆I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith. 4.5 ⭐️
53. Kindness Goes Unpunished by Craig Johnson. 3.9 ⭐️
54. The Birthday Boys by Beryl Bainbridge. 4.2 ⭐️
55. The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell (reread). 4.5 ⭐️
56. Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner (reread). 5 ⭐️
57. H Is For Hawk by Helen MacDonald. 4 ⭐️

Books Read in May:
40. Being Mortal by Atul Gawande. 4.2⭐️
41. Broken Harbor by Tana French. 4.1 ⭐️
42. Outline by Rachel Cusk. 3.9 ⭐️
43. A Pure Gold Baby by Margaret Drabble. 3.1 ⭐️
44. A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler. 4⭐️
45. Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis. 3.8 ⭐️
46. The Bees by Laline Paull. 3.4 ⭐️
47. Listening Woman by Tony Hillerman 3.9 ⭐️
48. Orhan's Inheritance by Aline Ohanesian. 4.1 ⭐️
49. 🏆Dinner with Buddha by Roland Merullo. 4.4 ⭐️

I love a CHALLENGE!

There are so many worthy choices on LT that it's hard to narrow my challenges down to a manageable few. This year my reading will be guided by TIOLI (Take It Or Leave It) as it has been for the past five years. I love this no-pressure group with varied challenges each month that inspire me to read my books on the shelf and library holds as they come in.

I was a completist in Mark's American Author Challenge in 2014 and was very happy to see twelve new authors lined up for the new year. I'll do my best, but as I am also pondering Paul's new British Author Challenge, I'll probably have to make compromises some months.

I am looking forward to the Hillerman/Longmire Project. I am listing the books here to help me keep track of them:
January - The Blessing Way ✔️
February - The Cold Dish ✔️
March - Dance Hall of the Dead ✔️ (Read in 2013)
April - Death Without Company ✔️
May - Listening Woman ✔️
June - Kindness Goes Unpunished ✔️
July - People of Darkness ✔️
August - Another Man's Moccasins ✔️
September - The Dark Wind
October - The Dark Horse
November - The Ghostway
December - Junkyard Dogs

American Author Challenge 🇺🇸

Carson McCullers- January: The Member of the Wedding ✔️
Henry James- February: The Turn of the Screw ✔️
Richard Ford- March: The Lay of the Land ✔️
Louise Erdrich- April: Books and Islands in Ojibwe Country ✔️
Sinclair Lewis- May: Babbitt ✔️
Wallace Stegner- June: Angle of Repose ✔️
Ursula K. Le Guin - July: The Dispossessed ✔️
Larry McMurtry- August - Dead Man's Walk ✔️
Flannery O' Connor- September: A Good Man Is Hard to Find
Ray Bradbury- October
Barbara Kingsolver- November
E.L. Doctorow- December: Ragtime

British Author Challenge 🇬🇧 (Not a Purist)

January : Penelope Lively: Family Album ✔️
Kazuo Ishiguro: The Remains of the Day ✔️

February : Sarah Waters: The Little Stranger ✔️
Evelyn Waugh: Scoop ✔️

March : Daphne Du Maurier: Jamaica Inn ✔️
China Mieville

April : Angela Carter:
W. Somerset Maugham: The Razor's Edge ✔️

May : Margaret Drabble: The Pure Gold Baby ✔️
Martin Amis

June : Beryl Bainbridge: The Birthday Boys ✔️
Anthony Burgess:

July : Virginia Woolf: Jacob's Room - DNF
B.S. Johnson

August : Iris Murdoch:
Graham Greene: Brighton Rock ✔️

September : Andrea Levy:
Salman Rushdie: The Satanic Verses

October : Helen Dunmore:
David Mitchell:

November : Muriel Spark:
William Boyd: An Ice Cream War

December : Hilary Mantel:
P.G. Wodehouse:

Read a Book:

1. Set in a country other than my own: Through Black Spruce - 3/3
2. That is a Genre Bender: The Book of Strange New Things - 7/18
3. That reminds me of my childhood
4. Chosen by someone else: Radiance of Tomorrow (chosen by Book Group - 3/7
5. Where an animal is of importance: The Bees - 5/22

6. With correspondence or letters: The Season of Migration - 3/11
7. That I've owned for more than one year: Christine Falls - 1/5
8. Translated from a language I don't speak: A Man Called Ove - Swedish - 2/8
9. Centered around a major historical event: The Ghost Road - WWI - 1/2/15
10. Published in 1915: The Good Soldier - 4/26

11. Where prophecies or portents are part of the plot: The Blessing Way - Navajo beliefs - 1/18
12. With scientists: The Sparrow
13. CAT - Stands for Category Challenge - FREE Space!
14. Whose author shares an ancestor's first name: H Is For Hawk - Helen MacDonald
15. With a natural disaster

16. With a mythical creature: At The Water's Edge - Loch Ness Monster - 4/29
17. With an LGBTQ character: Stuck In the Middle With You - 1/8
18. By an LT author - Brighton Rock by Graham Greene - 8/29
19. About language: Lexicon - 2/12
20. That is completely outside my comfort zone: Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant? - Graphic Memoir - 2/2

21. About Autism
22. Inspired by another piece of fiction: The Catcher in the Rye, inspired by My Salinger Year - 4/2
23. On a subject I'm unfamiliar with: Euphoria - anthropology of indigenous tribes of New Guinea - 1/30
24. Based on a fairy tale or myth
25. With a protagonist of the opposite gender: The Cold Dish - 2/6.

Thank you to the Category Challenge Group for coming up with the Bingo card and the interesting challenges.

Just as in last year's Random House Bingo game, some of these squares will be difficult for me to fill. I plan to read in my usual sort-of-planned but mostly spontaneous way and fill in the spaces accordingly.

Great pictures, Donna and a thoughtful piece on making life more interesting and fun.

Thanks for the introduction to the TIOLI challenges. I am having fun with those, but I have not followed through on writing about the books I'm reading for others to follow. Oh Well. At least I always write about my books under the comments section.

You have read a great selection of books this year.

Hey Donna!

I notice that you specify that you'll not be a "purist" for the BAC. I think I may be following suit. I was determined, but at the almost-halfway point of the year, I'm feeling oppressed by all the challenges! I know I'm the one who signed myself up, so I'm going to be the one to un-sign myself (down?)! :-)

Happy new thread!

Happy New Thread, Donna. I love wild daisies, what a wonderful photo.
Oh, book sale is always gorgeous. So nice to see the big smiles of your grandchildren. It must have been like in paradise for them.

Hi Donna and Happy New Thread! That's a wonderful quote in your opening post, but the picture is even better.

Re. challenges: I dropped all of mine this year and I don't know yet if I'm going to read a single 2015 Booker candidate. Can't have any pressure on my reading selection at the moment.

Have a lovely 2nd half of the week! :)

Holy moly, that's a monster of a book sale up there! And those young shoppers are adorable, as usual.

Happy new thread, Donna!

Hi Donna - Happy new thread. Love the quote and pictures at the top. You've done some great reading this year. To repeat what Amber said, this looks like a great sale.

Happy New Thread, Donna! Love the daisy topper and of course, the gorgeous grandkids!

>6 dallenbaugh: It is very fitting that another Donna is my first visitor! I have loved TIOLI from the very beginning even though I'm not active on the thread. I admire the creativity of the challenges, and it is fun looking for books on my shelves to match them. I also like the way you write your comments on books. We seem to favor the same kinds of books so it is helpful to me to see what you think.

>7 EBT1002: Ellen, I don't own any books by this month's BAC authors so will have to resort to the library again like I did for Ms. Drabble. That didn't work out too well for me. Haha. I'll be checking the thread for suggestions this time.

>8 Ameise1: Barbara, I read that daisies are not native to North America and all the wild daisies I see in fields and by the roadside are due to those self-sowing seeds. Whatever, they still make me happy! Yes, the grandkids all like to read and have fairly large home libraries. They also have Kindles and love to download books from the library. They are like me with their nose in a book in most of their spare time.

>9 Deern: It's good to see you here, Nathalie. Funny thing about those book awards. I made a point to read all of the Bailey's Prize (aka as Orange on my thread) short list winners except the WINNER! I guess that will give me an excuse to get How To Be Both again from the library when I have time to read it.

>10 scaifea: Amber, it's a great sale with excellent (i.e., cheap) prices. I have gotten very selective about books I buy as I am trying to downsize my 1,200+ books throughout my house. I can see it's going to be a long process, but I'm reading as fast as I can and still have some semblance of a life!

>11 BLBera: Hi Beth, thanks for dropping in.

>12 msf59: Mark, my thread is "official" now that you have given it your stamp of approval. lol.

Book No. 50: Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf. 4.2 stars.

"Someone will see. Come by the front door out on the front sidewalk. I made up my mind I'm not going to pay attention to what people think. I've done that too long--all my life. I'm not going to live that way anymore." (Pg. 8)

Man, it's tough getting old! I never even thought about how long the nights could get if I were alone. Addie has a solution that worked for her, but I can't see myself knocking on a neighbor's door and inviting him over for a sleepover. Still, Haruf makes the situation seem plausible as Addie and Louis help each other through the lonely nights. He also gives new meaning to the word "relationship" and lets the reader know that consenting adults are perfectly capable of creating their own idea of a "new normal", to use an overworked psychobabble term. He even included a young boy and a dog to make this a complete heartwarming experience. My only quibble with this book is that it was too short -- as was the author's life. I'm glad he found one more book in him to write in his last days.

Great picture of the grandkids, Donna...and a wonderful beginning to your new thread! 30 books...that's quite a haul! Be sure and let us know what YOU found! ;-)

Obviously, I should have read the messages at the end of your previous thread before I jumped to the new one! :-0 So now I know what you found at the sale. And I know you're all having a wonderful time at the meet-up! Too bad I'm in Texas! Oh, well...maybe next time.

I'm looking very forward to Haruf's Our Souls at Night. Glad you enjoyed, Donna.

Lovely pic of grandchildren hauling books! Yay!

Hope you are having a great time at the sale today! One of these years...

I was reading too quickly and thought you said, in >14 Donna828:, "I can see myself"--oops!

Lovely picture of the grandkids and what a great experience to share with them.

I'm a little late to say that Orhan's Inheritance is on my big library stack at home, and I'm hoping to whittle away at said stack and read it this month while I'm dogsitting.

Lovely new thread, Donna. I was most intriged by the Kent Haruf book. I have a bad habit or hoarding books by authors I love and I have done that with two Haruf books on my shelves, but knowing that there is one more of his out there, perhaps I can finally bring myself to actually read another of his!

Glad you had a good time at the book sale, but only two? You must be slipping, woman! ETA: What is this thing you call "downsizing?"

Hope you are having a great meetup today, which reminds me ~ when are you coming back to Denver so we can have another here?

Look! You have a nice short thread, so I'm not intimidated!

I really enjoyed having lunch with you and Brenda (and her girls) today! I hope you can come to St. Charles in July. Here's a link to the Book Fair information: http://stchlibraryfoundation.org/FriendsSummerBookFair2015.

Now I'm off to catalog my books.....

Hi Donna, I'm sorry Our Souls at Night didn't work as well for you as for me, and I would have liked a more complex story too, but there's no doubt Haruf will be missed.

>15 Nancy618:, >16 Nancy618: What a nice surprise to see you posting here, Nancy. I thought you would be far too busy with grandkids and a new house to check LT. The meet up was great fun as always. We talked about going to St. Charles next month. I hope you'll be able to go. I also hope I'll be able to go. That's a busy birthday time for my family.

>17 lit_chick: It is funny how my two favorite Nancys frequently post in tandem. Grandchildren and books make up my favorite pictures!

>18 ronincats: We missed you at the sale, Roni, even though we were there at separate times. It's a good thing I left plenty of books for Terri!

>19 bell7: Hi Mary, it's good to see you here. I'll be sure and check out your comments on Orhan's Inheritance. It's a book that deserves a little more attention.

>20 DeltaQueen50: Ah, another book hoarder. Haruf's books are so heartwarming and on the short side so they could be used as comfort reads on a difficult day. I read Our Souls at Night in one sitting while the kids were at their various summer day camps. I'm glad to have your visit, Judy.

>21 Storeetllr: This downsizing is no fun at all, Mary. I remember the halcyon days of creating my little library, and now I am turning many of my books out into the world for others to enjoy. We aren't planning a move this year, but it is coming, and I doubt we will find a house with so many built-in bookcases--and a separate library just for me! I am going out to Denver sometime in early August. Rebecca needs a break and I will be helping Mike with Hope while she visits her friend in Minneapolis. I will need a break from the hot, humid Missouri weather that will be starting up soon.

>22 tloeffler: Yay! A Terri visit. It was so good seeing you and Brenda yesterday. And, yes, it was fun meeting Brenda's daughters. You and I will both be heading home today. Have a safe trip! I will let you know about July in St. Charles. It sounds like more book and friend fun. Thanks for the link.

>23 lauralkeet: Laura, I wanted Our Souls At Night to be a 5-star book for me, but it just wasn't. I still enjoyed it very much. Addie and Louis will be in my thoughts for some time.

Pretty new thread, Donna, with a great pic of the grands. They grow awfully fast!

Like you, I know a move is coming, +/- 3 years. Bleah. Every time I look around the house I get a bit depressed about the amount of work ahead of me.

Hi Donna, I wish you a fabulous weekend.

Downsizing is hard. I find that I have an easier time with fiction books than with non-fiction. I probably did better with my books that were still at my Dad's house when we were going through stuff after the funeral than I would have on my own because Jeff was there to tell me that I didn't need them. On the ones that were hardest for me to not keep, he was right. They were all going to be readily available to me at a library that will be near us for the few times I might actually want to use them.

Happy new thread, happy book haul, happy grandkids, happy daisies. Lots of Happy over here. :)

Happy new thread, Donna! Lovely thread toppers up there - sounds like you have been keeping plenty busy. Hoping that your Saturday is filled with fabulous!

Oh dear, downsizing. I kind of look forward to having a bit less space but I do NOT look forward to the process of moving. But in this expensive city, we talk almost constantly about moving into a smaller home. With just the two of us and the cat, well... we don't need a lot of space, really! Of course, the books do take up some room.....

We downsized a LOT to move to New Zealand. In some ways it was hard. There are things (like books) that I gave up that I still suffer pangs of regret over, and I definitely don't want to talk about my Land Cruiser... but. But. It was totally liberating. We can live happily with so much less stuff. I hope I can always remember that lesson, because it's so easy to acquire stuff.

Happy Sunday, Donna! It just started raining here and I think it is going to be that kind of day. Glad I am not working in it.

Hope you are enjoying the weekend and getting some "book time" in.

Donna - Downsizing is hard. Usually in the spring I go through my shelves and ask myself if I am REALLY ever going to read the book again. My daughter teases me when she sees four or five books in the donate pile, but baby steps, right?

And you never shared what books you got at the book sale. My nephew just got married and bought a house in KC, so I want to make the trip one of these days. Maybe our paths will cross.

I got home Friday evening and have been on the run ever since! I am ready for some lazy summer days.

>25 Matke: Yes, grandkids grow just as fast as our children did. I'm just glad to be part of their lives. Gail, I hope we are out of this big house in three year's time. It may take me that long to clear out the accumulated junk! I am tired of being a house slave…

>26 Ameise1: How lovely…thanks, Barbara.

>27 thornton37814: Lori, I'm glad your Jeff was a help to you on all those extra books. I'm sure my dear husband will be at my side telling me I don't need to move over 1,000 books. I know that, but it will be hard saying goodbye.

>28 nittnut: Happy, happy! That's me these days. Thanks for reminding me, Jenn!

>29 Crazymamie: This was a great weekend, Mamie. I wish our Missouri State baseball team had won the game today that would have put them in the college World Series. Oh well, it's been a good run. And I did get some reading done. I'm almost ready to begin the newest Longmire book for our group.

>30 EBT1002: Ellen, housing is fairly inexpensive in our area, probably extremely cheap compared to Seattle and other major cities. We will be looking for a ranch-style house with a basement for my hermit husband. Actually, I am more of a recluse than he is, but he does love his man cave. Right now we have 5 bedrooms and 6 baths which is a little much for two people!!

>31 nittnut: I remember when you sold or gave away many of your books, Jenn. I had so much fun collecting my books, but I know the library will be my best friend when we do move. I am estimating that there are around 1200 books throughout the house (including my husbands!) which I would like to whittle down to 300 books that I can't live without!

>32 msf59: Mark, I did manage to get some quality book time in. It was a very satisfying weekend. I also had to water for the first time this season. I think our monsoon weather is finally over. Instead of rain, we had humidity. Ugh.

>33 BLBera: Baby steps is my principle method of clearing things out, Beth. I meant to take the 20 books I recently culled to Half-Price Books in KC last week but forgot them. They buy everything but one doesn't get much for them. The only two book I bought for myself are ones I plan to keep: Love Medicine and Breakfast With Buddha. I've read both of them. I would love to meet you in person. I am still thinking about going to Iowa City in October. If we don't meet there, Kansas City would be a good possibility. I love having an excuse to see my grands there.

"Book No. 51: The Coroner's Lunch by Colin Cotterill. Audio read by Clive Chafer. 3.5 stars.

"After 72 years, he'd seen so many hardships that he'd reached the calmness of an astronaut bobbing about in space. Although he wasn't much better at Buddhism that he was at Communism, he seemed able to meditate himself away from anger. Nobody could recall him losing his temper."

Now that I am approaching that magic age of 70, I enjoy finding new heroes of a certain age. Dr. Siri Paiboun fits the bill nicely. He is smiling most of the time while he approaches his new appointment as National Coroner of Laos with aplomb. He also finds he is quite good at it with the help of his spirit friends and his two capable assistants. Life in the 1970s in Laos under a new Communist regime required tact, patience, and plenty of self-assurance. Dr. Siri has these things in abundance. I can see why this has been such a beloved series on LT. This one was short enough to be just about right for a road trip to Kansas City and back. I own a copy of the book as well, but I liked listening to it as I could never figure out the pronunciations on my own! I look forward to more adventures with my new hero.

>35 Donna828: Donna, I have that one on my Kindle and hope to get to it this month. Glad to see you enjoyed it.

Hi Donna--Not to the downsizing stage of things yet: still have one in high school. And I can see how nice it would be to have less house, less cleaning and maintenance, but the thought of less books...! I just got new shelves in this house so I can see all of them! Nope. Not ready yet. : )

Love the shot of the grandkids!

>35 Donna828: Ha! Isn't Dr. Siri great, Donna? If you liked that first one, you have some enjoyable reading/listening ahead of you.

Hi Donna! I'm catching up on threads while watching the U.S. In the Women's World Cup. I'm looking forward to reading the new Kent Haruf book, and I still have some of his backlist to read too. I just picked up Where You Once Belonged at Prairie Lights. I enjoyed the audo of The Coroner's Lunch too. It brought the context to life for me.

I'm also excited to see that you are still considering a trip to the Iowa City Book Festival. They have the 2015 dates up - it's the first weekend in October - but no mention of who is on the schedule. They often have a bigger name on Friday night (last year was Marilynne Robinson), so I'm anxious to see who is coming this year.

I am so glad you got to The Coroner's Lunch. It is such a good series and very consistent. I love Dr. Siri and the gang.

I read the first one in print but I listened to the rest on audio, which I prefer.

I'm going to have to try the Cotterill's on my husband -- he loves reading mysteries set in exotic places and these do sound good! Best of all I think the library has them!

>36 lauralkeet: Yes, Laura, all the other LTers who have enjoyed Dr. Siri wouldn't steer us wrong.

>37 Berly: Less books…*sigh*…I am resigned to the fact that I will never get them all read. The new shiny books keep calling to me, and I can use the library for them. It was fun building my private library, but I will have to find some new homes for many of my books. No worries, I'll keep my favorites and ones I know I want to read. Thanks for stopping by. I may start calling you "Busy Berly"!!

>38 jnwelch: Joe, it is great to "discover" a new series. You are correct, between Dr. Siri and Sheriff Longmire, I won't run out of compelling books anytime soon.

>39 porch_reader: The first week in October is wide open right now, Amy. My husband wants to drive up with me. Yay! He enjoyed my book trip to Boulder last year. He used is for his personal R & R. He drives through Iowa City occasionally and has told me how picturesque it is. I'm sure he will find places to discover and, who knows, there may be a visiting author he would enjoy.

>40 msf59: Mark, it was fun to listen to, but I'm glad I had a print copy to check out the spelling of names. I would never have figured it out on my own...especially Dr. "See lee" for Dr. Siri!

>41 sibylline: It sounds like win-win to me, Lucy. I hope your husband enjoys the Dr. Siri books. One of my favorite things about them is learning how one can be a communist by playing along to get along without losing one's soul.

Book No. 52: I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith. 4.5 stars.

"I write this sitting in the kitchen sink. That is, my feet are in it…"

Thus begins this fiction chronicle recorded in her journals by 17-year-old Cassandra about what it was like to live in a cold, dark castle with little money for daily needs. I rediscovered my worn copy, which I bought years ago because I liked the title, after I read about it on the "buzzfeed" list of 15 Books to Spark Your Feminist Awakening. I pulled it down from its dusty resting place, read the first page, and recommended it to my book group. Cassandra lives in rural Sussex with her famous author father who is stalled in his career after one book, her flamboyant stepmother Topaz, sister Rose, and a younger brother. They are supported by Topaz's nude modeling jobs and the small salary of Edward, the handsome orphan who has a major crush on Cassandra.

Nothing much happens in their world and her journal is mostly a description of the castle, complete with moat and tower, and the surrounding countryside. When the Cotton Brothers, Simon and Neil, arrive from America to survey their new inheritance, life gets much more interesting. Rose has set her sights on the wealthy Simon whether or not love enters the picture. This is a book about unrequited love or a "game of second best" wherein all the characters seem to be attracted to the wrong person for them. It's a fairy tale of romance and longing reminiscent of Jane Austen. Cassandra is a combination of naivety and powers of observation that seem more refined than her girlish longings. I really enjoyed this well-written book and probably would have given it the full five stars if I had read it at a more susceptible age. I hope I can convince my older granddaughters to read it and discover the way relationships work…or don't work.

Hi Donna, I wish you a relaxed weekend.

Busy Berly Here! LOL. I loved your review of I Capture the Castle. I keep hearing the title, but I have never known what it is about. And you gave it 4.5 stars--that sounds like a winner! Have a great weekend.

>44 Ameise1: Barbara, that looks like my porch swing -- minus the lacy coverlet and pretty pillows…and all those luscious plants. Hmmm, if and when this heat and humidity is lessened, I may have to make mine cozier. My work for the weekend is pretty much done. The rest is relax and play time. Alas, no granddaughters around to play with. My DH and I are off to tent theater tonight, and my friend Nancy and I may go see "Far From the Madding Crowd" tomorrow. A different kind of playtime than I am used to!

>45 Berly: Hey there, BB! I Capture the Castle is a winner. I compare it to A Tree Grows in Brooklyn as far as the writing and old-fashioned feel goes. I hope you get some quiet time this week end!

Book No. 53: Kindness Goes Unpunished by Craig Johnson. 3.8 stars.

"How's your daughter doing"?

"She's improving, starting to have involuntary responses." I thought about Henry. "We brought in a specialist."

Book No. 3 in The Longmire Series had a different feel to it with the setting in Philadelphia. Henry Standing Bear is in the city at the invitation of the museum where he is showing his photographs. This time, Sheriff Longmire (and Dog) are just along for the ride so he can visit his daughter, Cady, who is a Philly attorney.

Before he even gets to see her, she is injured in a fall which puts her in a deep coma. Deputy Vic's family just happens to be a cadre of policemen who are on the case, aided by the unofficial help from Walt and Henry…and Vic herself. This is another page-turner involving a labyrinth of corruption and drugs which have ensnared Cady's boyfriend and his friend, the Assistant DA.

Walt sleeps very little in this book and Henry, also known to Walt as "Cheyenne Nation," plays a part in Cady's recovery with his healing songs. I missed Wyoming, but liked this better than I expected to as we saw more of the human side of the characters. There is so much that goes on in these books that I have returned to the print version so I don't miss a thing! I have also reserved the first season of Longmire at the library so I can see how the books transfer to the screen.

Enjoy the theatre.

Funny. I recently bought I Capture the Castle and just bought the new Kent Haruf novel (audiobook). After your reviews I want to read both soon. Haruf is such a wonderful writer.

Been away a while from your thread, but thanks for all your reviews. I was glad for the warning on The Good Soldier on your previous thread - I had a suspicion it would be quite gloomy - and I think I will skip that one - even if it is a famous classic.

Have a nice sunday Donna.

Aw, porch swings - I love those and it's my dream to have one some time, it should ideally look like the one in Barbara's pic. I hope you enjoyed yesterday's theater and will enjoy today's - Happy Sunday to you!

I'm waiting for library requests for both the printed and the audio for Kindness Goes Unpunished. - whichever comes first, I'll go with. ***taps foot inpatiently*** I'm looking forward to hearing him read on Tuesday as he circles through Montana on his tour.

I also have signed up for a place in line with a library hold on Anne Hillerman's Rock with Wings.

Hi Donna - I've heard so much about Craig Johnson lately, that I think I have to try one of his books.

Looks like you've had some good reading here while I've been tied up with the conference.

>35 Donna828: and >43 Donna828: are both books I enjoyed too. Great reviews!

I just read the first in the Longmire series. I liked it a lot, but there was a little too much foul language for me, "police mouth" notwithstanding...

Hmm, have not read any of the Longmire books, but I've watched the series on Netflix and very much enjoyed. Odd, no bad language in the tv production at all (well, very little).

>48 Ameise1: Barbara, the show and local talent was great. It rained in the afternoon and cooled off, so it was a good night for some outdoor entertainment.

>49 ctpress: I love book coincidences, Carsten. I think we enjoy similar books and, yes, I agree that Haruf's writing is superb. Thanks for your visit.

>50 Deern: I spend as much time as I can on the porch swing, Nathalie. Early morning is my favorite time. The birds are more active and the sun hasn't gotten too hot. It was a small investment for much pleasure. My friends and I enjoyed "Far From the Madding Crowd" on Sunday. We heard it followed the Thomas Hardy book--which I haven't read. The scenery was awesome.

>51 streamsong: Oh good, another LTer gets to meet Craig Johnson. Mark had his picture taken with him when he was in Chicago. I'm getting a tinge of green from jealousy, Janet. I do love his books.

>52 BLBera: You definitely should, Beth. They are well written for western-type mysteries or police procedurals. I'm not exactly sure what the sub-genre would be. I think I'll just call them "good reads"!

>53 thornton37814: Lori, I think I've been having more fun than you lately. I hope you get some reading time in now that the conference is over.

>54 nittnut: Thanks, Jenn. I can pretty much ignore the foul language in some books. I just accept that some people have potty mouths. I hate it, though, when kids swear in books…and in real life.

>55 lit_chick: I have the first season reserved at the library, Nancy. I'm glad to hear that my tender ears won't be assaulted! I'm looking forward to a western marathon. I hope my husband will join me.

Book No. 54: The Birthday Boys by Beryl Bainbridge. 4.2 stars.

"We panted like dogs when pulling the loads, and heard our breath crackle as it solidified on the air. We sweated from the effort, and that froze, too. If we were quick enough, or had heart enough, we could jump up and down and shake the particles out above our boots, but mostly it sank into the material of our clothing and suited us in armour." (136)

I know enough about the Scott Expedition to Antarctica to know that Beryl Bainbridge captured the essence of the adventurers' courage and determination in the five different voices she channeled. The angle about each of the men 'celebrating' a birthday under formidable circumstances humanized their predicament. I liked getting the different perspectives of their journey and their impressions of what they endured. I had previously listened to much of The Worst Journey in the World based on one of the survivor's journals and found Bainbridge's fictionalized accounts spot on.

Each of the five narratives advances the quest to reach the South Pole. It was heartbreaking that for all their efforts they would be second to the Norwegians. It is evident that Scott's leadership was inept and just as evident that his men were loyal and brave to the end. The book is a labor of love and a tribute to the men who wouldn't turn back. I recommend this book to those who enjoy retellings of true adventure stories.

I love the opening image. Exposing the children to books is a wonderful thing to do.

>56 Donna828: I am getting a bit of reading time in now. I'd planned to do more today, but I've been busy on a client project and had several errands that needed to be run as well. I also attended a webinar tonight.

We missed you tonight Donna!

Happy new thread, Donna! Love the book sale pic! While I am not at the downsizing stage, I am at the 'status quo' stage where I need to think about purging a book for every new book brought in. Luckily, that does not apply to e-books, just physical books. ;-)

>44 Ameise1: - I would so love to own a porch swing!

Hi Donna, I wish you a fabulous weekend.

Trying to catch up a bit. Hope you're having a great summer.

I can't believe it has been a week since I checked my own thread. Summer just started two days ago…and it's already flying by!

>58 Whisper1: Linda, most young children love books so it is an easy thing to do with the little ones. I'm glad my older grandkids still love to read. Audrey is just like her Grandma D. with her nose in a book much of the time.

>59 thornton37814: Lori, I don't know how you working women (and men) around here find so much time to read. I sometimes wish I could just disappear from life for a week or two and spend it with my books.

>60 Copperskye: The meet up with Jim looked like a lot of fun, Joanne. I'm glad you found the latest Pritchett book at the new Tattered Cover. I really like their new location. My son said the sooner the better for another visit from me. I think he needs a break! I was going to try and hold off until August, but may look at the last week of July instead for my next trip to Littleton.

>61 lkernagh: Hi Lori, the "status quo" thing has worked well for me for a couple of years now. I am proud of myself for releasing so many of my books to be read by others. I am also using the library more than I used to and buying some Kindle books that don't take up space on the shelves.

>62 Ameise1: I love the vibrant colors in those flowers, Barbara. My weeds are gaining on the flowers in my yard due to recent heavy rains followed by hot temps. I was doing so well with my gardening earlier in the spring. I may have to rent a goat that knows the difference between flowers and weeds!

>63 RebaRelishesReading: Reba, Summer is going well but my reading and LT time has seriously diminished recently. I'll have to catch up when the dog days of summer set in!

Book No. 55: The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell. 4.5 stars.

"The Jesuiit scientists went to learn, not to proselytize. They went so that they might come to know and love God's other children. They went for the reason Jesuits have always gone to the farthest frontiers of human exploration. they went ad majorem Dei gloriam: for the greater glory of God. They meant no harm." (From the Prologue)

I read this book seven years ago, and it both amazed and repelled me with the story of life on Rakhat after a team of Jesuits and scientists traveled there to make contact with those who were transmitting the haunting music into space. Mary Doria Russell did such a wonderful job of creating rapport between the team members in the early part of the book, that their outcome was a wrenching experience for me. I remembered enough so that in my second reading I could concentrate more on the world she created and the effect it had on the various beliefs and values of faith of the space travelers. I was still amazed that she could pull me into a science fiction book like she did and that I liked it even more the second time around. Now I have no more excuses to put off the reading of the sequel, Children of God. It is near the top of my TBR stack.

>64 Donna828: Donna, I take a share of such a goat, too.

>64 Donna828: I'm "off" for the most part until mid-August; however, I have taken on a couple of genealogical clients to occupy part of the time. That, of course, cuts into the total amount of reading time I will have for the summer, but I'm still making pretty good progress at the moment.

I should probably re-read The Sparrow, too, Donna. That "wrenching" aspect has made me hesitate. I'll look forward to hearing your reaction to Children of God; for me, it brought a very interesting new perspective to what came before.

I'm looking forward to your next visit, Donna, and the earlier the better! I still need to get to The Sparrow. "wrenching"?, oh dear.....I am intrigued, though. Plus so many LTers love it, including you and Mary!

>68 jnwelch: Children of God . . . brought a very interesting new perspective to what came before

Yes!

>70 Storeetllr: :-)

I reread The Sparrow recently too, Donna! I loved being able to pay more attention to how Russell created that world. I still haven't read Children of God. I loved The Sparrow so much that I'm afraid it will be a letdown. But I've read all of Russell's other books, so I should read it while The Sparrow is still fresh in my mind.

>65 Donna828: Donna, I'm about 100 pages into The Sparrow but have temporarily put it to one side because I was finding the build-up to whatever terrible events are about to happen a bit too much for me. I'm still hopeful that I'm going to get back to it at some point in the next few weeks. I'll be interested in your thoughts on Children of God - I have that one too but have heard that some people were disappointed with the sequel.

Hi Donna, sorry I've been away so long but you know how that goes.
I adore the Daisy poem and how true it is!
I've been purging books myself lately and take them to my local bookstore for credit towards new books. It really is a freeing experience to see them walk out the door.
I love reading your posts concerning your grand kids. I hope I'm a fun, bookloving, kid loving grandma someday.
Enjoy your summer and fill that bingo card up, lady!

Happy Saturday, Donna! I am so glad you made time for the Sparrow and loved it once again. I am a bad re-reader, but I am really looking forward to a reprise with that beloved novel.

Hope all is well, with you, my friend and you are enjoying a nice weekend.

Hi Donna, I wish you a fabulous weekend.

I Capture the Castle is one of my favorite books! And there is quite an interesting movie with the wonderful Bill Nighy (did I spell that right? - you know the very tall thin elegant English fellow. ) playing the impossible father.

>66 Ameise1: Barbara, since the goat hasn't shown up here yet, I spent some time after our rain and cool-down yesterday pulling weeds. I'll go back out again today when my weedy garden is in the shade. Let me know if the goat shows up at your place. lol.

>67 thornton37814: Lori, I had forgotten you worked for a university library (I hope I got that right) so you have the luxury of taking summers off. Summer and reading are a good combination for me. We are having a cool weekend for late June which translates into porch swing time for me!

>68 jnwelch: I seem to be into rereading, Joe. I just finished my second reread for the month, Angle of Repose. There are some years that I don't reread two books! I guess I'm feeling nostalgic these days.

>69 Copperskye: Oh yes, please do read The Sparrow, Joanne. After all, it is by Mary Doria Russell, whom I believe is incapable of writing a bad book! I think you can handle the 'wrenching' part. No dogs are involved!

>70 Storeetllr: Encouraging… I'll be reading Children of God this summer.

>71 jnwelch: Hi again, Joe.

>72 porch_reader: Amy, I am in complete agreement with you as usual. The Sparrow was an amazing debut book. Let me know when you plan to read Children of God and I'll read along with you.

>73 souloftherose: Hi Heather, I don't expect Children of God to be in the WOW category with The Sparrow so I won't be disappointed. I do want to follow up on the people of Rakhat as well as the character of Emilio Sandoz. I hope you get back to The Sparrow soon. I could not put it down both times I read it!

>74 Carmenere: Lynda, I know you've been in your beloved Mexico so your absence is totally understandable. I'm not as forgiving of myself for not doing better at keeping up with my LT friends. I have enjoyed sending some books out into the world. As you said, it is a freeing experience. I have no doubt at all that you will be Super Grandma when that time comes for you. Will is growing up fast but I think you have a few years to concentrate on your mothering skills. As for Bingo, I will probably have to search out the last few books. I haven't actively looked for books to match the criteria as yet, but I do want to complete my card.

>75 msf59: Things are well here, Mark, although I am entirely too busy to enjoy the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer! Rereading works well for me if I let enough time go by. It's like visiting old friends when I go back to a favorite book. I try not to overdo it. It just worked out that I reread two in a row. Enjoy your weekend!

>76 Ameise1: Interesting looking fruit on those trees, Barbara. I'm assuming they are lemons and the closer perspective makes them look gigantic! Ummm, now I am craving lemon meringue pie -- my favorite. Have a great weekend.

>77 sibylline: Lucy, it's good to know that I Capture the Castle is a favorite of yours. It doesn't seem to get much attention around here, but then, it's been around a long time. I will look for the movie!

Book No. 56: Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner. 5 stars.
I first read this book in 1997. It stood the test of time for me, and I'll stand by my 5-star rating.

"What interests me in all these papers is not Susan Burling Ward, the novelist and illustrator, and not Oliver Ward the engineer, and not the West they spend their lives in. What really interests me is how two such unlike particles clung together, and under what strains, rolling downhill into their future until they reached the angle of repose where I knew them. That’s where the interest is. That’s where the meaning will be if I find any.”

Lyman Ward is a broken man whose wife left him when he needed her most. He spends his days locked in a wheelchair going through the letters and journals of his grandmother and writing her biography. In the lives of his grandparents who went west with a big dream, he tries to gain understanding about his own life.

I love this type of sprawling generational book with the framework of the importance of writing and remembering. I also love stories of perseverance, endurance, and big dreams like those of Oliver Ward, the engineer who wanted to civilize the west by bringing water to its barren expanses. None of the characters were particularly sympathetic but they lived their lives as well as they could. I think this quote near the end sums it up fairly well…"Quiet desperation is another name for the human condition." Not a happy story, but there were some nuggets of hope here and there which I held onto just as Oliver held onto his dream, whatever the cost.

Stegner's epic was based on the life and letters of Mary Hallock Foote. She was best known as an illustrator and spent much of her time while her husband was away at the mines drawing scenes of everyday life in the west. She also provided much of the family income while he followed his dream. Here are a few examples of her art…

Angle of Repose has been on my radar for years, ever since I read Stegner's critical analysis of Cather's My Antonia for a college English course I took in my 40s. Why I've never gotten to it is beyond me, but your excellent review has spurred me to request a copy from the library and read it this summer. So thanks for that! And for the history lesson and images of Foote's drawings.

Hope you're having a great weekend!

>79 Donna828: They are indeed lemons from the Amalfi coast in Italy, Donna and they grow that big.

Hi Donna, I hope you're enjoying the summer. I haven't been around on LT much lately but hope to remedy that.

Donna, delighted that Angle of Repose stood the test of time with 5*. Stegner was a wonderful gift to me from LT.

I'm a Stegner fan too! I must get back and read more. I loved The Spectator Bird.

>65 Donna828: I was trying to think why the author's name sounded familiar lol. Then I realized, she wrote Epitaph. I am not usually a fan of science fiction, but maybe I'll give The Sparrow a try. Since you liked it. :)

>81 Storeetllr: The weekend was busy and productive…except for reading. The weather has been good for being outside so I have been busy sprucing up the gardens one more time before I give it up for the summer. I do keep my flowers watered but weeding only happens when the humidity is bearable. I hope you like Angle of Repose, Mary. I think the historical aspect of it is intriguing.

>82 Ameise1: Wow! I could make a whole pie from one lemon!

>83 lindapanzo: Hi Linda! I haven't been out and about much on LT either. It's a big enough job just keeping my little thread alive.

>84 lit_chick: Aw, so glad you discovered Mr. Stegner with the help of your LT friends, Nancy. I have made some good discoveries, too, including some wonderful Canadian authors.

>85 mdoris: Mary, I plan to read The Spectator Bird and then will revisit All the Little Live Things which I read some time ago, not knowing it was the sequel to TSB. Have you read that one?

>86 nittnut: Jenn, I think of The Sparrow as more literary than much of the science fiction I've read, which, admittedly, isn't all that much. I have started listening to The Book of Strange New Things which is another one about a not-too-distant planet. I think Joe read it and liked it. He and I seem to like a lot of the same books. And I seem to like visiting alien creatures these days!

Book No. 57: H Is For Hawk by Helen Macdonald. 4 stars.

"I stood there, raised my arm, and whistled the whistle that meant, Please come. This is where you want to be. Fly to me. Ignore the towering clouds, the wind that pushes the trees behind you. Fix yourself on me and fly between where you are and where I am.…the beating wings brought her straight to me, and the thump of her gripping talons on the glove was a miracle. It was always a miracle…There was nothing that was such a salve to my grieving heart as the hawk returning." (135)

Helen Macdonald lost her father suddenly and was thrown into a deep immobilizing grief. She had loved raptors her entire life and had trained falcons, but always wanted the challenge of training a goshawk. She thought that the intensity might help her through the grieving process. Whether it did or not isn't certain as we all grieve in different ways. But it did provide a challenge that was almost too much for her. Extreme patience and careful monitoring of the bird's food are important aspects of raptor training. She wrote about the fascinating process in great detail as she reread the experiences of T. H. White of The Once and Future King fame when he trained a goshawk to help him with his socialization problems. He made many mistakes that she avoided because of all the research she had done. She also had friends who were helpful in the difficult process of training an animal that can't be tamed.

I'm a believer in the power of animals to soothe a broken spirit, but am not convinced a hawk that rips its prey to pieces while still alive would be my animal of choice. After I finished the book this evening, I sat on my deck and watched a Red-tailed Hawk that was taking a break on my neighbor's wooden fence. I got the binoculars out but didn't think to grab my phone and take its picture. They are beautiful birds. They seem a bit on the small side compared to the owls around here, but when they stretch out their wings to fly, they can be pretty impressive. I don't think I was as enamored of the book as some of my LT friends. I thought it was very well-written but I didn't need to know so much about the feeding habits of the birds. Blame it on my squeamish stomach!

This is an internet image of the sight I saw from my deck this evening.


And this is what it looked like when my "neighbor" took off.

I hear the hawks around here more than I see them. Their call reminds me of a sea gull! Occasionally, one will have his breakfast in our backyard, but mostly I see them high in the trees or on telephone poles. It was quite a coincidence that this one paid me a visit as I sat on the deck mulling over the book!

Hawks are amazing birds, aren't they? We have a raptor center nearby where they rehabilitate injured birds and they are beautiful up close.

I went to the used bookstore yesterday to get a couple of books to take to the beach and found a copy of Children of God. I started last night and I'm already about 75 pages in. So far, I'm loving it. I fell right back into the story.

I live very close to Hawk Mountain, a superlative site for raptor watchers, particularly in the fall migration season. I just reviewed a handsomely illustrated book about the sanctuary. https://www.librarything.com/topic/189318#5195902

Birds of prey fascinate me. I would love to learn falconry but the closest location for that is an hour's drive up island, which is also a raptor education and rehabilitation center.

Hi, Donna. I'm slowly getting caught back up on LT after vacation.

Love your reviews of The Sparrow, I Capture the Castle, and Angle of Repose! I wholeheartedly agree with your assessments of the latter two, but have not gotten around to The Sparrow, yet, even though trusted reviewers laud it. It's been a stretch for me, but I'm doing the Science Fiction Challenge over in the Category group. Perhaps The Sparrow will fit in one of the upcoming month's themes. I loved her Doc and A Thread of Grace, so I ought not to dismiss it just because its science fiction!

I'm following your downsizing talk with interest. I just can't imagine someone with a family like yours intentionally aiming for a smaller house, and am anxious to hear how it will all play out. It was really hard on me to give up my six bedroom house for a two bedroom. How, I moaned, is it to be done? I have five children. Where will they sleep when they come back to visit? And their families? It tore me up that all my children wouldn't be waking up at home on their visits. There are no hotels nearby, nor could we afford it if there were. So far, our solution has been the state park six miles away. The cabins are nice, right on the lake, and affordable. In reality, it's probably been easier on the kids than on me. They get a breather from the gathering in too-small a space. But I'm always interested in the solutions of others at this time in their family life.

Hi Donna, I wish you a lovely weekend.

Independence Day is a big holiday around here. DH and I celebrated our 47th Anniversary with sparklers and smoke bombs! My daughter and family came down from Kansas City so the house has been rocking for the past few days. It may take me a few more days to get back on track…

>90 porch_reader:: I would love to visit that raptor center, Amy. Good to know that Children of God is a page turner. I hope to read it this month but library books are taking over my life again.

>91 weird_O: Wow, that is a very cool book. Hawk Mountain is aptly named.

>92 lkernagh: I am feeling left out, Lori. As far as I know, we don't have a raptor sanctuary near us.

>93 countrylife: Cindy, to me The Sparrow is more a literary book partially set on a different planet rather than what I would call pure science fiction. Please read it sometime and decide for yourself. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

I was very glad to have three levels of house the past few days. With two built-in babysitters, we were able to turn the kids loose in the basement while the adults were able to visit without too many interruptions. You are right that it is nice to have room for the kids and grandkids to spread out when they visit, but we do have a Plan B. My son and DIL live in town and also have a large house. They also love to entertain and have more patience than Grandpa and I do! I am worn out with my treasured memories of the latest invasion…tongue-in-cheek, of course.

>94 Ameise1: What a lovely spot to sit and read or just to sit and watch the world go by. Thank you, Barbara.

A few pictures of the grands…


Molly (2), Sadie (13), Griffin (7), Haley (4), Audrey (11)
Oliver and Moses


The "parade" to visit the Neighborhood Little Free Library.
Griffin is leading the way to the library, barely visible to his left.


Audrey and Griffin (standing on rock) make their selections.


Sadie is very serious about making her choice.

Side Note: One of the books I donated was Marley and Me…which was Audrey's pick!
That may be a record for the shortest time a book has been in a Little Free Library.

Hi Donna, and happy summer to you! Love all of the photos, particularly the ones of your grandchildren visiting the Little Free Library and and Library sale! Like you, I loved I Capture the Castle, The Coroner's Lunch, and Angle of Repose. You got me with The Birthday Boys!

Looking forward to your visit in August.

Hi Donna! Sounds like you had a nice holiday weekend. Love the photos of the grandkids and the puppies.

And hooray for the Little Free Library. Grandma teaching those kids right!

Wonderful photos of your grandkids at the Little Free Library. I wish we had one nearby and have been contemplating starting one here, though I'm not sure the landlord, not to mention the HOA, would allow it. I'll have to check.

I've just started the audio of H Is For Hawk last night. I like it so far, and love the narrator, who happens to be the author (lovely British accent ~ I could listen to it forever), though I had a hard time identifying with the depth of her depression over the death of her father, since I did not have a very good relationship with mine. I've had to recall my feelings of grief at other losses I've suffered to understand at all.

Looking forward to seeing you soon!

What a fun way to celebrate your anniversary! I discovered a Little Free Library in my neighborhood during a Sunday morning walk two weeks ago and then I discovered a second LFL just down the road from my dentist's office. Motivation to arrive early for my next dental appointment. ;-)

What fun to take the grands to the LFL.

Love your photos, Donna, of both the grands and the LFL. They are all gorgeous!

Hi Donna, happy belated anniversary. What a joy to see your grands making their choice. Thanks so much for sharing the photos. You must have had a blast.

>88 Donna828: H is for Hawk intrigues me. I probably won't mind the feeding habits bit since I had to study that sort of thing in school. :)

Looks like you had a great 4th of July weekend. Love the photos of the grandkids at the Little library.

Love to see pics of your grands, Donna, and lovely that Oliver and Moses took part in the photo! Looks like they're all readers, parading to the library : ).

>97 AMQS: Hi Anne, I'm glad you have also enjoyed some of my recent reads. Kids and books are a great combination, aren't they? My grands know that visits with Grandma D. will involve books in some way or other. They really loved the idea of free books! My plans are still to be decided, but I am going to try and get out to Denver in July before your school starts. Mike needs a baby break!

>98 msf59: Independence Day put a crimp in my reading, Mark, but it is always a treat having the kids here. Having the dogs visit was fun, too. We took Lucky over to my son's house so he could hang out with his pal Cassie, the Black Lab. He gets nervous when there is too much excitement!

>99 Storeetllr: I hope you continue to like H Is For Hawk, Mary. I still miss my dad who died after Christmas in 2004. He was very strict (career army man…we were the home troops), but there was no doubt in my mind that he loved his family. I'm sorry you didn't have the best of fathers.

>100 lkernagh: Lori, you are lucky to have several little libraries to visit. I am thrilled with the one. I know where another one is, but haven't stopped to visit yet when I've driven by. One of these days…

>101 thornton37814: Lori in Tennessee…they loved the idea of a neighborhood library and may try to get their dad to build one for them.

>102 Copperskye: Thanks, Joanne!

>103 Ameise1: A blast, yes. Thanks for the smile with the excellent pun, Barbara. The anniversary was celebrated in a different way this year. No going out. I'd rather have my kids here any day. Wish the Colorado contingent could have come. I hope we can all get together in three years when we celebrate 50 years.

>104 nittnut: Jenn, I understand that nature can be harsh, but my stomach rebels at eating live animals. Biology was my least favorite subject in school. I chose good lab partners for dissections! Did you get to celebrate the 4th in NZ?

>105 lit_chick: I loved our little parade, Nancy! Moses and Oliver are used to a fenced yard so they enjoyed all the walks they got to take around here. Lucky went over every inch of the yard with his nose when he got home from visiting Cassie!

I FINALLY finished my first book in July!



Book No. 58: A God In Ruins by Kate Atkinson. 4.5 stars.

"The truth was there was nothing else he wanted to do, could do. Flying on bombing raids had become him. Who he was. The only place he cared about was the inside of a Halifax, the smells of dirt and oil, of sour sweat, of rubber and metal and the tang of oxygen. He wanted to be deafened by the thunder of her engines, he needed to be drained of every thought by the cold, the noise, and the equal amounts of boredom and adrenalin. He had believed once that he would be formed by the architecture of war, but now, he realized, he had been erased by it." (305-6)

We first met Teddy Todd as Ursula's beloved little brother in Life After Life. He is literally resurrected in this companion book of the Todd Family. His story doesn't involve all the new beginnings that Ursula experienced, but Atkinson proves to be an expert time juggler as we move back and forth through Ted's life from age 12 until nearly the century mark. By the end of the book, I felt as if I knew Ted and his family quite well. The personalties and actions of the characters made more sense as I learned more about their past experiences. Even the very nasty Viola, Ted's only child, had a reason for her extreme unhappiness.

Ted found his calling in the skies over Germany as he bombed the targets of the enemy during WWII. He went far above the 30 missions he had signed up for and was loved by the crews that worked with him. However, the bombing of Hamburg (one of my favorite German cities) awakened his conscience as he recalled the "cauldron of flames" and "the smell of burning flesh rising from the pyre" from far above. No wonder he vowed to be a "kind" man after the war. He set about to live a quiet life working in his garden and raising the grandchildren who had been so mistreated by Viola. If there is another book about the Todd Family, I hope it tells the story of Sunny and Bernie (Moon), who survived their early years due to their grandfather's love and influence.

I love good historical fiction, and this book fits that category. But you must remember that Kate Atkinson is the author and be prepared for a twist or two. That's all I can say without spoilers. Fair warning, the book was slow for me in the beginning, and I wondered if I was missing something, but as soon as the war heated up, so did the book. In fact, I might say this is one HOT book!

Here is the 6-Month Summary i just put in Msg. #2:

Six-Month Quick Summary
On track for Books Read - 58 this year compared to 54 at this time last year. Goal of 100.
On track for Pages Read - 18,012. Goal of 30,000 Pages.

TOP FIVE So Far:
Through Black Spruce- Joseph Boyden
Lamentation - C. J. Sansom
The Razor's Edge - W. Somerset Maugham
The Whistling Season - Ivan Doig
I Capture the Castle - Dodie Smith.
(only new-to-me books)

It's been a good year so far!

Significant Books of the 21st Century:

2012: Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel
2011: The Memory of Love by Aminatta Forna
2010: The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer
2009: Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
2008: Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh
2007: Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill
2006: Half Of A Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - Orange Prize
2005: A Thread of Grace by Mary Doria Russell
2004: Gilead by Marillyne Robinson - Pulitzer Prize
2003: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
2002: Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
2001: Life of Pi by Yann Martel - Booker Prize
2000: White Teeth by Zadie Smith

I found this list when I was updating my list of books read for my book group. I'm not sure why I stopped posting my "Significant 21st Century Books"...

Update:
2013: A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra
2014: Lila by Marilynne Robinson.

I've read six of these and agree they were top notch books. Looks like I need to catch up on some more good reading.

>107 Donna828: Well, I'm glad that I'm not the only person off to a slow start for July. Your review of A God in Ruins is great. I had it from the library but couldn't get to it before it was due back.... I may have to wait until it comes out in soft cover and just buy a copy at that point. I worry that too much time will have lapsed since I read and loved Life After Life.

Oh, I loved The Invisible Bridge.

Happy Friday, Donna! Great review of A God In Ruins, (your touchstone is off). Atkinson nailed it again, didn't she?

Grand grands! I love the photo of Griffin leading the way!

Tell me more, please, about your Significant Books list. Is this published somewhere or the very best of what you have read or? Looks like some great books on the list!

>110 dallenbaugh: Donna, I would wholeheartedly recommend any of them. They weren't always the highest rated book of their year, but they are the ones I wouldn't mind taking on a desert island with me to read over and over again.

>111 EBT1002: Ellen, mine is also a library copy that I got read just under the wire. The Fourth of July festivities took up almost a week of my time, although the kids were here for only three days. It's all the cooking and cleaning beforehand and the after-visit cleanup that wear me out so much!

>112 Ameise1: I loved The Invisible Bridge, too, Barbara. I will read it again someday. I have copies of most of my significant books as permanent members of my library, but I still need to look for good copies of a few of them I have a lovely hardback of the Bridge book.

>113 msf59: She sure did, Mark! I rated her two latest books 4.5 stars, but I might give the edge to A God In Ruins. Thanks for the heads-up on the touchstone. I haven't read the Leon Uris title, but he was a favorite of mine back in the day.

>114 streamsong: Griffin is a born leader, Janet. When I was at their house in June, they got up a neighborhood kickball game and Griffin was the first one to call "Captain" although he was the youngest one playing. He made a good Captain, too! On my significant books list, those are my own picks for books that came out in those years. At least I hope I got that right. I definitely read them in the year they are listed, and they were pretty new. Just reading through the titles makes me smile. :-)))

Book No. 59: Academy Street by Mary Costello. 4.2 stars.

"Over the years, over long winter nights and summer afternoons, Tess found a new life in books… She became herself, her most true self, in those hours among books. I am made for this, she thought." (121, 122)

Nobody does pathos better than an Irish author. In this wonderful debut novel by Mary Costello, we learn much about Tess Lohan, although in real life Tess is the sort of woman who would be in the background and not be noticed by many of us. From the first pages when Tess was a young girl mourning her dead mother and through her schooling and nurse's training, she was a quiet loner. Even when she emigrated to America to be with her older sister, she slips into her nursing job making few friends along the way. One, however, had a cousin that awakened a spark in her that made her feel connected to him in a special way. Alas, the feeling wasn't returned and, nine months later, she became a single mother to Theo.

I usually don't give so much information about a book, but since this one is such a detailed character study, Tess's story is prominent. Costello does an excellent job of evoking an emotional response in the reader. It would be difficult to read her exquisite prose without a tear in the eye and a lump in the throat. Tess may have lead a timid life but she was able to experience the joy of having a career, raising a child, and forming a close friendship with one of her neighbors. She also developed the love of reading when Theo left home and went his own way. Through books, "she was of the mind that this evocation, this kind of dream living was sufficient, and perhaps, in its perfection, preferable to the feeble hope embedded in reality." (121)

Tess is a character that seemed real to me. I have known people like her, and part of me also has that same feeling of not connecting to the outer world at times. Through the exploration of her inner life, Ms. Costello has created a memorable character full of longing and life. I look forward to see what she undertakes in her next book.

Hi Donna! It looks like your July is off to a great start! I read Angle of Repose last month and it was a 5 star read for me as well. I'm glad that the re-read held up so well for you.

Happy Sunday, Donna.

Hi, Donna.

My wife gave me H is for Hawk as an early birthday present. I'm really looking forward to it. I've also got A God in Ruins on my radar.

Hi Donna - Thanks for sharing pictures. You've done some fantastic reading lately. I loved both Academy Street and A God in Ruins.

>118 cbl_tn: Carrie, it looks like we were of like minds on Angle of Repose. My rereads have all been holding up so far. I hope the trend continues.

>119 Ameise1: I hope your weekend was a good one, Barbara.

>120 jnwelch: You have a very kind wife, Joe, to give you such a great early birthday present. I think you and Mabel the Hawk will get along great.

>121 BLBera: Beth, do you feel as if someone might be stalking your books? I can't help it, I get the best recommendations from you and a handful of others around here. Keep up the good work so I can "discover" the best new books. Thanks!

Book No. 60: People of Darkness by Tony Hillerman. 3.4 stars.

"As a first step, Jimmy Chee must study the white man and the way of the white man. When he came to understand this white man's world which surrounded the People, he must make a decision. Would he follow the white man's way or would he be a Navajo?" (62)

Jimmy Chee, who works the New Mexico region of the Navajo Nation for the tribal police. is introduced in this suspenseful story. Jimmy has a degree in anthropology and is very interested in learning the ways of the medicine man or "singer" for his tribe. He also has ambitions for crime-solving and has a chance to become an FBI agent. Given the war name of Long Thinker by his uncle, he ponders his decision as he investigates a theft, a missing body, and a 30-year-old cold case of a mine explosion that killed six men. They all seem to be connected, as is the assassin who is following him and the young woman he is trying to protect.

As usual, Tony Hillerman has created a tight plot in this fourth book in the Leaphorn/Chee Mystery Series. I am learning to appreciate a good mystery, but I still prefer the Native American learning aspect of these books. I enjoyed the Navajo legends, the importance about witchcraft beliefs, and the significance of amulets; in this case, the unlikely mole amulet. Most of all, I liked learning more about the beauty of the Navajo Way.

>123 Donna828: You are coming right along on your Hillerman reads! I enjoyed them years ago. I don't think I made it through the entire series, but I don't remember where I stopped because I wasn't tracking reading back then.

Hi Donna - I think it's a mutual thing. I've gotten some great recommendations here, too. I loved the Hillerman series. Have you read any of the ones by his daughter?

>124 thornton37814: Lori, my husband was reading the Hillerman books a few years ago, and I read a few of them out of order. Now I am reading along with the group on LT which is reading them in sequence which is more satisfying to me.

>125 BLBera: I haven't read any by the daughter, Beth. I have a looong way to go!

Book No. 61: The Dispossessed by Ursula Le Guin. 4.2 stars.

"Anarres is all dusty and dry hills. All meager, all dry. The towns are very small and dull, they are dreary. Life is dull, and hard work. You can't always have what you want or even what you need, because there isn't enough. You Urrasti have enough. Enough air, enough rain, grass, oceans, food, music, buildings, factories, machines, books, clothes, history. You are rich, you own. We are poor. we lack. Everything is beautiful here. Only not the faces. On Anarres nothing is beautiful, nothing but the faces. We have nothing but that, nothing but each other. Here you see the jewels, there you see the eyes. And in the eyes you see the splendor, the splendor of the human spirit. Because our men and women are free--possessing nothing, they are free. And you the possessors are possessed…" (228)

Sherek is the greatest physicist alive in this future world. The only problem is that he is a member of the anarchist group that split away from the mother planet, Urras, to live in freedom on Anarres. Urras is a land of lush vegetation and plentiful water, both of which are in short supply on Anarras. Le Guin goes to great lengths to describe the vast differences in the two planets. Would you rather live in beauty but be "owned" by the powers that be or live in a harsh environment and have autonomy? Which one is the true Utopia?

Shev's goal is to share his Theory of Time to help build unity between the planets -- until he becomes disillusioned with Paradise and discovers the squalor of the underclass which has been hidden from him. He is afraid that his supporters on Urras want to use his theory as a means of gaining control of the Solar System.

This is an intelligent book of ideals and the belief that "brotherhood begins in shared pain." It took me several chapters to get into it, and I never did completely understand Shev's time theory, but it wasn't imperative to the main themes of freedom and unity. This is a very deep book which demands careful reading (and, in my case, some backtracking and rereading). It would be an excellent book for discussion.

Great review of The Dispossessed, Donna! It looks like I should have read this one in print and not done the audio. I think back-tracking and rereading sections would have benefited me immensely. I may have to try it again at a later date.

I am currently listening to Missoula. Another tough one, my friend, but a definite Must-Read.

I remember enjoying Le Guin's The Dispossessed when I read it a million eons ago (okay, a few decades), but I don't remember anything about it but the title. I recently read something new by her that was very strange but strangely compelling ~ Changing Planes. If you like her style and general subject matter, I think you'd like this one. (I listened to it on audio but, as Mark said about The Dispossessed, think I may have gotten even more out of Changing Planes if I'd read it in print.)

>125 BLBera: I read both of Anne Hillerman's series continuation novels: loved the first one, thought the second was disappointing.

Great reviews you've got happening around here, Donna. I loved Academy Street and got a good chuckle out of your comment that "nobody does pathos better than an Irish author." I read The Dispossessed a couple of years ago and I think much of it went over my head. But I liked it.

What's up next for you?

>128 msf59: Oh yeah, I must get to Missoula soon, Mark. So many books… I would have been lost at times in Dispossessed if I had been listening to it. Le Guin seems to be one of those authors that demand close reading.

>129 Storeetllr: Thanks for the rec, Mary. I just finished a "strangely compelling" book. I seem to be rather taken with those lately. I still have quite a few of Tony's books to get to before I can give Miss Anne a trial run. I don't want to rush the master!

>130 EBT1002: Well, I haven't read a huge amount of books by Irish authors, Ellen, but they seem to like to write about the hardscrabble side of life; i.e., alcoholism, extreme poverty, etc. Even with a little bit of rereading, some of the philosophy in The Dispossessed went over my head…but that didn't keep me from liking the book either. What's up next for me? I just started The Short History of a Prince by Jane Hamilton. I thought it might be light and refreshing, but is starting to get a bit intense. Not a bad thing, it just has more substance than I was expecting.

Book No. 62: The Book of Strange New Things by Michel Faber, read by Josh Cohen. 4 stars.

I wish I had a quote to start out this review, but when I listen to a book I usually don't take notes. As I mentioned to Mary, this book fits my category of "strangely compelling." I have been listening to it all month every night before bed. It took me a little while to get used to Cohen's British accent but it turned out to be just the voice for the book, especially when he read the Oasan's version of English that sounded like something was caught in his throat and he was strangling. That turned out to take even more getting used to. There were many strange new things in this book! It turns out that the title comes from what the natives of the planet, where Peter Leigh is chosen to be pastor, call the Holy Bible. They have a thirst for scripture that Peter mostly fulfills from the Book of Matthew. It was interesting that Faber's book has 28 chapters, as does Matthew's book.

Peter has had to leave his wife Bea behind in England, but they are able to communicate via The Shoot, a form of email. As Peter becomes increasingly immersed in his experience on the Planet Oasis, Bea becomes increasingly distressed by world events on Planet Earth. As chaos ensues, Bea, who is responsible for Peter's salvation from his prior life as a drug addict, loses her faith and declares "There is no God." To me, this book is primarily a book about faith…it reminded me somewhat of The Sparrow. I seem to be reading a lot of speculative fiction lately which used to be entirely out of my comfort zone. I am beginning to think of the exploration of outer space as one might view the challenges of creating relationships in a foreign land. Peter must adjust to living with the scientists in an almost clinical setting while getting to learn the strange new ways of an alien society where the individuals are recognized by the color of their robes and are referred to as 'Jesus Lover No. 1'…No. 2…etc.

I don't know who to recommend this book to. I just know that it grew on me as I followed along with Peter's experiences on Oasis. I'm not surprised that the reviews on Amazon are all over the place. This is a book that defies classification and one which is hard for me to describe why I liked it. Too bad I traded away my copy of The Crimson Petal and the White as I really liked Faber's quiet way of telling a story.

>131 Donna828: Jane Hamilton is one of my favorite authors. Her Map of the World is a book I loved while reading and have thought of a lot since. Hope you enjoy your JH read.
I'll have to check out The Book of Strange New Things. The Crimson Petal and the White is another one of those books that has stayed with me over the years.
I also missed the St. Charles meet-up :( I'm hoping we can reconvene in Iowa this October.
In the meantime, enjoy your Colorado trip! (as if spending time with Hope and her parents needs an "Enjoy yourself" admonition :)

I had a similar reaction to The Book of Strange New Things, Donna. "I don't know who to recommend the book to." I thought the same thing after I finished it, good as it was. Reminding you somewhat of The Sparrow - nice; I can see that one.

Hi Donna - Nice review of The Book of Strange New Things - it sounds like something to check out.

>80 Donna828: I am not doing the British Author challenge, let alone the US Author challenge this year. But I do really want to read this one. I couldn't read the whole of your review as don't want to ruin it for myself, but you have reminded me :)

I love the outing to the Little Free Library pics. Another reminder that I cold take some of my overflow to my semi local one of those. Thanks....I have a lot more on my to do list now!

Happy Sunday, Donna! I am so glad you enjoyed The Book of Strange New Things. It was my Hawaii book, if you remember. Strangely hypnotic, is a good way to describe it. I also enjoyed his deliciously creepy Under the Skin. I still want to get to The Crimson Petal and one of his story collections, both I have on shelf.

Well, if you and Mark both enjoyed Book of Strange New Things, I am sure I will too, especially if it is reminiscent of The Sparrow!

Hope you're having a great weekend, Donna!

Wow, Donna, great reading and great reviews going on here!

And of course, the grands look marvelous and are growing way too fast.

>57 Donna828: A new BB for me...

>65 Donna828: The Sparrow is on the kindle and you've bumped it up to next month...

>80 Donna828: Angle of Repose: I loved it. I was swept away when I read it and have been somewhat disappointed that not all readers have felt the same.

>89 Donna828: I love hawks, although I won't be reading the book. Auburn U., about 30 miles from here, has a large raptor center and they bring the birds to town once in a while. Amazing, beautiful things.

Speaking of Irish authors, have you read The Story of Lucy Gault by William Trevor? It's one of my all-time favorite novels.

Just stopping by to say hi! The wedding of my son and now daughter in law is behind me now! It was very lovely, but I am glad it is behind us! A lot of stress! On my thread I put a link to a few of the pictures.

Just noticed your ' significant books " of the 21st century. I'm not exactly sure what my list would look like, but I have read 6 of the books you have listed. Someone Knows My Name - and Canadian award winner is definitely on my list, as is Cutting for Stone, Kite Runner and Half of Yellow Sun. I read A Constellation of Vital Phenomena and The Memory of Love and while I enjoyed them, I think I loved other books a little more.

I've got a A God in Ruins in my TBR pile - once my full concentration returns, I'm looking very forward to that book! Glad that you enjoyed!

Wonderful review of The Book of Strange New Things, Donna! I am looking forward to getting around to reading that one at some point.

I agree with you and >139 Matke: on Angle of Repose. It was only my second 5 star book of the year with the other being Brown Girl Dreaming.

Nice review of Academy Street and straight onto the wishlist it went. The book quote you chose was the fatal b.b. that got me.

This is going to be a very busy week for me. I have bridge games at the studio both today and tomorrow. Also a birthday lunch with friends and dinner with my DIL's mother who is coming for a visit the day before I leave for CO on Thursday. I need to be well-rested for my drive as there will be no stopping in KC this time. Just 12 hours in the car with me and my audio books!!! The bonus is that my daughter and family are in CO and I will get to see them on Sunday as they are planning to spend the night in Denver before they head home to KC… This is probably more information than anyone wants or needs to know!

>133 brenpike: Brenda, I have good memories of both The Book of Ruth and Map of the World, although its been ages ago when I read them. I didn't think I'd like the subject matter of The Short History of A Prince, but was quickly won over by her writing. I am in high hopes that the Iowa trip comes to fruition. Dave and I are planning to make it a weekend getaway so that makes it a priority!

>134 jnwelch: Joe, I think Strange New Things will be on my mind for quite awhile. Must check into some of Faber's other books.

>135 BLBera: Hi Beth, take a look at it, read some reviews…and open your mind. It's a good book to provoke deep thoughts and the writing is very good.

>136 LovingLit: Hi Megan, I hope you enjoy The Birthday Boys. It's a book that deserves a bigger audience. Let's get Mark to read it, so he can do some warbling!

>137 msf59: Oooh, Mark, 'deliciously creepy' makes me want to read Under the Skin. I do remember when you read the Strange book. What fun to read it on vacation in Hawaii!

>138 Storeetllr: My weekend was good, Mary. Some friends and I went to see Blythe Danner in "I'll see you in my Dreams", a funny and poignant movie aimed at women of a certain age!

>139 Matke: Hi Gail! I'm glad I got you with a few book bullets. Isn't Angle of Repose a wonderful book? I too wish everyone else loved it as much as we did.

>140 EBT1002: Thanks for reminding me, Ellen. I have read Lucy Gault, another book full of pathos and one I would like to read again.

>141 vancouverdeb: Deb survived! I'll be right over to check out the wedding pics. The lovely memories will last and, hopefully, the stress will soon be forgotten. Keep in mind, my significant books came from the short list of books I read in the year they were published. At least that's the way it started out. So far this year, I've read around a dozen new books. A God in Ruins is the frontrunner so far!

>142 lkernagh: I hope you like the Strange New Things book, Lori. I think you will.

>143 streamsong: Yay! Another Angle of Repose fan. Brown Girl Dreaming is on my wish list. Thanks for chiming in, Janet.

>144 countrylife: I don't think you will be disappointed in Academy Street, Cindy. It's a very short book full of wonderful quotes, bookish and otherwise.

Now it's time to think BRIDGE!!!

Put me on the list for loving Strange New Things and Angle of Repose.

I read his Crimson Petal and White, Donna, and it wasn't my cuppa, although I know it's a favorite of others.

>148 jnwelch: That's where I came out as well, Joe. It started strong for me but bogged down.

Hi Donna

I'm simply stopping by to wave hello

Yep, that is a busy week. Stay calm, and have fun! Oh, yes, and good luck with the bridge games!

Have a great week and stay safe on the drive. :)

>147 dallenbaugh: I'm glad you share the love, Donna. They are two very different types of books but they share thought-provoking ideas.

>148 jnwelch:, >149 lauralkeet: Hello to Joe and Laura. Thanks, guys, for your opinions. Now I don't feel too bad about purging my copy of The Crimson Petal. I do think I will read Faber's Under the Skin at some time, though.

>150 Whisper1: Waving back, Linda. It's always a treat to hear from you as I think of you daily.

>151 Storeetllr: Mary, I'm calmer now that my eight hours of bridge-playing is over! That game is a mind bender but in a good way.

>152 nittnut: I hope to get a good night's sleep tonight, Jenn, so I can "enjoy" my 12 hours in the car tomorrow. I've already started listening to The Vor Game, and it's a good one. Bujold's books make good traveling companions!

I have enlarged the book cover so it's easier to see the examples of Little Free Libraries.

Book No. 63: The Little Free Library Book by Margaret Aldrich. 3.8

"A library outranks any other one thing a community can do to benefit its people. It is a never failing spring in a desert." ~Andrew Carnegie

This delightful coffee table book gives lots of pictures and information about the Little Free Libraries that are popping up all over the world due to the vision of two men in Wisconsin in 2009. One built a replica of a little red schoolhouse to honor his mother's love of reading. An educator at the University of Wisconsin saw it and wanted to expand on the idea. Today there are approximately 25,000 Little Free Libraries in existence -- including the one in my neighborhood!

The book is a feast for the eyes with pictures on every page of the large variety of creative ways to offer free books. I also loved the stories of the people who have been inspired to start their own library to promote the love of reading. This is a must-have book if you are even considering the idea. There are even some steps to building a little library in the back of the book or they can be purchased through their web site.

After seeing this, Donna, I realize we have to get busy and decorate my mini library. So far, Scout is the only one who has offered any decorative input.

Oh, but I do love Scout's efforts! One of the designs had chalkboard sides so the message or picture could be changed frequently. She might love that!

Book No. 64: The Short History Of A Prince by Jane Hamilton. 3.7

"I know I've been saved by books," Walter went on… "I mean literally saved, and I suppose it wouldn't be such a bad thing to try to help people understand that books have that sort of power. That, ah, redemptive power, if you will." He was pleased with himself by the fact that he was already quite capable of speaking like an English teacher. (69)

I've had this book on the shelf a long time. I bought it because it was short-listed for the Orange Prize in 1999. I haven't read it until now because I wasn't in the mood for a coming-of-age story about a teenage male ballet dancer who (shock!) just happens to be gay. However, it didn't take me long to get into the story thanks to the skillful prose of Ms. Hamilton.

This is not only a story about a passion for something that one might not necessarily have the required talent, but is more the story of family when tragedy strikes. Setting plays an important role in the book. The longtime family summer home in Lake Margaret, Wisconsin, where the extended family has gathered on holidays for generations is becoming rundown and a bit of a problem financially. It's amazing to me to see how much heartache a family can endure and still survive.

>154 Donna828: Oh, that looks like a fun one, Donna. We love the LFL's, and are looking into trying one in front of our house.

>154 Donna828: - I just placed a hold for a copy of that one through my local library. Love the LFLs I keep encountering!

wow 64 books thus far! I am woefully behind. I think the pain medications make me lethargic and sleepy and it is difficult to concentrate.

It hasn't stopped me from accumulating more books however. Will was kind enough to take me to a local library (we have four within driving distance.) I think I bough 16 for a total of $13.50.

The Night Circus was brand new -- What a buy for $1.00!

Wishing you safe travel and fun times in CO :)

Donna, are you in CO already? Is this a long visit, or are you staying awhile? Regardless, I'm thrilled to be able to see you in a couple weeks. Enjoy your stay!

Great reading here -- seems like you're reading more fantasy/dystopia? I've never read anything by Ms. LeGuin, but I would like to. I have the first two of her Earthsea books here.

Have fun on your trip, Donna!

Safe travels, Donna! Enjoy the books on tape!
You've got a couple of good'uns! See you soon!

>154 Donna828: Aaaaaw! I just found the first Merano Little Free Library in a park, what a coincidence. I had already read the more interesting books, so didn't take anything, but will leave some of my books there very soon.

Wishing you a very happy weekend with family meet-up and a safe trip back home!

Ah, Donna, I'm on the Fire and really can't say a lot, but I do so love your reading and reviewing! I'll be back.....
Great pics too..... Glad you're bringing up those grandkids in the way they should go!

>154 Donna828: That looks like a fun book.

*drive-by lurk*

>158 jnwelch: I hope you get to have your own LFL someday, Joe. The book I read would be an excellent resource for you.

>159 lkernagh: you will enjoy the book, Lori. And, lucky you, to keep running into Little Free Libraries in your meandering.

>160 Whisper1: What a great book haul, Linda! You will feel like reading again someday. I am trying to avoid book buying situations, but I caved yesterday when I heard a nearby bookstore was going out of business. All books were a quarter! Who could pass that one up?

>161 brenpike: Thanks, Brenda, I always do the wave-by thing when I pass Lawrence on the turnpike!

>162 AMQS: I arrived in Littleton Thursday evening, Anne. It was a long 12-hour solo drive. My DH is flying out here on Friday and we will start the drive home after the meetup on Sunday. Still waiting to hear what time we are meeting...

>164 Storeetllr: It's always fun when I get Hope time, Gail! I had a bonus yesterday spending time with my daughter and family as they spent the night in Denver after their vacation in the mountains.

>165 Deern: That is a fun coincidence, Nathalie. Good to know the LFL Libraries are alive and well in Italy. Thanks for your good wishes.

>166 LizzieD: I only have my phone and iPad with me, Peggy. It's unhandy typing on the smaller screens, isn't it? I am doing my best to promote reading within my family. It's a fun and easy way to create those lifelong bonds.

>167 thornton37814: It was, Lori. Check it out!

>168 ronincats: Hi Roni. I enjoyed listening to The Vor Game on the trip out here. I'm so glad I gave The Vorkosigan books a try. They make the Miles fly by on road trips!

A few Hope pictures...


It's always a good time when cousins visit.


Hope in the hot tub. She loves her bubbles!


Sharing a snack with Cousin Gwen, who is 4 days older than Hope. Aunt Rachel came to help with garage sale. Rebecca in background.


Hope was the official garage sale greeter. Plus, she is a big dog lover...even when the dog is a wolf! Only in CO!

Hi Donna! I'm glad you made it safely to CO and I'm glad to see that you'll have company for the drive back. That was a smart move to have Hope greeting the garage sale shoppers. I know I wouldn't be able to resist stopping to browse. If she's a dog lover, I bet she and my Adrian would soon be fast friends. He's a people lover. We often see a little girl - probably about Haley's age - who lives in the house at the end of my road when we walk that direction. Adrian doesn't think his walk is complete until he's seen her. If she's not outside, he will sit down in the middle of the road and stare at the house. I guess he thinks that if he stays long enough, eventually she'll notice him and come outside!

Adorable pics, as always :)

Oh, just look at that Hope! Adorable!

>172 cbl_tn: "Like" That Hope sure is a cutie, Donna.

Those grandkids grow too fast! Hope is so big! I thought, "that looks like a wolf". Then I read where you said it was a wolf. But the picture shows a baby WITH a wolf! Were your hands shaking when you took that picture?

Hi Donna! Love the grandkid photos! Love the wolf too! LOL. Hope just wants to play, right?

aaaawww ! As the others said, just adorable! :)

What great photos of your grandchildren. Hayley is really growing into quite a lovely young lady. I remember her striking baby photos. I hope your day is a good one.

Great photos, Donna. It's unbelievable that Hope is walking! Time flies.

Oh my! A wolf! I wonder if it was a hybrid? The hybrids and full bloods both have names in these parts as unreliable pets. There used to be a couple that brought a wolf to the grade school each year, and the kids loved it. But as the wolf got older, it became much wilder, and wasn't safe even for the couple that owned it. The wolf in your photo is staying really nicely with the window open like that ... don't think my dog, who hates being left in the car, would have been half as good.

Hope's adorable. :-)

>172 cbl_tn: Carrie, that is such a sweet story. I know Hope and Adrian would be fast friends. She is crazy about animals, dogs in particular. She is being partially raised by my son's two Boxers!

>173 brenpike:, >174 scaifea:, >175 jnwelch: Thank you, Brenda, Amber, and Joe. Compliments noted and appreciated. ;-)

>176 countrylife: Cindy, I seemed to be the only one with concerns. I was slowly walking towards the vehicle telling Hope not to get any closer! She has no fear!

>177 msf59: Hope loved the Big Doggy, Mark! I was glad to see that she was also friendly with the humans. She has inherited my son's gift of gab. After she played in the kid's area at Chick-Fil-A, she went around to all the tables saying "Hi"!

>178 Deern: Aww, thanks, Nathalie.

>179 Whisper1: I'm glad you enjoyed the pics, Linda. This week with Hope has been so much fun.

>180 BLBera: Time does fly where little ones are concerned, Beth. She is talking quite a bit, too! She will be almost 2 on my next trip out west.

>181 streamsong: Janet, there were actually two wolves in that vehicle. One was laying down. The owner said they'd be fine and were better natured than most dogs. Hope was not happy that I wouldn't let her pet them. She will have to be taught not to go up to strange animals!

Love the pictures of Hope and of your KC grands with her. She always seems such a little miracle, remembering her birth pictures! And glad you and Miles shared some miles on your trip!

Book No. 65: The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold. 3.7 stars.

The Vorkosigan Saga books are becoming great companions on my regular road trips between Southwest Missouri and Littleton, CO. I love the narrations by Grover Gardner and the shenanigans by Miles Vorkosigan who thwarts a mad commander in this tale set in the arctic.

Book No. 66: Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron. 4 stars

I'm not sure why I haven't read this book until now. Just as I thought, I was also touched and charmed by Dewey's story of rescue on a cold January night in Spencer, Iowa. He had the perfect temperament to be an asset to the library and a community struggling to survive.

The book is a lovely hardback copy I got for a quarter at my visit to the nearby bookstore closing its doors. I picked it up to read a few pages and was hooked. Hope calls it my "Meow" book!

>183 ronincats: Roni, I'm glad you got my little pun in >170 Donna828:. My iPad supplied the capitalization of Miles, and I let it ride... I miss my laptop! Hope is our miracle child. I can't help remembering the first time we saw her tiny one-month-old body hooked up to oxygen. She has come a long way!

My friend Nancy wanted to see what books I found for a quarter. I used great restraint, believe me. It was a booklover's dream come true!

Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World.
Songs for the Missing. Joanne likes Stewart O'Nan so I probably will, too!
Running To the Mountain. A memoir of inward searching by one of my favorite authors of dog books.
To Dance With the White Dog. This was recommended by some book survey I took years ago as the best choice for me. I'd better get the tissues out.
The Last Child. I thought I had read this book but must have it confused with Child 44.
Clara. I've been wanting to read this for 13 years!
Morality Play...because it will be good for me.

Flowers for Algernon. Can you believe I haven't read this? I'll pass it on to Sadie and Audrey.
A Short Guide to A Happy Life to put in one of the guest rooms.
The Girl Who Chased the Moon. Magic? Iffy about this one, maybe the grands will like it. Perfect condition hardcover.
The Book Thief. for Sadie and Audrey after I reread it.

Favorites to give away:
Gilead
The Moonflower Vine.

I can second the recommendation of To Dance with the White Dog, Donna. Excellent book. I just picked up a copy for my wife to read.

Flowers for Algernon and The Book Thief are both knockouts. The Girl Who Chased the Moon is by an author I like a lot, Sarah Addison Allen. Very worthwhile, but she has ones that are even better, from my POV, if you end up liking this one.

Agree with Joe about The Girl Who Chased the Moon. I like all of Allen's books....

>184 Donna828: I liked Dewey, too! I almost didn't read it because I'm not a cat person. I'm so glad that I did because it was as much about the community as it was about the cat. My grandparents lived in that part of Iowa during the Depression.

>186 Donna828: I really liked The Last Child. Both the plot and the characters are well written.

Wow, Donna...what a haul! That definitely is a book lover's dream come true! And as a friend who is fortunate enough to be able to borrow books from you...thank you!! ;-)

>186 Donna828: Nice, great haul, Donna! I haven't read Songs for the Missing yet, Donna, but I am a big fan of O'Nan.

>187 jnwelch: Lol!

>186 Donna828: Nice, great haul! I haven't read Songs for the Missing yet, Donna, but I am a big fan of O'Nan.

>190 Nancy618: Lol!

>171 Donna828: that bottom (!!) picture of Hope is so sweet! I admit to being shocked at eing her not a baby anymore. I Know her mum will still be eyeing her as her baby though ;)

>186 Donna828: waiting for a book for 13 years!! Now that one was a good find! See? Patience pays off.

Oh the Little Free Library sounds so fantastic! Great photo's of Hope and the cousins! Great book haul!

Hi Donna -- what wonderful photos! I can't believe how big Hope is -- wasn't she just born??? Wow. She's darling.

The neighbors who lived next door when I was growing up had a dog that was part wolf, and that dog was the best dog in the history of dogs. He was something really special. Still, little ones do need to be taught to be cautious!

Safe travels to you, Donna! It was wonderful to see you today and I'm so sorry I had to run off and miss a visit to the Tattered Cover. :(

Thanks for the info on the book store. Of course it takes someone visiting to clue me into a store right in my own town! I'm going to definitely stop by. And before it closes, I hope!

I'm HOME!! I had a great time in Colorado with 20-month-old Hope and my son and daughter-in-law. I was glad when my Knight in Shining Armor flew in to visit a few days and drive me home. I had a few naps during the 12 hours in the car and feel almost human again! lol.

>187 jnwelch: Joe, I'm glad to know that Sarah Addison Allen is an author you likes we have similar taste in books. I have learned to appreciate and even enjoy some sci-fi. Maybe I will have similar results with fantasy.

>188 katiekrug: More encouragement…thanks, Katie.

>189 cbl_tn: I kept putting Dewey off for that same reason, Carrie. I suspect I could learn to love a cat, but dogs have always been the pet/furkid of choice throughout my life.

>190 Nancy618: My books are your books, Nancy! I'm glad you have the McMurtry book I want to read so I can borrow one from you! Between us, we have a great library!

>192 Copperskye:, >196 Copperskye: It was so much fun seeing you again, Joanne, despite the short meet up. August is a busy time for everyone. I hope you find some bargains at the going-out-of-business sale. I kind of suspect I will be an O'Nan fan, too, after I read my first one. Thank you for The Shore. I'll be sure to find a good home for it after I'm done.

>193 LovingLit: Hey, Megan! Hope still seems like a baby to me as she is my youngest grandchild. She will be talking even more when I see her again in three months or so. I have a lot of "old" books on my WL. Patience does pay off!

>194 vancouverdeb: Deb, I'm glad you liked the pictures. I will start off my new thread with a few more. Laundry has priority but I'll get to it later today

>195 AMQS: It does seem like Hope was just born, Anne. As you know, babies grow up too fast. It was great seeing you and meeting your lovely mother. We forgot to get a group photo. I was hoping everyone could have joined us at The Tattered Cover. Panera was kind of busy so I don't know who we could have grabbed to take our picture. I guess wolves are just big dogs when I think about it. And the converse is also true. I've known some little dogs with big, sharp teeth!

This is what I missed when I was in Colorado! Apparently we had a big windstorm...


That is one big tree in our backyard blown to smithereens!

Oh, my! Thank goodness it was away from the buildings.

I'm glad I have a book you can borrow from me! We do have a great library between us, but yours is much larger! That must be why the borrowing and lending is very lopsided, with me doing way more of the borrowing while you're doing the lending! So, please...borrow from me any time! ;-) (I'm glad you're home!)

Glad you had a lovely visit in CO, Donna, and that your knight flew in to drive you home : ). Yikes, that was a drastic wind storm.

Wow! That was one windstorm! (And here I thought my downed tomato bush from Sunday's storm was bad.) Glad you weren't driving home in the middle of it!

Good grief, that must have been some storm! Poor tree. ;-( Glad to read you had a good trip to CO and a lovely time visiting with family. It is amazing how quickly the little ones seem to grow up!

>198 Donna828: I'm sure glad you weren't sitting under that tree reading when it came down, Donna!

Hi Donna! Welcome home and I'm impressed by that tree! Kind of sad to see it fall, but I'm glad no one was hurt.

I enjoyed your comments about the Jane Hamilton book. You mention that setting plays an important role in the narrative. That is my impression of her as an author, that setting is one of the things she does best.

I'm curious about the people with the wolves. In Colorado there are pretty strict laws about having wolves as pets and taking them out in public. The owners are liable for any injuries or property damages the wolves cause and are required to warn the public. It seems a bit casual to leave the window open and walk away. Wow.

That is an impressively large tree that came down in your yard! Like Julia, I'm glad you weren't reading under it.

Your grandkids are getting so big. It doesn't seem that long ago that we saw our first photos of teeny Hope.

I too am glad you were not near the tree when it fell. Time flies by so quickly. Look at how many inches have been added to your grandchildren's height. Hope is adorable. What a wonderful photo.

Wonderful photos of your grandchildren. Sorry too about the tree, it's always kind of upsetting, isn't it?

Love the review of The Book of Strange New Things - and I'm thrilled you are becoming a gradual fan of sf. And your thoughts on why you are being drawn to it - the idea of thinking about how to come to terms with truly alien concepts, settings etc. Massive disruption and the totally unexpected is a huge part of the genre.

I love LeGuin, but I have some quibbles too.

Thanks to my recent visitors for keeping my thread somewhat current. I seem to have trouble getting back into the rhythm of my daily life.

>199 ronincats: Thanks Roni, although insurance may have helped cover the cost of cleanup if it had hit the house.

>200 Nancy618: The McMurtry book I borrowed has already been read. It was just what I needed to get my reading back on track. Thanks, Nancy!

>201 lit_chick: We had another blast of 60 MPH winds on Saturday. We were at my brother's birthday brunch at the time. I was afraid to look when we drove back to our neighborhood. We had a few branches to clean up and my huge angel-wing begonia was blown off its table resulting in a good pruning. I'd say we lucked out that time.

>202 Storeetllr: It was bad enough leaving Denver, Mary. We got caught in that heavy cloudburst but drove out of it after we dropped Mike at the airport to pick up his SUV.

>203 lkernagh: Hi Lori! It was great spending time with the western part of the family. I always feel sad when a tree is taken down like that. Mother Nature has her nasty side!

>204 rosalita: That is a very good point, Julia!

>205 EBT1002: There are so many facets to a good book, Ellen. I love it when the setting comes into the mix in a big way.

>206 nittnut: I didn't know that "wolf law", Jenn, or I might have said something. As it was, I just went and got Hope…no one else seemed the least bit concerned… Hope is still on the small side but she is slowly catching up to her Cousin Gwen.

>207 Whisper1: Linda, I see that your grands are growing as well. It is hard to keep up with them when they start school and branch out with new friends and activities. That's why I spend so much time with Haley and Molly…and try to see Hope at least three times a year for a week-long visit.

My "reading" tree is a big old cedar. We have trimmed the lower branches so I can sit under it. It provides cool shade and that fresh cedar smell. It is cooler here today with lower humidity than we've been having so I may head out there for a few hours this afternoon.



My tree is in the center of the picture. It is huge enough to mostly conceal our 3-story house. You can see we have a few trees left to worry about! Also a lot of firewood! DH is bringing the pickup truck home from work tonight and we will move these smaller pieces up to the back patio. The picture doesn't show many of the huge chunks that need to be split before we can move them.

>208 sibylline: Hi Lucy, we crossposted. I am glad I gave SF a chance. It will be a smallish part of my reading life, but will help keep me well-rounded. LeGuin may be a bit too cerebral for me. I really enjoy Bujold…she does that "unexpected" aspect very well! And yes, the tree was upsetting. It was at the edge of our small lake ( was practically standing in the water when I took the above picture) which makes me think our extremely wet spring and early summer had something to do with its downfall.

Oh, a reading tree … how fabulous, Donna!

Book No. 68: Some Luck by Jane Smiley. 3.7 stars.

"1932 was when Walter switched parties…Roseanna was not amused. Their pastor said that the Democratic Party had a greater proportion of sinners and atheists than the Republican Party…" (132)

This is the beginning book in a 100-year history of a fictitious Iowa farm family. The book begins with the birth of Frank in 1920, the first of a passel of Langdon children. Each year is given a short chapter so things move fairly quickly, although farm life is pretty much the same from day to day. It's when Smiley weaves in the history and politics of the years between 1920 and 1953 that we see how much change occurred in the beginning of the 20th century.

I personally would have liked more character development but realize that in a family saga each character only gets so much "page" time. I think her ambitious beginning will develop into a memorable reading experience as we learn more about the Langdon family and the times they grew up in. I will definitely continue with the trilogy. Early Warning is on my WL to be read in the next few months before the third book is released this fall. I'm glad Ms. Smiley is not making me wait too long to see what happens to the Langdons and their progeny.



Book No. 69: Dead Man's Walk by Larry McMurtry. 3.8 stars.

"These Commanches were different from any men either of the young Rangers had ever seen. They were wild men, and yet skilled…it was their land they were riding through. Their rules were not white rules, and their thinking was not white thinking. Just watching them ride away affected young Gus and young Call powerfully." (79)

This book is the prequel to Lonesome Dove but it was the third book written in the quartet. I liked meeting Gus and Call during their Texas Ranger days, when Gus thought being a ranger meant "you could range". Alas, it was more than that. Being a Ranger meant taking orders from men that were power hungry and short on knowledge of the Western Texas land and inhabitants. It meant cold nights, hot days, and lots of suffering from hunger and thirst. McMurtry paints a raw picture of Texas and New Mexico in the days before statehood where death was an everyday thing. There is plenty of action and also plenty of torture. You need a strong stomach and an open mind when reading this book!

>212 lit_chick: Everyone needs a reading tree, Nancy!

>214 Donna828: LIKE

Oh wow, that's quite a tree you lost! It must have been some storm.

We were watching a funnel cloud out our office windows today (I know, smart right? But it was pretty far away.)

I have Some Luck but for some reason it's not calling to me. I am tempted to reread Lonesome Dove though. I have fond memories of reading it my first summer in Colorado - over 25 years ago.

I have Early Warning from the library sitting on my bedroom dresser. I hope to get to it this month.

>214 Donna828: I love the reading tree.
I have been known to sneak off outside to the reading hammock, which necessarily hangs between two trees....but, the kids always find me ;)

>213 Donna828: Lonesone Dove is part of a quartet of books! Oh dear, that just made my potential reading of it that little more remote. As good as your review sounds.....bar the torture....

Hi Donna! Just checking in, and hoping you're having a great summer!

>216 Copperskye: We've been having lots of storms this summer, Joanne. There was a clap of thunder last night that almost made me jump out of bed. Lucky jumped into the bed which is unusual for him in the summer! Watching a funnel cloud? That sounds like something my DH would do! I loved Lonesome Dove. I started reading it in Texas after I went down to help out after Haley's birth. As I recall, I didn't make much headway!

>217 EBT1002: I plan to read Early Warning next month, Ellen, before the third one comes out this fall. I enjoy a long saga and look forward to getting back to Iowa on the written page.

>218 LovingLit: I appreciate your faithful visits, Megan. I have been a recluse recently. I hope to get around to a few threads this evening--including yours!

>219 LauraBrook: Hi Stranger! Summer has been busier than I like it to be. I hope yours is going well, Laura.

I finally finished another book!!! This was a long one but worth every page. That's why i've been away so long…nothing to report until now.

Book No. 70: Flood of Fire by Amitav Ghosh. 4.6 stars.

"Despite all the warnings, in their hearts, I think neither of them believed that the British would actually attack China. Commissioner Lin himself has been known to say that he does not think that it will come to war; he has believed all along that British opium merchants were just rogue traders who had to governmental support. I suspect he finds it impossible to conceive that any country would send an army across the seas to force another country to buy opium." (332)

This book answered most of my questions about what had gone on in the first two books of the trilogy. I now understand more clearly how commerce and greed can affect common sense and world affairs. England argued that the right to free trade was being impeded by the Chinese government when they sought to ban the opium imports that were "poisoning" their citizens. Despite the tenacious fighting of Chinese soldiers, they were no match for the might of British warships aided by Indian troops who also had much at stake considering that the opium was grown in their country. I didn't know much about the Opium War before I began Ghosh's books on the subject, and I certainly didn't know how badly the Chinese were beaten in their own waters. No wonder the recent return of Hong Kong to Chinese control was such a big event. It's interesting that events taking place in the 1800s can still have repercussions today.

Ghosh wove together some very memorable characters into his impeccable research. He is a good storyteller who doesn't forget his goal of making history accessible and accurate without judgment. He even made this reader chuckle over the many Victorian euphemisms for sexual urges. Poor Zachary! No wonder he lost his innocence and underwent such a personality change. I would highly recommend this trilogy to lovers of good historical fiction. I wish there hadn't been several years between the publications of the books. I think I might have fit the pieces together a bit more easily had I read the books over the course of one year rather than seven years.

>220 Donna828: getting back to Iowa on the written page.

You know what would be even better? Getting back to Iowa in person! Just saying' ... :-)

Julia, my sweet husband and I might just drive up there in October for the Iowa City Book Festival. He would enjoy meeting one of his Haiku customers! Have you heard anything about the visiting authors yet?

My reading tree is an olive tree in the back yard, but that's only for the hottest days. The deck is the more usual site.

Donna, wonderful review of Flood of Fire. I've only read Sea of Poppies to date, but have the others on my list.

>223 Donna828: I would love to meet Mr. Haiku in person! I'm not sure if the authors list is complete, but some of the ones whose names I recognized are Maureen Corrigan, Jonathan Katz, Sara Paretsky, Robert Reich, and John Scalzi. You can find the complete list on the festival website:
http://www.iowacitybookfestival.org/authors/
You will probably recognize more of the authors than I did. I'm so behind on reading recently released books.

>213 Donna828: The Smiley book is on my radar. I liked Moo very much, and her 13 Ways of Looking at the Novel was an informative and enjoyable, if lengthy, read.

Although I loved Lonesome Dove so much that I've read it several times, I could not get through any of the other books in the series because of the torture/cruelty. My tolerance for that is limited, at best, and becomes more limited as I age.

>221 Donna828: Sea of Poppies awaits me. I love books about the Orient.

General: The grands continue to be charming and adorable. It seems that Hope has grown up impossibly fast!

>221 Donna828: this one looks great. I read the first in the series, but wasn't that enamoured with it. I think the story felt a bit piecemeal...that was my impression at the time anyway.

It's pretty cold here today, frosty grass and I am wearing my woollen coat, polar fleece under it too! I am heading out of the house now and will return only when the sun has flooded the lounge :)

>221 Donna828: Hi Donna! The only thing I tried by Ghosh was The Hungry Tide. I failed to finish that because of circumstances not because I didn't like it but I let so much time pass that I know I'd have to start from the beginning and that seems a shame since I got about half way through. Anyway, for some reason I feel like I should read The Hungry Tide, which I own, before starting on his other books. So many of you have loved this trilogy though that it's tempting to jump right in.

Happy Friday, Donna! Great review of Flood of Fire. I am glad to hear that he ended this trilogy, at such a high point. What a terrific writer. I hope I can bookhorn this one in, this fall.

Happy Weekend, Donna.

I haven't read anything at all by Ghosh, but that trilogy looks wonderful. Perhaps I'll start it as part of September's 'Series and Sequels'. My daughter plans to make her career in China, and I patter along, trying to learn a bit of history for the area she loves so much.

Hi Donna! I haven't managed to squeeze Ghosh into ky reading yet. The trilogy sounds like a perfect fit for me.

>224 ronincats: Same here, Roni. If the weather is temperate like we've had this past week, my porch swing is the place to be. When the sun is hot and the air is humid, then under the cedar tree is the coolest place for outside reading.

>225 lit_chick: Nancy, you may find that the second book is quite different from Sea of Poppies. However, Flood of Fire brings cohesion and some closure to the story. Ghosh hints in his comments at the end that there is much more to the story. I hope that means he will continue to write about this period of time.

>226 rosalita: Julia, I was a little disappointed in the list of authors after having one of my author rock stars --Marilynne Robinson-- at the Iowa Book Festival last year. I have been wanting to read Robert Goolrick's tale of Wall Street since I heard about it and would enjoy listening to him and Bonnie Jo Campbell, a fellow Michigander. I was a big fan of her American Salvage. It would be nice just to get away with DH for a weekend that didn't involve business. We could explore your charming city and visit Prairie Lights, but most of all, I will be looking forward to seeing you again and meeting Amy. I hope it works out.

>227 Matke: Wasn't Moo a fun book, Gail? I will have to check out her book about the novel. It sounds like one I would enjoy. I do understand about the violence in Dead Man's Walk. I think any book that is about white man vs. Indian would have to be pretty gory. Both sides were equally cruel in my opinion. Hope is indeed growing up quickly. I learned on my last visit that she has developed a mind of her own and isn't afraid to express her opinions!

>228 LovingLit: Megan, I've learned to be patient when reading a trilogy. Often things don't come together until the final book. That was certainly true about The Ibis Trilogy. Although I liked each book for what it was, the payoff came in the third book. The vernacular was also difficult to get used to. At least in Sea of Poppies a glossary was provided.

>229 phebj: So good to hear from you, Pat! Do save The Ibis Trilogy for a time when you are feeling well and ready to tackle some heavy-duty reading. I hope if you like the first one, you will be able to jump into the next two in fairly short order. I would like to read some more books by Ghosh and may look into The Hungry Tide. He does know how to tell a great story!

>230 msf59: Happy Sunday, Mark! Lucky you having Flood of Fire to look forward to. I may reread the whole trilogy again someday. I wish these great new books would stop popping up and getting in the way of my plans to reread some favorites. Just kidding!

>231 Ameise1: What a lovely setting, Barbara. Our flowers, grass, and trees still look like spring here which is highly unusual. We typically get little rainfall in July and August, making us almost desert-like. This year we still look like the Emerald Isle. No complaints from me.

>232 streamsong: Janet, Ghosh's books tell some history of the Orient that I wasn't too familiar with. It is fascinating stuff. My husband enjoys his travels to China very much. I hope you are braver than me and get to visit your daughter when she settles there. My achy body would not like the long flights involved to get there.

>233 cbl_tn: Carrie, I think you would enjoy the books. I would put them among my favorite historical fiction.

Congratulations on reading 70 books thus far!

Thank you for your review of the third book of the Ibis Trilogy. I have started the first book twice, never getting more than a third into it - just waylaid by other things. But your review has given me a little push to try again.

Book 71: The Shore by Sara Taylor. 4 stars.

"Our house rises out of the heat haze like a turtle on the sand, just a little brown hump showing over a clump of evergreens and a few acres of potatoes… It's a little house, our house, one room downstairs and two rooms upstairs and a porch for each, and according to the phone company and the electric company and the taxman it doesn't exist." (Pg. 4)

The connected stories in Taylor's debut are much like the islands of Chincoteague, Assateague, and Parksley near Chesapeake Bay which form the area known by locals as "The Shore". The people she tells about are hardened by the struggle to survive similar to the famous ponies of Chincoteague. They are people connected to the land, which is aptly described by Ms. Taylor as having "its own wild beauty," and, in fact even begin to resemble the twisted trees which she goes on to describe as "nearly choked to death." The beaches are lovely and appeal to visitors, but the longtime residents live in the ramshackle houses set away from the flashy new condos.

This book is not like many others that I've read, although the grittiness of the characters reminds me of the down-and-out people that Daniel Woodrell and Bonnie Jo Campbell write about. I was hooked from the beginning with the story of young Chloe taking charge of her even younger sister Renee and staying out of their meth-cooking father's way. Taylor takes us on a wild and far-ranging ride through the lives of a few families going back to 1876. She describes half-Shawnee Medora's escape from the man who tried to burn her alive to the woods where she learned about the healing properties of the local plants. The ride continues all the way to 2143 where this knowledge of folk healing paid off. It is not your ordinary generational saga, however, as abuse and struggle remain at the forefront of each generation. This is life on the dark side and not for the feint of heart. I'm glad the Bailey's Prize judges could see through the darkness enough to include The Shore on its long list for best books of the year by a female author. I'm eager to follow this young writer's career.

>236 Whisper1: Linda, I feel like such a lightweight reader this year compared to some others around here. It's a good thing we aren't comparing, isn't it? I do feel like this summer has been busier than normal for me. It's not necessarily a bad thing, just different. I miss the mini-reading marathon days. There are days like today when I haven't even picked up a book…except to write my review of The Shore.

>237 catarina1:: Hi C! How cool that you recently read The Shore and even cooler that you had a house on Chincoteague Island. I hope you stayed away from those characters on the dark side of the islands!

I must say that Ghosh's books can be hard to get into. Once you get past the language barrier and get to know the huge cast of characters, it is easier going.

>234 Donna828: Well, you know Marilynne Robinson lives here, right? I'm sure she'll be around even if she's not officially part of the program. As awesome as Robinson is, it would get stale to have her appear every year (and I'm sure she would tire of it as well). I think the organizers try hard to "spread the love" between the many authors affiliated with the IC and the Writers Workshop and "outside" authors that people would be interested in.

I'll still hold out hope that you might be able to come. I think Beth is thinking of coming as well, in case more LTers are a draw. :-)

Hi Donna! Loved your comments on Flood of Fire. What are the other books in the trilogy? I've only read one book of his: The Glass Palace, which I loved.

>221 Donna828: I am looking forward to Flood of Fire. I really liked Sea of Poppies, and while I didn't like River of Smoke as much, I still liked it. Great review. :)

Donna - I'm so happy that The Shore is gathering fans around here; I thought it was quite accomplished for a first-time novel. Nice review.

>240 rosalita: It's good to know that I might be rubbing elbows with Marilynne if I show up! I'd forgotten she was a local. It would be great to meet Beth as well. You will be the first to know if the trip works out for us. Retirement has been extra busy for DH!

>241 AMQS: Anne the Ibis Trilogy is about the first Opium War in China in the early 1800s. It begins with River of Smoke which is set in India and tells about the growing of opium and early trade in the orient. Next comes River of Smoke which I didn't enjoy quite as much because the characters I grew to love in RoS were not as prominent. I got my reward in the third book!

>242 nittnut: Jenn, I had the same reaction to River of Smoke that you did. I began to see that the opium trade was the real star of the book instead of the huge cast of characters.

>243 BLBera: Beth, I'm glad to add my "thumbs up" to The Shore.

Happy birthday Donna!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you, Joanne. I just finished my Ozark Turtle Sundae made with frozen custard. I'm set until next year now. Haha.

Book No. 72: One Was A Soldier by Julia Spencer-Fleming. 3.9 stars.

"Anger just is... We're all so in love with the idea of moving on and growing through loss and making lemonade when life hands us lemons that we don't take time to mourn. Before you can move on, you have to stand still and account for what's been lost. Sometimes you have to throw the lemons against the wall and yell, 'I wanted chocolate chip cookies, not this bitter fruit.'"

Reverend Clare Ferguson has been away from Miller's Kill, NY, for 18-months of active duty in Iraq as a helicopter pilot. One might think it would be difficult to settle back into the life of a minister in a small town. Clare pulls it off on the outside, but she is damaged inside, and it begins to eat away at her. Perhaps she should heed her advice to a double-amputee which I quoted above. She finds some solace in a local military support group until one of the members is found dead in a swimming pool.

Clare and Police Chief Russ Val Alstyne disagree as to what happened to her friend to the point where the reader begins to wonder whether the upcoming wedding will actually take place. This is a more personal look at Clare and Russ than we have gotten in the other six books. There was a surprise cliffhanger that made me reserve the next book in the series as soon as I finished the book this afternoon. Sometimes it's not a bad thing to fall behind in a series!

Happy Birthday! Hope you've had a great day . . .

Happy Birthday, Donna! Hope all your loved ones have been in touch and everyone has coddled you shamelessly. An Ozark Turtle Sundae sounds like a good omen.

Hope you had a wonderful birthday, Donna!

Happy birthday, Donna. Many happy returns. Hmm...Julia Spencer-Fleming must be due for a new book soon. Off to check on that.

Great reviews, Donna. I'm looking very forward to the Spencer-Fleming series … just have to get to it! Woot, you are well on your way to goal at 72 books!

Happy Birthday, Donna!

"Sometimes it's not a bad thing to fall behind on a series." Truth. I've fallen behind and the Clara and Russ series, too, but it sounds like it'll be fun catching up.

Happy belated Birthday, Donna. I hope you had a fab day.

Thanks for all the Happy Birthday wishes. To me, getting older means having less time to read all the books that are waiting for me. But it also means getting to do more of what I want to do…which is hang out with friends--including my LT buddies--and family…and READ!

>248 brenpike: Thanks, Brenda. This has been a very satisfying birthday weekend.

>249 ronincats: Yup, lots of coddling here, Roni. I could get used to that!

>250 Storeetllr: It was fab, Mary. Lunch with my friend Nancy and a sundae with DH for dinner, then breakfast brunch the next day with the local grandkids and their parents.

>251 BLBera: Oooh, I hope so, Beth. Of course, I have the one that's already out to read, but it would make me happy to be able to read beyond that without too much of a wait.

>252 lit_chick: I am starting Book #74 today, Nancy. It looks like my BIG one will be my book for Thursday night's book group. I've heard from other members it was a good one, but haven't seen much about it on LT. I'll keep you in suspense for a few days.

>253 jnwelch: Yes Joe, catching up without a long wait between books is always fun.

>254 Ameise1: I can almost smell those lilacs, Barbara. They never bloom long enough to satisfy me but I do love them.

Book No. 73: Brighton Rock by Graham Greene. 4.2 stars.

"Somebody had made Fred unhappy and somebody was going to be made unhappy in turn. An eye for an eye. If you believed in God, you might leave vengeance to Him, but you couldn't trust the One, the universal spirit. Vengeance was Ida's…" (41,42)

"Fred" Yates is in Brighton to do some work for his London newspaper when he picks up a girl named Ida for a fling…along with a stalker named Pinkie. When Fred turns up dead, Ida decides to do her own investigation because she believes in justice and in having a little fun along the way. However, the book is more psychologically creepy than fun, as GG explores the Brighton underworld of slasher gangs, one of them led by by the 17-yr-old sociopathic Pinkie.

Pinkie and Rose, the girl who inconceivably (to me) falls for Pinkie, become two memorable characters. Pinkie, because of his basic evil heart and revulsion for the girl he marries, and Rose, for her fierce but misguided devotion. I was rather expecting a milder story about events in Brighton, England. This is my first book by Greene, and he totally surprised me with the violent subject matter. I was also taken aback by the strong bias toward Catholicism. Ida on the side of right vs. wrong, might have made the best moral choice, but Pinkie's choice of Evil vs. Good seemed to give him the edge toward a heavenly reunion with God…if he repented for the murders and mayhem he committed. It makes me want to read more of Greene's books to see if religion vs. morality figures as strongly in his other works.

Birthday wises.... oh darn... I am late.

Happy 'Belated' Birthday wishes, Donna!

>257 lkernagh: No worries, Lori, the celebration continues…at least until the B&N and Amazon gift cards are used! Thanks for thinking of me.

Yay for me! I squeaked another book out this month...

Book No. 74: Another Man's Moccasins by Craig Johnson. 3.6 stars.

"The creature from the cave was as big as a grizzly, and it took four men to carry him out of the tunnel. I noticed they used ankle bracelets at his wrists because the handcuffs would've been too small. He was an Indian, Crow from what we could make of him." (24)

You never know what will turn up on an investigation in rural Wyoming. Sheriff Walt Longmire encounters the behemoth in the quote above after a young Vietnamese woman is found dead in a remote area. Not only is he physically injured but the death triggers memories from his time in VietNam. The alternate stories were hard to get used to at first until both narratives advanced to their pinnacles, and I couldn't read fast enough! That's good, because I wanted to include this book in my August reading. This was another good yarn about Absaroka County where things are not always the way they seem. I loved the introduction of Virgil White Buffalo and hope to meet him again in another book.

Hi Donna! It looks like we had similar feelings about Brighton Rock. Good review! I will start The Bell this week. I hope I like it.

And hooray for Longmire!

Hi Mark! You made it back from Cleveland just in time to "watch" me set up my new thread. I am so glad that I don't have to do this nearly as frequently as you do! I'm not surprised we had similar feelings about Brighton Rock. With the exception of graphic novels, we read many of the same books with similar reactions. Great minds and all that...