MrsLee Reads to Infinity and Beyond in 2015, issue 2

I was going to wait until tomorrow to start this thread, hoping to have good news. But they called me tonight! In two weeks, I will no longer be in the hospitality industry! I'm very excited, a little disbelieving, and for some odd reason I have butterflies in my stomach. Change is a little scary.

Congrats on your new venture! Can you tell us what it is? (or is it in another thread?) No worries if you'd rather not! ;-)

Congratulations! I hope you'll be able to have more normal working hours now.

Hurray, hurray! Thanks for sharing this with us right away. Yes, it's scary all right, and I've never gone to a new job without being a basket case the night before, but you sound good and ready for this move. You'll keep us posted, of course.

Fantastic news! Looking forward to the details :)

Great news! Good luck - hope everything goes smoothly in your transition and that the nerves abate a little (although I totally understand the feelings)

Congratulations! Hope you have fun with it!

oh that's great! I know from your other thread and the weekend threads that you were really tired of the hotel gig. I don't know how you lasted as long as you did! Congratulations on the new job. I hope you enjoy it and settle in quickly.

Congratulations, @MrsLee. Great news. I hope you have fin with the new job.

Lots of happiness! May it give you much more pleasure (and income!) and less grief than the hotel.

Best wishes!! We standby for details.

Thank you for all the good wishes!

>2 amysisson: I will be an office assistant at a car sales place. I will have to learn how to do the DMV registrations and such, along with some other skills such as payroll, but I'm confident I can do it. The people seem friendly, most of them have been there 10 years or more and that is always a good sign in an employer. Here's the thing. I have never been gaga over cars or paid much attention to them. My son asked me what brand of cars they sold and I said, "Ummmm?" Anyway, I think it is a Chevrolet/Buick dealer. I WILL learn to be more attentive to cars! :D

>10 hfglen: About half the wages I make at the hotel, but I can walk to work instead of driving an hour every day, I won't have a work phone, so no calls in the middle of the night for weird reasons, it is 8-5 on weekdays only, so I always can attend family events and such on the weekends, plus, once I'm trained they are flexible with a four day a week option occasionally. I am thinking the savings in my mental health is worth it.

Just gave my notice. That was pretty hard. There were a lot of things I loved about that job, but in the end the stress was not worth it.

Back in the 1970s one of my brothers was looking to buy his first car. He mentioned one day as my mother was returning from Mass. My mum said she had seen an ad for a car in the window of a shop across the road. My brother asked what sort of car. She answered, "A white one".

>13 pgmcc: :D That's me!

>14 MrsLee: I used to say I could identify two kinds of cars: a Volkswagen and a station wagon. (I was exaggerating: I could pick out a Corvette too.) Then VWs changed their classic bugs and branched out into other models, and as for station wagons--who has one of those any more? I'm out of luck.

My car? It's the little blue one.

You'll have fun, though, MrsLee. Brain-stretching feels good. And mental health IS worth it.

>12 MrsLee: I'm so pleased for you - it sounds like you will get much more life in your work balance ;) Congratulations! And best wishes for the new start.

Congrats and best wishes in your new position!

Just wanted to add my congratulations and wish you all the best in your new position. Hope it works out as well as you want it to if not better.

Being able to walk to work will be a huge advantage, MrsLee, and will probably go a long way to make up for the cut in wages. And you can probably get a real deal next time you need a new car!

Congratulations! I hope the transition goes smoothly and that your new colleagues are a pleasure to work with.

Yay! I'm happy for you. Sounds like lots of good benefits to working there. And .... I can just see you starting a shelf of books to swap in the waiting area!

That's great news, MrsLee, nicer for you in a lot of ways.

I know little about cars but we look at what is parked on our street a lot, this being a tourist town. I'm always telling my husband that I saw a really nice car, it was a Rambler type car, which drives him crazy. It turns out Ramblers are nothing like what I thought they were! Or I'll say I saw a car like that one over there but it had more muscles in the front. It turns out I was right about the muscular car though - it was a police ghost car, an unmarked car they use to catch miscreants out on the highway.

Thank you all!

>21 streamsong: Good idea!

>22 nhlsecord: That is how I am with cars as well. I personify them. I can usually get the color right, although I tend to go for the basic red, blue and white instead of crimson royal, midnight delight and champagne indulgence that dealerships are trying to load on cars these days.

Can't. Wait. To. Leave! Two weeks seems so long. I keep hearing great things about the family which owns the dealership, I want to start there on Monday instead of having to stay at the hotel for the rest of my time.

Part of that is the difficulty of good-byes. Yesterday told my head of housekeeping and a few other housekeepers of my departure. There were tears on both sides. Wonderful women. Then there are the emails from the owners trying to figure out a way to get me to stay, or at least stay longer. Awkward.

I just want to make my life work without hurting others. So I'm doing everything in my power to leave people informed and able to carry on without me. I am training an excellent coworker to do the vital tasks, leaving plans and schedules for the various things which need to be completed, making lists of vendors and what we purchase from them. Reluctantly, I told them I would be available by phone or email if they had any questions until the end of June. After that the cord will be cut. Sigh.

Reading? Can't seem to find the headspace to start a new book, so I'm still meandering with Mark Twain around the equator, and Harry Dresden is keeping me happy on the commute.

I'm going to have to figure out a convenient way, time and place to continue to listen to my audiobooks since I've acquired so many! In the car I use my Kindle with earphones, but that won't work around the house. Hmmm.

>23 MrsLee: Harry Dresden is keeping me happy on the commute.

And now I will amaze you, MrsLee. On the strength of your enthusiasm, I've started the first Harry Dresden, Storm Front, taking due note of your warning that it's a bit awkwardly beginnerish and that the fourth book would make a better starting point. Nevertheless, I prefer to do series chronologically, so I'm taking my chances. And--I don't hate it!

I was unaware of the premise--a wizard as detective--and it's a new one to me (Harry Potter aside). I'm willing to grant an author pretty much any premise, as long as they follow their own rules for the world they create. So far, so good. It's about the right pace for me just now, and it is not full of egregious errors and vocabulary gaffes. So maybe, maybe, we'll have common ground here. How about that?

You've got a bad case of short-timer syndrome. But pretty soon you'll be able to say "It's the last Monday...it's the last Tuesday..." and it'll be over. Meanwhile, you are being so thorough and responsible that you will have nothing to weigh on your conscience. Good girl. You deserve the refreshment of this big change.

>24 Meredy: I'm glad you are enjoying it so far! When we do like things the same, they tend to be things we both like a lot. :)

Yea for walking to work!

>25 MrsLee: Stumbled a bit when I came to the sitcom dialogue with Bob the Skull, which is even worse than the cutesy repartee with the women and the one-sided chatter with the cat. (Sure, I talk to cats, but not while anticipating a laugh track.) That's the sort of thing that turns me off quick as a snap. But I pressed on just because of your assurance that there's better to come. Here's hoping.

>27 Meredy: Like I said, it may not be your thing! I find other stuff in it; but then I don't mind, and even enjoy, all those things you mentioned.

Congratulations on the new job, MrsLee! It's nice to hear you are so excited!

Congrats and I hope it's wonderful for you. Walking to work is a huge bonus . . . don't forget to let your insurance company know your driving pattern is changing, it may save you some money.

*applause, applause, applause* How wonderfully exciting to hear this news. Time to shake it up a bit!!.

>30 ejj1955: Good thought! Thanks.

Finished my Gently omnibus today by reading Landed Gently. I love the punniness of these titles. This one was set in the Landed Gentry's Hall in Holkham, England in the county of Norfolk. The author made a point of telling the reader to look it up and read about it before reading his book, and that the characters were entirely fictional since he represented the Holkham Hall so exactly. I spent an enjoyable time on the internet with images and bits of information reading about it and the author was right, it made the book very enjoyable and easy to "see."

Do Americans really sound that horrible and hokey to the British? I noticed it in Foyle's War, and now in this book. Makes me so self-conscious I never want to talk to anyone from there again. Blech.

Needing light books right now, so I picked up Memory by Lois McMaster Bujold.

>28 MrsLee: Ok, MrsLee, I've finished it and reviewed it. Won't you be surprised...

Hurray! A happy surprise!

I finished Memory yesterday. In fact, I decided to stay home yesterday, since it might be the only day off I could take before I'm done with this job (they are squeezing every last bit out of me they can). So I read. All. Day. Long. I would say that this installment in the Vorkosigan saga is not a typical story. Very slow paced, very introspective. It seemed that it was needed though to ground Miles and redirect him. I enjoyed it once I realized what it was and simply relaxed, not waiting for the next explosion or space jump or twisty turn in the plot. Quite a good mystery, actually.

I don't know what I'll read next. I'm still wishing to be in the Vorkosigan world, but since I'm savoring them, I want to read something else. Probably keep working my way around the Equator with Mr. Twain. Learning some really interesting things about India.

I love the Vorkosigan series, and Memory is the favorite of a lot of the series' fans (mine, for some reason, is Cetaganda). Readers who like the Vorkosigan series often like the Liaden series by Sharon Lee. A lot of people start that series with Agent of Change, but the author points out the books can be read in different sequences: http://sharonleewriter.com/correct-reading-order/.

There's going to be an LT group read of the Liaden books starting in July, headed up by luvamystery65.

I missed your news till just now--congratulations on your new job!! Will you leave books in cars for their new owners? ;)

>37 jnwelch: Thanks for the info, I'll keep it in mind!

>38 Marissa_Doyle: Thank you, and great idea!

I've decided to try The Nine Lives of Chloe King by Liz Braswell. I picked this up at a library sale, to put in the hotel, and then decided I would give it a try, mostly because I like the cover. It has been sitting on my shelf for over a year now waiting and it was taking up room needed for the Vorkosigan series, so it's now or never! I don't really expect to like it, but I'll give it a fair shot, then I will be able to take it to the hotel with no regrets before I'm gone.

Just getting to catch up on threads. Congrats on the new job!! You can listen to books on your walk to work. :)

Finished Small Favor, it made me cry again. Every time.

Still reading the book about Chloe King. It isn't great reading material, and any other time I well may have put it aside, but it is easy reading and I like the fantasy world enough to keep reading. The characters annoy sometimes (but then so do most teens), but not in a hateful way, just in a way any middle-aged woman might get annoyed with a teen. Pretty sure I see the end of it all, but that's OK too. In other words, it is light and easy and enjoyable for me at the moment. Also, it is set in San Francisco, and I am a sucker for stories set in San Francisco.

On audio, I began listening to Bloody Jack by L.A. Meyer. I am very much enjoying this one! I don't know if I would as much reading the book, as there is a lot of dialect which I wouldn't find tripping smoothly off my brain. The narrator, Katherine Kellgren, is delightful. I love the way she reads "Jack."

@MrsLee, do you start your new job on Mondsy?
Whether you do or not, "Good luck!", with it.

Wishing you the best.

Yes! I can hardly wait, although I am cherishing this three day weekend. Just missed my vacation earned at the hotel (although they paid it out) and won't have a chance at another for a year now. Still, EVERY weekend to myself, no working. It's like having 52 mini-vacations a year.

Have you left now? Have you finished your last day? Is it over? Virtual champagne at the ready . . . time to pop?

Dear friend, When you walk into your new job environment you will have all of us breathing with you and getting you off to a good start!

>44 Meredy: - My last day was yesterday! :) It's been a bit weird sitting home all day today and not worrying about the phone ringing. Sometimes I have a fleeting thought about it, then I remember I won't every get called in again and I swear it's better than a massage.

>45 Esta1923: Monday!

Finished the Chloe the cat book. Like I said, a real departure for me. Good enough that I finished it, not really something I would recommend to anyone older than 13.

Great! A new job! My niece works in a dealership and she likes it a great deal. I hope that portends well for you, too. I am always happy to get the family discounts when I need to get my car fixed! I wonder if you will buy a car from them, and then you can have it fixed there every time and no more worries about shoddy work, or high prices! Good luck. I'm sure learning the new stuff will come easily to you.

>47 maggie1944: Thank you!

Good luck for tomorrow! Hope all goes well!

More good luck for tomorrow! May only your good dreams come true.

What's really important is, what kind of dealership is it? Is it a Chevrolet/Buick dealer or something else? Hopefully, we will know after tomorrow.

>51 suitable1: I think I remember @MrsLee telling us it sells green cars.

Good luck tomorrow! Starting a new job is always exciting and nerve racking.

Thank you all!

>51 suitable1: People keep asking me this question, is it something that matters? ;) (Chevrolet/Buick/GMC)

>52 pgmcc: Also white. Lots of white cars.

>54 MrsLee: On the roads and in parking lots, around here at least (Bay Area of Northern California), silver cars and white cars seem to outnumber all the rest by a lot. Sure, other colors are still around, especially red, but I miss the spectrum we used to see on the roadways. Watching the cross traffic while waiting for a green light is much duller than it used to be. Maybe in your new job you'll discover whether it's because demand has controlled supply (people prefer those noncolors) or a narrow range of supply has restricted choice.

>55 Meredy: This is a question I have as well. In a very informal survey taken on the 30 mile trip from Redding to my town, the predominance of cars were white, then silver, and I'm not sure what the third color would be, but I did manage to count about 30 red cars in about as many blocks in Redding.

We have owned two white minivans (white being the recommended color as safest on the road, and we were carrying children). My present car is silver (the least safe) because that is the color of the used car I wanted to buy for comfort and gas mileage. We looked at a blood red minivan, but decided that it was a bit too much like driving in an internal organ. We also owned a parrot green car (one of my favorites before it died).

I remember the color of my grandparent's 50s Chevy, a sort of turquoise blue, and our old yellow station wagon, and such. I miss them too.

>56 MrsLee: I used to work in educational software. All the curriculum, software, media, and publications (my group) people were in two buildings, and the marketing folks were in a third. Two parking areas were filled with predominantly blue, gray, and white cars, and the third was two long rows of red ones.

Do you suppose living in Redding gives folks an unconscious color bias? I wonder what color the cars are in Browning or Whiting.

I too have noticed that the most current new color seems to be some version of red. I'd see 3-4 silver/white cars, then 3-4 burgundy/red cars; and then, some dark cars - black or deep blue. But if I was pushed to say which color is most often seen it is some version of white or silver or "champagne".

Dull. I believe it is a conspiracy by the car manufacturers, world-wide. Less complicated than making all the colors of the rainbow.

Have a brilliant first day!!!

I hope today went well.

We have an orange Subaru. I love having a colorful car. They've come out with a pretty green and a bright yellow. I'm hoping these three colors start a color revolution for cars. I'm so tired of boring car colors.

Thank you, I had a great first day! I only hope I can remember half of the steps when I return tomorrow. I know it takes time, but I hate asking the same question twice. Came home for a nice lunch, lots of time to get back to work. I was very tired, but mostly sat at the computer all day. Brain tired. Nice people. The bathroom I am not fond of. Tiny, and right beside the owner's office! Not a very comfortable place for it. :P

As for cars? I had no time whatsoever to ask any questions about them! My job is accounts payable and receivable and answering the phone. Phone is so easy, all I have to do is understand what department they need and transfer.

Came home and watched "Long Way Down" to decompress.

>61 MrsLee: Great news! I hope you're being generous with yourself when it comes to settling in. It's a big change. But your first day is over and your new life has begun.

When I used to train people, I'd say, "I don't care how many times you have to ask the same question. I'd rather answer it again than have you guess and guess wrong." I don't think most people expect a newcomer to get everything on the first try.

@MrsLee, the first time I had a job which came with a car I was able to get a Mercedes C Class. (BMWs have Series; Mercedes has Class) I picked red for the colour. My sister-in-law thought I was having a mid-life crisis and my work colleagues gave me the nickname, "The Fire Chief".

I urge you to be patient with yourself, too. I think learning a new job, no matter how simple it seems to be, is always a challenge. Change is a challenge, but sometimes a very happy challenge. Have fun. Enjoy your new responsibilities!

As another confirmation of my decision, a former co-worker called me yesterday to let me know that the snakes are back at the hotel. I am so glad to miss this season with them. Not only do I loath snakes, but it was always my fault they were there when I was the hotel manager. I have a feeling that the customers at the dealership will be more understanding of any brush-ups with nature experienced there.

>65 MrsLee: Yikes, that right there is a great reason to have left! Wishing you all the very best of luck in your first days at the new job.

I finished Following the Equator with Mark Twain. I liked this more than I thought I would, even though I skimmed some bits. His humor did not seem as dark and depressed as usual. Really enjoyed the section on India, and learned a lot!

I want to go back to France with Bruno, but may have to dip into an alternate reality with Ship of Theseus really by J.J. Abrams first. I'm borrowing it from my daughter.

Oh boy, S. is going to be a slow read. So far I'm enjoying the side commentary much more than the story itself. Is that the way it's supposed to be?

>68 MrsLee: I know. I keep looking at my copy, and just not having the mental space to tackle it.

I have S. on my wishlist, but I'm not making any effort to actually acquire it, because I don't foresee being able to make the kind of commitment it would take to really appreciate it.

Yes, you do have to slow down a bit to take it in. It involves a certain type of re-reading both stories -- the actual text and the narrative found in the annotations. Don't try to rush it. It comes together over time and thus requires the investment of time.

I loved it.

>71 jillmwo: I was going to read the story only, then go back and read the annotations, but I very much dislike the story. Third person, present tense I believe it's called? It's like fingers running down a chalkboard on every page. So. I read the two open pages, then all the annotations since I am much more interested in the annotations than the story. Can't see myself going through this one twice.

I can appreciate the craftsmanship it took to make/write it, and the mystery the author/s were trying (and succeeding) in making, but I don't have the professionalism to get into SOT. Yesterday I read for about two hours, possibly more, but I couldn't do it any longer. Had to get my head out of there, not to mention my poor eyes.

*staggers* that's a fairly hefty book bullet. From the descriptions, that's got to count as 2 or 3 shots in 1 given the amount of reading and rereading required!

While I was up at my mother's, I read As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust. This was simple enough to read in the two days I was there with plenty of other activities in between. In fact, it was a little too simple and felt rushed, but the fun of Flavia is there, so I enjoyed it very well.

A little wrap up of my second quarter of reading:
Second quarter
21 books read, 17 fiction, 4 nonfiction
16 by men, 5 by women, 0 combined male and female ( 14 distinct authors)
7 by authors I’ve never read before, 14 I have
11 physical books, 5 audio and 4 ebooks
Oldest writing was by (Aristophanes c.436-c.386bc), oldest physical book from (The Plague and I 1948).
Favorite:Small Favor, least favorite: Uncle Charley and His Rifle.

Oh, I'm listening to Bloody Jack which I find endearing! Did not think I could enjoy a female doing dialect narration, but Katherine Kellgren hits just the right note. Not sure how many more in the series I want to get, but I'm glad I have this one in audio.

I quit reading, or rather skimmed, S.. LT predicted that I wouldn't like it, and they were dead on!

I loved the idea of it, but it lost me in non-sense and pretension and its obscurity of meaning. So obscure I didn't care to take the effort to penetrate it. I do not like stories which are not about what they seem to be about but are about something else instead. Even more, I don't like stories which are in present tense third person. The fact that the two individuals writing to each other in the margins of this book "loved" this story and the (fake) author should have been a tip off to me that before the end of the book I would get very tired of them as well. So, having no one and nothing to care about in this story it became too much of a mountain to climb.

For me, this was a very clever idea, beautifully created; sadly not interesting enough to keep me, and rather annoying before I quit.

As a palate cleanser, I have begun The Crowded Grave by Martin Walker. I already feel better.

>76 MrsLee: I felt "S" was just too much like hard work and too contrived. I gave up on it at a very early stage. When I looked at the associated website I got the feeling that it was an attempt at a big production but it didn't quite get there as far as I was concerned. I agree it looks like a good idea but it involves too much effort to get into. Not a book I would recommend to anyone who did not have a lot of time on their hands. I think it was an attempt at creating a "cult" novel, but in my opinion "cult" novels become "cult" novels from the readers' reactions rather than from an author's, or in this case the producers', intent.

>76 MrsLee: From what I read about it hereabouts a while back, I anticipated a reaction exactly like what you described. I made it through House of Leaves, every single word of every page, including all the mad footnotes and every bit of the backmatter, index and all, and I gave it five stars. But I did not expect to get through S. and decided not to try it.

Meanwhile, I went straight from Dresden 4 to Dresden 5. I can see why you thought 4 might be a better place to start than 1, but I think all that background was necessary, and I'm a little bit compulsive about those things anyway. We're rolling now.

On the topic of "cult" books, or movies, or whatever. My completely informal impression is that in order to gain a "cult" following, or status, the work must first be "failed" at some level. My picture is the work comes out, is seen, or read, and is judged to be amateurish, or unskilled, or something like that when out of the blue a group of people decide it is so bad it is good, or so ugly it is cute, or some such rationale. All this strongly suggests an author, or producer, cannot set out to become a cult item. Ha! That's my opinion, of which no one has asked.

I think I could have gotten into it, in spite of the difficulties, if there were any characters at all interesting in it. The two who wrote in the margins might have been interesting, but instead they were everything I stay away from in college students. I like to deal with people who have been in the real world trying to survive, not the artificial world of college. *spoken as a middle-aged curmudgeon*

To all you college students out there, I love you (I have two of my own right now), and I respect you, and many of you do not conform to the aforementioned stereotype, so please don't be offended.

SPOILER
Not sure whether it is or isn't, but I was very put off by the sordidness of this book. Sailors with their mouths stitched together, and lots of other yucky descriptions of ick. And to what purpose? I could see none, three quarters or more through the book, nothing was happening!

>79 maggie1944: Your opinion is always welcome here! :)

>79 maggie1944: On the whole I agree too. May I broaden the definition by asking how often the failure is a near miss, or something that only appeals to a minute market until for no apparent reason it "goes viral"?

The format of S. sounds interesting, but I don't think my powers of concentration are up to it. And yucky descriptions of ick are definitely not my thing.

>79 maggie1944: Very interesting observation. Definitely it is something outside the mainstream, and that might be seen as enough of a flaw. I'm not sure the flaw itself is the draw, but it may be what sets the divider. People who cross it have a stronger attraction to it than simple mass appeal.

I guess my thought on what makes a "cult" hit would be that it was expected to appeal to only some small segment of the readership, but instead for some reason--maybe even as unpredictable a reason as some unforeseen news event, like an assassination--it strikes a resonant chord across a larger audience. Sometimes the very fact that it does that reveals a hidden strain in the general population, a need or fear or appetite or loose screw that had not been spotlighted before, much as certain tissues take certain dyes that suddenly bring them into prominent view. And that's fascinating.

Don't feel bad, MrsL, despite initially being very intrigued by S, I couldn't stick with it. I didn't like the fictional book, and the two writing cryptic little love letters to each other in the margins got old fast.

Okay, so I'm one of a minority who enjoyed it. I thought the approach to overlapping narratives in time added an intriguing element. Sorting through it (and I agree that doing so required more attention than is usual) created a different kind of immersive story. It was an interesting way of engaging with the writers storytelling intent.

>84 Bookmarque: :) Even my daughter didn't like it much, so that makes me know it's not just because I'm an old fuddy-duddy.

>85 jillmwo: The immersive story is why I wanted so much to like it. I loved the idea. I am one of those who love notes and "stuff" left in the used books I buy. I have one book which three of my friends have read. We all wrote notes and it is a treasure to me. I think I should go read that one again. Did you enjoy the story itself?

The real story is what is in the margins, rather than the text on the page. And yes, I did!

Woe is me, for I am undone! My I just say that, having finished The Crowded Grave, I must continue on and read The Devil's Cave, because I cannot leave Bruno alone in his present circumstances. Also, I still see nothing appealing about Isabelle for a man like Bruno. Am I missing something, or is the author just not very good at portraying love interests? I think he does fine with other women in the stories, but this one just seems like a user.

Finished Bloody Jack. I was enchanted. I loved the narrator, Katherine Kellgren, I loved the adventure, I loved Mary Jackie Faber's character and the whole thing. I do have a predilection to loving sea adventures, but this was terrific. I can see why so many girls want to read them all. I will not seek out more to read (I have so many books to read already), but if one falls in my lap I probably will read it. I think another reason I don't want to seek them out to read more is; I like where the author left this one.

Tomorrow on my walk to work, I will begin I Am Spock, narrated by Leonard Nimoy. It seems a timely read. Hope I don't arrive crying. It's too hot right now to walk home in the afternoons.

>89 MrsLee: I can't do audiobooks because of my ADHD, I just can't follow it, my mind wanders too much. That said, I Am Spock would be something I can pay attention to!

>90 mrgrooism: I'm hoping it is good, but really, I don't think I care since he is reading it. :) I can only do audio when I am in the car on a regular drive, or walking to work seems to be fine too. Can't do it when I get to place I don't know, or around the house; too distracted.

I was able to do The Lord of the Rings read by Ian Holm because well, The Lord of the Rings read by Ian Holm! I know the story so well I don't have to worry about getting lost if distracted!

(These were old cassette recordings waaay predating PJ's movies).

>92 mrgrooism: Wow, I have Rob Inglis reading them, didn't know Ian Holm did as well. :)

Finished The Devil's Cave, but I'm out of Martin Walker books for now. So, thought I would get back to my program of reading the classics and have begun The Republic by Plato, as translated by Benjamin Jowett. It is on my Kindle, because out of the whole set of "World's Best Reading" or something like that which I bought on the cheap for my son, this is the only volume missing.

I was trying to page through the Introduction and Analysis, and I was at 25%, when I got my ereader smarts on and went to the Contents page. When I clicked on Book 1, I was 45% finished with the book! Happily, what I've read so far is readable.

>93 MrsLee: I think that these recordings had to be the reason PJ cast Ian as Bilbo to begin with!

I will share this with you guys, because I know you will love me even if I am an ignoramus. I quit reading The Republic, and this is why. I don't get along with philosophy. I'm too old for this and life is too short. Here is my gut reaction part way through book 1.

Nope. This is not for me. Socrates is a poop. He isn't out for serious conversation with his friends. He is only trying to corner them and make them feel frustrated, angry and humiliated. "Oh look at me, I can talk you around a beanpole!" This is a man I would walk far to avoid and I don't care who knows it. He deserved the hemlock, and that episode is much more understandable to me now.

Granted, this is only Plato's representation of him. Also, said friends did rather kidnap him forcefully; maybe he was an introvert like me and was simply being evil to teach them a lesson. OK, maybe the hemlock was a bit much. Yeah, yeah, father of what we call civilization and all that. Guess I'm one of those numskulls on the bottom tier. Fine by me.

I'm going to try The Life of Samuel Johnson instead, on the theory that if I don't like it I can remove it from my shelves and make room for books I do like.

>95 MrsLee:
You are correct, @MrsLee. We will still love you even if you hate any piece of work.

>95 MrsLee: You remind me of a dear young lassie who was my technician for some years (she had a different job before going off to be a Hindu nun; I still miss her). Anyhoo, one morning at tea I mentioned that I'd been reading, I don't know, Asterix or something. Little Des was totally amazed that my reading was so lowbrow; she expected me to read only Plato or some equally rarefied philosophy. In bed, yet?! So I'll both love and agree with you, @MrsLee.

Dear >95 MrsLee: I grew up with philosophy talk at the dinnertable, I minored in the subject in college, and I've done a lot of heavy reading undaunted. I was also highly motivated to read The Republic a few years ago because I wanted to use it as a basis for a major piece of writing. I carefully compared translations and chose two for perspective. And then--I just didn't get through it. I kept running away and saying, "I'll do this later."

I'll continue to admire Socrates from a distance, and I wouldn't serve him hemlock myself, but I think I'd prefer not to have dinner with him all the same. Maybe I'd just stand against the wall, out of the line of fire, holding a ewer as camouflage, and listen.

Time to quote Robert Browning:

"Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp,
Or what's a heaven for?"

Of course we still love you.

Of course, I've also heard Johnson can be something of an S.O.B...but we'll love you then, too.

Just don't tell us if you're reading Twilight

(Actually, I have no idea if it's any good or not)

We love you, and we love LT, cuz we are all about you read what you want, and I'll read what I want. And if occasionally we find each other liking the same book, or hating the same book, well that'll be cool. But it is all cool, here!

>95 MrsLee: I found that tackling the books I thought I would like the least before the other TBR books was an excellent way to both make room AND give myself an A for effort. I have finally convinced myself that I don't have to like everything or finish every book.

>90 mrgrooism: I also have the mind wandering problem, so when I want to listen to something, I do a sort of mindless activity like gentle housework, but the best thing for me is to play Mahjong or some kind of Solitaire on my laptop while I listen. I also do that for long phone calls. I don't know why it works, but it does.

>98 Meredy: One of the things I've never been able to stand is the "either this or that" and "if this, then that" argument. The world and its choices are much more complex than that. I've always been fond of unknown factors because they so often occur in life. Which is probably why I always struggle so with word problems in math.

>99 Marissa_Doyle: Yeah, I think I've heard that too. SOBs in general are not always annoying to me, but certain ones sure are. ;)

>100 suitable1: I think we are on safe ground there, I won't say I wouldn't read it if it were the only book around, because I probably would, but I have about 50 years of reading piled up in my house before I have to worry about that. I love sparkles in jewels, vampires, not so much.

Thanks for the comfort everyone. You know I'll have your back when you come up disliking something which is a "classic" too. :D

>104 MrsLee:
I'll have your back when you come up disliking something which is a "classic" too. :D

Just for the record, I have found any works I have attempted to read by James Joyce to be dreadful despite the literary establishment proclaiming them to the most exquisite literature.

Cover me!

Please!

>105 pgmcc:

(Ducking behind pgmcc and likewise begging MrsLee's protection)

I would say only "unreadable" rather than "dreadful" because I can't achieve enough perspective to make a decent value judgment.

I have read some passages that I considered remarkable in their special effects, but I can't get through the books.

I have never been attracted to philosophy at all. It just seems too slippery and amorphous, so I can't find anything to hold on to. I have more of a struggle with sociology, because I want to like it, and given my interests and education, I should like it, but I keep dozing off. So I'll still love you, if you'll still love me, @MrsLee.

Just to be the wayward one, I will point out to both @pgmcc and @Meredy that *I* made it through James Joyce's Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man as a high school sophomore without suffering any particular ill effect. It can be done. (OTOH, I haven't tried Ulysses).

That said, @MrsLee, you are a wonderful human being and it would take far more than an inability to find Plato likeable or even tolerable to change that estimation. (For the record, for all that I could get through one title by James Joyce, I don't like Plato myself or even philosophy as a source of reading material.)

*quietly moves out of range of Meredy's book bullet pop-gun*

>108 jillmwo: I salute you for that. Several times over the years, I tried, and I never made it past page 2. "Moocow" activated my gag reflex in the first paragraph. Finally I just put the book out on the free-books table at a writers' club meeting, and some lucky person scooped it right up.

Not pulling any triggers right now. Just keeping you quietly in my sights from this blind.

>105 pgmcc: & >106 Meredy:, "Quick, behind me!" *holds up copy of The Life of Samuel Johnson* This thing is thick enough to block any bullets or criticisms.

I have never, and never intend to explore the wonders of Mr. Joyce. Nor any other "alternative" literature. Although I am overweight, I feel no pull to be so enlightened.

>103 nhlsecord: Oh I can't multitask like that, or even at ALL, LOL! Can't have distractions while playing games, for instance.

Two words: Moby Dick! I love the idea of that book, I so want to read it all the way through and enjoy every word of it, but I just CAN'T!

>108 jillmwo: My older daughter also had to read Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. This led to her absolute hatred of all things Joycean, independent of any distaste I might have for his writing.

I would much rather read work by Henry James than once again attempt to read and understand what people see in Joyce's work.

@MrsLee, I think that by now you must realise that you are not alone in disliking a "classic".

Hey, I was just sayin' it could be done, not that everyone should HAVE to...

>113 jillmwo: I was giving you credit for your accomplishment. I am in awe.

This is so funny! I love you guys. I did read Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man and then decided on that basis that I would not worry overly much about reading any more Joyce. Often when I pick up some "classic" piece and read it I find that it is dated, overly pretentious, and generally not worth the effort.

I like being old enough to know my own tastes fairly well, and not worrying that I am not interested in things outside of my taste circle. The circle is already big enough to hold more books than I'll be able to read in these years before I'm 100 years old.

>115 maggie1944: I am right there with you, @maggie1944.

Yay, >115 maggie1944:!!! You're wonderful! I haven't revisited Portrait since I read it originally. I haven't kept a copy about because I knew it was unlikely that I'd every read it again. And I certainly didn't like it well enough to revisit Joyce's other work. He'd just cause me to roll my eyes heavenward with impatience. I just don't think he's the literary giant that others have dubbed him, but at the same time I worry about whether others will then exclude me because I can't appreciate such a phenomenal talent (which is what @MrsLee was worried about when she sparked this whole discussion.) I applaud you for that sense of self that allows you to say without apology that you "are not interested in things outside" of your taste circle.because that puts you way ahead of me.

It's too easy to feel insecure about some of our preferences and personally I know there are books where I circle around time and time again, and ultimately I just admit with a certain level of anxiety that maybe I'm just too dim to get the author's point. (He did have one, right?)

>117 jillmwo: the author's point. (He did have one, right?)

I think @magie1944 identified the point Joyce was making when she used the phrase, "overly pretentious".

I would also add that the context in which these "classic" authors wrote was radically different from the environment writers have today. Today, write a book and success is defined by having thousands of people read, and perhaps enjoy, it. Those other guys (mostly, male) only had to please a small circle of literary minded folks. No mass market? Well, there were the Penny Dreadfuls. But we don't read them today, often, do we?

>117 jillmwo: "I just admit with a certain level of anxiety that maybe I'm just too dim to get the author's point."
Yes, that, and also when I read the reviews of everyone else saying what a brilliant work it is. :/

Continuing the cycle of doom for the classics, I have laid aside The Life of Samuel Johnson. I didn't have much hope for it from the beginning, but I wanted to give it a shot on the chance that it would surprise me. It did not. Boswell is way to fawning a biographer for my taste. I did spend an enlightening morning surfing the web and gleaning bits about Samuel Johnson, learned all about scrophula or scrofula, Turrets syndrome and his writings. One morning is enough for me.

An interesting discussion took place with my husband. I was ready to discard this book (in a sharing sort of way, not in the trash), but HE said no! His point being that it is one of the books one should have in their library. I have never maintained that I have a "library," only books I love or want to try. It set me back. This is a man who wants to get rid of stuff all the time. Anyway, I told him that if I had kept Boswell's London Journal, I would keep this, feeling sure that I had discarded that, but I found it on our history shelf, and so shall Doctor Johnson remain. I now have a wonderful "out" for the day when we finally have to move and my dear husband accuses me of having too many books. >:

Now I am reading The Song of Roland and I think I shall succeed with this as I am fond of my epic poetry. As I read I will imagine a troubadour strumming his dulcimer, dressed in colorful silks with his eye on the lady and his ear tuned to the court gossip to carry on and perhaps profit thereby.

Finished (mostly) The Song of Roland. Really great epic poetry if you like blood and guts in your epic poetry. :) I did skim at the end after Roland was killed. Couldn't take another 50 pages of more battles between the "wicked" Paynims and the most glorious holy host of Charlemagne. Talk about your revisionist history! Anyway, I enjoyed it for what it was. Roland seemed somewhat of a lightweight though. He kept fainting when he saw blood. Not very efficient for a warrior one would think.

Started The Rabbi Took off Monday, this takes place in Jerusalem, and though it seems to be taking forever to get to the mystery, I am enjoying all the details of the era and location.

Finished The Rabbi Took off Monday, enjoyed it.

And now, because @readafew is a deadly aim, I am reading Claws of the Cat: A Shinobi Mystery by Susan Spann. Sounds right up my ally, so we shall see.

Read Claws of the Cat in one day. There wasn't a lot of depth to it. It was an enjoyable read, but not transformative. When I read Dreaming Spies by Laurie R. King, I was transported to Japan of early 1900s. I experienced it with Russell and Holmes. With this book, I stayed in my chair the whole time reading about a few people in Kyoto of 1500s. It really didn't feel like the 1500s at all.

The author spent too much time telling me about things, rather than showing me. For instance, when she first introduced the musical instrument the Geisha was playing, she described it in detail, which took me away from the scene. Well, most of us are familiar with it from Memoirs of a Geisha and other sources. We don't need that inch by inch description. What we need is to have it move the story along, or move us into the characters lives. The characters were lacking in depth. Not unreachable, but not compelling. Hiro and the priest could have a great interplay, but for the most part, it seemed that the author couldn't decide what that was going to be. Was the priest going to be comic relief? Was he going to actually be a partner to Hiro? Or will he just be a nuisance?

So, it was decidedly a first novel, I liked it enough, but didn't love it. I won't spend the amount of money I did on this first one to pursue the series, but if they cross my path for what I consider a reasonable price, I might try others to see if she polishes her writing or develops as a writer.

Belatedly catching up, and can only echo the sentiments above: read what you like, love what you like, don't feel you have to clear your plate and God help me if I ever have to reread The Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man (I too slogged through it at high school for English Lit).

>94 mrgrooism: Ian Holm also played Frodo in the BBC radio adaptation of The Lord of the Rings (to a young Bill Nighy's Sam). With all that history, Ian Holm had to be in the PJ version!

>120 MrsLee: I read Johnson's Journey to the Western Isles, which gave me no desire for a closer acquaintance. I have been meaning to read Boswell's account of the same journey at some point to see if he was quite as opinionated, but now I'm less sure I want to.

>124 imyril: I know I'm done with both Dr. Johnson and Mr. Boswell.

Will begin Komarr tonight. Pretty sure this won't disappoint or get set down much.

>125 MrsLee: But is it thick enough?

Moved my daughter and lots of her stuff to the Bay Area. I think in any future moves, Mark's and my help will be financial rather than lift and carry. :P

I was able to finish I Am Spock on the drive down. It was very entertaining, especially if you are a Star Trek fan, as that is most of the focus of this. He touched lightly on his other performances in the theater and directing, but mostly as they either were influenced by or affected his performance of Spock. Now I want to go watch the original series, the episode of STNG with Spock and movies 3 & 4 again.

Next audio up is You Might be a Zombie and Other Bad News by Cracked.com. I loaded that because I couldn't remember where I was at in the Dresden series and what came next. Also, I will finish Komarr today, which as I predicted was wonderful. I'm going to start A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore.

I spent the morning entering books on LT which I hadn't cataloged yet. I want to read them ALL. Now. Guess I had better get busy and read the one I am in the middle of first.

I need to catch up on cataloguing, too...mostly ebooks I've downloaded.

And my "I will never, ever read James Joyce again" book was Dubliners in high school. And nope, haven't touched him since.

>129 Marissa_Doyle: I have not cataloged or even counted the many ebook and audiobooks I have. They are a deep, dark secret which are only revealed when I actually read one and review it. Then I add it to my catalog. I have only one bookshelf in my house which is completely cataloged. I am slooooowly working on the others, but I don't put any books on that one shelf until I've put them in LT.

I finished A Dirty Job today. Loved it. Moore has a fine touch with the dark humor, and although his world is a bit more earthy than I usually hang out in, it seems fitting to his characters so I don't mind. I'm excited because I won the sequel to this book in Early Reviewers. Haven't received it yet though, so I'm going to pull something off the shelves which have been blocked by my reading chair for a few years. These poor books haven't seen the light of day, but apparently the spiders have visited regularly.

First grab brought to light a book which will be my new bathroom read, Eye-Witness to History. Looks to be bits and snatches from Thucydides telling of a plague in Athens to James Fenton describing the fall of President Marcos in Manila and lots more in between. This one may take awhile.

For fun, my next grab was The General in His Labyrinth by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I have no idea where either of these came from. I think if I bought this one, I bought it for the cover, which is enchanting.

>130 MrsLee: A Dirty Job was the first of his books that I read and quite enjoyed it. Hope you enjoy the sequel as much when it arrives. I didn't realise that there was one although I did know that some characters pop up in various other of Moore's works.

>131 AHS-Wolfy: Bloodsucking Fiends was my first, I enjoyed that one, too. Yes, the female vamp from that was very briefly in this one, as well as the policemen and the Emperor. All characters I enjoyed. San Francisco is very much a character in his stories it seems.

>132 MrsLee: My first Christopher Moore was the wonderful The Stupidest Angel. What a great book!

>133 mrgrooism: I'm a bit wary of his religious themed books. I don't appreciate Jesus or God being mocked, but I don't mind if His (goofy) followers are, or some of the crazy traditions around what we call "faith." Some authors are able to walk that line for me, but I'm not going to pay a lot of money to see whether Moore can. Someday I will try one though, just to find out.

I quit reading The General in His Labyrinth. To me it was dull, dull, dull. My daughter says you have to acquire a taste for Marquez, but I don't feel the need to. Got too much other stuff on my shelves to read.

I'm pleasantly surprised by the Eye-Witness to History book. Interesting little snippets of history. I'm gonna like this one.

Will be starting As You Wish tonight, since my daughter loaned it to me to read.

>134 MrsLee: I really liked a couple of other GGM titles, but I couldn't get excited about The General in His Labyrinth. My favorite of his was Love in the Time of Cholera, which I found much easier to get into than 100 Years of Solitude.

>135 Jim53: I've heard good things about that one, which is why I tried this one. I'll try it if it comes my way, but I don't think I'll seek it out. You know, the ever-present looming TBR shelves.

>136 MrsLee: I hear you. I told someone today that I would try to add a new book to Mt. Tooby, but I didn't think I could reach that high.

>137 Jim53: *grin* My Mount Tooby is more of a range than just one peak; continental drift will have it taking over my bedroom soon.

Home from my weekend road warrior trip. 14 hours in the car, nine of those listening to books.

I finished You Might be a Zombie and Other Bad News, which was amusing as intended. The narrator had a good delivery for that sort of material.

Began Turn Coat by Jim Butcher. Such fun reading. I love that Dresden is put in terrible positions by his unwillingness to bend his dedication to doing the right thing. Even when it means supporting and helping the man who was eager to kill him for most of his young adult years.

Also started reading The Last Chinese Chef by Nicole Mones. I'm enjoying it, as it discusses much of what sets Chinese cuisine apart from the rest of the world.

>139 MrsLee: Forgive me if I have mentioned this before but I think you might enjoy Ang Lee's film, "Eat Drink Man Woman". It is set in Taiwan and is about a widower and his three daughters. He is a banquetting chef at a big restaurant and everything in the film revolves around dining. Your penchant for cooking led me to yhink you might enjoy it.

Apologies if I have mentioned this before but I do think you would enjoy it.

I hope you are still enjoying the new job. A friend of ours has just started a new job and it is the forst time in ten years that she does not have to work on Saturdays. She has had two free Saturdays so far and is still trying to work out what to do with them.

>140 pgmcc: You know me well! My foodie friend and I love that film! It's about so much more than cooking and eating, and yet that is so much a part of it. :) Please don't ever apologize for trying to recommend something good, we all have too much to remember and that is a harmless thing to repeat.

Let your friend know that she needn't worry, as soon as her family and friends realize she is now available on the weekends, she won't have to think to fill them. I'm not sure this is a good thing yet. I still love my new job. I had to deal with a person who had their car repossessed and my boss was amazed at how well I handled it. "That?" I said, "That was nothing compared to what I handled on an almost daily basis at the hotel." I think I gained a whole lot of good points from her.

>141 MrsLee: I'm impressed. How do you calm and gently direct someone who's just had her car repossessed, or whatever worse things happened on an almost daily basis at the hotel?

>142 Meredy: If you are of a delicate disposition perhaps you ought not be asking such questions of @MrsLee.

>143 pgmcc: Why, whatever are you imagining? You make it sound very naughty. Now I really want to know.

>142 Meredy: It was easier for the car than the hotel, but the same principle works at both. You become the disinterested third person. The go-between. All her ranting was at the owners, so I became quiet until she stopped, then I said what needed to be said without emotions, just the facts. Rinse and repeat as often as necessary. If you take their comments to heart, it gets to you, but if you realize that they are a certain kind of person who carries this behavior through life it isn't as hard.

Happily, this dealership doesn't have this situation frequently, in fact not in years, so I'm not worried.

Sometimes I think I work at a combination of "Cheers" and "Hee Haw," the people are so friendly. Only they don't serve alcohol. :)

We loved "Cheers".

"Hey! I haven't been in this place in over fifteen years. It hasn't changed a bit except for that bit of wallpaper behind Harv."

Finished As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride. Although the writing was a bit awkward, it was a lovely read. I don't think it made me love the movie any more, because that is impossible, but it gave me the warm fuzzies all through.

Finished The Last Chinese Chef. What a lovely story this was! An incredible look into the cuisine of China, how it represents the history, literature and just about everything else there. I very much enjoyed this, even though I never much connected with the main characters. Unusual for me, I tend to need to love the characters to enjoy the story. Don't get me wrong, the people in the story were not unpleasant, but there was something between us that kept me from being caught up in their trials and joys. I wanted to get back to the talk about food and cooking and customs and history.

Not sure what to read next. I can tell by the smell that much of my day will be taken up processing a bag full of garlic which I was given.

Grabbed a book from my shelves to give a try. The Barbary Coast by Herbert Asbury. The cover says, "An unflinching account of the sink-hole of depravity and vice that once made San Francisco's underworld the most dangerous spot in America."

I'll give it a shot. This is one of the books I inherited from my husband's uncle, so if it doesn't read well, out it goes. I have no problems quitting a book which doesn't appeal anymore.

It's older, and perhaps a bit wordy - as books from the first half of the 20th century seem to be - but I really enjoyed it.

Oops! Not sure how it happened. I'm sure I meant to pick up the history book I'm reading, but I grabbed Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh instead. My daughter loaned it to me. So now I'm reading one chapter of this whenever I feel I deserve something special. It is a little sad though because Allie Brosh struggles with depression and she has such a great gift. Having struggled myself, and only managed to lock it away in the back of my brain, ignored but not eliminated, I wish better for her.

>151 MrsLee: That's a great way to describe handling depression. My door has no lock, but it does close and there's a light in there. ;)

Finished Hyperbole and a Half, am really close to finishing The Barbary Coast. So when I do finish it tomorrow or possibly tonight, but I suspect I will fall asleep instead, I will begin Secondhand Souls by Christopher Moore. I have to start it, because it is from the Early Reviewer program. I am so dedicated and virtuous.

>153 MrsLee: You are a role model for us all!

>154 SylviaC: Which is really funny if you have read the last chapter of the Hyperbole book on our image of ourselves. :)

I finished As You Wish a few days ago. I loved it! But I have loved the movie since it came out. I was one who saw it in the theater. And I loved the book as well. I read it in high school right before the movie came out. The book and movie are pretty sentimental for me. So hearing the tales behind making the movie was very fun. I know I will appreciate a few of the scenes a bit more now, like getting hit on the head in the Fire Swamp. :)

>156 catzteach: In reading my Eyewitness to History book, one of the stories was about a knight thumping a foe on the head with the pommel of his sword. Only, it didn't require a trip to the hospital, it required a trip to the undertaker!

I finished Secondhand Souls today. I loved most of it as much as I loved A Dirty Job, but the ending was a bit heavy on the Eastern mysticism side of things for my taste. A personal preference for sure. Also, I wish the crudeness was a bit more subtle (or invisible, or even just gone), but again, a personal preference. What I do love is the humor, the characters (many of them, not just one or two) and the way they look out for each other, and the little bits of history and place sprinkled throughout.

Not ready to dive into a different fictional world yet, so I took a dive into my TBR shelves and came up with Recollections of a Sailor Boy by Stephen F. Blanding. In tiny print on the title page it says, "Acting Carpenter's Mate of the U.S.S. Louisiana in the War of the Rebellion." This was printed in 1886. As will all of these old books, it will depend on the readability whether I finish it or not. I do love sea adventures.

>157 MrsLee: I'm glad you (mostly) liked Secondhand Souls. I still have a lot of his books to get to but I'd already planned on adding this one to the tbr shelves after you first mentioned it earlier.

>159 AHS-Wolfy: I think part of my hesitation in the liking of it, is the guilt I feel for liking such material. :P I do love his smart-assery though.

The Sailor Boy writes perfectly readable stuff for a man of the 1800s. In fact, it's quite interesting.

Finished Recollections of a Sailor Boy. Guess I will keep it for now, although I don't see myself rereading it. It is a nice addition to my collection of sea adventures and memoirs, although, they really didn't go to sea. More coasting and rivers.

I received my copy of The Shepherd's Crown, but before I read it I decided to read through the Tiffany Aching books again. I recently read Wee Free Men, so I'm going to read A Hat Full of Sky now.

>161 MrsLee: I think I'll follow your example and reread the Tiffany Aching books in preparation for getting a copy of The Shepherd's crown. They are so wonderful.

>162 Sakerfalcon: Last night my husband came home from shopping to find me having a full on fit of laughter with tears and everything. He wanted me to share, but I told him that it wouldn't be the same if you hadn't read the first book and been led ever so gently up to the joke that Pratchett laid out for you with one of the characters and his name. So I have to wonder. Did Pratchett have that joke in mind all the time he was writing, or did it come upon him? Did he maneuver the story to accommodate the joke? Every time I started thinking about it, I laughed harder. Bless the man.

Of my books I bought yesterday, I've read:
Mice are Nice, children's poems beautifully illustrated. The sepia tones are perfect for the mice and cats.
The Very Quiet Cricket, I love Eric Carle's paintings, and the story is what it sets out to be.
Tolkien's World; Paintings of Middle-earth, soooo pretty. Each artist gets a page at the end to talk about themselves and their inspirations. Happy to add this to my collection.

Now back to the regularly programmed reading. Only, I've suddenly come down with a bug, so my three days of happy reading and playing on LT will be cut short due to head and body aches. Spent the last two hours in my bedroom with blankets covering, dark cloth wrapped around my head and eyes and earplugs in. Everything sensory hurts right now. Bah!

Finished reading Monsieur Pamplemousse by Michael Bond. I was a little disappointed because when I realized Bond wrote Paddington Bear, I was expecting more humor and silliness. This was pretty flat for humor. In fact it was pretty flat. I did enjoy the foodie talk, and I expect I will try another book, because the subject of this one, computer hacking in the 1990s, didn't interest me much.

I was going to read Wintersmith next, but my book from Early Reviewers came, so I have begun Girl Waits With Gun by Amy Stewart, who wrote The Drunken Botanist among others, and it is showing great promise.

I am well and truly humbled now. Amy Stewart is an amazing woman. She read a few newspaper articles, and became inspired by the three Kopp sisters. Then she dove headlong into research and ended up writing a delightful story about them; especially Constance, the first female deputy sheriff of Bergen County, New Jersey. Not only that, but when I went to her website to see some photos, I discover that she is a talented artist as well. Also lovely. I wish I knew her, but reading her books is a fine alternative.

From all of that, I suppose you can get the idea that I enjoyed reading Girl Waits With Gun. In fact I enjoyed it so much that I read until 9:30pm, went to bed, woke up at 2:30am thinking about it and finally at 3:30am decided that I might as well get up and finish it because I couldn't sleep.

That isn't to say that there are no problems with it. IMO, it went on too long, became a bit dull at the end. Also, I never could get over the second sentence, "The Archduke of Austria had just been assassinated, the Mexicans were revolting, and absolutely nothing was happening at our house..." That just seems such an unfair judgment on Mexicans out of the blue. ;) After that I was pulled into the story of these sister's lives.

This book focuses on their run-in with a silk mill owner. He runs into them with his automobile when they are in their buggy to be precise. They submit a bill for damages, which he refuses to pay and Constance won't take no for an answer.

Stewart does a fine job of reflecting the attitudes of the day. I know this because my grandmother grew up in that time and told me about them. Women didn't live on their own. It wasn't done. When it was done, they were exceptional women. The mistrust of strangers, journalists, lawmen and basically everyone was a real thing. My grandmother was told to have nothing to do with "those Polish people and gypsies" who immigrated to her area. She reveled in the freedom she felt (and how scandalized her mother would have been) when she raced a train full of WWI soldiers on her horse riding bareback with her hair flying out behind her, the soldiers waving and cheering her on. These were years of great transition for women, although it hadn't happened yet, and this story reflects that awakening in the sister's lives.

There are to be sequels, I'm assuming having to do with the career of Constance, and I am really looking forward to them.

Okay, I'll put that one (meaning Girl Waits With Gun) on the list for the 2016 library book group discussion!

>167 jillmwo: Good! I think there is loads of material for discussion in it, from her inspiration through to the ends. As always with my reviews, I only give the highlights, trying to save the spoilers. :) The mother of the Missses Kopp was a piece of work IMO, but probably not all that unusual at the time.

I've begun Letters from a Self-made Merchant to his Son by George Horace Lorimer. I will probably finish it today even though it is 312 pages, since the margins and spacing are very generous. It is amusing, enlightening and quite practical advice, even if a bit dated in some of the attitudes and language.

Fictional letters from a pork packer mogul to his Harvard bound son, let me just say that although he speaks in love with improvement on his mind, I would be hesitant to open these letters if I were on the receiving end very often. Aside from offering sound advice, he does not hesitate to offer criticism if he feels it is deserved. He usually gives two or three examples to back it up, and they do go on a bit, even if amusing. Which is funny, because one of the letters is all about being brief with your words when you have something important to say.

When I looked up the author, I found that he was the editor of the Saturday Evening Post, hence the humor and the moral tone. A very handsome man as well, and I can just imagine him really writing these sorts of letters to a son!

Examples:
Mr. Pierrepont's (the son) expense account has just passed under his father's eye.
"The cashier has just handed me your expense account for the month, and it fairly makes a fellow hump-shouldered to look it over. When I told you that I wished you to get a liberal education, I didn't mean that I wanted to buy Cambridge." He then goes on to explain about living within your means.

Pierrepont has returned home and is working his way up from the bottom in the business. His father is away and receives a bill for roses.
"I knew right off that I had made a mistake when I opened the enclosed and saw that it was a bill for fifty-two dollars, "for roses sent, as per orders, to Miss Mabel Dashkam." I don't just place Miss Dashkam, but if she's the daughter of old Job Dashkam, on the open Board, I should say, on general principles, that she was a fine girl to let some other fellow marry." Then follows a lecture on finding the right girl to marry.

MrsLee, what caused you to pick up Letters from a Self-Made Merchant to his Son? What made you think it would be good reading material for you? Can you trace back your reasons for selecting it?

I also won Girl Waits With Gun. And, now, I'm looking forward to reading it more than ever. I've gotten behind in everything, including a few more LTER books that I should read first, so I probably won't read it until next month.

>169 jillmwo: A friend's parents were getting rid of a bag full of books, this and its sequel were in it. Glancing through, I could see that it might be amusing and I enjoy things written from those times, so I kept it. Put it in one of my TBR bookcases. Not long after that I was reading Whose Body? and it was mentioned that an American tycoon had it on his bedside table. If Dorothy L. Sayers took note of something enough to mention it in a novel, it interested me.

Yesterday I was using my very own method of picking what to read next before I dove into the book I really wanted to read. Since I had just finished Girl With a Gun I didn't want to jump into Wintersmith, needed some time to mellow. So, I thought about which bookcase I hadn't pulled something off of in awhile, then which shelf on it I wanted to clear, closed my eyes, reached out and "Wallah!" That is my scientific method for choosing a book off of my TBR shelves to read.

>170 streamsong: I think you will enjoy it. It isn't as funny as her non-fiction, meaning that isn't what she was aiming for, but it is good tempered.

Thought of you this evening as we checked into the timeshare, @MrsLee. They have a small library at the reception area.

:)

Finished Wintersmith a couple of days ago.

Read through Fables vol. 1: Legends in Exile by Bill Willingham. That is the one useful thing I've found for my new tablet to do. I can read ebooks with illustrations now. I didn't much care for this one. Hmmm, that isn't precisely true. The story itself wasn't bad for a short story. The artwork was fine. I think I am not the right audience for tawdry reimagined fairy tale characters. Not really a fan of grunge and they were all not pleasant or entertaining, just broken and depressing. Meh. Also, I know it's a graphic novel thing, but I don't like the way the lead female (Snow White), when she showed any emotion at all, was portrayed as going off the rails. She wasn't just annoyed, she was suddenly screaming in rage. She didn't grieve, she was bawling and hysterical.

Now I'm reading One False Move by Harlan Coben. His Myron Bolitar series is always dependable for amusement. This is a series I was very surprised to like. A sports agent for crying out loud?! Yet I find the characters interesting, Myron is a smart ass the way I like them, and the mysteries are usually solid. The sports stuff isn't even annoying or boring. :) I buy them when I see them in a used store, but I don't keep them. Not a reread for me, but a solid three and a half for dependable enjoyment.

Finished One False Move, enjoyed it and it was a puzzle to the end, but I don't think the author was unfair about it. He simply told us we let our built in prejudices get in the way of our intelligence, then he proved it to us. With smart-assery.

Will begin Measure for Measure next. I really need to find a way to get away from my loving family sometimes. This creates guilt. I should be a better person. Sigh.

Don't go there, my dear! You do not need to be "better". You're just fine the way you are, you need to remember to take care of yourself, and your loving family will learn to hold it together, without you acting the role of duct tape. (Trust me on this.)

We all need to get away sometimes.

>176 jillmwo: Duct tape is a terrific description! I believe I will trust you on this. :)

>177 suitable1: That's what books are for! Right? For when we can't go off to a lonely island in real life?

>175 MrsLee: >176 jillmwo: >177 suitable1: This is exactly why we need a little booky getaway.

Duct tape. That is excellent, dear Jill.

Wrapping up the third quarter of reading, here are my stats.

Third quarter
31 books read, 23 fiction, 8 nonfiction
22 by men, 6 by women, 2 combined male and female, 1 Anonymous (28 distinct authors)
15 by authors I’ve never read before
22 physical books, 3 audio and 6 ebooks
Oldest writing was by (Plato423ish – 348bc), oldest physical book from 1886 (Recollections of a Sailor Boy).

I'm finding it very difficult to read now that my mom is here. Working during the day, then visiting for an hour or so after work; plus the fact that my husband seems to have developed a sadistic desire to talk as soon as I pick up a book these days, leaves me to tired to concentrate, so it is taking me forever to get through Measure for Measure which should be a quick read. I find myself reading a page or two in Japanese Cooking, then either turning on Netflix to watch an episode of "Gotham" or going to bed.

Hopefully I can read some this weekend.

I know what you mean about the sadistic desire to talk. Both of my kids have been doing that a lot lately. I keep reminding myself that they'll soon be grown up and moved out, and then I'll miss their chatter. (If my husband suddenly turned talkative, I'd be so astounded that I wouldn't even try to read.)

>180 MrsLee: >181 SylviaC: It would bother me, too, if every time I picked up a book I were deemed "available." But at the same time, if someone wants my attention (in a positive, cordial way), I can consider that a gift. It's much nicer that way than if no one does.

When my kids were young, my husband and I did all our reading after their bedtimes--until I realized one day that they never saw us modeling reading behavior and reading for pleasure because it never happened while they were awake. So I started deliberately sitting down with a book whenever I could manage it during their waking hours, expecting interruptions but mainly just trying to plant the concept.

>181 SylviaC: & >182 Meredy: I tell myself the same things, but I don't always like doing/experiencing the right things in life. :P

I did finish Measure for Measure today, and even managed to squeeze in a production of it on Amazon Prime. A weird, yet interesting production. It took place on a modernish military base. I didn't recognize any of the actors. They left out all the bawds, clowns and foolishness, and cut the other stuff quite a bit, yet kept the meat of the story. I really loved their interpretation of the ending, which was not how I read Shakespeare writing it, but if he did, I approve. All in all this made a nice study of the law vs. justice vs. mercy.

Will begin Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore tonight.

>182 Meredy: Great to model reading - I actually had a conversation with a child the other day in which they said they didn't see the point in reading because it was only something that people did in school, the only people who did it after school were teachers. Which I thought was sad (even more so because it's not true - of the teachers of my acquaintance only about half of them would read for pleasure with anything like regularity).

Some of my favorite memories are the books we read aloud as a family. I managed to read quite a bit when my children were at home. When they were teens, their friends asked them if I was a vampire because no matter what time they came in at night, I was reading in my chair. Not sure why that constitutes vampirism, but whatever keeps the respect and awe works for me. ;)

I finished Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore today. How very refreshing to find an author who writes clever modern prose and manages to keep my interest and delight without resorting to foul language, sex or violence. I couldn't put it down, or at least was very reluctant to put it down. I wonder if Google financed him. :) Two of my favorite quotes:

"So it's the surface that matters. People want things to be real. If you give them an excuse, they'll believe you."

"...I'm starting to think the whole world is just a patchwork quilt of crazy little cults..."

>185 MrsLee: I wonder if Google financed him.

That's funny, I see it as anything but a promotional for Google.

>186 Meredy: I was thinking how many times their name was mentioned. I have a cousin who works for them, it sounds like all rainbows and roses. ;)

>187 MrsLee: The daughter of my former boss used to work in their HR department (Google's HQ is very close by), and according to her, you wouldn't believe how chaotic it is over there. Or was, anyway, when she said that. I've also known people who were affected by the peremptory canceling of projects--just bye-bye, it's over, we're moving on. Just as Kat said in the book.

>185 MrsLee: I loved that book!

WRT to adults reading with children, I saw a mother and her son get on the tube yesterday, sit next to each other, and each take out a paperback book to read on their journey. I thought it was a lovely sight.

I am mostly lurking about so I am here to say "hi". I hope to be finished today with selling my house and maybe that means I will get back into reading! Yay!

>190 maggie1944: Hi! Thanks for checking in, so very glad to hear about your house selling success! I keep an eye on you in FB, but I love when our long-time members check in here, too.

Oh dear. I think I've forgotten to mention my latest audio reads. I finished Turn Coat by Jim Butcher, love that one.

I've begun Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. An excellent read, even though the subject matter is difficult.

Decided to start The Martian: The Novel today, since my husband actually ASKED ME TO GO TO THE MOVIE with him. This is monumental. My husband hates the theatre and movies. I'm reading as fast as I can, but even if I'm not done by the weekend, I will still go to the movie with him. I put this on his Kindle, and I thought he didn't finish it or even like it, but I guess I was wrong. So far I'm liking it.

>193 MrsLee: my husband actually ASKED ME TO GO TO THE MOVIE with him

That sounds miraculous enough that it raises the wild possibility: my husband might even do likewise. This sounds like one that would be much better on the big screen than delivered via Netflix.

>193 MrsLee: &>194 Meredy:
One of my sons suggested our going to The Martian a couple of days ago. I too might have to read the book soon. There has been an amount of pressure on LT that I should do so.

>195 pgmcc: For what it's worth, I have also been slow to pick it up because of various reasons, but I am enjoying the read so far.

I'm rereading it right now myself, after going to the movie on Saturday. In our case, the kids and I had to drag my husband there. He enjoyed it, but had to ask us to fill in some of the missing bits.

>195 pgmcc: Pressure? . . . What pressure?

>195 pgmcc:

So, if family suggests it, yes; if we suggest it, noooooooo!

I loved The Martian, and so did younger son (who also liked the movie, and said the movie did a pretty good job of sticking to it, although he said the book was still better). Maybe not the best-written book ever, but entertaining as all get-out. Not sure if older son has read it. Husband has not, as he hardly ever reads fiction, but he agreed to go to the movie with me. Last weekend was too busy. He is out of town for Thanksgiving weekend, but gets home sometime on Monday, so we have tentative plans to go on Monday evening.

I read The Martian back at the beginning of August and enjoyed it and all being well, I'm going to see the film on Friday night with a friend.

So if you all go to see The Martian, does that let me off the hook? I just can't seem to get it together. (Although my son swears that I'll enjoy it if I just don't watch the squirmy bit during the first fifteen minutes. I have no idea what that refers to, and he won't tell me.)

>201 jillmwo: He's right. Once that's out of the way, there's nothing the least bit off-putting.

>201 jillmwo: I'm not inclined to twist anybody's arm about it, movie or book, either one. (Or maybe anybody's but @pgmcc's. His arm is so twistable.) As a rule that sort of pressure puts me off so bad that I never want to look at the thing. So I'd say don't head for the nearest cinema and wait in line for this unless you're keen on it. You can't wear your slippers there anyway, or brew a pot of tea. Better chill with something you know you'll love, and catch up with The Martian if and when you ever actually feel like it.

That's one movie I'm really looking forward to, but unfortunately it doesn't open here until the 17th. I really enjoyed the book.

I loved the book and I want see the movie. The most astonishing thing is that my hubby AND my sisters liked it too and they all hate science fiction. But my sisters are quite scientific and are big gardeners and believers of never giving up, and my BIL is an agricultural scientist and he liked it too.

MrsLee, I'm sorry it took me so long to respond about John Steinbeck's The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights. It's hard to get blocks of time in which I can string thoughts together AND write them down.

This is a lovely softcover book with colourful scrollwork on the front and a beautiful picture inside. Steinbeck researched several original manuscripts, chose the ones he liked best, and rewrote them in modern English with some changes. He dedicated the book to his sister, and included that interesting dedication written in script in old English as well as the translation. The lengthy appendix comprises correspondence between Steinbeck and his agent and Chase Horton about the
writing of the book.

I have only read a small part of the book - the story of Arthur being born and becoming King. I find it to be somewhat dry, very factual. Merlin plays his part but is mostly in the background. Lancelot and the Knights have their parts as well. It will be interesting to see how differently the stories are portrayed when compared to Mary Stewart's books and others.

I'm glad I found this book. I was beginning to think I'd run out of things to add to my library because of my circumstances but this little bookstore across the street catches me; I'm always saying "I'm not buying any more - OH LOOK!" John Steinbeck's Arthur book is a perfect example of that.

>203 Meredy: I must be telepathic and felt your twisting my arm. A while ago I was contemplating bringing The Martian with me on my debriefing visit to France next week.

I am under pressure to go to the film this Friday but the knowledge that there is a squirmy bit at the beginning would put my wife off the idea of going.

>206 nhlsecord: Thank you! I will be keeping my eyes out for that one.

I'm not finished with the book, still enjoying it. Reading this and Unbroken at the same time is interesting. When Watley goes on about the calories he needs to survive, I'm thinking, "Naaah, you can do with less, look at those guys in Unbroken!" Of the two situations, being stranded on Mars with the possibility of instant death seems a much cushier situation.

>207 pgmcc: She just has to close her eyes from the time he starts to take off his space suit until she hears a loud expletive.

Will somebody who's seen the movie The Martian please tell me behind a spoiler tag what the squirmy bit is? I don't remember anything I'd describe that way in the book.

>211 SylviaC: Thanks. We've probably seen worse, right? I wouldn't let that keep me away, and I typically avoid anything of a graphic nature in movies.

Ah, blood and guts in the way of wounds is not squirmy for me. Torture or passionate sex is my squirmy issue. :)

No, I didn't consider it a problem because it didn't involve any violence. My husband is squeamish about medical stuff, though.

Finished The Martian. Enjoyed it very much. Loved the questions for the author at the end of the Kindle book;
Q. "Star Wars" or "Star Trek?"
A. "Doctor Who"

Now, he would love to be in a room with the writers of Dr. Who, but how about this? I think he would be a great addition to the team! Perhaps bring it back a bit from the realm of weird and emotion into sassy science.

This was a much needed read today, because I am getting bogged down in how horrible people can be to one another while I read Unbroken and Eyewitness to History. I need a bit of hope here, even if it is fiction. Like the hope that we would do all we could to save a man in such a situation. *sigh* I'm not sure we would.

Time to read A Shepherd's Crown I think. Need to lighten my emotional load.

>215 MrsLee: I am bringing The Martian on my break to France and your comments have encouraged me that I am doing the right thing, even if it means I am succumbing to LT peer pressure.

>216 pgmcc: You are definitely doing the right thing, and I think you have chosen the right time to do it, too. It is a great vacation/break read. :) The author's love of sciencey stuff shines through and this is fun stuff.

I forgot I had to read I Shall Wear Midnight before A Shepherd's Crown, so I started that last night instead. Today there won't be much time for reading though.

>216 pgmcc: Congratulations!

>216 pgmcc:
I'm sure that the GD enforcers parked outside your door had no influence on your decision.

Hmm. Re The Martian, I was one of the few here who didn't care for the book (I disliked the MC's voice), but I can see it being a pretty good movie that I'd probably like better than the book (O rare occurrence!)

And wasn't Mr. Penumbra fun?

>220 Marissa_Doyle: For me, the main character reminded me of so many of the men in my life that I love. He was endearing to me. Funny how differently people perceive things like that, right?

I hope there are more books with Mr. Penumbra and his sidekick, or at least more in that vein of good clean fun which is engrossing and hard to put down.

I loved the book The Martian and the movie! The Husband really wanted to see the movie, I did too, but when he wants to go, we go! He rarely wants to go to the movies. I was glad they kept the humor in it.

>217 MrsLee: I've just finished A hat full of sky in my Tiffany Aching reread. Such wonderful books. I appreciate that even though this series is ostensibly Young Adult, Pratchett's tone is the same as in his "adult" books. He didn't feel the need to write down to the younger audience as some other authors have.

>222 catzteach: The movie didn't happen yesterday, too many other things to do. Maybe tonight. Oh for the days when I could go like an Energizer Bunny.

>223 Sakerfalcon: I agree completely.

The only reading I got done yesterday was a few pages in the Japanese cookbook.

My Thingaversary is today!

Oh! A thingaversary. Yay. We are all happy you are here, and posting, and sharing your reading! Hope you get a chance to do the Thingaversary book buy!

Happy Thingaversary!

Happy Thingaversary! Celebrate!!

Happy Thingaversary!

Happy Thing, @MrsLee!

Thank you all! I don't particularly care about the anniversary of joining any other site on the interwebs, but this one is special.

Yup, you are right. This site is special, and aren't we glad!

Happy Thingaversary!

Happy Thingaversary! Did you get a chance to buy a book?

>224 MrsLee: Oh, I missed it! I was out and didn't see your post. Well, happy yesterversary, and I hope you are conscientiously making all the required acquisitions. That way you get to keep celebrating for a long while.

Although I did not have the opportunity yesterday to purchase books, I managed to read a little, also, the thought of my Thingaversary put me in a very good mood all day and helped me remember which day it was. It's the little things.

I have been purchasing, over the last couple of months, special books which will live with me. I finished my collection of Terry Pratchett hardcovers with a cover design by Joe McLaren. At least I hope I have all of them now. I also purchased the rest of the series up to date of the Bruno, Chief of Police by Martin Walker. Those, added to some of the books which followed me home from the used book store in town recently, more than make up for my "due."

So nice to have a whole internet site to enable my addiction. Do drug users have this kind of support? I think not. Not that I want to find that out. ;)

Happy Thingaversary, MrsLee!

There was a discussion of Mr Penumbra a while back, which you might find fun: over here.

My reaction to The Martian was that I could have just watched a couple of old MacGyver episodes and gotten a similar effect. But I know lots of folks really liked it.

Thanks >236 Jim53:, I had been avoiding all talk on the book until I read it, but then I forgot where the talk was! :)

I finished I Shall Wear Midnight. Although I like where Tiffany is headed, I'm a little tired of all the lecturing on witching to get her there. A witch is this, a witch is that, etc. Perhaps an effect of reading them one right after the other (sort of)? Anyway, the coast is clear now to read A Shepherd's Crown, but first one or two other books.

Today I will begin "Circle the Wagons" by Glorianne Weigand. A local author for me, she has written about many of the pioneer families who came to the area of Northern California where I grew up. Lots of local history.

I finished Japanese Cooking night before last by skimming the recipes at the end.

Here is my review:

This is a beautiful book. Lovely photos, and tons of them, which show you the food being talked about and the techniques to prepare it. The writing is very readable, and although I did not try any of the recipes, they also looked clear and easy enough to follow. I liked reading about the history, the culture and the reasons Japanese cuisine is what it is today.

All that being said, this did not inspire me to cook Japanese food. I don't think it is the fault of the book. It is because there is no fresh seafood (or fresh that I trust) near me, nor are there many of the other fresh or specialized ingredients used in this book. It is a book for cities, preferably cities on the coast. Although I am not inspired to cook out of the book, I appreciate having a better understanding of what the cuisine is so that the next time I visit a city with a Japanese restaurant I will know what to order!

Here is what I did not add:

The experience of reading Unbroken at the same time as this cookbook ruined the cookbook for me. All I could think of while reading the cookbook was the starvation and torture the POWs experienced at the hands of the Japanese. So, there is that and I don't know what to do with it except let it be.

>238 MrsLee: Don't know about California, but around here you'd need to be in a small, coastal town rather than a city. Many years ago when visiting Durban (coastal) from Pretoria (way inland) I asked some locals where one could go to buy fresh sea fish. "Pretoria", they said, ït's all frozen on the boats at sea, and we get the same frozen stuff you do!"

>240 MrsLee: That is most of the way of it here as well, except perhaps in San Francisco and Seattle. Even the small coastal towns are hard to find fish in because they are all sent to bigger markets.

Occasionally, in Seattle you can visit fishing boats on the docks and buy fresh fish from them. What a treat.

I finished Unbroken last night. I did not expect the upbeat ending of the story, but I'm glad it was there. Reminded me of how to put bad things that happen into perspective. I know this, but sometimes when walking through the mire it is easy to forget.

Need a fun book again, so instead of my normal "two book interval" between Dresden books, I'm going to start Changes. Although, since I won't be walking until next week, I won't really start this until then.

Last night walking home I pulled something in my hip, my heel is still killing me, so I decided to give myself a break until after the wedding. I want to be able to dance with my son, not hobble.

>242 MrsLee: Reminded me of how to put bad things that happen into perspective. I know this, but sometimes when walking through the mire it is easy to forget.

A very valuable reminder and a great example for those benighted souls who don't understand how "made-up" stories can have anything to do with reality.

Today I have my knee wrapped in an Ace bandage, hoping to keep it from going out on me. It's been wobbling for days. If it collapses, not only will it be a long healing process but I'll probably break something when I fall. Good, reliable mobility is a precious gift and one I never take for granted. I hope you mend quickly and well.

>242 MrsLee: I want to be able to dance with my son Gotta have priorities. Hope it's wonderful!

>242 MrsLee: Wishing you a quick recovery so you can enjoy that dance :D

Fingers crossed for a speedy recovery!

>242 MrsLee: Get well soon.

Thank you all! I'm working hard on the recovery bit, doing my stretches, etc. Hip is mostly fine, heel is still a killer. Two more days! My boss let me take off at 2pm yesterday and today so I can get various chores and such done. It's very hard to get motivated to do chores when your heel feels like an icepick is jabbed into it every time you step.

Yesterday I got the bathroom cleaned and went shopping to buy a gift basket full of local specialized products for my aunt who is officiating at the wedding. Dark chocolate, wine, crackers, jam, several kinds of nuts, dried fruit and fresh fruit from local yards (persimmons and pineapple guava), soap and lotion for the hotel room, then I also included some wild rice, white pomegranate balsamic vinegar and rosemary virgin olive oil for cooking when she gets home. Made up the basket to the best of my decorative ability.

On the book front, I really wish I could have proofread the book by the local author I am reading. Not that I am a fine editor, but I could help her not make the huge boffos of dates and horribly awkward phrasings which she consistently makes. Ah well. I would quit reading it, but last night in one of the stories, she mentioned the wagon train that my great-great grandfather traveled with! It's stuff like that I'm interested in. Sadly, the book is falling apart as I read it. Poorly made I guess. It's my mom's book. Yikes. I may try to re-glue it, I have the proper glue I think.

Dance like no one is watching, because they'll all be on their phones.

@MrsLee, I hope the wedding is a great for you all. Have a ball and mind those crystal slippers.

>249 suitable1: I took your advice, and >250 pgmcc: I wore my slippers, but they weren't crystal, they were isotoners. :)

I didn't pack "books" to take for our two day stay at the hotel, but I did pack my Kindle, tablet and phone, so books were available. I began Sherman Alexie's The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. I am immersed in it. Other words like "enjoy" don't really apply, but it is compelling reading and although the subject matter can be sad, frustrating, and a whole lot of other things, it also feels like an honest look at a compound and complex issue/s. As an adolescent rage/scream book I find it much better reading than The Catcher in the Rye. Probably because of the narrator's black humor.

Mrs Lee - hope your hip and heel are better, and that you smile your face in half and dance the soles out of your shoes at that wedding!

>252 JannyWurts: Mission accomplished! My toes kind of hurt, and when I looked at my foot today, they are hugely bruised. I now have a memory of someone stepping on my foot (I was wearing my "ballerina" slippers). Ah well.

I finished The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. LT's like-o-meter didn't think I would like it, but they were wrong. I liked it a lot! Here is part of my review.

This was an excellent book! The stark reality of Arnold's life and the lives of those around him is contrasted, or perhaps enhanced by his refusal to let go of the hope within. There is a dark humor to this boy which probably saved him. This is definitely a book about adolescent boys, along with ALL of the issues they face. It is refreshingly honest. Reading the comments from the author at the end enabled me to pin down what I loved about the theme of this story. He said, "Even as the world tries to define you, narrow the definition of you, don't do it to yourself."

I have to finish that book of pioneers before October ends, then I will be happy. I've read 85 books so far, so I think my goal of 100 in the year is achievable.

Managed to finish Circle the Wagons by skimming stories of those families I was not familiar with.

I am finally at the point where I will allow myself to read The Shepherd's Crown.

Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian was amazing. My daughters read it in high school and I snagged one of their copies.

I totally love Sherman Alexie, his fiction, his poetry, and his public appearances! He tells his truth directly and with a warm sense of humor! Yay!

Have a great weekend!

>256 maggie1944: I am definitely going to look up more of his works.

I've been spending the day entering movies into my catalog. So far I've only managed to enter one shelf, and this means that I will NOT finish the book I thought I would by the end of October, but what can I say? I'm on a roll. "Roll 'em!"

My reviews are very short for the movies. I've decided to end every review with how the movie made me feel. For instance, on Blast from the Past, I said, "Leaves you feeling happy, and like having a martini."

I did finish The Shepherd's Crown last night, and I finished it before midnight, since the clocks rolled back! Of course, I couldn't sleep in this morning because my body doesn't like bed anymore, so there will be naps.

Next book will be No More a Stranger, an historical fiction of the time Robert Louis Stevenson spent in California.

I'm pretty disappointed with No More a Stranger. Subject matter Robert Louis Stevenson and place (Monterey, CA) I am very interested in, also the time (1870s), but the prose was dull, dull, dull. Perhaps dull isn't the word for it. Hmmm, dry? Drip, drip, drip? Like watching paint dry. I read about 100 pages, skipped to the end, read the last chapter and didn't really feel that I had missed anything.

Here's the sad thing, or possibly the good thing. The notes at the end about her sources and the history were much more interesting than her fictional portrayal of the events.

I really wanted to love this. I was rooting for the author Anne B. Fisher, because she is a formidable and accomplished woman, so I wanted to love her writing. But no. This was another confirmation to me that the impulse to write is not enough. Meticulous research is not enough. There has to be a spark, a talent, an ear for good prose and good dialog. Rats.

I think I had better read the next in the Vorkosigan saga A Civil Campaign, to get over the sadness.

This was another confirmation to me that the impulse to write is not enough. Meticulous research is not enough. There has to be a spark, a talent, an ear for good prose and good dialog. Rats.

Double rats, @MrsLee. Your requirements (while all entirely valid) set the bar pretty high for those who hope to write their first novel during NaNoWriMo. I suspect that this might be why writers historically take to drink. I am too intimidated to even think of writing fiction because of the challenges in creating living beings on the page. The most I'd attempt to write in fiction might be an epistolary novel and even that might prove difficult. Maybe I'll just stick to meticulous research... :>) (And I think I need to practice use of emojii.)

>260 jillmwo: Of course I said that meaning myself as a writer. Lots of people have told me I should write, but I'm pretty sure I don't have it within me. I could possibly write something readable, but I don't have a story burning within to get out. I think it's kind of like people who are very good cooks and their friends convince them to open a restaurant which usually fails within a short time. Being a good cook is not a chef. Being a good reader does not make a writer.

I'm not trying to discourage anyone else from their dreams though. How will anyone know what they have within until they actually try? If I were retired, I would probably try the NaNo thingy, if only for my own pleasure. No time to think right now though, let alone write.

I think you'll find A Civil Campaign much more satisfactory. ;)

>260 jillmwo: Are you going to try it? Experienced voices say: Shut off your inner editor. NaNoWriMo is between you and the blank page. If you come out of it with filled pages (about 200 of them), you win.

I made it to the end one November, with a very cuckoo plot and some weird characters (e.g., a twin who stole his brother's identity, an alcoholic cowboy, a Finnish ballerina who was an assassin, an earth mother who ran a commune for draft dodgers in New Hampshire, and a bad guy who smuggled people out of Africa for the flesh trade). My second time out, I foundered. Even trying to write at full speed without fussing over grammar (and how can I not?), I still spent about half my time in meticulous research because authenticity of detail counts for so much with me. I'm just not the type to get it all down and fix it later. Hats off to those who can do it; they'll finish something, and I probably never will.

>263 Meredy: I know--I can't NaNo; it's the complete opposite of how I write. I cheer everyone else and continue down my own road. However, I do like the idea of a Finnish ballerina assassin. ;)

>262 Marissa_Doyle: I already love it because of the dedication page: "For Jane, Charlotte, Georgette, and Dorothy-long may they rule."

I even know who those women are! I still need to read Georgette though.

Oh. Oh my. You have not read any Georgette Heyer? (sits down and fans self.) If you enjoy A Civil Campaign, then we have to remedy that situation.

No Georgette?!?! (Borrows Marissa_Doyle's fan.) Why, I just finished rereading one of her finest for the umpteenth time.

Oh, and by the way, there is a huge Georgette Heyer ebook sale on Amazon right now, so if you want to acquire any, now would be a good time. It's an 80-hour sale, but I don't know what time it started. I would recommend Frederica as an excellent starting point.

Or The Unknown Ajax, or Arabella, or The Grand Sophy.

>265 MrsLee: For the record, it's Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, Georgette Heyer, and Dorothy Sayers. And in defense of @MrsLee, I just want to point out that it's entirely possible for someone who has never read Georgette Heyer to still live a healthy and productive life. (She just won't have had as much fun as she might have wished.) You have much to enjoy ahead of you, my dear.

Now if only @SylviaC hadn't mentioned that massive sale on Georgette Heyer over on Amazon! (Says Jill, madly clicking the button...)

*Peeks around corner to see if it's safe* and then admits to the empty room: I haven't read any Heyer either.

Yonks ago the SABC used to have serialised dramatizations of Georgette Heyer stories from time to time in the evenings on English radio. They weren't impossibly awful.

>271 streamsong: - *whispers* I'm not bowled over by Jane Austen, either, although I see why everyone loves her.

>268 SylviaC: - I've been buying them here and there for my Kindle, but I haven't read any yet. I have purchased Frederica and The Grand Sophy. Will read those before investing any more. Regency romances are not really my thing. However, I will try one of those next in honor of Ms. Bujold.

>270 jillmwo: >273 MrsLee: I ended up buying 19 of them in the sale, to add to the 11 that I already had on my kindle. I even bought the ones that I don't like.

You can't call Heyer's books "regency romances" - at least I don't think so. They are so much more than that. I think I have them all (not the mysteries, I didn't like the mysteries). They are something like Austen, but less polite, more intelligent, and much more fun. Nicely described fashions, too.

Don't yell at me, I know my opinion is going to annoy somebody ;-}

I got the "Regency romance" from a book cover on Amazon, but I'm fine if they aren't!

Well, they are regency romances, it's just me and my feeling that they are more than that. Or, to put it another way, Heyer's and Austen's books are regency romances, the others almost are.

Badly said, I think. I admire Austen, I love Heyer. She writes characters so very well. I started reading her when I was a teenager so I suppose she is what everybody else is compared to. Same goes for Mary Stewart and Helen MacInnes.

I'd better quit while I am not further behind. Also, I loaded Windows 10 and now my cursor has developed a life of its own so I must investigate.

Modern regency romances are a pale reflection of Georgette Heyer's books (and mostly with a overdose of extraneous sex, too).

I am almost finished with The Grand Sophy. I don't hate it. I don't adore it. I will probably read a couple more of her novels. Still, it doesn't bowl me over. Ah well.

Too bad. I really liked The Grand Sophy. It's still my favorite of hers. I'm reading Frederica now.

I've never even heard of Georgette Heyer, but I love Austen and this sounds good. On the wishlist she goes! I picked The grand Sophy, because that book is owned by the most people both here and at GR, and it seems to have the highest rating. Or would you recommend another of her books to start with?

By the way, I'm not always equally active around here (=LT), and even if I keep up with my Talk reading, I don't always talk myself, but I do always like going through your thread, @MrsLee...

>280 jnwelch: I think the problem is more with me than with the book or author! I can see myself really loving these at a different time of my life.

>281 zjakkelien: If you like Austen, I'll bet you will love these! Glad you found them, and nice to see you here. :) This is the first I've read of hers, but her name keeps coming up amongst readers here I usually have a great likeness to. Sorry for the awkward sentence. Lazy. Anyway, I intend to read several, but I'm starting with this one and next will be either Frederica or The Unknown Ajax. I'm curious about her mysteries, but haven't heard much encouragement over them.

Some people seem to really like her mysteries, but I don't care much for them. They're kind of like Christie, but Christie does it better. The only one that I really liked was The Unfinished Clue.

I wasn't taken by the mystery I read of hers either (Death in the Stocks) - okay, but not great. I'll have to try The Unfinished Clue.

Finished The Grand Sophy. I can see that these are superior for the type of literature they are, but at this point in my life, they really aren't my type of story. Sophy was a bit of a Mary Sue, yes? Anyway, sometimes we do want everything to come out just the way we think it should and no surprises, thank you. So for that, they are great.

Began The Wailing Wind by Tony Hillerman tonight. I may have read it before, but I couldn't find it in my catalog, so if I did it was years ago. Always dependable entertainment.

Okay, I have to pipe up here with regard to Georgette Heyer's mysteries. Envious Casca has been very popular in the book discussion groups with which I've worked. (It's set during the Christmas season, a frequently popular time for families to contemplate murder. *snort*) Critics, however, tend to favor Penhallow as one of her best mysteries. I may or may not have The Unfinished Clue in the shelf space allocated to Heyer. If I have it, I don't remember reading it which may require action on my part.

(Note: I've got to stop talking to academics. I've just gotten off a call with three PhD.s and any unfortunate tendency to pomposity rubs off on me.)

Going back to work, now.

>286 jillmwo: I do want to try one, since mysteries are my preferred genre, I wonder if they would appeal to me more than the romances? It isn't that I don't like romance, it's just that I don't want it to be the main story of the book. I want something else to be going on; whether it is killing demons, solving a crime or spying on the enemy, don't make it just about coupling. ;)

Hmm, trying to figure out where your pomposity is showing?

You might give The Unknown Ajax a try, then--it's very funny, and there's a mystery plot alongside the romance.

>288 Marissa_Doyle: I think I already have that, so will try it! Not for awhile though.

>287 MrsLee: Now there's the difference between us...I'm quite content with coupling!

>287 MrsLee: On the matter of genres and coupling, I'm with you there, and nicely put. I'm all for romance, but that's not what I want to read about it in a book. One reason is that it's so very hard to do well, without being trite, cloying, or just plain TMI, and another is that on the whole I prefer salt to sugar.

>287 MrsLee: & 291

You have reminded me of my reading of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. It became apparent very early in the book that when there was a graphic sex scene it was always the precursor of an information dump in which the author helped the reader catch up with the story. When reading the book and I spotted the first signs of flirtation I thought, "Ah ha! An information dump is coming." This was not so much the case in the two later books.

I'm not so fond of romances either, but with Heyer there is so much more fun going on that I don't think much about the coupling. It's the descriptions, the clothing, the families, the trouble they get into! The descriptions have led me to investigate the furnishings and behaviours and historical aspects. While reading The Duchess by Amanda Foreman about the Duchess of Devonshire, I almost felt as though I was reading a very serious Heyer novel.

I really like it when books lead me to knowledge, information dumps of a different kind :)

Not that there's any "coupling" in Heyer! ;) And I think that's why I like her so much--there's a liberal dose of Meredy's salt mixed in with the sugar.

>294 Marissa_Doyle: Of course I used that word as a joke. I think what may be missing for me is the vinegar. ;)

Finished The Wailing Wind last night. I had read it before, but since I couldn't remember most of the details, I read it again. A harmless activity for a day which I mostly spent on the computer making a photo album of my son's wedding.

Started The Resistance Man by Martin Walker last night. I had planned to read it anyway, but it seems appropriate now.

Getting caught up on this thread. Me thinks I need to read some Georgette Heyer! She sounds good!

I finished The Resistance Man last night. Almost read it in one day, but I put in an hour the day before to begin it. Tiny print, but worth it. I love Bruno and his town and friends. A good thing to read about France right now.

Next up will be The Horse and Buggy Doctor by Arthur E. Hertzler, a first edition printed in 1938. I believe it is a memoir/autobiography. It may be difficult to read, time will tell. Here is the first paragraph in the Preface.

"Let this screed be a warning to all those who feel an urge to take up a pencil. It began innocently enough. My kid daughter, a trained nurse, being possessed of a small son, desired to know something of my early life so that she might institute prophylactic proceedings before it was too late."

Oh, that sounds like it might be pretty good...!

This horse and buggy doctor book is not easy to read. Perhaps a livelier mind than mine might not get bogged down, but I feel like I'm wading through molasses. It isn't bad, the author has a very dry sense of humor, and if you blink you might miss it, but it is there. You have to work to read his sentences though. At some other time in my life I'm pretty sure I would love this, but right now it makes me not want to pick up the book to read because I'm going nowhere fast.

I think I will not give up on it, but start we were liars by e. lockhart. One of the three books I received in a SantaThing which I have not read yet. I have no clue what it is about and have never heard of this author before, so an adventure!

Finished we were liars. In spite of my skepticism due to the lack of capital letters in the title and author's name, this was a good book. I read it in one sitting. I would call it a good YA novel. When I say that, I say it because of the subject matter and the simplicity of the reading, but the complexity of the events and the characters is what makes it "good" IMO. The big mystery of it was not a mystery to me, but I'm not sure it was meant to be. It was a novel about a young woman who cannot remember most of her 15th summer which somehow changed her life from carefree and privileged, to painful and tormented.

Now on to the second of my three unread SantaThing books, A Natural History of Ghosts: 500 Years of Hunting for Proof by Roger Clarke. Something I would never have picked up for myself, I am intrigued.

I have to ask about your perception regarding the lack of capital letters in the author's name on the front cover of this book. Did you have the sense that this was a statement on the part of the author? Or might it simply have been a design element? I'm not sure how I would have interpreted that front cover myself, so I think part of my question has to do with whether or not the book had a theme or message or agenda of some sort with the designer of the cover using the lack of capital letters as a means of reinforcing that intent?

>302 jillmwo: If they did it was lost on me. I'm not good at intents and such unless people speak plainly and spell it out for me. When I saw the lack of capital letters, my little brain did a "click" and thought, "pretentious." Why it did that I don't know, but I don't like gimmicks for the sake of gimmicks. I don't know whether the author wanted it that way, or whether it was a design element, but I would not have picked up the book at a bookstore just because of it. This prejudice strikes me as odd. Why should I be on the warpath for capital letters and their privileges?

If I were stretching it, I could say that if it was intentional, the author/someone wanted to minimize themselves to let the main character speak for herself. The main character is mostly hiding from herself throughout this story. In order to heal, she must face who she is. *shrug*

The book I just read had a character who capitalized words at random when she wrote, because "The rules of capitalization are so unfair to the words in the middle."

>301 MrsLee:, >302 jillmwo:, >303 MrsLee: I looked up the book on Amazon and glanced inside long enough to see that the text uses standard capitalization. (And to wonder if it's loosely based on the Kennedy family.)

I doubt that the author had anything to do with the graphic treatment of the title and author's name. It's the work of the cover design artist, no doubt. Graphic artists typically see words as design elements and not as symbols conveying literal meaning. Sometimes in their enthusiasm for a design idea they forget that little thing about words.

Maybe the designer saw it as a better balance for the characters of the title (the letters, I mean)--three short words, two beginning with the same large letter--to keep them all lowercase. There's no descenders and only one ascender, so they're nearly uniform.

And it does have the effect of making the title sound less declarative and more tentative, more of a monotone, like an admission rather than an assertion.

It might then easily follow that the author's name is kept in l/c for design consistency and not as a statement about the content.

If the characters are young people, might there also be a texting context? I doubt that young people see omission of caps as a misspelling, as we were taught to do; to them it's an unnecessary obstacle to communication. It took me years to get used to seeing my name written without initial caps.

On the copyright page on Amazon, I see a credit for book design, which would be the interior. I can't see the back cover, and that's where you might find a credit for cover design. If you were really curious, you could look up the cover artist and see what his or her other work looks like.

> Why should I be on the warpath for capital letters and their privileges?
I doubt that you are, MrsLee! More likely, to me, is the possibility that you prefer to see standard treatments of words on the page--unless there is a compelling reason for variation--because the conventions serve a purpose, the main one of which is to support meaning. When you learn them, they become transparent and you don't have to master the mechanics of reading through them every time you pick up a new book. Someone who plays with that forces you to figure out how to read the book, and if it seems arbitrary and capricious, why would we want to bother to do that?

>304 SylviaC: I wouldn't last with that one very long at all.

>305 Meredy: Don't worry, the random capitalizations were only there a couple of times, when her notes were included in the text, and they were very short notes. It was actually used very effectively, for both characterization and plot.

>301 MrsLee: I think you enjoyed that one more than I did :D

>305 Meredy: I would say not the Kennedy family in particular, but certainly that sort of powerful, wealthy entitled family. Thank you for your comments, very interesting as usual!

>307 Peace2: I gave it three and a half stars. Three because I did not resent the time spent reading it, and in fact found it a decently mind engaging tale. The half because I felt it gave YA more credit than most authors do. Now of course if I'm mistaken and its audience isn't YA at all, well, so be it. I would have very much enjoyed the story as a teen. Plus, there was a map and a family tree. Always a plus. :)

e. lockhart is definitely a YA author, and she seems to use the upper and lower case versions of her name interchangeably--the heading on her website has her name in lower case.

>301 MrsLee:, >307 Peace2: I agree with your assessment of We were liars as "a good YA novel". I was afraid that the unconventional narrative style would set off my pretentiousness alarm so I was pleasantly surprised when I found myself a good way into the novel without that having happened.

I quit reading The Horse and Buggy Doctor. It wasn't the right time for it in my reading life. I don't have the patience required. This is my review:

"A memoir written by a doctor who practiced from the mid to late 1800s until the 1930s in America. He describes medical practice in the country as it was when he began, and how it changed through the years.

Arthur E. Hertzler is very thorough in his descriptions. There is a dry sense of humor here, so dry you might miss it if you aren't careful; reminds me of Mark Twain. It is interesting to read of medicine as it was practiced in the 1800s and then in the 1930s. Doctor Hertzler has a fine sense of history. He confesses that much of his practice was ineffective in a scientific way, the best he could do in most cases was diagnose and make the patient comfortable because there was so little known about the causes of disease, or how to cure it.

This is not a book of anecdotes, so much as a history of the practice in general, and the country practice in specific. I found much of his attitude to be bitter and harsh. Think Dr. House on the prairie in the 1800s. Sadly, I think this is a natural consequence of his profession and dealing with so many silly people on a regular basis. This author reflects all the prejudices of his times, and in fact, I quit reading the book when he came to describe the treatment of "women's problems." I am not up for that much instruction of past attitudes at this time.

Some will enjoy this book, especially if they have a medical background or an interest in first person narratives of history. It is amusing at times and the author has some great philosophical points to make. He writes in a clinical, and detached way and his sentences can be convoluted and descriptive. If one is familiar with reading writing of this era, it will help."

I am enjoying the ghostie book though.

Really wanted to finish the ghost hunter book last night, but my eyes wouldn't let me. So, now I have to finish 8 books this month to meet my 100 books for the year goal. I might do. I have two in the works, and I can pick up easy reads after that. Problem is, I also want to watch all the appendices on the Hobbit movies. I suppose those can wait until January if they must.

I am not above grabbing some children's books to make up the difference on New Year's Eve. ;)

As I was reading your post I was thinking you could read a couple of kid books! The new Rick Riordon is supposed to be really good. ;)

I just purchased six books for some great-niece's and nephew's birthdays this weekend. Of course I will have to read them before giving them to the precious children!

Is there an apostrophe in the use of "great-niece's? It is both plural, I have two which are getting books, and possessive, they both have birthdays.

"Great-nieces'"

"S" apostrophe for the plural.

>315 pgmcc: Thank you. :)

Finished A Natural History of Ghosts. Interesting, but kind of repetitive in some spots. It didn't change how I think or feel about phenomenon, but then, I don't think or feel anything about it much. Never encountered it myself, except things which can be explained. I'm open-minded about it all, but not a seeker. According to the author, this means I am most likely middle class. Which I am.

Tomorrow I will read some of the children's books I purchased for nieces and nephews for the season. :)

These are the children's books I'm reading today:
Cactus Soup
The Reader
Cinderella

These I will glance through. I'm afraid they may not be as good as the originals, but hopefully still fun.
Amelia Bedelia Sets Sail
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and the Race Against Time

For myself, if I get time, I will begin Coming Home by Rosamunde Pilcher and I believe that will be the last book of hers I read. :) I have enjoyed several, and others not so much.

Read two pamphlets today because I am so close to 100 books read this year, but very much not in the mood for a cozy long read right now. I am not above bending rules to achieve my goals.

Ma's Cookin' Mountain Recipes, unreadable because of the dialect IMO, YMV. Recipes are in normal English, but not with items quick to hand. Although, I do have opossum in my yard, and I suppose rats might substitute for groundhogs. I certainly have lots of squirrels, but none of them seem to be volunteering to skin themselves and jump in a pot. Meanwhile, the grocery has these convenient little packages of meat. I'm sure there are good things in this pamphlet, but I'm not cooking like that anymore.

Flavor Secrets a Schilling Product, published by the Schilling spice company in 1930. Mostly just guidelines, so suitable for pirates. I'm keeping it to decorate a shelf in my kitchen with. I'm sure the suggestions are sound. My favorite part of the book is where they call the spice shelf in the kitchen "Your Magic Shelf." I always feel like a wizard/witch when I gaze into my spice cupboard and dream up concoctions to please the tastebuds with.

>319 MrsLee: Plenty of groundhogs here. I'd be happy to ship you a crateful.

We have ground hogs stomp through our back yard occasionally. They tend to appear grumpy at any interruption of their lunch so I doubt they would be cooperative in terms of becoming "dinner".

>318 MrsLee: MrsLee, Coming Home is my favorite or the Pilchers I have read, and I think of it often. I hope you enjoy it. No ground hogs here either, but I teach my little ones the song Old Groundhog, and even though most of them have never seen a groundhog, it's one of their most requested songs.

I finished Popo: The Adventures of a Mexican Donkey last night. It was sweet, but underwhelming. Written to be "educational" it did not grab my heart. I won't be keeping it.

So, I haven't done the close examination of my records, no time yet, but I think I've reached my 100 book goal for the year. It may be that after Christmas I'll read some more before the new year, but probably not before. I'm too distracted with caring for my mom and getting holiday decorations/events planned and executed. In my down time, I watch the specials on the making of The Hobbit. Very satisfying at this time.

Congrats on reaching your goal... if you haven't I am sure you will before the end of the year, lol. Looking forward to watching your reads in 2016.

>324 mysterymax: Thank you!

I managed to finish a book this weekend, Christmas is Murder by C. S. Challinor. Sadly, not remarkable. Would have been better to reread a classic Christmas story, which is what I will be doing if I have any time for reading this week. I will read Rex Stout's short story "The Christmas Party Murder" from And Four to Go, and/or Hogfather by Terry Pratchett.

>323 MrsLee: Well done on reaching your goal and may you have an enjoyable Christmas season!

I read a short story by Martin Walker called "Bruno and the Christmas Carolers." A perfect short for the season. Also finished "The Christmas Party Murder" mentioned above and began Hogfather. Lovely and relaxing.

@MrsLee, I hope you have a merry time and enjoy any relaxation you can get over the holiday season. One of my niece's in New Zealand has already posted a picture of her two boys heading to bed so Santa is already busy in some time zones. Merry Christmas and to all a good night.

>328 pgmcc: Thank you, and to you as well!

All the gifts are wrapped, and I am now listening to Neil Gaiman reading A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Lovely listening! Here is the link if anyone wants to join me.

https://soundcloud.com/nypl/neil-gaiman-reads-a-christmas-carol

I have to put a toy (indoor drying rack for clothes) together for my husband now that he's gone to bed.

>329 MrsLee: I am sure he will love that toy.

Happy Christmas, MrsLee.

I spent a few minutes early this morning (it is 5:30 +/- am) catching up on this thread and I believe you've hit your mark of 100 books this year. Congratulations!

I'm off to the swimming pool in my new retirement home in a few minutes which is one of the many reasons I've not been as active on LT as I've been in the past. I hope to do more balancing of retirement fun and games with reading and posting here in this new year! I also hope to keep up with you a bit more often.

So, in that note: A Very Happy New Year to you!

And may you have a lovely New Year filled with books and all your favorite things!

>330 pgmcc: I want you to know, he requested it! He is a bit of an odd duck, working at the postal service and all, but he is my odd duck. ;)

>331 maggie1944: So glad to hear you are enjoying your new home!

>332 streamsong: Thank you! I am very much looking forward to all of our reading adventures next year, and your mountains rather remind me of my book piles to read.

>333 MrsLee: As they say in Men In Black II, everyone working in the postal service is an alien.

>334 pgmcc: LOL

>335 majkia: ...and I should know as I work there too!

My Niece's hubby is a mail carrier also and yes, he is an alien; he'd probably be proud to hear me say that.

Well, now we have the run up to New Year's Eve.... I'll be in bed, hoping the "fireworks" are quiet enough to leave my dear dog, Greta Garbo, to sleep peacefully. Hope you have a lovely Eve also!

>332 streamsong: What a beautiful picture!

ETA The postal people in our little town are great to work with. We have the most wonderful conversations if my opening of my side of my box coincides with them working on the other side of it. ex: "My box is broken! There's no money in it!" "It's a system wide problem."

Here are my final reading statistics for 2015. I'm happy with them. Reading a lot more fantasy than I used to, but most of the fantasy I like could also fall into the "mystery" category, so that's OK. I need a new term for short stories. Of the 5 I listed, two of them really were just a short story. The other three were collections of short stories. Hmmm.

Year End Counts:
Mystery: 27
Fantasy: 24
Fiction: 25
Graphic Novel: 1
Drama: 6
Children: 5
eBook: 18
Audio: 14
Short Stories: 5
Scifi: 5
Comics: 1
Humor: 1
Poetry: 3
Pamphlet: 2
YA: 8
Cookbook: 4
Nonfiction: 23
Reread: 13
Unfinished: 7
Fiction: 85
Nonfiction: 23
Total: 108

Ratings:
Loved it, will probably reread, definitely keep***** 19
Liked it lots, will recommend, possibly keep to loan**** 33
Liked it, will probably not keep*** 40
Didn't like it, but others might** 16
Hated it, probably didn't finish, would like to shred*

Stats:
65 by men, 30 by women, 7 combined male and female, 2 Anonymous (distinct authors/see each quarter)
48 by authors I’ve never read before
76 physical books, 14 audio and 18 ebooks
Oldest writing was by Aristophanes c436-386bc(The Frogs & Lysistrata)
Oldest physical book from 1886(Recollections of a Sailor Boy).

Oh, and for those Pratchett fans, this is what my daughter made for me this Christmas.

I wonder, does it show as a new message in talk if you edit a post? Just in case, I'm writing this, and now I am done. Finished. Complete. Terminado. Fini. Fertig. Finale. Gorffenedig.

...and that's final!

Wait! Just one more thing.