lit_chick's 2015 Reading (4)

Welcome to 2015's literary adventures, everyone. All aboard!

I live in British Columbia’s very beautiful Okanagan Valley. My thread toppers this year will feature paintings of the area by local artist Angela Roth McIntosh.



Angela Roth McIntosh, Skaha Lake Landscape




October
41. The Tie That Binds, Kent Haruf

September
40. Marking Time, Elizabeth Jane Howard
39. The Illuminations, Andrew O'Hagan
38. A Spool of Blue Thread, Anne Tyler

August
37. Indian Horse, Richard Wagamese
36. Roseanna, Maj Sjöwall/Per Wahlöö
35. The Light Years, Elizabeth Jane Howard
34. The Mystery at Lilac Inn, Carolyn Keene

July
33. Ethan Frome, Edith Wharton
32. The Paper Moon, Andrea Camilleri
31. The End of Absence, Michael Harris
30. Black Skies, Arnaldur Indridason
29. The Signature of All Things, Elizabeth Gilbert

June
28. A Man Called Ove, Fredrik Backman
27. A Wrinkle in Time, Madeline L'Engle

May
26. Tom's Midnight Garden, Philippa Pearce
25. A Week in Winter, Maeve Binchy

April
24. Chi Running, Danny Dreyer
23. The Lincoln Lawyer, Michael Connelly
22. Three Day Road, Joseph Boyden
21. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Mark Twain

March
20. The Railway Children, E. Nesbit
19. The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett
18. The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame
17. The Corinthian, Georgette Heyer
16. The Secret of the Old Clock, Carolyn Keene

February
15. Galore, Michael Crummey
14. Rescue, Anita Shreve
13. Black Beauty, Anna Sewell
12. The Patience of the Spider, Andrea Camilleri
11. The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox, Maggie O'Farrell
10. Rounding the Mark, Andrea Camilleri

January
9. The Smell of the Night, Andrea Camilleri
8. Excursion to Tindari, Andrea Cmailleri
7. A House in the Sky, Amanda Lindhout
6. The Postmistress, Sarah Blake
5. The Voice of the Violin, Andrea Camilleri
4. Us, David Nicholls
3. The Snack Thief, Andrea Camilleri
2. A Land More Kind Than Home, Wiley Cash
1. The Terra-Cotta Dog, Andrea Camilleri

save

33.
Ethan Frome, Edith Wharton



Rating: 4.5/5

1993, Recorded Books, Read by George Guidall

Book Description: from Amazon.ca
Set against the frozen waste of a harsh New England winter, Edith Wharton's Ethan Frome is a tale of despair, forbidden emotions, and sexual tensions … Frome works his unproductive farm and struggles to maintain a bearable existence with his difficult, suspicious, and hypochondriac wife, Zeenie. But when Zeenie's vivacious cousin enters their household as a “hired girl,” Ethan finds himself obsessed with her and with the possibilities for happiness she comes to represent. In one of American fiction's finest and most intense narratives, Edith Wharton moves this ill-starred trio toward their tragic destinies. Different in both tone and theme from Wharton's other works, Ethan Frome has become perhaps her most enduring and most widely read novel.

My Review:
Ethan Frome is a novel beset by conflict: man struggles with nature; with himself and others; with desire/morality. The characters’ meager existences are defined by misery and despair. Mattie’s coming to live with the Fromes is Ethan’s sole glimpse into hope before even that experience will turn tragic – and the bleakness of his despair settles into permanence. To say that the novel is
intense and tragic is to understate; and for all of that, I could not put it down.

Edith Wharton has the power to hold me spellbound. Her writing and the depth of her characters simply transport me. My experience with Ethan Frome was no different. Admittedly, I found little to like about any of its characters, but still I was fast in Wharton’s grip. And, reminiscent of Hardy, I love the way she writes landscape and the sense of a place as though it were another character. Highly, highly recommended!

Best Quotes:
Conflict of Lanscape: "When I had been there a little longer, and had seen this phase of crystal clearness followed by long stretches of sunless cold; when the storms of February had pitched their white tents about the devoted village and the wild cavalry of March winds had charged down to their support; I began to understand why Starkfield emerged from its six months’ siege like a starved garrison capitulating without quarter. " (Intro)

Conflict of Desire/Morality: "All the long misery of his baffled past, of his youth of failure, hardship and vain effort, rose up in his soul in bitterness and seemed to take shape before him in the woman who at every turn had barred his way. She had taken everything else from him; and now she meant to take the one thing that made up for all the others. For a moment such a flame of hate rose in him that it ran down his arm and clenched his fist against her. He took a wild step forward and then stopped." (Ch 7)

Bleakness, Permanence of the Fromes’ Despair: "… I don’t see’s there’s much difference between the Fromes up at the farm and the Fromes down in the graveyard; ’cept that down there they’re all quiet, and the women have got to hold their tongues." (Ch 9)

Happy new thread, Nancy and excellent review of Ethan Frome!

Happy new thread. I will get to Ethan Frome one of these days. I am a big fan of Edith Wharton. I remember the first time I read her - absolutely spellbound.

Happy New Thread!

Love the topper picture. I've barely read any Wharton to my shame. Maybe next year!

>4 lkernagh: Thanks, Lori. Something I read on your thread prompted me to bump Ethan Frome to the top of my list, and I'm glad I did.

>5 nittnut: Thanks, Jenn. I'm also a big fan of Wharton. Like you: I remember the first time I read her - absolutely spellbound. I continue to feel that way reading her work.

>6 scaifea: Thanks, Amber : ).

>7 charl08: Thanks, Charlotte. Wharton is a true gem!

>1 lit_chick: Another beautiful thread opener Nancy!

>3 lit_chick: Oh, Ethan Frome's a good one. It's been too long since I read anything by Wharton - I have a couple of her less well-known works in the TBR.

Happy new thread, Nancy! Glad you liked Ethan Frome - I am also a fan....

Ethan Frome, what a life....Great literature, no doubt, but i'm having an existential crises just thinking about that story again....

I might send you a bill for a psychologist who now has to do some damage control on my bleak despairing heart.

But, phew Nancy. I can look at the bright colors of your thread topper and I feel warm inside again. I think I'm cancelling the appointment with the shrink after all.

Please read more optimistic literature in the future :)

Happy new thread, Nancy. I love the art you're using for the toppers this year. I'm another Wharton fan. Nice review of Ethan Frome.

>9 souloftherose: Hi Heather, thank you. Curious to know what else you've got in TBR by Wharton.

>10 katiekrug: Hi Katie, hope summer is fabulous! Good to know you're also a Wharton fan.

>11 ctpress: Oh, Carsten, you make me laugh! I'm so happy that my thread opener was able to save you from bleakness and despair, and that you will not need to see a psychiatrist to help with your existential crisis, LOL! Oh, you are too much!

Will do my level best to read more optimistic literature henceforth!

>12 BLBera: Thanks, Beth. I just love this particular painter's work, too. And another Wharton fan, yay!

I loooove Edith Wharton. I was scared away from Ethan Frome based on the opinion of high school students forced to read it for school. Then I realized I love everything else she's ever written so how could I not love Ethan Frome? Duh. Of course it was great.

Happy New Thread, Nancy!!!

>14 lauralkeet: I loooove her too, Laura! Thought Ethan Frome was superb, but I can't imagine having been asked to read it in high school; I did not have the maturity as a teen to appreciate it.

>15 LizzieD: Thank you, Peggy : ).

>13 lit_chick: My unread Wharton's are The Children, The Fruit of the Tree and The Reef. Off the top of my head I'm not really sure what any of them are about but they were Virago editions and by Wharton so I had to pick them up.

I need to get round to Ethan Frome at some point...

>17 souloftherose: Thanks, Heather! I'm going to look these up. Wharton doesn't seem to miss a beat, so I'm sure they are all excellent. How wonderful finding them in Virago editions!

>18 scaifea: Hi Amber, I'd been meaning to get to Ethan Frome for some time, too. So glad I finally did!

So, I just went to Gutenberg.ca looking for classic literature and was dismayed to see that the federal Conservatives have buried in Bill C-59 the intention to extend copyright on sound recordings by TWENTY YEARS! Shame on them! These are recordings that belong to the PUBLIC DOMAIN, not to the Canadian government, and not to industry. I'm hoping all Canadians reading this will send some emails. I just did, quick and to-the-point, with a screenshot from Gutenberg.ca. My email:

Shelly Glover, Minister of Canadian Heritage,
James Moore, Minister of Industry,

How dare the government arbitrarily decide to extend copyright on literature in the PUBLIC DOMAIN! Shame on the Conservatives, and shame on your office. You've lost my vote, and I'll do my very best to see that the Conservatives lose the vote of any dedicated reader I know.

Regards,
Nancy Scharff

Sorry Nancy, I was here earlier with my support, but got bumped away by my husband's computer needs. I'll send off a letter. The Conservative's have never gotten my vote. If it is any comfort to you, at least James Moore is leaving political life as of the end of his term ( aka the election in October) , along with many rats fleeing the sinking ship that is the Harper Government - Peter McKay, John Baird and I forget how many else at the moment.

>21 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deb, for sending off a letter. Didn't know Moore was leaving the sinking ship, but I knew about McKay and Baird, and there'll be several others, I expect.

Booker Longlist:



Did You Ever Have a Family, Bill Clegg (US)
The Green Road, Anne Enright (Ireland)
A Brief History of Seven Killings, Marlon James (Jamaica)
The Moor's Account, Laila Lalami (US)
Satin Island, Tom McCarthy (UK)
The Fishermen, Chigozie Obioma (Nigeria)
The Illuminations, Andrew O’Hagan (UK
Lila, Marilynne Robinson (US)
Sleeping on Jupiter, Anuradha Roy (India)
The Year of the Runaways, Sunjeev Sahota (UK)
The Chimes, Anna Smaill (New Zealand)
A Spool of Blue Thread, Anne Tyler (US)
A Little Life, Hanya Yanagihara (US)

Thanks for the list, Nancy. I'm rooting for Lila (well, the only book I've read on the list, but it was sooooooo.....good)

Oh thanks for the Booker Longlist, Nancy! I've only read A Spool of Blue Thread which I think I gave 5 stars. I think it was also short listed for the Orange/ Bailey Prize. Somewhere in a TBR pile I have Lila and I have borrowed The Illuminations from the library, but returned unread, though I'd like to read it. Lots of new books here that I don't know a lot about .

>24 ctpress: Hi Carsten, I remember you reading Lila and how much you enjoyed it. I put it on my list at that time : ).

>26 vancouverdeb: Deb, I have A Spool of Blue Thread in my iPad which I really must get to. So easy to get sidetracked around here! Now I'm into the first Martin Beck detective novel. This is a series I will enjoy, I think. Lots on the Booker list, most actually, that I'm not at all familiar with either.

>26 vancouverdeb: I'm with Deb so far (having only read a few) - I want Tyler to get the prize.

Wharton was very struck by the hard lives of rural New Englanders after she bought land and built her house near Lenox, MA - she'd go driving around up in the backwoods-- she loved driving her big cars about, (being driven, more likely - Henry James writes about it as a mix of torture and pleasure, these expeditions). Ethan Frome and Summer and some short stories came out of it.

>23 lit_chick: Thanks for this list.
I note you recently read Ethan Frome. I so wanted this character to develop a back bone and leave his wife. She was indeed a master manipulator.

>26 vancouverdeb: I'm looking forward to reading the Tyler, Charlotte.

>29 sibylline: Lucy, thank you! LOL, I had to chuckle at Henry James writing about Wharton's excursions as a mix of torture and pleasure.

>30 Whisper1: Hi Linda, you're welcome for the Booker LL. Yes, Zeenie was a dreadful woman!

Hi Nancy! I love Edith Wharton, and Ethan Frome was the first of hers that I read. So glad you enjoyed it!

Have a great weekend.

Happy new thread Nancy, I just love your thread toppers my dear. Hope you are having a good weekend, sending love and hugs from over the pond.

>32 AMQS: Thanks, Anne. Woot, another Wharton fan!

>33 johnsimpson: Thanks, John. I just love that painter's work, too, particularly of the Okanagan. Love and hugs back to you : ).

Nothing to say for myself except that I keep up with you, Nancy.
I guess I need to read more Wharton...... I like her, but I don't love and adore her. What's my problem?

>35 LizzieD: Hi Peggy, hmm, perhaps you need some sort of 12 step recovery program for those who are unable to love and adore her? LOL!

34.
The Mystery at Lilac Inn, Carolyn Keene



Rating: 4/5

2002, Listening Library, Read by Laura Linney

Book Description: from Amazon.ca
When Nancy Drew and her friend visit Lilac Inn, mysterious events occur that seem to indicate that Nancy's presence is unwanted there and the Inn may be haunted. After her friend's diamond jewelry is stolen, Nancy must try to solve the mysteries and recover the jewels … Although the material is dated, such as when a telephone switchboard is mentioned and a character wears an "aqua organdy dress," listeners will still have fun trying to solve the mystery on their own from the clues provided before the conclusion of the book. Orchestral music in the background, lush with string instruments, adds to the moments of peril within the narrative.

My Review:
Well, turns out I’m not much of a sleuth at all, so it’s a good thing Nancy Drew was at the helm of the investigation at Lilac Inn, and not I. The Amazon reviewer, above, notes the the material is dated, but this is for me one of its appeals. I enjoy getting lost in a much quieter, bygone time with Nancy, her dad, and sundry characters. Laura Linney is a fine reader, although occasionally she moves through the text very quickly, requiring diligent attention be paid. This is the second Nancy Drew mystery I have listened to her narrate, and I highly recommend these audio editions.

When I was a teen, I read so many Nancy Drew books. I loved them. Yes, I can imagine that now it seems so wonderful to read and be reminded of a quieter, bygone time. I have an entire box of Nancy Drew books somewhere in an attic. Perhaps my sister has them when she helped my mother sell the house and downsize.

Oh how I loved Nancy Drew books in my ? pre- teens and teens. Well, turns out I’m not much of a sleuth at all, so it’s a good thing Nancy Drew was at the helm of the investigation at Lilac Inn, and not I. Please do not underestimate yourself, Nancy! A few more Nancy Drew reads and I'm sure you will be on par with Nancy Drew's sleuthing skills -and perhaps you will have stolen Nancy Drew's boyfriend, Ned Nickerson ! ;) Look out Nancy Drew, another Nancy is going to fill your shoes. Why oh why is there not a series called Deborah the Detective?

>39 vancouverdeb: Hi Deb, oh, I'm just sitting out on the patio with coffee and breakfast reading your post, and I got such a chuckle! Thanks, friend : ). Why oh why is there not a series called Deborah the Detective? … Exactly! Harumph!

Nancy, I "discovered" the Laura Linney narration of my favorite Nancy Drew (The Hidden Staircase) a couple of years ago -- so fun! Loved your review of The Mystery of Lilac Inn.

Nancy, I share your love for Edith Wharton. There are still a few of hers I haven't read; i think I'm hoarding them. I've read Ethan Frome at least twice and I still learned to love it more when I took the Wharton survey class at the local university a few years ago. Like Carsten, I would love to see Lila win the Booker Prize. I loved that book! I liked A Spool of Blue Thread but Robinson trumps Anne Tyler. I enjoy her books but tend to forget them soon after I read them for some reason. Those are the only two nominees I've read.

>41 AMQS: Hi Anne, wonderful that you have also enjoyed Laura Linney reading Nancy Drew : ).

>42 Donna828: Hi Donna, delighted that you share my love of Wharton. I've only read three of her novels, so I've got more to look forward to! I've read nothing off the Booker LL, but I do have both A Spool of Blue Thread and Lila in the wings. Want to read the first of Robinson's trilogy before I get to Lila though.

Good idea Nancy to read the Robinson trilogy in order. I LOVED them! Is summer slipping away for you? Hope you're enjoying your days!

----just speaking again and saying again that among my prized possessions are two vintage - as in 1920s - Nancy Drews. The Hidden Staircase is my favorite, and that's the one I have... Oh.... and come to think of it, the other isn't Nancy at all; it's the sisters, Jean (fair) (I think that's her name) and Louise (dark) in By the Light of the Study Lamp. Good stuff!

>44 mdoris: Hi Mary, yes, I like to read a trilogy in order; glad you loved them! Summer always slips away … where does it go? Loving every minute.

>45 LizzieD: Peggy, I MUST find The Hidden Staircase! And I must look up By the Light of the Study Lamp. How wonderful to have these prized possessions! eta: Just looked up the latter: it's the Dana girls.

Waving today on this hot morning in Pennsylvania.

>47 Whisper1: *Waving back at Linda* : ).

Just starred your review of End of Absence, excellent! I am reading The Shallows, what the internet is doing to our Brains. It is referenced in EofA and I am really enjoying it. It is now 5 years old and a pretty good predictor. There are some good bits on book and reading development which always greatly interests me. You might like it!

>49 mdoris: Thanks, Mary. The Shallows definitely sounds like one I would enjoy!

>49 mdoris: I read somewhere recently (Science News weekly?) that they are finding a connection too between too much TV and, yep, Alzheimer's. Of course they don't know quite what or why, but it's there. Why am I not surprised?

Another Wharton fan here!

I've added The Shallows to be tbr list. It sounds like a fascinating book.

Stopping by to say hi! Say, have you have the good fortune to have completed your bathroom reno as yet? Pix? :)

>37 lit_chick: Laura Linney narrating! I get the feeling she would be a fantastic audio booker ;)

>51 sibylline: Yay to another Wharton fan! I'd not heard that about Alzheimer's and too much TV, but I'm with you Lucy in that it is not terribly surprising.

>52 Whisper1: Hi Linda!

>53 vancouverdeb: Hi Deb, bathroom reno was done a few months ago. But, as I've often heard, once the reno bug bit, I was on a roll! Now I've refurnished LR and spare room, changed some kitchen cabinetry to give me more room , installed a new gas fireplace with concrete surround. Beautiful! But I'm exhausted, LOL! And soon it will be show time at work again!

>54 LovingLit: Hi Megan, Linney is indeed a fabulous audio booker.

Wow! I am amazed at your reno projects. I just started a bathroom reno, basically a gut job -- and when I say "I", I mean the contractor, and after day two, I can't wait for it to be done. We have a three-week timeline.

>56 BLBera: Hi Beth, renovations are lovely when they are done. The getting there … well, that's another matter. Hope your bathroom is completed on time and is just what you wanted!

Nancy - I am actually glad that school starts on Monday. I'll be so busy the next two weeks that the time will fly -- that's my hope anyway. ;)

Everything has been picked out, now, the work just has to get done. I expect that I will be happy when they start with the tile, next Tuesday, I believe.

Wow! The reno bug really hit you! I bet your place looks amazing! I've had ideas for our place, but the $$$ aren't really making that possible at this time. I'd love to do some re- furnishing at the least, but then I think of the small dog that inhabits our couches and chairs and for now, not much use :) Show time soon - but still a little while for you to languish on your patio! :)

Hi Nancy! Just trying to catch up again on the threads, and I'm hoping you're enjoying your summer! Thanks for the beautiful thread toppers too, they're just wonderful.

>58 BLBera: Hi Beth, it's true what you say about being at school and away from the house for the mess! My last two projects will happen after I'm back to work: kitchen backsplash and hardwood floor repair where the footprint of my lower cabinets changed. Starting the tile in your bathroom will mean the home stretch!

>59 vancouverdeb: Hi Deb, yes, the bug caught me. But now all of the projects, large and small, that I've thought to get to "some day" are done! Yay! Will enjoy every second of the time I've got left to languish on my patio : ).

>60 LauraBrook: Hi Laura, you're far ahead of me if you're caught up around here! Glad you like the thread toppers.

Hi Nancy, hope everything is well with you my dear, sending love and hugs.

>62 johnsimpson: Thanks, John. Love and hugs back to you and Karen.

>51 sibylline: I saw the post about the connection between Alzheimer's and TV watching so I had to look it up. There was a case control study on people in midlife and the abstract is here
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15919546.

This is a quote from the end of the abstract, "Findings are consistent with the view that participation in non-intellectually stimulating activities is associated with increased risk of developing AD, and suggest television viewing may be a marker of reduced participation in intellectually stimulating activities."

Obviously they aren't talking about wracking your brain for the answers watching Jeopardy there. So I guess it would depend on the programming you watch in midlife.

Nancy, you are a brave soul. I also can't wait to see pictures when you're ready to show the world your renovations! Our kids are back to school Wednesday - one of the happiest days of the year as far as I'm concerned because I'm NOT THERE!!!

>64 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg, great post. Expect you're right about the study referring to empty programming, not of the Jeopardy variety.

>65 LizzieD: Hi Peggy, very tired now. Renovations are a wonderful idea, but they drag on. Still, I'm pleased to have gone ahead. Last few pieces of work (some of it messy) won't happen until after I'm back at school. But I'll post some pics when all is done.

>57 lit_chick: I agree with "lovely when they're done". Me and renovating don't get on. Maybe if I got some carpentry training.....and had all day to muddle about...
Ah, who am I kidding! ;)

>67 LovingLit: Hi Megan, I don't know anyone who gets on with renovations, so you're in good company!

35.
The Light Years, Elizabeth Jane Howard



Rating: 4/5

2014, Audible Inc., Read by Jill Balcon

Book Description: adapted from Amazon.ca
Three generations of an English clan summer at their estate during 1937 and 1938 when the Cazalet brothers gather their respective families and head for the family manse in the heart of Sussex for their annual holiday. The family is troubled by threats of war and less significant matters, including the chauffeur's sluggish driving and a treed cat. Howard is expert at creating detailed physical environments for her characters, habitats that often reveal just as much about the Cazelets as their words or actions do.

My Review:
Thoroughly enjoyed the first of Howard’s Cazalet chronicles, though I did find it confusing at first to sort the characters (the audiobook, of course, lacks the family tree included in the novel). The story is narrated from the point of view of all three generations of Cazalets, as well as varied servants, acquaintances, and mistresses: effective technique, but left no time for daydreaming while listening! Howard writes beautifully and is indeed expert at creating detailed physical environments: a family day at the beach comes to mind. Looking forward to this series, and have Marking Time up next. Recommended!

I loved the Cazalets, Nancy. I'm glad to see another fan. I still have the last one to read.

>70 BLBera: Good to know you're a fan of the Cazalets, too, Beth : ). It was on Heather's (souloftherose) thread that I took the bullet … love that about LT. Am thinking I would like to see the mini-series when I've finished reading/listening.

Add me to the Cazalet fan list, Nancy. I'm somewhere in the middle of the series, and I don't have a copy of the newest book. I'll surely read them all though, and I think you'd probably enjoy reading rather than listening some day.

Sounds like a fun read, Nancy, The Light Years. I confess I've never heard of the series. Marking Time sounds like an appropriate read for your return to your " teaching gig." I'll have to look into the series.

>72 LizzieD: Hi Peggy, good to know you're another Cazalet fan! I'm sure I would enjoy reading rather listening one day. This may be a series I need to buy : ).

>73 vancouverdeb: Hi Deb, I discovered Howard's Cazalet series on Heather's (souloftherose) thread some time ago. Think I'll really enjoy it! Your comment about Marking Time is spot on, LOL!

Hi Nancy! Oh, you are brave. We're in need of some significant renovations here, but we're kind of paralyzed -- hard to even know where to start!

I've never heard of the Cazalets -- need to catch up, I think!

Hi there! :)

I'm with Anne, never heard of the Cazalets. Adding them to the list...

>75 AMQS: Hi Anne, renovations have gone very smoothly but for the last bit in the kitchen. I'm glad I went ahead and took the plunge, but also very glad to be on the home stretch. Thoroughly enjoying the Cazalets; think this is a series you would enjoy, too.

>76 nittnut: Hi Jenn, think you'd enjoy the Cazalets : ).

36.
Roseanna, Maj Sjöwall/Per Wahlöö



Rating: 4/5

Book Description: from Amazon.com
The masterful first novel in the Martin Beck series of mysteries by the internationally renowned crime writing duo Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö, finds Beck hunting for the murderer of a lonely traveller. On a July afternoon, a young woman's body is dredged from Sweden's beautiful Lake Vattern. With no clues Beck begins an investigation not only to uncover a murderer but also to discover who the victim was. Three months later, all Beck knows is that her name was Roseanna and that she could have been strangled by any one of eighty-five people on a cruise. As the melancholic Beck narrows the list of suspects, he is drawn increasingly to the enigma of the victim, a free-spirited traveler with a penchant for casual sex, and to the psychopathology of a murderer with a distinctive – indeed, terrifying – sense of propriety.

My Review:
So pleased to have discovered Maj Sjöwall, Per Wahlöö, and Martin Beck. This is a new Scandi-crime series for me, one which I’m looking forward to and expect to very much enjoy. Beck is not only melancholic, but quiet, unassuming – and absolutely relentless! Roseanna is a well-written mystery with great cop characters and a perpetrator so seemingly normal that it seemed almost impossible he could be a demented, psychopathic murderer – until it didn’t. Highly recommended.

>78 lit_chick: Great review of Roseanna. I discovered this series via BBC radio drama, having tried The Fire Engine that Disappeared a couple of years ago without success. Love the radio series and have bought most of them on audible. I really love that they have dual narrator to reflect the writers' partnership.

Nancy - I'm so happy to see the Martin Beck love - this is one of the best series ever. I was so sorry they stopped at ten.

Great review of Roseanna. That's a series I will have to look into!

>78 lit_chick: wow, those authors' names are a mouthful! (eyeful?)
Scandi crime is an area I have yet to explore. But seeing as I am plodding so slowly through my latest read, I can't see myself jumping to a new genre just yet.

>79 charl08: Hi Charlotte, I would love the BBC radio series!I really love that they have dual narrator to reflect the writers' partnership. Yes!

>80 BLBera: Hi Beth, you were part of my decision to explore Martin Beck, so thank you for that!

>81 vancouverdeb: Hi Deb, you will definitely need to look into The Martin Beck series!

>82 LovingLit: Hi Megan, yes, both eyeful and mouthful. Scandi-crime is an LT gift for me; it was Deb and Carsten who got me going, and I'm so glad about that!

Hi Nancy - A lot of catching up here I see after a prolonged august-absence from LT.

Glad you still enjoy revisiting the Nancy Drew series. I have one in my audible collection also narrated by Laura Linney. It's dated! Exactly! It's a classic. How funny.

The Light Years sounds a little Downton Abby'ish. That's the downside of audiobooks - when you need a family tree to figure out who's who :)

Oh, going back to the founding fathers of scandi-crime, ehh? I enjoyed several of the Beck-crimes many years ago - my first taste of what to come.....the wry semi-despairing atmosphere, psychological thrillers, socialist consciousness. Some great characters in these I remember. Would be fun to revisit this series.

>84 ctpress: Hi Carsten, missed you around here, so I'm glad you're home : ). Have just come from your thread looking at beautiful photos!

LOL, yes, most classics are dated … that's part of their charm. I hadn't thought about Downton Abby in terms of The Light Years, but you're right: it's quite Downton Abby'ish, which is part of its charm. Ah, so you're familiar with Martin Beck: I should have known this, being the Scandi-crime aficionado that you are : ). Think it will be an excellent series.

37.
Indian Horse, Richard Wagamese



Rating: 4.5/5

“One day the clouds hung low and light rain freckled the slate-grey water that peeled across our bow. The pellets of rain were warm and Benjamin and I caught them on our tongues as our grandmother laughed behind us. Our canoes skimmed along and as I watched the shoreline it seemed the land itself was in motion. The rocks lay lodged like hymns in the breast of it, and the trees bent upward in praise like crooked fingers. It was glorious. Ben felt it too. He looked at me with tears in his eyes, and I held his look a long time, drinking in the face of my brother.” (18)

Book Description: from front cover
Saul Indian Horse has hit bottom. His last binge almost killed him, and now he’s a reluctant resident in a treatment centre, surrounded by people he’s sure will never understand him. But Saul wants peace, and he grudgingly comes to see that he’ll find it only through telling his story. Beginning with his childhood on the land, he embarks on a journey back through his life as a northern Ojibway, with all its joys and sorrows.

Author Richard Wagamese traces the decline of a culture and a cultural way with compassion and insight. For Saul, taken forcibly from his family when he’s sent to residential school, salvation comes for a while through his incredible gifts as a hockey player. But in the harsh realities of 1960s Canada, he battles obdurate racism and the spirit-destroying effects of cultural alienation and displacement.

My Review:
Wagamese’s Indian Horse was a gift from the Aboriginal Education Department of my local School District. And what a gift! The novel is one I didn’t want to put down, and, but for starting it late one evening, would have read in a single sitting. The story of Saul Indian Horse, and of the fate of his family, is at once tragic, heartbreaking, courageous, and victorious. Saul, having been taken into residential school at eight years old, manages well into his adulthood to see his way through the other side of his abusive experience, and to at last know peace. But the road to salvation was not a straight one or an easy one, plagued as it was by rage, isolation, desolation, and alcoholism.

“They took me to St. Jerome’s Indian Residential School. I read once that there are holes in the universe that swallow all light, all bodies. St. Jerome’s took all the light from my world. Everything I knew vanished behind me with an audible swish, like the sound a moose makes disappearing into spruce.” (43)

Wagamese writes with a powerful, raw honesty, not shying away from the realities of rape, starvation, beatings, and humiliation that plagued the school’s children; but neither using such details to garner effect. On a personal note, I believe the residential schools to be Canada’s greatest shame. Highly recommended.

Great review of Indian Horse. I've seen the book in the stores and library, but have yet to pick it up. You have just sent me a BB. Wagamese writes with a powerful, raw honesty, not shying away from the realities of rape, starvation, beatings, and humiliation that plagued the school’s children; but neither using such details to garner effect Sounds like a very powerful book and dark, too. Thumb!

>87 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deb! I'm quite certain you will enjoy Indian Horse. It's high time I was sending you a BB, instead of the other way around, LOL!

Great review of Indian Horse, Nancy! You are motivating me to try and move that one off my TBR bookshelves.

>89 lkernagh: Thanks, Lori. I wasn't sure I'd enjoy Indian Horse either, but it is an excellent read. Hope you give it a try.

Great review and beautiful opening quote, Nancy.

What a treat with a free book and one about an important part of Canada's history - although I know very little of the indians and the "assimilation" politics in modern time Canada. Could be interesting to read more about it.

I read your review of Indian Horse with interest, having read some history of the schools as comparison / background for studying other colonial schools. Will look out for this.

>91 ctpress: Thanks, Carsten : ). Wagamese writes beautifully. Should have noted that the book was not a personal gift, but one to my school. Our Aboriginal Ed Dept is very generous with giving relevant gifts to schools in our district: novels, maps of traditional territories, paintings, drums. As for Canada's assimilation politics of our aboriginals … as I said, our greatest shame.

>92 charl08: Hi Charlotte, if you're interested in studying colonial schools, I think you would enjoy the experience of Indian Horse.

Hi Nancy - I will look for Indian Horse; it sounds great.

Great reviews Nancy. I thought Indian Horse was a very powerful read too. So many shames when viewing history. I think the internment of the Japanese Canadians ranks up there too! Wishing you a wonderful last week before school begins and wishing you a very good school year ahead! Have you had your mitts on any of the Beck DVD"s yet?

Indian Horse sounds really good. I am going to look for it.

>94 BLBera: Hi Beth, hope you enjoy Indian Horse as much as I did.

>95 mdoris: Thanks, Mary : ). Yes, the internment of the Japanese Canadians is another of our shames. Haven't had my mitts on any Beck DVDs yet because my library doesn't have them … not sure what I'll do about that!

>96 banjo123: Hi Rhonda, I hope you can find Indian Horse. Let me know!

Such helpful reviews, Nancy! Count me as another Martin Beck reader (I'm not going to try to spell the authors' names) from when they were still writing. I hope that I get time to reread some of them in the next few years. Good stuff!

One of my sisters made Sir Cairo (her only cat-nephew) his own crazy-patch quilt, and he loves it! Here he is ensconced on his favourite chair in the living room, ensuring that his new quilt smells like him!

>98 LizzieD: Hi Peggy, we cross-posted! Glad you're finding the reviews helpful, and delighted to have another Martin Beck fan on board! Honestly, it seems like I'm the only one who didn't know about him?

I love that Cairo has his own, custom designed quilt. Glad to see he has taken to it!

Oh, it's Sir Cairo, now is it? ;) Oh the pedestals we put our pets on ( says Poppy's mom) . Sir Cairo looks very comfortable and noble. As for sending me BB, you have caused me to purchase Roseanna and it is waiting in the TBR pile! :)

>101 lkernagh: Thanks, Lori : ).

>102 vancouverdeb: Yes, Sir Cairo now, Deb! Oh the pedestals we put our pets on ( says Poppy's mom), LOL! Delighted you purchased Roseanna; perhaps we will get to know Martin Beck together.

Love the crazy quilt. That looks like a super comfy spot.

I just saw an ad for a new Beck series on TV lat night. Looking forward to some classy Swedish crime.

>99 lit_chick: such a beautiful cat! He looks regal and content on his quilt.

>104 charl08: Thanks, Charlotte, it is a comfy spot : ). Woot! A new Beck series … but I don't have cable, so will need to look elsewhere for this one. Might be a suggestion for my library.

>105 lauralkeet: Thanks, Laura, he does look regal, doesn't he? And he is content, such a good boy … my little shadow.

>99 lit_chick: aaas, his own quilt! Sweet :)

>107 LovingLit: Hi Megan! Yes, sweet!

Cairo looks very content. Love the quilt. :)

I love Scandi crime. I will have to check out Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö. I haven't heard of them.

>109 nittnut: Thanks, Jenn : ). I'd also not heard of Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö, or Martin Beck. Worth finding!

I have just read the new Dr. Seuss book What Pet Should I get? and looking at the beautiful picture of Cairo I think I would choose a black cat!

>111 mdoris: How delightful that you're reading Dr Seuss and decided on a black cat, Mary! I've always loved the look of a black cat: so sleek, like mini-panthers. When I adopted Cairo from our SPCA, I learned of another reason to choose black: apparently, they're very hard to adopt out because so many people cling to old superstitions.

Just found Roseanna for 50p in a charity shop for my mum. Bargain.

>69 lit_chick: Glad you enjoyed The Light Years! I can imagine it would have been tricky to keep track of everyone at first when listening to this as an audio book.

>86 lit_chick: And a thumb for your review of Indian Horse - sounds like a powerful book.

>99 lit_chick: Sir Cairo looks very happy with his new quilt and the quilt looks lovely too. Kudos to your sister for making that.

>113 charl08: Yay! Good shopping, Charlotte!

>114 souloftherose: Hi Heather, have to say thank you again for introducing me to the Cazalets. I'm into Marking Time now and also thoroughly enjoying this second installment.

Appreciate your thumb for my review of Indian Horse, and will pass along kudos to my sister for making Cairo's quilt : ).

>112 lit_chick: I learned that about black cats too, well after ours joined the family. The thought never once crossed my mind, and call me judgmental but I think it's ridiculous!

>112 lit_chick: Nancy, apparently adopting out Black dogs is also more difficult! I had no idea until I read about that a couple of years ago. I'm not sure if it's a superstitious thing ( black dogs? ) or if if they just don't appeal to most people as much - maybe they look scarier, or their faces are harder to read. I think black dogs look so sweet!

ETA apparently one of the theories as to why black dogs and cats might be harder to adopt out is because they do not photograph as well. But then again if the shelter told you that black cats are harder to adopt out due to superstitions, so much for that theory, though perhaps it is part of why people are not so keen on black dogs?

>112 lit_chick: I also think it's ridiculous! Like you, the thought never crossed my mind.

>117 vancouverdeb: I didn't know the same was true of black dogs, Deb! The first such breeds that come to mind for me are Lab and Dachshund, because two of my sisters have them. Both beautiful, sweet dogs!

I'm following your thread about black dogs and black cats. We have had 3 black standard (well maybe sub-standard) poodles and they were dream boats. Who could have not wanted them I ask? At one time we had 2 black dogs at the same time. Now that was a bit crazy.....

>119 mdoris: Hi Mary, it's fun to share about our respective pets, isn't it? Cairo has brought such joy and laughter to my home; he is such a character!

No pic of Poppy in raincoat, because today was fairly nice, so her pink raincoat was not needed! Happy about that! As for black dogs, I've never had a black dog, only because our first dog was a border terrier, which only comes in grizzle - such a lovely sounding colour , our next dog came from a shelter and she was the only small dog and she happened to a dirty white bichon/ poodle mix. We were so sad when our dirty white bichon/ poodle mixed passed away, I looked online within a few days and low and behold , a small dog was "for sale" at a home address about 1/4 of a mile away. And that was Poppy from a small home based rescue and they only had one dog white with a bit of " champagne" .Growing up, my parents had two cairn terriers that were " brindle" - a mix of black and white. Later on, they got two Irish Terriers , which of course were a red colour. But Poppy has a really good buddy who is pure black, a darling Havanese, named Nacho. Dog and Cat names are so interesting! I ran across a dog name Roulx today. The owner told me the name was " Rue" and I thought that is odd name to call a dog , as in maybe she " rued" getting the dog , but she quickly told me Rue was spelled Roulx. It is so hilarious in a way how dog's have best buddies! :) But our dog walker tells us that Nacho and Poppy play endlessly together and it works out great. I can't imagine how the our dog walker does it each day - 6 dogs , all with their idiosyncrasies. Nacho pees with excitement in the dog walkers car when he see come to our place of the Poppy pickup. Poppy apparently needs her space in the car , because she snaps and snarls at the dogs if they get too close while in the car. And you thought you had it hard as a teacher! :) Just kidding! But really - I do admire our once a week dog walker.

Glad you are enjoying Cairo so much. That is one cool name - so elegant and unique.

Interesting thing about the black cats. I had one when I was younger, before I found out I was allergic to cats. He was a lovely animal. I'm not at all superstitious and I like the look of the black cats and dogs. :) I guess when we're ready for a dog, we'll have to choose a black one. Lol

>121 vancouverdeb: Hi Deb, we always had a dog and a cat growing up, most of which were strays or rescues. Like you, with your family's pets, we loved them all!

Loved hearing how you and Dave came to have Poppy, and oh my goodness, I laughed at your dog walker's adventures! Poor little Nacho peeing in her car when he gets excited, and Poppy is the sibling we all grew up with: Mom, she's touching me! Dad, tell her to move over!

>122 nittnut: Hi Jenn, will be haunting your thread to see when you're ready for a black dog, LOL!

38.
A Spool of Blue Thread, Anne Tyler



Rating: 3.5/5

Book Description: from Amazon.com
“It was a beautiful, breezy, yellow-and-green afternoon ...” This is how Abby Whitshank always begins the story of how she fell in love with Red that day in July 1959. The Whitshanks are one of those families that radiate togetherness: an indefinable, enviable kind of specialness. But they are also like all families, in that the stories they tell themselves reveal only part of the picture. Abby and Red and their four grown children have accumulated not only tender moments, laughter, and celebrations, but also jealousies, disappointments, and carefully guarded secrets. From Red’s father and mother, newly arrived in Baltimore in the 1920s, to Abby and Red’s grandchildren carrying the family legacy boisterously into the twenty-first century, here are four generations of Whitshanks, their lives unfolding in and around the sprawling, lovingly worn Baltimore house that has always been their anchor.

My Review:
The Whitshanks are indeed like all families, in that the stories they tell themselves reveal only part of the picture.

“The disappointments seemed to escape the family’s notice, though. That was another of their quirks: they had a talent for pretending that everything was fine. Or maybe it wasn’t a quirk at all. Maybe it was just further proof that the Whitshanks were not remarkable in any way whatsoever.” (Ch 2)

In particular, I was struck by Linnie Mae and Junior’s relationship: longstanding, fruitful, comfortable, peaceful – surely a success through the eyes of any onlooker. And yet Junior had not wanted a life with Linnie, believing “he had stayed with her only because he knew she would be lost otherwise.” In reality, as finally comes clear him so many decades later: “He saw her yanking his whole life around the way she would yank a damp sweater that she had pulled out of the washtub to block and reshape.” (Ch 14) Too, I was intrigued (and yes, exasperated) with Denny’s personality; the product of the family’s cumulative secrets, deceptions, and longings? In any case, I think the Whitshanks are a perfectly unremarkable incarnation of most families: far more emotionally complex than their exterior suggests.

A Spool of Blue Thread is my first Anne Tyler, but I can see this author possibly becoming comfort/escape reading for me. I’m a little surprised to find this selection on the Women’s Prize LL, in the same way I was surprised when Anita Shreve’s The Weight of Water was nominated.

Stopping by to wish you a happy September and all that. I will continue to dodge the Ann Tyler reviews. I hated Digging to America. I know, hate is such a strong word, but how often have you seen me give a book a 2 star rating? I just chalk it up to me not being Tyler's target reading audience. ;-)

>125 lkernagh: Thanks, Lori. Yep, back to work tomorrow after a very busy summer! Hmm, think I'll steer clear of Digging to America. I tend to go for Scandi-crime when I'm looking for an escape read, so it remains to be seen how much more Tyler I'll read. I'll see ...

Great review of A Spool of Blue Thread. I really love it, unlike you. I might have even given it 4.5 or 5 stars, but I've enjoyed Anne Tyler over the years. It even made it to the Women's Prize Shortlist, and it's on the Booker Longlist. Quite a few of the Booker Longlist seem to be about family dynamics - perhaps the judges favour that this year? Sorry you did not enjoy it more.

>125 lkernagh: Lori, I shhh dislike -even maybe hate, Margaret Atwood, one of Canada's most beloved authors. I expect somehow I'm not her target audience! :)

Nancy another vote for Daughters Who Walk This Path . I read shortly after it came it out and while I did not review it, I loved it so much I gave it 5 stars. I was just on Lori's thread and I see she enjoyed it too. Do read it if you can get it somewhere. She is a Canadian author -we have to support our own! :)

>127 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deb. Didn't know that A Spool of Blue Thread had made the Women's Prize SL or the Booker LL … will include that in my book tags. Yes, I wanted to enjoy it more than I did.

I won't make one sound about Atwood, LOL!

>128 vancouverdeb: Woot! Thanks, Deb! Definitely going to need to read Daughters Who Walk this Path. Can't find the audio, so I've just put it on my library list.

Catching up, Nancy, and I knew about black dogs from adopting May. All (3 of the 4) of our dogs (DH's and mine) have been black but one. Black is Beautiful!
Sir Cairo certainly is handsome and deserving of a designer quilt!

>123 lit_chick: Lurk away lol. It will be awhile before we get that black dog. Not until we are finished moving around the world, anyway. I don't like the idea of hauling a pet to and fro.

>125 lkernagh: I am not a fan of Anne Tyler. Nice to see I'm not alone. I can't really put a finger on why. I just get really annoyed. And it's not as though I don't recognize her skill. I guess it just is what it is.

Thumbs up to your review, Nancy. Have thought of reading another one by Anne Tyler - maybe not this one, but of course there are many out there.

I read my first Anne Tyler last year, but that was her more famous The Accidental Tourist which was good, but as I've seen the movie adaptation I knew the story beforehand.

>124 lit_chick: I really enjoyed revisiting A Spool of Blue Thread through your review. I've read Tyler for a long time, I think since my mum's book group went through a Canadian kick when I was a teenager (as Larry's Party also appeared in the house at that time!). I think they have improved for me as a reader over time as I've experienced some of the topics she explores around family, although I wish I'd written down my thoughts from back then to be sure. I'm so pleased that her books are being recognised by international prize committees.

>130 LizzieD: Hi Peggy, hear hear to black dogs and black cats! Love that all of your dogs have been black. And I and Cairo appreciate your kind words. I think he is deserving of a designer quilt, too : ).

>131 nittnut: Hi Jenn, sounds like the black dog needs to wait on her world travellers to settle, LOL! Lori will be glad to know she's in good company as concerns Anne Tyler.

>132 ctpress: Thanks, Carsten. Don't want to dissuade you from A Spool of Blue Thread as many LTers, including our Deb, really enjoyed this one. I remember The Accidental Tourist being popular, but didn't know it was a movie. Need to check that out.

>133 charl08: Hi Charlotte, you have a history with Anne Tyler! Love that it was your mom's book group that suggested her to you.

I loved The Accidental Tourist, and the film version which I watched when some lovely LTer recommended it straight after I read the book. (thanks, whoever it was)

>135 LovingLit: Good to know! Thanks, Megan : ).

Nice comments on Tyler. I am a fan. I loved Digging to America, but I have enjoyed most of hers that I have read.

>137 BLBera: Hi Beth, good to know you're another who has enjoyed Tyler. She seems popular.

I put the Giller Long List on my thread, but I must admit that nothing is calling to me. Usually some good CanLit stands out for me, but not at the moment. Most of the titles are unfamiliar to me, so maybe after I explore the books a bit more, I'll find something jumps out.

>139 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deb, I'll be right over. I'd like to copy the list over here, too.

Giller LL (thanks, Deb!)



Fifteen Dogs, André Alexis
Arvida, Samuel Archibald
If I Fall, If I Die, Michael Christie
Outline, Rachel Cusk
Undermajordomo Minor, Patrick deWitt
Close to Hugh, Marina Endicott
A Beauty, Connie Gault
All True Not a Lie in It, Alix Hawley
The Winter Family, Clifford Jackman
Daydreams of Angels, Heather O'Neill
Martin John, Anakana Schofield (no touchstone yet)
Confidence, Russell Smith

I loved Outline, which is the only one I've read. Fifteen Dogs and A Beauty are the two that call to me the most right now.

>Thanks, Beth, you know much more than I do about the Giller offerings. The one that calls to me immediately is DeWitt; I so loved The Sisters Brothers.

I'll be interested in your take on the new Patrick deWitt should you decide to take on his new book. Yesterday when I put the Giller List on my thread, I put a ' product description" on each book that did not have one, because I was quite curious about the books. Patrick deWitt's new book sounds like crazy fable, but you never know. I really loved The Sisters Brothers too. I enjoyed Pastoral by Andre Alexis, but his new offering, Fifteen Dogs is something about dogs gaining human consciousness. I love to chat with Poppy, my dog, but I'm not sure about the human consciousness aspect, though I suspect Poppy has that anyway! :) From what I was able to read online A Beauty looks to be interesting as Beth mentions. I guess we will see how brave I am! :) I've also gained a consciousness that Dave will need to retire someday and thus I am trying to be more cautious with my book purchases. :-)

Perhaps Tyler is on the list as a recognition of her accomplishment overall as a novelist. I really think her early novels are the best - the first one I read was The Clockwinder. The other two I like the best are The Accidental Tourist (yeah, ok, I admit, it has a corgi in it) and Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant. There's another one I like, can't think of the title, where a woman just gets up and leaves her family one day, tired of their thoughtlessness and constant demands and settles anonymously in a town not too far away. What she learns about herself then is very nicely done. I would have to say the Digging to America is my least liked book of hers. There are one or two others that stand out for me, but many of them are a bit blurred especially more recently, I feel somehow that she is so adept that while the novels have all the pieces and are well written they lack a certain energy or spark.

Back to add, Cairo looks magnificent on his crazy quilt!

>144 vancouverdeb: Deb, appreciate the info on the Giller selections. Not sure whether I'll take on the DeWitt or not; I read its online description, and, like you, thought it sounded like a crazy fable. But then, The Sisters Brothers was a crazy tale, too, and I loved it, so I'll have to see. Was happy to hear Beth loved Outline, and, from the description I read, this sounds like one I'd enjoy. Literary adventures … but such a shortage of time! Make me smile that you're needing to be conscious that Dave would one day like to retire, LOL. I've become a real friend of the library.

>145 sibylline: Hi Lucy, thank you for the take on Anne Tyler. It sounds like I would enjoy some of her older works, like Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant. Just went Googling to see if I could find the title of the other one you refer to, and I think it's Ladder of Years.

Cairo and I thank you for your kind words : ).

Just had to pop by and update you on the Giller selections. Yesterday I popped into the small library close to where I often walk Poppy and they had If I Fall, If I Die by Michael Christie on the shelves, so I borrowed it. Not sure if I am going to read it or not, but at least I can thumb through and make a decision. I've got quite a few books in the the library queue vying for my time. I also caved and purchased A Beauty by Connie Gault. I was able to read a chapter or so online, and it looked like an Giller Entry that I hope will grab me. It's been compared to Cool Water by Dianne Warren , which I think you have read and still sits on my TBR shelves.

I'd agree with Lucy and others that the works of Anne Tyler vary in their likableness. I read several of her books in the past and quite enjoyed them, others I did not care for. I know what you mean, so many books, so little time.

>147 vancouverdeb: Woot! Appreciate the update on the Giller offerings, Deb. Sounds like you've got a couple queued which may or may not turn out to be your thing, but we don't know that until we try. Of course, I will be following along on your progress and thoughts : ).

Won't give up on Anne Tyler just yet. When I try another one, I think I'll select one of her older ones.

Nancy, I'm always curious about the offerings of Prize lists, be they the Booker , Giller or Orange. I always love to read a review or two , and research the book a bit prior to purchase. It's especially challenging as these days bookstores are in short supply, even in Vancouver. I can't go browse the bookstore as I used to very regularly, since we now only have small " Indigo Spirit" in Richmond. A Beauty was not available at my library and at amazon ca it says 2 - 3 weeks shipping time.

Now as for Maisie Dobbs, yes I am loving it! A great cozy mystery , with a fabulous backstory in this, the first of the series. As I explained on my thread, I HAD to order the second in the series to see if the entire series is a good as the first. The Greater Good and all that , and Dave's retirement just got pushed back a day or so :) I think you will enjoy it. It is cool this evening and reading about all that British tea prompted me to have a nice cup of tea as I continued to read about those Brits and their tea. I fear it will soon be time to crank up the furnace.

I'm not sure what prompted me to *cough* - purchase Maisie Dobbs several months ago. I think I kept seeing here on LT and also maybe in the book store. I dug it out of my TBR pile -always good to have TBR pile, which is slightly lost on Dave.

I hope you enjoy Maisie Dobbs and I look forward to your thoughts on The Illuminations

Morning, Deb, just reading your post over coffee and breakfast. Cairo is NOT excited about back to school and me being gone all day, so he is cozied up in a ball on my lap, helping me with the computer.

I know you're on top of the prize lists, and I appreciate it. Tend to follow your lead in that regard a lot of the time. Think I'll listen to Maisie Dobbs and see how that goes. I've always got an audiobook on the go, and something new would be fun.

Getting chilly here too. Have not yet turned the furnace on but have certainly enjoyed my new gas fireplace a couple of evenings. What a difference from the old! It distributes the heat so much better. Am going to love curling up there in the winter for reading and tellie.

>150 lit_chick: Yay for the new gas fireplace! I skimmed your thread and am mostly caught up now. : ) Hope this proves to be an excellent school year. And I am a Tyler fan, so I may have to give A Spool of Blue Thread a try anyhow. Great review.

>151 Berly: Hi Kim, wonderful to "see" you! A Spool of Blue Thread has been well liked here on LT; I think most liked it better than I did, so I do hope you'll read!

Just checking in, Nancy, with appreciation for the Giller list. I've favorited it and will look for the P. deWitt when it's not so pricey.
It's cooler here too --- overnight lows in the 50s - what a relief!
Bless Cairo for a good kitty as you get into the school swim again.

>153 LizzieD: Hi Peggy, I may also check out the new DeWitt from the Giller list. Deb is checking out a couple others, so I'll wait on her word on those.

Glad you've got some relief from the extreme heat, and Cairo and I thank you for your kind words.

Booker Shortlist:



Satin Island, Tom McCarthy
A Brief History of Seven Killings, by Marlon James
A Spool of Blue Thread, by Anne Tyler
The Year of the Runaways, by Sunjeev Sahota
A Little Life, by Hanya Yanagihara
The Fishermen, Chigozie Obioma

Well, Nancy, I think you know my thoughts on the Booker List. But truthfully who knows why they pick what they pick? I'm delighted with A Spool of Blue Thread , which I loved. I intend to read The Year of the Runaways, since I have it and it looks interesting. People seem to think that A Brief History of Seven Killings might be the eventual winner - via LT people's vibes, which are as good of a judge as anything. I did read that that Booker Judges might favour a new writer over many times published writer. but who knows. A Brief History of Seven Killings sounds long and violent. Not sure if I'll read it, but I've not seen it , so I'm not sure.

I finished Maisie Dobbs and loved it! Easy four stars,but I'll wait a while til I get to making a few comments on my thread. I'm quite sure you will enjoy it.

>156 vancouverdeb: Hi Deb, I remember you loved A Spool of Blue Thread : ). Will stand by for your thoughts on The Year of the Runaways. Not sure whether I'll read A Brief History of Seven Killings either. I've heard some of the buzz, and agree that the vibes here on LT suggest it might be the winner. We'll see.

Delighted you loved Maisie Dobbs and will look forward to it! Right now, I'm about 2/3 of the way through audiobook Marking Time, which is the second in the Cazalet series. This is a new-to-me series, which I'm loving.

Nancy, I'm glad to hear your renovations are winding down and things are looking up at your place. ;-) I loved the pic of Cairo on his new quilt. He is a beautiful cat. My second favorite dog is my grand dog, Cassie, who is a black Lab. She doesn't photograph well but I will have to try and get a picture of her with Lucky, our White Labrador. They are so cute together. Chocolate and Vanilla!

>158 Donna828: Hi Donna, it's always wonderful when renovations are done! Glad you liked the photo of Cairo. Will be watching your thread for your grand dog, Cassie, to appear with Lucky. Chocolate and Vanilla would also be lovely names for dogs!

39.
The Illuminations, Andrew O'Hagan



Rating: 4/5

Book Description: from Amazon.ca
Standing one evening at the window of her house by the sea, Anne Quirk sees a rabbit disappearing in the snow. Nobody remembers her now, but this elderly woman was in her youth an artistic pioneer, a creator of groundbreaking documentary photographs. Her beloved grandson, Luke, now a captain in the British army is on a tour of duty in Afghanistan. When his mission goes horribly wrong, he ultimately comes face to face with questions of loyalty and moral responsibility that will continue to haunt him. Once Luke returns home to Scotland, Anne's secret story begins to emerge, along with his, and they set out for an old guest house in Blackpool where she once kept a room. There they witness the annual illuminations – the dazzling artificial lights that brighten the seaside resort town as the season turns to winter. The Illuminations is a beautiful and highly charged novel that reveals, among other things, that no matter how we look at it, there is no such thing as an ordinary life.

My Review:
“Whatever vessel Anne had sailed in all her life, it began to drift and that was the start of it all. She rolled into a darkness where everything old was suddenly new, and when she returned to the surface her life’s materials were bobbing up around her.” (9)

Thoroughly enjoyed The Illuminations, and found it to be a thought-provoking read about love and memory, modern war, and the complications of fact. Both Anne and her grandson, Luke, live in truths that are buried in secrets, albeit for very different reasons: Anne, while it’s true she is plummeting into dementia, has long embraced a body of lies about her fleeting relationship with her beloved Harry; and Luke, because the Afghan war in which he is embroiled, reveals itself to be a deceit and a mess unworthy of his loyalty. Hagan writes in chapters alternating between Anne’s reality and Luke’s service in Afghanistan – one chapter quiet, the next grating. But I found the technique to be effective in that both characters are hiding from realities they wish not to acknowledge and can only be jarred from. Highly recommended.

"... truth and silence can conquer everything." (43)

Great review, Nancy. I'm so glad that you enjoyed The Illuminations too. Both Anne and her grandson, Luke, live in truths that are buried in secrets, albeit for very different reasons: Anne, while it’s true she is plummeting into dementia, has long embraced a body of lies about her fleeting relationship with her beloved Harry; and Luke, because the Afghanistan war in which he is embroiled, reveals itself to be a deceit and a mess unworthy of his loyalty Perfect - that is exactly what I thought brought the two narratives together but you put it so well.

>161 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deb : ). Thoroughly enjoyed The Illuminations. Takes an excellent writer, I think, to bring together such disparate parts of a novel, and O'Hagan does this very well! Wonderful, wonderful characterization.

Nancy, I agree, it takes an excellent writer to bring together such a disparate parts of a novel. As for the cover bug, I reported it on the Cover page , and I was linked to your bug page report yesterday. Clearly LT does not have my software engineer son on staff ;) This sort of thing would never happen .

>163 vancouverdeb: Clearly LT does not have my software engineer son on staff ;) This sort of thing would never happen. Clearly! Harumph!

Thanks for the chuckle, my friend : ).

Hi Nancy! Oh, how I love the Cairo pic! What a doll. My cat has been a bit out of sorts since school started. They do get lonely, even if they don't like to admit it.

Great reading around here!

How is your school year going?

>165 AMQS: Thanks, Anne. Yes, Cairo has been very lonely too, since school started. School year's off to a good start : ).

>160 lit_chick: I was struck by this novel and I really liked your review too. Such an evocative quote about Anne's confused mind.

I think it is a book that raises such interesting questions that it stays with the reader. As you say, memory and truth being key: I think there is something quite effective there too about the ways in which families can be separated by memory long before someone is affected by dementia. That it is not *just* dementia that leads to the loss of connection between family members. Which is trite as I write it here I think, but powerfully done by O'Hagan.

>167 charl08: Great comments, Charlotte! Couldn't agree more that the family in The Illuminations was separated by their differing perceptions of the truth long before Anne contracted dementia. O'Hagan is a superb writer; will look for more of his work.

Interesting thoughts on The Illuminations, Nancy. Forgotten memories and loss of connection between family members seems to get a good treamtent in this novel. Made me curious about what secrets lie dormant in Blackpool.

Hard to believe anything stays secret amongst all these lights...

>169 ctpress: Thanks, Carsten. I have a friend who says Truth is a perception of … I thought often of this while reading The Illuminations. The characters live in a truth they have perceived, but, of course, they have very different perceptions. I think you would really enjoy this one.

>170 charl08: Great photo, Charlotte!

That is a great photo.

Hi there! Getting caught up - adding The Illuminations to the pile of BB's. Hope you have a great weekend!

>172 BLBera: Yes!

>173 nittnut: Hi Jenn, always happy to help out with a BB. Enjoy your weekend!

40.
Marking Time, Elizabeth Jane Howard



Rating: 4.5/5

2014, Audible Inc., Read by Jill Balcon

Book Description: adapted from Amazon.ca
As this second volume of the Cazalet Chronicles opens in September 1939, the Cazalet family prepares for war. Chamberlain's “peace with honor” has fallen through and Hitler has marched into Poland. Three Cazalet cousins – Louise, Polly, and Clary – are so eager to shed the trappings of childhood that they view the war from a different perspective than their more experienced parents. Howard successfully presents these differing images in an atmosphere steeped in period detail, keeping the central focus on the young girls' frustrations and disappointments. Her saga offers an engrossing look at a unique period of history as experienced by a "typical" English middle-class family whose shared adventures are engaging, sometimes heroic, and always authentic.

My Review:
I’m completely engrossed in the Cazalets’ story, and living comfortably within their middle-class family. I’ve gotten to know the characters much better this second installment: they’re real, and, while I don’t like all of them (read Edward), I’m interested and invested.

Hugh blunders along in the family timber firm; Sybil struggles will ill-health; Edward, ever the womanizer, further disgraces himself as regards his daughter, Louise; Villy is interested in a conductor; and Rupert has gone missing in action. Of the three female cousins on whom Howard focuses her attention in Marking Time, Louise is seventeen and off attending acting school; Clary, Rupert’s daughter, learns how to cope maturely with her stepmother, Zoe; and Polly, Hugh’s daughter, is all things good. The US has now been drawn into the war.

Loving this series. It’s comfortable, and literate, and very highly recommended!

No Cazalet books either at my library, or in our several-states-wide Prospector system:( I'll have to keep my eye out for them at library sales.

>176 AMQS: Hi Anne, these do not seem to be widely available. I bought the audiobooks at Audible.

So glad you enjoyed Marking Time and that you are living comfortably within their middle-class family. Ir is fabulous to find a great series to read and feel thoroughly engrossed with. Great review! Sounds like a series I need to look into -though I'm doing nicely with Jacqueline Winspear " Maisie Dobbs series , as well as Elly Griffiths and Ruth Galloway and her cast of interesting people - Cathbad, and DCI Harry Nelson. :)

>178 vancouverdeb: Hi Deb, you're right that there's nothing better than finding a great series to become thoroughly engaged in. Sounds like you're having great fun with Maisie Dobbs. I plan to look into this one later.

Indeed it sounds like a great family-saga, Nancy. You might get adopted if you continue "living comfortably within their middle-class family :) You make me want to be a member also.

I've abandoned a flirt with a P. D. James novel. Three hours in and no Dalgliesh in the horizon. Hmmmm...well, back to Iceland and beginning on Hypothermia. I'm still not cold enough.

>180 ctpress: LOL, Carsten, wouldn't it be wonderful to be adopted into a literary family while the series played out! I'm quite sure you'd thoroughly enjoy being a member of the Cazalet crew, too : )

Ah, you'll surely be cold enough once you're through Hypothermia! That made me laugh. Love Indridason! When you're good and cold, you can come get warmed up by the fire in the Cazalets' very middle class sitting room.

What! Carsten abandoned a P.D. James mystery! Oh, but I loved them all! I just came from his thread and read about H is for Hawk, but not the P.D. James " tragedy'. :) Oh Carsten! I see that you are reading A Tie That Binds - enjoy! It was not my favourite of his books, but it was a treat even so. It's not really cold, but cold enough to enjoy a cup of tea. I am missing summer already, Nancy.

>182 vancouverdeb: Ah, I too am missing summer, Deb! I'll miss it until it's summer again! Your assessment of The Tie That Binds as not your favourite Haruf, but a treat nonetheless, is shared by Laura who just finished this one (and I expect by others). Agree that so far it's not Plainsong, but oh I do love Haruf.

I also caught Carsten's review of H is for Hawk, and my library has the audiobook! So you know what's been added to the list today, LOL.

All I can say is that I read P.D. James with varying degrees of love and that I've been saving the Cazalets because ............. I don't know why, really. I started them when I had just finished the Mary Hocking trilogy, and the two were close enough in concept that I didn't give Howard a real chance. I'll get back to book 3 sometime next year, I hope. I have some Haruf. I just haven't read any Haruf. Oh dear.
Read on, Nancy!

>184 LizzieD: Hi Peggy, I hope you will enjoy the Cazalets as much as I am when you get back to them. I do understand not wanting to read several similar books consecutively. As to Haruf, you MUST give yourself the gift of Haruf, especially since you've got him on the shelf. He is right at the top of the list of gifts I've been given in LT.

Twist my arm, Nancy, I created a review of If I Fall, I Die. I checked out Elizabeth Jane Howard series, and you are quite correct. Not available at my library, but can be found on amazon ca. And yes indeed, I am LOVING Birds of a Feather , hte 2nd in the Maisie Dobbs series. A thirty -two year daughter gone missing, her angry , controlling father hires and demands that Maisie find her and bring her home ( this is just post WW1) and could there be more to the story - like a few murders ? :) And drinking tea beside the fire , wearing a Mackintosh ( not gortex) and driving in the London Fog..... oh yes Nancy. :)

Ha, ha - After Arctic Chill and now Hypothermia I guess a chesterfield in front of the fireplace is calling on me (preferable at the Cazalet mansion).

Oh, a literary sin, I know - abandoning a P. D. James crime....what was I thinking? :) But, well, err...I found out it was the last one in the Dalgliesh-series, so I guess it was better to go back and read some of the earlier ones...

>186 vancouverdeb: Well, I'm off to star your review of If I Fall, I Die … and I'm back. Went looking for Birds of a Feather at my library, and it's also available in print and on audio. Think I'm going to make Maisie Dobbs an audio series : ). For drinking tea beside the fire, my money's on Mackintosh over gortex any day, Deb!

>187 ctpress: LOL, exactly, Carsten! You need to pull your chair up to the fire. I've not read P.D. James, (gah!), so cannot comment on that front; but when a guy needs to get to Iceland, well, he needs to get to Iceland!

Stopping by to get caught up with things on your thread Nancy. Looks like I will have to give The Illuminations a closer look. I checked my local library to see if they have the Cazalet Chronicles and it looks like they have the first four books in the series. They also have a DVD copy of the film adaptation of the books, called The Cazslets. I seem to be in TV/movie watching mode these days so I may think about the movie adaptation. I do love a good family saga read/watch.

>189 lkernagh: Hi Lori, I don't think you'll regret picking up The Illuminations or the Cazalet Chronicles. I also really want to see the DVD of the Cazalets, but my library doesn't have it. Amazon prices are ridiculously high to account for its rarity, and I haven't yet checked Apple.

Like you, I do love a good family saga read/watch.

Great review of The Illuminations.

I have all but the first of the Cazelets! Maddening!

>191 sibylline: Thanks, Lucy. Oh, that would be maddening! I think the Cazalets is a series you would really enjoy.

Nancy, the Rogers Trust Shortlist was published today and I've put it on my thread. I'm not sure if there ever was a longlist - not that I know about. Not overly thrilled with it, but Fifteen Dogs was on it, just like on the Giller Longlist .

>193 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deb. Will head over to your thread to catch the Rogers Trust list.

I was lucky enough to be able to borrow Fifteen Dogs from the library , so I it might be my next book. Not entirely sure though, but since it is both on the Giller List and the Rogers Trust List, I thought I might as well grab it. Like you, His Whole Life seems like it would be interesting, but thriftily , I am going to wait for it to come in from the library.

>195 vancouverdeb: Hi Deb, will be following along, of course, to see whether Fiften Dogs is your next book. I've been very good not buying books … using my library a lot!

41.
The Tie That Binds, Kent Haruf



Rating: 5/5

"She will be eighty years old this week: a clean beautiful white-haired woman who never in her life weighed as much as 115 pounds, and she has weighed a lot less than that since New Year’s Eve. Still, the sheriff and the lawyers expect her to get well enough for them to sit her up in a wheelchair and then drive her across town to the courthouse to begin the trial.” (Ch 1)

So begins The Tie That Binds, written some fifteen years earlier than Haruf’s masterpiece Plainsong. Like its successor, The Tie That Binds features a sibling relationship, that of the dutiful Edith Goodnough and her simple brother, Lyman. The two are the children of failed homesteaders, “fixed” to an unrelenting life on the dryland farm, south of Holt. Lyman will eventually escape, but Edith will have no such reprieve: rather, she remains unfalteringly loyal to her cruel, ungrateful father. Her sole relationships, outside of immediate family, are with a neighbouring father and son: John and Sanders Roscoe. It is Sanders, in fact, who narrates the novel. The Roscoes alone are appreciative of Edith’s beauty, both inside and out; and they understand and accept her unwavering sense of duty. Later, they will know her incredible courage.

Haruf’s writing never fails to mesmerize me. Edith and Lyman Goodnough are unforgettable, just as the MacPheron brothers I came to love before them. Though perhaps they did not illicit the same level of emotional response from me as the two elder brothers, The Tie That Binds is Haruf’s debut novel! His sense of place and time here is as flawless as I’ve come to expect: he writes of an August day in 1967 when the Goodnoughs and the Roscoes, Sanders and his wife, attend the Holt County Fair, and I won’t forget that day! The evocative writing, so simple and yet so intimate, drew me time and again right into the novel’s pages, into Holt, and into the lives of the characters. Most highly recommended.

"But if their father was fixed, Edith and Lyman were fixed even worse. They were stuck now on that sandhill farm. How were they going to leave him, the way he was? They couldn’t leave him. Not that way, they couldn’t. It was hell for all of them. They were all fixed.” (Ch 3)

What a beautiful review, Nancy. I'm so glad you loved this book!

>198 lauralkeet: Thanks, Laura : ). I've only got one more Haruf to read now: Our Souls at Night. Given his untimely passing, I feel like I'm "saving" it. But I'll get to it soon.

A beautiful view, indeed. So glad that you enjoyed The Tie That Binds so much! A 5 star read! Our Souls at Night is a beautiful story too. thumb.

>200 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deb : ). I just love Haruf. There's something about his writing that just grabs me and doesn't let go. I'm thinking Our Souls at Night will probably be another 5* read for me.

>197 lit_chick: oooooh, you have me with that one!

*sigh* Must read Haruf! Thanks for the nudge, Nancy.

Hello :) Just passing through to wish you a happy weekend.

>202 LovingLit: Hi Megan, I don't think you can go wrong with Kent Haruf. Hope you will pick up The Tie That Binds and enjoy it as much as I did.

>203 LizzieD: LOL, Peggy. Those of us who believe you need to read Haruf are on your trail!

>204 nittnut: Thanks, Jenn.

>197 lit_chick: I've never read any Haruf but your review tempts me to rush our and buy a set! Have thumbed.

Excellent review of the Haruf book, Nancy! I am looking forward to binge-reading Haruf next year. I have managed to collect 5 of his books.

>206 charl08: Thanks, Charlotte : ). Oh, if you've not read Haruf, you simply must! He's the best gift I've received from LT, and I've received many, many wonderful gifts!

>207 lkernagh: Thanks, Lori : ). I can't think of anything much more delightful than binge-reading Haruf! I'll be following along, so curious to know what you think.

Wonderful review, Nancy. Thumb. I have Our Souls At Night but had forgotten that there was an earlier work of Haruf out there. Oh that wonderful sparse prose - I sense Haruf in those quotes. Unfortunately I can't get it as an audiobook so I guess I have to get the book.

>209 ctpress: Thanks, Carsten : ). I have not yet read Our Souls at Night, but I will before too long. You're right about Haruf's wonderful sparse prose … just so beautiful, I am always mesmerized. Haven't tried Haruf on audiobook, but I must make a note to do so.

Nancy , you have really gotten to me, as usual! :) I've ordered The Light Years from amazon , thanks to your book bullet! I also slightly adapted my review for Birds of a Feather and put on the main page. I also posted the Giller shortlist on my thread and let's just say I'm kind of sad about it. Maybe I'll really have to read Fifteen Dogs, but I always maintain the long list can hold some of the best titles.

And on the bright side, I hope, I am shortly going to get my hair cut, and it's been really wild, like it might be Hallloween. My usual stylist was out of town last haircut and wow, she did a bad job . Just call me frizz central. Maybe I should move into your drier climate . I'm just scary to look at. At least Poppy does not notice and Dave claims not to notice either and people still greet me on the streets. Life, it can be harsh, my friend,

>211 vancouverdeb: Oh, Deb, thank you for the hair-smile! LOL! Glad your regular hairstylist is back in town. And how dare she desert you? The nerve! Mine, too, went travelling for a year. A year! LOL!

Oh, I hope you will enjoy the Cazalet Chronicles as much as I am. They're all set around WWII, at least so far. I'm into the third one on audio now. Great cast of characters; I don't like them all, but it is a great cast. Trying to find the DVD for post-reading but no luck. It's on Amazon "by these sellers" for a ridiculous price, but I've not found it elsewhere. Was hoping for my library, but not.

Oh those wandering hair stylists! Mine is taking off for a friend's destination wedding in Mexico, in late November. As a consequence, I have already pre booked by my hair appointments until the end of the year. And yours, an entire year ! Harumph!

Anyway, the Governor General's Literary Prize Finalist List is on my thread. Sad - another two short story books, out of five!

In happier news, my amazon order arrived! :)

Yes I know about " those other sellers." I have used them a few times , never for expensive stuff , and usually it is always kind of slow to arrive.

>213 vancouverdeb: Hi Deb, just came from your thread and posted about the GG's list. Thanks for that. What is with the short story collections?

>175 lit_chick: Nancy, glad to see you are still enjoying the Cazalet series. This comment made me smile: 'while I don’t like all of them (read Edward)' - me too!

>197 lit_chick: Kent Haruf is high on my list of authors that I really shoud have read by now. Glad you enjoyed The Tie That Binds and a thumb for your review.

Sigh. Hair stylists. I had 20 years of good luck - 2 amazing hair stylists. Right now, not so good. My last hair cut looked like two different hair cuts. Not easy to do with long-ish hair IMO. Need to find a different one, but the next one could be just as bad, or worse. I was soooo spoiled. *sob*

>215 souloftherose: Hi Heather, yes, I'm loving the Cazalets! I'm in good company in finding Edward to be an oaf, a beast, a ... (well, enough said). Thumb is appreciated : ). I do hope you will get to Kent Haruf before too long. He is so fabulous!

>216 nittnut: Jenn, you were definitely spoiled if 2 stylists saw you through 20 years! Hmm, two different hair cuts for the price of one, huh? *sob* is right!

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving to all of my LT friends! All of you are one of many things I am thankful for.

Happy Thanksgiving, Nancy!

Happy Thanksgiving, Nancy!

>219 lkernagh:, >220 katiekrug: Thank you Lori and Katie : ).

A little late, so I'll hope that your Thanksgiving was a happy and thankful one!

So kind, Nancy! Happy Thanksgiving to you too and yes, you and the many others here on LT are something I am very thankful for!

Nancy, Happy Thanksgiving!!! Love your Haruf review. I have to get to that one sometime. And speaking of haircuts, I got mine all chopped off and I still surprise myself when I see my reflection, LOL.

I haven't kept up as well with the group as in previous years Nancy but I wanted to stop by and wish you Happy Thanksgiving. xx

Happy Thanksgiving, Nancy.

Happy thanksgiving Nancy. Glad to be among your LT-friends.

Happy Thanksgiving Nancy.

>222 LizzieD:, >223 vancouverdeb: Thank you, Peggy and Deb : ).

>224 Berly: Thank you, Kim. I'm certain you'll enjoy The Tie That Binds. Love this!: I got mine all chopped off and I still surprise myself when I see my reflection, LOL.

>225 PaulCranswick:, >226 BLBera:, >227 ctpress:, >228 johnsimpson: Thank you Paul, Beth, Carsten, and John.

Happy THanksgiving to you Nancy!

>230 mdoris: Thank you, Mary!