KatieKrug Reads in 2016 - Part 1

Hello Old Friends and Welcome New Ones!

About me: I'm a New York transplant living in Dallas, TX with my husband and two cats and a dog. The cats are his; the dog is ours. He (the dog, not the husband) is a black lab mix named Louis and may just be The World's Best Dog. I work in association management, currently at a membership association for engineers and other professionals in the upstream energy industry. In my spare time, I enjoy traveling (my job usually takes me to interesting places but, sadly, my only overseas trip in 2016 will be to Dubai), snark, participating in shenanigans, and drinking wine. I have over 3000 unread books on my shelves and Kindle and a very understanding husband.

I have been a 75er since 2011. This year, I plan to participate in the American Author Challenge and the Nonfiction Challenge, as well as a few of the challenges in the Category Challenge group, where I will also be maintaining a thread. A few of my goals for the year are to read more of the Pulitzer winners on my shelves, to read more global lit, and to be more selective in my reading - both in what I pick up and in giving myself permission to put things back down if they are not engaging me.

Cheers!

CURRENTLY READING

(Print) (Audio) (Kindle - year-long project)

BOOKS COMPLETED in JANUARY
1. Breathing Lessons by Anne Tyler
2. The Year of Reading Dangerously by Andy Miller (audio)

Amen.

Ratings: I've stolen my star scale from Ellen and slightly modified it.

5 stars = I connected with this book in a special way. It may not be perfect, but it was perfect for me.
4.5 = A great read, among my favorites of the year.
4 = A good read; truly enjoyable and/or worthy.
3.5 = Pretty good, with a few things done very well.
3 = I don't hate myself for reading this.
2.5 = Average, and life is too short to read average works.
2 = A bit below average. A waste of time.

Anything worse I probably didn't finish and so wouldn't get a rating.

Oh am I first?! Yay! I'm looking forward to reading and snarking with you in 2016, Katie.

I am also looking forward to reading and snarking with you, Katie! And...um...I can't see the image in >3 katiekrug:, but maybe that's just me.

>5 lauralkeet: Gold star for first, Laura!

>6 Crazymamie: - Hmmm about the image. It's a quote from Neil Gaiman. I will try reloading it...

Oh! I can see it now! That's lovely - Amen from me, too!

I hope you have a great year!

Aaack! My first post disappeared!

Howdy my KAK! I have been looking for your thread and now its here. Whew!

Welcome back!

Hi Katie! Happy New Year, and happy new thread :-)

>8 Crazymamie: - :-)

>9 mstrust: - Thanks, Jennifer!

>10 luvamystery65: - Can't shake me that easily, Ro!

>11 drneutron: - Thanks, Jim :)

>12 DianaNL: - And to you, Diana!

>13 susanj67: - Thank you muchly, Susan!

Dropping a star, Katie. Happy New Year!

Hello Katie. I brought my own penguin supplies to raise a glass (thermos) to the New Year. Cheers! Slante! Skol! (Etc)

>15 jnwelch: - Hi Joe - glad you found me!

>16 charl08: - I love all that Penguin loot, Charlotte! Clinky-clinky!

>17 Ameise1: - Thank you, Barbara. Happy new year to you, as well!

Happy New Year, Katie!!

Starred, of course.

Dropping off my star. Happy New Year, Katie!

>19 RebaRelishesReading:, >20 BLBera:, and >21 EBT1002: - Glad to see all you ladies over here! Thanks for finding me!

Here you are... Was wondering where you had gotten to...

I'm like a ninja - you never know where I'll pop up!

Dropping a star and wishing you Happy New Year, Katie!

>25 EBT1002: - That's me! Thanks, Ellen!

>26 Familyhistorian: - Happy new year, Meg!

A few stats. I would do more, but I'm lazy, and also afraid tracking too much will inhibit my reading somehow...

Total # of books completed: 110
Total # of books abandoned: 7
Print/Kindle books: 77
Audio books: 33

Pages read: 23.386 (64/day)
Hours listened: 255:50

Male authors: 46
Female authors: 64

Fiction: 96 (87%)
Nonfiction: 14 (13%)

Top Five:
Academy Street by Mary Costello
If You Only Knew by Kristan Higgins
Hell's Bottom, Colorado by Laura Pritchett
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry

Love Medicine by Louise Erdrich *

* This last one keeps changing.....

Happy New Year Katie! Consider this message a virtual high-five for "moose out front shoulda told you" on your 2015 thread. That made me laugh! The hubs and I still use that phrase when we encounter something unexpected.

Happy New Year, Katie! Happy New Thread! I like your top 5 and I am glad Lonesome Dove made the cut. Swoons a little...I also really enjoyed Hell's Bottom and I plan on reading more Erdrich this year, including Love Medicine.

>16 charl08: Um, okay, I need that.

Happy 2016, Katie!

Happy New Year Katie! I'm looking forward to your shenanigans in 2016. I'm more of a spectator than a participant, but who knows what might happen? It's a new year!

Morning, Katie! Happy New Year!

>29 lauralkeet: - Hooray, Laura, and HIGH FIVE! I am so pleased someone saw that - and understood it!

>30 msf59: - Thanks, Mark. I picked up another Erdrich - The Bingo Palace - in my haul yesterday. Love her.

>31 scaifea: - Thanks, Amber!

>32 cbl_tn: - Carrie, my new goal is to shenanigan-ize you! The more the merrier.... :)

>33 Crazymamie: - Happy new year, Mamie!

>28 katiekrug: I also very much liked Academy Street

Happy New Year to you!

Happy new year, Katie! Looking forward to keeping up with your reading and snark again this year.

>35 Whisper1: and >36 MickyFine: - Hi Linda and Micky! Good to see you both over here!

Happy New Year, Katie! I have my usual great intentions of keeping up with your thread all year... This year I will get it together!!

Very happy to see your thread is now up, Katie!

Happy New Year and best wishes for 2016!

Happy New Year, Katie!

Hmm. Now I want to understand "moose out front shoulda told you..." ??
I'm thinking there's a movie reference in there.

The threads are off to their usual breakneck start-of-the-year pace!!!! I'm just holdin' on for the ride!

>41 EBT1002: yup: National Lampoon Vacation (the first one).

Happy New Year!

Hi Katie, looking good over here. Happy New Year to you and The Wayne. Is he back from Florida yet? I'm glad there are more fans of Louise Erdrich out there. I used to feel alone...

Happy New Year! Just dropping a star for now. :)

>38 cushlareads:, >39 lkernagh:, >40 lit_chick:, >41 EBT1002:, >42 lauralkeet:, >43 ronincats:, >44 Donna828:, and >45 nittnut::

Hi Cushla, Lori, Nancy, Ellen, Laura, Roni, Donna and Jenn! Thanks for stopping by my new digs!

Ellen: Laura answered your question, but here's a link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwVpSBKzQYo. I can recite much of this movie by heart...

Donna: The Wayne gets back Sunday (unless he left today and is planning to surprise me by arriving tomorrow, which I hope he doesn't because I am looking ofrward to one more day on my own :) )

Today is my uncle's 65th birthday. His birthday/New Year's Day tradition is to have Chinese for dinner. For the past few years, we've just ordered from Pei Wei (ptooey!), but this year we wanted to do something more special, so we had a private chef come in and cook us an Asian-inspired smorgasbord. It was a-ma-zing!
Chicken fried rice, roast pork lettuce wraps, Chinese meatballs, sticky buns, brisket dumplings, pork pot stickers, vegetable spring rolls.... Everything was delicious and the chef and his wife/assistant were lovely and very patient, cooking in a house with several screaming children running around! I think Uncle Bill was secretly sad not to have PeiWei, but the rest of us were thrilled :) I am now stuffed but expect I'll be dreaming about those meatballs for some time to come....

>1 katiekrug: Love it!
>3 katiekrug: Love it!
>46 katiekrug: Love it! I had forgotten that scene until I saw the clip. I was thinking of the moose on the wall in Murder by Death (voice come from cow on wall!), which we've watched twice recently (yay!). So a double giggle from me -- the intended one, and one unrelated:)

Happy New Year!

>47 katiekrug: Mmm, that sounds fun and delicious! Enjoy the rest of your quiet weekend.

>47 katiekrug: Oh. My. Word. I want. What a great idea.

>47 katiekrug: Katie, that sounds fantastic! Enjoy your last day of time to yourself.

>48 AMQS: - Hi Anne! Thanks for finding me - and I'm glad I produce some giggles :)

>49 MickyFine: - Thanks, Micky. My husband just called as he was leaving his mother's, so I will definitely get all of today to myself :)

>50 Crazymamie: - It was fantastic, Mamie! They prepped, cooked, and cleaned up so we could all just sit around and enjoy each other's company. Double bonus that the food was good!

>51 susanj67: - Thanks, Susan. It was a nice treat. My plans for the day include organizing some of my shelves and reading more in Breathing Lessons and the PHW. I was going to start W&P but think I'll wait until I have at least one completed book under my belt!

>47 katiekrug: That was a great idea, and so great that everything turned out well. It sounds like an amazing feast.

Have a wonderful bookfilled 2016, Katie. I am looking forward to my return to KL if only to see what my Santa got me!

Happy New Year Katie!!!! Can't wait for the misbehaving to begin!

>47 katiekrug: "...we had a private chef come in and cook us an Asian-inspired smorgasbord."
That sounds wonderful! What a great 65th birthday treat for your uncle!

Thanks for the link. I've not seen the National Lampoon movie (either one; are there more than two of them?) so now I am at least caught up on that facet of pop culture. :-)

Enjoy your one more day all to yourself! P went to water exercise class this morning so I'm having a couple of hours to myself. It's enough for now.

>53 mstrust: - It was great, Jennifer!

>54 PaulCranswick: - Oh, goody! A topless woman to grace my thread. Thanks (?), Paul. Appreciate the new year's wishes, and I sure hope there is a package waiting for you when you get home.

>55 Thebookdiva: - Well, looky there, it's Miss Abby! Hiya, stranger!

>56 EBT1002: - Hi Ellen! Yay for a little more solitude :) The original Vacation movie is from the early 1980s, and is one of my very favorites. It was followed by two sequels - European Vacation and Christmas Vacation which are also good. There were another 1 or 2 sequels, but we don't speak of those. Last summer, they did a re-make which I have yet to see. So now you are REALLY caught up on that piece of pop culture :)

I just finished reorganizing my mysteries and thrillers. I moved them from shelves int he living room to a bookcase in the guest room. I had to double stack a lot of them, and they didn't all fit in the one bookcase, so there are some on another shelf in the same room. But this freed up some good space on the shelves in the living room so I can organize my regular fiction, which has gotten super messy and - horror! - out of alphabetical order.... Here's a pic of (most of) the guest room shelves:

Now I kinda want to lock myself in your guest room for a week!

>59 rosalita: - Come on down, Julia! My goal this year is to make it into more of a personal retreat for myself. Right now, there is a queen-size bed in there taking up a lot of space, so I'm thinking of just getting a day bed or something like that, so I can still accommodate a guest but have more room to put in a desk and make it my own space. Right now, I use our kitchen table for that which means I'm constantly straightening up and shifting things about, which is annoying. And it means I don't have a door I can close on the rest of the household - ha!

>60 katiekrug: That sounds like a great plan. Everyone needs a room of their own, especially one with a door. ;-)

More snarkiness, great books and lots of laughs--wouldn't miss it!! : )

>58 katiekrug: Mysteries in the guest bedroom! I think I'll just camp out there.

>61 rosalita: - Agreed.

>62 Berly: - Hi Kim! Glad to have you along for the ride ;-)

>63 thornton37814: - Come visit!

The Wayne has stopped for the night in Daphne, Alabama, so I should be reunited with my dog tomorrow in the late afternoon. I will also be glad to see my husband :)

I'd hate to be home alone without my dog...

Christmas Vacation is one of our holiday must watches. It never gets old.

Happy New Year, Katie!

>58 katiekrug: Your house would be a fun one in which to be a guest. I always love it when I stay with friends and the guest room is full of books for me to peruse.

That, and you have Louis. :-)

Oh, and The Wayne, of course. :-) :-)

Just popping in to drop a star Katie!

Happy Sunday, Katie! Love the book organizing. It never ends, does it?

I just started A Little Life on audio. I know you were considering reading it this month too. So many books...

I would also like to stay in your guest room, Katie - you're going to need a reservation book!

A guest room with books. Any space in that reservation book?!

>58 katiekrug: I don't know why but I love seeing other people bookshelves. I had to remove books from mine the other day to make room for new books. The horror. It's so hard to choose which books are worthy enough to stay and which ones must sadly depart. At least I have less books stacked on the floor now...

>66 Copperskye: - Christmas Vacation is a modern classic, for sure. But as far as the Vacation oeuvre goes, I prefer the very first one to all others :)

>67 EBT1002: - Books and Louis, what more could you want? Also, we have wine.

>68 SandDune: - Hi Rhian! Good to see you. Does this mean your 2016 thread is up? I shall go searching!

>69 msf59: - Book organizing is The. Best. There are six people ahead of me for the library's Kindle copy of A Little Life and given its length, I don't expect to see it any time soon, unfortunately... So I will just look forward to your thoughts, Mark!

>70 Crazymamie: - You are more than welcome, of course!

>71 charl08: - There is always space. The only drawback is you have to come to Texas which is not on high on anyone's list (except Susan's) :-/

>72 Thebookdiva: - I am going to do a small purge sometime this month, I think. There are books I look at and say to myself, "I am NEVER going to read that." Still, it's hard to get rid of them...

>74 katiekrug: There are books I look at and say to myself, "I am NEVER going to read that." Still, it's hard to get rid of them...

Isn't there some law of the universe that as soon as you get rid of an unread book, you'll be in the mood to read it?

>1 katiekrug:
Snark & wine drinking are among my favourite hobbies. Happy New Year
*drops a star & skips off to see if there's chardonnay in the fridge*

>74 katiekrug: Sounds like we'll have some similar reading in our futures - I have 5 people ahead of me on the library's list for A Little Life and I'm going to start Breathing Lessons ... soon ...?

>75 cbl_tn: - It does seem to work out that way, doesn't it, Carrie?!?

>76 Deedledee: - Welcome, Dee! And happy new year to you, too. I hope you'll stop by often!

>77 ursula: - Breathing Lessons has been an interesting read for me, Ursula. I am enjoying it (more as it's progressed) but I'm not sure why, and I have no idea what I will say when I "review" it....

Louis (and The Wayne) should be home in an hour or so! Hooray!

Welcome home to Louis and The Wayne! It's nice that the time alone just makes you appreciate them all the more. Well, probably Louis could stay all the time and it would be fine as he demands little in the way of conversation. With The Wayne (as with P) it probably does the relationship some good.

I'm slowly working my way through the excellent Bring Up the Bodies but considering a break to read one of the two Anne Tyler works I have from the library.

I hope you have a great week, Katie!

Happy Sunday KAK! Enjoy your reunion with your fellas!

>80 EBT1002: - Well, it's kind of nice to have a break from the dog responsibilities, too, Ellen :) Cats are so much less demanding. But I'm still a dog person!

You have a good week yourself, my friend. And take it easy, 'kay?

>81 luvamystery65: - It was a slobbery reunion. That Wayne just can't control himself... ;-)

>47 katiekrug: What a wonderful idea. I have nearly a year to work on my husband to get him to arrange just such a "surprise" for my 65th birthday. That would be awesome!
Happy New Year, and good luck with your plans for the "guest room". I converted ours to a study many years ago, but when our daughter went out on her own, we acquired one again. It's priceless to have a room of your own to read and work and play.

>83 laytonwoman3rd: - Linda, the best part about it was that we could all just be together and no one had to run out and pick up food or clean up or anything. It was just a great treat.

I amdetermined to make A Room of My Own this year. My husband has the other spare bedroom as his office (plus the garage), and I just crave a space that is All Mine to read and work and play in, as you say :)

I thought of you... : )

>84 katiekrug: I had a fab room of my own 10+ years ago. My bf and me had our room, he had his office for writing and I had my yoga and listening-to-music room. Man, I didn't know how good I had it!! It ruled.

I really like the "room of my own" idea. Guest rooms are useful but so seldom actually in use that it really makes sense to give it a makeover.

Morning, Katie! When we first to Georgia, we set up one of the bedrooms as a guest room because I thought for sure one of my sisters would be down to visit, but no, too far they said. SO, after almost a year, we let Daniel have it - then Birdy got Dan's room and Abby got a room of her own. The best thing we ever did! I think rooms want to be useful and to be used on a daily basis.

It's Monday, just do what you can with it. You know how I feel about Mondays.

>85 Berly: - I love it, Kim (even though shenanigans is spelled wrong!) :)

>86 LovingLit: - Nice, Megan! Did you move or did W or L take it over?

>87 lauralkeet: - Laura, all my family is here in Dallas, and the in-laws don't really travel much. Plus, I actually hate having people in my house for extended periods of time, so if I can make it slightly difficult to accommodate them, plus get my own space, it's really a win-win. For me. Heh.

>88 Crazymamie: - It's really just wasted space at this point, Mamie. I'm sure the room is longing to be used more productively :) Yep, it's Monday. And it's Monday after being away from work for two weeks. Double ugh.

Man on man, do I wish there was a room in this place that I could convert to "my room" -- small condo...no such space :(

>90 RebaRelishesReading: Your only option is to do what I did and get rid of the other people living in your house. Then they are ALL rooms of your own. :-)

>90 RebaRelishesReading: - But you live in San Diego, so that counts as a triple bonus :)

>91 rosalita: - Snork!

>91 rosalita: Unless you have cats. And then they all belong to the cats...

But yes, not having a reading retreat while sharing an apartment/house would be a real trial, I think. Especially if my significant other were not a book addict. As indeed he isn't. But we don't inhabit the same city, so for now it's not an issue. It just means that books do not get read when we are in the same city. Sufficient unto the day...

Morning, Katie! It's not Monday, so it should be fine. And cooler temps here today, so that is a bonus.

>93 Chatterbox: - Heh. One of the reasons I want this space is so I can not allow any animals in it. It'll be a pet hair free zone!

>94 Crazymamie: - We've been in the low 50s which is nice. I think today or tomorrow we are getting a temp in the high 60s but it won't last (Thank Gawd).

I am soooo close to finishing Breathing Lessons - I hope to do so on my lunch break. I really need to plan better and start the new year with a nice short book so I feel like I accomplish something and have something to say quickly. It seems like I've been reading BL for-EVAH.

We are supposed to have 70s by Friday. NOooooo

Ptooey!

My thoughts exactly!

>91 rosalita: >92 katiekrug: >93 Chatterbox: OK, I'll admit living in San Diego should count...and I do love my husband but I sometimes think all of my books must come with "please talk to me" printed on the cover because as soon as I open one to read.... Also, my desk is in the "great room" which means that I'm in the same room as the TV and the kitchen. But...this is a first world problem if I've ever heard of one so I'll just shut up and smile now.

>99 Crazymamie: - :-)

>100 RebaRelishesReading: - Reba, my husband likes to play computer games in his spare time. He used to play them in his office but announced he felt bad that he wasn't spending time with me, so now he plays them in the common space where I read. *sigh* I appreciate his sentiment, but really. All that electronic noise and the explosions and the inane "dialogue" makes it hard to read. I asked him about wearing headphones and he said then he may as well be back in his office.... Well, yeah. Exactly ;-)

>101 katiekrug: That sounds just like Craig! He wanted to move the gaming system into the bedroom so he could play while I was reading, and then we would be together. Um...NO, but thanks for thinking of me.

Seriously. It cracks me up. Until I just get annoyed - heh.

Do you have a reading chair in your bedroom or do you read on the bed? I tried doing my reading on the bed (because I can shut the door) but then I just fall asleep....

Ha! Story of my 20s (except I wasn't a guy):

>104 katiekrug: Snort!

>104 katiekrug: Bwahaha!!!!

>104 katiekrug: Delicious!

We've got a three bedroom bungalow--one is our bedroom, one is his office (but with my bookshelves in it) and one is my office (with the sleeper sofa in it). The living room is shared space. But it's a tiny house and so that's not quite as well-defined as it seems. Still, I'm grateful for my room.

ROFLOL!!! Well, maybe not that much of a reaction, but I did laugh! My reading time has definitely taken a dip since my hubby decided we should watch NCIS together on Netflix. He comes home and wants to veg (how do you spell vedge?) out together and watch 2 or 3 episodes and I'm thinking, I love you but what about my book?

I looked it up. It is veg. But that looks like that should be a hard "g" sound!

>103 katiekrug: I have a lovely leather recliner in there.

>104 katiekrug: Ha! You made me snort - it wasn't pretty.

>108 Berly: Kim, you are cracking me up!

>105 charl08: and >106 luvamystery65: - I know, right? Too funny.

>107 ronincats: - We have three bedrooms, too, and a small family room and larger living room. The living room has exactly one chair in it, and it's a lovely big reading chair, but anytime I sit in it, I fall asleep. So I tend to do most of my reading on the sofa in the family room, which also holds the TV and is open to the kitchen, so there's usually other activitiy going on. I am thinking a sleeper sofa would be a good option for A Room of My Own...

>108 Berly: - I always use "veg" and read it with a soft g because of vegetable. My husband I go through periods where we watch something together, but we never seem to make it all the way through any series... Too distractable, I guess.

>109 Crazymamie: - Nice! I want a recliner - I like those mission-style ones with the arm wide enough for a tasty beverage :)

Happy new year Katie!

>104 katiekrug: Ha!

>111 souloftherose: - Hi Heather!!!

Lots of interesting possibilities here: http://www.themillions.com/2016/01/most-anticipated-the-great-2016-book-preview.....

>100 RebaRelishesReading: "...and I do love my husband but I sometimes think all of my books must come with "please talk to me" printed on the cover because as soon as I open one to read.... "

True, so very true.

I've been trying to organize/purge. Not as easy as it would seem. I applaud your efforts!

>110 katiekrug: Oh! I like that one! I have this one:



Only, it's not so shiny and new looking as we've had it for about 15 years. But it's cozy and broken in and there is plenty of room for a dog or two to join me.

>114 michigantrumpet: - Good to see you, Marianne! Good luck with the purging and organizing :)

>115 Crazymamie: - Oooh, I like that, Mamie... I definitely see a new reading spot in the not-too-distant future....

Hi Katie! Happy New Year!

>95 katiekrug: Adrian will not allow me to have a pet-free room in my house. Or to read without him. He must be on my lap, or in the chair next to me. He really likes the spot between me and my book.

>110 katiekrug: my hubs made one like that for us and is in the process of having cushions made for it. It's not a recliner but it is in that same mission style.

>117 norabelle414: - Happy new year, Nora!

>118 cbl_tn: - The cats occasionally try that with me, Carrie, but I scoot them off and since we maintain an uneasy truce in the house, they get the point ;-)

>119 lauralkeet: - I love that style, Laura. Elegant without being fussy... It's how I like to think of myself - ha!

ETA: Nora, where is your thread, young lady?

>115 Crazymamie: Mine is almost exactly that chair, just in a darker brown and the backrest isn't quite so tilted. With a cushy ottoman, it's very comfy. We had a spare room so had a contractor in to make built-in bookshelves across two walls. It's great, but it did take away any self-control about book buying I had in place.

>120 katiekrug: Yeah yeah yeah. I started one. It's here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/212122

>121 mstrust: - Jennifer, I really want to have some built-ins put in. We have some, but I have the perfect location for a wall of them. But I don't think we are going to stay in this house much beyond a few years, so I will save that dream for a new house!

>122 norabelle414: - Good girl. I have graced you with my presence ;-)

I finally finished a book! Hooray! I shall make comments shortly. I am going to try something a little different this year - I am not going to assign stars right away. I like to make comments while the book is fresh in my mind, but the actual rating sometimes needs time to percolate. Also, I have shamelessly stolen Ellen's star rating scale (see >4 katiekrug: above) and modified it slightly.

Hi Katie! Lots of fresh activity over here. KAK has been busy. Like the reading recliner and I like your rating system. I wish I could adhere to something closer to that.

I am really enjoying A Little Life. I surprised how well it is working on audio. Clearly, this one will not be for everyone. I can see a few of my LT pals, getting out the pitchforks and poking me in my warbling apparatus, but that said, if it looks like something you would like, I say, give it 30-50 pages and see for yourself.

>125 msf59: - Hiya Mark! Thanks for gracing my humble abode... ;-)

I definitely plan to try A Little Life - Dallas must have the world's slowest readers. I know it's long, but I've been on that waiting list forever seems like!

#1. Breathing Lessons by Anne Tyler
3.5 stars (Pretty good, with a few things done very well.)

This was an uneven read for me. I had a hard time engaging with it from the get-go but eventually settled into the story and the writing (and the very dry humor throughout). What was frustrating was the experience of feeling simultaneously sorry for and infuriated by the two main characters, Maggie and Ira Moran. They are a middle-aged couple driving to a funeral, with a few detours along the way. It’s a portrait of a marriage and of a woman - Maggie - who struggles to reconcile her idealistic views with the realities of her life. She tries to engineer and manipulate situations into what she thinks they should be but always with the best of intentions. In this way, with this tension of a good person acting in frustrating ways, Tyler creates a very real character, one you want to take by the shoulders and shake and then give a big hug. It’s a worthy and ultimately satisfying read, though not a flashy one.

Notes: Read for the American Authors Challenge, Pulitzer Prize Challenge, and fits my "Moldy Oldies" category challenge, having sat unread on my shelves since June 2005. I believe this is the third novel by Anne Tyler that I've read, but I can find no record of having read The Accidental Tourist. I do know I read Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant in January 2003.

>115 Crazymamie: Oooh, I like that chair. My dream chair must have soft arms so that I can curl up in it sideways. I like the "chair and a half" illustrations I see in Pottery Barn catalogues. Big and squashy, that's my idea of the perfect chair. I don't care as much about the ability to recline -- I can do that nicely on my own, thanks! Do need an ottoman and a side table, though.

>128 Chatterbox: - Suz, you would love what was going to be my reading chair but has now become my napping chair. Can't keep my eyes open when I'm curled up in it, but it's oversize (almost a chair and a half), very soft and squashy, with a nice big ottoman with room for my feet (if they're not curled under me) and my dog (the equivalent of at least 4 cats!)....

Hey Katie - Hooray for finishing your Tyler.

I fall asleep when I read in bed. My favorite chair looks like Mamie's, only scruffier.

>41 EBT1002: What an appropriate image!

>101 katiekrug: Oh my, I totally relate. P has learned to turn the sound on "Angry Birds" waaay down or I get grumpy.

I'm glad you finished your Tyler. I'm slowly working my way through Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant. Liking it, mostly, but keep getting distracted.

>113 katiekrug: Fun link!

>131 Whisper1: At this point, I think I need an image more like this:

Genius! So smart to let the book settle with you before rating it! I often end up changing my rating as I get further away from the read and realize that I can't stop thinking about the book. And I am always surprised at the end of the year when I look back over my reads to find that the books I enjoyed most sometimes rate lower than ones I had kind of forgotten about.

>121 mstrust: Oh, man! I would LOVE built-ins! I do have a bookcase right next to it, but built-ins could go all the way to the ceiling, and then the books stacked on the floor in front of the bookcase could actually have a home. I get giddy just thinking about it.

>128 Chatterbox: My chair is from Pottery Barn - the Manhattan Club Chair or something like that. We bought it more than 15 years ago, and we still love it.

Happy Wednesday, Katie!

>110 katiekrug: We have that very recliner and it's wonderful. Definitely recommend it.

>130 BLBera: - Scruffy = well-loved! And boy did it feel good to get that first read of the new year finished. Next year, I'm starting with something short and fast :)

>131 Whisper1: - Hi Linda

>132 EBT1002: - I hear you on the distractions, Ellen. So frustrating...

>133 Crazymamie: - Yeah, as i look back at previous years, my ratings don't make a lot of sense to me. I've considered giving them up all together...

>134 scaifea: - Cool -thanks, Amber! Maybe I will muster up some enthusiasm for a trip to the furniture store this weekend...

Husbands interfering with reading...where have I heard that before? OH...from ME. Mine is a talker, and thinks silences are meant to be filled. 40+ years together, and we're still working on this. But he's a reader, too, so this is a great puzzle to me. If HE's reading and I'm reading, all is heaven.

>136 laytonwoman3rd: - My husband reads in fits and starts. He gobbled up the George R.R. Martin books like candy, for instance, one right after the other. But most of the time, he'll read a few pages and then set the book down for months at a time before picking it up again and reading a few more pages. I don't get it... He's not much of a talker, but the computer games - good Lord they are distracting!

I've decided to rate Breathing Lessons at 3.5 stars, which in the Ellen-System-Bastardized-By-Katie means "Pretty good, with a few things done very well."

I love the reading spot!! Here's mine --

>139 michigantrumpet: - Oooh, very nice!

>127 katiekrug: Sigh. BL made me crazy. I wanted to smack Maggie and Ira upside the head. It was a Very Long Car Ride. No denying that Tyler has skill, but I don't find it enjoyable reading.

I am plugging away at the Penguin History of the World (the touchstone comes up for Great Expectations and I refuse to go hunting because that's just ridiculous) and have made it all the way up to Chapter 3 - "The Possibility of Civilization". Now we're talking! Up until now, it's been all pre-history which I find interesting but almost so unfathomable I have a hard time wrapping my brain around it.

I'll read some more at lunch. Tonight I will figure out my next fiction read - maybe something for the GeoCAT for South America over in the Category Challenge group. I am currently debating between Ines of My Soul and Kamchatka but leaning towards the latter...

I also had Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh come in from the library - it looks dark and weird, so I will read that soon. I saw a lot of buzz about it when it came out last fall, but nothing on LT. Anyone heard anything about it? I like the cover:

>141 nittnut: - Hi Jenn! I know what you mean about the two of them. But then sometimes, it was just so sad, I felt terrible. I meant to include a quote - one that really humanized them for me - but I forgot. And the book is at home.

>142 katiekrug: '... Penguin History of the World (the touchstone comes up for Great Expectations and I refuse to go hunting because that's just ridiculous'

Are you saying that you DON'T have Great Expectations for the History of the World? Or is just Penguin History that you are so pessimistic about?

/snark

>124 katiekrug: Woo re finishing a book! I often feel the same about rating a book and I think that may be one reason why I often put off writing reviews straight away so I like your idea of book comments and then the rating later. I also like your star scale (and the name) :-)

Evening Katie! I almost always wait a day to rate a book unless it's one of those astounding 5 star reads that you just can't get enough of.

Goodness, does everyone have a particular reading spot? I guess i'm abnormal, I read all over the place. On the couch, in bed, in my chair, at the table, outside, and even sprawled across the floor.

Wonderful article about the differences between British and American children's literature.

http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2016/01/why-the-british-tell-be...

>95 katiekrug: A pet hair free zone - don't you know that pet hair works its way in to every nook and cranny even if you close the door! I reorganized my books, too - great minds think alike! Of course mine took from before Christmas until just after New Years but now all those stacks of books are neatly on the shelves!

Ooh, "dark and weird". Nice. Just my cuppa. I remember seeing the buzz on Eileen too. Looking forward thoughts.

>144 rosalita: - Julia, I have great Great Expectations for the History of the World! I just don't understand how LT can't find the right f*$&%@( touchstone for it :)

>145 souloftherose: - Thanks, Heather! I am pretty pleased with the process. And with the scale (thanks, Ellen!)...

>146 Thebookdiva: - Abby, I read in my bed, at the table, on the couch, and in a few other places. Not on the floor, though. Too uncomfortable for a fat old lady like me!

>148 Familyhistorian: - Meg, that room has magically remained free of pet hair. I love going in there :) I need to get back to my book organizing. I have three empty book cases waiting to be filled!

I think my next read will be:



It's a nice trade paperback with an overleaf and deckle-edged pages (Hi Mamie!)....

From Amazon:
"In 1976 Buenos Aires, a ten-year-old boy lives in a world of school lessons and comic books, TV shows and games of Risk—a world in which men have superpowers and boys can conquer the globe on a rectangle of cardboard. But in his hometown, the military has just seized power, and amid a climate of increasing terror and intimidation, people begin to disappear without a trace.

When his mother unexpectedly pulls him and his younger brother from school, she tells him they’re going on an impromptu family trip. But he soon realizes that this will be no ordinary holiday: his parents are known supporters of the opposition, and they are going into hiding. Holed up in a safe house in the remote hills outside the city, the family assumes new identities. The boy names himself Harry after his hero Houdini, and as tensions rise and the uncertain world around him descends into chaos, he spends his days of exile learning the secrets of escape.

Kamchatka is the portrait of a child forced to square fantasy with a reality in which family, politics, history, and even time itself have become more improbable than any fiction. Told from the points of view of Harry as a grown man and as a boy, Kamchatka is an unforgettable story of courage and sacrifice, the tricks of time and memory, and the fragile yet resilient fabric of childhood."

This one's been on my shelf since August 2011.

Nice review!! And congrats on getting one off the shelf. : )

I love having you as a close neighbour over at the Category Challenge but I've also dropped a star here as I suspect this will be where the action is!

A note of warning about your books in the guest room. I have shelves in mine and recently my husbands' sister and husband stayed with us. As they were getting ready to leave my brother-in-law showed me two of my books that he had decided he must 'borrow'. We only see this couple every few years so knew I was losing my two books maybe (gulp) forever, but I knew that these people had seen the hundreds of books I have on my shelves all over the house and would think I was crazy if I said No to him taking two. So I smiled and wished him good reading. After they left I went to my computer and re-ordered both of the books.

I also own but haven't read Kamchatka so I'll interested to see what you think of it, Katie.

>151 katiekrug: Sounds good. Look forward to hearing what you think.

>147 katiekrug: Interesting article. I've noticed before that there seems to be a much greater expectation in the States than in the UK that children's literature should deliver a moral message.

Did someone mention deckled edge pages?!

Trying to get caught up after a week. Hiring a private chef.... brilliant idea!

>58 katiekrug: - Books! Of course, I can only make out some of the titles. Great idea to turn the guest room into more of a personal retreat. We all need our own space, even in our own homes. ;-)

Good review of the Anne Tyler book. I still need to get around to reading my Anne Tyler choice for the AAC, which I am stalling on as I really didn't like Digging for America.

>149 msf59: - Sorry I missed you up there, Mark! "Weird and dark" is right up your alley, isn't it :) I think I'll read Eileen when I've finished the one I just picked up.

>152 Berly: - Thanks, Kim! It always feels good to read one I've owned for a while.

>153 DeltaQueen50: - Judy, just be glad you have relatives who read ;-) You crack me up though - immediately going and ordering replacements!

>154 kidzdoc: - Holy smokes, Darryl! We have a book in common :)

>155 charl08: - Charlotte, I read about 20 pages last night before getting too sleepy. It's pretty good so far.

>156 SandDune: - It's those darn Puritans, Rhian! Bunch of kill-joys :)

>157 Crazymamie: - There she is! As soon as I picked up the book, I thought of you, Mamie.

>158 lkernagh: - Tyler seems to be a like 'er or leave 'er kind of author, Lori. Which are you planning to read for the AAC?

I'm delighted!

>147 katiekrug: You're right Katie that is a great article. I think Britain's position in the world during the Victorian era enabled it to set the agenda a little in fiction and especially children's fiction. America was about overcoming the odds and striving for betterment and that is reflected in its early and in many ways worthier kid-lit. Victorian values were restrictive and disciplined and literature was therefore escapist whilst the Americans were a pioneering nation and that too is reflected in the tales it chose to tell.

>161 PaulCranswick: - Interesting thoughts, Paul. I always find it fascinating how far-reaching the influence of history and culture can be.

Returning your visit to my thread--Congratulations on reading your first moldy oldie. I've been in NY for the entire new year until late last night, so I haven't managed an oldie
yet. The two possibilities you mention as next reads--Eileen and Kamchatka--both look very good.

Finally getting around to stopping by and dropping off a star

Oooh Kamchatka sounds interesting!!

>153 DeltaQueen50: A solid reason to avoid house guests!

>142 katiekrug: I read Eileen last year and didn't like it at all, but it was well-reviewed from what I saw.

>163 arubabookwoman: - Hi Deborah! Thanks for stopping in. Plenty of time for those moldy oldies!

>164 SuziQoregon: - Hi Juli! Good to see you. I'll let you know how Kamchatka turns out....

>165 michigantrumpet: - Indeed, Marianne. I hate having house guests anyway :)

>166 ursula: - Ursula, what didn't you like about it? I will probably still try it, but now my expectations are lower (which is a good thing!)...

>157 Crazymamie: I think of you every time I see them :)

>168 RebaRelishesReading: That makes me so happy!

>147 katiekrug: Great article! I have a strong preference for British Lit over American Lit, and I think it stems from my experience with children's lit. With the exception of Huckleberry Finn, I didn't like any of the American children's lit classics. I've never read the Little House series. My 4th grade teacher read one of them aloud to us and I was bored stiff.

The first non-picture book I read was Alice in Wonderland, and I loved it. My brother loved James and the Giant Peach.

>168 RebaRelishesReading: and 169 - Geez, Reba, now there'll be no living with her, The Queen of the Deckle Edges!

>170 cbl_tn: - I like them both, Carrie. I don't think I have a marked preference for either, whether talking children's lit or adult lit.

Enjoy!

>171 katiekrug: Ha! That's probably true, actually.

Morning, Katie! It's Friday!!

Happy Friday, Katie! I hope the work day goes quickly for you. Stop by and see my comments about A Little Life. I am still working on the book. It is an exhausting read but hard to put down. This will be a tough one to recommend.

I LOVED Judy's comments up there in #153. That is priceless.

>172 DianaNL: - Thanks, Diana! Hope your weekend is a good one!

>173 Crazymamie: - AND it's my Friday off! Woot!

>174 msf59: - Mark, I've been following your comments on ALL on your thread. I am definitely going to give it a try. It's been too long since we agreed on a book - ha!

On the agenda for today (a la Amber): hair cut, UPS store, dry cleaners, lunch with my cousin, specialty market for good cheese for dinner party tomorrow, continuing to fight with the incompetent IT department at work, and reading.

I'm almost a third of the way into Kamchatka and starting to really enjoy it. I also want to make some more progress in the Penguin History of the World. I think Mamie and Susan are leaving me in the dust...

>176 katiekrug: Katie, I don't know about "dust" - I've just started the chapter on Ancient Egypt, but I'd like to revisit the Mesopotamia one with my Times History of the World open in front of me (maps etc), because all those names were a bit confusing.

Happy day off, even if it does involve wrangling the IT people.

Ooh speciality cheese. I think I'd just have stopped there...

I think I would have started AND ended at specialty cheese!

>177 susanj67: - Hi Susan! Yep, I'm in your dust. I'm just starting the chapter on the move to agriculture... Sigh.

>178 charl08: and >179 michigantrumpet: - I got three nice ones (at least I hope they'll be): an apple smoked cheddar, a soft goat cheese with herbs, and something else I can't remember... I also picked up my favorite pesto hummus and have had to restrain myself from gobbling it all up this afternoon.

Also, apropos of nothing, I have a new favorite white wine: verdicchio. It was pushed on me by the mother of the owner of a little Italian market in Miami over Christmas. I suck at talking about wine, but it's good (keeping in mind that I love sauvignon blanc and pinot grigio and can't abide most chardonnay).

I've never heard of the wine, I usually stick to heavy reds, or fizzy whites!

I am first and foremost a red wine fan, Megan. But especially in the summer here, a nice chilled white hits the spot!

Happy Friday, Katie. I'll be watching for your comments on Kamchatka.

>181 katiekrug: Don't forget the Uruguayan white, I hear you have a real fondness for Uruguayan white by the bottleful ;-)

>184 BLBera: - Hi Beth! I need to make more progress on it. Very little reading done today, and now I'm trying to read some of the PHW. I'm up to ancient Mesopotamia!

>185 norabelle414: - *Snork!* How could I forget the Uruguayan whites? I think I'm still hung over from them.... three (?) years later!

Wishing you a most lovely weekend, Katie.

I can't talk about wine, either, but I am really great at drinking it! And really, if I can only do one well, I would choose the latter. Happy Saturday, Katie!

>188 Crazymamie: oh mom, that is sooo you.

Have a great weekend Katie.

>180 katiekrug: It's not a race, young lady *stern look*. We agreed on 100 pages each month, and when I've read my 100 I'll put it aside till February. Then we'll all be at the same place again :-) And look, you're in Mesopotamia already!

I am going to have to try the verdiccio. We do a lot of pinot gris. Do you like viognier? That was my 2015 find.

Here's my quote for the weekend, saw it at a wine bar last night;

"I felt sorry for myself because I had no shoes,
Then I met a man who had no wine."

>176 katiekrug: Wait! What? Are we already reading PHW? Sigh.

>187 Ameise1: - Thank you, Barbara! That's lovely.

>188 Crazymamie: - A-GREED!

>189 Thebookdiva: - Your mom is quite the card, Abby :)

>190 susanj67: - And now I'm into Egypt! Amazing how much I can get read while getting a pedicure :)

>191 banjo123: - I like pinot gris, but not viognier so much. It's a little too sweet for me, I think. And I love that quote!

>192 nittnut: - Get on that, Jenn! January is still young :)

I ran what felt like a million errands this morning (but I think was only about 4) and then treated myself to a pedicure. Tonight we are going to the home of friends to do our Christmas exchange with them.

I know some of my LT buddies will appreciate this: I got my friend, Molly, alounge-wear set with a top that says "Love the wine you're with" because she and I always joke that we aren't nearly so picky as our husbands :)

>194 katiekrug: Love that logo! And I'd crash your PHW reading, but I am still in the midst of A History of the World in 100 Objects which I started ages ago! LOL

>138 katiekrug: I ended up giving Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant 3.5 stars, too, although I waffled quite a bit.

Also, I should give credit where credit is due: my rating system was originally created for me by Kerri (Dorsvenabili). I've since edited it quite a bit but she did get me started.

I got a pedicure yesterday, too! Actually, the woman who did it was almost too obsessive and she cut away just a wee bit too much around one nail. I actually had to soak it last night to ease the pain I was feeling!

I love the shirt you gave to your friend, Molly.

Pedicure! I want one! Sigh. Maybe when the kids are back in school...

>196 EBT1002: I HATE it when they nip a bit of your toe. So painful. :(

>195 Berly: - Kim, I have The History of the World in 100 Objects on my WL. I love the tidbits you've shared so far!

>196 EBT1002: - I miss Kerri :( And I hear you about the pedicure. My "technician" was a little over-zealous yesterday, too, but not too badly. And I love the bronze-y red color I chose :)

>197 nittnut: - I am a late convert to pedicures, but making up for lost time, Jenn! I got the "signature" one of the salon yesterday, which involved melted candle wax and a hot stone lower leg massage. It was lovely....

My new book group met this afternoon to get organized. There were only four of us there, with two others sending their regrets. I don't know how sustainable it will be if we can't find more people... We'll meet every six weeks and our first book is Cold Earth by Sarah Moss, which I first heard about here on LT. We'll see how it goes but I'm setting my expectations pretty low....

Well, good luck with your book group, Katie. Off to check on Cold Earth, which I'm not familiar with.

Thanks, Beth. I am also looking at already established groups on Meetup to consider joining. I really want to participate in a f2f group - the trick is to find (or create) the right one!

I know, Katie. I was lucky to find a bunch of readers in my workplace. And we've added and deleted members over the years. Our distribution list is quite large, about 15, but most of the time we have about six people at our discussions. There were thirteen of us at my house on Friday, a record.

Good luck finding a group. Or you could move to Minnesota and join ours...:)

Hi Katie--I hope that your bookclub works out. You could have each of your members bring someone else with them next time, to boost your membership. Your book, Cold Earth sounds like a good pick! Are you choosing your next book at each meeting? Have faith!!

>199 katiekrug: Well I loved Cold Earth ...

Coming here for my hit of virtual wine as in RL I'm dry until Feb 1st. The wine holder made me laugh - I could just imagine more accidents than leaving the glads on the corner of the tub (but maybe that's just me being clumsy).

>202 BLBera: - No moving ot Minnesota for me, Beth! Not after watching that gae with the Seahawks in sub-zero temps. BRRRRR!

>203 Berly: - The problem, I think, is that the members are pretty apathetic. They are happy to be told what to read and to get together and talk about it but there is no strong interest or passion about the books. And according to them, none of their other friends read. *sigh*

>204 SandDune: - Glad to hear it, Rhian! I think it looks really good!

>205 charl08: - I don't take baths, Charlotte, and i don't think that holder would work well in the shower :) Here, let me pour you a glass....

Pardon me while I polish my halo... Got up early this morning and went to the gym!

Who am I and what have I done with myself?

It felt great, and there is something kind of inspiring about being out in the cold and the dark doing something good for myself. I used the trick of putting my alarm out of reach, so I had to get out of bed to turn it off. Worked a treat and I was wide awake in no time. The Wayne probably hates it, but tough noogies :)

Morning Katie! Hooray for the gym! The halo looks awful good on you.

I went ahead and ordered 3 Penguin Clothbound Classics. I have not bought anything new for myself, in quite awhile. I was due...

Katie, it sounds like you might have to slap them around a little - your book club, I mean. Be sure to take your halo off first, so it doesn't get damaged.

It's Monday again, but it sounds like you are making the most of it!

Ta-da!!

>206 katiekrug: Wonderful. Just keep pouring until I say 'when'...(!!!)

Well done on the gym. The Wayne doesn't have to/ want to come with?

>208 msf59: - We all deserve bookish treats, Mark! I am excited that you have begun your collection :)

>209 Crazymamie: - That made me laugh, Mamie! Wouldn't want to damage the halo. I get to wear it so infrequently as it is... ;-)

>210 Berly: - Thanks, Kim!

>211 charl08: - The Wayne is not a morning person. He goes to the gym (when he does - we both have commitment issues) after work. I hate getting up early, but I do love the extra energy I have throughout the day when I go first thing.

You definitely deserve that shiny halo! Going to the gym first thing in the morning would be a fate worse than death for me, lol

Way to go, Katie.

Stopping by to get caught up and to wish you a lovely week. Katie!

>159 katiekrug: - My planned AAC read will be The Clock Winder. Not too many people I follow on LT have any comment on that particular Tyler, so I guess I will just dive in and see what happens.

Great wine discussion! Currently, we are enjoying sampling a number of Savignon Blanc wines from New Zealand and I have yet to find one I don't like.

>207 katiekrug: - Whoot! Good job on going to the gym!

>213 RebaRelishesReading: - I hear you, Reba, but really, if I can just get myself out of bed, I do pretty well. I love being up when no one else is :)

>214 BLBera: - Thanks, Beth!

>215 lkernagh: - Hi Lori! I haven't heard of The Clock WInder but it turns out Tyler has been writing for longer than I realized and there's lots of early stuff I'm not familiar with. Not that I was any kind of expert to begin with!

Like you, I haven't found a bad NZ sauvignon blanc. In the summer, it's my go-to drink :)

I started listening to The Book of Unknown Americans, and it is so well done. Multiple narrators and different readers bring the story alive. I'm a little over an hour into it, and I can tell it's going to be a tough read, but a good one.

>217 katiekrug: That's sitting on the top of one of my TBR piles ... must pick it up soon.

>217 katiekrug: Looking forward to hearing more about this one. I like the sound of the different narrators. Not everyone does voices well (!)

>217 katiekrug: The audio for Tsar of Love and Techno had multiple narrators. I liked the variety.

I LOVED The Book of Unknown Americans; it was one of my favorites when I read it. Interesting that it works as an audiobook. I'll watch for your final comments.

>217 katiekrug: sounds good.

>218 RebaRelishesReading: - I continue to enjoy it, Reba. I think you will like it, too!

>219 charl08: - Very true, Charlotte, about some people being better at voices and differentiating them. I think so far I've counted 4 on this audio. The main one is a bit overdone in places, but not too bad.

>220 michigantrumpet: - It does break up the story a bit, which I don't mind in an audio when sometimes I get tired of the same voice in my head.... I have a print copy of the new Marra and am really looking forward to it!

>221 BLBera: - Beth, I thought it might be you I first heard about this one from :) Hello, garbled syntax!

>222 luvamystery65: - Ro, I'll let you know my final verdict but I think it might be your cuppa!

Close readers of my thread will know I am not much of a cook. But I'm rather proud of my thrown together dinner tonight (which is duly tracked in MyFitnessPal.com, as will be my trip to the gym tomorrow morning thankyouverymuch):

Two eggs scrambled with a cut-up spicy black bean burger and a slice of pepper jack cheese, with a little drizzle of taco sauce on top.

Super easy and tasty and good for me :)

I was going to put it in a whole wheat tortilla but it seemed unnecessary, so I had a small glass of wine instead - ha!

Good luck with your new book group, Katie. It can be challenging to find (or start) one that meets your needs. I lucked out after several false starts with one at my local library. I find that our discussions flow better when there are under ten members present. The few times we've had more than that, it seems some people didn't want to say much. It's easier for us quieter ones to open up when there are fewer people. I suspect, though, that you will want to meet somewhere that wine could be served!

>223 katiekrug: The one that freaked me out a but was Jeremy Northam. Very posh actor, lovely doing the normal voice of Orwell's diary. As soon as he tries the speech of others just makes me want to cringe.

Yum - Good job Katie.

Speaking of grammar ...:)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/01/08/donald-trump-may-win-this...

>226 Donna828: - Thanks, Donna! I doubt we'll get any large groups, since we only have a base of six so far (possibly growing to eight)... We are actually trying not to make it a wine drinking occasion (at least not all the time!) because then it just turns into a chatfest about everything EXCEPT the book :)

>227 charl08: - I think I listened to something that Northam narrated, and had a similar experience. I really need to tag my audios with the name of the narrator so I can find them more easily....

>228 BLBera: - Ha! Thanks for that, Beth. I was at first disapproving of the singular "they" but really, it serves both a cultural purpose and as a means to communicate more efficiently, so I'm ok with it. I've never heard "on fleek" before. I'm still waiting for someone to explain "bae" to me...

>229 katiekrug: I hear tell that bae is for "before anyone else" though I confess that for the longest time I thought it was started by a typo of "babe" and thought it looked dumb.

Hi Katie! I also listened to The Book of Unknown Americans on audio. I thought it worked very well. I like the way she structured the narrative.

I finally finished A Little Life. I would like to see more LT response to it. Many of my Good Reads pals loved it. I am falling short of "love", for the Torturous Tome, but I still thought it was very good, just exhausting.

>230 bell7: - So it's like an updated "my one and only" kind of? It sounds so dumb. I'll just keep calling my hubby "Stinky" as a term of endearment :)

>231 msf59: - The Torturous Tome! That's excellent, Mark. I am up (down?) to #4 on the library list. Not sure I'll be in the mood to read it when it finally comes my way - seems like the type of book one needs to be in the right frame of mind for.

*making note to prioritize nabbing a copy of The Book of Unknown Americans*

Hey Katie, how's that house specialty pedicure looking a few days later? Heh. Choosing a color is always one of my favorite parts although I can get a bit obsessive... (big surprise)

I was resonating with the conversation about f2f book groups. I love meeting with Karen and Karla when I can make it (and I'm determined to make it to our January gathering) but the group is so small.... I'm thinking about trying to create one through work -- and making sure to invite folks who don't report to me and with whom I don't closely work.

I have been wanting to read A Little Life but Tortuous Tome doesn't bode well....

>233 EBT1002: - My pedicure still looks pretty good, Ellen. I go every other week, so I need this to last another 7 days or so :) It seems silly when it's cold and no one really sees my feet much, but *I* like to look at the pretty toes :)

My work book club was a bit of a disaster, but we all worked pretty much in the same department, and our company is relatively small, so it was just a gossip/bitch session. I know Beth has a group with colleagues and hers seems to work beautifully....

"It seems silly when it's cold and no one really sees my feet much..." No, it doesn't. The pedicure is for YOU. The fact that if/when you have naked toes then the world at large can also enjoy your pedicure is a bonus.

Happy Thursday, Katie!

*edited to correct my entire message being italicized

>235 Crazymamie: - Happy Thursday, Mamie! Good day so far - went to the gym, made it to work by 8:30, having lunch with the hubs, and it's Cleaning Lady Day. AND tomorrow is Friday! Doesn't get much better than that (sometimes I think the anticipation of Friday is almost better than Friday itself....)

>232 katiekrug: Something like that, though I've seen teens/young adults use it to reference their best friends and pets (I'm assuming ironically). Some days it surprises me when I'm not part of this category anymore (young adult, I mean), and then something like this comes along and I realize how old I am. "Stinky" sounds more up my line of endearment too.

Happy Thursday!

I agree with Mamie. The pedicure is for you and it's great that you enjoy it. And the process is also a treat!
I usually only get a pedicure when we are going somewhere sunny and warm. I like the idea of doing it more often just for me.

Yay for tomorrow being Friday! I get a 3-day weekend so I'm pleased about that.

>237 bell7: - Ha! I get you on the age thing, Mary. I feel like I'm no more than 5 or 6 years out of college but it's over 10!

>238 EBT1002: - Ellen, pedicures have become a necessary indulgence for me :) I usually get one on my Friday off (which is every other Friday) - it's become a bit of a tradition... Unfortunately, I don't get a 3-day weekend and in fact, most of next week will be hellish with 4 Board Committee meetings here in the office, but, still, it's Friday, so hooray for that!

Erm, I may have purchased four Penguin Classics (the clothbound hardcover ones) last night in a moment of weakness. I blame Mark.

I did have an Amazon gift card I could put toward the purchase however :)

" I blame Mark" What's new, right, KAK? What did you snag? I want to see, so I can decide on my next round.

Happy Friday, my friend.

Ooops, it was five. I must have had more wine that I thought ;-) The Hardy is the only one I haven't read, and the other four are big-time favorites.

Gorgeousssss

Nicely done, Katie! I love the cover of The Portrait of a Lady, but I am never reading that book again. I have the Gulliver's Travels and Great Expectations. Did you see that they are coming out with Villette and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall? I want both of those!

Happy Friday to you!

Beautiful books. I want the Persuasion one in the series. And the Middlemarch one. And...

>242 katiekrug: Katie, I think if it's someone else's fault that you bought all those books, then that's OK. It's not like you thought it up all on your own or anything.

Have a lovely weekend!

>243 norabelle414: - they make me happy just looking at them :)

>244 Crazymamie: - I forgot we have different views on TPoaL, Mamie. Oh, well, pobody's nerfect (by which I mean, you are wrong - ha!)... I did see the new Brontes coming out. I'll be getting a complete Bronte set to match my Austen set :)

>245 charl08: - Charlotte, the Persuasion one is very pretty. Some of the Austen ones are kind of odd, but I still had to amass a complete set, because of course.

>246 susanj67: - Exactly, Susan! It's not my fault I'm so easily influenced.

>247 DianaNL: - Thanks, Diana! Happy Friday to you - hope your weekend is a good one!

They are so pretty. Good job, Katie. Where else but LT do you get support for your book habit? Happy Friday.

Ooof, love those Clothbounds. I'm kinda hoping that there are a couple at Prairie Lights this weekend that I can snag...

Oooooohhh, the clothbound Penguin editions are gorgeous. You may have started something here ...

Nice picks, KAK! I also like that cover of The Portrait of a Lady and then there is Great Expectations...my next 2, perhaps?

>249 BLBera: - LT is the best! I love all you enablers :)

>250 scaifea: - I can't wait to see what you come home with, Amber.

>251 lit_chick: - They are really lovely in person, too, Nancy. Very good quality. So, like, an investment, you know? ;-)

>252 msf59: - I do love the cover of Great Expectations, Mark. I read that one in high school and remember really loving it. Funny, perhaps slightly inappropriate story: my best friend and I were in the same freshman English class in which we read GE. We had the WORST teacher, ever, so we spent a lot of time secretly developing a plan to start a condom company called "Great Expectations." We thought we were hilarious :-P

i had to order The Portrait of a Lady from a third-party seller, as Amazon was not selling any directly. So it will be shortly winging its way to me from the UK....