CBL's Literary Adventures in 2016 Part 2

My name is Carrie, and I'm back for my 6th year in this group. I've been reading non-stop since the age of 4. I'm a baby boomer, but just barely since I was born at the tail end of that generation. (I identify more with Gen Xers since I was the oldest child/grandchild in my family.) I'm a librarian who is learning to live with the reality that there will never be enough time to read all the fascinating books that cross my radar. I have one "furbaby", Adrian (named for Adrian Monk), a very sweet 4-year-old Shih Tzu I adopted from the Humane Society in September 2013. You'll see photos here from time to time.

My reading is fairly eclectic, but I have a special love for classic mystery authors like Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, and Josephine Tey. And I have a growing appreciation of Rex Stout, who I recently discovered is my 3rd cousin 3x removed. I also try to fit in books about local, state, regional, or U.S. history and genealogy as part of my family history research, which I've been actively pursuing since middle school.

Books read in January:
1. The Hooded Hawke by Karen Harper (3.5) - completed 1/2/16
2. Land of Marvels by Barry Unsworth (3.5) - completed 1/5/16
3. Ru by Kim Thuy (4) - completed 1/9/16
4. The Nature of the Beast by Louise Penny (2.5) - completed 1/10/16
5. The Upstairs Wife by Rafia Zakaria (3.5) - completed 1/15/16
6. Willoughbyland: England's Lost Colony by Matthew Parker (4) - completed 1/20/16
7. The Various Haunts of Men by Susan Hill (3.5) - completed 1/25/16
8. Saint Maybe by Anne Tyler (4) - completed 1/27/16
9. The Christmas Virtues edited by Jonathan V. Last (3.5) - completed 1/30/16
10. The Library at Night by Alberto Manguel (5) - completed 1/31/16

Books read in February
11. The Richest Woman in America: Hetty Green in the Gilded Age by Janet Wallach (2) - completed 2/2/16
12. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain (3.5) - completed 2/5/16
13. Hell Is Empty by Craig Johnson (4.5) - completed 2/7/16
14. The Seven Daughters of Eve by Bryan Sykes (4.5) - completed 2/14/16
15. The Frozen Thames by Helen Humphreys (4) - completed 2/15/16
16. Elsewhere: A Memoir by Richard Russo (4) - completed 2/18/16
17. Boxers by Gene Luen Yang (4) - completed 2/20/16
18. Saints by Gene Luen Yang (4) - completed 2/20/16
19. Crooked House by Agatha Christie (3.5) - completed 2/21/16

Books added in January:
1. Elizabeth Gaskell Illuminated by The Message, compiled and introduced by Patricia A. Lynch (gift)
2. The Social Life of DNA by Alondra Nelson (December ER win)
3. The Works of Aphra Behn: Volume V by Aphra Behn (free ebook)
4. The Weavers by Gilbert Parker (free ebook)
5. The Port of Missing Men by Meredith Nicholson (free ebook)
6. The Lady of the Decoration by Frances Little (free ebook)
7. Ludwika: A Polish Woman's Struggle to Survive in Nazi Germany by Christoph Fischer

Books added in February:
8. Jane Austen's Names: Riddles, Persons, Places by Margaret Doody (gift)
9. The Prime Minister by Anthony Trollope (free ebook)
10. We the People by Juan Williams (ER ARC)

@PaulCranswick's British Authors Challenge

JANUARY
Barry Unsworth - Land of Marvels - COMPLETED 1/5/16
Susan Hill - The Various Haunts of Men - COMPLETED 1/25/16

FEBRUARY
William Dalrymple - Return of a King: The Battle for Afghanistan, 1839-42
Agatha Christie - Crooked House - COMPLETED 2/21/16

MARCH
Thomas Hardy - Far from the Madding Crowd
Ali Smith - How to Be Both

@Smiler69's Canadian Authors Challenge

JANUARY
Kim Thuy - Ru - COMPLETED 1/9/16

FEBRUARY
Helen Humphreys- The Frozen Thames - COMPLETED 2/15/16

MARCH
Anita Rau Badami - The Hero's Walk

@msf59's American Authors Challenge/@weird_O's Pulitzer Prize Challenge

JANUARY
Anne Tyler - Saint Maybe - COMPLETED 1/27/16

FEBRUARY
Richard Russo - Elsewhere - COMPLETED 2/18/16

MARCH
Jane Smiley - A Thousand Acres

@Chatterbox's Nonfiction Reading Challenge

JANUARY - Biography/memoir/autobiography
The Upstairs Wife by Rafia Zakaria - COMPLETED 1/15/16
The Richest Woman in America by Janet Wallach - COMPLETED 2/2/16

FEBRUARY - History
Return of a King: The Battle for Afghanistan, 1839-42 by William Dalrymple

MARCH - Travel
Bury Me Standing: The Gypsies and Their Journey by Isabel Fonseca

My Commonwealth Challenge

I'm in the middle of a multi-year quest to read Agatha Christie's works in publication order. I'll list them here as I finish them.

Crooked House (3.5) - completed 2/21/16

I've been reading books about Jane Austen or books about or inspired by her novels. I'll list them here as I finish them.

I'll be following the Hogarth Shakespeare project that began with Jeanette Winterson's retelling of The Winter's Tale as The Gap of Time. If I haven't already read the play, I'll read it first. Next up is Howard Jacobson's retelling of The Merchant of Venice, Shylock Is My Name.

Today I'm on my way to San Diego for a meeting. We had a snow day here yesterday. I thought "before" and "after" pictures might be interesting. (I may need to get Lori to post the "after" photo for me since I'm not taking my laptop on this trip. She'll have hers since she has to take minutes!)

This is what it looks like at my house this morning as I wait for my ride to the airport:

Happy new thread, Carrie!

Thanks Katie! I'd share my lottery winnings with you for being first, but I didn't win. (I didn't even buy a ticket, so I really wasn't surprised!)

Happy new thread, Carrie! Willoughbyland sounds interesting, and I read a book by that same author last year and loved it. So onto the list it goes!

And I love that you used that adorable photo of Adrian for your topper - so cute!

>15 Crazymamie: Good morning Mamie! @susanj67 gets the credit for discovering Willoughbyland. I saw it on her thread a few months ago and ordered it from Book Depository. The Edgar nominees just came out a few days ago, and Matthew Parker's Goldeneye is one of the nominees. He appears to specialize in the history of the Caribbean Region. Which of his books did you read?

Oh, I read Goldeneye!! LOVED it! So well done and very interesting.

>17 Crazymamie: I'll definitely have to look for it then. Maybe it will win an Edgar!

Happy new thread, Carrie! Have a safe trip. I read about the bad weather on your last thread, but you started a new one before I could even comment! Adrian sounds like a happy boy, going away for his little trip. It's so good that he and Stella have nice places to go to when their respective humans are away.

>19 susanj67: Thanks Susan! I emailed my friend last night and mentioned that he should have been sleeping on my lap just then. She responded that he was sleeping on HER lap as she typed. (I'm sure he was snoring, too.) It is nice to know that he's cared for and comfortable when I have to be away.

>18 cbl_tn: It is definitely worthy.

Hi Carrie, I love that photo of the sleeping Adrian.

The snow is lovely but I know you'll enjoy the mild sunny weather in San Diego. Wishing you safe travels!

>22 EBT1002: Thanks Ellen! It's one of my favorite photos of Adrian, and so many have commented on it on other threads that I thought I'd just go ahead and include it! We're supposed to have more snow while I'm gone. I won't be sorry to miss it!

Just got Shylock is My Name in the ER picks. Haven't gotten to it yet, though. Willing to give Jacobson another shot although not that taken with him from Finkler Question. I'll be interested in your thoughts!

Enjoy San Diego, Carrie. I imagine the weather will be nicer...

>24 michigantrumpet: I haven't read Jacobson before so I don't have any expectations one way or the other. I requested it in the January ER batch, along with a few others that I'd like to read.

>25 BLBera: Hi Beth! The jacket has already gone into the carry-on! We're in Houston waiting for our next flight. Two others from our group.

Hi Carrie,
The Goldeneye I have has a really cool vintage green cover. I want to read it for that reason alone!

>27 LovingLit: Hi Megan! I haven't read Ny of the Bond books. maybe one of these days I'll give it a try.

-----------------------------------------------

Lori and I made it to San Diego OK. Our flight landed about 15 minutes early. We've been out to eat and now we're settled in for the night. Even though it's still fairly early here, it's late for us! I took a photo of the view from the hotel room after we checked in. It's in my gallery, and maybe I can get Lori to post it here on my thread since she has a laptop with her.

Carrie asked me to post the "after" picture:

I was too sleepy to stay awake by 8:30 last night. 8 hours later I am ready to get up and start the day, but it's not 5 a.m. yet and it will be a while before the hotel's restaurant opens.

I read the first couple of chapters of Saint Maybe on the first flight yesterday. I ended up watching Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone on the second flight. The United app streams video on your own device inflight, which is pretty cool! I just read the first Harry Potter last month so I could finally watch the movie.

Morning, Carrie! Glad that you and Lori arrived safe and sound.

Morning Mamie! We're glad to be here! Other members of the group traveled from Atlanta, Louisville, Indianapolis, Birmingham, and central Illinois yesterday and we all arrived on time. Our flight from Houston actually arrived 15 minutes early yesterday. There were empty seats on both flights. I didn't have anyone in the middle seat next to me. Lori was across the aisle and she didn't have anyone in the middle seat next to her, either.

Nice!

I forgot to mention that I also got selected for the TSA Precheck line so I didn't have to take off my shoes, belt, etc. at security. Not that there's ever a long line at the Knoxville airport, but still...

Hi Carrie! Glad you arrived safe and sound to San Diego!
Enjoy your stay and I hope you find plenty of time to enjoy the sites.

>12 cbl_tn: What a lovely image!
Ditto what Lynda said in message 35

Nice new thread, Carrie! I love TSA PreCheck. I don't think I signed up for the program, and I certainly didn't pay anything for it, but that designation showed up unexpectedly on a ticket when I flew from PHL to ATL a year or two ago. I was directed to the much shorter line at PHL, and it's been all of my subsequent domestic tickets since then.

Have a great time in San Diego! Have you and Lori cancelled your return tickets to Knoxville yet?

>35 Carmenere: Thanks Lynda! We spent most of the day in meetings, but we did eat lunch at Ocean Beach. the surf was high today, and it was cool to watch the ocean.

>36 Whisper1: Thanks Linda! Snow is beautiful. I just wish I didn't have to be so cold to experience it!

>37 kidzdoc: Thanks Darryl! I hope I still get the PreCheck on the return trip. I guess I'll find out tomorrow when my boarding pass becomes available.

Lori and I were both able to reroute our return flights to avoid DC. We weren't able to get on the same flights back to Knoxville, though. I'll be going through Houston and Lori will go through Chicago. Lori will leave San Diego about 15 minutes before me and I'll get to Knoxville about an hour and a half before her.

Good to hear that you were able to get out to San Diego in spite of the snow. I hope that you are enjoying the conference - is it a genealogy conference? Now you are in the same time zone that I am and it is ok to get up at 5:00 am as we west coasters have to get up earlier or get left behind by the rest of the world.

>39 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg! Lori and I are at a library meeting this weekend. We finished old business yesterday afternoon and got a start on new business. We still have a lot to get through today. Waking up at 4 is a bit early for me, but it will come in handy tomorrow when we have early flights.

>40 DianaNL: Thanks Diana! I'm more relaxed here than I would be at homewith in the snow and cold.

Happy new thread, Carrie! I have Willoughbyland on my library list after Susan's review so glad you enjoyed it. Interesting to hear it also mentions Aphra Behn - I've been meaning to find out more about her since reading Love-Letters Between a Nobleman and His Sister a couple of years ago.

Happy weekend, Carrie and congrats on your new shiny thread.

>42 souloftherose: Thanks Heather! I feel like I need to read Oroonoko now!

>43 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara! I'll spend today in meetings and tomorrow traveling. Maybe I can get a lot of reading in on the plane tomorrow.

>32 cbl_tn: Empty-ish planes are a Godsend aren't they, Carrie.

Congratulations on your relatively new thread and I trust that your weekend is a splendid one.

Glad you both made it here safely!

>45 PaulCranswick: The extra space was nice, especially since we were flying in coach!

>46 ronincats: Thanks Roni! We're heading back east in the wee hours tomorrow morning. I'm sorry we couldn't stay long enough for a meetup. We wrapped up our agenda around 3 and that left us just enough time to drive down to the Cabrillo Monument and walk around for 20 minutes or so before heading back for an early supper. We've never really adjusted to the time change so we've been going to bed early every night.

>12 cbl_tn: So pretty! Snow days are the best! Safe travels coming home. Good thing you re-routed!

Carrie, wishing you safe travels home. Adrian is probably counting the hours.

>48 AMQS: Thanks Anne! My gate was near Lori's this morning so the two of us on my flight hung out with Lori at her gate until boarding time. They snniunced a couple of canceled connecting flights to Newark and Rich,ond while we were there. They were also asking for volunteers to take a later flight someteime...in the next few days! I'm glad we didn't wait to reschedule our flights.

>49 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie! I'm halfway there! I miss Adrian and I'm looking forward to seeing him this evening. Just a few more hours!

Hi Carrie, sounds like your trip was productive. Hope the remainder of your trip goes smoothly and you'll be snuggling with Adrian in no time!

Just catching up on thread 2! Glad you and Lori made it out to CA. Hope you have the same luck getting home. ;) The snow is pretty much gone already here in Maryville.

>51 Carmenere: Thanks Lynda! My flight arrived in Knoxville a few minutes early. Most of the snow was gone by the time I arrived. I've already picked up Adrian and he's snuggled up next to me while I watch the end of the AFC Championship game.

>52 leahbird: It was smooth flying today. Not nearly as much turbulence as Thursday. Lori just called and she's on her way home from the airport now. I had a window seat on the left side of the plane so I was able to see the snow on the plateau and north. I could tell from the plane that if there was any snow south of the plateau it had already melted.

I'm glad you made it home safely, Carrie. And I'm glad the weather you came back to wasn't bad. I know Adrian was happy to have you home!

SO happy that you made it home safe and sound, Carrie! And that you got home in time to see the end of the game! Please give Adrian a scratch behind the ears for me.

>54 rosalita: Thanks Julia! Adrian seems happy to be home. He's napping on my lap.

>55 Crazymamie: Lori called on her way home to the airport and said the first thing the passengers on her flight did when they landed was check the score!

Adrian says thanks for the scratch!

>1 cbl_tn: I love that you named your dog after Adrian Monk!

Hope you have a great new week!

>57 The_Hibernator: Thanks Rachel! I love Adrian Monk!

My Adrian seems to have an upset tummy this morning. He left most of hisbreakfast, which isn't like him. I'll try some rice and cottage cheese at lunchtime.

Morning, Carrie. I am thinking of you today and wishing your Dad a Happy Birthday - if I've got the date right, he would have been 80 today.

"Lori called on her way home to the airport and said the first thing the passengers on her flight did when they landed was check the score!" I LOVE this!!

Sending healing thoughts for your Adrian - hoping he feels better very soon. Poor dear.

>59 Crazymamie: Yes, today is the day. Thank you for thinking of me! I got a really nice email remembrance of my dad this morning from a neighbor whose daughter has a birthday today.

Adrian must be feeling better. I just put some cottage cheese on top of the dry dog food he didn't eat this morning and he empited the bowl. This morning he only ate the yogurt and pumpkin off the top of his food. (He gets a teaspoon of yogurt with his food in the morning for his digestion, and the vet recently told me to add canned pumpkin to his food for the additional fiber content.)

Stopping by with Happy New thread wishes, Carrie. Very glad to see that the winter storm did not impact your travel and that you are safely back home with Adrian.

>61 lkernagh: Thanks Lori! That was one storm I was glad to miss! I wish Adrian could have gone with me, but he would have been a distraction in our meetings. :-)

I'm glad that you made it back home safely and missed Jonas, Carrie.

>63 kidzdoc: Thanks Darryl! As it turns out, I would have mostly missed Jonas if I had stayed at home. But I would have missed out on San Diego then!

Good to know you are back safe and sound.

>65 Whisper1: Thanks Linda! I enjoyed the trip, but there's no place like home!

Morning, Carrie!

>67 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie! Happy Tuesday!

I finished The Various Haunts of Men last night and I still need to review it. First things first, though. I've got about 150 pages left of Saint Maybe and I'd like to finish it this evening if I can. It's shaping up as my top read for this month.

Morning, Carrie! I also finished The Various Haunts of Men last night! Just finished reviewing it on my thread.

>70 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie! I'll be over directly to see what you thought of it. I'm not sure when I'll have time to write my review, but I have some ideas in mind for it.

I'm so glad we read it at the same time so we can compare thoughts!

>72 Crazymamie: That's one of the fun things about the author challenges. There's almost always someone else reading the same book at the same time!

Happy Thursday, Carrie!

Hope your week has been a good one.

Morning, Carrie! SO true about the author challenges.

>74 katiekrug: Thanks Katie! It's been an insanely busy week so far, but pretty good nevertheless. As long as I have at least a few minutes for reading every day I'm happy!

>75 Crazymamie: Morning, Mamie! I requested books for the February authors last night, hoping that the holds arrive in time for me to pick them up on the way to my allergy shots early next week. I have holds on Return of a King: The Battle for Afghanistan, 1839-42 by William Dalrymple for the BAC and The Frozen Thames by Helen Humphreys for the CAC. I've already downloaded the Overdrive audio of Elsewhere: A Memoir by Richard Russo for the AAC and I own Crooked House, which will be my Agatha Christie read for the BAC.

I have City of Djinns by Dalrymple, but I also requested The Frozen Thames! Empire Falls for my Russo, and I'll check and see if I have Crooked House - we have almost all of her books - Rae and I are big fans.

>77 Crazymamie: We'll have at least one shared read in February then! I probably would have chosen From the Holy Mountain for my Dalrymple book if not for the Category Challenge's GeoCAT, which is reading about Central Asia next month. Afghanistan has been included in that category, along with most of the other "stans".

Have a wonderful weekend!

>79 DianaNL: Thanks Diana! I thought it would never get here this week!

Morning, Carrie!

>78 cbl_tn: Makes sense to me - I love when books can do double duty!

>81 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie! The only way I can participate in so many challenges is to pick books that fit more than one challenge. I know some would find that restrictive, but I don't. It makes the choice of books less overwhelming for me.

I am struggling to decide which William Dalrymple book to read next month so I will compare the options with all the other challenges in order to decide. Katie kindly sent me Coventry by Helen Humphreys so that is certain and Empire Falls will be my AAC read and I will have at least one for Kerry's ANZAC challenge.

Great time of the month to plan.

Have a lovely weekend, Carrie.

Hi Carrie!

>60 cbl_tn: canned pumpkin works well for our dog -- often recommended and well worth it!

Hi Paul! My William Dalrymple book will be doing triple duty next month - BAC, GeoCAT, and the Non-Fiction challenge's history theme. I noticed when I requested it that it's over 500 pages, so I guess it's hefty enough to count for multiple challenges!

>84 AMQS: Hi Anne! Adrian seems to like the canned pumpkin. I've tasted it and it seems bland to me without any seasoning.

Carrie, I'm glad you were able to leave the snow behind for a few days in sunny San Diego. I love that city! I'm sure Adrian gave you a warm welcome home despite his tummy ache.

>76 cbl_tn: As long as I have at least a few minutes for reading every day I'm happy! I am so with you on that statement.

>89 cbl_tn: Hi Donna! Yes, Adrian was glad to see me when I got home on Sunday. He had an upset tummy again this morning but I think the groomer has taken care of the issue that has been causing the upset.

Here's a photo I took of Adrian earlier this week, pre-grooming:

Poppy says Happy Weekend to Adrian , Carrie. Sorry to hear that Adrian has has tummy troubles. We have tried canned pumpkin in the past, but Poppy was to finicky to eat it. We ended up with white rice with added baby chicken breast puree , out of the canned baby food. We had used that with our other dogs in the past. Now if she gets an upset stomach, she usually grass and whatever is bothering her comes out one end or the other . I've got a second hand copy of Empire Falls and The Frozen Thames on hand for February, so I hope to fit both of those in . I like to kind of just wing it with my reading, so I hope I can fit that in!

>88 vancouverdeb: Adrian had white rice, cottage cheese, and a bit of pumpkin for supper and he cleaned the bowl. I've fed him canned chicken before, but I hadn't thought to try the baby food chicken. I will look for it next time I go shopping. The bland foods recommended by his vet are white rice with chicken, ground beef, or cottage cheese for the protein. Please tell Poppy that Adrian says "thanks" for the suggestion!

Carrie, I hope Adrian is feeling better again today.

I'm not doing the challenge, but I have William Dalrymple's White Mughals which I'd like to get to in February.

>90 susanj67: Hi Susan! Adrian seems to be himself this morning. He ate all of his breakfast, so that's a good sign! I think the groomers took care of the issue that was upsetting his tummy.

White Mughals sounds interesting! I see it was shortlisted for a number of prizes. I have a feeling I may be reading more of his books in the future.

Happy Sunday, Carrie! Glad to read Adrian's tummy troubles are looking to be a thing of the past. Hope both have a spectacular day!

>92 Carmenere: Happy Sunday Lynda! Adrian should be good for a few weeks now. I may eventually need to learn how to express his anal glands myself if he starts needing it done more frequently, but I'd much rather let the professionals take care of it!

Happy Sunday, Carrie! SO glad to read that Adrian is feeling better.

Glad to hear that Adrian is feeling better! Our first dog, Geordie, a Border Terrier, we learned about Baby food Chicken ( just the completely plain kind) . When Geordie was 12 years old , he started vomiting, not eating and was in terrible pain. We took him to the vet right away and it was suspected that he had pancreatitis. So he was " hospitalized " at the vet's for two nights, and given pain killers, antibiotics and I.V fluids for two days. He did recover, but the first thing that the vet feed him was baby food chicken out of jar ( like I feed my kids in days of yore). He loved it! Despite the blood tests , the vet was never sure if he had pancreatitis or Irritable Bowel Syndrome. After that, we kept him on Pepcid AC and special diet. Oh the tales we have with our dogs.

The anal gland problem - that was our second dog, a Bichon Frise from our shelter. We had to take Daisy into the vet's for anal expression every 3 - 6 months all of her life. Vile. I let the vet do it! :) Agreed - let the professionals take of that.

>94 Crazymamie: Thanks Mamie! I let Adrian sleep with me Friday night instead of in his crate and I was rewarded by him throwing up in it around 6 a.m. I hadn't planned to get up that early yesterday, but I had planned to wash the bedding so at least it didn't involve extra work!

>95 vancouverdeb: Adrian doesn't seem to have pain with this. Just a poor appetite and occasional vomiting. He seems to need his anal glands expressed every 4-6 weeks so I try to get him to the groomers on that schedule. The vet thought that adding the fiber from the canned pumpkin to his diet might help him go a little longer between expressions.

Oh, dear! our dogs always sleep with the kids, but that is a risk you take. Poor Adrian. Poor you!

>97 Crazymamie: I was aware of the risk so it's my fault. And the good thing is that he hadn't eaten in several hours so his stomach was basically empty. Poor little guy.

I know - don't you hate when he's sick because he can't tell you what's the matter? So hard.

>100 cbl_tn: There are times that I really wish he could talk. Other times I'm glad he can't!

Ha! Truth.

7. The Various Haunts of Men by Susan Hill
TIOLI #16 - Group read of author (BAC)

While most of the Lafferton CID is focused on a drugs case, recent transfer Detective Sergeant Freya Graffham almost single-handedly pursues the disappearances of women who have gone missing near “The Hill” in recent months. In her limited free time, Freya participates in a community choir, which unexpectedly brings her into social contact with the mother of her DCI, Simon Serrailler. Seeing Simon outside their professional surroundings sparks Freya's interest in developing more than a professional relationship with her chief. However, Simon has a reputation for keeping women at arm's length. Meanwhile, Simon's physician sister, Cat, is becoming concerned about some of the alternative health practitioners who seem to be preying on her most vulnerable patients. Then one of Cat's patients becomes one of the missing women and part of the police investigation.

Simon Serrailler was mostly absent in the first book in the series that bears his name. I thought that was odd. I didn't see enough of him to form an opinion about his personality. Although much is made of his rapid advancement within the ranks of the CID, I wasn't impressed with his job performance. His total absorption in the high profile drugs case resulted in his neglect of the missing persons cases, with tragic consequences. I wonder if this book was originally conceived as a standalone novel that the author later decided to continue as a series. Fans of the series say that it improves as the series progresses, so I'll give Simon at least one more chance before giving up on it.

3.5 stars

Next up in audio: The Richest Woman in America: Hetty Green in the Gilded Age by Janet Wallach

Nice review, Carrie. Your comments echo a lot of my thoughts after reading it. Did you post it? I will thumb.

>103 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie! I did post it.

8. Saint Maybe by Anne Tyler
TIOLI #16 - Group read of author (AAC)

The Bedloes seemed to be a perfect family. When oldest son Danny married a divorcee with two children, they found a way to accommodate his less-than-perfect choice into the family image. The baby born less than nine months after the marriage was just premature, wasn't she? Youngest son Ian has a growing awareness of the difference between the facade the family presents to the world and the reality of their lives. One fatal night Ian can't hold his tongue any longer, and life changes forever for the Bedloes. Ian will spend the rest of his life trying to atone for his thoughtless words and their consequence for his family, with the help of the Church of the Second Chance.

In a Harlequin novel, a young, handsome, single man raising his brother's children would meet a beautiful woman who bonds instantly with the children. After a few ups and downs, they would fall madly in love, marry, and live happily ever after. Anne Tyler didn't write a Harlequin novel. She takes a pivotal event in the life of an average family and traces its effect over succeeding decades. Years lapse between chapters. While the characters age, they're still living out the consequences of a single choice. Or maybe two choices. When Ian stumbles upon the Church of the Second Chance, it becomes his lifeline. However, it's a non-traditional church with unorthodox doctrine, and instead of providing solace and healing, Reverend Emmett's faulty teaching sentences Ian to a lifetime of penance.

”...Don't you think I'm forgiven?”

“Goodness, no,” Reverend Emmett said briskly.

Ian's mouth fell open. He wondered if he'd misunderstood. He said, “I'm not forgiven?”

“Oh, no.”

“But . . . I thought that was kind of the point,” Ian said. “I thought God forgives everything.”

“He does,” Reverend Emmett said. “But you can't just say, 'I'm sorry, God.' Why, anyone could do that much! You have to offer reparation—concrete, practical reparation, according to the rules of our church.”

“But what if there isn't any reparation? What if it's something nothing will fix?”

“Well, that's where Jesus comes in, of course.”

Another itchy word: Jesus. Ian averted his eyes.

“Jesus remembers how difficult life on earth can be,” Reverend Emmett told him. “He helps with what you can't undo. But only after you've tried to undo it.”

4 stars

I still have a couple of January books to review before I recap the month. I thought I'd go ahead and post February's reading list, though.

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain
Hell Is Empty by Craig Johnson
The Seven Daughters of Eve by Bryan Sykes
The Frozen Thames by Helen Humphreys
The Social Life of DNA: Race, Reparations, and Reconciliation After the Genome by Alondra Nelson
Crooked House by Agatha Christie
Return of a King: The Battle for Afghanistan, 1839-42 by William Dalrymple
The Spanish Bow by Andromeda Romano-Lax

Audiobooks:
The Richest Woman in America: Hetty Green in the Gilded Age by Janet Wallach
Elsewhere: A Memoir by Richard Russo
Anne Frank Remembered by Miep Gies

>106 cbl_tn: I had mixed feelings about Quiet, and I think I'm one of the few introverts I know who didn't love it. Not that I hated it, but....well, let's see if I can find my review.

http://hibernatorslibrary.blogspot.com/2015/11/quiet-by-susan-cain.html

There's my blog review. I don't know how to get my LT review link.

Seven Daughters of Eve and The Social Life of DNA both sound pretty interesting. Good luck on your February goals!

>106 cbl_tn: ooooh, I loved Quiet by Susan Cain. It really pulled togehter a lot of my thoughts on human behaviour, and made me understand introverts and extroverts alike. I hope you enjoy.

Hi Carrie. I listened to Hell is Empty this month and it was a great audio book. I also plan to read The Frozen Thames in February and I'll read something by Agatha Christie. I think we have a few downstairs so I'll read something on hand.

I'm sorry to hear that Adrian was under the weather and I do hope he keeps feeling better!

>107 The_Hibernator: Hi Rachel! Thanks for sharing the link to your review of Quiet. I will watch for those problematic areas as I read. I'm starting the month with this one since I have an ebook that will disappear when it expires.

>108 LovingLit: Hi Megan! I've had my eye on this one for a while. I'm an introvert, so she'll be preaching to the choir.

>109 EBT1002: Hi Ellen! The Oneclick audiobooks my library had in the Longmire series a couple of years ago have mostly disappeared. I'll have to read this one and at least one more in the series before I can switch back to the audio version.

It looks like several of us will be reading The Frozen Thames this month. It will be fun to compare notes!

Morning, Carrie!

>111 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie! *whispers* Happy Monday!

9. The Christmas Virtues edited by Jonathan V. Last
TIOLI #1 - ISBN has at least one number in a matching numerical spot

I reviewed this collection of Christmas essays for publication, so I won't repeat that review here. The editor is a senior writer for the Weekly Standard, and the authors of the original essays are all affiliated with other news outlets on the center to right end of the political spectrum. Some of the essays were more enjoyable than others, as is typical in a collection like this. It's one to borrow from the library rather than purchase, IMO.

Hi Carrie - Nice comments on The Various Haunts of Men. I just read the second and third in the series and really liked them, but I also liked the first one more than you did... Just saying.

Great comments on Saint Maybe. I love Tyler, so will add that one to my list.

Great plans for February: I loved The Frozen Thames and Quiet was a great discussion book for my book club.

>114 BLBera: Thanks Beth! I think you will like Saint Maybe. I'd love to discuss Quiet with a group. I guess LT will have to be my group!

On Darryl's thread over the weekend there was a discussion about a lack of common sense in the younger generation. I have another example to add to this. I bought groceries last night on the way home from an appointment. When I unloaded the bags, I pulled the following items from the bag with the raw meat:
oranges
a jar of pesto
Adrian's yogurt

At least this store provides plastic bags similar to produce bags in their meat department and I had put the meat inside one of those bags. But still...

Lots of thought provoking commentary about Quiet here.

I received The Richest Woman in America: Hetty Green in the Gilded Age as an LT ER a few years back. Quite interesting.

My review is HERE.

>117 michigantrumpet: Thanks for the link to your review! I finished the Hetty Green biography on the way home from my allergy shots this afternoon. I didn't like it nearly as well as you did, but a lot of that could be due to the poor narration of the audio version. I've discovered that a good narrator can hide a book's flaws (if there are any), while a poor narrator makes them obvious. I did pick up a lack of primary source material, and I think that bothered me as much as anything. I know it's not the author's fault if there isn't any primary source material to consult, but adding details about smoothing her hair and brushing her clothes before she went out the door really doesn't help. How could the author, or anyone else, possibly know that she did that if she wasn't there with her?

I've finished the first two chapters of Quiet and it's been very interesting so far. I particularly liked her discussion of introverts in evangelical Christianity. She interviewed Adam McHugh for that portion of the book. He is the author of Introverts in the Church, and I've added that one to next month's reading list.

>116 cbl_tn: And maybe a loaf of bread underneath the glass jar of peanut butter? Oh. No. That was our grocery bagger. Sigh.

"Adrian's yogurt." Is this for tummy ills or does he just like it?

>116 cbl_tn: Argh. I've noticed that the baggers at Publix are pretty good at putting fresh meats in individual plastic bags, with nothing else in them except for a similar type of meat, so I assume that they are trained to do that. They also don't put delicate produce like bananas or plums together with heavier items such as large cans of tomatoes or beans. That has happened the few times I've had to go through the cashiered lines at Kroger, although I'll normally use the self checkout option if it is open (which it normally is, except during the wee hours of the morning).

>119 EBT1002: I eat peanut butter on my toast, so I suppose you could consider that the grocery bagger was giving you a head start on breakfast?! *shakes head*

Adrian has a sensitive tummy. He had a poor appetite for the first few weeks he lived with me. The vet suggested adding live culture yogurt to his food to help with his digestion. He's been a different dog ever since! I buy plain, no fat yogurt and he loves it.

>120 kidzdoc: Most of the baggers where I usually shop seem to be trained to keep the raw meat separate from other items. This one seems to have missed that training session. If it starts happening a lot I guess I'll switch to the self-check lane. Right now I only use self-check if I have just a few items.

>121 cbl_tn: Right now I only use self-check if I have just a few items.

Good point. I do the vast majority of my shopping at Publix, which doesn't have self checkout machines, and if I go to Kroger, on the same street as my local Publix, it's only to buy something that Publix doesn't have, or to pick up something on a late night shift that ends after 11 pm (Publix closes at that hour, whereas that Kroger is open 24/7 except for major holidays). If I buy a lot of items at Kroger I'll usually use the cashiered lane.

Oh! Anal Glands! Our first cat, Pinky, had to go thru the same procedure. Imagine trying to do that procedure on a cat! Lol, neither could I, so the professionals did it.

Looking forward to your thoughts on Quiet. I'm an introvert who tries really hard to be an extrovert. Sometimes with embarrassing results.

I'd like to read Frozen Thames but it won't be in February.

I have to tell the cashiers at the grocery store to double bag 2 liter pop bottles. Otherwise they use one and it inevitably breaks in the garage when I bring in the groceries spraying sticky sugar water all over the garage.
The cashiers usually give my a put out face like it's costing them something.

>122 kidzdoc: I don't really have a store close enough to run in for just a few items, except for Dollar General. Food City and Kroger are about the same distance for me. (And Walmart, I suppose.) I pick the store based on the mix of items on my list.

>123 Carmenere: I didn't realize that cats could develop the same problem! I think it would be even more difficult to get a cat to hold still for it.

One thing I read in Quiet today is that introverts are more likely to open up in social media. I thought that was interesting.

I'm not sure why it's taking so long for The Frozen Thames to get to my branch. There are several copies in the system, including one at the main branch that appears to be available. Maybe they have to wait for it to thaw?!

One thing I read in Quiet today is that introverts are more likely to open up in social media. That makes sense to me. Lots of people in this group are very gregarious here and claim to be introverts IRL. I've learned a lot about my younger daughter in the past year. She was so outgoing when she was little -- within minutes on a playground a dozen little kids we'd never met would be calling Marina! Marina! but in later years she has become more and more introverted. She has two Instagram accounts -- one for personal use which she hardly ever uses, and another anonymous one where she experiments in making memes and fangirl edits. This one she uses all the time, and she has many followers. We've had great discussions, and the whole thing has been a very interesting glimpse into something of a hidden world for me, and a burgeoning talent of hers:)

How is dear Adrien feeling today?

>125 AMQS: Hi Anne! I am an introvert and I do tend to open up more in social media. I was more of an extrovert before I started 1st grade, and I'm finding that I'm becoming less introverted as I age. I wonder if this will come up later on in the book?

Adrian seems to be feeling fine today. His appetite is back to normal. We managed a single lap on the cross country trail this afternoon between my allergy shots and going back to work for the evening shift.

I enjoyed Quiet when I read it. Thought provoking.

I'm the oddball who is an outgoing introvert. I'll usually talk to everyone but really prefer (get my strength from?) being alone.

>127 lindapanzo: I'm kind of like that now, too!

>116 cbl_tn: Carrie, grocery shopping with my mother years ago, she would always pick a checkout lane based not only on who the checkout lady was, but who was packing :-) The supermarkets I go to don't generally have packers, although customers can apparently make a special request for one. I'd rather pack my own and have staff on the tills! It does annoy me when I line everything up on the conveyor belt with the heavy things first, and then the refrigerated things together, and they reach around the heavy stuff and scan e.g. the eggs first.

It's good to hear Adrian is back to normal!

Morning, Carrie! Loving the grocery store discussion. Like Susan, I always place my items on the conveyor belt in the way that I want them bagged and put into the cart. SO, heavy items like canned goods first, then all the cold items together (these go into a cooler in the car because Georgia), meat with like meats together, then lighter items like cereal, bread, etc. What's amazing is that some of the checkout people get it immediately and will sometimes thank me for organizing it, and then others are completely clueless and will bag the items willy nilly. I always pick the checkout lane by who is working it and will wait longer in line to get someone who is good.

That is all. Happy Wednesday!

On the subject of grocery bagging: I few years ago I started putting the groceries on the conveyor belt in the order I wanted them bagged and it works a treat.

>129 susanj67: If I could do it myself I would! That's one of the differences between the US and Europe. When I lived in London, I quickly learned that I was expected to bring my own bags and bag my own groceries. I was pretty good at it by the time I moved back to the US!

>130 Crazymamie: >131 scaifea: I'll have to try that at Kroger. This happened at Food City, where the tills are designd for the carts to roll right up to them and the person at the till removes everything from the cart. Even at Kroger, sometimes the baggers will help you unload your cart onto the conveyor belt.

Publix sometimes has people unload your cart for you, and I hate when that happens. Really, they don't take no for an answer.

I haven't had too many problems with bread under canned goods. My peeve is when they fill the bags so full that I can barely lift them. Trader Joe's is especially notable for this practice. And then they put the 2 or 3 unused bags on the top. Now, I just ask them to use more bags, but if I forget, yes I have the 100-pound bag.

I'm glad Adrian is doing pretty well. Please give him a smooch for me.

In Seattle, plastic bags at grocery stores are, um, outlawed. Really. I'm always surprised when I go shopping outside the city and there are plastic bags at the checkout. I tend to forget....
I've gotten very good about remembering my own shopping bags (you know, they do very little good sitting in the car) and, in those rare instances when I forget, I do pay the 5 cents for the paper sack. That's how the law works: if you need a bag, it will be paper and it will cost 5 cents.

I am an extrovert although I need more alone time as I age. That probably has something to do with how people-intensive my work is, too. I don't enjoy small talk but I definitely get my energy from interacting with other people.

>133 Crazymamie: The Kroger carts are deep and I am short with short arms so I am usually glad for the help unloading the cart!

>134 BLBera: I'll try to remember that when I go to Trader Joe's. It's on the other side of town so I don't get there often.

>135 EBT1002: It's interesting that you're picking up some introverted traits as you age and I'm picking up more extroverted traits. We could end up as twins if we live long enough!

"We could end up as twins if we live long enough!" LOL

Oh dear, I'm miles behind, Carrie. I hope doing better from now on. I wish you a lovely day.

>134 BLBera: My peeve is when they fill the bags so full that I can barely lift them.

My peeve is at the other end: When they give me 6 bags each with 2 or 3 light items in them. Seriously, I don't need any more plastic bags, people! I do have reusable bags but of course I end up leaving them in the car half the time.

>132 cbl_tn: The law has just changed in England so larger shops are now obliged to charge shoppers 5p for every plastic bag they issue. They've been doing that in Wales for a little while for all shops and it has reduced the number of bags used a lot.

>137 EBT1002: :-)

>138 Ameise1: Hi Barbara! I'm hopelessly behind on threads myself. I hope your day is lovely, too!

>139 rosalita: Yes, I hate that too! Surely there's a happy medium to find!

>140 SandDune: Is this an additional charge on top of what the stores charge for the bags, or did they quit charging for bags sometime in the last 25 years? When I lived in the London area in the late 1980s and early 1990, you either took your own bags to the store or you could buy them from the store for a few p each.

When I lived in the London area in the late 1980s and early 1990, you either took your own bags to the store or you could buy them from the store for a few p each

Maybe it changed somewhere along the line - I can't remember anyone charging for normal plastic bags previously. They'd charge something for a more robust 'bag for life' but they'd always give you a normal plastic bag for free if that was what you wanted.

>141 cbl_tn: Carrie, Marks & Spencer have had a 5p charge for a while now, but the other supermarkets gave free bags until they were made to charge (at least since I've lived here). Funnily enough, while the shops are selling far fewer bags than they used to give away, the papers reported earlier in the year that £27 million worth of bags had been stolen (since October, when the charge came in) http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/plastic-bags-worth-27m-stolen-fr... . I'm still making my way through the stash I'd amassed, and carry a few in my bag for shopping after work. On Tuesday I bought some books for a friend from Waterstones, and when the assistant asked me whether I'd like a 5p bag, I said no thanks and pulled out my Daunt Books cotton bag. She looked sad.

I just shopped at Aldi where I bagged my own groceries. I had forgotten my bags so I chose the paper sacks which are 6 cents each. (Plastic ones are 10 cents.)

>142 SandDune: I guess it did change!

>143 susanj67: That's a lot of stolen bags. Were they stolen in a single heist, or is it a cumulative total of bags stolen when clerks weren't looking? Or store employees helping themselves?

>144 thornton37814: I'll have to remember to take bags if I ever get a chance to shop at Aldi. I'm not sure when that would be since there isn't one anywhere close.

I watched American Experience's Murder of a President via On Demand this evening. It's a good documentary, but I was distracted by having an actress I recognized playing Lucretia Garfield. I've watched many episodes of Law & Order: Criminal Intent, so I kept thinking "Detective Eames" instead of "First Lady".

I a couple of reviews behind and I still need to recap January's reading. I'm off tomorrow because I'm working Saturday, so I hope to catch up then.

Working on Saturday? I hope you'll have a nice weekend, though.

>147 DianaNL: Thanks Diana! I am working tomorrow, but I'm off today.

Morning, Carrie! Hoping that your Friday off is full of fabulous!

Morning Mamie! Friday looks good so far! It's cold and sunny. Adrian and I have just been out for a short walk. There will be more before the day is over!

Happy Friday to you and Adrian!

I read in Quiet today is that introverts are more likely to open up in social media.
In my case, yes and no. I talk more here than on FB but at heart I'm a private person and keep things to myself. I'm fearfull of hurting feelings or starting an argument, so I stay mum.

>145 cbl_tn: That's a lot of stolen bags
Most of the supermarkets have self check-out lanes, where you have to put in the number of bags that you have used yourself. I would imagine that quite a few shoppers are just entering 0 so that they aren't charged.

>152 SandDune: I don't think it would occur to me to deliberately enter the wrong number of bags.

I just bought a few items at Kroger and everything was bagged appropriately. :-)

Same here, Carrie. I often use the self check out and put in the number of plastic bags that I need. Never occurred to me to cheat. There is always someone watching over the check out area, in case people run into trouble - or likely , try to skip an item. Most places you have to pay for a plastic bag, but not all of them. My husband is very good and takes around reusable bags. Poppy is sorry that Adrian had an accident. Poppy , if she gets to excited , she pees a bit , so we do understand. :)

>154 vancouverdeb: Adrian says he feels better knowing that Poppy understands his problem. Sometimes his mom forgets that he thinks like a dog and not like a human!

>118 cbl_tn: I so agree about the positive (or negative) impact a narrator can have. I was impressed by Hetty Green in that she was so true to herself, and very much ahead of her time.

Count me a decided extrovert. I draw a lot of energy from interaction with other people. I'm very concerned about eventual retirement - will have to plan to have lots of social contact! On the other hand I also enjoy my time by myself, too. I can spend all day reading a book, but then I need to be around people to talk about it!

>156 michigantrumpet: I was a little afraid of Hetty Green, but the narrator's voice possibly had a lot to do with that!

I think I'm an introvert, although I can remember times when I've drawn energy from being with a group of people. It's usually close friends or family, and when I've had no responsibilities for making decisions for the group or doing anything for the group. What's draining for me is being in a decision-making/leadership position with a group of people.

I finished Quiet this morning so now I'm 3 reviews behind. I got everything else on my list done, though. I will catch up on reviews tomorrow so that I don't start the new week from behind. I've started Hell Is Empty by Craig Johnson. These are usually quick reads for me, so if I don't get moving on the reviews I'll soon be 4 reviews behind. :-(

I know what you mean about dreading getting behind with LT reviews. As for dog doors and bells, we considered the idea of a bell for Poppy to ring , as we have upstairs living, but both my husband and I wondered if Poppy would just ring it for fun. Our previous two dogs were easy to cope with - they did there thing right after eating, first thing in the am etc but Poppy is more maybe in the am , maybe not , maybe not til afternoon. etc! :) When moved into our place 15 years ago, there was an old dog door that was blocked off. With the advent of Poppy we opened it up and it only has one flap - though it could have two flaps. We have a six foot fence, so no chance of other dogs, etc. However, we do have raccoons, mice , rats etc. We don't keep any garbage in the back , and knock on wood, in nearly two years, no animal has come in. The vast majority of people have " inside cats" as the SPCA and most places will adopt out a cat on the basis that it will be an indoor cat.

Best wishes with your reviews. I always try to remember that I don't have to do a review, I can always make just a few comments or do nothing. But I always feel I should at least make a few comments.

PS - it is also a small door, no dog over ? 20 lbs could fit through it.

Happy weekend to you, Carrie. I am always behind on LT:) I look forward to your review of Quiet. I was thinking of picking it up for my next read.

>153 cbl_tn: I don't think it would occur to me to deliberately enter the wrong number of bags

Me neither! But I think that is where they must be going. There's usually only one person looking after quite a few self-checkouts, and they only come close enough to see the detail of what you're doing if you've got a problem. So I don't think they'd notice.

I have just caught up after missing your thread for a while (not sure how that happened, sorry!). The introvert extrovert discussion is fascinating - I hadn't realised it could change over time.

I've noticed that having to pay for bags has really made me remember to always carry cloth or bags for life. Downside is I'm going to have to start paying for waste bin liners round the house!

>159 vancouverdeb: I don't complain about the neighbor's cats too much. When I first moved here, I used to get mice regularly when the weather turned cold. I think I've only had one in the house since the cats started hanging around outside. And despite the amount of time they spend here, I'm not their "people" so they don't bring the carcasses to me. Not a bad deal really!

>160 AMQS: Thanks Anne! The review of Quiet should be forthcoming later today!

>161 SandDune: I can see how that could happen in a self-checkout lane. Most people here still seem to use the lanes with clerks and baggers. I think they would have to be complicite in a theft on that scale here.

>162 charl08: Hi Charlotte! After reading the book, I think I'm probably just becoming less shy as I age, but I'm still introverted.

>145 cbl_tn: Carrie, stealing by customers, I think, but actually a staff member getting hold of a load of bags could do quite nicely out of them too, for 1p a time or similar to friends and family. We have a lot of self-service tills here now and they work on an honesty system for the bags (well, for everything, actually - I read something a while ago about the amount of money lost by people just not scanning items) and at the staffed tills the bags are out of reach so you have to ask for one (at my supermarkets anyway).

Happy weekend, Carrie.

Morning, Carrie! I am also three reviews behind if that makes you feel any better.

All caught up here, Carrie! I am looking forward to your comment son Quiet, as I have that one on my Kindle and it's been recommended to me by a few people...

>105 cbl_tn: Thank you for that lovely review. I'm glad you included some quotes. I smiled at the "itchy word: Jesus". Saint Maybe was an Anne Tyler book that really resonated with me.

Carrie, it looks like we may be sharing three reads this month due to various challenges. I'm looking forward to The Frozen Thames and Elsewhere. Of course, I'm always happy at the thought of the next Craig Johnson book.

Quiet is a book I want to own. I have heard great things about it. I couldn't be at my book group the month they read and discussed it. I think it would lend itself to good conversation. Hmmm, I think I know what I will purchase with part of my Amazon gift card now...

>164 susanj67: I suppose their losses from this are tolerable up to a point. If it exceeds the cost of hiring a person to staff the till then I wouldn't be surprised to see the self-scan lanes dwindle or disappear.

>165 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara! It's been good so far, even with work today. That picture reminds me of the Dr. Seuss book Fox in Socks!

>166 Crazymamie: I'm in good company then, if you're behind, too! I'm determined to catch up tonight, though.

>167 katiekrug: Stay tuned, Katie!

>168 Donna828: I've really liked both of Anne Tyler's books that I've read so far. I think my next one may be Vinegar Girl in the Hogarth Shakespeare series.

I'm about halfway through the audio of Elsewhere and I'm so glad I chose this book in this format. Russo is the narrator for the audio book. I've listened to most of it either in the car or walking with Adrian on the cross country trail, and it's just like having Richard Russo sitting or walking beside me, telling me his life story. I was ambivalent about reading his fiction before I started his memoir (that's one of the reasons I picked it), but now I'm eager to read it.

The last chapter of Quiet addresses educational settings, particularly elementary schools, and the current emphasis on cooperative learning and group work. It's great for extroverted children. Cain seems to think that it can work for introverted children with a conscious effort to keep their needs in mind. She suggests things like limiting the size of groups, allowing introverted children to sit on the periphery and not in the center, and making sure that each child in the group has a role that suits them. I don't have children or grandchildren, but I remember a lot about kindergarten and elementary school, and I think Cain provides information and suggestions that would help parents of introverted children talk with their children's teachers about instructional methods that will meet all children's needs.

10. The Library at Night by Alberto Manguel

Contemplation of his own library built from the ruins of a French barn leads Alberto Manguel to ponder the history and philosophy of libraries. Classification, architecture and design, selection and censorship, and many more aspects of libraries and the books they contain are illustrated by examples both personal and historical. Aby Warburg and the library that resembled a map of his mind, to Jorge Luis Borges, who was blind when he was appointed director of the Buenos Aires National Library, to the clandestine children's library in the Birkenau concentration camp – all have something to teach us about the nature and importance of books and libraries. This book could be used as a textbook for courses in the history and philosophy of libraries and librarianship, yet it will appeal to all readers with a love for books and libraries.

We pick our way down endless library shelves, choosing this or that volume for no discernible reason; because of a cover, a title, a name, because of something someone said or didn't say, because of a hunch, a whim, a mistake, because we think we may find in this book a particular tale or character or detail, because we believe it was written for us, because we believe it was written for everyone except us and we want to find out why we have been excluded, because we want to learn, or laugh, or lose ourselves in oblivion.

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The fact is that a library, whatever its size, need not be read in its entirety to be useful; every reader profits from a fair balance between knowledge and ignorance, recall and oblivion.

5 stars

January Recap

Best of the month: The Library at Night by Alberto Manguel
Worst of the month: The Nature of the Beast by Louise Penny

Physical books owned: 6
Physical books borrowed: 1
Ebooks borrowed: 1
Audiobooks borrowed: 2

11. The Richest Woman in America: Hetty Green in the Gilded Age by Janet Wallach
TIOLI #5 - Title includes an action word (gild, age)

In the introduction to her biography of Mary Shelley, Muriel Spark states that she “ha{s} always disliked the sort of biography which states 'X lay on the bed and watched the candle flickering on the roof beams,' when there is no evidence that X did so.” I took note of this comment because I happen to agree with it. Unfortunately, this biography of Hetty Green is that sort of biography. Apparently there is a dearth of primary sources documenting Hetty Green's life. The author relied on secondary accounts from newspapers and the like. The biography was embellished with all sorts of little actions like skirt brushing and hair smoothing that aren't likely to be documented anywhere. The biography was also padded with lists of national and international news events that occurred at various times in Hetty's life. It made me wonder if the author had a YA audience in mind since most adult readers wouldn't need such long lists in order to understand the events in Hetty's life in their historical context. The reader for the audio version wasn't very expressive or engaging, and her voice magnified the book's flaws instead of diverting my attention from them the way a good narrator can do. Disappointing.

2 stars

I'm interested to hear your final thoughts on Quiet. :)

>173 The_Hibernator: I'm too sleepy to write a coherent review tonight. Hopefully tomorrow!

Ooh, The Library at Night!! My brother gave me that book as a gift a few years ago, but though I had leafed through it (so beautiful) I haven't actually read it. Loved your review!

Started Quiet last night, and though I only got through the introduction and the first chapter, I can tell it's going to be an important book for me. I had a long, long discussion this morning with Marina about it. She may be reading it after me. Looking forward to the chapter for educators as well. Yes, collaboration and group work is "the thing." Preparing learners for the 21st century workplace etc, etc. Will be good to read about strategies to support those quieter students (and my own daughters).

>175 AMQS: Do you have the hardcover edition of The Library at Night? I have a trade paperback and I'm now wishing I had the hardcover.

I hope Quiet provides information and ideas that you can implement with your students and your children. I think it would make a good in-service topic.

Hi Carrie - You got me with The Library at Night. What is better than a book about books? Very little. I think I have a copy somewhere. I'm going to search for it.

Great comments about Quiet. My daughter and I both read it and agreed that there were really helpful sections, especially about the classroom for me.

>172 cbl_tn: Sounds like you took one for the team, Carrie. Thanks for that. But The Library at Night sounds like a winner - adding that to my giant list.

And while I'm here, Go BRONCOS!

Hi Carrie, I'm stopping by to wish you a very happy belated new year. I've just joined the 75'ers again and I have a lot of catching up to do. The Manguel book looks intriguing. If the quotations are representative for the rest of the book, it will go to my wishlist.

>177 BLBera: Hi Beth! I think you'll like The Library at Night. I would love to see a discussion of the issues raised in Quiet in one of our professional development meetings.

>178 Crazymamie: I'm watching the Kitten Bowl on the Hallmark Channel while I wait for the Super Bowl to start. (I can't believe I'm watching a 3-hour program that's all frolicking kittens! It's more background noise for my reading.)

>179 Trifolia: Hi Monica! I'm glad to see you back! Do you have a thread yet? I'll go find you. The quotations are indeed representative of the book as a whole. If you like the quotes, I think you'll like the book.

12. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain
TIOLI #5 - (quiet)

Why would a book about introversion become a bestseller? Would the author have anything to say about this topic that I didn't already know from experience?

The four sections of the book are “The Extrovert Ideal”, “Your Biology, Your Self?”, “Do All Cultures Have an Extrovert Ideal?”, and “How to Love, How, to Work”. The middle sections seemed to drag for me. There was more biology and physiology than I wanted or needed to know. On the other hand, I was very interested in her comments about introverts in the church, at work, and at school. The generic congregant, employee, and student for whom these environments are designed are extroverts. Many introverts may feel like something is wrong with them if they don't perform as expected in these environments, and many extroverts would probably agree with them. Cain succeeds at explaining why introverts often don't work well in open plan offices and why introverted students often don't perform well in group work. Cain suggests ways that introverts can adapt their circumstances or schedules to make these situations work for them, as well as ways that employers or educators can accommodate the needs of their introverted employees or students.

The author doesn't break any new ground in this book. She just summarizes others' research. The value in the book is in the awareness it fosters and the conversations it stimulates. Introverted readers will realize that they're not alone in their experience of the world. Extroverts will realize that there isn't something “wrong” with introverts; they just process their experiences differently. Cain points out the gorilla in the room and gets readers to pay attention to it.

3.5 stars

Nice review!

Nice reviews of The Library at Night and Quiet, Carrie.

>182 The_Hibernator: >183 kidzdoc: Thanks Rachel & Darryl!

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I finished another book this evening. Yes, during the Super Bowl. I've had lots of practice reading in front of the TV, and I saw all the important parts of the game. It was a compromise. The Broncos seemed to play better this season when I didn't watch them, so I figured if I was reading they might believe I wasn't paying attention to the game. My strategy seemed to work. ;-) The bad news is that I'm now behind on reviews again, after just having caught up.

Nice review! I am enjoying Quiet, and I'm enjoying talking to Marina about it.

Yes, my copy of The Library at Night is hardcover. It is such a beautiful book!

Thrilled about our Broncos! I watched the first quarter and a little bit of the second before nerves chased me away. I was hovering peripherally, cooking dinner, folding laundry, but I couldn't bear to watch! When it was over our neighborhood exploded with whooping, cheering, and fireworks. We're not a very close-knit neighborhood, so it was fun to go outside and celebrate with neighbors:)

>185 AMQS: I'll look forward to your thoughts on Quiet when you've finished the book!

My mother used to do the same things during University of Tennessee games. She'd get so nervous that she couldn't watch, so she'd end up ironing or doing laps down the hallway and up and down the stairs!

I would have loved to be visiting my uncle, aunt, and cousins in Parker last night. I bet it was exciting! The Broncos training facility isn't too far from their house.

Peyton Manning played college football in Knoxville, where I live. He won his first Super Bowl with the Indianapolis Colts, near my mother's hometown and where her sister still lives. Now he's won another Super Bowl with the Denver Broncos, near where my mother's brother has lived for the last 30 years. :-)

Morning, Carrie! I am also basking in the Broncos win - loved Anne's story! Did you see that Jeff Saturday was down on the field to congratulate him? I thought that was cool.

>187 Crazymamie: I missed Jeff Saturday last night! I know that he and Peyton are good friends. He's been to University of Tennessee basketball games with Peyton and a couple of other buddies.

I was touched because I loved that Indianapolis team. It was so sad when they got rid of Peyton and then dumped a bunch of the other veteran players, too. Broke. My. Heart.

Thanks for all the comments and your review on Quiet. I've got it in the TBR pile and will be sure to read it soon.

>189 Crazymamie: My favorite era for the Colts was around the time they went to the Super Bowl. I loved Dallas Clark, Reggie Wayne, Brandon Stokley, Hunter Smith, Jeff Saturday, Tarik Glenn. So many great players.

>190 charl08: Hi Charlotte! I hope Quiet is an informative read for you!

Me, too, Carrie!!

Ha, all this talk about the Super Bowl goes completely beyond me. I don't know the first thing about American football and although I have watched a game in Belgium once, I just couldn't figure out the rules. It was very funny because people cheered and shouted and went berserk while I never even noticed something special had happened. I guess there's a reason why it's called American football. But I'm happy the best team has won :-)

>193 Trifolia: I had the same trouble with cricket when I lived in England. It may be one of those sports you have to grow up with to understand. There's also Canadian football, which is enough like American football for players to move between leagues.

Yes, I believe the best team won! ;-)

>172 cbl_tn: it's a shame it didn't work better for you. I'd certainly like to know more about her, but, as usual, have about a hundred books begging my time.

13. Hell Is Empty by Craig Johnson
TIOLI #11 - Book in a series adapted for TV

When a federal prisoner exchange goes horribly wrong, Wyoming's Sheriff Walt Longmire sets out on the trail of the escaped prisoners and their hostages. The escapees seem to be headed toward Cloud Peak in the Bighorn Mountains. So is a late winter storm. Backup is on the way, but will Walt succumb to the elements before help arrives?

Survival stories typically don't appeal to me, so I was very surprised to enjoy this book so much. Despite the ever worsening conditions, Walt never lost his characteristic dry sense of humor. I also loved the parallels to Dante's Inferno. I can even see myself re-reading this after my next reading of the Inferno. Although there's nothing about the plot or the story that would be too obscure for readers who haven't read the earlier books in the series, I think it would be better to read the earlier books first. There are references to events from the earlier books in the series, and to The Cold Dish in particular. The book includes an appendix with each of the main characters' reading lists for a deputy who's trying to fill in the gaps in his education. I borrowed an ebook through the public library, but I'm considering buying a copy just to have access to the book lists!

4.5 stars

Hello there, Carrie! Congrats on the Peyton win!

Lots of good reviews around here, especially at >196 cbl_tn:. I love the idea of the reading lists!

>197 michigantrumpet: Thanks Marianne! One of the things I love about Walt Longmire is that he's a reader. Reading comes up in the TV series too!

love your discussion of Quiet. I wish I could persuade my husband to read it--he's the typical extrovert and wants me to be too!

And hurrah for Peyton, too!

>199 ronincats: Thanks Roni! I hope you can eventually get your husband to read Quiet. For an introvert, she's preaching to a choir. I think it would provide good insights for extroverts who live with introverts (spouses, children, etc.).

I'm really proud of Peyton and how he's used his celebrity status to help so many people.

Morning, Carrie! Nice review of Quiet. I've just requested the audiobook from my library. There's a waiting list. Apparently, many quiet people out there.
The don't have The Library at Night otherwise that would've been added too.

>170 cbl_tn: I got The Library at Night out of the library but I don't seem to have the brain to read essays at the moment. Glad you enjoyed it so much - it's one I want to try again at some point.

>181 cbl_tn: Good review of Quiet.

Morning, Carrie! Happy Wednesday!

>201 Carmenere: Hi Lynda! I hope you don't have to wait too long for the audio copy of Quiet! Who knew there are so many quiet folks out there? I guess they haven't been making enough noise! ;-)

>202 souloftherose: Thanks Heather! The Library at Night does seem to be one of those books that you need to be in the right mood to read. It will get its turn some day!

>203 Crazymamie: Happy Wednesday Mamie! So you didn't cancel the rest of the day? (I read your thread earlier but didn't have time to comment.) It's been a busy day so far, but I think it's been a bit better than your series of microdisasters.

>194 cbl_tn: I never heard of Canadian football before. The things you learn on LT :-)
>196 cbl_tn: Although it is not my genre either, I know the feeling of liking and even loving a book that's way of the comfort-zone. Reading-life would become a bit boring without these little surprises.

>205 Trifolia: LT is very educational!

My last read was a good reminder to venture out of my comfort zone from time to time. I've discovered some good books that way!

Morning, Carrie!

>207 Crazymamie: Morning, Mamie! Happy Thursday!

Have a happy weekend.

>209 DianaNL: Thanks Diana! It's snowing this morning. I'm hoping it doesn't ruin my weekend plans. We'll see as the day progresses.

Morning, Carrie! Happy Friday!

Good luck in the snow...I am gearing up for a scorcher tomorrow, which may get in the way of my plans. These are to take my mother to see a male barbershop choir and then to a massive outdoor noodle market. I anticipate issues with a certain 4 year-old tag along and the boredom/heat.

>212 LovingLit: The barbershop choir sounds great! I think you'll be doing things in the right order. Imagine what a bored 4-year-old could do with noodles at a choir concert! ;-)

Just got back from the warm sea breezes and tropical delight that is Nai Yang Beach, Phuket. Good luck with the snow, Carrie. xx

>214 PaulCranswick: Tropical sounds especially wonderful just now. The high tomorrow is supposed to be 18 F (that's -8 C).

ETA: Oops! I was looking at the wind chill. Tomorrw's high is supposed to be 29 F so only about -2 C.

Morning, Carrie!

Morning, Mamie! Happy Saturday! I have a friend visiting this weekend. She's making cheese biscuits for breakfast while we're watching Desk Set. Then we're going to have a late Christmas!

Fun! I love Desk Set! They don't make them like that anymore.

It's one of my favorite movies!

Fabulous review on Introverts: The Power . I wonder if one can be right in the middle of an introvert and an extrovert because I think that is where I would fall. Oh brrr on your temp! We had a nice day yesterday, with about 15 C / 56 F. This why I so love Vancouver! The best climate in Canada, so long as you can tolerate the rain. But yesterday was a nice sunny day for the most part. No raincoat needed for Poppy nor me. :)

Happy Saturday, Carrie! I love Tracey-Hepburn movies! I think I need to do a marathon some weekend while the temps are low. Have fun!

Have a lovely weekend, Carrie. I hope the temperatures aren't too severe.

>220 vancouverdeb: Deborah, I know on the 16PF it's possible to fall in the mid-range between introversion and extroversion. I think the author of Quiet might say that you're an introvert who has learned to behave like an extrovert. She devoted 4 chapters to biological factors of introversion, and that suggests that she believes it's something we can't change.

I talked to someone with a PhD in psychology about this book yesterday, and he mentioned studies that suggest that introverts withdraw because of overstimulation of the brain and extroverts seek excitement because of understimulation of the brain.

>221 Carmenere: Hi Lynda! It was a fun movie! We watched a Christmas movie after that, then several episodes of Leverage. My friend left about an hour ago. :-( She has a 2-hour drive and wants to get home before dark. It was snowing at her house this morning while we had blue skies here.

>222 Trifolia: Thanks Monica! I'm not sure if the thermometer got above freezing today, but there was enough energy from the sun to melt a lot of the ice and snow that accumlulated yesterday.

>213 cbl_tn: well, the choir was cancelled as an unscheduled earthquake necessitated a building evacuation. Talk about inconvenient! There was little damage and no one hurt, so I am thankful inconvenience was all we experienced. The noodle market was wonderful :)

>223 cbl_tn: I loved in Quiet that there was mention of thoses who have a mixed personality, extrovert with introvert tendencies, and the opposite. It mad sense to me, especially as my lovely other is definitely an introvert, yet is able to get up on stage and sing and play guitar to crowds!

>224 LovingLit: Oh my, the earthquake must have brought back some scary and painful memories. I'm glad the damage was minimal. We occasionally have earthquakes here, but they're rarely strong enough to do any damage.

Cain was careful to distinguish between introversion and shyness. Until I read this book, I thought I was becoming less introverted as I age. Now I realize that I've mostly overcome shyness and I'm still introverted. It's possible to be a shy extrovert as well. If your SO doesn't get stage fright, he probably isn't shy!

Happy Sunday and Valentine's Day too, Carrie.
"an introvert who has learned to behave like an extravert" Yup, that's me.

>226 Carmenere: Happy Valentine's Day Lynda! They're predicting snow later today. It's coming from the west, and as often as not we don't get what's predicted when it comes from that direction. The forecast is for 2-4 inches in my area. We'll see. I have plenty to read so once I get home from church I will probably be at home for the duration.

Happy Valentine's Day, Carrie!

>228 Crazymamie: Thanks Mamie!

It's snowing but not hard enough to stick. It would be nice if this is all we get.

>229 cbl_tn: It's snowing in Knoxville? It's sunny and relatively warm (42 F) here in Atlanta. I hope that you don't get any accumulating snow.

>230 kidzdoc: It's spitting snow right now. The report I saw this morning is 2-4 inches for the Knoxville area today, changing to rain by tomorrow morning. Tomorrow sounds horrid. As far as I can tell from the radar, it looks like we might miss most of the snow here. Lori is going to get hit with this. We're under a winter weather advisory here, and Lori is under a winter storm warning.

>231 cbl_tn: Yikes. I hope that the forecast isn't as bad as expected for you and Lori. The forecast for Atlanta on Monday was pretty grim on Thursday and Friday, but the immediate metro area will be spared of any frozen precipitation as it stands now.

Just realized how long it has been since I last stopped by. Interesting grocery shopping discussion. Luckily, of the two grocery stores I most frequent, one does an excellent job training their staff on how to bag groceries and the other one I tend to use the self checkout and bag my own. There is another grocery store I love to shop in for their meat and fish departments and their cashiers are pretty 'hit and miss' when it comes to bagging groceries properly. Here few if any stores charge for plastic bags. Instead they give you 3 cents off for each bag you bring in to pack the groceries in.

>133 Crazymamie: - Seriously? I have never had anyone ever offer to unload my cart for me and usually the cashier doubles up as bagger. The only time there is a separate bagger is when they haul the grocer stocker in to bag during the rush hour shopping times.

Glad to see the audioread of Richard Russo's Elsewhere worked for you, Carrie. I am looking forward to starting my audioread tomorrow!

>232 kidzdoc: It's not as bad here, but I'm afraid Lori's been hit with it. I called her earlier this evening because I knew she was supposed to work this evening. By the time she made arrangements for students to keep the library open most of the evening, the roads were bad enough that she wasn't able to drive all the way home. She did get home, and she's described her adventure on her thread.

>233 lkernagh: Hi Lori! I went back to the same store a few days ago. I had a different bagger who did a much better job. The raw meat was in a bag by itself. :-)

I have about an hour left of the audio of Elsewhere and I'm still enjoying it. The weather has affected my listening time. I've been listening to the radio in the car or the Weather Channel on TV when I would usually be listening to an audiobook.

Happy Valentine's Day Carrie!

>225 cbl_tn: yes, it's coming back to me now. (Quiet, that is). My lovely other isn't shy, but does get exhausted by social situations where small talk is required.

Hi Carrie. I'm enjoying the discussion of Quiet and the distinctions between introverts and extroverts. I think it's a personality dimension that has been much misunderstood. As an extrovert who was in fact very shy as a child (and can still be so in some circumstances), and who needs alone time (in part due to a very people-intensive job), I appreciate Cain's clarity about this terrain. It's way more complex than just "being social" or not.

I hope you have a wonderful week ahead of you.

Wishing you a great start into the new week, Carrie.

>235 The_Hibernator: Thanks Rachel!

>236 LovingLit: I know the feeling well!

>237 EBT1002: Hi Ellen! Introversion/extroversion is a fascinating topic. I'm hoping that we'll address it in a future faculty development meeting. We've talked about learning styles, but not about introversion/extroversion as it relates to teaching and learning. I've made the suggestion, and we'll see where it goes!

>238 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara! It's a rough start due to the weather this morning, but once it warms up later today the rest of the week looks great, at least weather-wise.

Morning, Carrie!

Hi Carrie! Just catching up here...

>240 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie! >241 katiekrug: Hi Katie!

I'm glad Monday is over. We had weather issues most of the day. Ugh!

Well, speaking of weather, it sure has been raining cats and dogs. Carrie! And I don't use that phrase very often, out of respect to Poppy. It has been nasty! So much so that Poppy only had one 2 hour run about yesterday, and today my husband Dave has bundled up in his rain gear to take Poppy out in the rain. I actually think I was born extroverted, but over time I have become more introverted. I was totally one of those outgoing , confident little girls. But as I have gotten older I need more time to recharge. It is a fascinating topic indeed.

>243 vancouverdeb: We're still getting rain here, but at least it's not freezing now. Adrian didn't get any long walks today. I've just taken him out long enough to do what he needs to do. He doesn't like getting wet.

>223 cbl_tn: I can't remember if we've talked about this before (my brain is mush these days) but I loved Leverage! One of the very very few TV shows I actually bought on DVD so I could watch them whenever I wanted.

>245 rosalita: I love that show! I only have three more episodes that I haven't seen before. Then they'll be reruns. Do you have a favorite episode?

You know, the reason I tried it is because I loved Timothy Hutton so much in Nero Wolfe. And I love that Kari Matchett plays his ex in Leverage!

>246 cbl_tn: I adore Tim Hutton so that was why I first checked it out, but I got hooked quickly on the whole premise and the other characters as well. And yes, how fun that Matchett was in it, too. It's hard to pick a favorite episode, but a couple that came to mind right away were the one where they steal the election in a foreign country and the one that was mostly a flashback to the 1940s. Oh, and the one where Parker has jury duty — that one actually might be my favorite.

One of the great things about the DVDs are the director's commentary tracks, which are the best I've ever listened to. I've watched every episode at least twice — once just straight as it airs, and the second time with the commentary soundtrack. It's really informative about behind-the-scenes stuff.

You know what? I think it's time for a series rewatch!

>247 rosalita: Even though it streams on Netflix, you've convinced me to buy the DVDs for the added commentary.

I love the bank robbery episode early on. That's the one that really got me hooked. The jury duty episode is another favorite. And I like the girls night out/boys night out episodes.

We own the DVDs of Leverage, too! Well, Birdy does. We LOVE that show!

Morning, Carrie!

Hi Carrie, just passing through to wave to you and try to avoid getting persuaded to read Quiet.

>249 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie! We seem to like a lot of the same shows!

>250 Trifolia: Hi Monica! Quiet is a fairly quick read, so if it sounds interesting to you, go for it!

14. The Seven Daughters of Eve by Bryan Sykes
TIOLI #17 - Book with a person possessive title

Bryan Sykes made several breakthroughs in the extraction of DNA from ancient remains and in the use of mitochondrial DNA to map human origins. While this book is no longer at the cutting edge of genetic research, it retains its value as historical documentation of genetic research. This book won't add names to the branches of your family tree, but it will help you think about the ancient past and your connection to it. Of course, there are always exceptions. I learned that Sykes belongs to mitochondrial haplogroup T. I also belong to haplogroup T, which means that Sykes and I share a common maternal ancestor within the last 17,000 years.

4.5 stars

15. The Frozen Thames by Helen Humphreys

The 40 vignettes that comprise The Frozen Thames are like time capsules that give the reader a glimpse of (mostly) ordinary life in extraordinary circumstances. It's an unusual theme for a book, but the format and the color art reproductions interspersed through out make it work. The collection as a whole evokes nostalgia and melancholy for bygone eras. The reason for this is explained in the last vignette (excluding the postscript). Many Anglophiles would be delighted to receive this beautifully illustrated book as a gift, and it's small enough to fit in a Christmas stocking.

4 stars

I loved The Frozen Thames when I read it a few years ago. The beauty still haunts me. It is so good that I would really like to own a copy. I'll look for it at the next library book sale.

>254 Whisper1: That would be a good place to look for a copy!

Happy Thursday, Carrie!

>256 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie! Thursday means that tomorrow is Friday, and the weekend is just a day away! And I finished a book today!

16. Elsewhere : A Memoir by Richard Russo
TIOLI #9 -1st line answers question "Where did it happen?" (Central Leatherstocking Region)
AAC

Two themes pervade novelist Richard Russo's memoir: his Gloversville, New York, hometown, in an economic decline that paralleled the decline of the glove industry, and his relationship with his mother, who settled near him with each move beginning with his university education in Arizona and extending to his subsequent career moves to Illinois and Maine. Russo's parents divorced when he was very young, and his mother became emotionally dependent on her only child. His mother's difficult personality added another dimension to the challenge of providing care and support for her as her health declined. It was only after another family member was diagnosed with a mental disorder that Russo realized that his mother had a mental illness. Russo seems to have worked out his memories and emotions in this memoir. He does briefly touch on his writing life and some of his novels, but the focus never shifts from his relationship with his troubled mother. Russo reads the audiobook version himself, which makes listening a very intimate experience. If he ever tires of writing, he could probably make a living from audiobook narration!

4 stars

Next up in audio: Anne Frank Remembered by Miep Gies & Alison Leslie Gold

I saw a review of a couple of graphic novels that might be a good fit for our library so I stopped and picked up copies from the public library on my way home from a doctor's appointment. They're about the Boxer Rebellion. I've started Boxers by Gene Luen Yang, and I also have the companion novel, Saints. Anyone read these?

>259 cbl_tn: I'm pretty sure Mark and Joe have read those, Carrie, I haven't, but I did read his American Born Chinese, and that was very good.

Morning! And it's Friday! Nice review of the Russo - so great when authors can narrater their own stuff and actually do a good job of it. Julia and I are starting our Russo today - Empire Falls. I'll have to be on my toes because Julia is very fast!

>258 cbl_tn: - Great review of Elsewhere: A Memoir, Carrie. I finished my audioread yesterday and like you, found Russo's writing style - just like with his fictional works - to be open and plain spoken, like an invitation to join Russo in musing about that aspect of his life.

>260 DianaNL: Yay! Friday night is here!

>261 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie! I've read the first two sections of Boxers and I'm enjoying it so far. It's a new genre for me, sort of. I read comics as a kid, but I suppose that's the equivalent of short stories. I'll be watching for your review of Empire Falls. The memoir has made me more interested in reading his fiction.

>262 lkernagh: I haven't read any of Russo's fiction, but I'm eager to try it now that I've listened to him reading his memoir.

Poppy says a sad " hi" to Adrian today. It has rained so hard this week, today I just don't have it in me to take Poppy out on her walk . Oh I feel guilty. It has been raining hard all week. Wednesday it was raining so hard, that I had to hang up my pants after the walk , - well and all of my clothes etc as well as Poppy's towels and raincoat. Yesterday I thought it did not look too bad - so I headed out without Poppy's rain coat and mine as in the back in the trunk of my car. So fortunately I had my raincoat, but I did not have the foresight to pack Poppy's " just in case". I know Poppy would rather get out, rain or not, but I think I need a day off. Poor old husband - he will get home from work and take the Poppy out in the evening. Feeling guilty!

>264 vancouverdeb: Adrian sends sympathy and understanding to Poppy. We've had a couple of weeks of very short walks in cold, rainy and snowy weather. I coukdn't stand to be out long, and there's no one else to take him out. We finally got a break yesterday and today. We were able to go on longish walks both days and Adrian got to socialize a bit.

Morning, Carrie! I am liking Empire Falls so far, looking forward to reading more of it today.

>267 cbl_tn: Morning, Mamie! I'm glad Empire Falls has started out well for you!

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The sky is overcast this morning, but the temperature is mild. If it doesn't rain, I'll get in another walk with Adrian late this afternoon. This morning I want to finish Boxers before I start a new thread. At some point I need to pick up a prescription that I called in yesterday evening. I have a hair appointment after lunch and I'll pick up a few groceries afterward. I'll have to fit in laundry in between the errands.

My weekend reading goals are pretty ambitious. I want to finish Boxers and read Saints. I'd also like to read my Agatha Christie book for the AAC, Crooked House. I'll take it with me to my hair appointment and see how much I can get through then. I also need to focus on Return of a King. I didn't get much of it read yesterday. I was too tired to read yesterday evening, and Adrian and I fell asleep in front of the TV.

Enjoy the weekend, Carrie, despite all the activities!

>268 Trifolia: Thanks Monica! It's been pretty good so far.

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I got home from my hair appointment and grocery shopping to find that Adrian had an accident in his crate. :-( This has added to my laundry for the day. I'm cooking rice so he can have a bland dinner this evening, and I've started working on chicken noodle soup for me.

Just finished Return of a King : The Battle for Afghanistan and will be interested to see what you make of it. I found it extremely impressive though a slow read.

Have a great weekend, Carrie.

>270 PaulCranswick: Paul, I've read the first couple of chapters. I didn't get anything read yesterday. I'll get back to it today after I finish Crooked House, and it will be my primary focus this week.

Yesterday when I left for my hair appontment, there were a couple of county sherriff's cars near the end of my road, and the officers were talking to the neighbor who lives at the end of the road. Late last night I finally found out what was going on. A young couple in a stolen car had carjacked someone waiting at the stop sign at the end of the next road, on the other side of my neighbor's house. It happened about 20 minutes before I left for my appointment. The news reports don't identify the victim, but it's likely to be someone I know. This is a rural area and we're not used to this sort of crime. We did have a kidnapping at about the same spot about 25 years ago, so I guess this is a once in a generation type of event.

Morning, Carrie! Happy Sunday! Poor Adrian - he was probably as upset as you were about it.

Scary about the carjacking so close to home. YIKES! Feeling safe is such a precious thing.

Carrie, that's scary about the carjacking. I hope the victim is OK - did they just take the car and leave the person standing there?

I'm trying to finish books this weekend too. And not watch Netflix. Ahem.

>274 susanj67: I am a huge fail at not watching Netflix this weekend, Susan!

*waves at Carrie and Adrian*

>273 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie! I'm sure Adrian was glad to see me and have me clean up his crate! I wonder if the commotion at the end of the road affected him.

We do have a private security firm that patrols the neighborhood in the evening and overnight (part of security for the university in the neighborhood). I was glad to see them pass me this morning while Adrian and I were walking.

>274 susanj67: Susan, I assume that's what hapoened but the news reports are sketchy on details. I think if the driver had been kidnapped they would have mentioned it in the police bulletin. I didn't see an ambulance at the scene so I assume the driver wasn't injured.

I might have been distracted from reading yesterday by the Diagnosis Murder marathon on the Hallmark Channel.

Yikes! It's always scary when a crime strikes close to one's home.

>277 BLBera: Especially this close, when I can almost see the scene from my house!

Happy Sunday, Carrie, hope it's been a wonderful and relaxing day.

>272 cbl_tn: Oh, that's just frightening when things, as you described, happen in your own neighborhood. We've had our own share and it acts as a reminder to keep alert and know your surroundings. Hope this doesn't happen again....even 20 years from now.

>279 Carmenere: Thanks Lynda! It has been a relaxing Sunday, except for a few moments of anxiety when I discovered that Adrian had somehow managed to open the bottom of the dining room hutch. I found a Christmas gingerbread ornament minus a head, but it doesn't look like it was bitten and Adrian seems to be his usual self so I think he's OK.

Adrian and I walked to the end of the road this evening and I could clearly see the spot where the carjacking happened yesterday. The latest news report is that the (alleged) carjackers have been captured in Florida.