BLBera's Reading in 2016 - Part 2

I wanted something bookish for Valentine's Day, and I thought this quote by Sherman Alexie fit.

My name is Beth. I teach English at my local community college. I tend not to plan my reading but go where the spirit takes me. I belong to a book club that meets once a month.

I tend to read more fiction than nonfiction and more women authors than men. This year, once again, I would like to read more diversely, in every sense of the word. I like to discover new writers. In 2015, three of my favorites were first-time novelists.

I would also like to include more volumes of poetry to my 2016 reading.

Welcome to my thread. Lurk or stop and say hello.

March 2016
19. All Roads Lead to Austen*
20. The Big Green Tent
21. Ways to Disappear
22. Station Eleven* REREAD - Still great
23. Arcadia
24. Spider Woman's Daughter*
25. Speak
26. My Life on the Road

February 2016
12. The Lake House
13. My Brilliant Friend*
14. These Old Shades*
15. Shylock Is My Name*
16. Girl Waits with Gun*
17. Vinegar Girl*
18. An Elegy for Easterly

January 2016
1. The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend
2. Horten's Miraculous Mechanisms*
3. And After Many Days*
4. The Man in the High Castle
5. The Pure in Heart*
6. The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry*
7. The Tenderness of Wolves*
8. Golden Age
9. The Hanging Girl
10. A Trail through Time*
11. The Risk of Darkness*

*Off my shelves

Currently reading

Future Reads Recommendations from LT:
Names for the Sea - Rhian
The Hundred Foot Journey - Marianne
The Electric Michelangelo - Charlotte
Strange Meeting - Charlotte
Life According to Lubka - Susan
The Poet's Tale - Charlotte
Ru - Joanne
Nooks & Crannies - Anne (for Scout)
This Is Your Life Harriet Chance - Joanne, Ellen
Wyrd Sisters - Heather
Sacred Hunger - Donna, Paul, Rhonda, Ellen
A Commonplace Killing - Charlotte
The Tin Can Tree - Charlotte
The House of Twenty Thousand Books - Roni
Just Mercy - Julia
Kamchatka - Katie, Charlotte
Rachel and Her Children - Linda
The Clock Winder - Jenn
A Long Walk to Water - Anne
Thirteen Ways of Looking - Charlotte
One with Others - Darryl
Buckle and Squash: The Perilous Princess Plot - Anne
The Storyteller - Nancy
Grey Souls - Charlotte
Haweswater - Charlotte
The Old Ways: A Journey on Foot - Charlotte
Sally Heathcote Suffragette - Charlotte
A Sunday at the Pool in Kigali- Deborah
April, 4, 1968 - Linda
The World Before Us - Liz
The Folded Clock - Liz
Bodies of Light - Darryl
Plumdog - Ellen
Mrs. Poe - Judy
On Elizabeth Bishop - Charlotte
The Lie Tree - Rhian
The Reader on the 6.27 - Charlotte
Find George Orwell in Burma - Charlotte
The Noise of Time - Charlotte
Couch Fiction - Charlotte
The Drowned Detective - Mamie
The Getaway Car - Amy
Frog - Charlotte
Beautiful Ruins - Lynda
Reading Chekhov - Charlotte

January reading reflections:

I read 11 books. All were novels.
Five were part of a series.
Two were translations.
Four were new authors to me.
Three were by men and eight were by women.
Seven from my shelves (one was an ebook)

And that's enough.

Best reads: And After Many Days, The Tenderness of Wolves and Golden Age

Is it safe yet?

You read seven books off your shelves in January. I am very impressed. I think I read one. This is something I need to start explicitly tracking.

Hi Ellen - It's always safe for you. You are fast. Taking a break? I'm supposed to be doing other things right now, but the spirit isn't moving me.

Yes, one of my goals is to move books out of my house. Three have already left, and I've purchased three. Would you like my copy of The Risk of Darkness? I think you said you wanted to take it to Arizona. If I mail it this week, would it get to you in time?

Also impressed by the shelf reading. I pulled down One Art: letters of Elizabeth Bishop last night and remembered I hadn't got through it. Need to do that.

The Alexie quote is wonderful :-)

Hi Charlotte - I was thinking maybe I could make that my screen name: Bookkisser. What do you think?

On an unrelated but happy note: Snow Day tomorrow. The college is NEVER cancelled due to weather but because of the forecast, they already announced. Woo Hoo! Snow Day!

Happy New Thread, Beth! I love the Sherman Alexie quote as well.

Happy new thread, Beth! Seven books off your shelves is wonderful - you did better than I. But I did donate about thirty books to the local library, so at least I have moved some books out. Like Charlotte, I love the Sherman Alexie quote that you chose for our topper.

>11 BLBera: Enjoy your day off!

Have a great snow day. Will Scout get to make snowmen?

Storm here, winds of 50mph keeping me up (and I think has taken out a mobile phone pylon somewhere judging by my signal problems).

I'm not sure about bookkisser the screen name. I might be being overly cautious though - I thought about using your picture of Alexie's quote as a screensaver and just couldn't imagine explaining it adequately to a non book person...

Happy New Thread, Beth. Good luck with the snowstorm. I hope it ends up being less, than what they have projected. We will get rain tomorrow. Whew!

Thanks Darryl.

Good for you, Mamie. I usually weed things out in the spring.

Thanks Lori.

You're probably right, Charlotte. I'll just leave it at the top of my thread and enjoy it each time I look at it.

I hope Scout and I get to play in the snow some. It will depend on whether my daughter and son-in-law can make it out of their driveway. When it snows, they really get snowed in.

Hi Mark - Rain is much better for you. I imagine you have all kinds of gear to keep you dry.

Good luck with the snow. We had ours last weekend--31.9 inches. New York City was closed, man. Heh heh. A week later, just yesterday, we drove into NYC with our older son's family to see The King and I. Very little evidence of the snow that shut down the city.

Happy new thread, Beth. I'm not a book kisser but I am a self confessed book hugger.
Hurray for your snow day! So considerate of them to notify you the night before. Now you can sleep in, if you like, and not have to watch tv or wait for a phone call.

Happy new thread, Beth! Enjoy your snow day!

Hi Bill - Thanks for stopping by. I don't think we're expected to get 30 inches; it's the wind that's the problem.

Hi Lynda - Thanks. It WAS really nice to know ahead of time. That's never happened before.

Hi Amber - You too! I imagine you and Charlie will find something to do.

Beth, I hope your unexpected snow day is going well :-)

Susan - I've been reading and doing some school work and relaxing. And a little while ago, my son-in-law showed up and shoveled my driveway and sidewalk!

And, I just found out that I get an ER copy of Vinegar Girl. So, my day is going well.

I'm glad you are enjoying your snow day, Beth. We had some slushy snow/rain this morning but it changed over to all rain and now it's just foggy. I am counting my blessings!

Good for you, Beth! 11 books already! I'm proud of reading 6 books ( I think it was ) in January. I can second Joanne's recommendations of Ru and This is Your Life Harriet Chance.

Julia - It was a great day. I finished my book and relaxed.

Hi Deborah - I tried to get in as much reading as I could before school started.

>26 BLBera: Oh good! I'm glad you got to read and relax!

12. The Lake House is a satisfying family saga/mystery set in Cornwall. It spans most of the twentieth century. One-year-old Theo Edevane disappears from his family's house in Cornwall in 1933. Seventy years later, Sadie Sparrow, on leave from her police job, stumbles on the deserted house and begins to look into the disappearance.

Morton moves back and forth in time and moves among the different characters' points of view. She does this smoothly and plots the novel so well that when we learn what happened in the end, it seems to fit perfectly.

This started slowly for me, but once we left the sixteen-year-old lovestruck Alice behind, I found the characters engaging. I enjoyed this.

Oh, I HATED this cover.

Next: My Brilliant Friend

Hi Ellen: We crossposted. How was your day?

Hi Beth! My day is going pretty well but I am starting to feel some pressure to set aside the laptop and read!! It's still earlier than I almost ever leave the office and P shouldn't be home until after 5:30; I'm wanting to indulge in a good hour of uninterrupted time with Sacred Hunger.

I will be so interested in your reaction to My Brilliant Friend. I think I've shared that I read it and the next one in the series and it just wasn't my favorite. But they are getting lots of love and I worry that I just missed something. I mean, I liked them, but....

I will let you know. That has happened to me a few times here. People love a book, and for me it was OK. I guess that's what makes things interesting. It's also why I am reluctant to recommend books -- too much pressure. :) Well, enjoy Sacred Hunger - it sounds like I'm going to have to pick up a copy of it soon.

Hi Beth! We were snowed in today also -- I love snow days! Happy new thread to you. That's right, I am a book kisser. Yes!

Hi Anne - My daughter has another snow day tomorrow, but I have to go back. Oh well. I enjoyed today.

Hi Anne - My daughter has another snow day tomorrow, but I have to go back. That's OK - I enjoyed today.

Yes, I knew the book-kissing thing would resonate here.

>5 BLBera: Beth, I like how you are keeping track of your LT recommendations in list form. It saves me a lot of time and trouble. Hahaha.

I'm eager to see what you think about your first Ferrante book. I'm not sure I can say I loved them because I sorta disliked the two main characters. Still, they were oddly compelling to me. I am listening to them, and I may be getting hypnotized by the reader's soothing voice. I can't go to sleep without my nightly "fix"!

Be careful of those germs if you are going to be a book kisser, Beth!

I am getting slow on my feet Beth as it is a couple of days until I am here to wish you Happy New Thread. xx

Beth, I've added all three in the series of Jane Smiley books. They sound like something I would enjoy reading.

I like how you are keeping a list of recommendations in >5 BLBera:, too. I have started trying to add "rec by Beth" (for example) in the comments field of a book that I put on my wish list or put on hold at the library, the latter being a collection I recently added to my LT because I tend to have lots of books on hold at any one time and I have more than once purchased a book and then had it come available from the library. In any case, keeping track of who recommended what is a bit tricky so a list might be the way to go. You know, sometimes old school is the way to go.

I'm taking a sick day today. Not sick, per se, but worn out and needing to rest, read, and LT. :-)

I hope your day back after the snow days (you had two of them, right?) is not too crazy.

Happy New Thread, Beth. I'm so far behind. I hope doing better noe.

Hi Donna - Glad I could help. The only problem with my list is that I should probably use screen names - there is more than one Deborah, for example... Oh well, it's better than nothing.

I'm just about 30 pages into My Brilliant Friend and I really like the style. The details and descriptions are wonderful. I'm just starting to get a sense of the characters.

Yes, I should probably only kiss my own books. :)

Hi Paul - You can stop by any time.

Linda - I'll watch for your comments on the Smiley books. I think they are better all read together.

Hi Ellen - I am definitely old school. I have little notebooks in which I write down book recommendations. That has worked well for me. What I wasn't capturing was who recommended the books.

Enjoy your day off. I had school today, but I was pretty relaxed after my unexpected free Tuesday. Unfortunately, I only got one snow day; my daughter got two.

Hi Barbara - Thanks for stopping by.

I just read my post in >38 EBT1002:. That was a pretty stellar run-on sentence, don't you think?

I never proofread my friends' writing. :) It made perfect sense to me.

For Black History Month, I picked up a collection of poems by Langston Hughes. This is the 75th anniversary edition with wonderful illustrations by Brian Pinkney

>43 BLBera: It looks beautiful.

Hi Beth! Happy new thread! We did not have a snow day yesterday, which is why I'm so late getting to your new thread. I took advantage of 70 degree sunny weather to take a walk with Adrian around the cross country track during my time off yesterday afternoon. One of the nice things about living this far south are the occasional breaks we get from winter.

Congrats on snagging a copy of Vinegar Girl! I requested it as well as Shylock Is My Name, but I'm getting We the People by Juan Williams. I'll have to get the Hogarth Shakespeares from the library!

>43 BLBera: That looks beautiful.

Ellen: It really is beautiful. There's an illustration on every page. It's meant for young readers, but I thought I could fit it into my Black History Month reading.

Hi Carrie - Thanks. 70 degrees! Is that warm for you? Last month I got Shylock Is My Name and this month Vinegar Girl. I hope to read Shylock Is My Name when I'm done with My Brilliant Friend.

It is lovely, Charlotte.

Hi Beth, I love Sherman Alexie and I love the quote of his that you topped your thread with. I don't think I have ever kissed a book, but I have certainly hugged some and I am a dedicated book sniffer. I love the smell of new books but I'm not so fond of those older, stained copies I sometimes get from the library, and if they smell like cigarettes - UGH!

Yay for snow days!

I'll be interested in your thoughts on My Brilliant Friend, too. I bought myself a copy over the holidays.

I still have not read anything by Kate Morton even though I have three of her books. I agree - that's a terrible cover!

I also won a copy of Vinegar Girl - go us!! I hope it's good!

Love the Sherman Alexie quote!

Happy new thread.

I noticed today that we have 3 Jane Smiley books on the lease shelves. That must mean that one of them was checked out when it was time to return it (or that it was missing and declared lost) and that another is about due to be returned. The other one just came in.

Just checking in to see if there are any early comments about My Brilliant Friend....

Belatedly wishing you a happy new thread Beth! Glad to hear you enjoyed The Tenderness of Wolves. I read it a few years ago and thought it was a good one too.

Hi Judy - I love the smell of books, too. You are right about some library books. Luckily, I haven't gotten a smoker's book recently.

Hi Joanne - I'm about halfway through with My Brilliant Friend and like it a lot so far. More comments below.

I'm not sure what it is about the cover of the Morton, but yuk!

Hooray for Vinegar Girl; I'm looking forward to it. Maybe a shared read?

Thanks Rhonda.

Hi Lori - So, you can start the Jane Smiley trilogy.

Hi Ellen - I'm about halfway through and I like My Brilliant Friend a lot. I find the details surrounding the childhood to be wonderful. I also really like the tone of the narrator. Some of the things that strike me are her matter-of-factness about the death and violence of her community. I don't have the book with me right now, but I've noted some parts that I especially liked.

I think if you're not a fan of younger narrators, you might now admire this book. While I am not always taken with young narrators, this one is working for me so far. I'll see if the positive impression stays with me.

I also look forward to my book club's discussion.

Hi Heather - Thanks.

Hi Beth! I've been woefully behind on most threads, consciously allowing myself *not* to be "caught up."

I have My Brilliant Friend in my collection of Europas, and your positive reaction is encouraging me to pick it up sooner rather than later.

Have a great weekend!

Oh! Nice win with Vinegar Girl. I am an Anne Tyler fan. As yet the Neapolitan series has not appealed to me. I'm not sure why - just give me time.

Happy weekend to you, Beth!

Happy weekend, Beth.

Hi Katie - I've been allowing myself to not comment on threads as well. We seem to be very active so far this year. I know I'm on my second thread much earlier than ever before. I guess I'll have to ask Paul for statistics. :) I am liking My Brilliant Friend a lot. I hope your weekend is filled with fun.

Hi Deborah - I'm excited about Vinegar Girl. I'm an Anne Tyler fan as well, and I really liked the first in the Hogarth Shakespeare series A Gap in Time. I hope to get to My Name Is Shylock after I finish My Brilliant Friend.

Hi Anne - Enjoy your weekend as well. Will you watch the Super Bowl?

Thanks Barbara - this reminds me of Anne's fox. Have a great weekend.

>59 BLBera: Beth, I'm next on the list at the library for an ebook version of My Brilliant Friend, after reserving it a while ago. It's good to hear you're enjoying it. I've started Some Luck and love it so far. And the library has the other two sitting right there on the shelf! I think I can see how Monday's trip is going to pan out.

I'm really enjoying My Brilliant Friend; the writing and the characters are winners. I love the details and the matter-of-fact tone. In one place the narrator is describing a time when her teacher tripped and fell unconscious: "I have in my mind so many incidents of this type. We lived in a world in which children and adults were often wounded, blood flowed from the wounds, they festered, and sometimes people died." Then she goes on to list a series of events, horrible things, but normal in her eyes.

One of things I really liked about Smiley's trilogy is that they were published close together so I could read them without having lost the thread of the characters. The first and third were my favorites; I seem to have a problem with the middle book of trilogies.

It's good to patronize the library. :)

I read Kate Morton's first book, The House at Riverton, back when I rec'd it as an ARC/ER. I really enjoyed it but I haven't given her newer books even a peek. Sounds like I'm missing out on a lot!
I've done a little investigating and it appears The Hogarth Shakespeare Series is a set of books by different authors. Well, now, I'm liking the fact I'm receiving Shylock is my Name. Of course I'll want to read the other too. Oh my! more for my TBR stack.

>61 BLBera: Oh I'm going to have to order Ferrente. All this enthusiasm has won me over.

I just started Love Me Back by Merritt Tierce- dark, but gripping.

Hi, Beth! Let's see..... I asked for Vinegar Girl too, but was awarded And After Many Days instead. I'm not complaining! I expect to lay paws (but possibly not lips) on all the Hogarth Shakespeares eventually.
Oh dear, though. I haven't been able to make myself get back to My Brilliant Friend. At 21% on my Kindle, it just hasn't grabbed me. I've noticed that the non-lovers are in the minority, but it's not a negligible minority. Anyway, differences keep us interesting, I think.
I do love the Sherman Alexie quote. I have never read him, I'm sorry to say. He's a favorite of a favorite student of mine with whom I still keep up on fb, so one day.......

Hi Lynda - I think The House at Riverton was the first Morton I read, and I liked it a lot. Then I read The Distant Hours, which I didn't care for as much. The Lake House started slow but won me over.

I read the The Gap of Time, the first of the Hogarth Shakespeare series and loved it. I won Shylock Is My Name last month so I hope to get to that soon. It's nice to have a goal. ;)

Hi Charlotte - I am really liking My Brilliant Friend but see Peggy's comments. I know Ellen was not crazy about it, either. I'd like to discuss it to find out what people don't like about it.

I'll stop to look at your comments on Love Me Back.

Hi Peggy - What is it about My Brilliant Friend that you don't like? As you say, the differences make for interesting conversations. I'm curious.

I loved And After Many Days - a promising first novel. Sherman Alexie is one of my favorites. Maybe try a collection of stories, so you can stop if you don't like them.

Happy Saturday, everyone!

Will I watch the Super Bowl? Well, that will depend on how the Broncos are doing:) I don't really have the patience to watch a football game the way I used to, and now when I actually try to watch the Broncos I get too nervous! I usually am hovering nearby -- on my computer in a corner of the same room. I will be *following* the Super Bowl, but I don't know that I'll actually be able to watch:)

Morning, Beth! Happy Sunday! I am driving into the city later today, to attend a Super Bowl party, with Joe & family. I have not seen my pal, in awhile.

"Sherman Alexie is one of my favorites." I am with you there, my friend.

Have just requested Shylock is my name - seems like there will be a few of us reading it over the next few months. Although it's still on order at the library so I'd better not count my chickens yet.

I'm with you, Anne. I usually do other things while the game is on, folding laundry, etc. I hope it's a good game.

Hi Mark - It sounds like you have a fun day ahead of you. I hope it's a good game. Yes, I need to read some Alexie soon.

Hi Charlotte - I'm trying to get my ER books reviewed as soon as possible. If I wait, I never seem to get to them.

Well, off to visit some threads, then a bit of cleaning and school work.

Last night I had some time in a decently sized bookstore and browsed My Brilliant Friend. I've looked at it before, but I think it has finally "grabbed me." I have some other books in my mental book queue, so it will have to wait a while. Fortunately it is widely available . Even at my library.

I said this over on my thread but I'll repeat here that I'll possibly do some LT catch up during the game. P just announced that, weather permitting, she will want to work outside during the game. Our yard and the p-patch both need attention. So, I'm not sure what I'll do. LT. Laundry. Maybe I'll join her in the yard for a bit (although I think it's rather cold out....).

I wonder if it was the younger narrator that bothered me about My Brilliant Friend. Of course, I want to be clear that I liked the novel but my book-buying buddy Nick raved about it as if it were the best novel he had read in a decade and I just never got there with it.

Oh dear, I just remembered (when I saw your comment above) that I promised myself I would do some housecleaning today. Sigh. Maybe I'll do a bit of that during the game.

I am taking advantage of Superbowl Sunday to try and catch up with some threads. Happy new thread, Beth! Great job with your January reading. I still need to work on my shelf reading. Snow and wind = yuck in my books, right up there with rain and wind = double yuck. There are days when I wish I owned fisherman oilskins so to keep dry. ;-)

Good to see that Morton has written another goodie. Strange cover.

Hi Deborah - Finding good stuff to read is never a problem, right? I'll watch for your comments when you get to it.

Hi Ellen - It's almost 40 degrees here today; if I were having a Super Bowl party, I would be tempted to grill. But we're going back to single digit highs next week, so I guess I should probably go for a walk. Scout and I went to the playground yesterday. She found it hard to climb with boots and snow pants but did find some puddles to jump in.

I'm finding the adolescent voice more tedious in My Brilliant Friend. There are also some stylistic things...It certainly won't be "the best novel in a decade."

Well, time to get out the vacuum.

Thanks Lori. The Morton was good - but what is it about the cover?

13. My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante is a wonderful portrayal of a poor neighborhood of Naples after WWII. Ferrante does a great job with the characters and the setting. The narrator, Elena Greco looks back on the early years of her friendship with Lila Cerullo. This first novel of four tells the story of the ten years from ages six to sixteen.

I loved the section on childhood. Elena's voice is matter of fact as she describes the violence that is part of her daily life: "We lived in a world in which children and adults were often wounded, blood flowed from the wounds, they festered, and sometimes people died." Then she goes on to list a series of events, horrible things, but normal in her eyes. The closely observed details make the people and setting realistic.

As Elena enters adolescence, the voice becomes a little whiny and self pitying, typical of early teen years, I suppose. As Elena continues in school, something rare for girls at that time, she starts to grow apart from the people she grew up with: "With them I couldn't use any of what I learned every day, I had to suppress myself, in some way diminish myself."

That sentence is consistent with Ferrante's style, lots of run-on sentences. Generally, I don't focus on grammar when I read novels, but seriously, use a period once in a while. And there were too many statements like, "they made vulgar comments." "Vulgar" was overused. And why not let the characters speak and let us judge?

Those are small complaints though. I found the characterization amazing and want to learn more about Elena's and Lila's lives. I'll definitely continue reading.

Next: Shylock Is My Name

What a great review of My Brilliant Friend, Beth. I listened to all four of the books so my comments didn't include quotes and were pretty general. That's the downside of audiobooks for me. I can't use post-it notes!

I see you used the Super Bowl as background for housecleaning. So did my husband! He's still home and I'm in KC, heading for home today. I guess I have a clean house awaiting me. Yay!

Nice review, Beth. I had that one out from the library, but I only got about 100 pages in before having to return it, as someone had requested it. The Nerve! Wasn't sure I was sold on it, but maybe I will give it another go.

Hi Donna - I'm impressed that you listened to all four of them.

I usually can't sit and watch football anymore; cleaning works well. Nice to arrive to a clean house. It sounds like your husband is a keeper!

Hey Mamie - Congrats on the Denver win. Thanks - I can see how My Brilliant Friend wouldn't appeal to everyone.

What? Someone else requested a book that you had? How could they?

Nice review of the Ferrante, Beth. I *will* get to it. Soon. Probably. Maybe.

Have a good week!

Thanks Katie - Well, Monday is almost over.

14. These Old Shades is one of my favorite Heyers. This was a fun reread. It has the best elements, including an independent heroine and great supporting characters. There's a lot of action here, too: a kidnapping and masquerades. And it's really funny in places.

Back to a very different book: Shylock Is My Name.

Nice review of My Brilliant Friend. I mean to read it someday. Do you think the run-on sentences are as bothersome in the original Italian?

Good question about the run ons, Rhonda. I don't know.

Hi Beth! Since it's too cold and snowy to venture out today, I'm going to try to catch up on threads. Fingers crossed.
I'm so bad about reading my ER's. :( I should have included the 5 or so I've not read on this year's challenge, but next year for sure! Since everyone seems to be reading Shylock is my Name I'll try to get to that quickly.

Hi Lynda. It is bitterly cold here, too. I think we're in for single digit highs for the next two to three days.

I have several old ERs that I hope to fit in this year. I've been prompt lately. Shylock Is My Name is interesting. I hope to get another big chunk read tonight. I'll watch for comments.

>85 BLBera: I am feeling so guilty about the ER's that are sitting right here on my desk. I think I will give up requesting any until I get these three read. Stay warm, Beth.

>85 BLBera: Despite the publicity blitz Jacobson's been on here, Shylock is my name still to arrive at the library. Hoping that changes soon. Loved The Book of Unknown Americans though. Do you think your students might appreciate it (or perhaps they do already?).

Hi Judy - I'm so glad to hear that - misery loves company, right? I plan to go out as little as possible for the next few days.

Charlotte - One of my colleagues is using it for a class now. I'll have to ask him about the reaction of the students. I may use it in the future, too.

Hmm - it seems curious that Shylock Is My Name hasn't arrived at your library. If I hadn't already promised my copy to someone else, I would send mine to you when I finish.

So, off to read.

Hi Beth! I'm looking forward to your thoughts on Shylock Is My Name. Vinegar Girl is being offered again in the February ER batch so I've requested it again. I've requested several others, too, so I may get a different book. Or nothing.

I've never read Georgette Heyer but I'm starting to get curious.

Hope your weather warms up soon!

Good luck, Carrie - I usually just request one, unless I am really behind in reviews. Then I hold off until I get caught up.

Hi Joanne - I first read Heyer when I was a teen. After hearing raves here, I have picked up a couple to read, and have found them enjoyable. Heyer was a good writer with a great sense of humor. These are very light-hearted books. If you would like to try one, I'd be happy to send you my copy of These Old Shades. Just PM me your address.

>88 BLBera: Lovely thought Beth. Don't worry, it will get to me eventually (I just need to learn patience).

Well, Charlotte, I worry that you will run out of things to read. :)

>93 BLBera: Hahaha; Charlotte certainly does get through them doesn't she?

Have a wonderful weekend, Beth.

>93 BLBera: It's a worry (well, that and the being overwhelmed with books I still haven't read yet).

Hi Paul - Thanks for stopping by. Have a lovely weekend.

Well, Charlotte, you must have a book for every mood, too.

Well, back to Shylock Is My Name. I'm about halfway. There is a lot of interesting discussion of anti-Semitism, but overall, I get the idea that Jacobson is very full of himself. I will be very interested in hearing others' comments about this book.

Happy Saturday, Beth! I've requested Vinegar Girl from February ER. Maybe if I review Shylock promptly my chances will improve! Have a lovely weekend and Sending warm thoughts your way!

Beth, I hope you're having a warm weekend snuggled up reading. I have ventured out, but it's reading time very soon *ignores pull of Netflix*

Hi Lynda - I'll watch for your comments on Shylock. See mine below.


15. Shylock Is My Name is not so much a retelling of The Merchant of Venice, but rather a re-envisioning of the play from Shylock's point of view. Shylock/Strulovitch finds that antiSemitism is still alive and that the idea of Shylock is very present, in both Jews and Gentiles: "After so many years of being told what Gentiles see when they look at us, it's hardly a surprise that we end up seeing something similar. That's how vilification works. The victim ingests the view of his tormentor. If that's how I look, that's what I must be."

Jacobson has cleverly turned Portia into a Kardashian-type reality TV star, Plurabelle. Her speech asking for mercy is taken from Wikipedia. Shakespeare's "quality of mercy" speech is spoken by Shylock, who goes on to tell Plurabelle: "It is wrong not to know where you got your sweet Christian sentiments form. It is morally and historically wrong not to know that Jesus was a Jewish thinker and that when you quote him against us you are talking vicious nonsense. Charity is a Jewish concept. So is Mercy. You took them from us, that is all. You appropriated them. They were given freely, but still you had to steal them."

This novel is fascinating as an intellectual exercise, but not a book I love. The characters are stock, meant to represent various ideas in the ongoing discussion of mercy and what it means to be a Jew. In the end, while I found the discussion interesting, I wasn't invested in what happened to any of the characters.

Hi Susan - I did run some errands, and when I came home, I found my daughter and Scout waiting for me. I finished Shylock Is My Name while Scout had her nap.

Next: A library book I've been anxious to get to: The Big Green Tent.

Likes your comments on Shylock Is My Name - I am being very patient about my copy's arrival(ish).

Did Scout make more biscuits? How is your sprinkle supply?

Happy Valentine's Day, Beth!

Charlotte - Are you sure you don't want me to send you my copy? The person who originally claimed it already got one. PM me your address and I'll zip it on its way.

We still have biscuits from last time. I just replenished my sprinkles, so I'm good. :)

Thanks, Mamie. Happy Valentine's day to you, too. Love the "whom."

Superb review of Shylock is My Name, Beth. The Big Green Tent looks fairly intense too, judging from the tags: Russian literature, concentration camps.

>91 BLBera: Why thank you!! I'll send you a PM

Hi Beth. I liked your review of My Brilliant Friend. I think you nicely captured the strengths and weaknesses of the narrative. You also helped me realize one thing that has put me off her writing -- it's the narrator's intrusiveness. I much prefer to "see" a character and make up my own mind about their qualities. Still, when you get to the third in the series, I just might join you for a shared read.

I think I'll skip Shylock is My Name. :-)

Happy Valentine's Day!

It is still Sunday where I am soooo....

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

Thanks Nancy. Shylock Is My Name was hard to write about. I felt it was very much an intellectual exercise. The Big Green Tent is a long one, almost 600 pages, and I've just started it, so I'm just learning about the characters. So far, so good.

Thanks Joanne - I hope you had a happy Valentine's Day as well. I just addressed the envelope and will post it tomorrow. I'll watch for your comments.

Thanks Ellen - I will plan to read the others, I'll let you know when I have an idea when that will be. My book club will discuss it on Friday, so I'm anxious to see what people think about it.

I have mixed feelings about Shylock Is My Name; it doesn't really work as a novel for me, but it is clever. Maybe a bit too much conversation about circumcision?

Thanks Kim. I hope you had a happy, un dizzy Valentine's Day.

Thanks Barbara. It's a holiday, so any Monday with no work is a good start to the week.

I've started reading a collection of stories, An Elegy for Easterly, which are really good. Gappah is a young Zimbabwean writer. I also started The Big Green Tent, a novel about the Soviet Union through the later half of the twentieth century. It follow four friends through the years. More after I've read a bit -- it's 600 pages, so I'll be at it a while.

My class is also starting Station Eleven this week, so I'll read that along with them.

Thanks for your message about the book. How exciting. The Big Green Tent sounds interesting, I'd not heard of it before. I have Gappah's new book from the library - just need to finish some others first!

I remember that you recommended An Elegy for Easterly - I really love the stories so far. I'll definitely look for her novel.

Stopping by with Happy Monday wishes for you Beth!

Happy Monday! The Big Green Tent sounds interesting.

>109 BLBera: - Is there such a thing as too much conversation about circumcision?

*blinks*

Beth, you are reading at a fast clip. Congratulations on reading so many good books thus far this year.

Wow! Visitors.

Thanks Lori - So far, so good.

Hi Rhonda - The first 30 pages are interesting, some foreshadowing. The novel started with the announcement of Stalin's death and various reactions to it -- I hope to get a nice chunk read tonight.

Katie - It must be a guy thing -- and why am I not surprised that you were the one to pick up on that comment? ;)

Thanks Linda. I wanted to get off to a good start -- as the semester goes on, there's more grading to do.

Hi Beth, busy week here and tomorrow we are headed for a long weekend in sunny Tucson. I hope to have some time on LT while on this mini-vacay but wanted to check in and say, a wee bit early: Happy Friday!

I'm intrigued by An Elegy for Easterly...

16. Girl Waits with a Gun is a fun read, based on real people. Constance Kopp and her sisters live alone on a fairly isolated farm in New Jersey. One day a car crashes into their horse and buggy. The car is driven by one of the "silk bosses" from the mills. He also happens to be a sociopath. Constance, trying to gain restitution from him, incurs his wrath, and he begins to harass the sisters, throwing bricks with threatening notes through their windows.

Stewart did her research; she uses newspaper articles from the times that followed the case. While she imagines the conversations and personalities of the sisters and at least one of the plotlines, she gives us an interesting look at the limited choices of women in early twentieth century America. It also shows how one determined person can surmount difficulties. Constance Kopp becomes the first female deputy in the US.

Hi Ellen - Have a wonderful, relaxing time in the sun. It's been busy here, too.

The stories in An Elegy for Easterly are wonderful. I hope to finish it this weekend -- it has to go back to the library.

I'm also enjoying The Big Green Tent.

>118 BLBera: I've said this before but I think that cover is so stylish.

Yay for Elegy for Easterly love.

I do like the cover; I read it as an ebook, so it wasn't as prominent.

I've got Girl Waits with Gun on my library WL, Beth. Glad it worked for you. The author is speaking in Dallas in the spring, and if I read the book by then, I'd like to go...

We had our book group discussion of My Brilliant Friend today. Most people liked it; but while they liked the novel, they disliked the characters. One of the members, who is always very emphatic thought that Lila was evil. A couple found it a bit of a slog. Only about half are going to continue reading the other books.

It ended being a good book for a discussion.

>99 BLBera: I think your assessment of Jacobson applies to most of his books, I think. A good premise but there is a detachment in his writing that always manages to leave me cold.

Have a great weekend, Beth.

Nice review of Girl Waits With Gun, Beth. I had that out from the library, but I did not get it read before I had to return it - it was requested. You are reminding me that I need to get it back again. But first I have to clear a space for it, so maybe April. YIKES!

Hoping that your weekend is filled with fabulous!

Just started Girl waits with Gun. Liking it a lot. Thanks. Just couldn't face Chekhov or Knausgaard today.

I really enjoyed Girl Waits With Gun and I'm glad to see you did, too! Part of the reason I liked it was that it took place near where I grew up (let's make it clear, though, that the book took place decades before I was ever in the area), so I was familiar with the locales. According to Amy Stewart's posts on GR, it's the start of a series.

These Old Shades showed up in my mailbox yesterday! Thank you!

Hi Paul. There was a lot to think about in Shylock Is My Name, but I think you're right about the detachment. I don't know that I'll look for more by him.

Hi Mamie - It is a fun read -- more because it's based on a true story. Constance must have been remarkable.

Hi Charlotte - I'll watch for your comments.

Hi Joanne - Maybe I heard about it on your thread? I'll watch for your comments on These Old Shades - Heyer, in my opinion, is a good writer, and the books are very witty.

17. Vinegar Girl is a delightful retelling of The Taming of the Shrew. Tyler is always good at portraying families, and she updates this story with her usual skill. Kate Battista is twenty-nine years old and lives with her father and fifteen-year-old sister, Bunny. Her father is a research scientist and has left the running of the house to Kate. He has set up the house on certain "scientific" principles of efficiency, which are pretty funny; laundry has its days, dishes stay in the dishwasher, and they eat variations of one dish all the time.

When Dr. Battista's lab assistant's visa is on the verge of expiring, he decides a perfect solution would be marriage to Kate. Pyotr is from Poland, and his knowledge of colloquial English is uneven. So, the comedy begins.

Kate is a finely drawn character with definite likes and dislikes. She works at a daycare center and seems to be on probation, more or less permanently. She reflects on the admonition of her boss: "Tact, restraint, diplomacy. What was the difference between tact and diplomacy? Maybe 'tact' referred to saying things politely while 'diplomacy' meant not saying things at all. Except, wouldn't 'restraint' cover that? Wouldn't 'restraint' cover all three? People tended to be very spendthrift with their language, Kate had noticed. They used a lot more words that they needed to." Kate is not guilty of that.

Tyler's updated version is very entertaining and lives up to the spirit of the original. It's a fun read.

Oh, and I love the cover.

Back to The Big Green Tent - Vinegar Girl arrived in the mail, and I picked it up to look at, and found myself reading it in two sittings. Very fun.

>129 BLBera: Beth, that sounds like just my sort of thing - thank you for your review! It's not out here till June, so it's not even available as an "on order" reserve at the library (outrageous!!) - I'll just have to remember it nearer the time.

I love your review of Vinegar Girl, Beth. Thumb from me. I'm so glad you read that one and liked it, as I have requested it from this month's ER batch.

Beth, delightful review of Vinegar Girl! Love that it came in the mail and you picked it up and couldn't resist!

Thumbed by me too Beth.

In other news, I checked the post (late) and the book you sent had arrived. Lovely! Thank you lots. It's even a flippy American binding, which makes it even nicer as far as I'm concerned. I was going to pay it forward and donate it but now I am rethinking. Will aim to get to it soon.

Hi Susan, Mamie, Nancy and Charlotte: I think what was so pleasant about Vinegar Girl is that Tyler seemed to be having a good time with it. It was a fun read; Hogarth has done a great job with this series. The three I've read so far are all very different, but good reads, each in its own way. I can't wait to see Margaret Atwood's take on The Tempest.

Good luck Mamie.

That was fast, Charlotte. I'll watch for your comments.

Well, off to visit a few threads and then grading.

Hi Beth! I am not quite as excited about Shylock Is My Name after reading your comments, but I still want to read it. I keep checking to see if the public library has purchased it yet. I'm even more excited about Vinegar Girl now. I haven't yet met an Anne Tyler I don't like.

I'll watch for your comments when you get to them, Carrie. It makes sense that Vinegar Girl would be more light-hearted, but Shylock Is My Name seemed disconnected, more a set of discussions on what it means to be a Jew, than a story. Still Jacobson raises interesting questions.

>129 BLBera: - Vinegar Girl is definitely going onto my TBR - The Taming of the Shrew is one of my favourite of Shakespeare's plays.

Vinegar Girl sounds fun. I do like re-workings of Shakespeare.

Hi Cait - Thanks for stopping by. If you like The Taming of the Shrew, you'll like this updated version.

Hi Rhonda - I'm enjoying the Hogarth project so far.

Howdy, Beth! I skipped your review of Shylock because I didn't want to stumble on something I shouldn't. I plan on diving into it after I finish Beautiful Ruins and Evil Under the Sun, perhaps my late next week.

I requested Vinegar Girl from ER so fingers crossed I get that one too. ooooo, I sound a bit greedy.

Hi Lynda - I do the same thing when I want to read a book that someone has reviewed. I'll watch for your comments when you get to it. We can talk about it.

Not greedy, just a typical LTer. Good luck with Vinegar Girl; it was a fun read.

Hi Beth, I started Bitter Greens after it was mentioned as part of the ANZAC challenge. I don't think I've read any fairy tale retellings before but I really love this one. She's got three stories about two women in Venice, one a French noblewoman who is credited with writing the first Rapunzel story. I've put it down to try and get to sleep at a reasonable hour, but gripping so far. Reminds me of Sacred Hearts, and the other Venice novels of Sarah Dunant which for me is a Good Thing.

Hi Charlotte - I'll watch for your comments on Bitter Greens. I haven't read any Dunant, but I think I have something by her.

I just started a new ebook at the gym: a memoir All Roads Lead to Austen. An English professor takes off a year to travel to Guatemala, Ecuador, Chile, and a couple of other places to see if Austen translates to other cultures. Right now she's in language school in Guatemala. One thing I'm enjoying is that she's getting recommendations for writers in the country she's in. I'm not familiar with Guatemalan writers, so I am highlighting the ones she mentions to check out.

So far:
José Milla
Ana María Rodas
Hector Gaitán Alfaro
Miguel Ángel Asturias (Nobel Prize winner)

I feel like such a slacker now for not reading my ER copy of Vinegar Girl yet! I'm looking forward to it even more now although I didn't read your review - I just know you liked it a lot.

Totally agree about the cover - I kept gushing about it when it arrived. I love the book itself and it's only an ARC.

Well, I didn't mean to read it right away, Joanne. I just picked it up, and it sucked me in. It's a fast read. I'll watch for your comments.

More writers from All Roads Lead to Austen - from Mexico, Juan Rulfo, and Carlos Fuentes, of course, and Ángeles Mastretta.

Wow. Sounds like All roads to Austen is going to keep you busy for a while...

Hi Charlotte - I'm reading it at the gym on my ereader, so it will take me a while. I'm getting good suggestions for authors I'm not that familiar with and reminders for ones that I want to read more of. Some of them I'm going to have to try to pick up next time I go to Spain. :)

18. An Elegy for Easterly is a wonderful collection of stories by Zimbabwe author Petina Gappah. The stories are told from multiple viewpoints, children, women, and men. They span the time from right before independence to present day with 1 million percent inflation. Underlying most of the stories is a cynicism about the corrupt government and the seeming inevitable spread of AIDS. She shows the middle class struggling to survive under the weight of the rising costs of living. Those who leave the country, searching for opportunities abroad don't fare much better, often condemned to menial jobs. Yet despite the grim outlook, these stories are not depressing. Gappah's characters are beautifully portrayed with warmth and humor.

I will definitely look for her novel. Thanks to Charlotte for the recommendation.

Now, back to The Big Green Tent, also very good.

Happy Friday, Beth! Nice review of Elegy for Easterly - I read that one back in 2012 when Linda sent it to me, and I think your comments are spot on.

Hi Beth, just dropping by to wish you a great weekend. I can hardly believe that the end of the month is almost here. I have two books that I am hoping to get read by month's end so I will be dedicating a fair amount of time to some reading over the next couple of days. One is And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini and I know from my previous experience with this author to have a box of kleenex close by!

>149 BLBera: Glad (relieved!) you liked it. Hoping the novel is as good.

Thanks Diana.

Hi Mamie - Thanks - the stories are great. I look forward to getting my hands on her novel.

Hi Judy - I know - Spring is getting closer! I hope to get through The Big Green Tent this weekend. We'll see.

I know, Charlotte. Recommending books can be nerve wracking! Because what if people hate the book?

Happy Friday. Beth! It looks like it has been awhile since I have stopped by. I hope all is well. I am glad you liked Girl Waits With Gun, since I snagged it on audio recently and hope to get to it soon.

I did finish When Breath Becomes Air and was very impressed. Enjoy your weekend.

Happy weekend Beth!

>149 BLBera: I read Elegy for Easterly a few years ago and really enjoyed hte collection - will have to look for her novel.

Hi Mark - Have a great weekend. You've got to be loving this spring weather, right?

Thanks Heather - I'd like to get to the novel soon. I love finding new authors.

>149 BLBera: I also want to get to that one soon Beth. Thanks for the good review.

Have a lovely weekend. xx

Nice review of An Elegy for Easterly, Beth. I enjoyed it as well. I bought her novel, The Book of Memory, in London last fall, but I haven't read it yet.

Happy weekend, Beth! {An Elegy for Easterly is now wish-listed. Thanks for the review!

Hi Paul - Thanks for stopping by. I hope your weekend was lovely.

Hi Darryl - I'm on my library's waiting list for The Book of Memory - we'll see who gets to it first!

Hi Rhonda - It's a great story collection.

I'm still reading The Big Green Tent, which is a sprawling Russian novel set mostly during the Cold War. I have a couple of hundred pages left -- it's about 600 pages -- and will comment more when I've finished.

My current e-read is All Roads Lead to Austen. I'm getting lots of good suggestions for Central and South American writers.

Alicia Ynez Cossío from Ecuador
Alberto Blest Gana from Chile
In Chile, most Chileans say Inéz of My Soul is better than The House of Spirits. Maybe I should pick up that one and forget about my search for my copy of The House of Spirits.

Oooh! I haven't been here in far too long. Great books here. I am a Tyler fan and you also got me with Girl Waits With Gun. Ha, ha...I've been hit! ; )

Hi Kim - I was just visiting you. Great minds and all that...

One thing I loved about Girl Waits with Gun was that it is based on a real person.

I do love Tyler - and I realized that there are a lot of her books that I haven't read, so I have a lot of reading pleasure ahead.

Happy Sunday, Beth! Looks like a very nice day. I am listening to Some Luck next and then I will get to Girl Waits with Gun.

Hi Mark - I predict you will love Some Luck - although I wonder how it will be on audio. Happy Sunday to you - are you having spring weather? I am loving it!

Just lurking my way through!

Hi Roni. Thanks for passing by.

Back to class prep and grading.

Good luck with the class prep and marking. I am enjoying all the lists of prospective reading as you make your way through your Austen book. I have to get back to the prison book group!

Beth, I admire the pace at which you're able to read and still teach, grade, gym, Scout, and more! And you read such a wonderful variety of novels and stories. Amazing!

Hi Beth! Hope you're Sunday is going well!!

So you're grading and prepping over the weekend?! Teachers are amazing!

Hi Charlotte - I've been wanting to read more in Spanish, so this is motivating me; my Spanish is much better than hers.

Hi Nancy - Thanks. I do keep busy.

Lynda - If I didn't work on the weekends, I would never be able to keep up. But, a break is coming. Spring break is next week.

February reading:
7 books: 6 novels and 1 collection of short stories
6 women
1 man
Best book of Feb.: An Elegy for Easterly and My Brilliant Friend
2 library books
1 ebook
4 books from my shelves

I read books by authors from four continents! One translation from Italian.

Now, back to grading and The Big Green Tent.

Hi Beth! I read All Roads Lead to Austen a couple of years ago. Like you, I enjoyed the many author recommendations from the countries she visited.

Thanks for the reminder about An Elegy for Easterly. It had dropped off my radar. I'll keep an eye out for it.

Four continents? Impressive stuff.

Just started Coventry. The anticipation...

Hi Carrie - Some of the books are not available in English, so I might have to go to South America to get them. It also is a good nudge for me to start reading more in Spanish.

Hi Charlotte: Australia, Europe, North America and Africa. Darn if I would have finished The Big Green Tent, set in the USSR, I could have counted Asia...

I loved Coventry - I'll look for your comments.

I finished Coventry but had such a struggle. Choosing just one quote. She writes so beautifully.

Hi! Lost you for a while, but I've starred you again. :) Love the thread topper. I am a book kisser too.

Ha, Charlotte. What a terrible thing to have to struggle over.

Hi Jenn- Thanks. I suspect many of us are. ;)

Great reviews here! Girl Waits with Gun sounds interesting. I may add it to my list.

>118 BLBera: I've seen this cover, but yours is the first review I've read. Sounds interesting.

Thanks Terri - Part of the charm of Girl Waits with Gun is the fact that it's based on a real person.

Hi Brodie - Welcome. I did like it and it had a great cover, which of course we never judge a book by. :)

Beth, it's so cool that you can read in Spanish and are getting so many author leads from All Roads Lead to Austen. Can you speed it up at the gym so you can tell us more about the book? Haha.

Ha ha, Donna. I have Pilates on Thurs. and on Friday afternoon, I can always feel it in my legs. But I do want to make it to the gym this afternoon; I might be able to finish the book.

And...we're on Spring Break. I do have a bunch of midterms to grade, but woo hoo. I hope to do some reading next week.

Ooh enjoy your break. Hope you get to take some time off to relax.

It will be nice not to have to think about class for a few days. I do have grading to do, but if I do a little bit each day, I should get caught up. Just in time for a new batch of essays due after we get back.

I also got a reminder that my book orders for summer and fall are due -- so I'll probably think about that, too.

Oh, and...

I can see how this week is going to go.

Oops, I got hit with a book bullet for All Roads Lead to Austen--sounds fascinating and fits perfectly with the travel theme for the March nonfiction challenge.

Well, here you are, Roni, my comments.



19.All Roads Lead to Austen is an account of Amy Smith’s sabbatical year spent in Guatemala, Mexico, Ecuador, Chile, Paraguay, and Argentina leading discussions on Jane Austen. She chose three novels to discuss: Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice and Emma. She wanted to find out if people from Central and South America found Austen relatable. And they did. Her account of her travels is fascinating for any Austen lover, perhaps any book lover. Her Spanish isn’t that good, but in each country, she asks for author recommendations.

I do speak Spanish and feel like I’ve been getting rusty, so I made a list of the authors, some new, some old friends:

From Guatemala:
José Milla
Ana María Rodas
Miguel Asturias, Nobel Prize winner (especially recommended Men of Corn) – might be a challenge to read in Spanish
Hector Gaitáan Alfaro – famous for legends and ghost stories

From Mexico:
Carlos Fuentes, of course
Juan Rulfo – Pedro Páramo
Ángeles Mastretta – Mujeres de Ojos Grandes

From Ecuador:
Edna Iturralde
Alicia Yánez Cossío – Sé que vienen a matarme
Juan León Mera – Cumandá

From Chile:
Alberto Blest Gana – Martín Rivas
Demetrio Aguilera Malta – Don Goyo
Isabel Allende, of course
Antonio Gil
Marta Brunet
Christian Barros

From Paraguay:
Josefina Plá – born in Spain, but married a Paraguyan and adopted the country – Alguien Muere en San Onofre de Cuarumí
Augusto Roa Bastos – Yo el Supremo ( might be too challenging)
Gabriel Casaccia – La Babosa

From Argentina
Borges, of course
Silvina Bullrich
Victoria Ocampo – 19th cent.
Juana Manso – 19th cent.
Eduarda Mansilla – 19th cent.
Juana Manuela Gorriti – 19th cent.

Some of my favorite quotes and factoids:
“Austen gave value to something that was undervalued – the daily lives of women, the things that mattered to them.” I would argue it’s still undervalued.

We are lucky to have public libraries; they aren’t common in any of these countries.

Rutherford B. Hayes is beloved in Paraguay because he kept it from being swallowed by Brazil and Argentina after the war in the 1850s.

“Judging books by their covers is seriously underrated, and any book nerd who claims never to have done it is probably lying.”

I really enjoyed this – and now I want to reread Austen and look for these authors.

And, I'm almost finished with The Big Green Tent!

Time to start thinking about my next reads.

Oh, I loved the quotes and factoids, Beth. Wow, that was quite a sabbatical year for the author. I think I might have to read this. Thanks for finishing it and reporting so quickly. You and Scout enjoy your spring break!

Great review of All Roads Lead to Austen, Beth.

Happy weekend, Beth.

>187 BLBera: Beth, All Roads Lead to Austen sounds excellent. I think I've read all three of the novels, but I couldn't say for certain...Do you have to be super-familiar with them to understand the book?

Happy spring break! I hope you don't remember too many work-related things that have to be done!

Donna - I think any book lover would enjoy this book.

Thanks Nancy.

Thanks Barbara. I am ready for flowers. I hope it won't be too much longer.

Hi Susan - I think you would enjoy it. You don't have to be familiar with the books -- even some members of the groups didn't finish them.

I need to be disciplined and do a little school work each day so that it isn't all piled up next weekend.

Morning, Beth! Happy Saturday! I had All Roads Lead to Austen out from the library last year, but I had not yet read Emma and was afraid of spoilers, so I ended up just reading the first chapter to get a feel for it and returning it. Now I will have to get it out again, as I have read Emma, so I am ready to proceed. Thanks for that lovely review which has reminded me.

Hi Beth! I'm pretty sure that I have All Roads Lead to Austen on my Kindle. You make me want to read it soon! I also have the Early Reviewer copy of Vinegar Girl, so I'm glad you liked it! And from way up on your thread, the cover of Girl with a Gun catches my eye every time I see it in a bookstore. I may have to try it too. So many good books over here!

20. The Big Green Tent by Lyudmila Ulitskaya
"Maybe it was true that only beauty would save the world, or truth, or some other high-flown garbage; but fear was still more powerful than anything else. Fear destroyed everything; everything born of beauty, the tender shoots of all that was fine, wise, eternal...It was not Pasternak who would remain, but Mandelstam, because his poetry expresses the full horror of his time, and recoils from it."

This sprawling Russian novel covers the last half of the twentieth century, ending with Joseph Brodsky's death in 1996. The novel tells the story of three friends, Ilya, Sanya and Mikha. They meet in middle school and become friends because they are being bullied. But this story isn't only about them; Ulitskaya is masterful at presenting Cold War Russia, which is just as much a character as anyone else in the novel.

The friends are influenced by a literature professor who takes them around Moscow to show them places where Pushkin lived, for example. They call themselves the LORLs -- Lovers of Russian Literature. Their teacher, Victor Yulievich, wants to show them not "their poor, sick time, but a world where thought labored and lived, a world of freedom, and music, and the other arts."

The friends live through Stalin's death, after which there is brief hope that things will change, into the Cold War years. All are victims of the regime in one way or another.

I loved this novel. Ulitskaya doesn't tell the story in a linear fashion. She focuses on Ilya early on. After he dies, we are suddenly transported back in time and introduced to a new character. It may seem disjointed at times, but everything comes together in the end. This is a big novel that shows how the human spirit can create beauty even in a repressive regime.

Next: Ways to Disappear - How could I resist a book with a paragraph like this on the first page:
"The domino players were about to break for lunch but didn't think it right to leave a woman sitting in an almond tree with a cigar and a suitcase. Julio, the ladies' man, was elected to investigate. To prepare for the task, he gave a pinch to the tips of his mustache and checked the alignment of his suspenders. At the base of the tree, he looked up and found the woman's ample behind looming directly over his head."

Great quotes. Book bullet for The big Green Tent.

Hi Mamie - Happy Saturday to you - I have a baking day ahead - my mom is 80 today and we are getting together for cake tomorrow. Also, I should clean a bit... She does talk about the ending of Emma in All Roads Lead to Austen, so if you're not familiar with the story, you might want to read it first. But, even the book group members didn't finish the books, so there you are.

Hi Amy - I had All Roads Lead to Austen on my Nook, too. It must have been a deal at some point -- well worth it. I really enjoyed it. I'll watch for your comments on Vinegar Girl; I felt like Tyler had fun with it -- more lighthearted than her usual stuff.

Thanks Charlotte - It was pretty great. It makes me want to read more Russian novels.

Nope - I'm good to go. I read Emma last year, so now I have read all three books.

Have fun baking and Happy Birthday to your mom!

Sorry Mamie - I misread your post.

>187 BLBera: When I read this a couple of years ago, I also made a list of writers I want to read. Mine is shorter than yours, since I don't know enough Spanish to read untranslated works and a lot of the authors don't seem to be available in English translation. I may start with Pedro Paramo because of her conversation with the bookstore clerk about it!

Hi Carrie - From her comments, some are harder to read, so I'll start with the ones that are easier. The Josefina Plá sounds good to me.

No worries, Beth. Happy Sunday to you!

>195 BLBera: That is certainly one I will be looking out for Beth. Great review.

Have a lovely Sunday.

Hey Beth! I think I own All Roads Lead to Austen! I love Latino/Latina writers so this will be a real treat. I've read the most popular names you've mentioned but so many more to investigate! Yippee!!

Hi Beth. Your thread has been moving along at a good clip since last I visited. I see that there were mixed reviews of My Brilliant Friend and I have to say that I was, I don't know, somewhat relieved by that. I tell myself to stand on my own two feet when it comes to book reactions but when something seems to be universally loved and I felt kind of "meh" about it, I worry that I just missed something. I think some of your book group members echoed my own reactions: it's a good novel but I didn't love the characters and parts of it felt like a slog.

On the other hand, I will definitely look for The Big Green Tent!

By the way, I might look for a copy of All Roads Lead to Austen for P. She used to be fluent in Spanish, having spent two years in Ecuador in the Peace Corps (in the early 1980s) and loves Jane Austen. Great review!

Happy Sunday to you Mamie. How is your staycation going?

Thanks Paul - I will look for more by Ulitskaya. You and I are both celebrating this weekend, I imagine. My mother was 80 on March.

Hi Lynda - Some of the authors will be challenging to find in English, but I am going to try to read some in Spanish. I need the practice.

Hi Ellen - It is nice to see one's views vindicated. I always hope people will love books I love, but if there were always the case, it would be pretty boring around here -- and I'd never hear about new-to-me writers.

I am loving Ways to Disappear, a first novel. Her writing is stellar. More when I finish.

>195 BLBera: Ack! Two book bullets. Love the opening lines from Ways to Disappear.

I went and looked at Ways to Disappear. It looks interesting. Is it a Europa?

Hi Jenn - I've had some luck with my reading lately. Ways to Disappear is a wonderful first novel.

Hi Ellen - It isn't a Europa. It was great.

21. Ways to Disappear is a great first novel. Emma, a translator, rushes to Brazil when she hears that Beatriz Yagoda has disappeared. She has been translating Yagoda for years.

In fact, as the title indicates, there are many ways to disappear. Emma has a recurring dream in which she is turning to mist. And her job as a translator has rendered her invisible. Language and its ability to prove our existence is central to this fascinating, beautifully written novel.

Emma realizes the power of words: "She pulled out her notebook to steady herself with a little fantasy, to disappear for just a moment in to the relief of make-believe -- into the plea hidden in every fiction for immortality."

Lovely book.

Next: Arcadia, Iain Pears new novel.

>211 BLBera: Got me. I've put it on hold at the library.

Great review of Ways to Disappear, Beth.

> 211 Very tempting. I enjoy reading about translation so this is definitely a BB. Hope it's available here too.

Hi, Beth! Hope you had a good weekend. Sorry, to say, Some Luck fell flat for me but I am really enjoying Girl Waits with Gun.

Ways to Disappear sounds very good. It is on the list.

Hi Ellen - I'm on spring break and have a Scout day today. The weather is warm, so we'll do some outdoor things. I'll be curious about comments on Ways to Disappear; her style is unique. I loved it, but I suspect it won't be everybody's cup of tea.

Hi Nancy - Thanks.

Hi Charlotte - The stuff about translation is fascinating. She talks about changing things, such as the fruit people are eating to make it understandable, and how that can change meaning.

Hi Mark - So sorry that Some Luck didn't work for you. Oh well, if we all liked the same things, it would be dull around here. How's the weather your way? It's going to be 60 here today. I imagine spring can't come soon enough for you.

Catching up on what you are reading. I'm not taking any book bullets on anything that wasn't already on my "black hole" list (as Stasia used to call it).

Hi Beth, I hope you enjoying your spring break and I hope you get some spring weather to go with it!

Thanks for stopping by, Lori.

Hi Judy - It was beautiful today; Scout and I spent a lot of time outdoors. Almost all of the snow is gone, and it was about 60 degrees F., I think about 15 C. For early March, that is unbelievable.

Orange Prize Longlist:

✔Kate Atkinson: A God in Ruins

Shirley Barrett: Rush Oh!

Cynthia Bond: Ruby

Geraldine Brooks: The Secret Chord

Becky Chambers: The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet

Jackie Copleton: A Dictionary of Mutual Understanding

Rachel Elliott: Whispers Through a Megaphone

Anne Enright: The Green Road

Petina Gappah: The Book of Memory

Vesna Goldsworthy: Gorsky

Clio Gray: The Anatomist’s Dream

Melissa Harrison: At Hawthorn Time

Attica Locke: Pleasantville

Lisa McInerney: The Glorious Heresies

Elizabeth McKenzie: The Portable Veblen

Sara Nović: Girl at War

Julia Rochester: The House at the Edge of the World

Hannah Rothschild: The Improbability of Love

Elizabeth Strout: My Name is Lucy Barton

Hanya Yanagihara: A Little Life

I've only read A God in Ruins...

>220 BLBera: I haven't read any of those! I do have A Little Life, The Green Road, and The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet

Well that's a poke to get on and read The Book of Memory!

I liked the Brooks and Barrett, and thought The Green Road was amazing.

Rhine - Thi is the list that I find most attuned to my reading, so I'm always excited to see it. Some of the books are available in the States yet, but I reserved some others from the library.

Right Charlotte! The only one I've read is the Atkinson. I know you were speculating about the list -- were you close?

Nowhere near Beth! The only ones I guessed right were the obvious ones - Kate Atkinson, Anne Enright. Looking forward to finding some new favourites.

Well, we've got some good reading ahead. My library had a few, so I reserved them: The Book of Memory, The Improbability of Love and The Green Road, to start with.

Loved The Green Road. Will look for your comments - I think reactions have been mixed.

Well, Enright seems to get mixed reviews with all of her books. I've read a couple, and liked one and felt meh about the other -- now if I could only remember titles....

Morning, Beth! You got me with Ways to Disappear - nice review.

>220 BLBera: I only have a few of those on the shelves so far, Beth. Looks a pretty wide open race this one. I'll wager that Kate Atkinson finally gets some overdue literary recognition.

>220 BLBera: Goodness, I haven't yet read any of them! I did have The Portable Veblen here for a few days (library) but I returned it unread. I had too many other books to read and wasn't sure I was in the mood. Certainly I will read A God in Ruins (I'm saving it for October for the BAC) and I very much want to read The Green Road.

Oh, wait! I've read Pleasantville. No way would I think it belonged on this list. I mean, it was okay, but....

I finished And After Many Days last evening. I posted comments on my thread but the upshot is that I really liked it. Thank you for sending it my way.

The Book of Memory was a good read Beth. I'd like my own copy really. She does interesting things about how memory works, what we remember - as well as questions about destiny and choices. Not perfect, but certainly an impressive first novel.

Thanks Mamie - Ways to Disappear was very original. In some ways it reminds me of Lydia Millet's writing.

Hi Paul - The Atkinson is the only one I've read. I think about half are first-time novelists, which is always nice to see.

Hi Ellen - I don't feel so inadequate if we are all in the same boat. I reserved a few from the library. It's exciting because so many are first-timers. I love to discover new talent. Pleasantville follows another novel, right? Should I read them in order?

I'm so glad you liked And After Many Days - I look forward to more from him.

Great news, Charlotte. I have it on reserve in the library. I hope to get to it soon.

I'm about halfway through Arcadia, which is a fun read.

Thanks for posting the Orange list, Beth. I have selected two to reserve at my library. Looks like I will be the first reader of The Improbability of Love. I also chose Rush Oh! because I am a big fan of historical fiction. Like you, I am usually in tune with these selections…and there are many here I haven't heard of including the two I reserved.

I'm glad you and Scout are getting some nice weather so you can play outside. I'm heading to CO on Saturday where the weather is going to be warm and sunny for a few days, then cold and sunny the rest of my visit. Hope likes to be outside in any weather so we will have some outside activities. I'm going to fit a riding toy and a scooter into the trunk so we can have some new toys to play with.

>232 BLBera: The plethora of newcomers is exciting Beth, I agree, but the problem is it is even more difficult to know which ones to read.

Have a lovely weekend.

Beth, that Orange list is so tantalizing! If I weren't so intent on whittling down my 7 foot tower I'd request each of those from the library. *sigh*

Have a super duper weekend!

Hi Donna - I also reserved The Improbability of Love! Great minds... Our library didn't have a copy of Rush Oh!, but that is another that looked good to me.

Scout has been sick, so the poor kiddo has mainly been sitting on laps and looking pathetic. Her dad said he thought she was a bit peppier this morning.

Paul - It is difficult to know where to start. I've only read one on the list, so I have a lot of choice.

I hope your weekend is lovely as well.

Hi Lynda - I know - it makes me want to forget about other reading. You are doing great will your tower of books -- you could sneak in a library book. ;)

>233 Donna828: I also went for The Improbability of Love and may have been the first reader (no stamps these days). Good but not likely to make the shortlist imho. I've picked up The Ballroom - eligible but which wasn't shortlisted - now. I'm wondering if anything can challenge Atkinson/Yanigara/Enright.

Hi Beth, and thanks for the Orange Prize Longlist. I was all ready to order Rush Oh from the library but unfortunately my library doesn't have it. :( I also am interesting in The Long Way to A Small Angry Planet as I have been hearing good things about it. Looking forward to reading your thoughts on your choices!

Charlotte, at this rate, you'll have completed the entire list before I even get one from the library!

Hi Judy: I agree The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet sounds good. Others that I want to read are The Green Road, The Book of Memory, The House at the End of the World.

>238 DeltaQueen50: I hope your library gets Rush Oh!. I thought it was a fun read.

>239 BLBera: I've been lucky there were three sitting on the shelf - not sure that the same will apply for the others. Gorsky has a way to come from the other side of the county!

Wow! Lots of new books to explore from the Orange Longlist. I loved Lucy Barton and have The Secret Chord on my bedside table.

Hi Beth. To answer your question up there, Pleasantville is the second in the "series" by Attica Locke. The first was Black Water Rising. They are quite good but not breathtaking.

I've put The Book of Memory on hold at the library. I'm tempted by the rest of the list but trying to restrain myself so I can work on the stacks in the house!

Charlotte - Well, after I've read a few, we'll have to compare notes. You have to read the Atkinson.

Hi Amy - I must say ToB's first round was very disappointing -- Fates and Furies is out?! I look forward to some good reads from the Orange list.

Hi Ellen - I will probably read the Attica Locke books in order, then. I am looking forward to The Book of Memory, too. Charlotte loved it, and I trust her...

I'm almost done with Arcadia, which is a fun read -- more comments later. Hmm. Should I finish it or grade some essays?

23. Arcadia by Iain Pears
"Generally speaking, our minds impose an entirely artificial order on the world. It is the only way that such an inadequate instrument as our brain can function. It cannot deal with the complexity of reality, so simplifies everything until it can, putting events into an artificial order so they can be dealt with one at a time, rather than all at once as they should be."

Arcadia is a triumph of the imagination. Pears has created three worlds: A bleak, overpopulated future, where efficiency and a few powerful corporations rule; a pastoral world without technology, and the 1960s. Past, present, future, right? Or is it?

A genius mathematician, Angela Meerson, creates a machine that she originally thinks will take people to alternate universes -- but she comes to believe that instead, it is a time machine. To evade authorities, she takes refuge in the early 20th century and tries to work out the kinks. That starts a chase through time. The question is, what is the future, and can the future influence the past? It's all very complicated as we move between the various worlds.

With allusions to C.S. Lewis and Tolkien, this is an entertaining story that surprises. It is also a testament to the power of stories.

Next: Our book club is reading The Secret History of Wonder Woman and I have a few library books that have to go back soon.

I'm excited by the Bailey's long list too! I'm currently reading The House at the Edge of the World and loving it! It just appealed to me. On Charlotte's advice I am on the backordered list for The Book of Memory on amazon ca. Still waiting for Lucy Barton on the library hold list. I've seen Arcadia at the bookstore and you've done an excellent review of the book, but I just am not a reader of alternate universes etc. Very boring person, me.

>245 BLBera: This sounds good Beth. Will look out for it. I like that the maths genius is female. Just read Jacky Fleming's very funny take on women being written out of history, including the wacky theory that 'genius hair' was not available to women (cue picture of Einstein!).

Hi Beth! Arcadia sounds interesting. I loved An Instance of the Fingerpost and I have enjoyed the books I've read from his Jonathan Argyll series, so his name always catches my eye.

I have managed to get an e-galley of Vinegar Girl from NetGalley so I'll be reading it before long. :-)

Hi Deborah - I'll watch for your comments on The House at the Edge of the World. It caught my eye as well. My next one will be The Green Road, I think. I just got a notice from the library that it's waiting for me.

It's good that we don't all like the same thing.

Hi Charlotte - There are some strong women in this novel; I enjoyed it. Love the hair theory.

Hi Carrie - Hooray for Vinegar Girl. I got Even in Paradise for an ER book this month. I haven't read An Instance of the Fingerpost, but I loved his Argyll series. Arcadia is good.

I started Speak, which sounds interesting. Emily St. John Mandel says, "That rarest of finds: a novel that doesn't remind me of any other book I've ever read." I don't remember where I heard about this, perhaps NPR?

Stopping by to get caught up and to wish you a lovely Sunday Beth. Great and very interesting batch of reading since I last stopped by! I am avoiding the Bailey/Orange List only because I have enough on my plate with the author challenges.

Hi Lori - That's why I try to ignore the challenges -- too many good things come up to distract me. :)

24. Spider Woman's Daughter is a continuation of the Leaphorn-Chee series by Anne Hillerman, Tony Hillerman's daughter. She does a good job keeping the characters and style consistent with the previous books.

This one starts with the shooting of Joe Leaphorn. In the investigation, some of the old cases are revisited, making me want to reread some of the earlier books. Great sense of place, I love the descriptions of the reservation. I think fans of the series will appreciate this one.

All caught up with you again, Beth! Thanks for posting the Bailey's long list. There are several on there already on my WL and several more I'll have to investigate. I did read Ruby and loved it. It's a brutal read, but very, very good. I hope more people will pick it up.

>253 katiekrug: I'm a bit worried I'm going to have this on a loop in my head whilst reading.

(Ruby, The Kaiser Chiefs) https://youtu.be/qObzgUfCl28

Hi Katie - I just uploaded Ruby to my Nook, remembering your recommendation. I'm going to try it at the gym tonight.

I'm not even clicking on the link, Charlotte. :)

>254 charl08: - Oh dear :(

>255 BLBera: - Not sure it'll make a good gym book, Beth. I cringed and cried through a lot of it....

I was wondering about that, Katie. Maybe it will make my feet move faster? I'll give it a try. I've found that light mysteries seem to work the best, but then I did read All Roads Lead to Austen, so I'll try Ruby.

Hmm - maybe I should look for a back-up, just in case.

>252 BLBera: Fortunately I still have quite a few of the original Hillerman books to read in the Leaphorn-Chee series before deciding whether to break my cardinal rule to never read series continuations by another author. I'll take your positive review under advisement, though!

>257 BLBera: I feel you are not taking my earworm seriously (!)

I read Eva Rice's new book last night. Rather sweet, although I can see why it wouldn't get shortlisted. Hopefully it will find plenty of readers anyway, as it made me smile.

Julia - Well, rules are made to be broken, right? Lucky you, to still have some of the originals to read.

Charlotte - Still not clicking. I'll look for the Rice book, one of these days. I'm going to pick up The Green Road from the library tomorrow. I know I'll never catch up, but at least I can get started on some of the Orange books.

I have The Secret History of Wonder Woman near the top of the TBR pile--got it for my birthday and can't wait to get to it!! And good to know that Hillerman continues on. : )

Hi Kim - Well, after about 100 pages, I am still waiting for Wonder Woman. I'm not loving this book as much as some have. But I still have a ways to go. Maybe my expectations were too high.

>262 BLBera: Oh no! Hope it improves. It's a long book if you're not enjoying reading it.

Hi Charlotte - Let's say I'm not enjoying it as much as I expected to. There is some great material on feminists in the early 20th century.

Hi Beth. I am still impressed that you are able to read on your Nook while working out. I am finding audiobooks to work best for me while walking and I'm leaning toward mostly narrative nonfiction as the primary go-to for that medium.

I'm in Montana right now enjoying the snow and my colleagues from around the Northwest region. Not much reading getting done but I'm having a great time. I do expect to finish The Book Thief tonight and it's been a great read.

I hope you have a great weekend coming up. Scout time?

Popping out of hibernation to say I just finished Shylock is My Name. Ugh! If anything, you were very kind in your comments. Glad to have that one out of the way! I appreciated your comments.

Have a great end to your week and a fabulous weekend.

Hi Ellen - Not everything works for working out reading. But if I find something I like, it is a great motivator to get moving.

I don't know that I am envious of the snow, but the conference sounds fun.

My weekend is looking like grading. I hope to get some Scout time.

Hi Marianne - Thanks. Well, I could appreciate the intellectual aspect of it; it's just that there is a limit to how much conversation about circumcision I can take. And I appreciated the reality TV aspect that he inserted. But the characters left me cold.

I'll look for your comments.

Happy Weekend!

Happy Friday, Beth! Arcardia sounds really good but I fear it could turn out to be China Mieville-like as in The City & The City.
Oooo, I purchased Spider Woman's Daughter recently from March Kindle specials. Glad to read Hillerman's daughter is keeping up his tradition.

Have a super weekend!

Thanks Diana - I'm hoping to see flowers here soon.

Hi Lynda - You said it! I really liked Arcadia, while I picked up The City & The City a couple of times and could not get into it.

I read Spider Woman's Daughter on my Nook! Great minds.

Are you traveling this weekend?

Hi Beth! I hope you get plenty of Scout time this weekend, and a bit of time for reading in between grading sessions.

Thanks Carrie.

25. Speak by Louisa Hall has as its central idea that fact that it is a vital human need to relate to others. This idea is portrayed through the voices of several people, from a seventeenth century Puritan girl, to a man from the future in prison for creating lifelike robots. Several of the characters are involved with advancing AI, the idea being that people are replacing human contact with the computer, and mistakenly considering it a form of intimacy.

The point is clear, and while I had high expectations for the novel, in the end I was disappointed. The short sections from each character didn't allow me to make connections, and finally, I started to feel like this was a creative writing project. A good idea, but imperfectly executed.

I'm not sure what I'll turn to next. My students are starting A Visit from the Goon Squad, so I'll be reading that with them, and I still am working on The Secret History of Wonder Woman.

>273 BLBera: I was planning to read A Visit from the Goon Squad, or was I planning to visit the goon squad, I can't remember now.

Have a great weekend, Beth.

>273 BLBera: Shame that this didn't work - I love that cover though...

Hi Beth. Hope your weekend features more Scout type and not too much marking time. Arcadia sounds interesting and I will look out for that one.

Hah, Paul. I think the read would be a more pleasant proposition. ;) You have a wonderful weekend as well.

Hi Charlotte - I know. The description sounded great, but it just didn't work for me. I saw there were a lot of high ratings, though, so it might be worth a try. It is a great cover - no half woman's face!

Hi Heather - I think you would like Arcadia.

Well, I looked at my library books and saw that My Life on the Road is due next week, and people are waiting it, so I started that. I'll put down The Secret History of Wonder Woman for a time.

Happy Sunday, Beth.

Just stopping by on a Sunday morning to say hi, Beth. The library, unfortunately, doesn't have All Roads Lead to Austen, so I am still looking for it.

Happy Sunday to you as well, Barbara.

Hi Roni - I got All Roads Lead to Austen on my Nook - it was a deal. Maybe it will be again?

Happy Sunday to you as well, Barbara.

Hi Roni - I got All Roads Lead to Austen on my Nook - it was a deal. Maybe it will be again? Hi back.

And Happy Monday!

Hi Beth. I hope you are doing well. It's spring break here and that should mean easier days but I had five (count 'em) meetings today. Tomorrow should be a bit more peaceful. I'm starting to pack up my office.... I will miss the spaciousness and the view of the Space Needle but, still, I'm ready for the transition to happen.

I've started A Manual for Cleaning Women and I think you might like it....

Morning, Beth! Happy Wednesday to you!

Hi Beth! Just stopping in..... Whatcha readin'?

Thanks Kim - I haven't been around much this week busy with school and I tweaked my back. Sitting is painful.

Hi Ellen - Hooray for spring break. Ours was early this year, so it's a distant memory now. So, it sounds as if you are downsizing your office? I hope your replacement is awesome and your workload becomes more manageable. I'm looking forward to the end of my second job, too! A virtual celebration!

My book club has A Manual for Cleaning Women on our list for this year! I'll watch for your comments.

Hi Mamie - Thanks. We're expecting 10 to 15 inches of snow

Hi Katie - WOO HOO! Snow day tomorrow! It's our second, almost unheard of AND we know the night before.

I just finished My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem, which is a wonderful memoir. I'm gather my thoughts right now. I'm not sure what I'm going to pick up next.

26. My Life on the Road is a great memoir. Gloria Steinem is an inspiration to all activists and is surprisingly humble. Her memoir starts with her family; her father was a kind of traveling salesman and lived most of his life on the road. Each chapter then deals with one aspect of her travels, and she tells what she learned from it. She has collections of vignettes from her taxi rides, from truck stops and from organizing events in motel rooms. She talks about campaigns, both local and national, as well as her experiences as a journalist.

All feminists should read this book; we owe a lot to Steinem. And a great quote about the virtues of travel:
"What seems to be one thing from a distance is very different close up. I tell you this story because it's the kind of lesson that can be learned only on the road. And also because I've come to believe that, inside, each of us has a purple motorcycle."

Highly recommended.

I'm going to look through my books to decide what to read next. I have to finish The Secret History of Wonder Woman, but I think I'm in the mood for a novel.

>287 BLBera: Love that purple motorcycle quote Beth. I am waiting for this from the library - I wish it was possible sometimes to make contact with the others in my area who are reading books like this.

I am reading The Hero's walk and just loving it.

Hi Charlotte: I decided to start a library book Good on Paper - interestingly another novel about a translator. I'll watch for your comments. I've been limiting my time on the computer because I tweaked my back and sitting is killing.

You got me with the Steinem memoir, Beth. Adding it to the list! I also love the quote you chose.

Morning Beth! Sorry to read of the tweaked back. Hope some rest will help

Hi Mamie - When you read the story connected with the quote, it is even better, but I didn't want to spoil anyone's fun.

Hi Lynda - Thanks. It doesn't help that I am looking at about a foot of snow in my driveway...I'm thinking. But I know my daughter will kill me if I go out to shovel, so I'd better go back to lying flat. It's hard to read in that position...

Definitely, NO DIGGING!

That is all. I'd recommend the kindle or other digital device for reading when dealing with back issues. Or listening? Hope you feel better soon.

Have a wonderful Easter.

Beth, I wish you a relaxed weekend. Feel better soon.

Great review and recommendation of My Life on the Road, Beth. (now why, when I typed in the entire title, would it give me Kerouac's On the Road as the first option for a touchstone? hmph)

I'm home sick today. I was planning a self-care day in any case but came down with this darn cold that has been going around. Our spring break was less restful than I had hoped: on Sunday we learned that a student had been arrested for DV assault of his girlfriend, also a student. She died on Tuesday and he has now been charged with 1st degree murder. It was sad and infuriating, and it ended up requiring a bunch of support and consultation with staff and faculty, and a few students (not many around, really). Anyway, I don't mean to complain. It's my job and I'm in some sense happy that I can be there to help. But it just changed the tenor of the week.

Still, today I'm spending propped up in bed with LT and a stack of books. Tonight I'll watch my women UW Huskies in the Sweet Sixteen (this was not expected -- they upset #5 Maryland on their home floor!). Sunday we go to Olympia to have dinner with FIL and his wife. And P bought me a mild chocolate bunny from Frans. Yum.



I hope you have a lovely weekend ahead of you.

Okay, that is the dark chocolate bunny. Here is the one I got:



Yes, I'm being silly. Must be the cold meds.

I'd take either of those bunnies... Not fussy.

I'm reading Janet Malcolm on Sylvia Plath's biography. Intriguing stuff. Hope that your back is better and that the snow has gone.

Thanks for the well wishes, Charlotte. I pushed a little snow around, but my daughter did most of the shoveling. The back is a little better today. I'm hoping to baby it a little more over the weekend. The snow is melting. I think it will be gone by the end of the weekend. The Janet Malcolm sounds interesting.

Thanks Paul, Diana and Barbara for the lovely images.

I like you silly, Ellen. I do prefer light chocolate. Nice. I still have to shop for my Easter basket treats.

As to the touchstone, I guess we can blame it on the patriarchy -- oh have I been reading too much Steinem? Actually, she was not very polemic. I am sure you will love her memoir.

Terrible news about your student.

Feel better soon.

My thread is taking a while to load. Is that a sign I need a new one? I was hoping to get through March...

Stopping by to get caught up and see that you are recovering from a back 'injury'. Glad to see you are taking it easy, and minimizing your snow shoveling activities. Wishing you a Happy Easter.

Thanks Lori. It seems to be on the mend. Happy Easter to you, too.