Laura (lauralkeet)'s 2016 Reading - Part 3

Father’s Day 2016 in Philadelphia with my family. This photo was taken in Elfreth’s Alley, the oldest residential street in the United States. It was also my first experience with a selfie stick, which made all of us feel rather silly.




2016 is my 8th year in the 75 Books Challenge and my 3rd year with no reading goals whatsoever. I started out as a highly structured reader, organizing my life around resolutions, challenges, and monthly reading plans. After a while, it all got to be a bit much and I’ve been happier with the “read what I want, when I want” approach, joining the occasional group or theme read when it strikes my fancy. So let the reading begin!

Part 1 (books 1-9) | Part 2 (books 10-28) |

Books completed ("details" jumps to location in this thread where review & links can be found)
July
29. Tooth and Nail - details
30. The Light Between Oceans - details
31. The Trap - details
32. Before the Fall - details
33. The Patron Saint of Liars - details
34. Nobody's Fool - details

August
35. Strip Jack - details
36. Cheerfulness Breaks In - details
37. The Glorious Heresies - details
38. Oberland - details
39. Homegoing - details

September
40. The Spectator Bird - details
41. Northbridge Rectory - details
42. Everybody's Fool - details
43. Dawn's Left Hand - details
44. Commonwealth - details
45. Designing Your Life - details

Series Progress

Active series as of July 1:


My series list is courtesy of FictFact, which allows you to select the series you wish to track. They do a reasonable job of maintaining current series, although in some cases they have added books that I don't consider a legitimate part of the series (e.g., the Harry Potter prequel). The above snapshot is a view of my active series sorted on the "progress" column.

Series completed/current in 2016:
* Chronicles of Carlingford, by Margaret Oliphant (March)
* The Neapolitan Novels, by Elena Ferrante (March)

Series started in 2016:
* The Transylvanian Trilogy, by Miklos Banffy
* The Pallisers, by Anthony Trollope

Happy new thread, Laura!

Happy Second Half, Laura!

Great topper, Laura. Happy New Thread!

And Happy 4th!

Happy new thread, Laura

Best trying out a selfie stick photo I've seen! Happy new thread, Laura.

Hey there Amber, Linda, Joe, Paul, & Meg! Thanks for filling my new thread with happy greetings. I've enjoyed the long July 4th weekend. Even better, I'm off work the rest of the week! No travel plans -- our "real" vacation will be at the end of August -- but I plan to revel in a much-needed break from the office.

Happy new thread! Happy Fourth! Happy Staycation! Happy Laura!

Hope you had fun on the 4th! Happy new thread! I will have to check out the FictFact series tracker. Thumbs up on that!

Happy new thread. Love the Selfie stick family shot.

Hope your staycation is lovely and relaxing.

>10 Berly: Hi Kim! I've been following Mark's travels and it looks like you were part of another great LT meetup. Luck you!

>11 charl08: Thanks Charlotte! I have very few scheduled plans this week (the first one, today, is rather boring: dropping my car off for service). I'm looking forward to unstructured time.

Happy new thread Laura - I'm also a fan of the family selfie-stick picture :-) Glad to see on your last thread that you are still enjoying the Palliser series.

Hi Laura. I may be the last remaining citizen of the united states who has neither used a selfie-stick nor watched an episode of Game of Thrones.

Happy New Thread, Laura!

>13 souloftherose: Glad you like the photo, Heather. My daughters bought the selfie stick for a day at the beach, but brought it with them to our Fathers Day celebration. I'm not sure I could be considered aconvert, but it was kinda fun.

>14 EBT1002: Well, Ellen, prior to Fathers Day I would have occupied the same tiny slice of the venn diagram as you. Still haven't watched GoT though!

29. Tooth and Nail ()
My Review
Source: On my shelves
Why I read this now: I was looking for a light diversion after finishing a Trollope novel.

This is the third Inspector Rebus mystery and as police procedurals go, it did not disappoint. John Rebus is called to London from his native Scotland to help investigate a series of murders gripping the city. The killer, nicknamed "Wolfman," has a trademark gruesome approach and the murders are happening with alarming frequency. The local police are initially wary of this outsider and his ability to solve a case in a completely unfamiliar town. For that matter, Rebus is wary too, believing he has no more specialized expertise than the next guy. But Rebus is better at suspecting the unsuspectable, and at making connections between seemingly unrelated events. Mystery solved, complete with a dramatic page-turning car chase.

The Rebus mysteries also include parallel storylines about the inspector's personal life. In this case, his now grown-up daughter is living in London with his ex-wife, and in a relationship with a young man of questionable reputation. Like any father, Rebus is worried about this relationship and it turns out his concern is justified. It's just another situation for Rebus to turn around in the course of his short stay in London.

This series isn't "great literature," but it makes for fun escapist reading. However, I take exception to the "detective as sex god" trope which runs through these books. Rebus is consistently described as overweight and unattractive -- this novel includes a detailed analysis of the poor condition of his teeth -- and yet each book finds him bedding down with some highly desirable woman. Not only is it unbelievable, it's unnecessary. And it places the female characters in a subservient role with sex as their primary purpose, even when these women are directly involved in solving the case. I'll read the next book because it's on my shelves, but if this happens again I'm not sure I will continue.

>14 EBT1002: Nope. I'm in that club as well, and have no plans to relinquish my membership any time soon!

>16 lauralkeet: I've pretty much skipped these early ones and just read the more recent ones (about the internal complaints division, who then go on to talk to Rebus...). If my memory serves from the ones I did read, Siobhan gets more of a role?

Lovely photo of your family!

>17 laytonwoman3rd: Yay for Linda! You and Ellen should have badges made up or something.

>18 charl08: That's useful information, Charlotte. I haven't "met" Siobhan yet; a little Googling shows she turns up in book 5. It's encouraging that the characters and situations evolve over time. I know Colleen/@NanaCC really likes these books as well. So I'll carry on reading!

>19 lit_chick: Thanks Nancy!

Happy New Thread, Laura! Love the topper! You have a beautiful family. Hope you had a nice 4th.

>21 msf59: Hi Mark! Thanks for your kind words ... we had a nice albeit uneventful 4th.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I just remembered that when I posted my review of the third Inspector Rebus (>16 lauralkeet:), I also meant to post an excerpt that was so dated, it cracked me up. This book was published in 1992 and I'm sure the following sleuthing was intended to sound really high tech. Here are the investigators looking at a letter received from the serial killer:

'Typeface used is Helvetica. Unusual for personal correspondence, though used by newspapers and magazines.' Flight looked up meaningfully.
...
Rebus considered this. 'Okay,' he said at last, 'go on.'
'Helvetica can be found on some electronic typewriters and electric golfball machines, but is more commonly found on computers and word processors. ... Also, the letters line up neatly, suggesting that a good quality printer has been used, probably a daisywheel, suggesting in turn the use of a high quality word processor or word-processing package.'

There's so much in this short passage that's worth noting:
1. Helvetica, that rare and esoteric font, is now widespread. It and its close relatives (Arial, Verdana, etc.) are familiar to anyone using Microsoft Word (a "word-processing package") today.
3. Electronic typewriters -- remember those?
2. Electric golfball machines???!!
3. No doubt readers were impressed by the criminal's use of high end equipment like daisywheel printers and word processors.

>22 lauralkeet: I remember back in '90 in university my roommate and I rented an electric typewriter for the semester to write our papers on. Although we also took a computer course analyzing the educational value of software used with elementary students. But we certainly didn't have a computer of our own!

>22 lauralkeet: - Heh.

>22 lauralkeet: Electric golfball machines???!!

Ah: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_Selectric_typewriter . I do remember electronic typewriters, as well as their manual predecessors. And carbon paper! And ditto machines!

I don't want anyone to take away my computer and all its marvels, and I never want to see a crinkly sheet of carbon paper again. But gosh I miss my Selectric typewriter. It gave you a choice of fonts...a choice of TWO fonts!

Happy new thread, Laura.

>23 raidergirl3: that's interesting, Elizabeth. I studied Computer Science in the 80s and for those courses I used keypunch cards my first year, and computer terminals after that. I can't remember a thing about how I wrote papers!! My first post-uni job (mid-1980s) involved introducing personal computers to a large multinational company. Many thought they were nothing more than toys and we had to show how they could be useful in a business context.

>24 katiekrug: :) hi Katie!

>25 qebo: Oh ... IBM Selectrics! I remember those and the other "artifacts of civilization" that you mention, Katherine. For some reason, I thought an electric golfball machine had something to do with actual golf balls!

>26 laytonwoman3rd: My parents made me take typing one summer, because the following year (8th grade) I would have to write a term paper and it was required to be typed. We had a manual typewriter at home, which I had dabbled with, but the class used electrics. I'm not sure they were actual Selectrics but I remember it was seen as quite the technological innovation at the time.

>27 DianaNL: Hi Diana!

Happy New Thread, Laura! Great family photo up top.

artifacts of civilization: that cracked me up, LOL! I too remember the IBM Selectric, and how hot a ticket it was in its day!

30. The Light Between Oceans ()
My Review
Source: My local library
Why I read this now: It's this month's Book Club read.

Shortly after World War I, Tom Sherbourne takes a position as keeper of a lighthouse off Australia's southwestern coast. His only human contact is the supply boats that come every three months, and he is occasionally granted shore leave. But after the horrors of war, the isolation appeals to him and the daily routine provides comfort. However, Tom is also attracted to Isabel, a young woman he met in town. The two eventually marry and hope to start a family. Sadly, Isabel's pregnancies do not go full term. One day a boat washes ashore containing a dead man and a healthy baby girl. Isabel, grieving lost pregnancies, insists they keep the child, raise it as their own, and tell no one about the boat and the dead man. Tom goes along with this against his better judgement. Several months later, the family returns to town for baby Lucy's christening, and they learn of a woman whose husband and infant daughter disappeared at sea. It appears Lucy was first known as Grace, and her mother is alive and well. Tom and Isabel return to their island with Lucy, but the couple is even more divided about what's best for the child. The couple's choices have far-reaching consequences for Tom & Isabel, for Lucy-Grace, and for Hannah, the mother who lost a husband and child.

While there were some aspects of this debut novel that were overly dramatic, I was completely caught up in Tom and Isabel's ethical dilemma. The conflict and its resolution were satisfying and realistic, although certain elements seemed a bit rushed and glossed over the psychological trauma. But I cared a lot about each character's welfare, and found this book hard to put down.

31. The Trap ()
No Review
Source: My Virago Modern Classics collection
Why I read this now: Part of a year-long group read

Another one down. This completes the third volume. One volume (5 novellas) to go.

>22 lauralkeet: That is delightful! Electric golfball machines!?!? Do we know what that is (was)??

When I was in college, my dad gave me an electric typewriter that had 80 characters of memory. I could go back and erase a mistake as long as I had not typed more than 80 characters before I noticed it! I loved that machine.

And, years later, I did my dissertation on an IBM(?) 286 machine. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. Now I'm in that group of people who want to throw my computer through the window if it does not respond now.

>33 EBT1002: Hi Ellen! I'm glad you enjoyed the trip down tech's memory lane. You are lucky to have had that typewriter, my friend. I remember writing papers in high school and using that corrective tape. Many tears were shed trying to publish a flawless term paper.

Glad you enjoyed The Light Between Oceans. Read recently, and I can't remember where, that this was to become a movie. I'd be interested in seeing it, depending who is cast as Tom and Isabel.

Hi Laura!

>35 lit_chick: ooh, yes it would make a good movie!

>36 katiekrug: hey there Krazy Kat!

32. Before the Fall ()
My Review
Source: My Kindle
Why I read this now: I kept hearing about it on book podcasts, and added my name to a ridiculously long library queue. But then it popped up as a $3.99 Kindle deal ... SOLD!

One summer evening, 11 passengers board a private jet for a short flight from Martha's Vineyard for a short 20-minute flight to New York. Sixteen minutes into the flight, the plane crashes into the water. There are only two survivors: Scott Burroughs, a painter and last-minute addition to the passenger list, and JJ, a 4-year-old boy. Scott, a competitive swimmer, heroically manages to get himself and JJ to shore. A media circus ensues, in no small part because the plane's passengers included a high-profile media mogul and his family, and a well-known financier and his wife. What caused the crash? Nearly everyone on board was either a potential target or had a plausible motive. Chapter by chapter the reader learns the back stories of the passengers and crew, while in the present day Scott must recover both physically and emotionally, and he feels a strong bond with JJ and wants to ensure he is in good hands with his maternal aunt and uncle, suddenly thrust into guardianship.

The novel's suspense builds at a steady pace and kept me wondering "whodunnit" until about 30 pages from the end when the investigative team has a breakthrough. At that point, I made sure I had an uninterrupted schedule, free of distractions, so I could read straight through to the exciting and satisfying conclusion. Excellent summer reading. As long as you're not about to board a plane ...

I've got my eye on Before the Fall, Laura. I almost bought it when it was on sale on Kindle but then talked myself out of it, so now I'm in the middle of a long library queue. A friend of mine was reading it last week and raved about it...

>39 katiekrug: Katie, I noticed the deal on the very same day that I finished one book and was thinking "hmm, now what do I want to read next?" And what can I say, I caved.

>38 lauralkeet: Your comment about reading on plane journeys made me laugh. Hope they're not selling this in airplane bookshops!

Great review, Laura. Sound well worth the read! Hope they're not selling this in airplane bookshops! LOL!

>38 lauralkeet: Hmm, that sounds like a good book in between or on the side of more serious reading, though I already have a stash of many on my Nook that I haven't yet gotten to.

>41 charl08:, >42 lit_chick: omg airport bookshops! I hope not too!

>43 qebo: yes that's exactly the kind of read it is, Katherine. It fit the bill nicely.

Also, the author is the creator of the TV series, Fargo. Which I have not become hooked on, but I can say he does "dark" well.

Happy Sunday, Laura. Ooh, Before the Fall. That one has been getting a lot of buzz. Glad you liked it. I have it saved both on ebook and audio.

Have you watched the TV show Fargo? If not, it is really good.

>44 lauralkeet: Downloaded, started, already hooked. I'm a comfortable 35 pages from the end of Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power for the book group that meets on Wednesday. Taking a break.

>45 msf59: Mark, I watched a couple episodes of Fargo when it was a new series. I loved the Coen brothers film and wanted to see how it compared. It was very well done, but it also totally creeped me out. Maybe because I was home alone the week that I watched it?! Anyway, I kinda never got back to it. :)

>46 qebo: I hope Before the Fall is a good antidote to what sounds like a more serious and scholarly work, Katherine. Glad I could be of service ... Enjoy!

Fans of CJ Sansom's Shardlake mysteries will want to check out this piece about the restoration of King Henry VIII's flagship, the Mary Rose, featured in Heartstone:
Mary Rose warship: Full view revealed after museum revamp

>48 lauralkeet: Oh cool. Thanks.

Have you ever thought to yourself, "oh, I love that author!" and found later that you have actually read only one of their books? That's me this week with Ann Patchett.

I loved Bel Canto, which garnered serious literary acclaim. And then she released a couple more books -- State of Wonder and Run -- and I said to myself, "hey I love Ann Patchett, I should read those" but never did. A couple years ago, Patchett was awarded the Kenyon Review Award for Literary Achievement, and because "I love Ann Patchett," I urged my daughter (a Kenyon English major at the time) to get involved in the campus events surrounding the award. I also think Patchett is really cool because she runs a bookstore in Nashville. And she has a dog who visits the bookstore.

Last August I came across The Patron Saint of Liars in a used bookshop and snapped it up. Because, you know, I love Ann Patchett and I hadn't read that one. And that's because I haven't actually read anything by her except that one book, Bel Canto. Silly me.

So this week I'm reading and enjoying The Patron Saint of Liars. It was her debut novel, and it's not nearly as complex and layered as Bel Canto. Published in 1992, it feels like an Oprah book, although I'm not sure if it was. It reads quickly, and it's pretty good. Patchett has a new book, Commonwealth, coming out soon and a book tour this fall. And oh my! She's coming to Philadelphia in October!!

So now I'm having a Green Eggs and Ham epiphany about Ann Patchett, and I think I might just have to snap up everything she's written. And read them. In order of publication, of course.

Anyone else ever had this happen to them?

Morning Laura! Hooray for Patchett. I am looking forward to her new one and I still want to read State of Wonder & Truth & Beauty.

I am loving both Homegoing & Everyone Brave. These might also ring your bells. Just sayin'...

Nice review of Before the Fall, Laura.

>50 lauralkeet: I want to say that the same thing has happened to me at least once, but I can't think of which author that would apply to, offhand.

ETA: Great photo of you and your family!

>50 lauralkeet: - This is so me. But what's worse, I do it for authors I haven't even read yet. I'm just convinced I will like their work, so I buy anything I can find... One example - Elizabeth Bowen. I have six of her books but never read a one. Shameful...

I've read precisely two works by Joyce Carol Oates but have over 20 of her books on my shelves/Kindle....

Hooray for a Green Eggs and Ham epiphany about Ann Patchett, Laura. That made me smile. Because, you know, I know you love her!

Hello. Goodbye. Jus' passin' thru...

>50 lauralkeet: Ha! I've gone as far as recommending authors to friends that I haven't even read yet!! I mainly base these on opinions on LT. I've recommended Denise Mina to a friend that was looking for a new hard-edged detective series and Louise Erdrich to a friend looking for Native American authors. Luckily they both liked them!

>51 msf59: Mark, I've requested Homegoing from my library, thanks to you, Katie & Nancy. I can't wait!

>52 kidzdoc: Thanks for the compliment on the pic, Darryl!

>53 katiekrug: Katie, I have a couple of Bowens but I'm SURE I've never read her. JCO is someone I should read but haven't. So let me know how they work out for you, okay?! LOL

>54 lit_chick: I appreciate the vote of confidence, Nancy. :)

>55 weird_O: Hey Bill. Cool gif!

>56 japaul22: Well I haven't gone that far, Jennifer, but I could easily to do it.

~~~~

And to everyone who's commented, I am so glad to see I'm in such good company! I shouldn't be surprised, we LTers share some common vices virtues.

I think there's a copy of State of Wonder in my daughter's bedroom, I'm a gonna look. I can also get it, along with Run, through my library's Kindle loan program. I just might be taking Patchett with me on vacation at the end of August.

>38 lauralkeet: "As long as you're not about to board a plane ..."
Hmm. Maybe I will skip that one for now. But it sounds excellent!

>50 lauralkeet: Oh yeah! I have definitely done that. And, like japaul22, I have even recommended authors I haven't read at all. I always base it on good empirical evidence, of course, like that one or more of my trusted LT reading buddies have loved it, I read a good review by a trusted reviewer..... I mean, as much as we love reading books, I think the sustained energy of this group suggests that we like talking about books almost as much! I know I do.

State of Wonder is emerging as a top competitor for the final list of books-that-get-to-go-on-vacation-with-Ellen. It sounds like Patchett might be on this year's vacation list for a few of us!

I have only read one of hers, Truth & Beauty. I own Bel Canto and State of Wonder. Commonwealth is on hold at the library (for when it is released). Oh -- and I have been to her bookshop in Nashville! :-)

>58 EBT1002: Hi Ellen! My daughters went to Parnassus Books on a Nashville Road Trip last year; I was envious. It turns out the Patchett in my daughter's bedroom was Bel Canto. She listened to State of Wonder on audio. No biggie, I'll get it from the library. My library let me request Commonwealth too -- and I'm 19th in line! I'm glad to see the Patchett love ...

I finished The Patron Saint of Liars last night and really enjoyed it -- review coming soon.

33. The Patron Saint of Liars ()
My Review
Source: On my shelves
Why I read this now: It just caught my eye and I decided to knock it off Mt TBR

When Rose Clinton becomes pregnant in the summer of 1967, she knows that without dramatic action on her part she will be locked in an unfulfilling marriage for the rest of her life. And so she leaves, heading east from her home in California to the St Elizabeth’s home for unwed mothers in rural Kentucky. This former hotel, now run by an order of nuns, is a refuge for “fallen women” who are expected to give up their newborns for adoption and then return to their former life as if they had only been away on holiday visiting relatives.

Rose, too, does not plan to keep her baby. But she also knows she will not go back to California. During the course of her pregnancy, she eases into the rhythm of life at St Elizabeth’s, first helping Sister Evangeline in the kitchen and over time assuming most of the daily food service responsibilities. By the time her baby is born St Elizabeth’s is home, and Rose has found a way to make a life for herself within the social norms of the day.

Some novelists might choose to end things right there. But Ann Patchett has much more in store for Rose and St Elizabeth’s over the ensuing 15 years. Rose is a strong woman, but unable to show affection let alone create and sustain intimate relationships. Only Sister Evangeline, one of the most endearing characters in this book, is able to penetrate her shell. But even so, she is unable to heal Rose’s inner wounds. And again, some novelists might have taken the storyline to a very predictable place. But in this, her 1992 debut, Ann Patchett shows signs of the brilliance that led to Bel Canto and other novels, with a surprising, emotional and satisfying resolution to Rose’s story.

Currently Reading - Update



* Nobody's Fool - Richard Russo's latest novel, Everybody's Fool, was published earlier this year and several LTers really enjoyed it. And while I know it's not really a sequel to Nobody's Fool, I felt like I just *had* to read the first book first. I know folks here will understand. :) I read the first 25 pages or so last night and can tell I'm going to enjoy it.

Hooray for Nobody's Fool! I just read it this year and Mamie just finished it. I believe we both gave it 5 stars :) I'm not sure if I'll read the "sequel."

I have that Patchett on my shelf - have had for over a decade probably. I should probably read it sometime soon....

Woohoo! The Patron Saint of Liars sounds like my cuppa, Laura, so appreciate your endorsement and great review. Nobody's Fool is one I had requested my library to purchase after I saw it on Katie's (?) thread ... and I see it is on order! Yay!

Laura, I read That Old Cape Magic for Mark's AAC when Russo was featured and it was obvious that he was a writer worth following, even though, that one was not apparently one of his very best.

Have a great weekend.

>61 lauralkeet: My RL book group just read She's Not There by Jennifer Finney Boylan, a colleague and friend of Richard Russo, so now I'm curious to read one of his novels. I await your review.

>62 katiekrug: 5 stars? Noted. The Patchett surprised me. I said upthread that I wondered if it was an Oprah book. I read a lot of Oprah books in the early 90s, when Patron Saint of Liars was published, and I enjoyed those books a lot. This seemed to fit the mold of Oprah's recommendations at that time and had a sort of familiar feel to it. But then it went in some unexpected directions and that was satisfying.

>63 lit_chick: I think you'd like Patron Saint of Liars, Nancy.

>64 PaulCranswick: Paul, up to now I'd only read Empire Falls, which I liked. Russo is another of those authors that fell of my radar screen for no particular reason.

>65 qebo: Oh I like those types of connections, Katherine, where one author leads you to another.

Laura, my friend was over for coffee today, and we exchange book ideas quite often. She said, "Oh! I am in love with a new author: Ann Patchett." Of course, I thought of you, and told her so. Love when these things happen : ).

>67 lit_chick: oh my goodness, what a funny coincidence Nancy! I love it.

I like The Patron Saint of Liars quite a bit when I read it and have remembered much of it moreover, always a sign that a book was good. Glad to see this review.

Can't wait to read the latest Russo!

Love the photo of you all in Elfreth's Alley!

Have a great weekend, Laura

34. Nobody's Fool ()
No Review
Source: My local library
Why I read this now: When Russo's latest novel, Everybody's Fool was released earlier this year I was reminded of this book and decided I should read it before reading the latest.

This has been a difficult week. On Wednesday I received word that my father had been placed in hospice care. Dad had Parkinson's and significant dementia and had not been "Dad" for about 4 years. In May he was moved to a new facility that could better care for the behaviors accompanying his dementia. During July his health declined, and he passed away peacefully yesterday, July 30, at the age of 81. My brother Chuck and I flew into town (Cincinnati, OH) on Thursday and were with him when he died.

So ... I'm doing okay but don't want to pretend it's "business as usual" on this thread, so will take a short break from writing reviews. I brought a couple of easy/comfort reads with me since I may very well be here through the week depending on what we decide to do in terms of a memorial service.

I am so sorry about your Dad, Laura. Gentle hug. Thank you so much for updating us. Take as much time as you need, my friend.

>72 lauralkeet: I'm sorry.

>72 lauralkeet: - Oh, Laura, I'm so sorry to hear about your Dad. Keeping you and your family in my thoughts...

So sorry to hear this Laura. Thinking of you and your family.

>72 lauralkeet: Sorry to read about your father. Prayers.

So sorry! Prayers from me too.

Laura--I am so sorry to hear about your Dad. Best wishes to you and your family.

I'm sorry too, Laura. Thinking of you.

Keeping you and your family in my thoughts and in my heart, Laura.

Sorry about your Dad. Keeping you in my thoughts.

Thank you very much, Mark, Katherine, Katie, Rhian, Lori, Jim, Kim, Nancy, Amber, & Laura. Your kind words are much appreciated. My brother and I spent most of today on matters related to the memorial service, which is scheduled for Friday. My husband will join me here on Thursday and we will return home on Saturday.

I'm very sorry to hear about your father's passing, Laura.

My condolences, too, Laura. Thinking of you and your family.

Add my sympathies as well, Laura.

I'm so sorry to hear about your father, Laura. My thoughts are with you.

Thank you Darryl, Joe, Lucy, and Colleen. It's been a busy week but I think everything is in order for the service on Friday. I'm looking forward to seeing my husband tomorrow.

I've been reading an early Inspector Rebus mystery, Strip Jack, but it's been slow going since my reading has been limited to bedtime and I have had a tendency to nod off. Last night I woke up around 1:00am still in a sitting position with the book in my lap. Oops.

35. Strip Jack ()
No Review
Source: On my shelves
Why I read this now: I needed something mindless to read during the past week.

Pretty standard stuff: body found, lots of suspects, Rebus solves the case. The "whodunnit" took a tried and true path, and there wasn't much suspense. Nevertheless, it fit the bill for the week I had. I'm home now, and plan to resume reviews with my next book, Angela Thirkell's Cheerfulness Breaks In, which I just started last night. And by "started," I mean read two pages and fell asleep. :)

Happy Sunday, Laura! Hope you are doing well. Are you getting back into the groove? I am sure it's not easy.

Hi Mark. I just returned home yesterday. Dad's service was Friday. It was very nice and brought a sense of closure, plus I had the opportunity to reconnect with some relatives. Of course I still feel sad, but I have some really great memories of my dad to keep me going. Thanks for asking ...

>50 lauralkeet: Laura, I enjoyed your experience with your beloved author, Ann Patchett. Thanks for the heads-up about a new book. I've read and liked most of her books…some much more than others. I do want to visit the Nashville bookstore some day. I have an unwritten rule about having to read at least 3 books in order to declare an author a favorite of mine. But I don't think there should be a limit on author love.

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family as you honor your father this weekend. I still miss mine every day and he passed away over ten years ago. Thank goodness for our memories.

Hi Laura, glad you're home and have so many wonderful memories of your dad to keep you going. Read your comments on the Rankin and can so relate to I needed something mindless to read. It's great therapy.

Hi Laura--So glad you have those wonderful memories of your Dad. And nothing wrong with some mindless fluff. Hugs.

So sorry to read about your dad. Comfort reading sounds like the thing. As you say, powerful therapy.

"but I have some really great memories of my dad to keep me going." I am with you a 100 per cent on that one, Laura!

Welcome back home, my friend.

Welcome home, Laura. I've been thinking of you all weekend, friend.

Hello friends ... I hope you'll excuse the lack of individual replies. Please know that your thoughts and kind words have meant a lot to me over the past week and a half. I returned to work today; just walking into the building inexplicably made me tear up. So we'll see how the day goes.

Thankfully I'm still reading light, fun stuff -- Angela Thirkell's Cheerfulness Breaks In -- which is just what I need right now.

Sorry to learn, belatedly, about your father. My thoughts are with you and your family.

Hang in there, Laura. Thinking of you....

>98 lauralkeet: Yep, the random crying/tearing up. It gets less frequent but I'm not sure it will ever go away completely. Hang in there, I'm thinking of you.

I returned to work today; just walking into the building inexplicably made me tear up. So we'll see how the day goes. I remember feeling like that, too, Laura, after my dad died. I remember thinking that the world (my work world) looked just the same as it had -- but nothing was the same for me, my world had forever changed. It took time for me to put the two together again.

Well it's very helpful to learn that my feelings and random tears are perfectly normal. Thanks for that.

Stopping by to send on warm friendly thoughts. Angela Thirkell sounds like just the right medicine.

I saw the sad news about your Dad on facebook Laura and just stopping by to add my 'thinking of you'.

Thank you Lucy & Heather ... Those thoughts are much appreciated.

Laura, so sorry to hear about your dad. I'm glad you've had mindless books and good memories to keep you going.

Dear Laura, I am sure that giving your Dad a good and loving send-off helps deal with his passing. You are very much in our thoughts at the moment dear lady. xx

Thank you Paul and Mary. Things are getting better day by day. I've been reading, but slowly, and haven't had the concentration necessary to begin a couple of knitting projects I have waiting for me. Soon, though. And I hope to finish the Thirkell today and start The Glorious Heresies, which I picked up at the library last week.

36. Cheerfulness Breaks In ()
My Review
Source: On my shelves
Why I read this now: It was one of two "light" books I brought with me to Cincinnati, and just the thing I needed.

This ninth entry in Thirkell's Barsetshire series was a delightful light read, perfect for summer, and for a time in my life when I didn't want anything weighty. Cheerfulness Breaks In centers around many of the same characters in Summer Half, three years later. There are three books in between, but I'd already read those (out of order -- horrors!), and it was quite fun to catch up on the characters' lives, and see that some of the annoying ones had matured into decent adults. Set at the outbreak of World War II, there's a certain amount of snobbery and bigotry towards non-English people. Thirkell is frequently criticized for this; I believe her writing represented popular opinion at the time and readers would have found her satire funny. Fortunately, it appears as short "witty" comments more than long passages, and I could just move swiftly on. The plot is pretty fluffy, as Thirkell chronicles the comings and goings of various Barsetshire inhabitants as they get involved in the war effort. And it's a pretty obvious setup for the ultimate marriage of two couples, which is satisfying even though you can see it coming almost from page 1. Even though all of that was wrapped up quite nicely, Thirkell surprised me in the final pages with both a significant sad event and a cliffhanger ending. Fortunately I have the next few books already on my shelves.

Woot! Great review of the Thirkell, Laura ! You remind me that I've yet to read her and really must do! Got such a chuckle out of this: out of order -- horrors! Yep, you are where you belong, with all the bookie-phobes on LT!

I look forward to your thoughts on The Glorious Heresies, Laura. I bought the Kindle version of it last night, as I'll read it next week for Rachel & Fliss's book club meet up in Cambridge next month.

>112 kidzdoc: me too! I got it as an ER book and haven't read it yet.

>111 lit_chick: thanks Nancy! It's great to be among like-minded friends here. :)

>112 kidzdoc:, >113 japaul22: I started The Glorious Heresies last night, read maybe 30 pages. Interesting, and starting to get into the story.

>110 lauralkeet: Glad you enjoyed that one Laura.

Morning Laura! I landed a copy of The Glorious Heresies from ER, so I look forward to your thoughts.

Hope you are doing well.

I've got a hold on The Glorious Heresies at my library, but it was still on order. Sounds like this one is going to be popular on LT : ).

Was so impressed by The Glorious Heresies - what an amazing first book. Brilliant to read folk got this on the ER scheme. I read that she had a blog where she wrote about people in this area (not in a novel) but I haven't checked it out yet.

I missed about two months of thread and only just read about your father and want to add my "thinking of you" as well.
Comfort reading and happy memories are good. Sending very belated hugs.

Thank you Nathalie.

I have about 100 pages left in The Glorious Heresies, so I should finish it soon. And that's a good thing because it's a library book and I need to return it before we leave on vacation.

I don't think I've mentioned that we are taking a family trip to Spain and France, leaving Sat Aug 27. We will visit Barcelona, and then stay at a B&B run by some English friends near Narbonne France. My younger daughter will remain behind in Spain to spend the fall academic term in Granada. The rest of us will fly home Sept 5.

I am still trying to decide what books to bring. One of my library holds might come through in time but if not, I have several tempting books on my TBR.

Sounds like a lovely trip, Laura!

That does sound like a lovely trip, Laura. My youngest daughter and her family spent most of a week in June in Barcelona. They loved it.

Sounds like a fabulous holiday, Laura! Only a few more sleeps ...

37. The Glorious Heresies ()
Source: My local library
Why I read this now: It won the 2016 Baileys Womens Prize for Fiction, and was only just released in the US this month.

I liked this gritty story of interconnected lives: a young drug dealer trying to make something better of himself, his alcoholic father, a gangster, the gangster's mother, a prostitute, and others in a rough part of Cork, Ireland. I especially liked the way the author connected her characters as much by what she wrote as by what she left out. It didn't knock me over like I expect a prizewinner to do, but it was a good read.

38. Oberland ()
Source: My Virago Modern Classics Collection
Why I read this now: The latest in a year-long group read of Dorothy Richardson's Pilgrimage

Book 9 of 13. This one was somewhat more enjoyable than others in that Miriam, our protagonist, goes on holiday to a Swiss ski resort. But since these books are spent entirely inside her head, and she is very analytical and prone to overthinking, it was somewhat devoid of plot, character development (except for Miriam), and emotion. Still, I feel compelled to finish the complete work.

I feel like my reading pace has dropped off tremendously this year, and that's true compared to last year but there have been other years like this one in the past. I'm not really worried about it, except there are so many books I'd like to read if only I had more time. But again, I would have said the same even in years when I was reading like a fiend.

I'm still not up for review writing; maybe I'll get my reviewing mojo back after my vacation.

One of my library holds came through, and I hope to pick it up tomorrow and dive in: Homegoing, by Yaa Gyaasi, which so many of my LT pals have loved. I guess that means it's going on vacation with me. I considered suspending my hold but then suddenly there it was, IN TRANSIT to my local branch. So besides Homegoing I will pack Wallace Stegner's The Spectator Bird and Angela Thirkell's Northbridge Rectory. I probably won't need both of those but you never know.

Glad to hear you liked The Glorious Heresies. I won it as an ER book and I'm feeling tentative about reading it because I don't usually like dark, depressing books and I assume there's an element of the not-nice from the character descriptions. I think I'll give it a try soon. But, I'm next up for Homegoing from the library, so I'll probably be reading that along with you first!

Great comments on The Glorious Heresies, Laura. Looking forward to this one, and I just got the email today that it has arrived at my library. I've just started something else, but I'll get to it eventually. I think you will love Homegoing, and thanks for the reminder that I need to read/listen to The Spectator Bird.

I'm also glad to hear that you come down positively for The Glorious Heresies, Laura. That means that I'll get back to it sooner than later --- I hope.
Your family trip sounds wonderful! It's very, very good that you get to take a look at where Daughter 2 will be spending the next semester. Hope she has a wonderful experience! The rest of you too!!!

I'm also glad that you liked The Glorious Heresies, Laura. I'll read it next month, and write a review of it after the book club meeting at Fliss's flat in Cambridge on the 12th.

>126 japaul22: I look forward to comparing notes on Homegoing!

>127 lit_chick: I hope you enjoy The Glorious Heresies, Nancy, and you are definitely one of the LTers who nudged me to read Homegoing sooner rather than later.

>128 LizzieD: Hi Peggy, I'm really looking forward to the trip. I *need* a vacation!!

>129 kidzdoc: How cool that you're going to a book club meeting while you're in the UK, Darryl! I'll watch your thread for your comments on the book and the discussion.

>130 lauralkeet: This will be my second visit to the book club that Fliss and Rachael are members of. I had a splendid time meeting them in March, and, according to Fliss, they are looking forward to seeing me again next month. It is odd that the only in-person book club that I'm involved with is located in England!

"I liked this gritty story of interconnected lives..." Good enough for me, Laura. Looking forward to reading my copy of The Glorious Heresies.

Happy Tuesday, my friend. I just finished The Mare: A Novel. This might be a family drama you would like.

>125 lauralkeet: Homegoing
I got the e-book recently on the basis of buzz, LT and elsewhere, haven't yet started reading.
The vacation sounds both interesting and replenishing.

Morning, Laura!

I loved your review of Patron Saint of Liars and it will be added to my wish list. I truly enjoyed State of Wonder, I have Bel Canto on the TBR shelves, and I will gradually work my way through Patchett's works. I'm glad to have finally given her an honest try.

I have a copy of The Glorious Heresies which I received as an ER book. I have a few things coming in from the library (no surprise there) but I hope to get to GH right after I finish Brief History of Seven Killings. I am trying to be good about reading and reviewing the works I get through ER.

I'm also in the queue for Homegoing and I'm very anxious for my turn to come up. I will look forward to your comments post-vacation!

Have FUN in Spain and France!!!!

>131 kidzdoc: Darryl, that is odd about the book group, but really cool too. LT is such a special place.

>132 msf59: Thanks for the warble, Mark!

>133 qebo: Replenishment is just what I need, Katherine. Between personal stuff and work, it's been an intense month.

>134 EBT1002: Hi Ellen, nice to see you making the rounds again here! I was hoping to take State of Wonder with me on vacation, but the ebook edition at my library was checked out and I wasn't sure I could get it in time. I'll probably request it after I return. I'm already on the list for Patchett's new novel, Commonwealth, which will be released in mid-September.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm a few chapters into Homegoing and loving it. For anyone not familiar, the novel follows two half-sisters born in eighteenth-century Ghana and their descendants. The sisters' lives follow very different paths, which has a profound effect on the generations to follow. The structure is really working for me: each chapter covers one person in the lineage, in chronological order. Even though there are huge gaps in time between one generation and the next, the narrative feels seamless. Great stuff.

Felt the same about the structure of Homegoing. It could have been kind of choppy and off-putting, but it worked beautifully, IMO.

So delighted you are loving Homegoing, Laura!

In the process of catching up with your reading thread Laura. Homegoing has just come into land, and will probably be read next month. Glad it has already snagged you.

Loved the photo of you and Alys reading in part I of your thread. Love the photo at the top too. It looks very La Dolce Vita.

So glad you got to The Color Purple I read it way back, and think I've reread it once at lease. A heartbreaking and powerful stories, with such great characters.

Homegoing was such a wonderful read for me--I hope vacation didn't break it up too much for you. I think it's best read in breathless chunks. It made me want to re-read The Color Purple too.

Hi all, I'm back from a wonderful vacation! I will share photos later. For today, I will just catch up on books read while I was traveling.

>139 laytonwoman3rd: Linda, "breathless chunks" is a great way to describe it. I read probably half before vacation, but found it easy to finish while we were traveling, mostly because I could only read 2-3 chapters at a time and then needed to just let that "chunk" sink in before moving on. I loved it.

39. Homegoing ()
Source: My local library
Why I read this now: Rave reviews from LTers

This novel completely lived up to the LT buzz. It follows the lineage two half-sisters born in eighteenth-century Ghana. The sisters' lives take very different paths, which has a profound effect on the eight generations that follow. Each chapter covered one person in the lineage, in chronological order. Even though there are huge gaps in time between one generation and the next, there are also connections, making the narrative feel seamless. I can't wait to see what this author does next.

40. The Spectator Bird ()
Source: On my shelves
Why I read this now: It was a relatively short and a small paperback edition that I could easily take on vacation

Wallace Stegner is well known for his historical novels. This one is more modern, set in the 1970s, when it was written. It deals with marriage, aging, and an incident 20 years earlier that had a profound effect on the protagonist, Joe Allston, and his wife Ruth. Stegner shifts between the two time periods by dipping into Joe’s journal, which he is reading aloud to Ruth, slowly revealing how the past informed the present. It made for a fascinating story.

>141 lauralkeet: Homegoing
I'm reading it now... only on generation 2.

Welcome home, Laura! And I"m so glad you enjoyed Homegoing, too!

I've got it on reserve at the library, though I'm in the middle of a loooong line.

Yay, another 5* endorsement of Homegoing! Delighted you loved it, Laura. Looking forward to Stegner's The Spectator Bird.

Ditto, Laura. I loved Homegoing, too, and now you've got me thinking about trying The Spectator Bird.

>141 lauralkeet: OK, Homegoing will be the next fiction read, next week probably.

I read The Spectator Bird a couple of years ago Laura, and liked it too.

This week I've been recovering from jet lag and drinking from the firehose at work, so I have been lax in visiting my own thread.

>142 qebo: I hope you're enjoying it, Katherine.
>143 katiekrug: Thanks Katie.
>144 drneutron: I had to wait a while too, Jim.
>145 lit_chick: I think you'd like the Stegner, Nancy. You've read his other work, right?
>146 jnwelch: Joe, it's probably your cuppa. Hope you're having fun in London!
>147 Caroline_McElwee: Ooh, I'm glad you're going to read Homegoing, Caro.

As for me, I started Angela Thirkell's Northbridge Rectory on the flight home, and am about 1/3 of the way through. It's light, fluffy stuff.

Before my vacation, I "froze" a library hold on the Kindle edition of Everybody's Fool. It "thawed" on Sunday and yesterday I was able to check it out.

So now I have two books on the go, and I really want to get back to Trollope's Pallisers this month. Ack! I recognize this is not the worst problem to have ... :)

Vacation photos coming soon, promise!

>148 lauralkeet: Yes, I've read Stegner, but not all of his work. He's one of my best LT gifts. Have read and loved Angle of Repose, Big Rock Candy Mountain, and Remembering Laughter. I think the first two were 5* reads, and the second 4* (something like that, anyway).

>141 lauralkeet: Wow, five stars for Homegoing! I'm having to use pure will power to resist my impulse to go buy it. I'm in the queue and I have enough other things to read while I (im)patiently wait my turn.

I read and loved both Angle of Repose and Crossing to Safety -- years ago. I would like to read more by Mr. Stegner.

>151 katiekrug: - Ellen, my copy of Homegoing came from the library, and as soon as I finished it, I added it to the list of books I need to own a hard copy of. So you might as well just save the time, and go ahead and buy it ;-)

>149 lit_chick:. >150 EBT1002: Nancy & Ellen, Angle of Repose was my first Stegner and it blew me away. I've also read BRCM and Crossing to Safety.

>151 katiekrug: oh Katie you're such an enabler!

Currently Reading - Update



* Northbridge Rectory - I started this book on my flight home last weekend. It is set during World War II and is essentially a comedy of manners centered on a few different people in Barchester, most of whom I don't think I've "met" before in previous books. It is very fluffy reading, almost to the point of annoyance (maybe it's just my mood?). I am using it as my bedtime read and am about halfway through now.

* Everybody's Fool - This is an excellent followup to Nobody's Fool, which I read in July. I'm surprised this Kindle edition doesn't have pagination, but the hardcover edition is 496 pages and my Kindle tells me I'm about 25% of the way through.

Vacation Recap: Barcelona and Languedoc

We arrived in Barcelona on Sunday, August 28 and settled into an apartment located near La Sagrada Familia, and with excellent views of that Gaudi masterpiece. While in Barcelona we took a walking tour (recommended by Darryl/@kidzdoc)!), visited La Sagrada Familia, went to the beach, and visited gardens in Montjuic, high up on a hill accessed via a funicular. We were there for three days which gave us a nice sampler of everything Barcelona has to offer. With more time we would have visited more Gaudi sights and other museums, but at the same time I felt like 3 days in a city was about right. I didn't take any photos in Barcelona; there are undoubtedly many fine photographers who can capture the beauty of architecture, etc. I am not one of them. :)

On Thursday, September 1 we took a train to Narbonne, France and checked into La Souqueto, a B&B run by our friends Jon & Mel(anie).


La Bella Mia

We spent the afternoon catching up with Jon & Mel on their boat La Bella Mia, which was moored next to a small tapas/wine place. Jon takes guests on canal excursions, and the boat can be rented for overnight accommodation as well. In the evening we had dinner at a restaurant nearby.


The path from Mirepeisset to the canal | Canal du Midi | Auberge du Somail Restaurant

On Friday, Jon & Mel had arranged bikes for us so we cycled from the B&B to the canal, and then along the canal stopping at villages along the way. We had lunch in La Somail and then continued on to another village. On our return trip we stopped in La Somail again for ice cream and a cold drink. There was also a huge used/antiquarian bookshop which we enjoyed browsing but since (obviously) all the books were in French, we didn't buy anything.


Minerve

On Friday night, we went with Jon & Mel to Minerve, the site of a siege by Simon de Montfort during the crusades. It is an absolutely beautiful place overlooking a gorge. We had dinner in a Michelin-starred restaurant with fabulous views of the gorge and, naturally, excellent food.


Kate and Julia at the restaurant in Minerve

Saturday was our last day before returning to Spain and then home. The evening was spent at a food and wine festival in the nearby town of Homps. After showing our tickets at the gate we were each given a wine glass on a string (to wear like a necklace), and tokens which were used to buy food. There were 4 main areas of the festival. At each station a featured chef offered a tray of "tastes" (5 savory and 1 sweet), and each station also included about a dozen different wine labels. Since there were 4 of us, we each got a tray from a different station and although they were small bites we could still share. Then we bought 2 more trays from our favorite station. The wine was unlimited, you could just walk up to any of the wine reps and fill your glass. It was really amazing and a lot of fun.



A tasting station, a wine station, a menu from another station, and a few ne'er-do-wells wearing their wine glasses

On Sunday we returned to Spain for our Monday flights home. Julia remained behind and traveled south to Granada where she will spend the fall semester. The rest of us returned to the real world. :/

What a fantastic trip! We're in a traveling hiatus (from that sort of travel, anyway) while our kids our still little but I can't wait to get back to it in a few years!

Sounds like you had a great holiday Laura! I enkjoyed the photos you shared on facebook and have bookmarked your friends' B&B for a future possible trip to Languedoc.

I have Homegoing on my list but although it's available as an ebook here it doesn't seem to be released in print until 2017. I might wait until the library has a copy.

>154 lauralkeet: How did you tear yourself away to return home?

Your trip sounds perfect, Laura! Thanks for sharing it with us.

>155 japaul22: on traveling with young children ... our first morning in the B&B there was a Canadian couple who were cycling across France with a 1-yr-old. We were in awe. It's much easier traveling with "kids" in their 20s.

>156 souloftherose: Heather, I highly recommend La Souqueto. Jon & Mel are British, and they cater to English-speaking guests, which is quite nice.

>157 qebo: yeah, that was pretty difficult actually!

>158 katiekrug: yw, Katie!

Happy Sunday, Laura! Looks like you have been busy in a wonderful way. Hooray for Homegoing and Barcelona!
Sounds like a fantastic vacation.

>152 lauralkeet: Angle of Repose was my first Stegner and it blew me away! Same! Exactly the same experience!

You remind me that I want to read Russo. And I love the photographs and recap of your trip!

Laura, your photos and description make the Spain and Languedoc vacation sound wonderful! Thank you for sharing.

And I am now getting itchy to give Wallace Stegner another go. Maybe I'll read The Big Rock Candy Mountain next.

Great photos and descriptions of your European vacation, Laura! Thanks for sharing your holiday with us.

>160 msf59: *waves to Mark* thanks for stopping by, friend!

>161 lit_chick: Nancy, I think you'd like Russo. I read Empire Falls ages ago and really liked it, but for some reason never got around to reading more of his work until recently.

>162 EBT1002: Ellen, LT is like a mini-travelogue this time of year. I really enjoyed your Alaska photos, too.

>163 kidzdoc: Thanks Darryl. We had such a nice time, and really need to make it a priority to return.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My reading plans are getting discombobulated! Back in January, I set a personal goal to read one of Trollope's Palliser novels every other month, and therefore read the complete series this year. I did well through the first 3 books but when August came around I was dealing with my father's passing and not up for a 19th century chunkster (go figure). So I pushed Phineas Redux into September, and last weekend I removed it from my TBR shelf and put it on my desk where I often put my "next up" book(s).

And then.

A few minutes ago I received a library notice that Ann Patchett's new novel, Commonwealth, is waiting for me. And I'm only halfway through Everybody's Fool. I don't foresee any issues with having to return books before they are read or anything but ... ACK!!!!

I've just kicked Trollope into October ... no way will I finish the Pallisers this year.
#firstworldbookishproblems

"My reading plans are getting discombobulated!" That sounds like real life, yes?

Oh, you have Commonwealth waiting for you. Fun!

What wonderful photographs of your trip! I love the canal boat.

>165 EBT1002: yes Ellen, and now I'm finally ready to read it!

>166 sibylline: Lucy, it was really quite something. Returning to the reality of daily life has been a bit difficult.

41. Northbridge Rectory ()
Source: On my shelves
Why I read this now: It was a comfort read that I took along on my vacation.

I started this book on the flight home, and it served the purpose of keeping me amused during that time. But not long after, I began to tire of it. World War II served as the reason for a variety of locals and servicemen to gather in Barsetshire and carry out Thirkell’s characteristic comedy of manners. The writing was witty but I was never fully invested in the characters or the loose storyline. I suspect my lack of interest was due more to Thirkell overload than this specific novel.

42. Everybody’s Fool ()
Source: My local library’s Kindle collection
Why I read this now: It caught my interest when it was published a few months ago.

In Everybody’s Fool, Richard Russo serves up a long overdue sequel to his wonderful Nobody’s Fool, published 20 years ago. Set 10 years later, the town of Bath, NY hasn't changed much but its population has grown old or grown up. Sully, the protagonist from the first book, is now in his 70s. His former landlady and middle school teacher, Miss Beryl, is being honored posthumously for her contributions to the town. This book focuses primarily on Doug Raymer, now chief of police and mourning the loss of his wife, who was about to leave him for someone else. But there are actually several concurrent threads involving other characters. And while the people will be familiar to anyone who has read the first book, Russo spends an appropriate amount of time on the back story so this book can stand on its own. I loved it from start to finish.

So glad to hear you loved Everybody's Fool, Laura. I enjoyed every minute I spent in Bath with these characters.

Great comments on Everybody's Fool, Laura. You've inspired me to read Russo. Presently, Nobody's Fool is on loan from the library and sitting on the dining table. Now, whether I get to it this time round or not is another matter; but you've put this author on my radar : ).

Oh, I've got Commonwealth waiting for me too. So looking forward to it!

I hugely enjoyed Everybody's Fool. So glad you did too!

Everyone should read Everybody's Fool!!

I'm really enjoying Commonwealth and now I can say with confidence that Ann Patchett is one of my favorite authors because I've actually read more than just one of her books! I was a little bummed out to learn that her upcoming talk at the Philadelphia library is already sold out. It's a joint event with Jacqueline Woodson which would have been sooo good.

43. Dawn's Left Hand ()
Source: My Virago Modern Classics collection
Why I read this now: Part of a year-long group read

These novellas are odd and more than a little bit frustrating. But this is the last volume, and there are only three novellas left, so dammit, I'm gonna finish it.

I just finished Commonwealth. Oh my. So good! Need to let it percolate before writing a review.

Happy Sunday, Laura. Hope all is well. Glad to hear you loved Everybody's Fool. I have a signed copy but I want to read Nobody's Fool first.

Hooray for Commonwealth. I WANT to read this one...BAD.

Sorry to hear it's sold out. No chance of returns?

I loved it, think it might even be my favourite Patchett yet.

Maybe Commonwealth will have to be my first Ann Patchett! Shame the event is sold out Laura.

On Pilgrimage, I read the first volume of three novellas, and quite liked them, but the second volume sat around for ages before I took it back to the library unread.

>176 msf59: I think you'd really enjoy the Patchett, Mark.

>177 charl08: It's my favorite Patchett now too, Charlotte. And sadly no, I don't think there will be a return appearance, at least not for some time. Patchett and Woodson are both on book tours, appearing all around the country to promote their latest work.

>178 Caroline_McElwee: Ooh, you're in for a treat with Patchett, Caro.

44. Commonwealth ()
My Review
Source: My local library
Why I read this now: I recently rediscovered Ann Patchett by reading The Patron Saint of Liars, and this made me excited to read her new book

One beautiful summer afternoon in the middle of a christening party for little Frances Keating, the fate of two families is permanently changed. The events of that day ultimately lead to marital breakup for both Fix & Beverly Keating and Bert & Theresa Cousins. Commonwealth is the story of the impact on their children and on the children’s relationships with their parents and one another throughout their lives.

A commonwealth is defined as “a group of sovereign states and their dependencies associated by their own choice and linked with common objectives and interests,” and is a perfect metaphor for the two Keating and four Cousins children. Every summer they come together in Virginia (incidentally, also a Commonwealth), sharing bedrooms, adjusting to different family rules, and enjoying more freedom as a group than they are granted on their own. But this freedom comes at a cost, which has a profound effect on the adult each child becomes.

Much of the story is conveyed through an adult Franny, with chapters told by some of the Cousins children that fill in details Franny either wouldn’t have known or would have experienced very differently. The full picture comes together slowly and in pieces, like working on a “paint by number” project one number at a time. As the novel moves towards its conclusion, the children have become adults, the parents have become elderly, and the children have assumed their inevitable caregiving roles. At this point, Franny reflects on a series of “what ifs” in her life which would have prevented certain bad things from happening. But then she realizes that for every bad thing there was a good thing, which she would not have wanted to live without. This interconnectedness, even in the most dysfunctional of families, was a moving way to connect several threads, deliver emotional impact, and leave me with that satisfied feeling that comes from a very well-written novel.

Currently Reading



* Phineas Redux - It's about time I got back to the Palliser novels. This is #4 of 6.
* Designing Your Life - this new book (published last week) was written by two Stanford professors and based on a course they co-teach. I heard about it during one of the last episodes of Books on the Nightstand, and was intrigued.
* Aging Well - subtitled "surprising guideposts to a happier life," this was recommended by an LT friend. I've been thinking a lot about what I want to do with my life when I retire and thought this book and Designing your Life might both be helpful for my thought process. Retirement is still a few years away but I'm in a bit of an introspective period right now so might as well aim my ruminations at something constructive. :)

>181 lauralkeet: Designing Your Life
This passed through my Facebook feed last week and I read the article. I'll be interested in your reaction to the book, because I'm in a similar life phase.

All caught up again here. Another world traveler--how fun!! Not to mention some great books. : )

>181 lauralkeet: I fixed my rating for Commonwealth. I mistakenly showed it as 4 stars at first. It was absolutely a 5-star read!

>182 qebo: I'll be sure to provide a full report, Katherine.

>183 Berly: Our travels were super fun Kim, and we are already plotting our return.

Fabulous review of Commonwealth, Laura. And onto the list it goes! I was wondering about a rating, too, and I see you've upgraded it to 5*. Woohoo!

>185 lit_chick: Nancy, I completely choked up in the middle of Starbucks as I was reading the last 20 pages, which is a rare occurrence (the choking up that is, I spend far too much time in Starbucks). So there was no question it was a 5-star book and I gave it 5 stars on the book page. But when I posted my review above I cut and pasted from another post and forgot to change the rating. All fixed now!

>154 lauralkeet: Oh, that sounds and looks like a wonderful time you had in Spain, Laura. We're planning on going to Barcelona and not sure where else in Spain next May. I'll probably quiz you and Darryl for suggestions.

Great review of Commonwealth, Laura. Onto the wishlist it goes.

Oooh, I can't wait to get to Commonwealth!

>187 jnwelch: Sure Joe, no problem! Even though my visit was short I'm living vicariously through my daughter's travels so I may have more thoughts by then.

>188 kidzdoc:, >189 katiekrug: Boom! Katie & Darryl hit by book bullets!

45. Designing your Life ()
Source: My local library
Why I read this now: I heard about this book on one of the last episodes of Books on the Nightstand, and put my name on the library list before it was released.

Designing your Life is based on a course taught by the authors, who are both professors at Stanford. This book is useful to anyone who is thinking about what they want to do with their life, not just students, but will impact each reader differently depending on their situation. Because of that, I'd rather tell you what I took away from the book than write a proper review. I'm a few years away from ditching my day job for "retirement," whatever that is. Watching my parents age and realizing the retirement years could be cut short unexpectedly, I am motivated to enter this next stage of my life making the most of it from day 1. This book guides the reader through thinking about where you are now, what "work" and "life" mean to you, and what you find engaging and energizing. From there you can begin generating ideas and plans, and take practical first steps by prototyping those ideas. The point is not to get stuck endlessly analyzing your options, but to choose something, do it, learn from it, and then repeat. Each chapter includes exercises to support these steps of the process. There are also chapters about job hunting and networking, which I skimmed because that's not my purpose. I haven't started the ideation and prototyping steps but took copious notes so I can get through them at my own pace.

This book is easy to digest with a breezy writing style, although it gets dangerously close to self-help, which I generally detest. That's why I checked this out of the library first. I found it a useful framework to kick-start my thought process but don't need to own this book to continue. It might be a good gift for a young person though ...

Currently Reading



* Phineas Redux - I'm making good progress, having read 22 of 80 chapters. Chapters tend to be about 10 pages long, an easily digestible chunk that usually leaves me wanting to read "just one more."

* Aging Well - I read the first chapter of this and then turned my attention to Designing your Life. Now I'll get back to this one.

>191 lauralkeet: not to get stuck endlessly analyzing your options, but to choose something, do it, learn from it, and then repeat
A lesson learned the hard way. :-) Thanks for the report.

Five stars for Commonwealth! I just got a message that my library copy is in transit. Oh boy.

>194 EBT1002: woo hoo Ellen!

>191 lauralkeet: - This is not generally my type of thing, but I suspect I will not be able to hold onto my job and work remotely, so I am going to have to figure out what to do next... I may look for this one at the library...

>196 katiekrug: Katie, you might find it useful if you're looking to broaden your view of possibilities, rather than looking only within your current field.