bell7's (Mary's) Ridiculous Reading List for 2016 - the 4th thread

Welcome to my 4th thread of the year - and I think I can say with confidence that this is the earliest I've ever started a fourth thread. Usually I cap off the year with three or four, so I'm on pace to have my chattiest year in the 75ers ever.

For any who do not know me, I'm a single woman in my 30s living in an the in-law apartment with family friends owning the house. I have kitchen privileges and my own space, a nice blend of independence and family around if I need them. My parents live about fifteen minutes away, and I'm the oldest of five siblings who mostly live within the area. My one married sister lives near DC, and you'll see my niece Mia figuring a lot in here.

Speaking of, here's a new photo:

This was from my youngest sister's graduation weekend. Mia's a fan of touch and feel books and was particularly impressed with the "crinkly lettuce." She definitely knows reading a book, and on last week's vacation my mom asked her if she wanted to read and went right up to cuddle on her grandma's lap to get a story. Mia is eleven months old now and walking - more steadily every day - and she's a blend of enjoying being on the move and cuddling, so those moments are precious.

I'm a librarian at the public library in my hometown in western Massachusetts. I'll talk about my book club often here, as I enjoy getting perspective from the other ladies (all a few decades older than me) on the variety of books we read. This month is The Age of Innocence.

I read eclectically, though my comfort reads are YA and fantasy (usually both). I rate on a five-star scale based on how well I liked a book; I'm not making a judgment about a story's innate worth because I recognize the variety of taste in readers, and even how my own mood can affect what I think when I'm reading. When I have my librarian hat on, I'll make recommendations of similar books and authors even if I didn't particularly like it. That being said, here's what I mean when I say -

1 star - Forced myself to finish it
2 stars - Dislike
2.5 stars - I really don't know if I liked it or not
3 stars - Sort of liked it; or didn't, but admired something about it despite not liking it
3.5 stars - The splitting hairs rating of less than my last 4 star book or better than my last 3
4 stars - I liked it and recommend it, but probably won't reread it except under special circumstances (ie., a book club or series reread)
4.5 stars - Excellent, ultimately a satisfying read, a title I would consider rereading
5 stars - A book that I absolutely loved, would absolutely reread, and just all-around floored me

I very rarely finish a book I would rate lower than a 3, so my ratings are skewed positively. I can generally scale how much I liked a book, but I'm less consistent about how much I didn't like it.

Work books-
The book club list

January - Atonement by Ian McEwan
February - Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
March - Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
April - Seek My Face by John Updike
May - A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah
June - Master Butchers Singing Club by Louise Erdrich
July - The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
August - The Boys in the Boat by Daniel Brown
September - The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
October - Men We Reaped by Jesmyn Ward
November - The Whistling Season by Ivan Doig
December - San Miguel by T.C. Boyle

Librarian book club list (aka Western Mass. Reader's Advisory Round Table)
January - Mystery book with an amateur sleuth
Everyone reads: Murder, with Peacocks by Donna Andrews - DONE
2nd title (my choice): Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death by James Runcie - DONE

March - Mystery genreblends
Everyone reads: Storm Front by Jim Butcher - DONE
2nd title (my choice): The Last Policeman by Ben Winters - DONE

May - Horror
Everyone reads: Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix - DONE
2nd title (my choice): some H.P. Lovecraft short stories - DONE ("The Colour from Outer Space" and "The Dunwich Horror")

September - Urban Fiction
Everyone reads: The Coldest Winter Ever by Sister Souljah - DONE
2nd title (my choice): Push by Sapphire

Graphic novels/Manga/Comics:
1. Syllabus by Lynda Barry (1/4/2016)
2. Letting It Go by Miriam Katin (1/12/2016)
3. Library Wars volume 1 by Kiiro Yumi (4/11/2016)
4. Library Wars volume 2 by Kiiro Yumi (4/11/2016)
5. Library Wars volume 3 by Kiiro Yumi (4/12/2016)
6. Yotsuba&! Volume 1 by Kiyohiko Azuma (5/17/2016)
7. Yotsuba&! Volume 2 by Kiyohiko Azuma (5/17/2016)
8. Yotsuba&! Volume 3 by Kiyohiko Azuma (5/17/2016)
9. Displacement by Lucy Knisley (7/13/16)
10. Adulthood is a Myth by Sarah Anderson (9/3/2016)

Picture books:
1. Where is Catkin? by Janet Lord, illustrated by Julie Paschkis (1/6/2016)
2. When the World Was Waiting for You by Gillian Shields, illustrated by Anna Currey (1/14/2016)
3. Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Pena illustrated by Christian Robinson (1/16/2016)
4. Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World's Most Famous Bear by Lindsay Mattick, illustrated by Sophie Blackall (1/20/2016)
5. Freedom in Congo Square by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie (2/17/2016)
6. The Library Cat by Karla Grant (2/17/2016)
7. Solving the Puzzle Under the Sea by Robert Burleigh, illustrated by Raul Colon (2/28/2016)
8. Help! We Need a Title! written and illustrated by Herve Tullet (3/17/2016)
9. The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles by Michelle Cuevas, illustrated by Erin Stead (8/24/2016)

2016 Reads So Far:

January
1. Murder with Peacocks by Donna Andrews
2. The Prestige by Christopher Priest
3. Board Stiff by Piers Anthony - mine and e-book ARC
4. Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson - mine
5. Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death by James Runcie
6. UnBound by Neal Shusterman
7. Atonement by Ian McEwan - re-read
8. If You Find this Letter by Hannah Brencher - mine and e-book ARC
9. Cruel Crown by Victoria Aveyard
10. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert O'Brien
11. Passenger by Alexandra Bracken
12. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery - mine and audio

February
13. Smoke by Dan Vyleta - mine and e-book ARC
14. The Witches: Salem, 1692 by Stacy Schiff
15. The 100 by Kass Morgan
16. The Last Policeman by Ben Winters - e-book
17. The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner - mine and re-read
18. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett - half audio
19. Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard
20. Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Philip Hoose - mine and audio
21. My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
22. Traveler by Arwen Elys Dayton
23. Love in Lowercase by Fransesc Miralles

March
24. Arcadia by Iain Pears
25. Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
26. The Road to Little Dribbling by Bill Bryson - e-book
27. The Book of One Hundred Truths by Julie Schumacher
28. Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
29. Storm Front by Jim Butcher - re-read
30. The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud - audio and re-read (book is mine)
31. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell - e-book
32. The Joy of Listening to God by Joyce Huggett

Cont...

April
33. The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson
34. Shylock is My Name by Howard Jacobson - e-book
35. First and Second Kings by Richard I. McNeely
36. Seek My Face by John Updike
37. The Best Yes by Lysa TerKeurst - mine
38. Stiletto by Daniel O'Malley - e-book ARC and mine
39. Contemplative Prayer by Thomas Merton
40. Gratitude by Oliver Sacks
41. We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
42. Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas
43. Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix
44. Practicing Silence by Bonnie Thurston
45. The Bullet-Catcher's Daughter by Rod Duncan

May
46. Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor - mine and reread and e-book ARC
47. When to Rob a Bank by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner - audio
48. Your Medical Mind by Jerome Groopman and Pamela Hartzband
49. A Symphony of Echoes by Jodi Taylor - mine and e-book ARC
50. Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas (it wasn't mine 'til I was over halfway finished but I own the series now)
51. The Crown by Kiera Cass
52. A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah
53. Etiquette and Espionage by Gail Carriger - audio and reread
54. Ash & Bramble by Sarah Prineas
55. Orhan's Inheritance by Aline Ohanesian
56. The Golem's Eye by Jonathan Stroud - audio and reread (book is mine)
57. American Housewife: stories by Helen Ellis
58. Old Filth by Jane Gardam
59. Curtsies & Conspiracies by Gail Carriger

June
60. My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier
61. Part of Our Lives by Wayne A. Wiegand
62. The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis - audio and reread and the book is mine
63. The Master Butchers Singing Club by Lousie Erdrich
64. Meet the Austins by Madeleine L'Engld - audio
65. The Story of a New Name by Elena Ferrante
66. The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis - audio and reread and the book is mine
67. Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrick Backman
68. Negroland by Margo Jefferson
69. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

July
70. The Beekeeper's Daughter by Santa Montefiore - mine and e-book ARC
71. The Grand Design by Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow
72. Ptolemy's Gate by Jonathan Stroud - audio and reread and book is mine
73. The Moon by Night by Madeleine L'Engle
74. Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis - audio and reread and book is mine
75. The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
76. Agents of Babylon by David Jeremiah - mine
77. Sidney Chambers and the Perils of the Night by James Runcie - e-book
78. Aimless Love by Billy Collins - mine
79. The Young Unicorns by Madeleine L'Engle
80. Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry - mine and e-book

August
81. Threshold by Caitlin Kiernan - mine
82. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis - audio and book is mine
83. Waste-Free Kitchen Handbook by Dana Gunders
84. The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
85. Zechariah by G. Coleman Luck
86. You're Never Weird on the Internet (almost) by Felicia Day - audio and reread
87. The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown
88. A Court of Mist & Fury by Sarah J. Maas
89. The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
90. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by Jack Thorne et al.
91. Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis - mine
92. Blood Hollow by William Kent Krueger
93. A Ring of Endless Light by Madeleine L'Engle - mine
94. The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman

September
95. A Great Reckoning by Louise Penny
96. The Coldest Winter Ever by Sister Souljah

Currently reading:
Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas
Head in the cloud : why knowing things still matters when facts are so easy to look up by William Poundstone
Moon Called by Patricia Briggs
No Other Gods by Kelly Minter

Original publication dates read (through August):
2016 - 14
2015 - 18
2014 - 9
2013 - 8
2012 - 4
2011 - 2

2010 - 2
2009 - 1
2008 - 1
2007 - 1
2006 - 3
2004 - 2
2003 - 2
2002 - 1
2001 - 3
2000 - 1

1999 - 2
1996 - 1
1995 - 2

1986 - 1
1985 - 1
1980 - 1

1978 - 1
1971 - 1

1969 - 1
1968 - 1
1963 - 1
1960 - 1

1957 - 1
1955 - 1
1954 - 1
1952 - 1
1951 - 2

1920 - 1

1908 - 1

Happy new thread!

Happy Independence Day to my fellow Americans, and happy Monday to all!

I just returned from a fantastic vacation in Tennessee with my parents, sisters, brother-in-law and niece (the brothers couldn't get the time off). We spent the first half of the week in the Smoky Mountains and the second half in Nashville. I considered myself kind of "along for the ride" because I didn't have anything in particular I wanted to see, but wanted to enjoy the experience and have a good visit with everyone, since it's very likely one of the last vacations I'll intentionally take with so much of my family as we all grow older and have families of our own and the youngest goes off to college in a little over a month.

My dad and I drove down to the Smokies, where we rented a cabin with a lovely view of the foothills:

We'd get a lovely view with our morning coffee without ever leaving the place. But we did some exploring, taking one day to go to the National Park and Clingman's Dome - which may be only a half a mile but it's a hike, let me tell you - where I was able to step foot briefly on the Appalachian Trail. My intrepid sister managed the trek (faster than me, mind you, since I had to stop and catch my breath) with the baby strapped to her in her carrier. We also saw Gatlinburg which was very touristy but had some good restaurants and wine tasting (I am very picky about alcoholic drinks, but we bought a blueberry wine that was simply amazing). The final day, we split up with me and my parents taking a drive through Cades Cove. It was interesting but sad to see all these old, abandoned buildings - a farm house, a mill, churches - that had been part of a town but slowly died when the national park was created. Those who wanted to had their land purchased by eminent domain, and those who wanted to stay were given less money but allowed to live out their lives in their homes. The last couple died/left in 1999.

Nashville was about a 3 hour trip from where we stayed, and we arrived Thursday afternoon. We spent the afternoon walking down Broadway and making plans. My parents were on a slightly different agenda, but the rest of us walked down the pedestrian bridge where we got some lovely views of the skyline:


Ryman Auditorium - the original home of the Grand Ole Opry - was first thing on Friday morning. I'm not a huge country music fan - my mom and my sister and her husband are, and my dad loves history. But I was amazed at the history not just related to country music but to the arts in general and the people who made the Ryman what it is. It was nearly torn down, but was saved and in 1994 had a huge renovation done. We paid the extra money for a backstage tour, which was well worth it and the video introducing the self-guided tour was really well done.

Saturday was more walking and viewing, taking a trolley that you could sit through or hop on and off stops all day. I managed to get together with a friend who's moved down to Nashville to hear him play at one of the venues and catch up briefly. Then it was back to the hotel and an early start on Sunday to travel 16+ hours back home. This time it was my dad and my youngest sister in the car (my mother flew, smart woman!), and she and I slept much of the way after which I read a bit more.

As I mentioned, the main reason I wanted to go was to spend time with everyone in a way that will be less and less common as time goes on. My niece is growing so big, and loves walking on her own. Even in that brief week, I could see her getting steadier on her feet, from walking in a semi-straight line and getting down to change direction to pivoting pretty well and getting right up when she lost her balance. People would stop us on the street to tell her parents how pretty she was, and she made "friends" waving and smiling at people almost everywhere we went. My youngest sister had fun playing shuffleboard, and there was one night all the sisters were able to hang out in the hot tub and laugh and converse. It's a strange dynamic being a young adult with my parents and adult siblings on a vacation, so it wasn't all perfect but it was a really fun time.

Here's Mia having fun with an empty box (yes, these are the things that amuse her) and showing off her walking skills:


So that's what I've been up to lately. Today has been a much-needed day to recuperate and do laundry, and I'm back to work tomorrow! Hopefully I will catch up on threads somewhat in the next week or so too.

>7 foggidawn: Thanks, foggi! Nice job sneaking in there first :D

71. The Grand Design by Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow
TIOLI: not sure
Why now? I've been meaning to read it, and vacation week seemed like a good time to stretch my brain cells and concentrate on grand unified theories and such

Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow describe our current understanding of physics - general and special relativity, gravity, quantum theory, Feynman's sum over histories - in a relatively brief (under 200 pages) and accessible way for the layman, using tons of visuals and often humorous analogies.

I never took high school physics or calculus so while I can't understand the math, I occasionally read science books intended for folks like me that simply blow my mind with what we know and don't know about the universe we live in. The first half of the book was pretty basic and covered ground I already knew from other books I've read. Much of the book describes what we know of "the grand design" of the universe, both arguing for a theory or network of theories ("M-theory") that will one day better describe our universe and that we could mathematically and scientifically come up with a theory that will not have a need for a designer, that is God. Their theory, from what I understand - and this was the part that got a little dicey for me, I admit - argues that much like the earth is not the center of the universe nor even a particularly unique planet orbiting a star, so our universe may end up being only one of millions upon millions of universes that would all be spontaneously created and simultaneously operate with different laws of nature. I'm not sure that would ever personally satisfy me with how something could come from nothing - and as I said, I'm not conversant in the math that models this - but I enjoy stretching my brain cells nonetheless. 4 stars.

>8 bell7: Too bad some of us in the area didn't know you were in the Smokies. We could have taken you to our favorite used bookstore haunts -- or at least meet up for ice cream or something!

>11 thornton37814: Oh that is too bad! I didn't realize that was near your area or I would've said something, Lori. If I am making travel plans close to there in the future I'll make sure to let you know :)

Happy 4th, and Happy New Thread, Mary!

Kudos to you for taking on The Grand Design. I like stretching my brain that way, too. I haven't read Stephen Hawking since A Brief History of Time, and this looks like it might be a good one to try.

>13 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe! I hope you find it interesting if you get to it. In some ways I found it an easier read than A Brief History of Time, but that could be because I've read both that and The Elegant Universe on string theory (with much help in understanding from our own drneutron).

Happy new thread, Mary! Glad you had such a fantastic trip.

Lovely pictures! I still haven't read Ptolemy's Gate and I do love Bartimeus, just not Nicholas.

Happy new thread, Mary!

Happy new thread! Love the vacation pictures as well as the pictures of Mia.

>15 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky!

>16 ronincats: Thank you, Roni. I really like the Bartimaeus Trilogy and have been meaning to get to the Lockwood & Co. series. Bartimaeus makes me laugh, though I agree Nathaniel can be annoying.

>17 scaifea: Thanks, Amber!

>18 souloftherose: Thanks, Heather, and glad you enjoyed the pictures.

Ha, that's what I get for not going to Wikipedia and checking my sources, relying instead on imperfect memory. Yes, Nathaniel, not Nicolas.

Happy new thread, Mary!

We should probably try to talk drneutron into doing some tutored reads for science-based books. I would've signed up for one on The Elegant Universe.

Happy new thread - love the pictures of Mia and your trip.

Admire you reading the Hawking. I am intimidated by all the big science books, so >22 jnwelch: sounds like a great idea to me!

>20 ronincats: Heh, no worries. I would've been even more confused if you didn't actually mean Nathaniel - at least they both start with N! :)

>21 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie!

>22 jnwelch: and >23 charl08: Feel free to check out the 2014 thread

>22 jnwelch: I will be interested in following such tutored reads if you convince him to do so :)

>23 charl08: Thanks, Charlotte! Eh, I try to understand what I can and ask friends to help out when I don't. Fortunately one of my friends was an engineer so he's been roped into helping me grasp stuff.

Hi there, Mary! *Waves*

>25 Ape: *waves* Happy Tuesday, Stephen!

>8 bell7: That sounds like a fun vacation! Love the pics.

Great photos!

Dr N did a tutored read of The Elegant Universe a few years back - OK it's still listed on the works page: http://www.librarything.com/topic/137545

I think he said he'd be happy to do more, but that was a few years back so his time demands may have changed.

>24 bell7:, >28 streamsong: Nice! Thanks.

Hmm. What book might entice drneutron? Something to think about . . .

>28 streamsong:, >29 jnwelch: Sorry I missed the tutoring talk - we've been in Indiana visiting the son and I'm just back today. I'm happy to tutor another read. The last was very fun!

>27 rosylibrarian: Thanks, Marie! We had a great time.

>28 streamsong: Thanks, Janet! And thanks for posting the link.

>29 jnwelch: and >30 drneutron: Looking forward to seeing this :)

Happy new one, Mary! I loved al the photos and the update - sounds like a lovely time. And Mia!! What a cutie!

>32 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie! I am a totally biased aunt, but I think Mia's pretty adorable. Cannot wait 'til she starts talking and I can hear what goes on in that little head of hers.

Well, folks, today was a scorcher. It's still about 90 degrees out and I'm sitting at home with the fans on and as many lights off as possible with just enough energy to watch the Red Sox and read a book.

Here's a what-I'm-reading update, since I probably won't be finishing a new book anytime soon:

Agents of Babylon by David Jeremiah - mentioned on my last thread, a nonfiction (with fictional introductions) look at the Book of Daniel in the Bible. Reading slowly but surely to supplement a Bible study I'm doing this summer.

The Old Ways: A Journey on Foot by Robert Macfarlane - a meditation on paths, both on land and by sea, that I purposely started on vacation. At times, the author gets a little, erm, moved by the otherworldliness of walking old paths, and I'm not sure I always follow him but it's a pleasant read and makes me want to get out walking/hiking more.

Ptolemy's Gate by Jonathan Stroud - a reread (I own the book) and audio (I'm borrowing this from the library) of a favorite teen fantasy series. This is the 3rd in the trilogy.

Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry - I started this yesterday and I'm only a few pages in, but so far so good. I can literally only tell you that it's about some guys that work in Texas during the time of the Old American West, I'm only that far. But I did enjoy the succinct "new" introduction by the author in which he rather wryly compared this work to White Christmas in a story that's taken on a life of its own in the love of its readers and further interpretations/reinterpretations.

Very soon I should start The Age of Innocence for book club (July 20). It's the first Edith Wharton book I'll have ever read (bad English major!).

Happy new thread, Mary. Your posting numbers this year are considerably up on last years; way to go!

Happy new thread! Looks like you had a great vacation?

>35 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul! I'm amazed at my posting numbers this year, as I've never gone past four threads and am definitely on pace to surpass that this year. I'm no longer on pace to get 150 books read this year, but that's okay with me.

>36 The_Hibernator: Thanks, Rachel! Yes, it was a really fun time.

Happy new thread, Mary.

>38 DianaNL: Thank you, Diana!

I was just in Tennessee for the day last week. Funny how small the world is sometimes :) Happy new thread.

Hi Mary! Happy new thread! How nice that you were able to take a vacation with most of your family! My parents, siblings, and I haven't done that since 1999.

Looks like you're working on a variety of (hopefully good) books!

>34 bell7: Will be interested in your thoughts on Lonesome Dove. I've never read a Western but that's one I've received so many recommendations for that I think I should branch out and try it.

I love Edith Wharton (although for some reason I haven't read any of her books for ages) so I am a fan of The Age of Innocence. There was a group read a few years ago which I think generated some good discussion which might be worth a peek before your reading group. Main thread here.

>40 Kassilem: Ha, that is funny how things work sometimes! Thanks, Melissa.

>41 aktakukac: Thanks, Rachel! Yeah, the main reason I agreed to go was because I knew trips like that will soon be few and far between. I'll be on my own agenda for most vacations from here on out, going with friends or by myself rather than family (though going to my sister's in DC is often a vaca plan to be honest).

>42 souloftherose: Thanks for the link to the Wharton thread, Heather. I'll definitely be checking it out. I haven't started it yet but will have to buckle down a bit to read it this week. I try to finish somewhere between Saturday-Monday before the Wednesday book group. That seems to be the sweet spot for me to both think on and absorb the book as well as not having a ton of reading in between to forget it.

72. Ptolemy's Gate by Jonathan Stround
TIOLI: finish something (last book in a trilogy)
Why now? It was time for a new audiobook-before-bed and I decided to finish my reread through the Bartimaeus trilogy

In the final book in the Bartimaeus trilogy, Bartimaeus has been serving Nathaniel for two years straight and his essence is aching to go back home to the Other Place. Nathaniel - John Mandrake - is firmly ensconced as a magician and there is little of his young self left as he serves the government and works on putting out propaganda for the war in America. Kitty Jones, safe in a new identity, is meanwhile learning a little bit of magic on the side, commoner though she is.

This is a really fitting end to a fantastic fantasy series. The characters are great - especially Bartimaeus with his wise cracks and boasting - and Stroud shows how much of a history he's created for this alternate world as we also see a bit more of Bartimaeus's backstory with Ptolemy. Definitely worth reading and rereading; the audio read by Simon Jones is also excellent. The end still makes me cry. 4.5 stars.

73. The Moon by Night by Madeleine L'Engle
TIOLI: Not sure
Why now? I'd started listening to the audio and ran out of time, so decided to get the book out of the library. I listened to a little too, but mostly read.

The summer she was fourteen, Vicky Austin was dealing with a lot of changes. For one, she's just getting into that in-between age where moodiness is expected and she's just not a little kid anymore. For another, Maggy is moving in with Aunt Elena and Uncle Douglas, who are getting married, and her dad got a new job in New York, so they're moving. But first, they're taking a cross country road and camping trip. One thing is for sure: after this summer, nothing will ever be the same.

The title is taken from a line in Psalm 121, "I lift my eyes up to the mountains...the sun will not harm you by day, / nor the moon by night." The psalm is referred to often throughout, as Vicky deals with a crisis of faith and identity. She meets a boy and experiences all sorts of new, complicated feelings - along with the disapproval of her family, who don't like Zachary, who is a bit of a spoiled and pessimistic brat, all that much. I enjoyed the descriptions of various places around the country: the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee, Indian reservations, and more. It's rather episodic as they move around and have adventures in each new place, culminating with a climactic event that was suddenly more than I expected. I had a weird sense of deja vu, too, as if I had read the story once before as a kid. Things would happen and I would think, that's right, that sounds familiar. Anyway, if I had read it when I was younger I'm not sure I had the same compassion for Vicky that I did this time around, trying to come to terms with her own beliefs and growing up. The story was written in the 60s and is in some ways a bit dated ("Daddy doesn't like women in pants" and references to the Cold War), but in others shows great tolerance and urges people to listen to each other without judgment. 4 stars.

It really was the oddest feeling to read it and feel like things were put into place in ways I remembered. Usually when I realize I've reread a book it's because I'm predicting to myself what's going to happen in the next chapter or two, but in this one I'd read a new revelation and think to myself, "Yeah, that's right...." but be too hazy on the details to be sure. I thought I'd only read three of the Meg Murry books and one standalone as a kid, but maybe I was mistaken.

Hi, Mary! Happy new-ish thread (I'm a little late). I love the vacation and Mia photos!

>46 tymfos: Thanks, Terri! No worries about being late - I'm still catching up from last month on several threads!

So I'm trying to complete a BINGO in my own summer reading program for adults, and I started reading Aimless Love by Billy Collins for "Read a book of poetry." It's a book I've owned for two years, so no excuses....

Anyway, here's a gem I came across today:

No Time

In a rush this weekday morning,
I tap the horn as I speed past the cemetery
where my parents lie buried
side by side under a smooth slab of granite.

Then, all day long, I think of him rising up
to give me that look
of knowing disapproval
while my mother calmly tells him to lie back down.

Oh, I love that poem! What a gem!

>49 tymfos: Isn't that great? It says a lot, succinctly, without being really hard to understand.

Definitely easy to understand -- and, indeed, says a lot.

>48 bell7: Paints a picture.

>51 tymfos: and >51 tymfos: I do like Billy Collins for that. I'm very picky about poetry and don't like something being so figurative I can't follow, so he's about my speed.

Graphic novel #9:
Displacement by Lucy Knisley

When Lucy's grandparents, now living in an assisted living facility and dealing with limited mobility (grandfather) and memory loss (grandmother), decide to go on a cruise the family is worried enough that her offer to go with them is greatly appreciated. What follows is the graphic novel format memoir of their adventures, where young adult Lucy reflects on not just aging but on her changing relationship with them and her grandfather's experiences as a soldier in World War 2.

I was introduced to Lucy's particular flavor of graphic memoirs with An Age of License. She has a unique confessional flavor so I feel like I'm reading a comic book diary and getting a window into her experiences and thoughts. It worked extremely well for this story, exploring the complex relationship she has with her grands, mortality, memory... it's sad and sometimes funny, and anyone who's had to see a loved one deteriorate will be able to relate to at least some of it. Highly recommended. 4.5 stars.

>48 bell7: I love that poem of his, Mary.

I enjoyed Displacement, too. The other one of hers I read is French Milk, also very good. Mark is recommending her Something New over on his thread.

>55 jnwelch: I liked French Milk when I read it last year, but it wasn't quite as good as An Age of License imo. I'm definitely going to have to check out Something New (I even bought it for the library's graphic novel collection & forgot we had it!) and Relish is on my list too.

>56 bell7: Just added An Age of License to my WL. My wife, a foodie, loved Relish.

>57 jnwelch: Looking forward to your thoughts on it, Joe!

74. Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis - audio and reread and book is mine
TIOLI: Not sure
Why now? I needed an audiobook and had been dipping into the HarperCollins editions from the library - this one just happened to be available

A year after returning from Narnia, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy are on the train platform ready to go away to boarding school when they're pulled away by a magical force - can they be back in Narnia? And if this is Narnia, why is it so very changed, with a castle in ruins and no sign of the Talking Beasts or walking trees?

I seem to have a theme lately of revisiting childhood favorites in my audiobooks. Prince Caspian is the second in the publishing order of the Chronicles of Narnia, and the fourth chronologically. The story is told in a somewhat odd way, as the children encounter a dwarf who brings them up to speed with who Prince Caspian is, and it takes them over half the book to even get to him. This also isn't my favorite of the audiobooks, as I'm sure Lynn Redgrave is a fine reader but her voice choices for Lucy and Nikabrik in particular do not match the voices of those characters in my head. I will always enjoy this story, however, for Trufflehunter and his faith and Reepicheep who remains the only mouse I will ever like. 4.5 stars for sheer fond memories.

75. The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
TIOLI: Not sure
Why now? My book discussion meets on Wednesday

In 1870s New York, Newland Archer apparently has it all: a decent job as a lawyer in and a nice young lady, May Welland, about to become his wife. When May's cousin Countess Ellen Olenska returns to their set with marital troubles, however, Newland begins to question his unthinking bending to convention when he discovers he's in love with the Countess.

Themes of convention or community versus personal satisfaction pervade the story and, to my mind, overtook it in such a way that the characters never came alive and I grew rather bored by the end. Our society has changed so much in the last hundred years when it comes to gratification and doing what you want or sacrificing your happiness for another's, that I wonder how many young people reading this today would have anything to relate to. There is certainly enough meat for discussion and I may find my opinion changing slightly as I ponder the book more. 3.5 stars.

Hi Mary! I'm catching up here. Oh wow, your niece is the cutest! Do you live nearby? She's darling.

You're reading some favorites. I really enjoyed The Age of Innocence, and was on something of a Wharton kick over the past few years. She is a master. Many 75ers are reading or rereading (or listening to) the Narnia books. I have read the entire series so many times I have lost count. It's also one of two series I read more than once to the girls. They're too busy now for read alouds, so maybe I'll do it for me. Love those books.

Lonesome Dove!! I read it for the first time a couple of years ago, and it is a favorite also. Isn't is wonderful to have a big and wonderful book in your hands?

Hi Anne, thanks for visiting! Mia lives outside of Washington, DC which is about a 7 hr drive or a one & a half hour plane ride from me in western Mass. My sister & brother-in-law keep up with texting photos and Skyping, so she recognizes me when she sees me in person.

An Age of Innocence was my first Wharton, and I suspect I'll like the book a little better after Wednesday's book discussion. Lonesome Dove has been lovely so far and I'm looking forward to really focusing on it now that I've finished my book club book. Its hefty size made reading in bed challenging, so I broke down and bought it as an ebook for ease!

Congrats on hitting 75!

Congrats on 75! Heres to another 75!

75 with a classic - impressive stuff.

Huzzah for reaching the magic number!

Hooray for hitting the 75 book mark!

Congrats! :D

>63 drneutron: Thanks, Jim!

>64 BBGirl55: Thanks, Bryony - I'm not *quite* on target for 150, but it could happen! (I can't believe I'm saying that...)

>65 charl08: Thanks, Charlotte - I had a couple of books nearly finished and was a little surprised it turned out to be the Wharton with the magic number.

>66 MickyFine: *bows* (I don't know, it seemed to go with the "huzzah") Thanks, Micky!

>67 ronincats: Thank you, Roni!

>68 Ape: Thanks, Stephen!

Congrats on reaching 75!

Hooray for 75, Mary! We can compare notes when you have finished Lonesome Dove - I just read taht for the first time this month, and I loved it.

>70 thornton37814: Thanks, Lori!

>71 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie, and yes, let's! I'm only about a quarter of the way through but I'm off this weekend and planning a relaxing day Saturday (I've been straight out all week and I'm looking forward to uninterrupted reading time).

#69 I have to read at least 7.5 books a month just to hit 75 this year. I say that you are doing very well.

>8 bell7: What a lovely photo! You are clipping along at a great speed with your reading. All good wishes for a wonderful summer.

>73 BBGirl55: You can do it! (Well, maybe... I don't know what your normal reading pace is.) In all seriousness, it's really not about the numbers. Are you enjoying yourself and is it bringing you happiness? is much more important, imo. And I don't have a lot of hobbies nor watch a lot of TV/movies, so I have a lot of time to read.

>74 Whisper1: Thank you, Linda! And thank you for sharing that lovely image as well. I hope your recovery continues and you have a low-pain weekend.

It's been an insanely busy week at work with summer reading going strong. Our little library has had record-breaking sign ups for summer reading for all ages - 40 for adults and counting is nearly twice as many as past years.

Programs this week included Storytime, chess, yoga for kids - and those are the ones I wasn't involved in. I had book club on Wednesday, and we had only five of us including a woman who has never come before, but a fun discussion and a lot to go over. Some people found the thematic elements and lack of characters you can like as oppressive as I did, and others loved the detail that gave you a precise picture of New York society at a particular time.

Thursday was coloring, and I had five people come plus a reporter for our town's free weekly paper. The five of them really hit it off and came out of the program wanting to start a group for scrapbooking that will meet at the library starting in September. So fun that they decided to take the initiative like that!

Yesterday also involved a workshop I was planning on going to about a half hour away, but unfortunately I missed the email that it was canceled. So I was pooped last night and rather happy that softball was canceled too. I went home, got some R&R and am feeling a tad more energized today. Tomorrow nothing at all is planned and I'm hoping to putter around at home a bit, cleaning, reading, and getting a grocery shopping done. That will be plenty.

Wishing you a lovely and lazy day off! :)

>76 bell7: Sounds like you've been really busy. Hope the day off is relaxing.

Well done Mary for passing 75 with some aplomb.

Have a great weekend.

By the way the Billy Collins poem is a gem and so typical of him. I so agree with you on the best poetry not having to make you chew yourself up over what the heck it is supposed to mean.

>77 MickyFine: and >78 charl08: Thanks Micky and Charlotte!

>79 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul. I hope you're having a good weekend too. Billy Collins is one of my favorite poets for his accessibility and humor. I've also discovered I like a fair amount of Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, and Natasha Tretheway, so it's making me think I should/could venture out into poetry a little more. Any recommendations?

It is a hot and muggy day and so far I'm very happy with my decision to stay in and relax. I've finished up Agents of Babylon, the book I was reading alongside my Bible study in Daniel, and am a 1-hour video away from finishing that up as well. After I do that, I'm gearing up for a good long sit down with Lonesome Dove in the air conditioned downstairs (my apartment is on the second floor, but my landlords let me know I was welcome to come down if I wished). If I have the urge to be productive today, and I might, I could clean in my apartment a little or make some progress on a baby blanket with a slightly complicated pattern (no lacework or anything, but I do have to count every stitch and pay attention on every row) while watching the Red Sox tonight.

Tomorrow is church and my brothers are playing softball in the afternoon, followed by a cookout at my parents' house.

I bought myself some sushi for dinner last night and focaccia bread to tide me over the weekend grocery-wise. My farm share starts on Monday, so I'll probably wait and see what kind of produce I get before shopping for meats and such.

So that will be my weekend, and a bit more relaxed than my life has been lately. Monday will be hectic work-wise with only three of us in the morning during Storytime (well, four counting the person in that program, but she'll have other things on her mind!), and then I'll work the next two nights with a program on Wednesday. This one is an information presentation/q&a on personalized medicine and I think it will be really interesting. We'll see how many people show up, but it was a free program so really only my time lost if only a handful of people come.

76. Agents of Babylon by Dr. David Jeremiah - mine
TIOLI: not sure
Why now? I started an in-depth Bible study on Daniel over the summer and thought it would be interesting to read this alongside.

Dr. Jeremiah takes an almost chapter-by-chapter approach to the Book of Daniel, exploring history and prophecy, and applying it to the life of a Christian in today's (particularly western/U.S.) society.

While I was reading this book, I was also working through Beth Moore's Bible study on the Book of Daniel, and I wanted to read this as a sort of overview, reminder, and way of perhaps looking at the Book of Daniel a little differently. It's not as in-depth as I thought it might be, but it was an excellent overview and most of his interpretations matched up to the study I was completing concurrently. Each chapter is introduced with a fictitious account based on the Biblical account: this method is not one that I particularly like, but it may work for some others. Then, Dr. Jeremiah follows with an explication of the Biblical account, using quotes from Daniel and commentaries to support his comments, and a final section delves into personal application. There were a handful of insights that were not covered in my other study, but by and large I would approach it as an introduction to this book of prophecy and follow up with further, more challenging reading. I especially liked the Appendix at the end that summarized every statement about God, chapter by chapter. 4.5 stars.

I probably should've counted the Beth Moore study as a book read too, as it's about 180-90 pages long in and of itself. I think I even did the first time I worked through it back in 2008.

HI Mary. Years ago I participated in an in-depth study of the old testament....fascinating stuf.. The Psalms remain my favorite part of the bible. I know that people quote the 23rd psalm, but truly there are many more gems in addition to that one.

Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

In every day life I try to be positive and find joy in the small things. I don't always succeed.

Your Bible student sounds fascinating. Thanks for sharing this.

>82 bell7: That Jeremiah book is on my wish list.

Sounds like a lovely plan for the day, Mary. :)

>83 Whisper1: I love the Psalms, too, Linda. One of my favorites is Psalm 27.

>84 thornton37814: Lori, if you don't mind my pencil marks in it and want to PM me your address, I'll send it along to you.

>85 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky, I'm rather enjoying myself! I did not get bored with "doing nothing" and am happily switching between knitting and reading while the Red Sox are on.

>82 bell7: I appreciate the offer, but our local library has it so I'll get to it pretty soon.

>82 bell7: Beth Moore has an amazing grasp of the Bible and does those wonderful detailed studies. I've taken a few of them and learned a lot.

Thanks for more Mia pictures. Your vacation to Tennessee sounded like a quality time with family.That cabin setting looked so peaceful.

Congratulations on passing the 75 goal, Mary. I am a big Wharton fan. There are some of her more obscure books I have yet to read. Something to look forward to.

>87 thornton37814: Oh good, well I hope you enjoy it when you get to it.

>88 Donna828: Glad you could swing by for a visit on my thread, Donna! I don't doubt I will read another Wharton book somewhere down the line. I think I'm rougher in my estimation of book club reads because I have a contrary streak that does not appreciate *having* to read a book, no matter how much I was looking forward to it up until that point!

77. Sidney Chambers and the Perils of the Night by James Runcie - e-book
TIOLI: Not sure (I've been really bad about keeping up with it this month)
Why now? I've been meaning to continue the series since the beginning of the year, and since each chapter is essentially a "short story" I counted it toward my summer reading BINGO game of "read a short story" and just finished reading it as the library due date approached

Vicar Sidney Chambers, in his mid-thirties and unmarried (not for want of choice between two lovely lady friends), continues to find himself drawn into investigations, whether over a disappearance of someone who may or may not be a Communist spy, foul play at a cricket match, and more.

Each chapter is essentially one story and covers 1955 to 1961 in the small parish of Grantchester, near Cambridge. The first book in the series, despite having the main character of a vicar, had a rather light touch as far as his faith went, though he has his moments of wrestling with his job as a priest in the Church of England - where he must trust people and be open with them - and an amateur sleuth - where suspecting others is more the game. But since people tend to open up to a priest, he can be nosy and help his good friend, Inspector Keating, with some discreet inquiries. This one was much more overt in Sidney's ruminations about his struggles and his attempt to be a better priest. The mysteries tend towards the cozy side, though some are more violent in nature, and his travels between England and Germany add period detail (such as East/West Berlin) that make for a fascinating read. 4.5 stars.

I haven't seen this series of Grantchester, so I couldn't speak to how closely the show stays with this set of stories. I am finding it fun reading, so I'm looking forward to continuing the series. :::sigh::: Soooo many series...

78. Aimless Love by Billy Collins - mine
TIOLI: Oh I remember this one... it's a book I've owned for more than a year and was "saving" up to read
Why now? It fit the TIOLI category AND my library summer reading category of "Read a book of poetry"

Poetry collections are, in my mind, almost impossible to review so here are a few rambling thoughts that may or may not become something more cohesive. When I get back from work tonight, I'll add some thoughts on my favorites from the collection.

I am very picky about the poetry I like, though I think Billy Collins is a gem. He can write about mundane, everyday things with style. He can be playful, as in the poem Transitions, which talks about using "Moreover," "secondly" and other words that you'd never include in a poem. And he can be profound, in poems such as "Names," which is in memory of those who were killed on September 11. Most importantly, you don't need an English degree to understand him.

I'm debating 4 to 4.5 stars with the question to myself if I would read it from cover to cover again.

>90 bell7: I found I preferred the television series to the books (at least for the first book anyway) so I haven't continued reading. I have a feeling though that the second series is quite a bit different from the book.

>91 bell7: I think Billy Collins is a gem, too, Mary. I re-read him a lot.

>92 MickyFine: I did too, Micky, but it was such a slight preference that I decided to try to stay ahead of my watching with the books so that I could enjoy them for themselves and then enjoy the show just as much.

>93 jnwelch: Joe, I can't quite decide if I'm going to want to keep the whole collection or just write down some favorites and pass it on. I guess I'll hold on to it for now and see how attached I feel in a few months.

The adult summer reading program I run at the library includes a BINGO sheet and categories in which to read or accomplish activities. I have at least two bingos now and have finished all the categories that do not require me to read a book, which is better than I thought I'd be doing at this point in the summer. I'm focusing my reading on Lonesome Dove now (I'm over halfway), as it's in a new-to-me genre. I just want to point out that the only genre I was honestly able to say I'd never read was a western. And somehow I decided to read the longest one I could find - no, to be honest it's been on my list for awhile and I was looking forward to the challenge.

Other books on my nightstand to try to complete challenges:
Waste-Free Kitchen by Dana Gunders - started reading this today as a diet and/or exercise book (well, diet and not wasting food so I'm stretching the category just a tad)
Threshold by Caitlin Kiernan - recommended by a friend; I almost read Court of Mist & Fury here but I'm trying to be good and spread out the series before the final book comes out in the spring
The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley - historical fiction
The Game of Love and Death by Martha Brockenbrough - author has my initials

There's a handful of other categories, but I figure those four are plenty by August 12.

Ha, yeah, I've only ever read a single western (The Red Raider by William Colt MacDonald), and I only read it just so I could say I've read a western. :)

>96 Ape: Lonesome Dove has been on my TBR list for awhile, which is why it's the particular western I chose. After this year, though, I'm going to have to be really creative in filling the "new-to-me genre" category, either in a really specific subgenre (I've never read Scandicrime, mysteries with recipes, or romantic suspense?) or genre blends, though even that I've covered pretty well. There are plenty of genres I don't read often, but very few I can count as absolutely new to me anymore. I guess that's a good problem to have, right?

Definitely! I think going with really specific subgenres is the best route. Here's a few! Oh, and "Bizarro" is an obscure one. It's one of the few that I definitely have no read. It just seems a bit too...well, bizarre. :P

>98 Ape: Oooh, excellent. Thanks for the link, Stephen.

It has been another steady week of work - vacations have meant lots of desk time, and I had a mid-week program. My summer reading program is going strong, and I'm enjoying having people come in and tell me about what they're reading.

My niece turned 1 yesterday, and I mailed her gift and Skyped the family last night (though of course, she's only 1 and it's probably fairly meaningless to her but someday it will matter).

This weekend I have fairly low-key plans. I have chicken breast and corn on the cob that need cooking, so I'm planning on doing that tonight, freezing the corn and using the chicken for a pizza and lunch meat over the weekend. Tomorrow a friend wants to meet for coffee, and I'm hoping to get out to the mall to buy yarn for a new knitting project. Another friend of mine wants a sweater for Christmas. This will be my first, so I told him it would probably be as lumpy as Mrs. Weasley's handiwork and late. But then, when I asked for personally made artwork last year, I'd expected a drawing and he sent an oil painting (which I received this June because it had to dry). So it only seems fair, after all.

On the reading front, I'm making progress in Lonesome Dove and started reading Waste-Free Kitchen Handbook. I had started listening to The Young Unicorns in my read through the Austin family chronicles, but found myself falling asleep at the same places, so I started over with the book instead. I'm not quite caught up to where I was when I stopped the audio, but there were a few times that I'd lost track of what was going on so the reread has been helpful.

>80 bell7: Well Mary, I am not perhaps the expert on American poetry being a little too British in my tastes.

I am however reading a splendid book The Penguin Anthology of Twentieth-Century American Poetry. T.S. Eliot stands out for me as does Mary Oliver. One poet I came across, new to me, but really impressive was Melvin B. Tolson and you may like Philip Levine too.

Have a great weekend.

Glad you're enjoying Lonesome Dove. Westerns are completely new to me as well. My boyfriend's favorite author is Louis L'Amour so I'll probably read one of them soon.

Hi Mary -- I loved Lonesome Dove when I read it a couple of years ago -- it was the top read for me that year. Westerns are not my thing either, although since I don't read them I don't actually know this. All I know is that Lonesome Dove was and is so beloved here that I had to give it a shot, and I'm so glad I did!

>101 PaulCranswick: Oh no worries if they're American or British poets (at least, if I'm able to find their works in a library here). Many of my favorite authors are British, after all.

>102 The_Hibernator: Rachel, I'll look forward to seeing what you think when you read one. I'm sure I'll try another somewhere down the line.

>103 AMQS: Anne, it's going to be hard for me to explain my rating without spoilers. It was beautifully done, though my own personal tastes make it not a "best" of the year. I like happy endings, or hopeful, and this one was... well, melancholy if not devastating.

79. The Young Unicorns by Madeleine L'Engle
TIOLI: not sure
Why now? Working on reading through the series. I'd been listening to the audiobook but had a terrible time following, so restarted with the book and read fast.

The third book in the Austin family series takes a turn that moves it firmly into the same universe as the Meg Murry series. Now living in New York, the Austins have made friends with Josiah "Dave" Davidson and Emily, a young girl who is a brilliant pianist but recently made blind when she walked in on someone stealing research from the very study where Dr. Austin now works. Something sinister is going on; who can be trusted in the big city?

With gang names like the Alphabats (and leaders called A, B, C, D....), a "genie" that apparently comes out of a lamp and other over-the-top scenarios, I didn't quite roll my eyes but I never truly believed anyone was in danger. Dave's name, Josiah Davidson, definitely references the Biblical king - and in case we missed it, one of the characters makes a statement to that effect and his father's name is also Amon. The narrative also changes from Vicky's first-person account to a third person narrator that mostly follows Suzy and Rob, Dave and Emily (with some of Vicky), and comes across as a bit more heavy-handed and old-fashioned without having her teenage voice in the mix. That being said, it's the kind of book I would've loved (and probably did) as a kid, and had I been the right age it would've been just the right amount of suspense. As it was, I needed something a little lighter alongside the heavy adult books I'd been reading, so I enjoyed it more than I didn't. 3.5 stars.

I'm looking forward to reading A Ring of Endless Light, which is a Newbery Honor and my own book, the whole reason I've been working my way through the series. Now that there's a definite bridge between her series, however, I'm going to have to go back through the Meg Murry books (I think I stalled on book 4 or so) as well.

80. Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
TIOLI: Fits a "challenge" category (in this case, a chunkster)
Why now? "New-to-me" genre for a library summer reading BINGO game

Augustus McCrae and Woodrow Call, former Texas Rangers, are running a livery stable with some young men in Lonesome Dove. When one of their old friends, Jake Spoon, comes back on the run having accidentally killed a man, he tells them tales of Montana and Call decides to make a cattle drive up north.

This epic saga of the Old West has a little bit of everything: good guys, bad guys, dumb guys just going a long for the ride; cowboys and Indians; cattle drives; whorehouses. There's a little bit of history and the mentality of the Texas Rangers. Various characters are introduced and intertwine throughout the 800+ pages. The writing is evocative and reading about the hot Texas summer in the middle of a heat wave, I could just feel the dust and the heat coming off the pages. I can understand why this Western is one of the best beloved. 4.5 stars.

I almost rated it 4 stars, but I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt that I would reread it, despite the fact that so many people died and it was harsh (well, the west was, wasn't it?) and the ending was devastating but felt unavoidable all at the same time.

July in review:
70. The Beekeeper's Daughter by Santa Montefiore - mine and e-book ARC
71. The Grand Design by Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow
72. Ptolemy's Gate by Jonathan Stroud - audio and reread and book is mine
73. The Moon by Night by Madeleine L'Engle
74. Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis - audio and reread and book is mine
75. The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
76. Agents of Babylon by David Jeremiah - mine
77. Sidney Chambers and the Perils of the Night by James Runcie - e-book
78. Aimless Love by Billy Collins - mine
79. The Young Unicorns by Madeleine L'Engle
80. Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry - mine and e-book

Books read: 9
Audiobooks listened to: 2
Graphic novels/Manga: 1
Picture books: 0
Adult/Teen/Children's: 7/1/3
Fiction/Nonfiction/Poetry/Plays: 8/2/1/0
Library/Mine/Borrowed: 5/6/0

Standouts: Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry

Thoughts: Early in the month, my reading seemed to be slowing down but I ended up with a total of 11 books read for a not-so-shabby month by numbers. There were more rereads and "so-so" books than usual, as well as a decent number of audio. I've continued rereading a favorite series and reading the Austin family series (which might be a reread after all), and both of those have also contributed to reading older "dates" than usual. I expect the series reads will continue into August, but I also have a few newer titles on deck that I'm looking forward to. This is the first month I've "read" (or listened to when I owned the book) more books of my own than library books.

Original publication dates read (year-to-date):
2016 - 12
2015 - 15
2014 - 8
2013 - 7
2012 - 3
2011 - 2

2010 - 2
2009 - 1
2008 - 1
2007 - 1
2006 - 3
2004 - 1
2003 - 2
2002 - 1
2001 - 2
2000 - 1

1999 - 1
1996 - 1
1995 - 2

1986 - 1
1985 - 1

1978 - 1
1971 - 1

1969 - 1
1968 - 1
1963 - 1
1960 - 1

1955 - 1
1954 - 1
1951 - 2

1920 - 1

1908 - 1

I mentioned briefly in my weekend plans post that a friend of mine asked me for a sweater for Christmas.

This is my first sweater, ever, and he has been warned that it will be a late Christmas gift and probably as lumpy as Mrs. Weasley's to boot. I found a pattern that takes minimal shaping and sewing (hurray!) in Charmed knits : projects for fans of Harry Potter with the "H" in the middle for Harry... it will have a "T" instead and be in his school colors (he's a freshman in college, same age as my sister). I went to buy yarn on Saturday and well... I need enough that, wouldn't you know, I had to special order navy blue yarn in order to have enough in the same dye lot. So it'll arrive next Saturday.

I'm kind of excited and super-nervous about it, so we'll see how this goes. I'm sure I'll share photos as I work on it.

I love the idea of knitting a sweater that is supposed to be lumpy. Definitely takes the pressure off! Maybe I will actually get around to knitting a sweater myself if I can make it lumpy.

Good luck with the knitting. My cousin knitted me a huge black sweater that I wore until it fell apart. It was so wonderful in my (very cold) student house!

>109 norabelle414: It's supposed to be loose though the pattern itself isn't really lumpy. He tells me he'll wear it anyways, so I figure as long as I make it big enough, no pressure right?

>110 charl08: Thanks, Charlotte! If this goes well, I might have the confidence to knit myself a sweater with some of the yarn I inherited from my grandmother.

>108 bell7: That's my biggest issue with yarn shops - one nearly *always* has to order the yarn if one is making anything bigger than a scarf or socks, because they *never* carry enough of the stuff. Gah. Best of luck on the sweater; I have that book and will likely be making that sweater for Charlie eventually.

>112 scaifea: Oh I bet Charlie will love it! If you make it, Amber, I'd love to see the pictures. :)
I found 4 of two different dye lots in the stash of navy blue, which meant I could've made one for myself (Adult S) but not an XL. So that was a new experience for me, having never made anything bigger than a baby blanket. If I'd realized that, I would've gone to the Jo-Ann's that's a 15 minute drive from my parents rather than the one in the mall 40 minutes away (I figured they'd have a bigger selection, which was true, but...).

>113 bell7: Oh, I'll certainly post photos! Eventually I'd like to make myself one, too, but I can't decide about the initial. I'm afraid it would be too Scarlet Letter-ish, dontchaknow...

Yeah, though, about Jo-Ann's - they usually pretty much carry acrylic yarns. At least I can't seem to find actual wool or such there.

>114 scaifea: Ha! True... I would probably use one of the other patterns for myself. My friend gets the initial because we've been joking that it would look like Mrs. Weasley's lumpy work all along, and when he asked me for school colors I knew I'd need to have two colors. I asked him if he wanted stripes and he said, "Use your imagination... put a 'T' on it" for his name. So that's what he's getting. I think I ended up getting acrylic yarn anyways because it was washable and soft, but I'd have to look at the gold hank I got for the letter to be sure.

Summer reading has one week left, we've had stellar registration and lots of people enjoying themselves with the BINGO game. I have become tired of reading books I *have* to read, so I've decided to give myself a break from trying to fill every square. I say this, but I'm currently reading two books that still qualify.

This month, I have to read The Boys in the Boat and The Power of Habit for book discussions, but other than that I've decided not to try to fit any books into categories. So I'm taking the month off from the TIOLI challenges and not pressuring myself to finish any particular books by August 12. I'm dogsitting next week, and celebrating my sister's birthday over the weekend of August 13 and I will read whatever I want.

So next week dogsitting I will bring my two "have to" books, The War that Saved My Life because I've already started it, The Invisible Library and A Court of Mist & Fury. Funny story about the latter and I'm sure you'll all relate... I loved A Court of Thorns & Roses, but I wanted to space out the series and also get *our* library copy which was checked out and due August 8. I've gone back and forth about "should I wait or should I just read it" and finally decided today to just request it. Most likely it will come early next week (from another library in our system), and I'm really looking forward to it.

>116 bell7: Ah librarian problems. My biggest annoyance is when I only have 15 or 20 pages left in a book by the end of my breaks for the day so I have to bring the book home to finish and then bring it back to work the next day to return. Le sigh. ;)

>117 MickyFine: YES! (Sorry for yelling) That is the worst!

Also adding to my ridiculously anal thought process with Mist & Fury, my library's copy has only ever gone out to other library's patrons. So I feel a little bit of an obligation to give it an in-town circ stat...

>118 bell7: Hmmm, things I don't think about working in a single city multi-branch system with floating collections.

>119 MickyFine: Meh, I was overthinking it. Each town/city has its own collections but about 160 libraries are all on the same system, so interlibrary loan is a beautiful thing. I was just sad that the book had only gone out twice and to other libraries only. It's not much of an issue when the book is new, but it is something we think about when weeding (oh, the last check out was 2 years ago and to another library? Delete.).

Is it strange that a non-librarian worries about these things, too? I sure do. I like checking out library book that look like they haven't left the shelf in a good long while - I like helping out the underdogs...

>121 scaifea: Amber, I knew I'd be in good company admitting the thought process that went into this :). Nope, not surprised that you would think about this at all. I try to put books from the bottom shelf in displays for the very same reason. On the other hand, when I weed I can also be pretty ruthless. I have too many new books coming in and needing the space to keep books that sit 101 weeks out of 104 (I've been deleting a bunch of books that only went out once or never in the last two years).

81. Threshold by Caitlin R. Kiernan
Why now? It fit my "recommended by a friend" library bingo category

Ever since she and her friends Deacon and Elise went to the water tunnel and something terrifying occurred that they refuse to face, nothing has gone right for Chance Matthews. Following in her paleontologist grandparents' footsteps, Chance deals with just about everyone she cares about dying: her grandmother, Elise (both apparently suicides), and now her grandfather. But when Dancy Flammarion, a young albino girl, turns up and tells her they need to fight monsters everything Chance knows to be true is turned on its head.

This was a really atmospheric, creepy book of urban fantasy. Kiernan's work has been compared to Lovecraft, and I can definitely see echoes of that. She has a unique style and creates compound words that could be jarring but instead lend a sort of lyrical quality to the writing. Chance, Dancy, Deacon and Sadie (Deacon's latest girlfriend) were all really flawed characters but ultimately people I could root for. So much for what I liked... what I didn't is that I don't know what the heck just happened. There are no clear answers, or if they are, I missed them entirely which left a really unsettled feeling that I think was intentional. 3.5 stars.

82. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis - audio and book is mine
Why now? I'd been re-reading via audio in and out of this series, and when I had trouble listening and paying attention to The Young Unicorns I decided to give this a go, remembering that I'd loved Derek Jacobi's rendering the last time I'd listened

A year after second trip to Narnia, Edmund and Lucy are stuck at the house of their awful cousin, Eustace Scrubb, while their parents and Susan are off to America. Edmund, Lucy, and Eustace are transported to Narnia via a painting in his house, and find themselves in the midst of King Caspian's voyage to discover what happened to the seven lords that Caspain's evil Uncle Miraz had sent away when he plotted to take over the kingdom. Sailing the unknown east, they discover new islands, peoples, and adventures.

This is the most episodic stories of the series, with every stop on the map a new experience to our main characters. The very first sentence is still one of my favorites in all literature: "There once was a boy named Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it." Ever since I was a child, I loved Eustace's story and felt for Caspian having to balance his own individual wishes with being a king, and especially the return of Reepicheep. Instead of being the rather comedic figure he was in Prince Caspian here we see him as a true Knight, full of courage and ready to jump into every adventure. His goal is to see the utter East and "Aslan's country." Then there are all the secondary characters who were fascinating in their own right. A childhood favorite I will love returning to again and again. 4.5 stars.

Happy Saturday, all!

I'm working today and heading straight out to dogsit for a week, followed by a weekend of visiting with my sister's family (they're coming here!) for her birthday. So if I seem to have a little less activity on LT, you know why - I'm only bringing my Kindle and my phone with me, and both keyboards are rather a pain to type on for long posts.

One book that I'll probably finish up today and have been loving is The War that Saved My Life. Ada has a clubfoot and her mother has abused/neglected her all her life, but when her brother Jamie is sent away from London to the country for safety during the air raids, she takes the opportunity to run away from home. The children are reluctantly taken in by an old maid, Susan, who tells them she isn't very nice - but she doesn't hit like Ada's mother did and has a pony named Butter that Ada is determined to ride. It's already made me tear up and cheer and just... it's so good, you guys. I almost don't care that there are the "wrong" words for things like Santa Claus.

>124 bell7: I've just so enjoyed reading the reviews of the Narnia books around the threads this summer. Yours is no exception. That opening line made me laugh. Poor Eustace!

Hope your busy week goes well.

>125 bell7: Have fun with all the things, Mary!

Enjoy your family time, Mary. I can't believe little Maya is already a one-year-old. That first year just flies by, doesn't it? I'm pretty sure there will be no more babies from my kids, although I have a great-nephew getting married this fall giving me hope for a bundle of baby joy to hold. I'm sorry you didn't love Lonesome Dove but at least it was a standout book for you. Yes, the wild west was pretty wild and violent, so I can see why it's not your preferred genre.

I always loved The Voyage of the Dawn Treader in the Narnia series, too, Mary. So much goes on in that one. Great story.

>126 charl08: Funny how a bunch of us all started rereading them at once. I enjoy really memorable opening (and closing) lines, and that's always been one of my favorites.

>127 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky! So far dogsitting is exhausting, but I'm looking forward to this weekend (which will be exhausting in another way).

>128 Donna828: Thanks, Donna, I'm looking forward to it! I can't believe Mia is one already, either. The time goes by so fast! Lonesome Dove is growing on me, and I think it'll be one of those that I wasn't loving right when I finished but the more I look back on it the more highly I'll think of it. One of my co-workers recommended the movie to me, and I might try that too.

>129 jnwelch: Yes, it's definitely a good one, Joe. I was disappointed with the recent movie treatment, especially since I loved what they'd done with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. I was a slightly odd child and would've told you (most of the time, mind you, as it did change on occasion) that my favorite of the series was The Last Battle, but The Voyage of the Dawn Treader was up there too.

Longer reviews for the following are on the work pages:

83. Waste-Free Kitchen Handbook by Dana Gunders - Really excellent how-to guide in reducing waste, from buying less, to using up leftovers, to composting (even in an apartment!). The recipes look good and the directory at the back would be really handy for anyone looking for a quick reference guide to food storage/use.

84. The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley - Ada has a clubfoot and her mother has abused/neglected her all her life, but when her brother Jamie is sent away from London to the country for safety during the air raids, she takes the opportunity to run away from home. The children are reluctantly taken in by an old maid, Susan, who tells them she isn't very nice - but she doesn't hit like Ada's mother did and has a pony named Butter that Ada is determined to ride. Not perfect, but a great read nonetheless.

85. Zechariah by G. Coleman Luck - Continuing my study of Biblical prophetic books. Interesting & informative introduction to the book of Zechariah.

Stealing a few moments at work to update my reading. I finished a few books over the weekend and have started on The Boys in the Boat for book club next week.

The dogs I'm sitting for are three pugs. One of them is a puppy and gets the others going, so I have two or three of them running around trying to play (or in Rosie's case, more often than not trying to get away) while simultaneously trying to be as close to me as possible. A few times we have managed to have some quiet moments all sitting on the loveseat watching the Olympics. Other times I've gone into rooms where they can't follow me just to get a few moments' peace. They also sleep with me, and that means I wake up rather contorted at times with a dog smooshed up right against me somewhere - legs, back, lying on top of my feet - and have to kick them over to make room. Last night I got a decent night's sleep, but a couple have been really rough. To be fair, they're quite sweet dogs just extroverts. Maybe that's why I like cats better...

>130 bell7: Agreed. Disappointing movie; too bad, as there was so much material that could've made for a memorable one. The Last Battle is up there for me, too. Doubly impressive, IMO, as he finished the series in a satisfying way.

>133 jnwelch: And I do try to give movies the benefit of the doubt because I know it's a different format and there are things that work in books that don't in movies and vice versa. But I felt like they tried too hard to make it a cohesive arc with the weird green (?) smoke thing from the Dark Island instead of staying with the spirit of the story itself. The Last Battle has one of the best endings, ever, in my book. Last lines and first lines can both make a big impression on me, and that one is up there.

The only book I'm reading - and this is extremely unusual as I usually have a couple of books going - is The Boys in the Boat. I'm going to have to buckle down and read quite a bit over the weekend to finish in time for my book club Wednesday. I just got the audio from the library today, so I'm hoping to be able to listen while dogsitting and knitting.

I am listening to You're Never Weird on the Internet (almost) by Felicia Day, which I read less than a year ago and really enjoyed. The audio is just as fun; unfortunately I can't download the .pdf on my Kindle through the Overdrive app so I'm missing the ridiculous photos, but I saw them when I read the book and actually they're often described, so it's still very entertaining and I don't feel like I'm missing much.

Friday my sister's family is coming up for her birthday and we've got a full agenda, plus Saturday is my last day dogsitting so yay for sleeping in my own bed in only two more days!

Sleeping in your own bed is one of the best things about coming home after time away. :)

Hello bell7! I have enjoyed reading through your thread and plan to continue to stay tuned for what comes next.

>87 thornton37814: I have hear of Dr. David Jeremiah, but I have never read or listened to any of his books. I see that psalm 27 is your favorite. Whisper1 hit on my favorite which is Psalm 51, but some of my favorite passages are in Proverbs 2 and 3 (Richness of wisdom).

>135 bell7: I listened to Felicia Day's earlier this year and found it very entertaining and informative, especially the 'gamergate' section toward the end. I do not game online and was surprised that the situation got so out of control. She is an interesting lady for sure.

Have a great day!

Brodie

>136 MickyFine: Hear, hear!

>137 brodiew2: Thanks for stopping by, Brodie! That was my first introduction to David Jeremiah's works, though I had heard of him before. I enjoyed reading Felicia Day's book and have been enjoying it all over again listening. It will probably make my "wishlist" to add to my personal library collection (as a librarian, most of what I read I borrow from the library).

I am another who adores curling up in his own bed although I was booted out last night for coughing and spluttering too much and impinging on Madam's own sleep.

Have a lovely weekend, Mary.

Yay for sleeping in your own bed!

>139 PaulCranswick: I hope you're feeling better, Paul! It certainly feels good to be back in my own bed, even if it's been hot and muggy and I no longer have air conditioning.

>140 The_Hibernator: Yes! Have a great Monday, Rachel :)

86. You're Never Weird on the Internet (almost) by Felicia Day - audio
Why now? I needed an audio-before-bed while I was dogsitting and decided to "reread" via listening to a book I read last year.

My initial review of the book is on the work page and remains unchanged. I will add that the audio, read by the author, was fabulously done. It's different in that I couldn't see the pictures - they were in a .pdf that my app couldn't download - but the narration included when to look at them and a description to help me follow along. I laughed throughout. The audio also includes a bonus chapter about the book tour which I really enjoyed.

Also, it worked out perfectly as my audio while I was dogsitting. I started it the first night and finished it the last (Friday).

>142 bell7: Sounds like a fun listen. :)

>143 MickyFine: Definitely! Tone makes such a difference in humorous writing like that, so it really brings out a lot to listen.

There is something so soothing about listening to a book you have already read, narrated by a person whose voice you already know. Not to say its a replacement for reading/listening to new things, of course, but it's like pleasant classical music.

>142 bell7: I agree with >145 norabelle414: I listen (and relisten) to the Chandler Marlow mysteries as a solution to insomnia. I know some of the lines backwards and forwards but still enjoy the listen. I used to do the same for Hitchhikers Guide and the Miss Marple books.

>145 norabelle414: and >146 charl08: That's definitely true. I think it's one of the reasons that many of my successfully listened to audiobooks are rereads - that and I'm a visual, not an aural, learner. My current listen is Bud, Not Buddy but I find myself reading it a lot more and not following the narration well even though it's written in such a way that lends itself well to an audio rendering.

I liked Bud, Not Buddy. Hope you're having a good time with it.

87. The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown
Why now? My book club choice for this month and we're discussing it tomorrow

How did nine college students, many of them working class growing up in the Seattle area during the Depression, take the 1936 Berlin Olympics by surprise in their quest for rowing fame? Daniel James Brown takes you step by step, from the technical details of rowing, creating the boat, and the rivalry between Washington and California in rowing, when Joe Rantz and the other boys showed up as freshman in college to their varsity year and finally to the Olympics.

Joe Rantz's story from poor kid, the death of his mother and his father's subsequent remarriage, abandonment and his determination to make something of himself, is very much the heart of this story. Though I liked the technical details for giving me a grasp of a sport I knew nothing about, they also slow down the narrative occasionally "catching a crab" as rowing parlance would have it, making me feel a like the oar of my reading was just a tad stuck in the water. But then an exciting description of a race or the detailed care with which we get to know Joe's thoughts and feelings, or perhaps an observation from one of the other boys, carried me along and finally had me holding my breath through the description of the Olympic race even though I knew the outcome. I was surprised by how little the Olympics played into the story: mostly, it was all about the preparation leading up to that moment. Brown does an excellent job of bringing in other historical details that helped me set the story in a particular time and place, making connections between what was going on in Europe at the time and other sports legends and stories of the 1930s. 4 stars.

I am one fascinated by details, so though I say it slowed it down a little most of the time I was pretty fascinated by what I read. It'll be interesting to see what my ladies think of this one tomorrow night. I have a sneaking suspicion that they don't tend to read a lot of sports books and may not have connected as much with this one, so I'll be taking some care over the questions the next couple of days and see if I can't tease out some aspects that would resonate more with them.

>148 jnwelch: I think I'll like it, Joe, but I may switch to reading it more than listening. I'm only a few chapters in at the moment.

My sister's birthday weekend was fun and busy. We spent time with her, my brother-in-law, and niece as much as possible at my parents' house and tag saling. My niece is very communicative, mostly nonverbally, but says some words and phrases and definitely understands a lot. She really liked the fan/light fixtures at my parents' house, and would have my dad lift her up to the light. Eventually she'd say, "A light," or well it sounded more like "uh-leht," but would point until he picked her up close to it, when she'd take her hand down refusing to touch it and just smile and look up at it. This kept her occupied for quite some time, as did going up and down a stair in a park we visited. She holds hands really well, and then drags you in the direction she wants to go. No question what Mia wants, even if she only speaks a little. My sister says since Mia's dad doesn't like her to climb the stairs when that's what she wants to do, she grabs my sister's hand, pulls her over to the stairs, and says, "Yeah," with a decisive nod of her head.

I am back home and sleeping in my own bed (hurray!) with no dogs contorting me in the middle of the night (double hurray!).

My other sister is leaving for college on Saturday. My parents are officially going to be empty nesters and I think it's a weird feeling for all of us.

In reading news, I finished my book club book just under the wire, with a little help from the audiobook to keep me motivated and going even when I wanted to be doing other things. I started reading A Court of Mist and Fury when I got it on Friday - yeah, that book I was going back and forth about should I read it, should I not? The hold was delayed and I ended up calling the lending library so they would check their shelves to send it to me, and it finally arrived. So that will be my treat for reading the *have to* books cause I have one more book I need to read for another book group next week - The Power of Habit. I started it this morning, and believe it or not it's moving much faster than The Boys in the Boat. I very comfortably read over 75 pages this morning before work (which sounds less impressive when you know today is a 12-8 day, but whatever) and will have no trouble finishing it by next Tuesday. Fortunately I don't have to facilitate that group, so if I finish it last minute I'm not too worried. Finally, I'm reading/listening to Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis because lately I've been feeling motivated to catch up a little on my goal of reading the Newbery Award & Honor books.

Edited for clarity.

I've been doing something similar with the Newbery books, following Amber's recommendations mostly, and just read Call It Courage. I can recommend it, and it turns out to be a favorite of Ellie's (mirrordrum's), too.

>152 jnwelch: Yep, I'm pretty sure Amber and Linda inspired me to try to read 'em all. When I worked in children's at the library, I had a great excuse to keep up with younger books, but now that I work in adult services I find myself reading more and more adult books. Some of it is exposure - I'm reading lots of reviews to purchase the fiction, not seeing so much of the new kids or teen books (though I still manage to read a fair amount of teen). But I do try at the very least to read the newest Newbery Award book when it's announced. I haven't gotten to Call It Courage yet, so I'll have to move that up the list.

All this Newbery talk makes me happy! It's been a fun project so far for me, for certain.

>154 scaifea: *waves* hey Amber! I do enjoy reading Newberys and picture books, but it's harder for me to remember to prioritize them with all the other books glaring at me :)

I'm extremely late to the party, but congrats on hitting 75! You're putting us all to shame :P

Hi Mary! Hope you are having a good weekend.

>104 bell7: I agree. Still loved the book:)

>108 bell7: I borrowed that book from the library years ago, but never got around to making anything out of it. I did just take the yarn I bought for a scarf to the library to use for whatever I might need. I have the Gryffindor red color suspending my "new books" sign:)

>149 bell7: I really want to read this book, but I can't find it (it's somewhere around here).

>156 rosylibrarian: thanks, Marie! My reading has stayed consistent and even I'm surprised to be approaching 90 books read this year!

>157 AMQS: Lonesome Dove is one of those books that after I've mulled it over for a bit has left such a strong impression and grown on me even though I want sure how much I liked it right after finishing. I was actually looking at the sequel to see if I'd want to tackle that somewhere down the line, and I might. I've been known to bring extra yarn to the to put in a basket with a "take me" sign along with a display of knitting and crochet books. Love the visual of Gryffindor red holding up the new books sign! I do recommend The Boys in the Boat.

Turns out I needn't have worried about my book discussion ladies. There were only four of us but there was so much to talk about I think I asked a maximum of three questions if the conversation flagged, but we covered a host of topics from mentors to the Olympics then & now to the depression and much more. Our next read will be The Things They Carried.

Edited to correct a typo and add touchstones.

88. A Court of Mist & Fury by Sarah J. Maas
Why now? I read the first book in the series over vacation and my friend finally convinced me to read this one sooner rather than later. He's since been remonstrated because now I have to wait until MAY 2 for the third and final book in the trilogy.

Having defeated Amarantha and rescued Tamlin from the kingdom Under the Mountain, Feyre finds that she's still struggling with nightmares and the fall out - she may have been gifted with immortality and changed into a faerie, but her heart is as human as ever. Tamlin clamps down into protective mode and starts never letting her out, while Rhys unexpectedly calls in the first of his weeks with her that fall under their bargain.

Oh goodness, where do I even start? You know, I find it easiest to review the books I'm lukewarm about. I like something enough to keep reading, but am distracted enough that I start analyzing it and picking it apart and can tell you exactly what I did and didn't like. This isn't one of those books. Sarah Maas has a way of creating a place and creating characters that I simply fall into and forget I'm reading. This book is a 620 page emotional rollercoaster, where I'd be nearly crying on one page, cheering on the next, and sitting with my shoulders all tensed while I read impatiently making sure that none of my favorite people were hurt. Added to that, there are so many twists and turns to this story that I can't wait to reread the first book with new eyes. Maas has become one of my favorite authors, and I can't wait to see what she does next. 4.5 stars.

There are a couple of steamy sex scenes that would make me reluctant to recommend the book to young teens, though we do currently have them in the teen section of the library.

89. The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
Why now? I'm having someone come to the library on Tuesday night to lead a book discussion on it.

How do we create - or break - a habit? In The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg uses current research about habit forming and many interviews to illuminate just what is going on in our brains, taking us through the habits of individuals, organizations, and society.

This was a really fascinating, meaty account that read smoothly and kept me entertained and intrigued throughout. In the first chapter, Duhigg introduces the habit loop: there is a cue, a routine, and a reward that becomes ingrained in our brain, forming a habit until we follow the loop without thinking. To change the habit, you change the routine. As subsequent chapters show, of course, there are many other elements that complicate those habits, but in a nutshell if you can identify the three items of that loop and change the routine - say, when you want to grab a cookie from the cafeteria, spend a few minutes talking with a co-worker instead. And that's really just scratching the surface. Duhigg blends recent scientific studies with illustrative case studies such as Starbucks and Saddleback Church to explain how we create habits in our lives, work, and socially as a community. Highly recommended. 4.5 stars.

I'm really looking forward to the discussion on this one, especially because I can be mostly a spectator and listener and won't have to facilitate. We've had several people check out the book since it was in the local paper, so I'm hoping for an excellent turnout.

90. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by Jack Thorne & John Tiffany based on a story by J.K. Rowling
Why now? Because it's a new Harry Potter - and I'd finished A Court of Mist & Fury so I was ready for another binge read

Taking up where the epilogue to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows left off, this play follows young Albus Potter to Hogwarts, where he deals with the frustration that comes from being the famous Harry Potter's son and feeling like he doesn't quite measure up.

Of course there was a ton of hype with the new Harry Potter coming out, and as both a librarian and a Harry Potter fan (I'll leave it up to you to decide which is more important) I knew I'd be getting my hands on a copy months before it came out. Well, it's not a novel so I didn't expect a ton of depth or detail and that was true. I liked Albus and his friendships, and the depiction of a fraught father-teen son was, I think, one that would ring true for a lot of people even if the stereotypical "you just don't understand me." The characters as adults stayed true to how I might expect them to be after watching them grow up in the originals. Some of the revelations in this one were surprising, some less so, but I enjoyed revisiting favorite characters and would watch the play if it were possible. 4 stars.

>161 bell7: Good assessment. I think you're right to go in to it knowing it's not a novel. I think that killed a lot of people's love for it... but it's a play, so what did they expect? :)

>159 bell7: I thought that I had some problems with the first book of the series, but when I went to look, I had given it 4.5 stars, so I must have liked it! Profiting from your experience, however, I think I'll wait until next April to read this one.

>161 bell7: Not looking, not looking, not looking. I'm sure you have lovely things to say but I'm just skipping all things Cursed Child until I get there.

>162 rosylibrarian: Thanks, Marie. Based on all the press before it, I'd say there were some people rather surprised/disappointed that it was a play. So fortunately I didn't have those expectations going in, and I don't find it particularly daunting to read plays after a couple of English classes, so I felt like I could do a good job visualizing and sometimes really enjoyed the stage directions.

>163 ronincats: Roni, I'm glad you could profit from my experience. I do read some series right when they come out, so it's not like I'm incapable of waiting. But my original plan was to read the newest in her other series, Empire of Storms, when it comes out in September, then read Court of Mist & Fury in the winter and have perfect timing for remembering and spreading the books out when the as-yet-unnamed third book comes out May 2. As it is, I realize I'll reread both books probably right before the third comes out.

>164 MickyFine: I totally understand, Micky, I did exactly the same thing and have been following up on a couple of threads where I purposely ignored their reviews up until now :). My spoiler-full thoughts are over at foggi's and Laura's (lycomayflower) threads when you're ready.

Picture Book #9: The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles by Michelle Cuevas, illustrated by Erin Stead (8/24/2016)

A man who delivers messages in a bottle wants to find one addressed to himself - what will he do when there's one to an undisclosed recipient? I thought the title and cover looked cute, so I took a look at this last night on the circ desk. I enjoy Erin Stead's illustrations, which were muted and lovely, many of them in a circle shape with a lot of white space and text underneath, and a few sweeping over the double page spread. The story may have enchanted me as a young child with the idea of messages in a bottle, but as an adult that's full of holes: How would the messages get to the right person if they were just left in the ocean? Who were they from? Is the delivery guy like the US postal service of an island or small town, or what? Does he have to read all the messages first to decide how to give it to him? Things like this bother me. It was cute, but not one of the most memorable.

It's occurred to me that I've read a bunch of picture books to Mia over the last year or so and haven't thought to write down the names or my thoughts. So the number's off, but oh well.

Hi, Mary! I'm way too late for the celebration of your 75th book, but congrats for way, way surpassing that goal.

>167 tymfos: Thank you, Terri! Glad you stopped by :)

I'm so very happy to report that my latest dogsitting stint ends today. It was only for a few days, and the same three pugs that I was sitting for a couple of weeks ago. The puppy and one of the other dogs, I was told by the owners, play and run around quite a bit and I could shut them downstairs if they got to be too wild and not settle down to go to bed. Well. The puppy, at least when I was there, was not merely playing but was aggressive, biting the back legs of the other two dogs and trying to hump them. I finally had enough yesterday and went home to pick up a spray bottle and use, judiciously, when he was really getting out of control. Worked a charm, but my night was exhausting to say the least. One of them wet the bed and it was 11 p.m. so I didn't bother to do anything but move myself over so my feet weren't in a puddle of pee. This morning they woke me up at 6, and I actually shut myself out on a screened in porch to lay down on the couch for another 45 minutes so I'd be halfway awake for work today. So, the bed is stripped, I left the folks a note to let them know why, and I am home free tonight! Probably going to bed early, too.

I've been reading Blood Hollow by William Kent Krueger, the fourth book in the Cork O'Connor series. I'm enjoying it (when I could concentrate and the dogs were settled down), and at more than halfway through I'm expecting to finish it in the next day or two. I'm still reading/listening to Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis. I really like the audio presentation, but it's suffering a bit for being read/listened to in such a choppy manner. I might be able to sit and knit and listen for a bit in the next few days as well.

On Saturday I'm planning a day trip out with a friend to Boston. I met her on one of the Workcamps I did a few years back and we haven't seen each other in over a year despite living in the same state, so I'm really looking forward to it!

By the way, my sister has settled into college and everything seems to be good. I had a quick text conversation with her yesterday and she tells me her roommate and I would get along - they might show up at the National Book Festival.

Glad to hear there's good things on the horizon for your weekend. :D

>170 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky, I'm looking forward to takeout tonight (it's kind of becoming my Friday thing to get takeout and stay in, and I love it) and weekend plans, plus a day off on Monday.

91. Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis
Why now? I wanted something to listen to* before bed, and figured I'd work on the Newbery award/honors list while I was at it

Young Bud has been at the Home in Flint, Michigan ever since his Momma died four years ago. When a family with a slightly older boy takes him in and Bud starts getting bullied, he runs away determined to seek out Herman Calloway, a man he believes to be his father.

I will be the first to admit that my relationship with this book suffered from the disjointed way I read it. I'd listen and fall asleep (the narrator was fabulous it was not his fault), read the book (and reread parts I was half-asleep for) and the e-book over the course of 11 days, when if I'd just sat down with the book itself I probably could've read it in a sitting or two. Also, in looking over the reviews I happened upon a pretty big spoiler that ruined the emotional impact the ending might have had. I liked Bud, but I found the scenario a little unbelievable. Would a ten-year-old really have run away and been on his own and as naive as this child during the Great Depression? That being said, this is a book written for kids, not adults, and questions like this would not have bothered me 25 years ago. Bud's journey was intriguing, but I found the ending abrupt. This historical fiction does give a glimpse of how life was like for many Americans in that time period, and the author's note tells an intriguing story of real people that two of the characters were based upon. I wanted to like the book more than I did, but in the end had such mixed feelings that I'm giving it 3.5 stars.

*I'm not counting it as one of my audios, because I read more than I didn't and often reread what I'd listened to because I was falling asleep. I have the habit of listening to something before I go to bed, but it sometimes doesn't bode well for the book if it's not a reread or otherwise easy for me to follow.

Glad you're done that dog-sitting stint. Sounds aggravating!

Mary, I really liked Blood Hollow. That series by Krueger is a favorite of mine.

I like William Kent Krueger because his books are based in MN, which has a nice homey feel to it. :)

>174 The_Hibernator: Books set in my home locale are normally not so homey feeling, Rachel. The West Riding books by David Peace being a case in point. A Kestrel for a Knave, This Sporting Life, A Kind of Loving and so on would exactly be quoted by the West Yorkshire tourist trade.

>173 tymfos: Hi, Terri! I'm glad to be done dogsitting. I did earn some cash, but it's nice to be home and sleeping in my own dog-free bed. I've been enjoying the Cork O'Connor series and will definitely keep going. I bought the 14th in the series for the library because it got such great reviews and slowly but surely filled in the rest - despite the fact that they're backlist titles, more often than not several of the books are off the shelves when I walk by.

>174 The_Hibernator: Rachel, there's something fun about reading a familiar setting, isn't there? Krueger really brings out a sense of place, and I enjoy that aspect a lot.

>175 PaulCranswick: Paul, I don't think I've read anything set in your home locale. How sad is that? (Of course, I haven't read books set in every U.S. state, either, so I guess I'm at least as remiss in my own home country.)

92. Blood Hollow by William Kent Krueger
Why now? It's the fourth book in a series I've been enjoying, and the library due date was coming up. Also a kid I know in Minnesota was going away to college that week, and though he doesn't touch mysteries sometimes it's fun for me to feel a little connected by reading a book set in his state.

Former sheriff Cork O'Connor is on a manhunt for a missing teen, Charlotte, who is presumed dead after having taken a snowmobile out late at a New Year's Eve party. Months later, her body is found and a troubled Ojibwe, Charlotte's former boyfriend, Solemn Winter Moon is accused of the crime; Cork doesn't believe the boy is guilty, and does some side investigating trying to clear his name.

This is the fourth in a long-running mystery series set in northern Minnesota with a great sense of place and interesting characters whose relationships grow and change as time rolls on. I enjoyed the twists and turns this story took, but occasionally felt like there was just a little too much dirt dug up during Cork's investigation to be quite believable - though they made for effective red herrings. While not my favorite of the series so far, I'm definitely looking forward to continuing. 4 stars.

93. A Ring of Endless Light by Madeleine L'Engle - mine
Why now? I've been reading/listening to the series and have come to the book that I own. I started listening when I finished Bud, Not Buddy, but I really read most of the book so didn't count it towards my audio tally.

Vicky Austin and her family are staying at her grandfather's for the summer, since he has untreatable cancer and not long to live. Added to that, an island inhabitant unexpectedly dies, and Vicky finds three young men vying for her attention.

The Young Unicorns was a bit of a departure focusing less on Vicky and written in third person during their year in New York. A Ring of Endless Light returns to Vicky's "not quite 16" point of view, including her adolescent struggles with faith and love and growing up. If I had read it years ago, I think I would've taken a harsh view of Vicky's doubts and wondered why on earth she had so much trouble making up her mind about boys. I might not have understood some of the descriptions of her grandfather's decline, either. But as an adult, I find myself understanding why Vicky's not sure she believes in God all the time. I remember being a teenager and not sure if a couple of boys liked me and not sure how to handle it. And a few years ago, I saw my grandmother decline in a similar way where by the end she was less present with the living and knew it was nearly time to go. Really my only complaint is that the ending felt less resolved than I would have liked. 4 stars.

I've been enjoying reading through this series, but I think I'm going to try to slow myself down a little. I also want to go through the Murry/O'Keefe series and see where some of the characters connect - I don't think I read beyond the 3rd or 4th book in that series.

Not much to report in the non-reading life. This weekend was a busy one, meeting my friend in Boston and on Sunday going to my cousin's bridal shower. I think my sleeping patterns are still off from dogsitting: on Friday, I turned my light off before 9 and was asleep around 9:30, I slept in on Saturday, on Sunday I took a nap and then stayed up 'til 11. I got up at a normal time today, though, so I think I'm just about back to normal.

Today was a day off, and I spent it doing errands. I sent my sister the first college care package, and I have a few others ready to send to kids from youth group at the end of the week. I also did my grocery shopping and laundry. So yay, for getting things accomplished! Tomorrow is the second of my library's cookbook club meetings, and I'm expecting an excellent turnout and a busy night.

I'm currently reading The Invisible Library, which is due in only a couple of days. I'm hoping to make a little progress this evening, but I'm sure my reading over the next couple of weeks will be affected by the U.S. Open (tennis). For an audiobook-before-bed, I downloaded the first book in the Mercy Thompson series and will start it tonight. Wish me luck in being able to concentrate and not fall asleep too fast!

Glad you had a nice weekend, Mary! Hope the return back to the grind isn't too painful today. :)

Morning, Mary! I really love those Mercy Thompson books - we named our cat after her.

Wishing you the best of luck with the concentration and not falling asleep too quickly.

>179 bell7: Good luck with staying conscious. I've lost track of the stories I don't know the endings to!

>180 MickyFine: So far I'm managing to ease in... the upshot of my regular work schedule is that Tuesdays are my Mondays (I either work 9-2 or have it off, and then Tuesday is 12-8), and it's always a little harder after a long weekend. Still, the program tonight should be fun, if exhausting for little introvert me to essentially host a dinner party!

>181 Crazymamie: Mamie, part of the reason I've decided to read it is on your recommendations.

>181 Crazymamie: and >182 charl08: Thanks for the luck on the concentration... the difficult thing about listening to audiobooks before I go to bed - and it's become a habit, so that it's really necessary for me to fall asleep with someone reading to me - is finding the right in-between of being able to really hear the story as it goes along and not fall asleep too quickly, repeating the same 15-30 minutes or so every night for a few days. That just gets frustrating. It's also why the last two listens ended up being more of the book than the audio. Too early to say with this one, but I think I might be able to listen and knit. I thought The Invisible Library was due tomorrow but I actually have a whole 'nother week on it.

>182 charl08: I've lost track of the stories I don't know the endings to! Uh-oh! Hopefully that will not happen here, Charlotte! As you can see, I try to find balance with one that can keep my attention and that won't keep me up too late at the same time. Usually it means rereads, so I'm experimenting a little with this one.

WHOOP!

>184 Crazymamie: Is that a reaction to my reading your recommendation, or having more time on a library book than I thought? ;)

94. The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman
Why now? It was due next at the library and I was in the mood for a fun, bookish fantasy.

Welcome to The Library, a between-worlds location with just about every book you could imagine, in alternate forms from different worlds, and run by the Librarians who steal important works from those worlds to preserve and keep (and they'll make copies for the original world, so don't worry!). Irene is a Librarian with not much seniority, sent in with a trainee Kai to retrieve a book... except the book has already been stolen, and now they have to figure out how to get it back.

This is a fun, light adventure story. If anything, I wanted more: more detail about the Library and how it works, more detail about Irene and Kai and the training. It's high on the chase scenes and low on the world-building and character development. But it's a very quick read with an intriguing premise, and I would read the next one to see how the story develops. 3.5 stars.

August in review
81. Threshold by Caitlin Kiernan - mine
82. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis - audio and book is mine
83. Waste-Free Kitchen Handbook by Dana Gunders
84. The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
85. Zechariah by G. Coleman Luck
86. You're Never Weird on the Internet (almost) by Felicia Day - audio and reread
87. The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown
88. A Court of Mist & Fury by Sarah J. Maas
89. The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
90. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by Jack Thorne et al.
91. Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis - mine
92. Blood Hollow by William Kent Krueger
93. A Ring of Endless Light by Madeleine L'Engle - mine
94. The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman

Books read: 12
Audiobooks listened to: 2
Graphic novels/Manga: 0
Picture books: 1
Adult/Teen/Children's: 9/2/4
Fiction/Nonfiction/Poetry/Plays: 8/5/0/1
Library/Mine/Borrowed: 10/4/0

Standouts: A Court of Mist & Fury even if it's absolutely maddening having to wait until MAY for the final book!

Thoughts: I read a really enjoyable mix of books, fiction, nonfiction, adult and kids, new and backlist titles. The first and last books of the month were the most mediocre, oddly enough. Also you can tell I had a lot of dogsitting going on this month - I tied May for most titles read this year at 14.

Original publication dates read (through August):
2016 - 14
2015 - 18
2014 - 9
2013 - 8
2012 - 4
2011 - 2

2010 - 2
2009 - 1
2008 - 1
2007 - 1
2006 - 3
2004 - 2
2003 - 2
2002 - 1
2001 - 3
2000 - 1

1999 - 2
1996 - 1
1995 - 2

1986 - 1
1985 - 1
1980 - 1

1978 - 1
1971 - 1

1969 - 1
1968 - 1
1963 - 1
1960 - 1

1957 - 1
1955 - 1
1954 - 1
1952 - 1
1951 - 2

1920 - 1

1908 - 1

Well, mainly the first, but I am also thrilled that you have more time with that library book. *grin*

>188 Crazymamie: *snort*
Re: the library book, turns out I didn't need the extra time. I finished it last night and now have the new Louise Penny to keep me occupied for the rest of the week. A whole bunch of series books are coming out over the next few weeks/months and I have three work-related books to read for September, so I'll be kept busy for awhile.

>186 bell7: That was quick. Tempting too.

Hope the work books go quickly too.

>186 bell7: Ugh the difficult to resist siren song of a book about libraries/librarians. I'll keep it on the mental list for now. :P

>190 charl08: Thanks, I hope so too! I'm going to balance them out with fun books and hopefully not procrastinate too much.... soooo many books calling my name this month!

>191 MickyFine: Hehe, ikr? It first came to my attention on the Library Reads list. I think Canada has a similar thing where librarians recommend what they're looking forward to, but I can't find it now :(

>192 bell7: I think you're referring to Loan Stars? I keep a vague eye on it but there's never non-fiction titles on the monthly lists so I don't pay close attention to it for my work purposes.

>193 MickyFine: Yes, I think that's it! I buy fiction, so I pay attention to LibraryReads to see if there are any midlist titles I want to add to the collection in addition to the automatic bestseller purchases. The Invisible Library was a little too quirky fantasy for my patrons, though. I'm already pushing it with the Jodi Taylor series, but since me and one of my co-workers love them, we put them on the staff picks and drum up business with word-of-mouth.

Lucky you, Mary, having the new Louise Penny book in hand. I didn't get signed up in a timely fashion so now I have to wait for all the other fans to read it. I hope they are fast readers! I'm glad your four book club members had plenty to talk about. I kind of like it when our group is small so everyone gets to contribute more. We are reading Boys in the Boat in December (I think). I've been looking forward to this one as I really like Daniel James Brown's writing. He made the story of the Donner Party into a fascinating read!

>195 Donna828: Oh no! Well, fortunately I am a fast reader and am returning my copy today. The Donner Party book has been on my TBR list for a couple of years now, and I didn't realize it had the same author as The Boys in the Boat till I was looking up books to make up the readalike list for my book group. I'll definitely have to move it up the list.

95. A Great Reckoning by Louise Penny
Why now? It's the new Louise Penny
TIOLI: Read a book with "nine" (or a nine-letter word) in the title

Recently retired from the Surete du Quebec, Armand Gamache has accepted a post at the Surete Academy. Now that he has rousted out many of those corrupt officers on the force, he's ready for a new challenge: molding the minds of the young men and women who are preparing to enter the Surete, even those cadets who have been tainted by their past, corrupt teachers. But even Gamache is surprised when a murder occurs in the walls of the academy.

Louise Penny's bestselling Inspector Gamache/Three Pines series needs no introduction. This is the twelfth in a series that has had its ups and downs - the middle books, in my opinion, were the strongest - and is not the best. However, I did enjoy revisiting favorite characters and discovering new ones. I did not guess the whodunit, but did guess another piece of the mystery so the last words didn't have quite the impact they were intended to. Recommended to fans of the series. 4 stars.

I think I'm getting pickier as I get older...
Some people have mentioned the staccato style that Penny uses, and it was jarring in places and worked better in others.

Graphic Novels/Manga/Comics #10: Adulthood is a Myth by Sarah Andersen

A collection of comics depicting the challenges of a young adult, introverted female. Some of the comics were really funny and relatable. Whether she's poking fun of "Social Media in Real Life" or portraying the difference between watching a movie with a new date or in a long-term relationship, Sarah Andersen has a great way of pointing out the humor and awkward of the everyday. If anything, her character is a little younger and more Internet-connected with me, but it's still very recognizable and endearing, in a way.

If you think you might be interested, here's the online Sarah's Scribbles.

Mary, I'm stuck a bit past halfway through the Penny. A theory has been raised that makes absolutely no logical sense to me, coming from seasoned investigators. Is it really worth finishing anyway? I see you gave it 4 stars, but I'm tempted to just chuck it. (I can't literally throw the book across the room, as it's a library book, but I imagine you get what I mean.)

How could Gamache having a photocopy of the map -- one where the original is his, hanging on his wall-- in any way be seen as suggesting compromising behavior? How could anyone think that the threat of someone planting a copy in his room might even give him pause, let alone be motive for murder

Ok I finished the Penny. It definitely got better again! I stayed up late finishing it. That one theory never really surfaced again. Not sure why she included it, it was so silly.

>200 tymfos: I'm glad you finished it and enjoyed it in the end. I'm not really sure why that particular theory is mentioned; I thought it made more sense to be suspicious about the partial prints and the fact that he broke crime scene protocol to stay with the body.

96. The Coldest Winter Ever by Sister Souljah
Why now? My librarian genre group is reading urban fiction towards the end of the month, and this is the "benchmark" read we're all reading & discussing
TIOLI:Read a series book by an author you've never read before

Winter Santiaga has it made: she's rich, practically queen of Brooklyn, while her drug lord father runs a successful business. But then her family moves out Long Island, her father is arrested, and things begin going downhill from there.

This is my first introduction to urban or street fiction, and considered to be a classic of the genre. Winter is a tough young woman, and while she didn't grow up in poverty she's used to the violence and drugs on the street. Brooklyn is her home, and she's a strong character with her own goals.Sister Souljah herself is a character in the book, introduced right away with Winter complaining that she can't stand Souljah, which I found a really intriguing choice. I wasn't sure what to expect, and I found myself both rooting for and angry with Winter as a character and with some of the choices she makes, yet understanding why she feels this is the "right" thing to do all at the same time. There is violence and sex, and though I'm not one who could talk about the authenticity of the culture, it certainly felt authentic.

I'm vacillating between 3.5 to 4 stars. I think it'll make a really interesting discussion in a couple of weeks, though we're all white women librarians some work in more urban settings than others. My second title will be Push, the one that was made into the movie Precious a few years back, and I'm really curious to read it now... it'll just have to come after Empire of Storms (fun reading) and The Things They Carried (book discussion).

Alright, I know a few of you are genealogists who know a heck of a lot more than me... at the end of September I'll be heading down to DC to visit my sister and I thought I might stop at the National Archives on one of the days when my sister and her husband are working and I am on my own.

What kind of information can I look for?
What do I need to know to get it?

I realize some of these answers are found on the NARA site but quite frankly I find it hard to navigate and understand the requirements. I was puttering around this morning to see what I could get for Civil War service of two of my ancestors, and will probably start with that if it gives you an idea of what I'm looking for.

>203 bell7: Did you see this article? It tells you how types of military files are organized at the archives:
https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2002/fall/military-records-overvi...

And this FAQ as well:
https://www.archives.gov/research/military/genealogy.html

>204 norabelle414: Thanks, Nora! I hadn't found either of those and they're super helpful. I think I have enough info to get started, it's just a matter of remembering to pack the work I've done on the two ancestors I'd be looking up (Irving Combs and Alva Radney).

I have reached the 200 post mark here, and have begun my very first fifth thread in a year.