Mamie's 2016 Madness (Page 18)

Continuing my list of favorite things...small moments, people who actively listen to what you have to say, wonder...

.....

...

snail's pace

Books Completed in August:
81. A Room Full of Bones by Elly Griffiths (3.5 stars), library hardback, police procedural - series recommended by Beth
82. Driving Mr. Dead by Molly Harper (reread), ebook, urban fantasy
83. The Good Wife by Stewart O'Nan (4 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, literary fiction - recommended by Jenn
--- Ruth's First Christmas Tree by Elly Griffiths (4 stars), 2016 free ebook, short story in the Ruth Galloway series
84. A Witch's Handbook by Molly Harper (3 stars), borrowed ebook, urban fantasy/paranormal romance
85. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck (reread), 2016 acquired audiobook, literary fiction
86. Monstress by Marjorie m. Liu, artwork by Sana Takeda (4.5 stars), borrowed paperback from Birdy, GN - fantasy
87. Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs by Molly Harper (3 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, paranormal romance/urban fantasy
88. Johannes Cabal the Necromancer by Jonathan L. Howard (4 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, paranormal - recommended by Jim
89. In the Walled City by Stewart O'Nan (3.8 stars), library paperback, short story collection - Katie's Dirty Dozen
90. A Dying Fall by Elly Griffiths (4.25 stars), library hardback, mystery/police procedural - series recommended by Beth
91. Travels With Charley by John Steinbeck (5 stars), audiobook, memoir - read for the AAC
92. The Outcast Dead by Elly Griffiths (4 stars), library hardback, mystery/police procedural
93. The Mermaids Singing by Lisa Carey (5 stars), 2015 acquired ebook, literary fiction - Katie's Dirty Dozen
---Bruno and the Carol Singers by Martin Walker (3 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, short story in the Bruno, Chief of Police series
94. The Ghost Fields by Elly Griffiths (4 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, police procedural - series recommended by Beth

July Reading Plans: None

I tend to make plans and then bail on them, so this year I am just going to take each month as it comes. I would like to participate here and there in some of the many challenges that are on offer, however, so IF I have a qualifying book on my shelf and IF I feel like it, I will. This month I have the following titles in my personal library or on loan that would work:


The Penguin History of the World: 6th Edition by J. M. Roberts - reading this throughout the year with Katie and Susan and Jenn


Flaubert's Parrot by Julian Barnes - reading this for the Bowie read with Kim, Megan, Mark, Charlotte, Joe, Paul, Anita, Donna...

Books Completed in January:
1. A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway (3 stars), ROOT ebook
2. Saga: Volume 4 by Brian K. Vaughn, Fiona Staples (Illustrator) (4 stars), borrowed paperback, GN - fantasy
3. Mãn by Kim Thúy (5 stars), library paperback, literary fiction - read for the CAC
4. The Fade Out: Volume 1 by Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips (4.25 stars), 2016 acquired paperback, graphic novel recommended by Joe - crime fiction/noir
5. Nimona by Noelle Stevenson (4 stars), library hardback, GN - fantasy, recommended by the LT masses, read this because Abby had it out from the library
6. The Long Way to A Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers (4 stars), 2016 acquired ebook - recommended by Heather
7. Ru by Kim Thúy (4 stars), library paperback - read foot the CAC
8. Lumberjanes by Noelle Stevenson (3 stars), library paperback, graphic novel recommended by Karen, read this because Abby had it out from the library
9. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy (4.5 stars), audiobook/trade paperback - Group Read - Doorstopper challenge
10.The Fade Out: Volume 2 by Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips (4.25 stars), 2016 acquired paperback, GN - crime fiction/noir
11. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Vol. 1 by Philip K. Dick, Tony Parker illustrator (5 stars), library hardback, GN - science fiction/dystopian
12. The Various Haunts of Men by Susan Hill (3.5 stars), ROOT ebook, mystery - police procedural - read for the BAC
13. Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler (4.25 stars), ROOT paperback, contemporary fiction - dysfunctional family - recommended by Katie - read for the AAC
14. White Sky, Black Ice by Stan Jones (4 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, mystery - police procedural

Books Completed in February:
15. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Volume 2 by Philip K. Dick, Tony Parker illustrator (4.5 stars), 2016 acquired hardback, GN - sci fi/dystopian
16. The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy, ROOT audiobook, narrated by Alan Rickman (5 stars) -audiobook recommended by Lucy - read for the BAC (early) and to honor Rickman's passing
17. A Good Scent From a Strange Mountain by Robert Olen Butler (4.25 stars), library paperback, short stories, Pulitzer Prize winner - recommended by Megan
18. The Frozen Thames by Helen Humphreys (4.25 stars), library hardback, connected vignettes, read for the CAC
19. Fifth Business by Robertson Davies (4 stars), library hardback, humor, read for the CAC
20. Written in Red by Anne Bishop (4.4 stars), ebook/audiobook, urban fantasy - recommended by Morphy, qualifies for Fantasy February!
21. Blacksad by Juan Díaz Canales, Juanjo Guarnido, (4 stars), library hardback, GN - noir, crime fiction - Mark told me about this one
22. City of Djinns by William Dalrymple (4 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, non-fiction - travel writing/a history of Delhi, read for the BAC - recommended by Susan
23. Snow Angels by Stuart O'Nan (4 stars) library hardback, contemporary fiction - relationship/divorce/coming of age
24. A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle (reread), audiobook, crime fiction - detective, read with Birdy
25. Winterdance by Gary Paulsen (4.5 stars), library hardback, non-fiction/memoir - Iditarod race, recommended by Ellen, Karen, and Mark
26. The Drowned Detective by Neil Jordan (4.2 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, mystery - saw this is Charlotte's Guardian reviews
27. King Leopold's Ghost by Adam Hochschild (5 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, non-fiction/history/the Congo/slavery - read for Suz's Non-Fiction Challenge

Books Completed in March:
28. Empire Falls by Richard Russo (4 stars), ROOT paperback/audiobook, Pulitzer Prize winner, read for Mark's AAC
29. Fade Out: Volume 3 by Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips (4 stars), 2016 acquired paperback, GN - crime fiction/noir
30. Velvet: Volume 1 by Ed Brubaker (4.5 stars), 2016 acquired paperback, GN - crime fiction/espionage - recommended by Roberta
31. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris (reread), ROOT ebook, urban fantasy
32. Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris (reread), ROOT ebook, urban fantasy
33. Crooked House by Agatha Christie (reread), ROOT paperback, mystery/crime fiction - read for Paul's BAC (yes, I know this was last month's author)
34. Club Dead by Charlaine Harris (reread), ROOT ebook, urban fantasy
35. Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris (reread), ROOT ebook, urban fantasy
36. Dead as a Doornail by Charlaine Harris (reread), ROOT ebook, urban fantasy
37. Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris (reread), ROOT ebook, urban fantasy
38. Velvet: Volume 2 by Ed Brubaker (4.5 stars), 2016 acquired paperback, GN - crime fiction/espionage - recommended by Roberta
39. All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris (reread), ROOT ebook, urban fantasy
40. From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris (reread), ROOT ebook, urban fantasy
41. A Thousand Mornings by Mary Oliver (4 stars), library hardback, poetry - read for Mark's AAC
42. Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris (reread), ROOT ebook, urban fantasy
43. Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler (4 stars), ER paperback, retelling of Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew

Books Completed in April:
44. Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris (reread), ROOT ebook, urban fantasy
45. The Misty Harbor by Georges Simenon (4 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, crime fiction/police procedural - recommended by Charlotte
46. Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris (3.5 stars), ROOT ebook, urban fantasy
47. Deadlocked by Charlaine Harris (4 stars), ROOT ebook, urban fantasy
48. Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris (4 stars), ROOT ebook, urban fantasy
49. Dark Vineyard by Martin Walker (4 stars), 2015 acquired paperback, crime fiction/police procedural
50. The Portable Veblen (I have no idea), 2016 acquired ebook, um...weird fiction?
51. Cast in Shadow by Michelle Sagara (4 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, fantasy - series recommended by Roni
52. A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab (4 stars), 2016 acquired audiobook, fantasy
53. Black Diamond by Martin Walker (4 stars), 2015 acquired paperback, crime fiction/police procedural
54. Gorsky by Vesna Goldsworthyy (2.5 stars), 2016 acquired book, retelling of The Great Gatsby
55. Ballistics by Billy Collins (4 stars), library hardback, poetry
56. Shaman Pass by Stan Jones (4 stars), library hardback, crime fiction/police procedural
57. Rubbernecker by Belinda Bauer (3 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, crime fiction/mystery

Books Completed in May:
58. The Bird Artist by Howard Norman (4 stars), library hardback, literary fiction, GR
59. Pietr the Latvian by Georges Simenon (3 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, crime fiction/police procedural - series recommended by Charlotte
60. The Crowded Grave by Martin Walker (4 stars), 2016 acquired paperback, crime fiction/police procedural
61. The Other Side of Silence by Phillip Kerr (4.5 stars), library hardback, crime fiction/mystery - recommended by Suz and Charlotte
62. Frozen Sun by Stan Jones (2.5 stars), library hardback, crime fiction/police procedural MY THOUGHTS
63. The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov (thinking), 2016 acquired paperback, Russian literature
64. A Talent for War by Jack McDevitt (4.3 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, space opera/mystery

Books Completed in June:
65. Case Histories by Kate Atkinson (reread), audiobook, literary fictiony/detective
66. Zero World by Jason Hough (4 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, scifi/suspense - recommended by Jim
67. The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths (4 stars), ROOT ebook/2016 acquired audiobook - recommended by Beth and Katie, mystery/police procedural
68. The Janus Stone by Elly Griffiths (3 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, mystery/police procedural
69. White Noise by Don DeLillo (thinking), library paperback
70. One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson (4.25 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, literary fiction/detective
71. When Will There Be Good News by Kate Atkinson (4.5 stars), literary fiction/detective
72. The House at Sea's End by Elly Griffiths (3 stars), library hardback, mystery/police procedural
73. Immortal in Death by J. B. Robb (4 stars), 2013 acquired ebook, mystery/police procedural

Books Completed in July:
74. Academy Street by Mary Costello (5 stars), 2015 acquired ebook, literary fiction - Katie's Dirty Dozen
75. Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley (4.5 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, crime fiction/detective - recommended by Joe and Brodie
76. Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry (5 stars), 2012 acquired ebook, historical fiction - American West, recommended by the LT masses
77. Symphony for the City of the Dead by M. T. Anderson (4.25 stars), library hardback, YA - history, Siege of Leningrad/Dmitri Shostakovich - recommended by Beth
78. Nobody's Fool by Richard Russo (5 stars), library paperback, literary fiction - Katie's Dirty Dozen
79. I Am No One by Patrick Flanery (3 stars), ER paperback, literary thriller
80. The Hanged Man of Saint-Pholien by Georges Simenon (3.5 stars), police procedural - Ahem. Charlotte

Although I am hoping to focus mainly on my own overcrowded shelves this year, I am not crazy enough to think that I could resist adding new books to my collection. I'll record those purchases here.

1. The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers, ebook - recommended by Heather COMPLETED
2. The Watchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley ($.99 on Kindle) - blaming this on Roni, who pointed out the deal
3. The Fade Out: Volume 1 by Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips, paperback - mentioned by Joe on the GN thread COMPLETED
4. The Fade Out: Volume 2 by Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips, paperback - Mark said this one was as good as the first COMPLETED
5. Staked by Kevin Hearne - Iron Druid series, ebook
6. Fear Stalks the Village by Ethel Lina White - recommended by Heather ($1.29 on Kindle)
7. Some Must Watch: The Spiral Staircase by Ethel Lina White - Heather's thread($.99 on Kindle)
8. The Lady Vanishes by Ethel Lina White - Heather's thread ($1.99 on Kindle)
9. Put Out the Light by Ethel Lina White - Heather's Thread ($1.29 on Kindle)
10. Rubbernecker by Belinda Bauer ($2.99 on Kindle) COMPLETED
11. White Sky, Black Ice by Stan Jones ($1.99 on Kindle) COMPLETED
12. City of Djinns by William Dalrymple - recommended by Susan ($4.99 on Kindle) COMPLETED
13. You Have Killed Me by Jamie S. Rich - Mark's fault
14. Hit by Bryce Carlson - also Mark's fault
15. Velvet: Volume 1 by Ed Brubaker - recommended by Roberta COMPLETED
16. The Magician's Assistant by Ann Patchett ($1.99 on Kindle)
17. The Souls of Black Folk by W. E. B. Du Bois ($.99 on Kindle/$.99 audio)
18. Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop - 2nd book in The Others series - ebook
19. King Leopold's Ghost by Adam Hochschild - purchased for the non-fiction/history challenge COMPLETED
20. Half-Resurrection Blues by Daniel José Older - Mark's fault
21. The Drowned Detective by Neil Jordan - Charlotte's Guardian reviews COMPLETED
22. A Darker Shade of Magic by Victoria Schwab COMPLETED
23. The Fade Out: Volume 3 by Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips COMPLETED
24. Velvet: Volume 2 by Ed Brubaker - recommended by Roberta COMPLETED
25. The Misty Harbor by Georges Simenon - recommended by Charlotte COMPLETED
26. Gorsky by Vesna Goldsworthy -Charlotte again, and on my own thread! COMPLETED
27. The Trees by Ali Shaw - Guardian review on Charlotte's thread
28. The Portable Veblen by Elizabeth Mckenzie - Charlotte's thread? COMPLETED
29. The Lemoncholy Life of Annie Aster by Scott Wilbanks ($.99 on Kindle)
30. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman ($1.99 on Kindle)
31. Galore by Michael Crummey ($3.99 on Kindle)
32. An American Childhood by Annie Dillard ($1.99 on Kindle) - for the AAC
33. Pietr the Latvian by Georges Simenon ($2.99 on Kindle) - Charlotte's fault COMPLETED
34. The Carter of 'La Providence' by Georges Simenon - Charlotte again
35. The Late Monsieur Gallet by Georges Simenon - Yep. Charlotte
36. The Hanged Man of Saint-Pholien by Georges Simenon - Ahem. Charlotte COMPLETED
37. The Crowded Grave by Martin Walker - book #4 in Bruno, Chief of Police series COMPLETED
38. The Devil's Cave by Martin Walker - book #5
39. The Resistance Man by Martin Walker - book #6
40. Cast in Shadow by Michelle Sagara ($1.99 on Kindle) - series recommended by Roni COMPLETED
41. Cast in Courtlight by Michelle Sagara - book #2 - series recommended by Roni
42. City of Secrets by Stewart O'Nan - heard about this on Ellen's thread
43. The Blackhouse by Peter May - recommended by Barbara
44. The Girl in the Ice by Robert Bryndza ($.99 on Kindle)
45. Johannes Cabal the Necromancer by Jonathan L. Howard - recommended by Jim COMPLETED
46. Girl Waits With Gun by Amy Stewart - recommended by Charlotte, Mark and Joe ($2.99 on Kindle)
47. Zero World by Jason M. Hough - recommended by Jim COMPLETED
48. Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye - recommended by Roberta and Katie
49. A Talent for War by Jack McDevitt COMPLETED
50. The Glorious Heresies by Lisa McInerney - recommended by Charlotte
51. spill simmer falter wither by Sara Baume - I just liked the sound of this one
52. A Country Road, A Tree... by Jo Baker - I loved her Longbourn
53. Happy Family by Tracy Barone - sounded good
54. The Honeymoon by Dinitia Smith - novel about George Eliot's honeymoon
55. Golden Hill by Francis Soufford - blaming Charlotte's Guardian reviews
56. The Janus Stone by Elly Griffiths - blaming this series on Beth and Katie COMPLETED
57-70. The first fourteen books in Cara Black's Aimee Luduc series ($1.99 each on Kindle) 1 COMPLETED
71. Because of Miss Bridgerton by Julia Quinn ($1.99 on Kindle)
72. The Good Wife by Stewart O'Nan - recommended by Jenn COMPLETED
73. A World Away by Stewart O'Nan
74. Sylvester: or The Wicked Uncle by Georgette Heyer ($.99 on Kindle)
75. A Backpack, a Bear and Eight Crates of Vodka by Lev Golinkin
76. Crime Writer by Jill Dawson - heard about his one from Charlotte's Guardian reviews
77. Brighton by Michal Harvey - recommended by Brodie
78. Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley - recommended by Joe and Brodie and Ellie COMPLETED 7/4/16
79. Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat - Katie's fault
80. Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel - recommended by Diane ($1.99 on Kindle)
81. Nobody's Fool by Richard Russo - I wanted my own copy, this was recommended by Katie COMPLETED
82. Suspended Sentences by Patrick Modiano - 3 linked novellas
83. The Art of Neil Gaiman: The Story of a Writer by Hayley Campbell
84. The Noise of Time by Julian Barnes - recommended by Suz
85. The Paper Menagerie by Ken Liu - Mark pointed out this Kindle deal ($1.99)

27/85 completed = 32% have been read

Katie’s Dirty Dozen – KAK has earned her own category on my thread because she has the habit of recommending books that I cannot resist adding to my stacks. Books listed here could be for the WL or purchased, but I will designate if I purchased them. Because Katie is a rebel, there will of course NOT be twelve books in her dirty dozen.

1. Kamchatka by Marcelo Figueras
2. Destiny of the Republic by Candace Millard
3. The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henríquez - seconded by Charlotte and Susan
4. In the Walled City by Stewart O'Nan COMPLETED 8/12/16 3.8 stars
5. My Reading Life by Pat Conroy - she recommended the audio, and don't speed it up
6. Nobody's Fool by Richard Russo COMPLETED 7/21/16 5 stars
7. Ruby by Cynthia Bond - seconded by Charlotte
8. Not My Father's Son by Alan Cumming - she recommends the audio read by Cummings himself
9. Songs for the Missing by Stewart O'Nan
10. Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye - Roberta also loved this, Katie says the audio is great, purchased 5/15/16
11. The Jaguar's Children by John Vaillant
12. Homegoing by Yaa Gyast
13. Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat - she pointed out that this was only $1.99 on Kindle and that it was one of her very favorites, purchased 7/13/16

AND, from 2015:

1. The Mermaids Singing by Lisa Carey ($1.99 on Kindle), purchase on 2/18/15 COMPLETED 8/19/16 5 stars
2. Bright's Passage by Josh Ritter (2.99 on Kindle), purchased on 2/23/15
3. The Tilted World by Tom Franklin and Beth Ann Fennelly ($3.79 on Kindle), purchased on 3/31/15 COMPLETED 11/7/15 4.2 stars
4. Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler ($12.77 trade paperback), purchased on 4/1/15, COMPLETED read for Mark's AAC in January 2016, 4.25 stars
5. Paradise Alley by Kevin Baker ($.99 on Kindle), purchased on 4/9/15 - second book in a series, first book Dreamland was recommended by Katie and purchased last year
6. Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing - used an Audible credit COMPLETED 6/16/15 4.9 stars
7. Academy Street by Mary Costello ($9.99 on Kindle), purchased on 6/12/15 COMPLETED 7/2/16 5 stars
8. Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn ($5.99 on Kindle), purchased on 8/28/15
9. Sweetland by Michael Crummey ($.99 on Kindle), purchased 9/5/15 COMPLETED 11/19/15 4.5 stars
10. If You Only Knew by Kristan Higgins ($7.99 on Kindle), purchased on 10/26/15

Saving this space for LT recommendations that I want to keep track of.

1. The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers - recommended by Heather (saw this as I was catching up with her 2015 thread) COMPLETED 1/15/16
2. Slade House by David Mitchell - recommended by Lynda - I know that Mark and several others loved this one, too, but it was Lynda's succinct review that places it firmly on the WL
3. Chinese Takeout Cookbook by Diana Kuan - recommended by Lori (thornton37814) - saw it listed as her favorite cookbook read of 2015
4. Revenant by Mel Odom - recommended by Mark, who came to my thread to deliver the book bullet!
5. Winterdance by Gary Paulsen - recommended by Ellen and Karen COMPLETED
6. Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts - Lucy mentioned that she loved this on her thread, and I looked it up because I was unfamiliar with it. Note to self: DO NOT look up books mentioned on Lucy's thread!
7. The Tsar of Love and Techno by Anthony Marra - saw Amy's review of this on her thread
8. I Am Spain by David Boyd - recommended by Charlotte
9. The Mirror in the Mist by Susan Hill - saw Lori's (lkernaugh) review of this on her thread
10. The Prestige by Christopher Priest - recommended by Mary (bell7)
11. The Electric Michelangelo by Sarah Hall - recommended by Charlotte - saw her review on her thread
12. The Fade Out by Ed Brubaker - Joe mentioned this one on the GN thread, and it sounds right up my alley COMPLETED 1/15/16
13. The Clockwork Scarab by Colleen Gleason - Faith reviewed the second book in this series on her thread
14. Names for the Sea by Sarah Moss - read Rhian's review on her thread
15. Amsterdam by Ian McEwan - again, Lynda got me with her succinct review on her thread - how DOES she do that?!
16. The Men Who Lost America by Andrew Jackson O"Shaughnessy - read the review on Reba's thread
17. Wartime: Stories From Ukraine by Tim Judah - read about this one on Charlotte's thread, part of her posted Guardian reviews. LOVE those!
18. The Man in the Picture by Susan Hill - recommended by Charlotte on her thread
19. King Leopold's Ghost by Adam Hochschild - Suz mentioned this one to Charlotte on the non-fiction challenge thread COMPLETED
20. Everything is Broken by Emma Larkin - recommended by Erik on my thread when we were discussing books on Burma
21. The Rebel of Rangoon by Delphine Schrank - Charlotte recommended this to me on my thread when we were discussing books on Burma
22. Unwind by Neal Shusterman - Mary (bell7) was talking about a follow-up collection of short stories to this series, and peaked my curiosity about the series itself
23. A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain by Robert Olen Butler - read Megan's review of this on her thread - I love interconnected short stories COMPLETED
24. Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson - I read Julia's excellent review on her thread
25. How It All Began by Penelope Lively - read Nancy's review on her thread
26. The Storyteller by Mario Vargas Llosa - read Lori's (lkernagh) review of it on her thread
27. TransAtlantic by Colum McCaan - Charlotte and Katie talked me into this! And Marianne approves.
28. Willoughbyland by Matthew Parker - read Carrie's review on her thread
29. The Quiet American by Graham Greene - read Bill's review on his thread
30. Coast to Coast by Jan Morris - read Paul's review on his thread

LT recommendations continued...

31. After Hannibal by Barry Unsworth - read Ursula's review on her thread
32. Fear Stalks the Village by Ethel Lina White - read Heather's review on her thread
33. The Wheel Spins by Ethel Lina White - also Heather's fault!
34. Young Stalin by Simon Sebag Montefiore - recommended by Megan (evilmoose)
35. Mademoiselle Chanel by Pierre Galante - read Judy's review on her thread
36. Romantic Outlaws by Charlotte Gordon - read Suz's review on her thread
37. Crow Lake by Mary Lawson - read Nancy's review on her thread
38. War of Two by John Sedgwick - recommended by Reba
39. The Old Ways by David Dalglish - recommended by Charlotte
40. The Nest by Kenneth Oppel - recommended by Anne
41. The Noise of Time by Julian barnes - was included in Charlotte's Guardian reviews, and then Suz reviewed it which is what sold me
42. Countdown by Deborah Wiles - Judy hit me with this 60s Trilogy with her review of Revolution
43. Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal - recommended by Marianne, interconnected short stories - Beth and Susan also liked this
44. The Library at Night by Alberta Manguel - recommended by Carrie
45. Fifteen Dogs by André Alexis - recommended by Rhian
46. Tokyo Decadence by Ryu Murakami - recommended by Joe
47. American Housewife by Helen Ellis - recommended by Joanne
48. Trespass by Rose Tremain - recommended by Nancy
49. The Book of Sands: A Novel of the Arab Uprising by Karim Alwari - recommended by Deborah
50. A Madness of Angels by Kate Griffin - recommended by Mary
51. The Girl With All the Gifts by M. R. Carey - because Mark said so!
52. That's Not English by Erin Moore - recommended by Susan
53. In the Country: Stories by Mia Alver - recommended by Mark
55. A Manual for Cleaning Women by Lucia Berlin - Mark again
56. The Wars of the Roses by Dan Jones - recommended by Suz
57. Saints and Boxers by Gene Luen Lang - recommended by Carrie (read them together)
58. The Good Wife by Stewart O'Nan - recommended by Jenn COMPLETED 8/3/16
59. Mothering Sunday by Graham Swift - recommended by Suz, Ellen also loved this
60. When Books Went to War by Molly Guptill Manning - recommended by Amy

LT recommendations continued...

61. Exposure by Helen Dunmore - recommended by Charlotte
62. Reading Chekhov by Janet Malcolm - recommended by Charlotte
63. Ways to Disappear by Idra Novey - recommended by Beth
64. The Widow by Fiona Barton - recommended by Diane
65. Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo - recommended by Reba (over on Katie's thread)
66. Super Mutant by Jillian Tamaki - GN - Mark and Joe's fault!
66. The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets by Eva Rice - recommended by Charlotte
67. The Year of Living Danishly by Helen Russell - recommended by Susan
68. My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem - recommended by Beth
69. The Shepherd's Life by James Rebanks - recommended by Rhian
70. Dodgers by Bill Beverly - recommended by Ellen and Mark
71. The Art Forger by B. A. Shapiro - recommended by Mark
72. Zero World by Jason M. Hough - recommended by Jim COMPLETED
73. Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie - recommended by Susan (and Carrie recommended it to her)
74. Without: Poems by Donald Hall - recommended by Ellen, who read it because of the poem that Katie had posted - poetry collection
75. City of Secrets by Stewart O'Nan - Ellen mentioned this on her thread as getting great reviews
76. River Thieves by Michael Crummey - Judy mentioned that she loved this one (on Ellen's thread)
77. The Improbability of Love by Hannah Rothschild - Beth's review on her thread
78. Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine - read Julia's review on her thread
79. Georgiana by Amanda Foreman - read Anne's review on her thread
80. Pleasantville by Attica Locke - read Charlotte's review on her thread
81. Locally Laid by Lucie Amundsen - Janet's review on her thread - I can't believe that she actually got me with this one, but there you have it!
82. Johannes Cabal the Necromancer by Jonathan Howard - Jim said to just read it, already COMPLETED
83. Black Water Rising by Attica Locke - recommended by Susan, Pleasantville is the next book in the series
84. Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys - recommended by Mark, who said the audio was good, too. Joe also liked this one. Also Mary
85. Last Night in Montreal by Emily St. John Mandel - read Beth's review on her thread
86. Body Politic by Paul Johnston - read Charlotte's review on her thread, she said Suz recommended it
87. All My Puny Sorrows by Miriam Toews - read Anne's review on her thread, she said Beth had recommended it - Anne loved the audio narrated by Erin Moon
88. The Private Lives of the Tudors by Tracy Borman - Susan loved this one!
89. Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley - recommended by Joe and Brodie and Ellie COMPLETED
90. Spain in Our Hearts by Adam Hochschild - read Beth's excellent review on her thread

LT recommendations continued...

91. Underground Airlines by Ben Winers - recommended by Mark
92. Everyone Brave is Forgiven by Chris Cleave - recommended by Joe
93. Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel - recommended by Diane
94. Dark Matter by Blake Crouch -recommended by Joe
95. The Paper Menagerie by ken Liu - recommended by Mark
96. Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien - read Charlotte's excellent review on her thread
97. Boy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyeyemi - Charlotte says this might be her favorite Oyeyemi
98. What Angels Fear by C. S. Harris - I have had this on Kindle since 2010 (pre-LT!), but giving Lucy credit because her raving about the series is what got me to check out the series on Amazon, which reminded me that I had purchased the title!
99. The Bellini Card by Jason Goodwin - this is the third in the series, waiting to see if Lucy says to read them in order. Lucy says, "Absolutely read those Jason Goodwin's in order-- start with the first one! (The Janissary Tree) What makes these so good is that the fellow is a serious historian -- he really knows Istanbul/Constantinople/Byzantium well." So there you have it!
100. How to be Both by Ali Smith - loved Lucy's review of this!
101. Thicker Than Water: History, Secrets and Guilt: A Memoir by Cal Flyn - read Susan's excellent review
102. A Slanting of the Sun by Donal Ryan - read Charlotte's review on her thread, and also I loved The Spinning Heart
103. The Scribe by Matthew Guinn - read Jim's review on his thread - set in 1880s Georgia, he said "...and if you liked Gods of Gotham, this one will give a similar thrill."

A few of my favorite reads from 2015:




This should do it - next one's yours!

Am I first?

ETA: Woot!

Am I first? Gorgeous topper.

(ETA: Nope!)

Happy New thread, Mamie! Love the topper! Have a great Sunday!

Happy new thread! The topper really brings back memories of a simpler time.

What a wonderful opening image! Happy Day To You!

Happy new thread Mamie dear. It is good to see you firing on almost all cylinders again. xx

She's back and cranking out another thread--yay! Love the topper. And Bowie made you What's On Tap!! Hope it comes in soon. Happy Sunday and have fun watching the Olympics. The biking was truly crazy!!

Katie! You are first! Here is your prize:



A cocktail garden and full bar for your pool area. It will come with a gardener/bartender because of course you can't be expected to fix your own drink. We are checking to see what Bosnia's flag bearer is doing after the Olympics...

>15 charl08: SO close, Charlotte! Katie just edged you out. Glad you like the topper.

>16 msf59: Thank you, Mark! So happy you love the topper - it spoke to me. SO far so good with the Sunday.

>17 thornton37814: Thanks, Lori! I know right - those boys have no cell phones or electronic gadgets. Amazing.

>18 Whisper1: Thank you, Linda - glad you love the topper. That image you posted made me laugh. Thanks for that!

>19 PaulCranswick: Thanks. Paul! Feeling even better today, so it's all good. xx

>20 Berly: Welcome, Kim! Glad the topper was a hit. I am really hoping that the library gets me a copy sooner rather than later for the Bowie read - I don't want to miss all the fun.

That biking was crazy - and there is more on today! I have to watch in small doses with all that winding and curving around as it makes me a bit nauseous. A sad but true story!

Hey Mamie! Happy new thread! So nice to see things are just about normal again!!

NBC has a great online feature for the Olympics. You simply click on the sport/sports you're interested in and you will receive an email shortly before the event takes place. Thoroughly loving it!

Wow, I made it early. Happy new one, Mamie. I hope you feel better.

>23 Carmenere: Hey there, Lynda! Thank you. Oh! I will have to tell Rae about that NBC feature - she loves the gymnastics.

>24 Ameise1: Great to see you, Barbara! And thank you. I am feeling much better today - by tomorrow I should be completely myself again. SO remember that I did warn you! *grin*

Happy New Thread, Mamie, and so glad you are feeling better.

Thanks, Roni! It feels really good to be getting back into the swing of things.

Happy Sunday and happy new thread, Mamie. I hope you're staying cool.

Happy Sunday to you, Beth. And thank you. I am staying cool - was outside this morning, but my allergies are going crazy with something out there, so I am back inside for now.

Happy Sunday, and Happy New Thread, Mamie!

>1 Crazymamie: Awww!

>13 Crazymamie: Nice to see The Road there among your favorites. I'm a loner in my family in liking McCarthy's books. Seems like we should be seeing a new one soon, shouldn't we?

>21 Crazymamie: I feel like I've missed a trick with my gardening. Well at least I've got a goal for next year... :-)

I'm still enjoying your favorite things, Mamie. You are a lady who has her head on straight! I treasure those small moments, too.

I'll be joining in on Flaubert's Parrot. It looks like a fun group.

>30 jnwelch: Thank you, Joe! Yep - The Road was a five star read for me. The only other I have read by him was All the Pretty Horses. What is your personal favorite of his?

>31 charl08: I know, right, Charlotte?! That cocktail garden is full of fabulous! I WANT!! I would love to see you do that next year!

>32 Donna828: Thanks, Donna! Small moments write on the slate of who we are, don't they? And hooray for joining in the Bowie read - I'll add you to my list up top.

Happy new thread, Mamie. Hope you're feeling better.

Thank you, Reba! I am feeling MUCH better.

>33 Crazymamie: I loved All the Pretty Horses, Mamie, and I'd say it's my favorite. That's been a re-read one for me - so good, and that ending gets me every time (with the judge, etc.) Blood Meridian is probably #2. Strong stuff, but wow, mythic. No Country for Old Men and The Road would follow that one for me. I liked the other two Cities of the Plain books, too.

Thanks for getting back to me, Joe. I have No Country For Old Men in the stacks - maybe I'll try to work that one into the lineup this year.

Happy new thread, Mamie! Good to have you back. Love the thread topper pic and really there are still kids who play without electronics - I have to look out for them every time I drive into my townhouse complex.

>37 Crazymamie: It moves really fast. I had a hard time putting it down.

I hope your allergies settle down soon, Mamie.

Hi Mamie! The Olympics are interfering with my reading. Or maybe my reading is interfering with the Olympics. And both are interfering with my LT time.

I really like new topper, Mamie. Happy new thread. I am in a weird way reading wise any suggestions of light humor or like drama are welcome. I'll even go so far as to say I'm looking for something wholesome at the moment.

Happy new thread, Mamie! Great thread topper!

boo, hiss to allergies. May they be gone!

I'm sending some allergy free roses:

>21 Crazymamie: lol....I know no one says that any more, but I am counting on it sounding retro already ;)

>33 Crazymamie: I'll put my 2c worth and say that The Road is my fave, and next is All the Pretty Horses. For sure. So I guess I can't help you really ;)

Morning, Mamie! Happy new one!

Morning, Everyone! Overcast here and we're expecting rain most of the week, which is fine by me. Perhaps it will bring a drop in the humidity. *crosses fingers* Nothing much on the agenda today - poor Daniel has a dentist appointment to get some tiny cavities filled. I have some laundry and cleaning to do. And some stepping. The most exciting thing going on today at the Pecan Paradisio is that Daniel is moving back upstairs to his bedroom - his leg can finally handle the stairs again. I have no idea what's for dinner, so I do need to figure that out. Perhaps baked potato bar, as Birdy has been wanting that.

On the reading front, I should finish up Johannes Cabal the Necromancer today, which has been very fun - recommended by Jim, and he was right. And I have started A Dying Fall, which is book five in the Ruth Galloway series - this series is oddly addictive. The writing is not the best and the mysteries tend to get kind of convoluted, but I love the characters and the setting, and I keep wanting to know what happens next. Ha! And I love having some kind of mystery going, as that is my favorite genre.

It's Monday, so just do what you can with it.

>38 Familyhistorian: Thank you, Meg! It's good to be back - I missed all of you. I see lots of kids playing without electronics, it's the sitting without electronics that is a rare thing anymore. Don't get me wrong - I LOVE my electronics. But it is also nice to see people just sitting in a cafe reading or chatting with a friend, no devices in sight. Seems like a rare thing these days, at least in these parts.

>39 jnwelch: I'll be sure to get to it this year then, Joe. Thanks!

>40 BLBera: Me, too, Beth. Hopefully, if we get the rain they are talking about, that will knock things down a bit.

>41 cbl_tn: Hey, Carrie! We have been watching those Olympics, too!! SO fun to see sports that are not normally easy to track down.

>42 brodiew2: Thanks, Brodie! Something wholesome...hmmm. you have come to the wrong place. *blinks* Just kidding. Let's see...perhaps Dandelion Wine or The Elephant Whisperer (this is really great on audio) or The Wednesday Wars (this is YA, but was both poignant and humorous). The How to Train Your Dragon books are truly fabulous on audio, narrated by none other than David Tennant - so different from the movies and guaranteed to have you laughing out loud. I'm trying to remember how old your kids are because they would probably love listening to these, too. I know you like mysteries, so if you don't mind mysteries combined with fantasy or magical realism, then I would recommend Midnight Riot (also fabulous on audio) or The Coroner's Lunch - I really loved both of these, and they are both the start to a great series. When I get in a reading slump, I tend to run home to mama - I choose an old favorite to reread or pick a new one in my favorite genre. I think the trick is to just keep trying new books until you find one that pleases your palate and not worry about the rapid discard of the ones that don't. Good luck to you, my friend.

>43 tymfos: Terri! Lovely to see you! And thanks!

>44 Whisper1: Thank you, Linda! Beautiful roses!

>45 LovingLit: You made me laugh, Megan! I like how you think! And thanks for your thoughts on McCarthy - looks like I started with the best ones - go me!

>46 scaifea: Morning, Amber! Happy Birthday to you! And thank you.

Morning, Mamie! Monday doesn't seem so bad to me, because I'm on vacation :D

Hope you have a great day!

Morning, Katie! I have to go to the market, and it is looking like it is going to pour, so I'm thinking it will start just as I am bringing my groceries out to the car. We'll see, but it is looking like a Monday to me.

You didn't like you prize? Do I need to replace it?

Morning Mamie! Just a quick wave & hug to my pal.

>49 Crazymamie: Good morning, Mamie! It's Monday again. Thank you so much for the encouragement and the recommendations. I will check into each of them. It is good to see you back in the swing o' things.

>52 Crazymamie: - Oh, carp! I'm so sorry! I LOVE LOVE LOVE my prize - I totally thought I had responded... It would be so perfect for the party I'm having at the end of this month!

Okay, I am back from the market, and I did NOT get rained on, so my apologies to Monday. Upon arriving home, I did manage to lock my keys in the van - believe it or not, I have never done this before. For just a split second, I was thinking, oh great, the groceries are going to be toast, but then I remembered that Craig always leaves his set of van keys in the kitchen drawer. SO, hooray for that. Monday, look at you shine!

So, baked potato bar for dinner tonight and stuffed peppers tomorrow for those of you with inquiring minds.

I'm making dinner tonight - wish me luck!

>56 Crazymamie: Sounds good. I have a feeling we are going to be eating potatoes for a while here - dad's just dug up his crop!

>53 msf59: Morning, Mark! Drive-by hug, huh? I'll take it!!

>54 brodiew2: Morning, Brodie! You are so welcome, and I thank you for those kind words.

>55 katiekrug: No worries, Katie, I thought perhaps I had bombed with that one. I might try to do something like that next year, and when I say "I" I mean I would get Craig to do it. Ha!

>57 katiekrug: Good Luck!! And just what will you be making?!

>58 charl08: Baked potato bar is a family favorite here, Charlotte - I could serve it every week with no complaints from anyone. Craig grew some really beautiful and delicious potatoes this year, but they are long gone. Happy eating to you!

Howdy Mamie!

Howdy, Ro!

So how exactly does a baked potato bar work? : )

Well...we bake off the potatoes and serve it with a bunch of toppings set up in salad bar fashion - everyone chooses the toppings that they want, and then we feast! We like to have: steamed broccoli, sautéd mushrooms, caramelized onions, bacon, sausage, shredded cheese, sour cream, butter, chives, sliced black olives. SO your potato can be as healthy or as unhealthy as you like. Delightful and very YUM!

*It's also a very good way to use up extra toppings from pulled pork sandwiches, tacos, homemade pizzas, etc.

>59 Crazymamie: - A seemingly easy (ha!) baked chicken recipe involving mayo and breadcrumbs. and i have couscous and Asian chopped salad for the sides. The Wayne hates mayo, but you seem to only use a little bit to keep the breadcrumbs on the chicken breasts, so we'll see.

>63 Crazymamie: - For my pool party at the end of the month, I'm doing a taco bar and ice cream sundae bar. I think it'll be more fun than me trying to serve everyone and getting stressed out over it!

happy gasping hot humid Monday, Mamie. great topper.

>9 Crazymamie: re: "Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts." note to self: DO NOT look up books Mamie mentions on her thread as being books she found on Lucy's thread that cause her to note to herself not to look up books mentioned on Lucy's thread.

have you read Behind the beautiful forevers? soopurb.

>64 katiekrug: Sounds good, Katie! The Wayne hates mayo - oh, the horror! You could probably substitute butter for the mayo. Just saying.

>65 katiekrug: I think that's totally the way to go - we always do stuff like that for large groups, too. Well, except for Thanksgiving. Ha!

>66 mirrordrum: Hey there, Ellie! It's completely gross here, too, and I'm still waiting for the rain that they promised us. Glad you like the topper!

Ha! Laughing about the Shantaram - now Lucy has gotten you, too!! I have read Behind the Beautiful Forevers, and I liked it very much.

Oh! Flaubert's Parrot in now "in transition" to the library instead of "waiting for copy"!! I'm so excited!

>68 Crazymamie: oh do try to contain yourself, dear. really. all this excitement over a book? phffffffft.

Ooh A good Monday! Hooray!!

Happy New Thread. :)

Morning, lady!

>69 mirrordrum: Yes, ma'am. I don't know what I was thinking.

>70 nittnut: I know, right, Jenn?! And thank you.

>71 scaifea: Morning, Amber!

So, stuffed peppers for dinner tonight as Craig has harvested his peppers. Last night's baked potato bar was fabulous. I still need to decide on the menu for the rest of the week...



On the reading front, I finished up Johannes Cabal the Necromancer - this one was recommended by Jim. Really fun. Kind of a dark comedy that is oh so witty. What completely delighted me was who he thanked first in the acknowledgements at the end of the book:

"Ray Bradbury for being a personal hero, and inspiration for this novel. It was Something Wicked This Way Comes that put in my mind the question 'Where would an evil carnival come from, anyway?'"

Morning Mamie! Love the Bradbury quote. Good enough for me.

Nice quote Mamie (and what a striking cover). Home grown peppers sound good. Mine are still the size of my little finger!

Good morning, Mamie! Here's to a Crazy Tuesday!

Morning, Mamie!

>74 msf59: Morning, Mark! It's fun, and I loved the dark humor in it.

>75 charl08: Thanks, Charlotte! I also love the cover - it's the first in a series, so I am wanting to get to the next one. We actually have more peppers than we need, so I will probably use the rest for Philly cheesesteak sandwiches or French Dip sandwiches. Wishing your peppers the best of luck.

>76 brodiew2: Morning, Brodie! Crazy Tuesday - I'm all about that!

>77 katiekrug: Morning, Katie!

Happy Post-Mmmphhmumbleday, Mamie! We made it again. Phew!

Ha! Happy Tuesday, Joe! This Monday was actually a good one for me - who knew?!

>80 Crazymamie: Good to know that's possible, Mamie. I'll be more optimistic from now on. :-)

Me, too, Joe. Well...I'll try. I can't make any promises.

Mamie, I took your advice and just did what I could with yesterday. And now it's the end of Tuesday so that's 40% of the way through the week. Yay!

>73 Crazymamie: Yay! Glad you like it!!

I haven't had stuffed peppers in ages. Wonder if my kids would eat them? I made a roasted mushroom and chicken soup the other night that turned out pretty nice. The kids weren't all that thrilled, but I liked it.

Glad I ate before catching up with your thread, Mamie. If I hadn't I would be raiding the fridge now - baked potato bar, stuffed peppers - yum!

>83 susanj67: Hooray for that, Susan! And now it's Wednesday...

>84 drneutron: It was so fun, Jim, and I never would have found that one on my own, so thanks.

>85 nittnut: We all love stuffed peppers, Jenn - I make mine with ground turkey, sausage, mushrooms (if I have them), Uncle Ben's wild rice and Colby Jack cheese. Last night I added toasted slivered almonds because I had some left over from the pumpkin chocolate chunk muffins that I made. Really good. Your soup sounds wonderful - I adore soup!

>86 Familyhistorian: I hear you, Meg. I need to decide what to make tonight. I'm thinking maybe cajun chicken pasta.

Morning Mamie! Looks like we have another HOT stretch, for the next few days...sighs.

I hope your week is going well and your books are treating you good.

Good morning, Mamie! Hope all is well at the Pecan Paradisio.

>88 msf59: Morning, Mark! It's raining here, so we are getting a bit of a break form the humidity as the rain has cooled thing down some. Eighties and rain all week for us - I can live with that. So far so good with the week - I can't complain. Just back from my haircut, and I don't have to go anywhere else, so I am a happy camper. The books are good. Very good. *grin*

>89 jnwelch: Morning, Joe! All is well here - how are things at your place?

Good morning, Mamie! Light rain and overcast her in Redmond, WA.

Morning, Brodie! I love me a rainy day, especially if I don't have to go anywhere.

>90 Crazymamie: All is well on my end, Mamie. This is "Friday" for us, as Madame MBH and I take off for the west coast of Michigan tomorrow for a few days of R & R. Still figuring out what books to take. :-)

Oooooh, rain! We may get some of that this weekend, along with a "cold front" that will drop the temps to the mid-90s :-P

I believe today is the 10th straight day of triple digit temperatures... the weatherman last night said the record was 42, so we "shouldn't complain." I think I made a rude gesture at the TV - ha!

>93 jnwelch: Fun! That sounds like just the ticket, Joe!

>94 katiekrug: I hear you, Katie! I am SO ready for Fall and Winter. YIKES to ten straight days of triple digits!! I think the weatherman should mind his own business - if you have to endure the temps, then you get to complain about it all you want.

Well your wishes for fall and winter weather appear to be affecting our weather here. Cut it out! Lol

>82 Crazymamie: Sounds like a good combination. I will have to try it. But not right now. Peppers are about $4 each in the store.

Yay for Daniel moving back upstairs - managing stairs is major progress.

>96 Familyhistorian: Whoops! My GPS must be off, Megan. My sincerest apologies. *blinks*

>98 nittnut: YIKES! That is expensive, Jenn. Hoping you like it when you get to it.

>99 SuziQoregon: So true, Juli! And it's lovely to see you here!!

Morning Mamie! Sweet Thursday! Looks like we might get some rain tomorrow. It has been dry here the past week or so, so we could use it.

I am having a good time with The Regional Office Is Under Attack!. You might like this one.

Morning Mamie! It's a humid pot of muggy soup outside. I guess this is what you deal with everyday :0}

Yesterday was lovely and lazy - pretty much just ventured out to get my hair cut, and then came back home and hunkered down while it rained outside. It's good - we need the rain. Supposed to be like this all week, so really the only bad thing if that the dogs go to the groomer today, and it seems like such a waste to get them all cleaned up and spiffy looking only to bring them home to rain. Oh well, they really need the haircut, so I cannot put it off. And there is no end in sight for the rain, so ...

On the reading front, I read some more in both The Noise of Time and The Mermaids Singing, which both have such lovely writing. Spent most of my reading time gobbling up the fifth book on the Ruth Galloway series, A Dying Fall. Hoping to finish it up today. This is my favorite so far because I am loving all the history, and it's fun to have the characters vacationing in Blackpool.

>101 msf59: Morning, Mark! Sweet Thursday! We are in the midst of a rainy week, and I am loving it. I'll have to look up The Regional Office is Under Attack! - I have not even heard of that one!

>102 Carmenere: Morning, Lynda! Um, yes, you have captured the essence of our weather beautifully. Ha!

Glad you're enjoying the 5th Ruth Galloway! I've got some catching up to do!

They are oddly addictive, Lynda!

Ooh Blackpool. I looked at that picture and thought

a) Is that Blackpool?
b) Has Vegas built their own Blackpool?
c) (actually reads post) ooh, I'll just go check the kindle price on that Elly Griffiths book...

>63 Crazymamie: Yum! I am going to have to try that. So glad Daniel has moved back up stairs. Sorry about the rain. Yay for haircuts ( I got mine cut yesterday, too!) and hoping Flaubert's Parrot comes in soon!

My girls get back tonight!!

>107 charl08: Charlotte, you are cracking me up!

a) Yes.
b) No.
c) Highly recommended. Don't tell Susan that you are skipping books 1-4 if you start here. I'm sure that is NOT what you meant. *blinks*

*the owner of the thread denies all accountability for readers who chose to begin in the middle of a series.

>108 Berly: It's always yummy, Kim, and you can use whatever you have on hand that needs to be used up and just add it to the bar toppings.

Daniel back upstairs is awesome - I got my living room back and he has regained some privacy, so it's a win for everyone. I am actually loving all the rain, so no need to be sorry. Yes. Yes! Hooray for haircuts. The bad news is that the lady who cuts my hair is moving to California. *sad face*

Flaubert's Parrot is still "in transition".

WHOOP!! I bet you are so excited to see your girls!! Wishing them safe travels.

So, we are trying this for dinner tonight - it's a new recipe from the Skinnytaste blog. Salisbury steak meatballs - she puts it on top of a cauliflower mash, but since half of my bunch do not like cauliflower, we are putting ours on top of mashed potatoes. Here is the link to the recipe, if any of you are interested: Salisbury steak meatballs

Good morning, Mamie! My, that looks good. It looks better than the meatballs and mashed potatoes I had at Ikea on Tuesday night. :-)

>111 brodiew2: Morning, Brodie! I am hoping that it tastes good - first time to try this recipe, so...

Todays Kindle Daily Deal includes the first six books in this series for just $1.99 each!

I went to get my haircut Tuesday. It must be just that time! It was very busy so everybody must think the timing is right!

Too funny! I get mine cut every 4 weeks because I wear it really short, and it grows very quickly. My hair place was hopping, too!

Hi Mamie, thanks for mentioning the Kindle Daily Deal, I have read the first of the series, but was so happy to pick up the rest at a reduced price!

Hi, Judy! You're welcome - I also had only the first book, so I picked up the others, too!

Ohh - I just loved the Zoo Station series by David Downing. I was sorry when they came to and end!

I watched a lot of the Olympics yesterday, so I did not finish up the Elly Griffiths like I had hoped to - today for sure. I just think it is so fun to see sports that I do not normally get to watch - like the field hockey and rugby. And of course, I LOVE watching the soccer!

On the reading front, Flaubert's Parrot finally came in at my library, so I picked it up in the late afternoon after picking up the dogs from the groomer. When we dropped them off in the morning, we were treated to a funny incident - this very tiny couple (very short and very petite) came in with this huge Rottweiler. The dog walked calmly through the door, waited for it to close and laid down immediately. She knew what she was doing - clever, clever girl! They called for her to be taken back, and there she laid (lay?) in all her glory, not about to move an inch. The wife pulled gently on the leash and encouraged her to come, the vet's assistant held out a treat and encouraged her to come, and the husband tried to gently nudge her to her feet. Nope. Not happening. And I swear, she looked me dead in the eye and grinned for all she was worth. As we left with our babies, she was still sprawled like a queen across the tile, and they had called for "Paul" from the back. Abby and I laughed at this - Paul is a very tall assistant who is so big hearted, gentle, and soft spoken that none of the animals there can resist his charms. Sure enough, as we pulled out of our parking space, we saw her calming walking into the back with Paul.

I do have to share that the new recipe that we tried last night - the Salisbury Steak Meatballs was truly delicious. We served it over mashed potatoes with peas as a side, and it was full of fabulous. I made it in my slow cooker, which has a browning feature so I could brown the meatballs in there first and then switch it over to slow cooker mode. SO good.

>118 vancouverdeb: Hello, Deborah! I have only read the first one, so I need to get back to that series. Good to hear that the series held up.

Love the Rottweiler story. Had a work colleague years ago who raised Rottweilers, but I lost track of her.

Hey, Bill! Glad you loved the story! That dog was SO cute. It reminded me of the Carl books by Alexandra Day that we used to read to the kids when they were little - they were a favorite of Rae's.

Morning, Mamie! Those meatballs look good, minus the mushrooms :) I've been meaning to try cauliflower mash - I do like cauliflower, but I suspect by the time it's done, it no longer tastes like itself anyway.

Bummed I missed the Kindle deal on the Downing books... Oh well.

Have a great Friday!

Morning, Katie! You could definitely leave the mushrooms out. I really hate cauliflower, so you are on your own with the mash.

Oh! Total bummer that you missed the Kindle deal. They repeat a lot, so they will probably come back around within the next year.

Happy Fridaying to you!

Morning Mamie! Happy Friday! A steady rain is falling as I head out to the route. Fortunately I do my business stops first, so I hope it stops before I hit the residential. Fingers crossed. Too muggy to put on the Gortex.

Enjoy your day.

Good morning, Mamie!

>119 Crazymamie: I'm glad to hear that the meatballs worked out. My wife will be working full time on the weekends through the end of October and I will have the kids. We are going to experiment with some new recipes and take them to her at work. It should be fun.

Morning, Brodie! The meatballs were very yum. Your endeavor with the kids sounds fun! I have always enjoyed cooking with my kids and discovering new recipes. Good luck to you!

Morning, Mamie! Off to get my hair cut and the purple renewed. Guess it's a hair kind of week.

Morning, Roni! Hooray for the renewal of the purple - I love that look on you! I guess it is a hair kind of week! LOL!

Dark Matter's on it's way!

^^ahem...

Thank you so much, Jim!! I can't wait to read it!

>131 msf59: Morning, Mark! Um...what? OH! I missed you! do sorry my friend! Crossing my fingers that the rain stops before you get to the residential stuff. I hear you with the too muggy for the rain gear. Same here - our rain hasn't started yet today, but it's a'coming. Very dark and overcast out at the moment. And very muggy.

Thanks for those good wishes - hoping your day is also enjoyable.

You missed me up there. It just finished pouring. Now it stopped and feels jungle like. Fun day ahead, eh?

>133 Crazymamie: I just went looking and found you, Mark. SO sorry! Thanks for letting me know. Oof...jungle like does not sound good. Yuck.

You made me think that I may have missed your response. Lol.

Pouring again. Waiting a few minutes, to see if it will pass. Better open my book.

Hi Mamie! Happy Friday!

Hello Mom wishing you a lovely relaxing weekend.

>136 msf59: Ha! Nope. It was all my fault. I had caught that I missed your earlier post and was editing my what? response when you posted your clarification. So we kind of cross-posted there with my edit and your third post - when I posted my edit, your answering post showed up. LOL! I should have gotten it the first time anyway - guess I was having a mental moment.

Our weather is weird today - one minute the sun is out in full force, and the next moment it looks like it is going to storm. It's giving me whiplash!

>137 cbl_tn: Happy Friday, Carrie!

>138 GeezLouise: Thank you, Rae! Should be full of fabulous if we do it right. *grin*

Book #89: In the Walled City by Stewart O'Nan (3.8 stars), short story collection - Katie's Dirty Dozen

This one fell a little flat for me. It wasn't the writing, which was, as O'Nan always is for me, superb. It was the content and the brevity. I wanted more. I get that short stories are supposed to be...well...short, but some of these felt unfinished. I felt that they were just getting into the rhythm of the story when they ended, leaving me feeling slightly off balance. It may be partly my fault, as my mood might have affected how these stories rested with me - I like gritty and real, but these seemed so sad and hopeless. I missed the humor that I have come to expect from him sandwiched in with the bittersweet and the devastating. And I keep wondering why he named the collection after what I felt was the weakest story. Don't get me wrong - there are some gems in here, including Finding Amy, which is where the novel Snow Angels first drew breath.

What O'Nan does so perfectly that keeps me coming back for more is to capture the human experience in moments of brokenness. When we have fallen to our knees or are just about to, what happens next? This is what O'Nan shows us - ordinary moments coinciding with moments of heartbreak and desperation. And it rings true every time. We can identify with it because it is so very human - small moments of our daily lives captured and magnified for introspection. And these stories have that, but they are not of equal quality, making this an uneven collection. Definitely worth the read, but not O'Nan's finest work - I have been spoiled by his novels.

>140 Crazymamie: - Oh, carp, am I fired?

;-)

Actually, we felt similarly about this one. I gave it 4 stars and noted the sense of hopelessness and loss (but those themes tend to resonate with me, so I don't mind a lot of it!). The collection was published in 1993, so very early on in his career, which I think explains some of the problems with it.

Ha! Nope - I would never! 3.8 is actually a very solid rating from me, it's just that compared to his novels, it was not as rewarding a read. Too uneven of a collection, I think. I do think the themes resonate - it was just too much bleak with no break that got to me, and really, that might have just been my mood.

Happy Friday, Mamie. I hope your weather gets more livable soon!

We had one of these very handsome fellows sitting outside the bedroom window today - Mercy was completely in thrall of him.

>143 Familyhistorian: Happy Friday, Meg! Me, too, with the weather. Hot and humid does not bring out the best in me!

Just passing through. Howdy!

Howdy, Roberta! I'm thrilled to see you here, my friend!

Wishing all at the Pecan Paradisio a wonderful weekend, Mamie, dear.

We made these for breakfast this morning - ham, egg, and cheese on buttermilk biscuits. So good. Now I'm ready to go back to bed. Just kidding.

Yesterday I finished up both In the Walled City (review in >140 Crazymamie:) and Dying Fall, the fifth book in the Ruth Galloway series. I have already requested the next book in the series from the library. I think I am going to set East of Eden aside for now because I am not in the right mood for it. It's very good, and the writing is excellent, it's just slower than I am wanting to go right now. I'll pick it up again later.

And finally, Flaubert's Parrot came in for me at the library yesterday, so now I can join the group read already in progress. Hooray!

>147 PaulCranswick: Thanks for that, Paul! We are back into the low 90s this weekend, so not great, but better than the high 90s. Ha!

Morning Mamie! Happy Saturday. I think I have the O'Nan collection on shelf. I would love to try his short fiction.

I also have a library copy of Flaubert's Parrot waiting nearby. How do we ever catch up, huh?

Morning, Mamie! Happy Satuday!

>150 msf59: Morning, Mark! Happy Saturday! It's his only collection so far, and as Katie mentioned, it was from very early in his career. I would love to see him write another collection now that he is a more seasoned writer.

Catch up? *cues evil laughter*

>151 katiekrug: Morning, Katie! Happy Saturday to you!

Book #90: A Dying Fall by Elly Griffiths (4.25 stars), library hardback, mystery/police procedural - series recommended by Beth

This is the fifth book in the Ruth Galloway series and my favorite entry so far. Both Ruth and DCI Harry Nelson end up vacationing in Blackpool - Harry with his wife on vacation visiting their families and Ruth combining business and pleasure by taking Kate and Cathbad with her when she goes to examine the findings of a recently deceased colleague. I loved all the history in this one and also the setting was so fun with the characters interacting outside of their comfort zones. Really well done. Ruth, as always, is a total delight:

"She goes downstairs wondering if it's decadent to drink wine when it's still light outside. Oh, sod it, she'll just have a small glass....She gets up and pours herself another glass of wine. They're very small glasses, more like sherry glasses really."

And we are introduced to a new character who is sure to reappear - Tim Heathfield, an officer who works under Nelson's old buddy Sandy Macleod in Blackpool. Here's Tim's Bucket list: Attend a pagan funeral, swim with dolphins, read Ulysses, learn Italian, see the Taj Mahal, leave Blackpool. You like him already, don't you?! Me, too.

Hi Mamie! Hope you've had a great weekend!

>12 Crazymamie: I love that picture of Nathan Fillion! I just sent it to a friend who's having a bad day. Actually, my bf and I just went to a theater showing of Serenity and Doctor Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. :) Mmmm. Nathan Fillion.

>154 The_Hibernator: Hey, Rachel! So far so good with the weekend. Looks like we share a love of the fabulous Nathan Fillion - glad you liked the photo I found. I laughed out loud when I came across it - he is just so funny. And charming. And cute...

It's HOT and humid out there already this morning. Did I mention that I am ready for Fall and Winter? Well, I am.

On the reading front, yesterday I started The Paper Menagerie, which is the short story collection that Mark recommended - really liking it so far. Also, I dipped into the sixth book in the Ruth Galloway series - I though I owed it to the library to begin it right away since they got it in so quickly for me. I mean, it would be rude not to, right?

We spent the evening watching the rest of season one of The Good Wife. We (Rae, Abby and I) are really loving this show. And Rae and I are almost finished with season two of Bosch. Then we will have to wait for season three. I hate waiting. It's fun that Titus Welliver is in both shows - I hadn't seen him very much before we started watching Bosch, and then we found out that he was also a regular character in The Good Wife.

Buttermilk pancakes for breakfast - come on over if you're hungry!

Morning Mamie! Happy Sunday! Hooray for The Paper Menagerie. I hope this one speaks to you, like it did me.

We are having a family hiking day and going to a park, north of here. Supposed to have some very nice woodsy and prairie trails.

Morning, Mark! Steamy Sunday here. Happy hiking to you - sounds like a lovely use of a Sunday.

I am really liking The Paper Menagerie so far - I loved the story with the ice cube soul!

Hi Mamie! You still have six series of The Good Wife left - you're so lucky! I've nearly caught up with Person of Interest, which my PVR didn't record properly. I was waiting for it to come to Netflix so I could get up to date and I'm doing pretty well. I particularly love the way they walk around seemingly talking to themselves (in reality, to the other characters, through microphones and earpieces) and no-one ever seems to notice. Suspension of disbelief all round :-)

>144 Crazymamie: Oh, how lovely. I have cone flowers in my back yard, and the gold finch love the seeds. They travel in pairs, so it is always joyous to have double beauty.

Happy Sunday to you!

Photo is not mine:

Happy Sunday, Mamie! Hope you have a good one!

>159 susanj67: Hello, Susan! I was just looking to see how many seasons there were all together. Such a great show! I always love finding new ones that several of us can watch all the way through together. I have not watched Person of Interest, but Rae has, and I know that my sister loves that show. I'll have to give it a look see. I can totally believe that people don't think twice about someone talking to themselves - I do that ALL the time. I also rock back and forth in the market line if I don't tell myself not to - too many years of standing with toddlers in my arms. My body automatically goes into rocking mode when I stop walking. Heh.

>160 Whisper1: Morning, Linda! Mercy's bird feeder is a very popular hangout for the local bird population - so fun to watch her watching the birdies, so really, it keeps us all pretty cheaply entertained. That gold finch is lovely - I haven't seen any of those here, but we do have gorgeous purple finches.

Happy Sunday to you, dear!

>161 katiekrug: Happy Sunday, Katie! SO far so good with this final weekend day - I'm trying to soak it up because our week is looking to be a very busy one. Loads of appointments. Ugh.

Purple finches sound lovely Do they come to the bird feeder?

They do, Linda - a whole mess of them, and they are stunning. They look red to me, but Craig assures me that they are called purple finches.

Hmm, I must look up Bosch, Mamie. I liked The Good Wife, too, but stopped watching in the later seasons; I think some shows try to milk the ratings for too long when a more timely conclusion would have been best. That's just my two cents: House is another show guilty of this. (oops, that's three cents).

Happy Sunday, Crazy! Love the Rottweiler story and all the beautiful bird pictures. I made note of the meatball recipe and hope to try it soon. And I am a cauliflower convert (as are two other family members who HATE cauliflower) after making a mash with them. Not that I would give up on mashed potatoes, but now I have both! Here is my recipe for it. Try it! You'll like it!

Cauliflower Mash
Ingredients
1 head of cauliflower
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons light sour cream
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
freshly ground black pepper
snipped chives

Instructions
Separate the cauliflower into florets and chop the core finely.
Bring about 1 cup of water to a simmer in a pot, then add the cauliflower. Cover and turn the heat to medium. Cook the cauliflower for 12-15 minutes or until very tender.
Drain and discard all of the water (the drier the cauliflower is, the better) and add the milk, butter, sour cream, salt and pepper and mash with a masher until it looks like "mashed potatoes." Top with chives.

Hello, Nancy! Rae and I have both enjoyed the Bosch - they did a great job of bringing the character to the screen, even keeping the jazz music intact. I need to get back to the books - LOVE those!

We'll see with The Good Wife - I have not watched very many tv series all the way to completion because they tend to mess up the storyline somewhere along the way. Ha! I tend to think of them as MY characters once I have invested a certain amount of time, and then I stop watching if I don't like where it is going.

I have only seen one of two episodes of House - it never really grabbed me, but I tend to steer clear of the medical stuff since Craig and I both had jobs in that field.

>166 Berly: Kim! You snuck in there while I was responding to Nancy! Those meatballs are really good, and since you have been so lovely as to post a recipe here for me, I will try it. I'll be sure to report back on whether or not it converts those of us who have sworn enmity with that particular vegetable.

I await your verdict!! Don't tell your kids who it is from. Unless they like it. Then, of course, I want full credit. ; )

Ha! You got it!

Mamie, you might also like Cooked, which is a four-parter with Michael Pollan learning about how fire, water, air and earth have shaped cooking around the world. I've watched the first three parts and they're great. I still have "Earth" to watch.

Oh! Thanks for that, Susan. I have added it to my queue.

Cauliflower mash sounds wonderful. I've got (homegrown) runner beans to cook tomorrow - going to look for some recipes. Maybe something with pine nuts...

I love pine nuts, Charlotte. You'll have to let us know how it turns out.

*snork!*

Have a tolerable day, Mamie!

Thank you, Amber! I just came from your place!!

>175 Crazymamie: Mamie, oh dear :-( And it's even earlier where you are than where I am. I hate to tell you, but Monday doesn't improve.

>178 susanj67: Hello, Susan! Why am I not surprised that Monday doesn't improve?! I am already dreading this week anyway because it is packed full of appointments - not my favorite kind of week.

>175 Crazymamie: I love it!

Morning Mamie! I am enjoying a rare Monday off, so I am a Happy Camper. I have a bike ride planned for this a.m. and then book time.

Morning, Mark! Snoopy always makes me laugh! Monday off is an excellent idea - hoping you can make the most of it. We are supposed to get storms moving in today.

Good morning, Mamie!

Good morning, Joe!

Hey Mamie! I hope your Monday is feeling like a Tuesday and moving along nicely!

Hey, Lynda! It's not. But thanks for the positive thoughts.

:(

The good news is.........

Hope the worst of your Monday is over and you are heading into Tuesday eve, Mamie.

>186 Carmenere: Ha! I love that kind of logic. Thanks, Lynda!

>187 katiekrug: Yes! That's just exactly it!

>188 Familyhistorian: Well, anyway, I have poured myself a glass of wine, Meg. That's a good start.

Wine sounds good. Ended up with a simple omelette with bacon with the beans on the side, but they tasted lovely. Hope Tuesday works out...

That sounds perfect, Charlotte. The wine is good. Very good. And tomorrow I do not have to deal with any insurance mess-ups, so it should definitely be better than today. I hate taking care of that kind of stuff. Makes me want to rip all my hair out.

Morning, Mamie!

Morning, Amber!

Howdy, Mamie!

Howdy, Lynda!

It's not Monday.

Good morning, Mamie! Not Monday we like.

Morning Mamie! Happy Non-Monday! Hope those books are treating you well.

Morning, Mamie! Cause it actually still is morning there, for once. Usually by the time I get around to the threads, it's afternoon there. We were up to 97 yesterday, but at least no humidity! Got my Fitbit week off to a good start with 2 and a half miles at the park with the dog before going down to the bayfront for a squid sandwich on sourdough at Point Loma Seafoods for lunch!

Monday love is rampant, Mamie. But when you are retired, Monday is just another reading day.

Bwahahaha!

Sorry.

(Okay, not really.)

>200 weird_O: Sure, rub it in! LOL

>195 Crazymamie: Happy Tuesday, Crazy!!

>200 weird_O: As I near retirement, Bill, that is quite the inspiring thought!

97!!! OK it's 84 and humid here today...probably about equal to 97 and low humidity...so I'll stop complaining (especially since I'm now in the A/C until evening :))

Good morning, Mamie! I was just wondering...

Morning, Mamie!

Oof! Sorry guys, for not making it back yesterday - it was a very full but also very productive day. By the time we all got back home again, all we wanted to do was put on our jammies and veg in front of the tv. One of the appointments was taking our dog Bailey to the vet - I was really worried that this was going to be the visit that they said there was nothing more they could do. For those of you who don't remember, Bailey is our dog with a collapsed trachea and an enlarged heart. They checked his kidney function and it is very good, so they were able to increase his medication and add another for his heart, which is beginning to fail. Poor baby, but he is a trooper. He is our smallest dog, weighing in at less than seven pounds, but he thinks he is a big dog. He has some dementia, but at 13 years, he still has mostly good days and is alert and active. He loves Birdy best, and he follows her everywhere - if she is in the garage, he waits outside the door until she comes back in. He escorts her to and from the mailbox and the excursions to take the trash down to the road. When she is in the shower, he stands outside guarding the door. The funny thing is that he thinks he needs to remain standing for some reason, so he is completely exhausted by the time Birdy finishes in the shower. Recently, Birdy started taking his favorite pillow into the bathroom when she showers, and Bailey proudly follows and plops himself down on his throne to guard his bathing beauty from the luxury of a sitting position. If Miss Birdy thinks it is okay to sit down on the job, then it must be okay, he seems to think. So funny, but also so very sweet.

Aww, what a great story about Birdy and Bailey. Louis has started lying on the bath mat in front of the shower when The Wayne is showering. No idea why, but it's hilarious :)

>206 Crazymamie: Aw. And how clever of Birdy to think of the cushion.

>207 katiekrug: Aw! Louis does it, too! I'll have to tell Birdy that. Birdy was a bit of a mess yesterday because she thought they were going to tell us that it was time to let him go - he had been getting into some respiratory distress, and I warned her that I didn't know if they could increase his meds or not. We were so happy to buy a little more time with him.

>208 charl08: It was clever, Charlotte. We kept telling him to sit, thinking he would get the idea, but as soon as we turned, he would resume standing. I guess he can relax if Birdy says so and brings him in closer.

Charming Bailey story, Mamie. What an engaging little guy. Hope his health stays okay.

How's Birdy doing? Is her hair some wild color?

Happy Wednesday!

>211 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe. He is SO sweet. I thank you for those good wishes. Birdy is as sassy as ever - her hair is just her natural color since it's pool season, and she loves to swim. She has a VERY cute short cut though that suits her to a T. I'll have to have Abby take a photo, so I can post it for you. Very chic!

Happy Wednesday to you, my friend!

*edited because I can't spell today

Morning Mamie! Thanks for the update on the dogs and I hope those current reads are treating you well.

Catching up with the thread:

>196 katiekrug: Thank goodness Monday went quickly, Katie.

>197 jnwelch: True. Not Monday is a very good thing, Joe.

>198 msf59: I need to get back to the books, Mark. It has been a very busy week stacked with appointments and errands. This morning the van wouldn't start at all, so I am guessing dead battery - Dan is trying to charge it, but no dice, so I am guessing that I am going to need a new battery. Luckily Dan's car was here since Rae had a doctor's appointment early this morning.

>199 ronincats: Ha! I know that feeling, Roni. Still morning today, too, but it really feels like it should be late afternoon. It's been a long day already. Luckily, I don't have to go anywhere else today - and also a very good thing since the van is dead. Hooray for you for the walking, I have been VERY bad lately - I need to get back in the groove.

>200 weird_O: Actually, I am retired, Bill, and Monday is still Monday. The days of the week each have their own unique feeling for me, and I don't like how Monday feels. It's not about having to get up and go back to work - it's about that funky Monday vibe that hits me like nails on a chalkboard. Completely mental, I know.

>201 Berly: Thanks, Kim!

>202 jnwelch: Glad you can be inspired, Joe. Craig's brother retired a few years ago, and I know Craig is a wee bit jealous. He still has a ways to go...

>203 RebaRelishesReading: Our actual temps are a bit lower this week (low 90s), but the humidity is a killer. And there is something in the air right now that is making Daniel and my allergies go completely crazy. Not good, Reba. I cannot wait until Fall. Should arrive in these parts around December. LOL!

>204 brodiew2: Ha! Thanks for that, Brodie. Yes - I need me some Fall, so if you could send that my way...

>213 msf59: Morning, Mark! You are welcome. I am hoping to get some good reading in today. Jim sent me his copy of Dark Matter, so I am going to dive into that one today!

Go Dark Matter! That one will likely hit on all cylinders for you, Mamie.

I am so excited to read it, Joe!

Happy Wednesday, Mamie! What a terrific story of Birdy and Baily! I wish the little guy well!
Ooo, can't wait to see what you think of Dark Matter!!

Happy Wednesday, Lynda! Glad you liked the story, and thank you for those good wishes. I am loving Dark Matter so far - pulls you right in!

Hi Mamie - Happy midweek.

My FitBit is not charging, so I ordered a new charger, hoping I don't need a new Fitbit.

Hey there, Beth! Happy midweek to you. Craig's FitBit stopped holding a charge, and I contacted the company, and they are sending him a new one. Let me know if the new charger thing works because Birdy's also won't charge, but hers is old. Craig's was much newer, and it would charge, it just wouldn't hold the charge for more than 24 hours.

Hi Mamie! I'm not sure what happened to the message I tried to leave earlier. It didn't seem to take.

I'm glad to hear that the vet was able to increase Bailey's medication. I wish that dog years weren't so much shorter than people years so that we could enjoy our pets for lots longer.

Hey, Carrie! I tried to leave one on Mark's thread earlier, and it wouldn't let me,. Weird, but I know they have had multiple problems with LT today, so maybe that's it.

Me, too, with the dog years.

My FitBit is a year and a half old. Is that considered old? I've heard the company does have great customer service. I'll try the new cable and hope that it works. My steps will be very low this month!

Morning, Mamie!
Love the Bailey story, and I'm so glad that you had good news about him, too. Mario would LOVE to be allowed in the bathroom during showers, but she thinks she wants right IN the shower with you, until she gets her big head wet, and then she starts whining about it and trying to escape the room. Soooo, nope. Tuppence couldn't really care less who's taking a shower and when; it's clearly not part of her job description.

^Knowing your love for old film, you would enjoy many moments of Blonde, like MM's breakout in The Asphalt Jungle. It is a very dark and unsettling novel though. It does not glamorize or sugar-coat anything.

Morning Mamie! Sweet Thursday!

>228 msf59: She was wonderfully sassy before she became overly brassy. Lovely in her pomp.

Glad to see you back in the best of health, Mamie, dear.

>227 scaifea: Morning, Amber! That is so funny about Mario! Our other two dogs, like your Tuppence, could care less about who's showering. Mercy, on the other hand, just hates a closed door, so she will sit outside any closed door and meow very politely, just once, like a knock and then wait. If nothing happens, she will repeat the process after a minute or so has elapsed. She sits at attention while she does this, and it is very funny.

>228 msf59: Morning, Mark! Sweet Thursday! I'm still on the fence about Blonde - I might just skim. Oh, the horror! We just watched The Asphalt Jungle a few years ago - we have a night to honor my Dad and it always includes an old movie favorite of his. I had seen the movie before several times, but Craig and the kids hadn't seen it before. Have you read the book?

>229 PaulCranswick: The studio system of that era was definitely a deeply flawed one, Paul. YOu're right - she was lovely in her pomp.

Thanks so much for that! Are you feeling all better or still on the mend?

Morning Mamie! Have a wonderful Thursday!!

Book #91: Travels With Charley by John Steinbeck (5 stars), audiobook, memoir

I loved this. Such a colorful glimpse at a moment in history. The writing and observations would be stunning all by themselves, but the narration of Gary Sinise elevates this memoir another notch. Definitely one I will read again. I can identify with a man who can get lost in his own backyard and who names his vehicle Rocinante, after Don Quixote's horse. I liked that he traveled incognito and took the backroads when he could. That he sought out ordinary people in the midst of their daily routine. His America is not my America, but it still has the same ugliness, the same beauty. It reeks of possibility.

"In my flurry of nostalgic spite, I have done the Monterey Peninsula a disservice. It is a beautiful place, clean, well run, and progressive. The beaches are clean where once they festered with fish guts and flies. The canneries which once put up a sickening stench are gone, their places filled with restaurants, antique shops, and the like. They fish for tourists now, not pilchards, and that species they are not likely to wipe out. And Carmel, begun by starveling writers and unwanted painters, is now a community of the well-to-do and the retired. If Carmel's founders should return, they could not afford to live there, but it wouldn't go that far. They would be instantly picked up as suspicious characters and deported over the city line. The place of my origin had changed, and having gone away I had not changed with it. In my memory it stood as it once did and its outward appearance confused and angered me....Tom Wolfe was right. You can't go home again because home has ceased to exist except in the mothballs of memory."

>232 Carmenere: Morning, Lynda! Thank you - hoping that your Thursday is also full of wonder!

>226 BLBera: Just realized that I missed you somehow, Beth! Sorry about that. I think that a year and a half is not old, but the warranty might only be for a year. Hoping the new cable does the trick!

Good morning, Mamie! Sweet Thursday!

I loved Travels with Charley, too. What a writer. Great excerpt.

Good Morning, Joe! Sweet Thursday to you! Yep - Travels With Charley is a keeper. Glad you liked the excerpt I chose - it was an embarrassment of riches to choose from really, but I thought the tip of the hat would be good for those of us who enjoyed Cannery Row and Sweet Thursday.

>233 Crazymamie: Mamie, that one just whizzed straight onto my wishlist. And, looking at the library catalogue, there's a copy at the library I've just been to! Maybe I'll be going back. It's only described as "Adult Non-Fiction", though, with no Dewey number. Grrr. I'll have to look around on the interweb to see where it might be.

I love Bailey's shower guarding :-) My friend with the German Shepherds has an older female GSD who loved the peace and quiet of shower time, and the steam, particularly when she had a basket of puppies and needed a break, chilling out on the bathmat. I don't think the others are interested, which is just as well as there are a lot of them.

Oh, hooray for that, Susan! Our library has it filed here: Call Number: NONFIC 917.3049.

Glad you loved the Bailey story - he takes his job very seriously. I feel the same way about the shower as your friend's GSD. My sister keeps cookies hidden in her bathroom in an upper cabinet, and she would go in there and run the water so her kids thought she was taking a shower, but really she was quietly eating cookies.

>239 Crazymamie: Thanks Mamie - I'll pop over again after work and see if I can find it. I'm giggling about your sister's cookie hide-out - inspired!

You're welcome. Her kids are fully grown now, and I know for a fact that she still keeps cookies in there.

>233 Crazymamie: - Nice review! I have that audio, read by Gary Sinise, saved, maybe for a road trip, if I can get The Wayne to agree. We love to road trip, and I am currently dreaming about one up to Wyoming/Montana/Dakotas, as I've never seen that part of the country.... Maybe next year sometime!

OH! I think it would make a great road trip listen - he says that Montana is his favorite state, and I loved his writing on the Dakotas, so it would be a great fit. Tell The Wayne that there is a lot of humor in it - parts will have you laughing out loud.

Good morning, Mamie!

Good morning, Brodie!

The Gods of Gotham has got my number. Credit LT with another influence. This story mirrors plot lines in Caleb Carr's The Alienist, but takes place 50 years later in NYC. This book also tackles many of the social and political issues of today in a story that takes place over 150 years ago.

Great review of Travels, Mamie. I am a big fan too and look forward to a revisit on audio.

No, I have not read The Asphalt Jungle. Bad Mark?

Great choice of quote for Travels With Charley. I read that in Eighth grade and had to do a presentation as well as a paper (I made a map and showed where he went) --the book is still so vivid in my mind. I chose it, of course, because there was a dog!

>246 brodiew2: I loved The Gods of Gotham, Brodie! Glad you are enjoying it.

>247 msf59: Thanks, Mark! The audio is so good - Gary Sinise is perfect for Steinbeck, I think. I liked Asphalt Jungle, and it's a shorty - I think the book is even better than the movie. Here are my thoughts from 2013: The Asphalt Jungle movie vs. the book

>248 sibylline: Thanks, Lucy! It's a great memoir, and I loved that he took his dog with him. Charley is front and center throughout the book, and I loved that.

No problem, Mamie. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the charger.

Me, too, Beth.

I just finished listening to Travels With Charley, too! Gary Sinise's voice was absolutely perfect for it!

Mamie, Favourite Library Assistant found Travels With Charley for me in the 808s. Huh. But all I had to ask was "Do you know where John Steinbeck's Travels With Charley might be?" (I'd checked the 917s with no luck) and he did NOT ask me to repeat what I just said, or spell Steinbeck, but instead knew exactly what I wanted, and had read it himself and loved it. So yay! Happy Friday - I'm on the holiday countdown.

>252 Copperskye: It was, wasn't it, Joanne - he also does a fabulous job with Of Mice and Men.

>253 susanj67: Weird. But hooray for FLA knowing his stuff - and he read it! Bonus points! Happy Friday to you!

Hallelujah! its Friday! Travels with Charley is one of my favorite Steinbecks! So glad you enjoyed it too and rated it highly!

Amen, sister! I loved Travels With Charley - it has a little bit of everything, and I like Steinbeck's musings.

>233 Crazymamie: Great quote Mamie. I love the picture too. Will have a look for this - I like Sinisie so I am wondering if the audio is available too...

Hope you have a good Friday :-)

Thank you, Charlotte! The audio is fabulous - hoping you can find it.

So far, so good with Friday - here's hoping yours picks up.

Good morning, Mamie! Happy Friday!

I'll bet Gary Sinise does a bang-up job on the Travels with Charley audio. Maybe our next driving trip I'll revisit it on audio.

Good morning, Joe! Happy Friday to you! Yep - it's full of fabulous!

Morning Mamie! Happy Friday. A cold front moves in here later tomorrow. Looking forward to it.

Enjoy your day, my friend.

Have a great Friday, Mamie!

Good morning and happy Friday, Mamie! I hope all is well.

I finished Gods of Gotham this morning and absolutely loved it. I hope to do it right in my review. It should be up this weekend, if not today.

My next audio is William Shatner's Leonard My Fifty-Year Friendship with a Remarkable Man. I have enjoyed Shatner's memoirs over the years and feel like this one will shed more both men's history than those of past. Shatner is an excellent narrator as well.

>261 msf59: Morning, Mark! Happy Friday, my friend! A cold front - I am SO jealous. We will be in the low 90s. Again. *sigh*

>262 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie! Hoping yours is full of fabulous!

>263 brodiew2: Good morning, Brodie! Happy Friday! I will be looking for your review of Gods of Gotham - I have the next book in that series on my shelves, but I have not read it yet.

Interesting choice of audio. I will be awaiting your thoughts.

*the owner of the thread denies all accountability for readers who chose to begin in the middle of a series.

*snort* I like this. Can I steal it for my thread? :D

Just catching up a bit, I love the story of Bailey guarding the bathroom for Birdy and getting a cushion so he could sit down on the job. I live with an older couple who own a peekapoo named Winston and whenever he gets left behind when they go out, I find him seated right inside the door that we all use to go in and out of the house - he will know right when they get back!

Also glad to see you enjoyed Travels with Charley. It's my favorite Steinbeck by far - his novels are by and large too depressing for me. But we read Travels in my book club a couple of years back, and I recommended it to both my parents. My dad reads less than anyone in our family, but he really enjoyed it too.

Happy Friday!

Steal away, Mary! So lovely to see you here!

Dogs are just so great, aren't they?! I am picturing Winston waiting patiently with his nose at the crack of the door.

Travels With Charley was a different side of Steinbeck, for sure, although I do love his other writing, too. That's so great that you got your dad to read it!

Happy Friday to you!

Guess I must pony up for a copy of Travels with Charlie. Got it waaayyyy back when it first was published in mmp, but that's gone. Book Gone.

The warbling here does make me want to read it with my grown up (worn out?) mind.

Have a cool weekend.

Ha! Sorry about your missing book, Bill - total bummer. I think it is worth a second purchase. I love rereading books - one of my very favorite things.

I will try to have a groovy weekend. Hoping you can do the same.

Happy Friday, Mamie. I'm another fan of Travels with Charlie.

Have a great weekend, Mamie!

Morning Mamie. Hope you have a great weekend!

>269 BLBera: Thank you, Beth! Looks like a lot of us enjoyed traveling with Charley. And John.

>270 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg! Here's hoping yours is full of fabulous!

>271 charl08: Morning, Charlotte! Me, too! Ha! Hoping your is filled with happy.

Hi Mamie! Happy Saturday!

Morning, Carrie! Happy Saturday!

Morning, Mamie!

Morning Mamie! Happy Saturday. We have a rainy start to the day here. It is pouring right now, actually. Sighs...

>275 scaifea: Morning, Amber!

>276 msf59: Morning, Mark! Happy Saturday! I would love some of that rain - it's gorgeous but hot and humid here. Still, the pecan trees make a beautiful backdrop for reading the day away.

We're having rain on and off and still int he mid-80s. I'll take it!

(Is it just me or does the weather rival books for hottest topic on LT?)

OH - I would, too, Katie! And nope, it's not just you. Speaking of books, I finished up The Mermaids Singing yesterday, and it was a five star read for me - the writing was so gorgeous and it made me cry. Thanks so much for mentioning it a few years ago - I would not have picked it up on my own, and I really loved it.

I'm so glad you liked it! I read it a couple of years after my mom passed away, and it had a big impact on me.

Fun fact: the author is married to Tim Spaulding, the founder of LT!

She's written a few other books that I've read, which were okay, but not as good as Mermaids...

Happy Saturday, Mamie.

>280 katiekrug: It had me thinking of my mom, too. SO well done and thought provoking in the very best way. Mother/daughter relationships are so complicated. I am going to write a review of it, but I need to let my thoughts settle first. I love your fun fact - I had no idea!

>281 BLBera: Happy Saturday,Beth!

Hi, Mamie. I so often visit here and don't leave a message that I thought I would just de-lurk and say I hope you're having another cozy day today :)

hullo Mamie. hope your Saddidy is ab fab.

>283 RebaRelishesReading: Hello, Reba! Thanks for de-lurking. I am having another cozy day - I read a Bruno novella, dipped deeper into Dark Matter, which is so good, and took a nap.

>284 mirrordrum: Hullo, Ellie! So far so good with the fabulous. Hoping yours is, too.

What Ellie said in >284 mirrordrum:, Mamie, especially since I couldn't say it nearly as well. :-)

It's hard to be as eloquent as Ellie, Joe. She a knack for saying just the right thing and capturing the essence of the message with the perfect phrasing. It's a gift.

Hi Mamie! Hope you're having a great weekend.

Hello, Anne! The weekend has been lovely, thanks. Hoping that yours has been, too.

I was away this weekend Mamie and so I thought I would jump in and wish you the very best of what is left of yours. xx

Morning Mamie. Hope you have a good one.

Morning, Mamie!

>290 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul. It was full of fabulous. xx

>291 charl08: Morning, Charlotte! Hoping today is a good one for both of us. Again with the Monday. *sigh*

>292 scaifea: Morning, Amber!

Howdy Mamie! How about starting the week with a delicious and nutritious Tequila Sunrise?

^Ha! The Breakfast of Champions

Good morning, Mamie! Hope your week starts off well despite the obstacle of Mmphmumble Day.

Morning Mamie! We are enjoying a bit of a cool down and it feels wonderful.

I watched Don't Bother to Knock last night. It's a bad film but it was interesting to see MM as a psycho babysitter and a very young Anne Bancroft, who looked adorable.

I have a 100 pages left in Blonde. I hope to power through the rest of it, so I can get to my other books.

Good morning, Mamie! I hope you had a great weekend.

Happy THAT day!! We are enjoying normal summer temperatures in the 80s today and then back up to almost 100 midweek. The Olympics are over and now I can get back into RL and reading. My car is also suffering. we replaced the alternator this weekend, but it is also having trouble switching to higher gears now. I think its highway days are over. Time to look for a new car!

>294 Carmenere: Wow, that is definitely a decadent start to the day, Lynda! Thanks!

>295 jnwelch: Ha! Yesterday was not horrible, Joe, and now it's gone, so it's all good.

>296 msf59: Hey there, Mark! I'm glad that someone is getting a cool down - I'll bet it does feel wonderful. Soak up some cool for me.

I watched Don't Bother to Knock MANY years ago. You're so right - not very good. And HOORAY for powering through Blonde - it's a chunkster.

>297 brodiew2: Hello, Brodie! The weekend was good - slow and lazy, just like I love. We even snuck in a game of Settlers of Catan - Daniel won this time.

>298 Berly: Thanks, Kim! Ugh to the three digit temps. We are in the low to mid-90s all week. Happy car hunting - we will be facing that soon enough as both Craig and I have older ones. Craig has the original Prius!

Yeah! You're back!!! Monday is a great day to be off the grid. Hope it was as pleasant as Monday's could be.

Morning, Lynda! Agreed - Monday is an excellent off the grid day. It was pretty boring, actually - we did The Big Clean, some filing, some organizing, some cooking, and finally some reading. I did not get my steps. Again. SO, not great, but not horrible, either.

Happy Tuesday to you, and thanks for the enthusiasm!

Have you finished up your desk project? I believe we were promised some pictures... *looks sternly over glasses at Mamie*

Um...*sheepish grin*...I'm still tidying it a bit - Craig's filing system has been to place whatever papers he has on him wherever he feels like, so we are still sorting and filing. BUT I have a system! And it works. I will post a photo later this week, once I have the last stacks filed.

Morning, Katie!

Oh, no worries, if you're not finished!

Morning :)

Not yet - every time I think I have finished, Craig pulls another pile of papers from somewhere. I did make him sort the last batch himself.

Seems only fair!

Good Morning, Mamie!

I use Craig's filing system at home, except I pile them up in one place. I suspect there's a better way to handle that . . .

>307 katiekrug: Truth!

>308 jnwelch: Morning, Joe! Ha! Craig is really bad with paper products - his system is deeply flawed. It's not just that it makes a mess - it also means that he has to locate and go through every pile in order to find the one paper that he is looking for.

I'm really bad about filing and keeping papers organized, but The Wayne is worse. I'd be interested to hear about your system!

Goog morning, Mamie! I hope your day is off to a good start.

I watched Footlight Parade this weekend on TCM. I absolutely love that film. It is my one of my favorite Cagney performances. I also love both Frank McHugh and Joan Blondell in this film.



>294 Carmenere: That Tequila Sunrise looks refreshing.

>310 katiekrug: Okay, so here it is, and it may sound complicated, but it's not. Once you get it all set up, it is SO easy to maintain.

1. I use a 3-ring binder for monthly bills - I keep stamps, address labels and envelopes (just a few, which I replace often, so that it doesn't bulk up the binder) in the front of the binder in the pocket. Then you need a clear page protector for each monthly bill - I labeled these in the bottom right hand corner with the name of the company. The front of the binder gets the utility stuff, the cell phone bills and the mortgage - these are in alphabetical order by the name of the company. Then you start over in alphabetical order with credit card and store cards. When I pay the bill, I shred the previous bill and place the new one in the clear page protector - this makes it really easy to make sure the previous bill was accurate and to look up info if you need to call about anything. The latest info is always right at your fingertips. I keep this binder in the top file drawer so that the spine is facing up and easy to grab.

2. Create files for anything that needs filing - old taxes, bank statements, important receipts, insurance information (I use a separate file for each type of insurance), vet records, etc.

3. Create files labeled with each room of the house - I like to keep product information organized by which room the product is in. That makes it really easy to find what you are looking for because all you have to know is where the product is at. Some rooms made need multiple files - like the garage and the kitchen.

4. Create a file for anything ongoing - I have a file for Daniel's surgery currently, so I can check and make sure everything is getting processed correctly. When it's all over, I will place those papers in the health insurance file and relabel the surgery file for something new.

5. Keep a basket or something like it on your desk, kitchen counter, wherever it's convenient - incoming mail goes directly to the basket. Only handle each item once - it gets trashed, shredded, filed, or paid. I have a separate basket for magazines and catalogues.

>311 brodiew2: Morning, Brodie! So far so good with the day.

I am not sure if I have seen Footlight Parade or not - I'll have to look it up. I adore Joan Blondell!

Morning, Mamie! My biggest problem is that basket. I end up letting it pile up instead of going through it regularly. Of all the systems I have read about (and I have a complete shelf of books on organization--I file them in my FICTION section), the one that has fit my style the most (if only I could remind myself to tackle that basket as often as they recommend) is Getting Things Done by David Allen. Ah, I remember the days when I used to be organized...there actually was a window in my late 30s, early 40s, believe it or not.

I hear you, Roni. I am making myself go through the basket every other day. If it's a bill that I don't want to pay yet (I like to just write the checks twice a month), then I open it and place just the bill and envelope back in the basket for when I pay the bills. We get so much JUNK that it really needs to be tackled often or it spins out of control, so I do MWF and let the weekend be time off.

I love that you put the organizational books under fiction! LOL! I am not familiar with the David Allen book - I might look it up or I might not. I have a phobia about self-help books. Heh.

>312 Crazymamie: - Wow! Super impressive. And not all that different than what I am doing, or, erm, not doing ;-) I skipped step 1 because we do all the bills online, and The Wayne is in charge of that. Like Roni, my biggest issue is not letting things pile up... *sigh*

Roni - if you figure that one out, let me know!

I keep trying to talk Craig into doing it all online, but he is hesitant. He does not love technology, and it takes him a long time to embrace some things. *sigh*

T.W. is a little *too* quick sometimes to embrace technology, in my opinion :) There's a happy balance somewhere...

All my bills are paid by Direct Debit, save for the once-yearly water bill and the service charge on my flat (buildings insurance, maintenance etc), so I write two cheques a year. But I still have to file paperwork. Ugh. (unless it means buying new ring binders, in which case it's neutral). And I have a very small household, too :-) I hope you finish the project soon, Mamie, so that all those piles of paper are finally under your control :-)

>318 katiekrug: True. Happy balance sounds good.

>319 susanj67: Okay, I would love that, Susan. I do all the bill stuff, and it is a PAIN. I thank you for those good wishes!