VivienneR's 2016 Category Challenge - Volume 3

Welcome to a new thread for my Fall reading.

My Category Challenge is simple: 8 words, 8 categories. I'm doing well this year so I've raised the goal to 150. Might be tough as I've never read that many in one year before. There are no limits in any category. As much as possible I'll be choosing from Mt. TBR so that I can find new owners for some books and make room for shiny new ones.

I can also be found over at Club Read, another great group: VivienneR's Club Read 2016

Hello - new or recent acquisitions
Tsundoku - collecting dust on the tbr shelf
Tenterhooks - mysteries, suspense
Muliebrity - by or about women
Serendipity - borrowed from the library
Gallivant - GeoCAT choices
Classify - DeweyCAT choices
Chance - RandomCAT choices

BingoDOG, BingoPUP and AlphaKIT books will be integrated in the categories above.




Up Next
2017 reading...

Hello - new or recent acquisitions

1. A walk in the woods : rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson
2. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
3. Miss Petitfour by Anne Michaels
4. The Queen's Man by Sharon Kay Penman
5. Benediction by Kent Haruf
6. Miss Moon, Wise Words from a Dog Governess by Janet Hill
7. Far from the Rowan Tree by Margaret Gillies Brown
8. Last Orders by Graham Swift
9. Wilful Behavior by Donna Leon
10. Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
11. Unfinished Portrait by Anthea Fraser
12. Mr Mercedes by Stephen King
13. And thereby hangs a tale by Jeffrey Archer
14. Lost in Shangri-La: A true story of survival, adventure and the most incredible rescue mission of World War II by Mitchell Zuckoff
15. Through early Yellowstone: adventuring by bicycle, covered wagon, foot, horseback and skis edited by Janet Chapple
16. A Death in the Family by James Agee
17. Slide by Norah McClintock
18. The Toad : the disgusting critters series by Élise Gravel
19. The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith
20. Ten things I've learnt about love by Sarah Butler
21. Finders Keepers by Stephen King
22. Offshore by Penelope Fitzgerald
23. The noise of time by Julian Barnes
24. The Darkest Dark by Chris Hadfield
25. The Queen of Water by Laura Resau
26. Andreo's Race by Pam Withers
27. Blood, Salt, water by Denise Mina
28. A Robot in the Garden by Deborah Install
29. The day Santa stopped believing in Harold by Maureen Fergus illustrated by Cale Atkinson
30. Gertrude and Toby meet the wolf by Shari Tharp illustrated by Jim Heath

Tsundoku - collecting dust on the tbr shelf

1. Person or persons unknown by Bruce Alexander
2. Untold Stories by Alan Bennett
3. The Clothes They Stood Up In and, The Lady in the Van by Alan Bennett
4. Train Dreams by Denis Johnson
5. Johannes Cabal, the necromancer by Jonathan Howard
6. The Magical Adventures of the Wishing-Chair by Enid Blyton
7. No Time for Goodbye by Linwood Barclay
8. The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith
9. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Other Jazz Age Stories by F. Scott Fitzgerald
10. Q & A by Vikas Swarup
11. Leaven of Malice by Robertson Davies
12. A Mixture of Frailties by Robertson Davies
13. The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje
14. The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy
15. Murther & Walking Spirits by Robertson Davies
16. Echo Burning by Lee Child
17. Big little lies by Liane Moriarty
18. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
19. Into the wild by Jon Krakauer
20. The Importance of being seven by Alexander McCall Smith
21. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
22. Everything I never told you by Celeste Ng
23. Malcolm X: by any means necessary by Walter Dean Myers
24. Gentlemen and players by Joanne Harris

Tenterhooks - mysteries, suspense

1. A Royal Pain by Rhys Bowen
2. Death of a Bore by M.C. Beaton
3. Be Careful What You Wish For by Jeffrey Archer
4. Mightier than the Sword by Jeffrey Archer
5. The Magdalen Martyrs by Ken Bruen
6. The Cat Who Knew a Cardinal by Lilian Jackson Braun
7. The Dog Who Knew Too Much by Spencer Quinn
8. Diamond Solitaire by Peter Lovesey
9. A Murder of Quality by John le Carré
10. The Good Thief's Guide to Vegas by Chris Ewan
11. The Music Lovers by Jonathan Valin
12. The Hanging Garden by Ian Rankin
13. From Russia with Love by Ian Fleming
14. The Lake District Murder by John Bude
15. Bandits by Elmore Leonard
16. Death of My Aunt by C.H.B. Kitchin
17. Perfect Hatred by Leighton Gage
18. Gently with the Painters by Alan Hunter
19. A beautiful place to die by Malla Nunn
20. Graveyard shift: and other stories from Night Shift by Stephen King
21. Now May You Weep by Deborah Crombie
22. The Dead Hour by Denise Mina
23. Slip of the Knife by Denise Mina
24. Crooked Lake by Nelson Brunanski
25. In a dark house by Deborah Crombie
26. A clubbable woman by Reginald Hill
27. Water like a stone by Deborah Crombie
28. The Santa Klaus Murder by Mavis Doriel Hay
29. Cover her face by P.D. James

Muliebrity - by or about women

1. Virginia Woolf by Nigel Nicolson
2. Dressing Up for the Carnival by Carol Shields
3. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
4. Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel
5. The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran
6. Who asked you? by Terry McMillan
7. The Camomile Lawn by Mary Wesley
8. End of the Wasp Season by Denise Mina
9. What Was She Thinking: Notes on a Scandal by Zoë Heller
10. No Fixed Address: an amorous journey by Aritha van Herk
11. Grave Goods by Ariana Franklin
12. The Light of Evening by Edna O'Brien
13. A Far Cry from Kensington by Muriel Spark
14. The Bookshop by Penelope Fitzgerald
15. Wait for me!: memoirs of the youngest Mitford sister by Deborah Devonshire
16. The Hours by Michael Cunningham
17. Wilderness Tips by Margaret Atwood
18. Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers
19. Sweetness in the Belly by Camilla Gibb
20. Résistance: a woman's journal of struggle and defiance in Occupied France by Agnes Humbert
21. Suite Française by Irène Némirovsky, translated by Sandra Smith
22. Academy Street by Mary Costello
23. Calling Invisible Women by Jeanne Ray
24. Montreal Stories by Mavis Gallant
25. The Gathering by Anne Enright
26. The Serpent's Tale by Ariana Franklin
27. Selected stories by Muriel Spark

Serendipity - borrowed from the library

1. Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson
2. George Harrison: Behind the Locked Door by Graeme Thomson
3. Photograph by Ringo Starr
4. The Lost Painting: The Quest for a Caravaggio Masterpiece by Jonathan Harr
5. Hark! A Vagrant by Kate Beaton
6. Plainsong by Kent Haruf
7. The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondō
8. The Phantom Major: the Story of David Stirling and the SAS Regiment by Virginia Cowles
9. Going Solo by Roald Dahl
10. Boy: tales of childhood by Roald Dahl
11. The Roald Dahl Omnibus: Perfect Bedtime Stories for Sleepless Nights by Roald Dahl
12. Tender: a cook and his vegetable patch by Nigel Slater
13. The Catering Queen by Alison Lawrence
14. Macbeth by William Shakespeare
15. The Garden at Chatsworth by Deborah Devonshire
16. Chatsworth: The House by Deborah Devonshire
17. Canada's Weather: the climate that shapes a nation by Chris St. Clair
18. Gold boy, emerald girl by Yiyun Li
19. In his own write & A Spaniard in the works by John Lennon
20. Startle and illuminate: Carol Shields on writing by Carol Shields

Gallivant - GeoCAT choices

January: South America:
Miracle in the Andes: 72 days on the mountain and my long trek home by Nando Parrado

February: Central Asia:
Fifteen Days: stories of bravery, friendship, life and death from inside the new Canadian Army by Christie Blatchford

March: Eastern Europe and Russia:
A Country Doctor's Notebook by Mikhail Bulgakov

April: Polar regions, Islands, Bodies of Water:
1. A Brief History of Montmaray by Michelle Cooper
2. The Solitude of Thomas Cave by Georgina Harding

May: North America (including Mexico):
A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews

June: Australia & New Zealand:
Sorry by Gail Jones

July: Central America and Caribbean:
1. The Dame by Richard Stark
2. Gutshot Straight by Lou Berney

August: Sub-Saharan Africa:
A House in the Sky : a memoir by Amanda Lindhout

September: Southern Asia
Anil's Ghost by Michael Ondaatje
Bourbon Island 1730 by Lewis Trondheim, Appollo translated by Alexis Siegel (GN)

October: Eastern Asia
The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham
Tall story by Candy Gourlay

November: Northern Africa and the Middle East
Lawrence and the Arabs by Robert Graves

December: Western Europe
The Good Thief's Guide to Paris by Chris Ewan
The Shepherd by Frederick Forsyth

Classify - DeweyCAT choices

January: 000:
A Peter Gzowski Reader by Peter Gzowski

February: 100:
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

March: 200:
The Warden by Anthony Trollope

April: 300 - 354:
You Had to Be There: an intimate portrait of the generation that survived the Depression, won the War, and re-invented Canada by Robert Collins

May: 355 - 399:
What we talk about when we talk about the tube : the District line by John Lanchester

June: 400:
Grammar snobs are great big meanies: a guide to language for fun and spite by June Casagrande

July: 500:
Longitude: the true story of a lone genius who solved the greatest scientific problem of his time by Dava Sobel

August: 600:
In the midst of life by Jennifer Worth

September: 700:
Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand 790 sport
Samuel Maclure, Architect by Janet Bingham 720 architecture

October: 800:
Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope

November: 900 - 939:
Last train to Zona Verde: my ultimate African Safari by Paul Theroux
Shakespeare: the world as stage by Bill Bryson
Land of a thousand hills: my life in Rwanda by Rosamond Halsey Carr
The outsider: my life in intrigue by Frederick Forsyth

December: 940 - 999:
Pearl Harbor Christmas by Stanley Weintraub

Chance - RandomCAT choices

January: Embrace your uniqueness:
Best of Women's Short Stories
Monsieur Pamplemousse Afloat by Michael Bond

February: It Takes Two: The World of Jeeves by P.G. Woodhouse

March: Celebrate:
Celebrations at Thrush Green by Miss Read
The Féte at Coqueville by Émile Zola

April: Earth Day:
Pomegranate Soup by Marsha Mehran

May: Colour Your World:
Red Glass by Laura Resau

June: I do, I do!
The Marriage Casket by Deborah Morgan

July: Good times:
The Day the Falls Stood Still by Cathy Marie Buchanan

August: Camping:
Wild: from lost to found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed

September: International Translation Day
Faceless Killers by Henning Mankell translated by Steven T. Murray

October: What Scares You?
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury

November: Celebrating NaNoWriMo: a debut book
The Girl on the train by Paula Hawkins

December: Our Gifts
Miss Buncle's book by D.E. Stevenson

BingoDOG



1. Less than 200 pages: Best of Women's Short Stories edited by William John Locke
2. Senior citizen as the protagonist: Mr Mercedes by Stephen King
3. Survival story: Miracle in the Andes: 72 days on the mountain and my long trek home by Nando Parrado
4. About an airplane flight: Lost in Shangri-La: A true story of survival, adventure and the most incredible rescue mission of World War II by Mitchell Zuckoff
5. About a writer: Virginia Woolf by Nigel Nicolson
6. About the environment: A walk in the woods : rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson
7. Author born in 1916: Going Solo by Roald Dahl
8. Autobiography or memoir: Untold Stories by Alan Bennett
9. Adventure: The Phantom Major: the Story of David Stirling and the SAS Regiment by Virginia Cowles
10. One-word title: Benediction by Kent Haruf
11. Title has a musical reference: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Other Jazz Age Stories by F. Scott Fitzgerald
12. Title uses wordplay: The Dog Who Knew Too Much by Spencer Quinn
13. Read a CAT: A Peter Gzowski Reader by Peter Gzowski DeweyCAT January
14. A body of water in the title: The Lake District Murder by John Bude
15. About an indigenous person: Sorry by Gail Jones
16. Food is important: Monsieur Pamplemousse Afloat by Michael Bond
17. Published before you were born: The Magical Adventures of the Wishing-Chair by Enid Blyton
18. Features a theatre: Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel
19. Debut book: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey
20. In translation: A Country Doctor's Notebook by Mikhail Bulgakov
21. Focus on art: The Lost Painting: The Quest for a Caravaggio Masterpiece by Jonathan Harr
22. Coming of age story: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
23. Comics, graphic novel, manga or BD: Hark! A Vagrant by Kate Beaton
24. Self-published: Crooked Lake by Nelson Brunanski
25. You want the protagonist's job or hobby: Death of a Bore by M.C. Beaton

BingoPUP



1. About a female ruler: The Queen's Man by Sharon Kay Penman
2. Women in science: Grave Goods by Ariana Franklin
3. Less than 10 years old: Fifteen Days: stories of bravery, friendship, life and death from inside the Canadian Army by Christie Blatchford
4. Short story collection: Dressing Up for the Carnival by Carol Shields
5. Women in non-traditional roles: End of the Wasp Season by Denise Mina
6. Published before 2000: A Far Cry from Kensington by Muriel Spark
7. Afro-American author: Who asked you? by Terry McMillan
8. About a spy: A Royal Pain by Rhys Bowen
9. Different genre by same author: Miss Petitfour by Anne Michaels
10. Award winner: A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews
11. Autobiography, memoir, correspondence: A Brief History of Montmaray by Michelle Cooper
12. Women in combat: Résistance: a woman's journal of struggle and defiance in Occupied France by Agnes Humbert
13. By or about a woman: The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran
14. A new-to-you author: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
15. Set in Latin America or Asia: The Queen of Water by Laura Resau
16. African author: A beautiful place to die by Malla Nunn
17. Made into a movie: The Camomile Lawn by Mary Wesley
18. Set in Europe, Australia or New Zealand: Big little lies by Liane Moriarty
19. About a female critter: The Cat Who Knew a Cardinal by Lilian Jackson Braun
20. Author over 60 years of age: Wait for me!: memoirs of the youngest Mitford sister by Deborah Devonshire
21. 1920-30's detective fiction: Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers
22. Author from the Middle East: Pomegranate Soup by Marsha Mehran
23. From your TBR pile: The Light of Evening by Edna O'Brien
24. Poetry or plays: The Catering Queen by Alison Lawrence
25. Male pseudonym: The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith

AlphaKIT

January: D and U
Person or Persons Unknown by Bruce Alexander
Untold stories by Alan Bennett
Dressing Up for the Carnival by Carol Shields
The Clothes They Stood Up In and, The Lady in the Van by Alan Bennett
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

February: J and B
Train Dreams by Denis Johnson
Johannes Cabal, the detective by Jonathan L. Howard
The Lost Painting by Jonathan Harr
The World of Jeeves by P.G. Woodhouse
Be Careful What You Wish For by Jeffrey Archer
Mightier than the Sword by Jeffrey Archer
The Magdalen Martyrs by Ken Bruen
Benediction by Kent Haruf
No Time for Goodbye by Linwood Barclay

March: L and Q
The Dog Who Knew Too Much by Spencer Quinn
Diamond Solitaire by Peter Lovesey
A Murder of Quality by John le Carré
Last Orders by Graham Swift
Wilful Behavior by Donna Leon
Q & A by Vikas Swarup

April: V and H
The Phantom Major: the Story of David Stirling and the SAS Regiment by Virginia Cowles
What Was She Thinking: Notes on a Scandal by Zoë Heller
The Good Thief's Guide to Vegas by Chris Ewan
The Music Lovers by Jonathan Valin
No Fixed Address: an amorous journey by Aritha van Herk

May: O and P
The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje
The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy
The Light of Evening by Edna O'Brien

June: F and R
A Far Cry from Kensington by Muriel Spark
Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
Unfinished Portrait by Anthea Fraser
The Hanging Garden by Ian Rankin
The Bookshop by Penelope Fitzgerald
From Russia with Love by Ian Fleming

July: K and A
Mr Mercedes by Stephen King
And thereby hangs a tale by Jeffrey Archer
A Death in the family by James Agee
Death of My Aunt by C.H.B. Kitchin

August: G and S
The Toad : the disgusting critters series by Élise Gravel
Wild: from lost to found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed
Gently and the Painters by Alan Hunter
The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith
Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers
Sweetness in the belly by Camilla Gibb
Graveyard Shift: and other stories from Night Shift by Stephen King

September: C and M
Anil's Ghost by Michael Ondaatje
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
Now May You Weep by Deborah Crombie
The Dead Hour by Denise Mina
Canada's Weather: the climate that shapes a nation by Chris St. Clair
Slip of the Knife by Denise Mina
Faceless Killers by Henning Mankell translated by Steven T. Murray
Samuel Maclure, Architect by Janet Bingham
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
Crooked Lake by Nelson Brunanski

October: I and W
Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
In His Own Write & A Spaniard in the Works by John Lennon
The Importance of being seven by Alexander McCall Smith
The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
In a dark House by Deborah Crombie
Andreo's Race by Pam Withers
Calling Invisible Women by Jeanne Ray

November: N and Y
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

December: T and E
The Good Thief's Guide to Paris by Chris Ewan
The Gathering by Anne Enright

Year-long: X and Z
What Was She Thinking: Notes on a Scandal by Zoë Heller
Lost in Shangri-La: A true story of survival, adventure and the most incredible rescue mission of World War II by Mitchell Zuckoff
Last train to Zona Verde: my ultimate African Safari by Paul Theroux
Malcolm X: by any means necessary by Walter Dean Myers

Happy New Thread!

Happy new thread! I'm impressed by how balanced your categories are! :)

Happy new thread! I'm very impressed with your Bingo cards, only one square left on each!

Thanks everyone! As usual I'm having a great time with the challenge. This is the first time I've participated in the AlphaKit that has proved to be so useful. When I wonder what to read next, I just check the alpha list!

For Tsundoku

Echo Burning by Lee Child

Just how did Jack Reacher escape my notice until now? This is my first encounter with Child and I'm hooked. His characters are well drawn, the plot filled with suspense. American authors who write mysteries set in England often do not get it quite right, so I was interested in this English author setting his mystery in the U.S. In my opinion he hit the spot and produced a page-turner that kept me up most of the night. Great stuff!

Happy new thread! You have made some fantastic progress so far - impressive!!

Happy New Thread! I like your idea of adding the stars at the end of the books - might borrow it next year. RE: Lee Child. I have a paper bag full of Jack Reacher books that my husband has read but I haven't gotten to yet. And I know I should.

>18 -Eva-: Thanks, Eva. I'm retired and an insomniac. Result: I get through lots of books.

>19 dudes22: Thanks. I like to compare ratings with other recent/similar books so I found it helps to see them at a glance. I don't know how I missed Jack Reacher until now. I may have written them off as "guy" stories.

I know it's August 31, but you're picture is too soon for me! My brain is always a month behind the calendar. We drove halfway across the province today, and there is indeed some autumn colour showing.

We have a maple tree and I noticed the colour has started to change in the last few days. Some leaves are falling too. It's been a hot August so I'm looking forward to cooler temperatures. This morning we have a lovely fresh breeze blowing through the house, proof that September has arrived. Sorry about that, Joyce.

I always say September is my favourite month -- the air is magical here in Vancouver -- fresh but still warm, full of golden light, and all the greens and blues pop out. I'm just not ready for it though . . .

Happy new thread! How great to have your own maple tree and watch the colors change. Lucky!

>23 Nickelini: I love that golden light. September is indeed a beautiful month.

>24 mstrust: Thanks, Jennifer. The maple tree gives us a lot of shade - and exercise - raking up all those leaves! Gets us fit for the snow-shovelling to come later.

Happy new thread and happy kick-off to the fall. Autumn is my favorite time of the year and I can't wait for the leaves to totally change and start drifting down. I love walking through the fallen leaves and hear them crunching underfoot!

You've done so well with all your challenges. You'll be finishing off your Bingo Cards any day now.

Thanks Judy. I can never decide which season is my favourite. In Victoria it was definitely Spring, yet I love snowy winters, and my birthday on July 4th means Summer is always a wonderful time. Right now, Fall is perfect.

I have just finished my last book for August and it is one more Bingo filled in. Review follows...

For Muliebrity and BingoPup 12: Women in combat

Résistance: a woman's journal of struggle and defiance in Occupied France by Agnes Humbert

Humbert kept a journal relating events as they happened when Paris fell to the Germans in June 1940. With few men left in the civilian population, what became known as the French Resistance was organized by women. The early entries describe the shock and dismay at what is happening to her beloved city and country, when she was inspired to do something, if only to spread information. She met others with the same goal, and together they printed a newsletter titled Résistance, the first use of the word that eventually gave the name to the movement. When Humbert's activities were discovered by the Gestapo in April 1941, although they had little to go on, she was arrested and immediately imprisoned.

At her trial she was given 5 years in prison and sent to a forced labour camp. From this point the book gives an account of the extraordinarily horrific experiences as a slave labourer, but written soon after her liberation in April 1945. Because this section continues in journal format, it serves to show the prolonged time of extreme, agonizing ill-treatment. During this time she maintained her resistance, sabotaging every product she worked on.

After her liberation, she again kept a journal, reprinted as the final section in the book, making only the middle section written from memory. There are many outstanding features in her account, the most noted being that she retained her positive attitude, sense of humour and consideration for other prisoners. When she was liberated, the German town of Wanfried was in chaos and Humbert took a leading part in the organization of facilities, food supply, medical treatment to the townspeople, prisoners, and huge population of army personnel, many of whom behaved like hooligans. Conditions were quite different to the idea many of us might have about liberation where everyone is suddenly free, and ready to go home. She appreciated the difference between Nazis and those who were forced into the party and used the information to form a method of identifying Nazis which led to many arrests. Humbert's contribution to the war effort, resistance, and recovery was extensive and nothing short of heroic.

Her book, one of the first about the war years in France and slave labour camps was published in January 1946 although not translated until 2008. The Afterword by Julien Blanc is of particular interest by filling in the details of Humbert's life, her process of writing the book and the Resistance movement. There is also an extensive appendix detailing documents on the Resistance, translator's notes, bibliography and index. A highly recommended five-star read.

>28 VivienneR: I liked this one.

>29 VictoriaPL: I see it was an Early Reviewer offering. Obviously not in Canada or I'd have requested (and remembered) it.

Happy New Thread! And as much as I know that autumn leaves mean winter's on it's way, I do like that picture.

Thank you Betty. The autumn leaves don't last long enough.

For Gallivant aka GeoCat: September Southern Asia and AlphaKit

Anil's Ghost by Michael Ondaatje

Anil Tissera has returned to her native Sri Lanka as a pathologist for an international human rights organization to investigate deaths of Sri Lankans in the civil war of the 1990s. She is assisted by Saratha, a local archaeologist and his brother, an emergency physician. It's a subtle story that is not so much about the war, but quietly entangled with the passions and loyalties of the people. There are myriad tragedies to be faced beyond the allegations. As anyone from a country that has experienced civil war can attest, understanding the allegiance of those around you is paramount. Anil's colleagues are complex, shadowy, careful, only to be expected in the circumstances, but Ondaatje gives them a remarkable verisimilitude.

Because so much of what has happened in the war reflects national identity, Anil's forensic investigation is as much a probe into Sri Lanka's culture, people and history as of the civil war victims. This is a quiet telling, an elegy set against the sad backdrop of Sri Lanka's civil war and veiled in the surreal, dreamlike quality of Ontaatje's prose that captures the beauty and atmosphere of the country.

I loved Anil's Ghost when I read it although I do not remember too many details now. "Verisimilitude" though is one thing I do remember and agree with you on.

I believe that Anil's Ghost is one of those books that after a few months will be a vivid image in my memory but with few details standing out. Ondaatje's writing is like that.

>33 VivienneR: Book bullet

Happy to help :)

I realize my opinion of this one goes against the grain here on LT.

For Tsundoku, AlphaKit, and BingoPup 18: Set in Australia

Big little lies by Liane Moriarty

This story gives us examples of many forms of violence, much of which needs to be brought in the open and recognized for what it is. I realize Moriarty exaggerated the characters and issues (I mean, adults picking on a 5-year-old!) but for me the satire went over the top. Could there possibly be any group of people so totally dysfunctional? Even the barista was "heartbroken". There were few characters that I liked and none I could relate to. I just don't find so-called "helicopter parents" to be entertaining. The book was much too long and annoyingly frustrating, harping on and on about an innocent kindergarten child and a petition to have him suspended. I know it was tongue in cheek, but writing it in chick-lit style debases any message as well as the actions. I only stuck with it to find out who would get murdered, an event promised early in the story. I had my fingers crossed for several names.

I had another book by Moriarty that has since been donated for the booksale.

>38 VivienneR: Sorry to hear that Big Little Lies was a disappointment, Vivienne, but it would be a funny world if we all loved the very same things!

It would indeed be funny if we all enjoyed the same books. Just imagine, LT Talk would be quite different!

For Tenterhooks and AlphaKit: C

Now May You Weep by Deborah Crombie

A combination of history, a touch of romance, and whisky, naturally, in the Scottish Highlands. This is a decent whodunnit from Crombie who has woven the past with the present and brought them together with a satisfying conclusion. Gemma James is obliged to investigate this one alone, even though the Scottish police don't welcome her help. Kincaid is left in London trying to solve a problem of his own related to his son Kit.

For Tenterhoooks and AlphaKit: M

The Dead Hour by Denise Mina

Paddy Meehan, a spirited night-shift journalist, is trying desperately to take home regular pay cheques to her Mum while establishing her career. She follows police calls to try to get a story that will give her a boost at the newspaper, a newspaper ruthlessly cutting back and paring costs. What a great character: smart, quick on the uptake, yet considerate of anyone in need, she has enough street smarts to spot fib or felon. This was a page-turner and kept my attention throughout, especially closing in on the exciting finish. Mina has created a feisty, strong female protagonist who has normal insecurities normal of a teenager carrying the responsibility of being the only wage-earner at home. Although the series is a mere three volumes. I hope someday Paddy makes a comeback. The atmosphere is truly Glaswegian. A cliffhanger at the end means I'll be starting the next in the series as soon as possible!

>41 VivienneR: I read that one about 4 years ago.

>43 thornton37814: I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did, Lori.

I've only read Mina's graphic A Sickness in the Family. I know her novels get great reviews, and this sounds like a good one to start with.

>45 mstrust: If you are attracted to gritty stories set in Glasgow you will love Denise Mina. I also enjoyed the Alex Morrow series, featuring another strong female, this time a detective.

>44 VivienneR: My review showed 4 stars so I probably did.

>42 VivienneR: Yay! I love that series :)

Denise Mina is a winner. Even her photograph on the author page is a winner!

I've just done a big catch up on your thread. Firstly, I really like your opening picture. Then I read your Jack Reacher book post. I had to read a Lee Child book for book club a few years back. I enjoyed it too and I have read a couple more since. It's a shame you didn't enjoy Big Little Lies though. I get what you are saying, but I loved it! Lucky for authors we all have different tastes in books. Also, I am super impressed with your bingo cards!

It's a big job keeping up with posts! I read everybody's threads but often don't have time to post a message.

I'm glad you liked the Fall picture because it's so out of season for you while you enjoy Spring.

I got the recommendation from you so I really wanted to like Big Little Lies but it was not to be. I can see why other readers liked it though. Lee Child was a nice surprise. That was one I didn't expect to enjoy so much. Apart from a couple of categories, the bingo challenge didn't require much planning. Most of the squares were filled in by books I would have read anyway. The graphic novel was the most difficult and now I have just bought one (my first owned) that would have been a great choice. Bourbon Island 1730 also fits the RandomCat (translation) and GeoCat this month so I've no problem fitting it in.

Lent to me by my daughter-in-law, this one goes in Serendipity it also goes in AlphaKit September: C

Canada's Weather: the climate that shapes a nation by Chris St. Clair

"Although Canada has very distinct seasons, it is best known for its winter weather."

Canadians are obsessed by weather, especially winter. No one asks how bad it was driving west in the setting sun, or how the wet fall leaves made roads and sidewalks slippery, but give them a touch of frost or a fall of snow and conversation becomes animated.

Our large land mass means we have multiple climates so that while west-coasters count flower blossoms, much of the rest of the country is still shovelling snow. While easterners are enjoying the warmth of a late fall day, westerners are getting drenched in rain. This book offers so much more by describing how weather is affected by ocean currents, wind, air currents, and how clouds are formed. The Pineapple Express, a saturated air current brings heavy rains and snowfall to British Columbia. An Alberta Clipper creates biting cold and high winds to the Great Lakes region.

There are chapters on the seasons as they apply to specific regions: Spring includes maple tapping in Quebec, iceberg formation in the Maritimes; Summer describes the thunderstorms and resulting wildfires in British Columbia, and the long sunny days in the north making the change of season almost instant. Naturally, Winter includes excellent information about the Northern Lights. Some giving this as a reason for the disaster of the Franklin Expedition, when summer changed to winter unexpectedly.

Some interesting records:
- The coldest Grey Cup (CFL) football game was November 1991, with a kickoff temperature of -17C (1F). My records tell me that was in Winnipeg.
- London, Ontario has an average of 36 days per year with thunderstorms.
- In Canada, the average life expectancy of a snow shovel is 2.5 years
- The driest Canadian city is Medicine Hat, Alberta that has 271 days each year with absolutely no rain, mist, fog, dew, frost or snow.

This is a fascinating, wide-ranging book that can be read systematically cover to cover, or just sampled according to topic. The illustrations and graphics are excellent. I give it an unconditional five star rating.

For Tsundoku and AlphaKit M

Slip of the Knife by Denise Mina

When The Dead Hour ended I had to immediately start this, the final entry in the Paddy Meehan trilogy. Paddy is such an irresistible character that I would have enjoyed spending time with her regardless of the quality of the story. But Mina provides an enticing story too, with great characters, suspense, and an interesting family life in the background. The contemplation of five-year-old Pete is so genuine, that I would be surprised if Mina is not a mother herself. Highly recommended.

The worst part about finishing this book is that the series is also finished.

For September's RandomCAT: International Translation Day and AlphaKit

Faceless Killers by Henning Mankell translated by Steven T. Murray

The first in the series, this is a good introduction to Kurt Wallender, a middle-aged Swedish detective whose life is beginning to fall apart: his wife has left him, he is turning to alcohol for comfort, he appears to have a dysfunctional relationship with his daughter, and his father is beginning to suffer from senility. Although there is much going wrong in his life, he's not broken but quite capable of handling the job, even a tough one such as this. In this story Swedish policy on immigrants and refugees plays a part when a brutal double murder is thought to have been committed by "foreigners", indicating a group in transition that makes them practically untraceable. Although the book was published in 1991, similar immigration issues still exist in many European countries to the present day. A well-written mystery that portrayed a complicated, engaging character as well as the country.

I enjoyed this better than any other Scandi crime novel I've tried so far. Apart from one or two minor anomalies that indicated this was not the original language, the translation was good. Recommended.

For Muliebrity

Suite Française by Irène Némirovsky, translated by Sandra Smith

In the first part of the novel, Storm in June, the myriad population of Paris react to the impending German occupation by packing whatever they can and escaping the city by whatever means possible. Némirovsky portrays the alarm, fear, trepidation so well that the packed roads are easily imagined. Amid the panic there is the badly planned packing, the forgotten items, the assumption that all would be well elsewhere, that restaurants and hotels would be operating as usual, that petrol would be available. Within the chaos there are little moments of humour that are so unexpected in such a harrowing tale, yet completely natural. There are swindles, thefts, deceptions, anything necessary to evade occupation. Then the realization that there is no escape and for those who survive, eventual acceptance - of a kind. Némirovsky wrote with astonishing acumen and perspicacity, even her description of the cat's experience was remarkably perceptive.

In Dolce the Germans arrive to be billeted in a small town where the inhabitants have been able to hide some of their valuables and buried the best wine. But these Germans are gentlemen, and accordingly they must be treated with civility, no matter how feigned it might be. Over time, there is a certain level of acceptance, even admiration by some for the Germans. But for most of the French the unknown is frightening, they are walking on eggshells while waiting for what else might come. There is always the urge to resist while appearing to comply. The range of human emotions portrayed is immense.

It was intended to be a sequence of novels but before this compelling book was finished Némirovsky was arrested and sent to a concentration camp where she died one month later. Her daughters were able to preserve the unfinished manuscript in the form of a tiny notebook written in minuscule handwriting, but it was not until 1998 that they realized what it was. Her tragedy may have added to the book's acclaim, but it does not change the fact that this is an outstanding work.

Two books for the DeweyCAT challenge:



Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand 790 sport
I know horse racing fans will disagree, but I can't help but see the abuse in the sport. Mostly for this reason, the book did not appeal to me. Also, at over 450 pages, it is a lengthy book filled with the minutiae of racing, trainers, and training methods.



Samuel Maclure, Architect by Janet Bingham 720 architecture
Samuel Maclure (1860-1929) was originally a telegrapher and became one of British Columbia's most gifted architects who paid attention to every detail. Working mainly in Vancouver and Victoria, he specialized in high quality homes, known for their originality, many of which are still in use today.

One of his major achievements was Hatley Park, just outside Victoria on Vancouver Island, built for the Dunsmuir family. Like other homes he designed, it is now a heritage site. It later housed Royal Roads Military College and since 1995 Royal Roads University. Dunsmuir, who was then British Columbia's Lieutenant-Governor, instructed Maclure "It doesn't matter what it costs, just build me what I want". He got a Tudor-style castle with formal gardens on over 500 acres, sufficient to entertain in grand style.

His landscaping talents were also regarded as the best available. Mrs Butchart consulted him about the garden she planned for her quarry, now world famous Butchart Gardens. He shared the project to build Government House with another celebrated architect F.M. Rattenbury, and designed the gardens that provide another garden tourist attraction in Victoria.

Maclure's family history and life were fascinating. He was known to be kind, extremely generous, easy to get along with and able to put difficult customers at ease. Bingham has done her research well and this is a delightful book filled with interesting information. However, it will not appeal to the masses, but mostly to readers who know the area, the houses, or are interested in design or the history of British Columbia.


Hatley Park

I commented on this on your other thread, but I just ran across this house of his:


403 St George St., New Westminster

I walk past it all the time. It now looks like this:



It is used in the TV series Once Upon a Time and is the home of Mr Gold (Rumpelstiltskin).

What a fabulous house! Maclure was known to climb trees to make sure the view from upper floors was perfect. Thanks for posting the photos. I was going to look for some but today has been a busy one and the photo search was put off. With William and Kate visiting Victoria tomorrow, I noticed some of Maclure's work in the background of the local news (the interior of Government House).

Bourbon Island 1730 by Lewis Trondheim, Appollo translated by Alexis Siegel (GN)

This graphic novel is for September's GeoCAT although it might well have been chosen for a RandomCAT translation, or even for Talk Like a Pirate Day!

"Don't be silly, Raphael, there are no more pirates. And in any event there is no way you'd be able to drink enough rum to follow one of their conversations."

Set on Bourbon Island, now known as Réunion and one of the few countries left where my reading has not already taken me. An ornithologist is searching for the dodo bird (was there ever any on Bourbon Island?), there are the aforementioned pirates, colonists, slavery, and terrorists. Fictionalized history, humorous in a way, detailed art, but only mildly entertaining. This might be enjoyed more by someone who appreciates graphic novels more than I do.

For Tsundoku and AlphaKit September: C & M

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

I've been dipping into this doorstopper off and on for a month or more - maybe not the best way to read a story of this complexity but it worked out well and I enjoyed it a lot. The first time I read this classic tale of adventure was many years ago and although the plot and characters were familiar, many details lost in the mist of time were revived. Excellent story!

>60 VivienneR: We read that in 10th grade English. I think all of us dreaded it, but the teacher made it fun and interesting, plus the story itself was great!

Lucky that you had such a good teacher. Yes, it was a great story! A history lesson too.

>61 thornton37814: 10th grade English? Doesn't that book have 57000 pages? Wow.

In my English classes (Canada 1970s) we did Of Mice and Men, To Kill a Mockingbird, and The Old Man and the Sea. If I remember correctly, the last one in my list is possibly one of the longest books ever written in English. However, when I see copies now at bookstores I'm puzzled, as it appears to be a novella.

My daughters English classes still do Of Mice and Men and To Kill a Mockingbird, although they've seemed to have dropped that Hemmingway tome. And I can assure you that no one is going to crack open The Count of Monte Cristo and finish it in any single school year. You're obviously made of sterner stuff.

I don't remember books from school. I was terrifically bored because I'd already read everything. I was always being asked to tell the class about what I was reading and each year my reputation followed me.

When I was younger I was madly keen on Louisa May Alcott but as far as I know she was the only American author I read. I own To Kill a Mockingbird but still haven't read it while the movie is still fresh in my mind.

For Serendipity

Gold boy, emerald girl by Yiyun Li

As usual I have to say that short stories are not my favourite genre but this collection caught my eye. The writing is muted yet articulate, with a style that clearly indicates a different culture.

"They would have been called "gold boy and emerald girl at their wedding, enviable for their matching good looks."

The first story, really a novella, is quite plaintive in its portrayal of a friendless woman who reads Dickens, as she reflects on her life after receiving an invitation to the funeral of her army officer.

In the title story a young woman brought up by her father developed a friendship of sorts with her biology professor. The professor arranges marriage for her now middle-aged student with her gay son. Here again the Dickens leitmotif appears: "Her grandfather had once memorized volumes of Dickens on the small balcony of a Shanghai flat, a feat that had eventually led him, before the liberation, to a high position in a bank run by Englishmen".

Overall, the stories are about love, but show a grey, melancholy picture of communist China peopled with eccentrics.

For Tenterhooks, AlphaCAT and BingoDOG 24: Self-published

Crooked Lake by Nelson Brunanski

This book fills the self-published square of my Bingo challenge which completes the card!

This is a decent mystery set in Saskatchewan that captures the Canadian small town atmosphere nicely. The story features the owner of a fishing resort who is also on the board governing the local golf course. He feels obliged to investigate a murder when his friend is accused of the crime. Even the grain elevator on the cover has a part to play. Although the conclusion was a tad far-fetched it was filled with action and suspense. With some punctuation and spelling errors it could have used the work of an editor but otherwise it was enjoyable and I would try more of this author's work.

Congratulations on finishing your card. I looked at the squares I have left and decided I will probably not finish this year's card. I'm not searching out books for squares this year, so there are a few that probably won't be covered. doesn't matter though, I still enjoy doing it. (see what I'm doing there? trying to be less type A)

>66 VivienneR: Hurray for completing your card!

>67 dudes22: For most of the squares I already had books. I picked up Brunanski's book at the library booksale and just realized it was self-published and fit the last square. Good luck with trying to be less type A. Don't forget you are loved as you are :)

>68 rabbitprincess: Thanks! Glad there was no poetry, fairy tales, or sci-fi this year.

For Hello

Ten things I've learnt about love by Sarah Butler

A surprising story, touching, memorable, simply told yet complex. Alternate chapters are told by two people, Alice, a young woman whose father has just died and Daniel, a homeless man, each lost in a way, searching for something, without knowing exactly what, or what they might find. This is a well-written beautiful story that has each chapter headed by a list that indicates the direction the story is taking. It is a book I couldn't put down. And I was sorry when it ended.

I don't know who recommended Butler to me, but I appreciate it.

>63 Nickelini: It was quite the chunkster!

>71 thornton37814: It certainly was a chunkster. I read the electronic version. I don't care much for e-books but care even less for heavy books and small print. I'm planning to read The Three Musketeers sometime soon. I don't think I've read it before but I remember watching a BBC TV series when I was a kid.

For Hello

Finders Keepers by Stephen King
This is the second in the Bill Hodges trilogy and just like the first one, it grabbed my attention right away and held on to the finish. It has plenty of twists and turns, excitement, and suspense, none of which is so far-fetched as to make the reader incredulous. The story flows naturally without the annoyance of having details obviously worked into the plot to make it come off. What I enjoy most are the great characters and I was glad to see Holly and Jerome return to join forces with Bill Hodges. I'm looking forward to the next, the last in the series.

As this storyline has a connection with Mr Mecedes it is a good idea to read the series in order.



For Muliebrity

Academy Street by Mary Costello

Even as a child, Tess Lohan is hampered by a quiet introspective personality. Costello's story begins in Ireland when the mother of seven-year-old Tess dies. No one tells the child what exactly has happened so her limited understanding of death creates imaginative pictures.

"A car is coming down the avenue. It is the hearse, she thinks, returning. With her mother sitting up in the front seat, smiling, and the coffin behind open, empty - a terrible mistake put right. They had come to the wrong house."

The story follows Tess's lonely life: growing up in Ireland then the move to New York and becoming a single mother of a son, Theo. Like real life, amid the humdrum days Tess has moments of great joy and as many of misery and disappointment. The early uncertainty of Theo's death in the tragedy of 9/11 mirrored the episode of her mother's death. Costello captured the contemplative world of Tess in this perceptive, beautifully written character study.

For October RandomCAT - What scares you?

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

An entertaining gothic tale charged with implicit psychological terror when a group of people stay at a reputedly haunted house. Spooky, but not a particularly scary read, although I wouldn't want to stay a night at Hill House.

For Tsundoku & alphaKIT: I & W

Into the wild by Jon Krakauer

Soon after graduating from university in 1990 Chris McCandless gave away most of his belongings and cash and set out on on an adventure with the name Alexander Supertramp, taken from The Autobiography of a Super-Tramp by W.H. Davies. If the books he carried are any indication, he obviously admired Davies as well as Jack London, Tolstoy and Henry David Thoreau. His goal was to live simply, own little or nothing and experience a spiritual, ascetic life. After travelling around in the US, and working in casual jobs to earn just enough to get by, this friendly, amiable young man set off on a solitary adventure in Alaska, reaching his destination in April 1992. He took shelter in an abandoned bus and for a while lived on berries and small game. When he attempted to hike out of the area he found he was trapped by a river in flood. He returned to the shelter of the bus where he eventually became severely weakened after apparently eating poisonous seeds. He died there in August 1992. His body was found by hunters 19 days later. Krakauer investigated the life and death of Chris McCandless thoroughly, which brought about this excellent account of the young man who loved solitary adventure. Maybe it was because Krakauer shared that love, described in a chapter of the book, and survived some perilous situations himself, that he was able to understand McCandless's temperament and goals. His story was written with compassion and sensitivity, a fine tribute to Chris.

For Hello

Offshore by Penelope Fitzgerald

This is a beautifully quirky story about a little community of houseboats and barges at Battersea Reach, on the Thames in the early sixties. Fitzgerald has an uncanny ability to weave eccentricities into her characters yet make them completely normal. Their lives fluctuate as much as the tidal river, forever ebbing and flowing, yet we expect life on the Reach to nearing its demise. Fitzgerald does not use an extraneous word in this charming and clever story.

>75 VivienneR: I agree with your comment that Krakauer wrote with compassion and sensitivity. I think he did a good job in helping us understand Chris McCandless's actions, when it's easy for others to dismiss them as foolish.

>77 mathgirl40: There have been so many uninformed theories about McCandless. I'm sure Krakauer managed to put some of them to rest.

For Classify aka DeweyCAT

Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope

Not nearly so serious as The Warden, this, the second in the Barsetshire series is liberally sprinkled with humour. Trollope's mastery with language ensures this will forever be a favourite. It's a story that is difficult to put aside and the characters, becoming old friends or foes as rendered, will remain with the reader for a long time. And no matter their disposition, those characters are so richly coloured that the reader can almost see them in person. My usual dislike of long, wordy books is withheld for Trollope who can entertain as much with his choice of words as with the action.

For Hello

The noise of time by Julian Barnes

In spare, eloquent prose, Barnes packs a lot into this fictional look at the life of Russian composer Shostakovich. To be at the forefront of any art under Stalin was dangerous, maintaining integrity almost impossible. Was Khrushchev, "the corn cob" any different? Thought-provoking, poignant, compassionate, this is a brilliant work, worthy of the accolades.

Thanks to CarolineMcElwee for the recommendation.

For Serendipity and AlphaKIT

In his own write & A Spaniard in the works by John Lennon

This little volume of nonsense verse perfectly depicts the Lennon we all remember. The irreverent words and illustrations show the originality and spontaneity typical of Lennon. Many of the pieces are John's version of a classic. One of my favourites was "Treasure Ivan", a unique take on Robert Louis Stevenson's work. I don't pretend to understand it, but I appreciate this nostalgic look back at an era of fun.

I Wandered

On balmy seas and pernie schooners
On strivers and warming things
In a peanut coalshed clad
I wandered happy as a jew
To meet good Doris King.

Past grisby trees and hulky builds
Past ratters and bradder sheep
In a resus baby stooped
I wandered hairy as a dog
To get a goobites sleep

Down hovey lanes and stoney claves
Down ricketts and sticklys myth
In a fatty hebrew gurth
I wandered humply as a sock
To meet bad Bernie Smith

Another one for Serendipity

Startle and illuminate: Carol Shields on writing by Carol Shields

Intending to help aspiring and established writers, Anne and Nicholas Giardini, daughter and grandson of Carol Shields, have put together this collection of her writing taken from correspondence, essays, notes and so on. Although it is interesting to get Shields' opinion and advice on writing in one volume, it appears to be intended as a writing class text book. Summaries and some writing assignments follow each chapter.

For Tsundoku and AlphaKIT October

The Importance of being seven by Alexander McCall Smith

I've been dipping into this series for years and enjoying the characters and humour a lot. It's like a mini-visit to the city of Edinburgh and its delightful residents. I love Bertie and hope his life changes for the better when he turns 7. Of McCall Smith's books that I've read, Scotland Street is my favourite series.

I need to get back to this series. I've afraid it's been neglected.

I neglected it too and it was a treat to return.

For Tsundoku and AlphaKIT October

The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

When looking for something for this month's AlphaKIT I remembered I had this audiobook, a charming version of Grahame's classic story. Dramatized by Alan Bennett, one of my favourite authors, and featuring many of the original cast of the acclaimed National Theatre producion for BBC Radio 4. Wonderful, although nothing can match the print version.

For Hello

The Darkest Dark by Chris Hadfield

This is a beautiful picture book for children. It tells the story of Chris Hadfield, Canadian astronaut, who was scared of the dark until 1969 when he watched the Apollo 11 moon landing on television and noticed the velvety darkness of space. The story shows a considerate understanding of a child's fear as well as the satisfying success of conquering it. It would be an excellent book for any child, especially for a child who is afraid of the dark, or one who enjoys the idea of space travel. Adding background to the story, the book concludes with "About Chris Hadfield" and "A Message from Chris" accompanied by photographs. The illustrations by Eric and Terry Fan are outstanding.

Thanks to LibraryThing Early Reviewers and Tundra Books for this book!

>86 VivienneR: The Wind in the Willows is truly a classic and a wonderful read for any age!

>88 DeltaQueen50: Yes, I love it! How did Kenneth Grahame make Mr Toad so arrogant and so lovable at the same time?

I think Kenneth Grahame was able to really give all his animal characters depth by giving them both good and bad character traits, just as all humans have their flaws so too did his animals. Mole was thoughtful and caring but also timid and easily jumped to conclusions. Badger was a leader and very wise but he could also be gruff and distant at times. Ratty was helpful and eager to share, but he could be a little controlling. And how could you not love a character like Toad, generous to his friends but so easily distracted by the "new and shiny"! So arrogant when things were going his way, yet when things went bad for him he was so sorry for himself and so repentant. Such well rounded characters raised The Wind In The Willows above many children's stories and I think is one of the reasons this story still resonates today.

Ratty and Mole have always been my favourites. And the weasels, so unrelentingly weasel-y.

For Gallivant aka GeoCAT: October - Eastern Asia

The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham

Written in 1925 when Hong Kong was a Crown colony, this is the story of Kitty Fane. Married to a man she didn't love, this spoiled young woman fell in love with charming, married, government official Charles Townsend. When Walter Fane discovered her affair, he gave her the option of divorce but only on the condition that Townsend will marry her. Of course, Townsend has no intention of that, so Walter compels her to accompany him to the heart of a cholera epidemic. The story is an examination of love and fidelity that Maugham does so well. Although the setting is not as clearly defined as most of Maugham's stories, the early 20th century culture and manners of British Empire days are beautifully portrayed.

This is for Hello and it also fills the last square of BingoPUP!

The Queen of Water by Laura Resau

It was common for poor indigenous families in Ecuador to send their young daughters to work and live with wealthy mestizo families of Spanish origins. The arrangements seldom had any agreement about payment or when the girl might be allowed to visit her family. This is what happened to Maria Virginia Farinango when she was about six or seven years old. Her "owners" treated her horrendously for eight years until she was able to escape. During that time she had developed contempt for her Quichua heritage, thanks to the constant slurs about indigenous people from the family who owned her. Eventually Virginia was able to take charge of her own life and succeed in areas she only dreamt of. She was smart, resourceful and able to understand the possible outcome of a wrong decision. When Laura Resau met her, Virginia told her she'd like to write the story of her life, a job Resau was delighted to help bring about. Happily, Virginia recovered pride in her heritage. Although heartbreaking, this is a beautifully written story of a delightful young woman who will remain in your thoughts for a long time. Although it is intended for young adults, the story would appeal to any age group from tweens to adult.

>93 VivienneR: I read this author for the first time with Red Glass earlier this year and I was quite impressed with her style and her story. The Queen of Water is going on my wishlist.

>94 DeltaQueen50: Because this is a true story, it is even better than Red Glass. I hope you like it.

>60 VivienneR:
I really loved that one! I think it took me about a week, but it was "unputtdownable" for me.

>63 Nickelini:
"Doesn't that book have 57000 pages?"
Haha!!

>96 -Eva-: It took me much longer than a week, but it's a terrific story and well worth the time.

>63 Nickelini: I tried not to look at the page numbers, but that's a good guess :)

Another one for Gallivant AKA GeoCAT October: Eastern Asia: Philippines

Tall story by Candy Gourlay

This is a touching story about Andi, a thirteen-year-old British girl in London, and the arrival of her teenage half-brother from the Philippines. Bernardo was delayed there waiting for immigration papers to be processed. When he arrives in England, the family are surprised to find that he suffers from gigantism and is eight feet tall. The story addresses a couple of forms of prejudice. Andi is short yet loves to play basketball while the team at her school doesn't allow girls to play. In the background they must contend with constant stares at Nardo. There is a nice mythical twist generated by the people of his village in the Philippines who are convinced that he has some influence on earthquakes. This is intended for young adults but would also appeal to younger teens. It is a humorous and sensitive story, well-written by Filipino author Candy Gourlay.

For Tenterhooks and AlphaKIT

In a dark house by Deborah Crombie

Another excellent mystery from Crombie who combines relationships, details of a specific and unique area of London, with tricky investigations. Mystery novels by American authors that are set in England are often flawed in a way that signals the writer's origin, but Crombie gets it just right.

For RandomCAT October: What scares you?

The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury

Eight boys set out to enjoy Halloween in the traditional way with pumpkins and jack o'lanterns. Enter Carapace Clavicle Moundshroud, a tall mystery man who will shake things up. This is a perfect book to read aloud because there are many opportunities for dramatic, frightful effects. Mine was an audiobook with an outstanding reading by Bronson Pinchot.

For Hello and AlphaKIT October

Andreo's Race by Pam Withers

Sixteen-year-old Andreo and his friend Raul were both adopted as newborns in Bolivia. When Andreo's adoptive family plan a week-long multi-sport adventure race in Bolivia, the boys see it as a chance to find details of their births. News of a recent criminal investigation into the adoption agency suggests they may have been adopted illegally as part of a baby trafficking business. Long days and nights of canoeing, cycling, hiking, and caving in harsh mountain conditions are combined with their research in an adventure-packed story. This is a book I would have devoured when I was a teen for the adventure alone never mind the mystery element. Highly recommended for young adults - and even some of us older adults.

>100 VivienneR:, I think my daughters would love the cover art of The Halloween Tree, it's very clever

>102 Roro8: I loved it too! Everybody is in it.

For Muliebrity and AlphaKIT October

Calling Invisible Women by Jeanne Ray

A quirky satire about women becoming invisible to everyone. No one notices, not even their families. It's an extension on the concept that women are ignored after reaching a certain age. This is a humorous story that shows a number of ways to use the condition of invisibility. The cause is discovered to be a combination of drugs. It's a creative and fanciful story that is quite thought-provoking in places.

>99 VivienneR: I love Crombie's novels, but I liked them best when Duncan and Gemma were partners.

>105 thornton37814: Yes, I agree, the books with them together were best. They worked together unofficially in this one.

For Gallivant aka GeoCAT November: Northern Africa and the Middle East

Lawrence and the Arabs by Robert Graves
Many details about T.E. Lawrence are well-known, but there is still some interesting information to be gleaned in Graves' book, published in 1928. Lawrence is best known for his role in helping the Arabs against the Ottoman Empire, the main subject of this work. Lawrence chose Emir Faisal, the son of Sharif Hussein, to lead the Arab Revolt. And it was Faisal who asked Lawrence to wear Arab costume because his men associated khaki with Turkish soldiers.

Graves' writing tends towards the dated style that is quite dry, but it is clear, without resorting to promotion of his friend, although he clearly thought highly of the very talented Lawrence. In fact, his friendship with Lawrence meant he was able to write more knowledgeably about him. A lot of the military manoeuvres were less interesting to me and at times difficult to follow, but necessary to understand events then and later. He was an exceptional strategist making him a hero with Arab forces and legend throughout the world.

There is an interesting section about Lawrence's life after the Arab Revolt when he joined the RAF, and his interest in motor cycles. There is no doubt that Lawrence had a magnetic personality. This section includes information about his work Seven Pillars of Wisdom and the shorter version Revolt in the Desert. The former, was written as a record of the Revolt, not meant for popular publication.

A snippet of information from another source reports that Lawrence gave a copy of Graves' book to his commanding officer, Sydney Smith. He had pencilled in over 30 amendments, and advised Smith with typical modesty "Do not take Graves' book as very true!". This copy sold for £7200 at auction in 2010.

For Classify AKA DeweyCAT & AlphaKIT: Z

Last train to Zona Verde: my ultimate African Safari by Paul Theroux

Theroux returned to Africa to find out what has changed or improved since his last visit, described in his book Dark Star Africa. His writing is clear and straightforward, with an easy style as if writing to a friend. He visited South Africa, Namibia, and Angola, where he witnessed both great wealth and desperate poverty, rarely anything in between. Given that he was travelling by bus Theroux was brave indeed to venture into Angola, where the situation is particularly bleak. Although the country is rich in oil, gold and diamonds, life for the ordinary person is dire. This is a remarkably interesting book even though many of his findings were disheartening to say the least, and with no solutions in sight. It seems unlikely that growing Chinese involvement will bring about any change for Angolans.

>108 VivienneR: That's a BB for me, for sure! I visited Namibia in 2000, it was an extraordinary country. I gather from the reviews he's not that complimentary about tourists, so I will brace myself before reading it! :)

>109 Jackie_K: I think any objection he has to tourists is that they spend a lot of money to go on safaris and the local economy gets nothing from it. I found it to be a worthwhile read and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

For RandomCAT November: Celebrating NaNoWriMo: a debut book

The Girl on the train by Paula Hawkins

Lots of twists and turns but the reader is able to keep up with details, maybe not with who is lying, or who is telling the truth, or if Rachel can stay sober long enough to tell what is going on. The story was a gripping page-turner that moved along quickly, and although the denouement wasn't a tremendous surprise the fun was in trying to tell truth from fiction. I thoroughly enjoyed it. As this is a debut novel, I'll look forward to more from Hawkins.

But why was it not titled The Woman on the Train? There was no "girl" in the story.

>87 VivienneR: I hadn't known that Chris Hadfield had written a children's book! I'll have to look for it when I go Christmas shopping for my younger relatives.

>112 mathgirl40: It's a beautiful story! They will love it.

I'm including this one as a second book in November's Classify AKA DeweyCAT because it is biography (even though it has the Shakespeare dewey number 822.33)

Shakespeare: the world as stage by Bill Bryson

My version was a short audiobook that I found to be very enjoyable and informative. It's a good concise biography, which is what it sets out to be, so it won't overwhelm the reader with an academic lecture. As well, Bryson adds segments describing life in Elizabethan England in a common sense way, without rising to melodrama about how disagreeable Shakespeare's England was.

We've all heard the alternate author theories, but Bryson dismisses these firmly and is able to back up his argument well. This was done in part by describing some of the "eccentrics" who made the claim, but he also provided credible reasoning that Shakespeare was indeed the author.

The audiobook ended with a good interview with Bryson by his editor. I enjoyed this so much that I ordered a print copy because there are several lines, words, names etc. that I want to remember for reference. The worst of audiobooks is that you can't stick post-it notes in them, but the best of this one was that it was an excellent narration by Bill Bryson.

>114 VivienneR: This reminds me that I have to borrow this from my mum! Glad to hear you enjoyed it.

>115 rabbitprincess: For such a short book it covered a lot of ground. You will enjoy it.

I'm adding this one to DeweyCAT for November. It has history, travel, and biography.

Land of a thousand hills: my life in Rwanda by Rosamond Halsey Carr

In 1949 Rosamund Halsey Carr left New York for what was then the Belgian Congo. Her marriage to a hunter-explorer was not to last but by the time of her divorce, she had fallen in love with the country. To support herself she started a pyrethrum farm (a natural insecticide). Her descriptions of the country and its people are captivating. She met and became good friends with Dian Fossey, who was murdered in the middle of writing a letter to Carr.

Over the years she faced many tragedies and difficulties, however the Rwandan Genocide of 1994 was the most heartbreaking. She had stayed through previous conflicts but this time was given minutes to grab essentials and make her escape. She left the country for some months returning when the risk was reduced. She was 82 years old and determined to return "home" and convert her old farm into an orphanage to take in some of the thousands of children left without parents. When she returned to the devastated country and her destroyed house, the first friends who arrived soon after were her two dogs and cat who were starving and in bad shape. She concluded that the cat had kept the dogs alive by catching small animals for them to eat. Rosamund Halsey Carr died in 2006 and is buried next to the orphanage she founded.

Carr's niece, Ann Howard Halsey, collected information from letters, diaries and notes as well as her own first-hand accounts to create this book. It is a charming account of one of the most courageous women I have come across.

Another one for biography & travel for DeweyCAT November

The outsider: my life in intrigue by Frederick Forsyth

Forsyth had a lot of lucky breaks in his life, but he also prepared well in order to reach his goals, so those breaks were earned and deserved. As a child he decided he wanted to be a pilot, flying a Spitfire for the RAF. He earned his wings, and finished a two-year stint with the RAF at barely twenty, going on to be a foreign correspondent with Reuters. A job as correspondent with the BBC didn't work out as expected and finding himself broke and unemployed, he wrote a book. Using the real story of an assassination attempt on De Gaulle from his days as a journalist he wrote The Day of the Jackal. He had no idea of how the publishing business worked but one of those lucky breaks (and persistence) got the book published and his new career had begun. The details of the agreement for book and film are especially interesting in hindsight.

This is a fascinating story, told in short chapters, that will entertain, especially if the reader is familiar with The Day of the Jackal or any of Forsyth's other books. The downside is that this James Bond-type life story never gets to the heart of the man. There is so much left unsaid. And some accounts have an almost adolescent expression. Still, I can recommend it strongly.

On a personal note: Forsyth earned his pilot's licence at Rochester at the same time that my father worked there. I can't help wondering if they ever met.

Thanks to @AnnieMod for this recommendation.

For Tsundoku and AlphaKit November

Everything I never told you by Celeste Ng

This one was a real drag. There was just too much despair, misery, racism, and I could not relate with any of the characters. At times the writing might have saved it, but not enough to make a difference.

For Hello

Blood, Salt, water by Denise Mina

As usual, a high quality story from Mina. She manages to soften the lines between crooks and victims and the reader may sympathize with the guilty as much as the innocent. The story is sprinkled with Mina's perceptive, often acerbic lines. Alex Morrow is a winning character, scrupulously honest, even about her own feelings, unafraid, and without the peculiar habits and flaws suffered by most fictional detectives. She begins what appears to be a straightforward investigation of what looks like money laundering, which of course becomes much more complex as layers are uncovered. This is a book that will appeal to all readers, not just those who read mysteries. Mina has taken the crime novel to new heights.

For Tenterhooks

A clubbable woman by Reginald Hill

Published in 1970 and the first in the Dalziel and Pascoe series. Not bad, but Hill improved as the series progressed. Apparently Dalziel came perfectly formed in all his obnoxious glory from the beginning.

>121 VivienneR: What does that title refer to?

>122 Nickelini: It means "suitable for membership of a club because of one's sociability or popularity." Not what I thought it meant! :S

>123 rabbitprincess: Ah, thank you. Much nicer than the violent image I had in mind.

Well, the setting was a rugby club. The players are men but partners are welcome in the club house. One of the wives was found murdered, in a way "clubbed" to death - so both meaning apply. It wasn't gory. And of course, Dalziel's crude humour lightened the mood. But I would really like to give them all cell phones! It would save a lot of time. Security cameras too.

For Muliebrity

Montreal Stories by Mavis Gallant

Known as Varieties of Exile outside Canada, many of these stories were originally printed in The New Yorker. Most were set in the mid-20th century, before Quebec's Quiet Revolution (Révolution tranquille), at a time when social conventions and manners were quite rigid. Gallant accents many details that create a very realistic social memory of a Montreal now gone. Several stories feature the same characters, such as Linnet Muir, an independent young woman seeking emancipation and liberation.

Unlike most collections of short stories where some appeal more than others, my enjoyment of this collection was even. One that stood out was Between Zero and One about a young woman working in an office of men during WWII: is she taking a job from a man; should she earn as much as she does - or even anything at all? After all, she doesn't have to support a family. A new female supervisor proves to be even more antagonistic. Although Gallant was obliged to tolerate this anti-feminist attitude, this story gave her the last word.

Gallant shows an outstanding perception and ability to describe the most minute of social graces and domestic niceties. Highly recommended.

This was an audiobook with excellent narration by Margot Dionne. The stories were interspersed by Twelve Fantasias for violin without bass by Teleman, performed by Angèle Dubeau.

For Classify aka DeweyCAT 940-999

Pearl Harbor Christmas by Stanley Weintraub
December 1941 and Pearl Harbor is a Christmas never to be forgotten. Churchill took time away from the grim circumstances in Europe to make a surprise visit with Roosevelt, while US forces were battling Japanese in the Philippines and on Wake Island. It was a remarkable, and dangerous journey for Churchill, but it had a positive outcome with the beginnings of the United Nations being formed.

An interesting and well-written historical account.

For Tenterhooks

Water like a stone by Deborah Crombie

This story takes place at Christmas when Duncan, Gemma, Kit and Toby visit Duncan's parents for the holidays. Their family intricacies mean Kit finds it hard to accept Duncan's parents as his grandparents, while Toby, not blood-related, comfortably settles in as a grandchild. The story involves the people who live on narrowboats and travel the canal system as employment opportunities demand. Naturally - this is a crime novel, after all - there are some nasty characters around. In fact Christmas isn't so cosy at all. It is an excellent story, written with Crombie's typical flair and knowledge, but I'm just glad my holidays are not spent with the Kincaids.

For Hello

A Robot in the Garden by Deborah Install

Not science fiction, not fantasy, but a creative tale about a broken, outdated robot in need of some TLC. This is a warm-hearted story about friendship, love, nurturing, solicitude, and acceptance. It's the most enchanting book I've read this year! Highly recommended.

Thanks to @whitewavedarling for the bookbullet!

>129 VivienneR: I took a book Bullet for Robot in the Garden as well, good to hear that you enjoyed it as well.

I did too!

For Gallivant aka GeoCAT December: Western Europe
and AlphaKIT December T & E

The Good Thief's Guide to Paris by Chris Ewan

The main character, Charlie Howard, is an author of mystery novels who is a professional burglar in his spare time. He's a likeable chap, and his escapades, although they can be quite bloodthirsty, are fun in a weird way. His literary agent, Victoria, goes along with it all. This time Charlie's job is to chase down stolen Picassos.

Another one for GeoCAT: Western Europe

The Shepherd by Frederick Forsyth

I believe this is my third reading of Forsyth's wonderful Christmas story that I enjoy more each time. I listened to CBC's podcast too, and enjoyed the annual tradition of it, as well as the additional information about the plane and the story, but the printed word will always be my favourite. Five stars!

>129 VivienneR:
I'm another one who took a BB for that - always great to hear more good words!

Eva, I've been borrowing this book from the library but this year decided it was time to buy my own copy for my annual reading.

Stopping by to say hi, and now I have to find A Robot in the Garden. That sounds too good to pass up.

Hi Jennifer, so glad to see you drop in. I don't think you'll be disappointed with A Robot in the Garden although I have to tell you my husband didn't take more than a cursory glance at it even with all my raving.

For Tsundoku and AlphaKIT: X

Malcolm X: by any means necessary by Walter Dean Myers

Growing up in the UK, I heard little about Malcolm X so this YA biography was a perfect place to begin. The text is straightforward, easy to follow, as well as being engaging. Myers explains the reasons behind the actions of Malcolm X and the Civil Rights movement. It's a thought-provoking book and an excellent choice for young adults.

>111 VivienneR: I recently read an interesting article about the trend of using "girl" instead of "woman" in book titles: http://lithub.com/what-does-it-mean-when-we-call-women-girls/.

>139 christina_reads: Excellent article!

"To be called “just a girl” may be diminishment, but to call yourself “still a girl,” can be empowerment, laying claim to the unencumbered liberties of youth. As Gloria Steinem likes to remind us, women lose power as they age. The persistence of girlhood can be a battle cry." So true!

For Muliebrity and AlphaKIT December

The Gathering by Anne Enright

In Enright's fourth novel, Veronica Hegarty mourns her brother who committed suicide by walking into the sea at Brighton. As Veronica broods she creates portraits of all her family with a reality that is startling although she is the first to admit that her memory may be faulty. Enright does not hold back on earthy metaphors or boorish sex but never sinks to mindless coarseness. Her first-rate writing sparkles with insight and acumen, although not everyone is comfortable with her particular kind of merciless narrative.

Taking the morning to play catch-up on all the threads in the group.

I see you read and enjoyed Grave Goods. I love the Ariana Franklin books and was so sad to read about her passing. Wonderful historical mystery writer. Sorry to see Gilead was a disappointing read for you but it appears we are in agreement regarding Gail Jones' Sorry. Making note of your comment about Camilla Gibb's Sweetness in the Belly as being more ethnography than novel as I have that one waiting on my TBR pile.

>55 VivienneR: - Wonderful review!

>56 VivienneR: - Taking a BB for the Bingham book!

Glad to see you, Lori. I hadn't heard about Ariana Franklin's passing. I believe I have another one of her books on the shelf that I will move up to the top of the pile.

Gail Jones' Sorry is still on the shelf as I know I'll read it again sometime. Same goes for Bingham and Samuel Maclure. You are in the right area to enjoy that one even more, with so much of his work around you.

The amount of reading I've done this month has been disappointing. I started and abandoned four books that kind of slowed things down somewhat.

I'm in the middle of two books at the minute. One is Gentlemen and Players by Joanne Harris that I'm enjoying a lot. And for the RandomCAT challenge, I'm enjoying Miss Buncle's Book by D.E. Stevenson even though it is going slowly. As soon as I've finished it, that will be my category challenge complete. I'll get to squeeze in a couple of Christmas books before the New Year.

For Tsundoku

After reading my last post, I have to say this one didn't pan out as well as I thought it would.

Gentlemen and players by Joanne Harris

In writing this Harris used her experience as a schoolteacher in a school similar to St. Oswald's so her setting is excellent, the teaching staff are believable. The story started with promise, and even well into the story it was this promise that kept me reading. However, towards the end Harris just threw in every device she could think of to create a complex psychological mystery. Unfortunately she couldn't pull it off and the ending was ultimately unsatisfying. Maybe I expected too much. In any case, I found it disappointing. A generous 3 stars because I liked the first half.

and...



For RandomCAT December: Our Gifts

Miss Buncle's book by D.E. Stevenson

Miss Buncle certainly disrupted harmony in her village when she wrote her first novel Disturber of the Peace, an honest portrayal of her neighbours that became a bestseller. Stevenson wrote her book in 1934 and although nowadays her characters are a little cliché the story is charming.

This officially completes my challenge! A couple of Christmas books is about all I'll be able to squeeze in what remains of 2016.

Wishing everyone fun and merriment for the Christmas holidays!

Congratulations on completing your 2016 Challenge, Vivienne. Happy holidays!

Great job completing your challenge. Hope next year gives you good reading.

Congrats on completing your challenge!

Thank you all. Looks like I'm going to be spending more hours snow shovelling than reading over Christmas. That's ok. It's an excuse to play in the snow.

Wishing you strong snow shovelling muscles and an extra-comfy reading chair for when you're finished! Merry Christmas :)

I'll catch up with you in the New Year.

Happy Holidays Vivienne !

Merry Christmas Vivienne:

Thank you, Judy, Lisa and Betty. I hope you all have the merriest Christmas!

Two Early Reviewer books that I just received last week. They are both going in the Hello category.



The day Santa stopped believing in Harold by Maureen Fergus illustrated by Cale Atkinson

An endearing, original story that gives the reader sympathy with Santa. While Santa never changes, "real people" change from one Christmas to another making it difficult for Santa to know if Harold is real. A clever reversal of the fable.

The illustrations by Atkinson are colourful with a cozy Christmas appeal. They have plenty of detail to peruse and maybe find something new with each reading. Making Harold's parents interracial was a nice touch, keeping up with current lifestyles.



Gertrude and Toby meet the wolf by Shari Tharp illustrated by Jim Heath

In this, book 3 of the Gertrude and Toby Fairy-Tale Adventure series, Gertrude and Toby choose to go fishing for their weekly adventure while Farmer Sam goes shopping. They meet many familiar faces from other tales, just as the young reader will recognize old acquaintances, such as the three little pigs, the boy who called "wolf" and of course, the big, bad wolf.

The illustrations are beautifully expressive, demonstrating all the emotions of the gentle goat and tortoise as well as the ferocity of the wolf.

For Muliebrity

The Serpent's Tale by Ariana Franklin
Even more than the mystery, what I like best are the details of 12th century life.



For Tenterhooks

The Santa Klaus Murder by Mavis Doriel Hay
A golden age mystery set in a large country house where the family are gathering for Christmas. Slow, but saved by the Christmas atmosphere.

Meme Based on books I read in 2016

Describe yourself: The girl on the train

How do you feel? Mightier than the sword

Describe where you currently live: A house in the sky

If you could go anywhere...? No fixed address: an amorous journey

Favorite form of transportation: Train dreams

Your best friend is: The scarlet pimpernel

You and your friends are: Bandits

What's the weather like? The darkest dark

Your favorite time of day is: The light of evening

What is life for you? Dressing up for the carnival

You fear: A robot in the garden

Best advice: Finders keepers

Thought for the day: And thereby hangs a tale

How you would like to die: Going solo

Ooh, great answers, especially the "how do you feel"!

>158 VivienneR: Great answers.

To my visitors, best wishes for 2017

Just finished the last books for this year:

I'm not writing full reviews because I'm recovering from a minor accident.



For Muliebrity:
Selected stories by Muriel Spark
Four short stories in this small book. Ok, but nothing really stood out.


For Tenterhooks:
Cover her face by P.D. James
Can't beat Adam Dalgliesh as an investigator. James is too late for Golden Age, but not old enough to be dated. Recommended.

My reading stats for the year:
total books read 178- a record for me
female authors - 92
male authors - 86

The male/female ratio has been my average over the last few years when I've kept a record.

Oh no, a minor accident! I hope you are back to 100% soon.

>163 VivienneR: Hope you mend quickly.

>126 VivienneR: I always enjoy reading stories set in Montreal, having grown up there. I'll have to seek this one out.

Sorry to hear about your accident. I hope you recover soon, and I'll see you over in the 2017 group!