Paul C's 2016 Reading and Life - 19

When you are trying to age gracefully, black and white helps!

Opening Lines



Emma by Jane Austen

I am going to try and join in with Liz's tutored read of this one which surprisingly enough I haven't read before.

Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly tenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her.

BOOKS READ FIRST QUARTER

JANUARY
1. Ru by Kim Thuy (2009) 153 pp
2. A Story I am in : Selected Poems by James Berry (2011) 208 pp
3. The Woman in Black by Susan Hill (1983) 200 pp
4. Fifteen Dogs by Andre Alexis (2015) 159 pp
5. Clem Attlee by Francis Beckett (2015) 476 pp
6. The Peculiar Life of a Lonely Postman by Denis Theriault (2005) 117 pp
7. 40 Sonnets by Don Paterson (2015) 44 pp
8. The Quality of Mercy by Barry Unsworth (2011) 294 pp
9. The Library of Unrequited Love by Sophie Divry (2010) 92 pp
10. A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain by Robert Olen Butler (1993) 269 pp
11. Soldier's Heart by Gary Paulsen (1998) 104 pp
12. Coast to Coast by Jan Morris (1956) 238 pp
13. Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler (1982) 314 pp
14. A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James (2014) 688 pp
15. The Perfect Stranger by P.J. Kavanagh (1966) 182 pp
16. The Manticore by Robertson Davies (1972) 255 pp

FEBRUARY
17. Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie (1934) 347 pp
18. The Zimmermann Telegram by Barbara Tuchman (1958) 200 pp
19. Coventry by Helen Humphreys (2008) 169 pp
20. Selected Poems by Cecil Day Lewis (1951) 158 pp
21. Return of a King : The Battle for Afghanistan by William Dalrymple (2013) 487 pp

MARCH
22. Assalamualaikum : Observations on the Islamisation of Malaysia by Zaid Ibrahim (2015) 200 pp
23. That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo (2009) 339 pp
24. How to be Both by Ali Smith (2014) 372 pp
25. Towards Asmara by Thomas Keneally (1989) 320 pp
26. New Selected Poems by Robert Minhinnick (2012) 185 pp
27. The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy (1986) 664 pp
28. Around the World ichael Palin (1989) 241 pp
29. Poems of the Past and the Present by Thomas Hardy (1901) 96 pp
30. The Boat Who Wouldn't Float by Farley Mowat (1969) 243 pp

BOOKS READ IN 2016

Second Quarter

APRIL
31. A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley (1991) 371 pp
32. What Work Is by Philip Levine (1991) 77 pp
33. Eventide by Kent Haruf (2004) 300 pp
34. A New Selected Poems by Galway Kinnell (2001) 179 pp
35. The Black Album by Hanif Kureishi (1995) 276 pp
36. Demelza by Winston Graham (1946) 521 pp
37. Geography III by Elizabethe Bishop (1976) 50 pp
38. The Song of Hiawatha by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1855) 142 pp
39. Why I am not a Christian by Bertrand Russell (1957) 259 pp

MAY
40. Belfast Confetti by Ciaran Carson (1989) 108 pp
41. Ruby by Cynthia Bond (2015) 330 pp
42. The Bird Artist by Howard Norman (1994) 289 pp
43. The Sea Runners by Ivan Doig (1982) 275 pp
44. Make Me by Lee Child (2015) 544 pp
45. Old Filth by Jane Gardam (2004) 290 pp
46. The Whitsun Weddings by Philip Larkin (1964) 46 pp
47. Fault Line by Robert Goddard (2012) 509 pp
48. AWOPBOPALOOBOPALOPBAMBOOM by Nik Cohn (1972) 247 pp
49. Risk by C.K. Stead (2012) 267 pp

JUNE
50. Native Guard by Natasha Trethewey (2006) 46 pp
51. The Shadow Line by Joseph Conrad (1917) 145 pp
52. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel (2014) 333 pp
53. Crow by Ted Hughes (1970) 89 pp
54. A Zoo in My Luggage by Gerald Durrell (1960) 173 pp
55. The Green Road by Anne Enright (2005) 310 pp
56. Famous Last Words by Timothy Findley (1981) 396 pp
57. Bird Cloud by Annie Proulx (2011) 234 pp
58. Mary Queen of Scots by Antonia Fraser (1969) 691 pp

BOOKS READ IN 2016

THIRD QUARTER

July

59. The Pearl by John Steinbeck (1948) 89 pp
60. The Sergeants' Tale by Bernice Rubens (2013) 217 pp
61. The Time Machine by H.G. Wells (1895) 106 pp
62. The Orenda by Joseph Boyden (2013) 487 pp
63. The Battle for Scotland by Andrew Marr (1992) 240 pp
64. The Fifth Son by Elie Wiesel (1985) 220 pp
65. Holiday by Stanley Middleton (1974) 222 pp
66. Karl Doenitz and the Last Days of the Third Reich by Barry Turner (2015) 275 pp
67. Jeremy Poldark by Winston Graham (1950) 344 pp
68. The European Union : A Citizen's Guide by Chris Bickerton (2016) 230 pp
69. An Event in Autumn by Henning Mankell (2013) 169 pp
70. Bad History : How We Got the Past Wrong by Emma Marriott (2011) 173 pp

August

71. March by Geraldine Brooks (2005) 273 pp
72. The Sellout by Paul Beatty (2016) 289 pp
73. Rape : A Love Story by Joyce Carol Oates (2003) 154 pp
74. Black Dogs by Ian McEwan (1992) 174 pp
75. Eileen : A Novel by Otessa Moshfegh (2016) 260 pp
76. Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones (1986) 429 pp
77. My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout (2016) 191 pp
78. Flaubert's Parrot by Julian Barnes (1984) 190 pp
79. Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeline Thien (2016) 466 pp

September
80. The North Water by Ian McGuire (2016) 255 pp
81. Selected Poems by Laurie Lee (1960) 80 pp
82. Blade of Light by Andrea Camilleri (2012) 271 pp
83. The World According to Garp by John Irving (1978) 596 pp
84. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins (2015) 409 pp
85. The Fifth Child by Doris Lessing (1988) 133 pp
86. The Many by Wyl Menmuir (2016) 141 pp
87. Grief is the Thing with Feathers (2016) 114 pp
88. His Bloody Project by Graeme Macrae Burnet (2016) 280 pp

Reading Plans and a little about me

Me?
I am 50 this coming September and have enough unread reading material on my shelves to take me safely into my seventies! I have lived in Malaysia since 1994 and have a long suffering (but never quietly) wife, Hani (sometimes referred to as SWMBO), three children Yasmyne (18), Kyran (16) and Belle (12 - well almost), as well as a supporting cast which includes Saad Yasmyne's Egyptian boyfriend and very much part of the family fabric, my book smuggling assistants Azim (also my driver and a part time bouncer who, despite his muscles, lives in almost as much fear of my wife as I do) and Erni (my housemaid, almost-little sister and the worlds greatest coffee maker). On this thread you'll probably read as much about the vagaries of life, book buying and group related statistics as you do about the actual books themselves.


clockwise from top left: Kyran, Saad, Yasmyne, Belle, Hani & I

2016 Reading

American Author Challenge - Mark (msf59) is on the third year of this great challenge where the task is to read a work by a featured US author each month.

Canadian Author Challenge - This is its inaugural year and I will try to read (and find books for!) as many of the 24 authors featured as I can.

ANZAC Challenge - Set up by Kerry this year. I will try to follow this one alternating between Oz/Nz

Pulitzer Challenge - Bill has created a challenge to read a Pulitzer winner each month in 2016

Chunkster Challenge - Also set up by Bill to take care of that small matter of books over 600 pages!

Non-Fiction Challenge - Suz (Chatterbox) has put this up and I will follow this one too

TIOLI Challenge - Surely needs no introduction!

1001 Books First Edition - I am working my way through these. So far at 262.

Booker Prize Winners - Another one I am wending my way through

Nobel Laureates - I am trying to read something by all the Laureates - so far have read 57 of the 112 winners.

Poetry - I will be trying to read a different collection/anthology each week and at the same time promote poetry in the group (tough one that) which will include my own occasion clumsy scribblings.

Series I have so many I follow Montalbano, Reacher, Hole, Banks, Davenport, Sejer, Allon, Lennox .....and I will be trying to read many of those as I can.

History Another favourite of mine

Political Biography - I am of the left in political terms so I prefer to read more from my heroes than my villains but sometimes it pays to check out what the opposition are up to!

I will try to combine challenges as much as I can to do something in each challenge each month.

Reading Plan for September 2016

August saw me pass the 75 mark behind schedule as usual. Plenty of travelling planned in September which normally helps my reading numbers.

I will have primary and then secondary targets this month so I hope to hit at least the former and some of the latter.

Primary Targets (1) - Unfinished books

1 The Robber Bride by Margaret Atwood (CAC, 1001) Reading
2 The Penguin Anthology of Twentieth-Century Poetry Reading

Primary Targets (2) Main Challenges

3 The World According to Garp by John Irving (AAC, 1001)
4 Selected Poems by Laurie Lee (BAC) COMPLETED
5 Martha Quest by Doris Lessing (BAC)
6 Emma by Jane Austen (Tutored Read, 1001)
7 Great Expectations by Charles Dickens (Group Read, Re-Read)

Primary Targets (3) Booker Longlist
8 All That Man Is by David Szalay
9 The North Water by Ian McGuire COMPLETED
10 Serious Sweet by A.L. Kennedy
11 Hystopia by David Means

Secondary Targets - Catch-ups and Other Challenges

12 Staying On by Paul Scott (Booker)
13 Warleggan by Winston Graham (Series)
14 Ake : The Years of Childhood by Wole Soyinka (Nobel)
15 The Heart Laid Bare by Michel Tremblay (CAC)
16 Silas Marner by George Eliot (BAC & 1001)
17 The Magic of Reality by Richard Dawkins (Non-Fiction Challenge)
18 Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery (CAC)
19 An Imaginary Life by David Malouf (Anzac)
20 Solomon Gursky Was Here by Mordecai Richler (CAC)
21 The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
22 Montalbano's First Case by Andrea Camilleri
23 The Enigma of the Return by Dany Laferriere

BRITISH AUTHOR CHALLENGE 2016

August thread : http://www.librarything.com/topic/227948

January : Susan Hill & Barry Unsworth
February : Agatha Christie & William Dalrymple
March : Ali Smith & Thomas Hardy
April : George Eliot & Hanif Kureishi
May : Jane Gardam & Robert Goddard
June : Lady Antonia Fraser & Joseph Conrad
July : Bernice Rubens & H.G. Wells
August : Diana Wynne-Jones & Ian McEwan
September : Doris Lessing & Laurie Lee
October : Kate Atkinson & William Golding
November : Rebecca West & Len Deighton
December : WEST YORKSHIRE writers
Wildcard : Rumer Godden and George Orwell

TBR Records Update : (Revised after giving away 114 books in June)

Year reading record to date:

January 1st frozen TBR : 3,600

Books read : 53

Revised TBR : 3,547

January 1st Pages : 1,254,776

Pages read in completed books : 13,359

Revised TBR pages : 1,241,417

Other Books added since 1 January : 174
Pages : 61,338
Read : 11
Read Pages : 3,313
Books still to read from this year's purchases : 163
Pages to read : 58,025

Total Books Read in 2016 - 64
Total Pages Read in 2016 - 16,672

Total TBR Physical Books @ 13 July 2016 - 3,710
Total TBR Pages - 1,299,442

Round up of Stats

1001 Books First Edition - Read 267 of 1001

Nobel Winners - Read something by 59 of the 112 Laureates

Pulitzer Fiction/Novel Winners - Read 14 of 88 outright winners

Booker Winners - Read 22 of the 50 winners

Bowie 100 Books - 22 read a further 21 owned

1000 Guardian Books - 309

BOOKS ADDED SINCE 1 JANUARY 2016

1. Fifteen Dogs Andre Alexis (2015) 159 pp (Added 6 Jan) COMPLETED
2. Rain by Barney Campbell (2015) 362 pp (Added 6 Jan)
3. Coventry by Helen Humphreys (2008) 169 pp (Added 7 Jan -Secret Santa (Katie)) COMPLETED
4. The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro (2015) 362 pp (Added 14 Jan)
5. How Good We Can Be by Will Hutton (2015) 250 pp (Added 14 Jan)
6. Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco (1988) 641 pp (Added 14 Jan)
7. The Chimes by Anna Smaill (2015) 289 pp (Added 14 Jan)
8. Wild Swans by Jung Chang (1991) 669 pp (Added 14 Jan)
9. The Black Moon by Winston Graham (1973) 546 PP (Added 14 Jan)
10. Let Me Be Frank With You by Richard Ford (2014) 238 pp (Added 22 Jan)
11. Possessing the Secret of Joy by Alice Walker (1992) 270 pp (Added 22 Jan)
12. Cat and Mouse by Gunter Grass (1961) 191 pp (Added 22 Jan)
13. The Castle of Crossed Destinies by Italo Calvino (1969) 129 pp (Added 22 Jan)
14. The Enigma of Arrival by VS Naipaul (1987) 387 pp (Added 22 Jan)
15. Mao II by Don DeLillo (1991) 241 pp (Added 22 Jan)
16. A Home at the End of the World by Michael Cunningham (1990) 343 pp (Added 22 Jan)
17. Nip the Buds, Shoot the Kids by Kenzaburo Oe (1958) 189 pp (Added 22 Jan)
18. Senor Vivo and the Coca Lord by Louis de Bernieres (1991) 280 pp (Added 22 Jan)
19. Spring Flowers, Spring Frost by Ismail Kadare (2000) 182 pp (Added 22 Jan)
20. The Summer Book by Tove Jansson (1972) 172 pp (Added 22 Jan)
21. Napoleon the Great by Andrew Roberts (2014) (Added 29 Jan)
22. March by Geraldine Brooks (Added 29 Jan) COMPLETED
23. The House in Paris by Elizabeth Bowen (1935) (added 29 Jan)
24. Mary Barton by Mary Gaskell (1848) (added 29 Jan)
25. The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien (1990) (added 29 Jan)

26. White Crocodile by KT Medina (2014) 374 pp (added 8 Feb)
27. A Brief Stop on the Road From Auschwitz by Goran Rosenberg (2012) 331 pp (added 13 Feb)
28. Martin Dressler by Steven Millhauser (1996) 274 pp (added 13 Feb)
29. The Third Policeman by Flann O'Brien (1967) 199 pp (added 20 Feb)
30. The End : Germany 1944-45 by Ian Kershaw (2011) 400 pp (added 20 Feb)
31. In the Light of What We Know by Zia Haider Rahman (2014) 555 pp (added 20 Feb)
32. A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway (1929) 293 pp (added 20 Feb)
33. Peacemakers : Six Months That Changed the World by Margaret MacMillan (2001) 500 pp (added 20 Feb)
34. My Life as a Foreign Country by Brian Turner (2014) 224 pp (added 20 Feb)
35. Astragal by Albertine Sarrazin (1965) 190 pp (added 20 Feb)
36. If He Hollers Let Him Go by Chester Himes (1945) 259 pp (added 20 Feb)
37. The Seven Madmen by Roberto Arlt (1929) 304 pp (added 20 Feb)
38. My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante (2012) 331 pp (added 20 Feb)
39. Six Days : How the 1967 War Shaped the Middle East by Jeremy Bowen (2003) 373 pp (added 22 Feb)
40. I, The Jury by Mickey Spillane (1947) 164 pp (added 22 Feb)
41. The Life of Elves by Muriel Barbery (2015) 258 pp (added 22 Feb)
42. Ostland by David Thomas (2013) 430 pp (added 22 Feb)
43. Trigger Mortis by Anthony Horowitz (2015) 310 pp (added 26 Feb)
44. The Pier Falls by Mark Haddon (2016) 321 pp (added 26 Feb)
45. Assalamualaikum, May Peace Be Upon You: Observations on the Islamisation of Malaysia by Zaid Ibrahim (2015) 200 pp (added 27 Feb) COMPLETED
46. The Illuminations by Andrew O'Hagan (2015) 293 pp (added 27 Feb)
47. The Children Who Stayed Behind by Bruce Carter (1958) 216 pp (added 27 Feb)
48. Armada by Ernest Cline (2015) 349 pp (added 28 Feb)
49. The Walk and Other Stories by Robert Walser (1957) 197 pp (added 28 Feb)
50. Fatale by Jean-Patrick Manchette (1977) 98 pp (added 28 Feb)
51. My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout (2016) 191 pp (added 28 Feb) COMPLETED
52. The Civil War : A History by Harry Hansen (1961) 655 pp (added 28 Feb)
53. The Invisible Guardian by Dolores Redondo (2013) 420 pp (added 28 Feb)
54. Lindbergh by A. Scott Berg (1998) 562 pp (added 28 Feb)
55. The Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World by Edward Shepherd Creasy (1851) 380 pp (added 28 Feb)
56. Hitler's Spy by James Hayward (2012) 278 pp (added 28 Feb)

57. A Cautious Approach by Stanley Middleton (2010) 220 pp (added 2 March)
58. Incandescence by Craig Nova (1979) 297 pp (added 2 March)
59. Northanger Abbey by Val McDermid (2014) 343 pp (added 2 March)
60. Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison (1977) 337 pp (added 2 March)
61. Love in Winter by Storm Jameson (1935) 407 pp (added 2 March)
62. How I Became a Holy Mother by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala (1976) 363 pp (added 2 March)
63. On Horseback and Other Stories by Guy de Maupassant (1877) 130 pp (added 2 March)
64. Fieldwork by Mischa Berlinski (2007) 349 pp (added 2 March)
65. Anything but the Law by Tommy Thomas (2016) 334 pp (added 4 March)
66. The Better Angels of Our Nature by Steven Pinker (2011) 841 pp (added 4 March)
67. Why the West Rules by Ian Morris (2010) 645 pp (added 4 March)
68. Out of Africa by Karen Blixen (1937) 330 pp (added 4 March)
69. Make Me by Lee Child (2015) 544 pp (added 4 March) COMPLETED
70. The Wolf Border by Sarah Hall (2015) 432 pp (added 4 March)
71. Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell (1936) 984 pp (added 4 March)
72. The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy (1986) 664 pp (added 7 March) COMPLETED
73. From Restoration to Reform by Jonathan Clarke (2014) 299 pp (added 7 March)
74. Josephine : Desire, Ambitions, Napoleon by Kate Williams (2013) 303 pp (added 7 March)
75. Britain's Royal Families : The Complete Genealogy by Alison Weir (2008) 331 pp (added 7 March)
76. A Brief History of Indonesia by Tim Hannigan (2015) 277 pp (added 12 March)
77. Max Havelaar by Multatuli (1860) 320 pp (added 12 March)
78. Jernigan by David Gates (1991) 339 pp (added 12 March)
79. Private Life by Jane Smiley (2010) 480 pp (added 12 March)
80. Betrayal : The Crisis in the Catholic Church by Matt Carroll (and others) (2002) 265 pp (added 12 March)
81. The Green Road by Anne Enright (2015) 310 pp (added 12 March) COMPLETED
82. When I was Old by Georges Simenon (1970) 452 pp (added 15 March)
83. The Full Catastrophe : Inside the Greek Crisis by James Angelos (2015) 292 pp (added 15 March)
84. No Highway by Nevil Shute (1948) 325 pp (added 19 March)
85. The Italian Girl by Iris Murdoch (1964) 171 pp (added 19 March)
86. Diary of a Mad Old Man by Junichiro Tanizaki (1961) 177 pp (added 19 March)
87. Most Secret by Nevil Shute (1945) 346 pp (added 19 March)
88. Kathleen and Frank by Christopher Isherwood (1971) 510 pp (added 19 March)
89. The Viceroy of Ouidah by Bruce Chatwin (1980) 101 pp (added 19 March)
90. The Heat of the Day by Elizabeth Bowen (1948) 330 pp (added 19 March)
91. Sarah Thornhill by Kate Grenville (2011) 304 pp (added 19 March)
92. A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn (1980) 688 pp (added 27 March)
93. Home : A Time Traveller's Tales from Britain's Pre-History by Francis Pryor (2014) 290 pp (added 27 March)
94. The Golden Notebook by Doris Lessing (1962) 576 pp (added 27 March)
95. Ultimate Questions by Bryan Magee (2016) 127 pp (added 31 March)
96. The Four Books by Yan Lianke (2015) 338 pp (added 31 March)
97. Find Me by Laura Van Den Berg (2015) 278 pp (added 31 March)
98. A Reunion of Ghosts by Judith Claire Mitchell (2015) 371 pp (added 31 March)
99. The Song of Hiawatha by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1855) 142 pp (added 31 March) COMPLETED
100. The Social Contract by Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1762) 168 pp (added 31 March)

Books bought second quarter

101 The Carpathians by Janet Frame (1988) 196 pp (Added 2 April)
102 Georgy Girl by Margaret Forster (1965) 171 pp (Added 2 April)
103 Great Apes by Will Self (1997) 404 pp (Added 2 April)
104 The Robber Bride by Margaret Atwood (Added 14 April)
105 My Son, My Son by Howard Spring (Added 14 April)
106 A Very British Coup by Chris Mullin (Added 14 April)
107 Cogan's Trade by George V. Higgins (Added 14 April)
108 The Fishermen by Chigozie Obioma (Added 15 April)
109 Common Ground by Andrew Cowan (Added 15 April)
110 The Book of Aron by Jim Shepard (Added 18 April)
111 AWOPBOPALOOBOPALOPBAMBOOM by Nik Cohn (Added 18 April) COMPLETED
112 Montalbano's First Case by Andrea Camilleri (Added 18 April)
113 13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl by Mona Awad (Added 18 April)
114 I am Radar by Reif Larsen (2015) (Added 18 April)
115Ruby by Cynthia Bond (2015) (Added 18 April) COMPLETED
116 The Faithful Couple by A.D. Miller (Added 18 April)
117 A Strangeness in my Mind by Orhan Pamuk (Added 18 April)
118 The Trial of Henry Kissinger by Christopher Hitchens (Added 18 April)
119 How Steeple Sinderby Wanderers Won the FA Cup by JL Carr (Added 18 April)
120 The Outsider by Colin Wilson (Added 20 April)
121 Puckoon by Spike Milligan (Added 20 April)
122 Why I Am Not a Christian by Bertrand Russell (Added 20 April) COMPLETED
123 Arcadia by Iain Pears (Added 22 April)
124 The Glorious Heresies by Lisa McInerney (Added 22 April)
125 The Vegetarian by Han Kang (Added 24 April)
126 A Whole Life : A Novel by Robert Seethaler (Added 24 April)
127 The Improbability of Love by Hannah Rothschild (Added 24 April)
128 The Portable Veblen by Elizabeth McKenzie (Added 24 April)
129 The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank (Added 24 April)
130 The Bird Artist by Howard Norman (Added 27 April) COMPLETED
131 The Edge of the World : How the North Sea Made Us Who We Are by Michael Pye (Added 27 April)
132 A Heart so White by Javier Marias (Added 14 April)

133 Silas Marner by George Eliot (added 3 May)
134 The Loney by Andrew Michael Hurley (added 13 May)
135 Girl at War by Sara Novic (added 13 May)
136 Flood of Fire by Amitav Ghosh (added 13 May)
137 I Saw a Man by Owen Sheers (added 13 May)
138 The Mandarins by Simone de Beauvoir (added 20 May)
139 Unknown Soldiers by Vaino Linna (added 20 May)
140 Stop Time by Frank Conroy (added 20 May)
141 What Is Left the Daughter by Howard Norman (added 25 May)
142 Black Dogs by Ian McEwan (added 25 May) COMPLETED
143 S. : A Novel about the Balkans by Slavenka Drakulic (added 25 May)
144 The Angry Tide by Winston Graham (added 25 May)
145 The Master by Colm Toibin (added 25 May)
146 Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf (added 25 May)
147 The Secret History of Las Vegas by Chris Abani (added 25 May)
148 Love and Obstacles by Aleksandr Hemon (June 16)
149 The Book of Memory by Pettina Gappah (June 16)
150 The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu (June 16)
151 The Four Swans by Winston Graham (June 16)
152 Three Tales by Gustave Flaubert (June 16)
153 The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins (June 16)
154 SPQR : A History of Ancient Rome by Mary Beard (June 16)
155 The Sympathizer by Viet Tanh Nguyen (June 16)
156 Black Earth : The Holocaust as History and Warning by Timothy Snyder (June 16)
157 The Penguin Anthology of Twentieth-Century American Poetry edited by Ruth Dove (June 16)
158 The Hanging Girl by Jussi Adler-Olsen (June 16)
159 The Betrothed by Alessandro Manzoni (June 16)
160 Laurus by Eugene Vodolazin (June 16)

Books Added Third Quarter
July
161. The European Union : A Citizen's Guide by Chris Bickerton COMPLETED
162. Dust by Elizabeth Bear
163. King John : Treachery, Tyranny and the Road to Magna Carta by Marc Morris
164. Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace
165. Butcher's Crossing by John Williams
166. Waging Heavy Peace by Neil Young
167. The Foundation Pit by Andrey Platonov
168. One Man Against the World : The Tragedy of Richard Nixon by Tim Weiner
169. The House of Ulloa by Emilio Pardo Bazan
170. Sweet Caress by William Boyd
171. Vermilion Sands by J.G. Ballard
172. The Other Hand by Chris Cleave
173. The Innocence of Father Brown by G.K. Chesterton
174. The Orphan Train by Christina Bake Kline
175. The Aerodrome by Rex Warner
176. Karl Doenitz and the Last Days of the Third Reich by Barry Turner COMPLETED
177. The Cossacks by Leo Tolstoy
178. Hadji Murat by Leo Tolstoy
179. Bad History : How We Got the Past Wrong by Emma Marriott COMPLETED
180. One Bloody Thing After Another by Jacob F. Field
181. The Ends of the Earth : The Wide World by Robert Goddard
182. Morning Sea by Margaret Mazzantini
183. London Belongs to Me by Norman Collins
184. Last Exit to Brooklyn by Hubert Selby
185. Eileen : A Novel by Otessa Moshfegh COMPLETED
186. Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien COMPLETED
187. The Sellout by Paul Beatty COMPLETED
188. All That Man Is by David Szalay
August
189. Almost English by Charlotte Mendelson
190. Oryx & Crake by Margaret Atwood
191. In the Dark by Mai Jia
192. The South by Colm Toibin
193. Extraordinary People a.k.a Dry Bones by Peter May
194. Brodeck's Report by Philippe Claudel
195. A Proper Marriage by Doris Lessing
196. Don't Trust, Don't Fear, Don't Beg by Ben Stewart
197. Questions About Angels by Billy Collins
198. The Dead and the Living by Sharon Olds
199. Mend the Living by Maylis de Kerangal
200. The Caliphate by Hugh Kennedy
201. Wanderlust : A History of Walking by Rebecca Solnit
202. Serious Sweet by A.L. Kennedy
203. Juneteenth by Ralph Ellison
204. Save the Last Dance : Poems by Gerald Stern
205. The Kindness of Enemies by Leila Aboulela
206. How Many Miles to Babylon by Jennifer Johnston
207. Embers by Sandor Marai
208. Walking Away by Simon Armitage
209. In the Land of Giants by Max Adams
210. A Change of World by Adrienne Rich
211. The Paper Menagerie by Ken Liu
212. Written Lives by Javier Marias
213. The North Water by Ian McGuire COMPLETED
214. Hystopia by David Means
215. Victim Without a Face by Stefan Ahnhem
216. The History of Modern France by Jonathan Fenby

Booker Longlist 2016

Ranking of those Read to Date

1. Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeline Thien
2. My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout
3. Eileen : A Novel by Otessa Moshfegh
4. The Sellout by Paul Beatty

On the Shelves

All That Man Is by David Szalay
Serious Sweet by A.L. Kennedy
Hystopia by David Means
The North Water by Ian McGuire

Still to buy

The Schooldays of Jesus by JM Coetzee
Hot Milk by Deborah Levy
His Bloody Project by Graeme Macrae Burnet
Work Like Any Other by Virginia Reeves
The Many by Wyl Menmuir

Next One is Yours

Good Morning kind sir. Its been many a year (okay maybe 2) since I've been able to sneak in a first on anyones (let alone yours) thread.

Happy New Thread Day!

Happy New thread, Paul! I hope all is well with you.

>16 mahsdad: And most welcome you are indeed, dear fellow!

>17 brodiew2: Thanks Brodie. I am fine but stress abounds around me as the ladies of the house decide how to pack ten cases full of stuff into five cases!

Congrats on the new thread, Paul. Wonderful B & W photo of you and Hani up top.

>19 PaulCranswick: Yikes. That sounds like a recipe for the wrong kind of jack in the box. :-)

>20 jnwelch: I am managing to hide slightly behind her and doing her normal trick of trying to make the other fella look much bigger than I am!

>21 brodiew2: When we are about to go on a trip I keep well out of the way as Hani (my volatile soulmate) is even more combustible than normal at such times of packing and deciding what to ditch (normally my stuff).

Happy new thread Paul!
Nice topper, although you look good in color too ;-)

Good luck keeping out of the way of packing ladies!

79. Do Not Say Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien

Date of Publication : 2016
Pages : 466
Booker Longlist : 4/13

This is a slow burner but when it fires it blows away the other three books I have read in the longlist so far.

A daughter learns her father has killed himself and gradually she traces the history of two intertwined families through the revolution in China, the Communist system, the re-education, the dissidence which lead to Tianneman and the hopes of students that their music would transcend the difficulties around them.

Sensitively told with the vivid scenes of China in the hesitant and heady days of the immediate post-war period being extremely impressive. The parts told in Canada are less good but Thien realises this and concentrates the action accordingly.

Not a perfect novel maybe but a very good one.

9/10

>24 FAMeulstee: Thanks for that Anita and I don't even see your tongue in your cheek! You can come visit as often as you want bringing with you such flattering messages. xx

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread Paul. You and Hani looking classy there.

I loved The Robber Bride, and glad you enjoyed Do Not Say We Have Nothing.

Happy new thread, Paul.

yay! new thread. Although that does mean I'm officially abandoning hope of catching up on the unread 150 (edit: make that 200) posts of the last one.... Hope you are well and that nothing drastic has happened since I last caught up.

>27 amanda4242: Thanks Amanda. xx

>28 charl08: Classy? I would have thought that our photo shows that class barriers are falling. I mean I look like Mellors to Hani's Lady Chatterley.

Happy new thread!

>29 Familyhistorian: Thanks Meg. I wanted to get a new thread down before I headed off. Hopefully I will get enough internet time to catch up. My mum's place where we stay is an internet free zone.

>30 eclecticdodo: I have not kept up so well either lately Jo. Lovely to see you in these parts. xx

>32 foggidawn: Thank you Foggy. Flying off from Kuala Lumpur about six tomorrow evening and I will have a very full morning in the office, so I better go and get a few hours shuteye.

Happy New Thread, Paul! Love the B & W topper. Nice looking couple.

Happy new thread, Paul! I'm so happy to see you've finally read a book worthy of being on the Booker Long List. Although, I haven't gotten my hands on Do Not Say Have Nothing I just finished my favorite of the 4 I've read. I'm skyrocketing The North Water up to the #1 position on my list and will probably give it a 4.75/5.

ETA: Forgot to mention, I'm just about to begin The Sellout. After reading your comments about this book, I'm not too enthusiastic.

Happy new thread! I have read Emma a few times, the last a few years ago. Not my favorite Austin, but they can't all be. ;) my favorite is Sense and Sensibility.

>35 msf59: Thanks Mark. I get marked up a bit for keeping sterling company.

>36 Carmenere: I will read The North Water possibly on the aeroplane, Lynda. I have hopes that it will run Ms. Thien close. Don't be put off by my view of The Sellout others thought much more of it than I did.

>37 The_Hibernator: Thank you Rachel. Actually my favourite read so far is Northanger Abbey but I have only read Mansfield Park beside it.

Happy new thread and safe travels!

Safe travels, Paul, and may everything go smoothly along the way!

Happy new thread and safe travels!!

I'm keeping Do Not Say We Have Nothing for last, your 9/10 are an encouragement to get through The Sellout as fast as possible.

>39 cbl_tn: Thanks Carrie.

>40 ronincats: Hani is still panicking but we are almost set to go. Thank you, Roni

>41 Deern: Thanks Nathalie. I couldn't wait to be done with that one myself Nathalie. The North Water is grisly, gruesome, garrulous and great so far.

BAC Thread for September is up :

http://www.librarything.com/topic/231179#5712807

Doris Lessing and Laurie Lee

If I could take one book on my desert island it would be Cider With Rosie.

Good day, Paul! Safe travels.

Today is the beginning of the Great Expectations read. I will have to figure out how to read it in tandem with whatever other fiction book I'm reading, perhaps first thing each morning (insomnia morning today!). I don't usually have 2 fiction books going at once. I can rub my stomach while patting my head, but we'll have to see how well I do with Great Expectations and possibly a John Irving for one of the challenges, and Go Set a Watchman for my book club read.

Hi Paul - enjoy your UK trip and meetups. I'm enjoying my time in South Australia.

Happy new thread, Paul!

Happy and safe travels to you, Paul!

So far I'm enjoying Beatty's sense of humor but I'm only on the Prologue which is way too long in my honest opinion.

I have Hystopia lined up after The Sellout and I can tell already paragraphs 3 pages long are not, NOT my cup of tea.

You've got some good Austen reading ahead of you, Paul. I like Northanger Abbey and Mansfield Park (I like everything of hers), but I suspect most JA readers would put those two down the list from P &P, Persuasion, Sense and Sensibility, and Emma. What surprised me most about Northanger Abbey was how funny it was. There was just a well done play production of it here that caught that well.

I'm with you on Cider with Rosie. Great book.

Happy new one, Paul! Wishing you safe travels, my friend.

Happy new thread mate, we will see you on Saturday the 3rd at the Black tie Masquerade birthday bash, we will all look Bobby Dazzlers in our finery and photos will have to be taken and put on LT. Looking forward to the bash and seeing you all, Karen is very excited as I am.

Oh good, the Madeleine Thien delivered. I need to put that one on hold at the library.

Ack. Our library does not have it. Not even on order. Bookstore it is. :-)

Oh, and Happy New Thread, Paul!

I can't stand Emma, which probably means I should revisit it to see what I'm missing. Safe travels!

Quoting you from your old thread: "We are supposed to arrive on Friday in the UK (the date I am 50!!) ".

It's Friday today (I hope I'm not dreaming and it's Monday instead) and I don't see any birthday posts yet, so I hope I'm not too early and got something wrong, but I'm here to wish you and your brother the most wonderful birthday ever! Be it filled with joy, fun and love and of course bring some nice presents! Sending {{{big hugs}}} your way! HAPPY 50!! :))

Happy birthday! My SIL beat you to 50 by just a few days. She turned 50 last Saturday. You're practically triplets! (Usually I'd say you're nearly twins, but you're already a twin!)

Happy Big One, Paul!! Been there, done that and lived to tell the tale!

Hope this one lives up to all your expectations and that you enjoy your 2 weeks of celebrations!

:-)

Happy Birthday, Paul!

Hope you had safe and reasonably comfortable travels to the UK, and happy birthday!

Wishing you a happy birthday 50th, Paul. The 50's are marvelous, really, ummmm, sort of. Oh, It will be great!!

So far, liking The Sellout but I'm not a fan of satire.

Arrived Safely!

One hours flight to Singapore; four hours stopover in Singapore; twelve hours to Munich, one hour wait on the plane and then one and half hours flight into Manchester. One and a half hours by taxi-van to my mums...........a little bushed!

>44 karenmarie: I have packed my copy of Great Expectations, Karen and will start on it in a double header with Emma right after I polish off The World According to Garp.

>45 avatiakh: Thanks Kerry. South Australia appeals to me too - Adelaide is a city that I think would suit me.

>46 scaifea: Thanks Amber dear.

Happy, Happy Birthday, Paul! Hoping it is full of fabulous!

>47 Carmenere: I liked the start of The Sellout Lynda but felt it descended into wholly unnecessary expletive driven text. If the author is looking for realism then the language should match that which is likely to have been spoken in the situation he is trying to realistically describe but if the intention is satire then the language doesn't need to descend so.

>48 jnwelch: I really like the first paragraphs of Emma mate and I am pretty sure it will be absolutely to my taste. I started and finished The North Water on the plane and thought it excellent and then got a quarter way through The World According to Garp which is as good in many ways as his other great book A Prayer for Owen Meany. I am safely landed in England and looking forward to meeting up with you all on the 9th or the 11th.

>49 Crazymamie: Thank you Mamie. Safely landed after a fairly pleasant trip. Singapore airlines are pretty good in truth. Six bags checked in and all of them came out together - stupendous.

>50 johnsimpson: My brother said he had a very enjoyable chat with you by telephone mate. You will be on the table with my family and a couple of my close friends. My brother thought it funny that my table would be called the Danny DeVito table whilst his is called Arnold Somebody or Other.

>51 EBT1002: I thought it really good, Ellen, but The North Water I rated even better. A very different book, coarser and more real but the narrative drive and characterisation was irrepressible. I don't think it will be everyone's cup of tea but it certainly was mine.

>52 charl08: Yikes, Charlotte. That does have me worried as we normally see pretty much eye-to-eye on books.

>53 Deern: Thank you so much Nathalie and, you know, I don't feel a day over 49!

>54 cbl_tn: Hahaha Carrie - the more the merrier - give her a belated wish from me. xx

>55 jessibud2: We haven't jointly had a birthday together for so long that it will be strange. He is a very charismatic character whilst I am much more the back-roomer but it should be an entertaining evening. Thanks Shelley.

>56 kidzdoc: Thanks mate. I hope to get that phone sorted out tomorrow. I am online at my brother's office right now.

>57 ursula: Thank you Ursula. I was sat with Belle most of the way and managed to not get on her nerves too much during the trip, I think so anyway.

>58 Carmenere: Good luck with it Lynda - I hope you end up liking it more than I did. If all my fifties are like my first day then it will be fine. xx

>61 Crazymamie: Thanks Mamie - it is always full of fabulous when I am with the 75ers.

>62 charl08: Charlotte, let's see if there is time for a meet-up with Hani, you and I. Thanks for the birthday wishes.

It's your birthday? Happy Birthday, buddy!

Happy Birthday, dear Paul!

And I look forward to seeing you on the Great Expectations group read thread.

>68 jnwelch: Thanks Joe.

>69 karenmarie: Thank you Karen. You will indeed see me there. xx

Who said twins are always competing?
Peter and I about 45 years ago (I'm the shortie on the left)

A book cake just for you! Happy Birthday!

Happy birthday!

>43 PaulCranswick:: Desert Island! One book? What a recommendation, Paul. I downloaded Cider With Rosie, read the first chapter, and am hooked! This will be my first Laurie Lee book. I can finally get back on track with the BAC.

>71 PaulCranswick: Awww, sweet pic. Wishing you and your bro a very Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday, Paul!

Happy Birthday, Paul!

>71 PaulCranswick: What a pair of cuties! And how wonderful that you can celebrate this milestone birthday together. I've been behind on the threads this week and just caught up with the end of your last thread. My sympathy to Hani and her family in their recent loss. Also, sorry for all the stress over the banking snafu, and the tickets kerfuffle, and the packing.... I hope you're having a very good time right this minute (if my time calculations are correct the party should still be going on).
Happy Birthday!

>72 Thebookdiva: - Wow, I want one of those!!

>71 PaulCranswick: - Sweet!

Happy Birthday- have a great trip!

Happy birthday Paul, and have a great trip!

Happy Birthday, Paul! Have a wonderful visit.

Happy Birthday you youngster, you.
Have a wonderful visit.

Glad you made it, and Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday and hope you have a great trip. It is always good to see the homefolks.

That's one long trip, Paul! Best to you and your family and a very happy birthday!

>25 PaulCranswick: a rare high star rating from you Paul! It must be a pearler.

>71 PaulCranswick: look at those knock- knees! Aw, so cute. Happy birthday to you and your brother.

Ps how is the Emma tutored read coming along, I might have missed it...

>71 PaulCranswick: Peter and I about 45 years ago (I'm the shortie on the left)

Funny, you don't look 15 there! ;)

Cute picture though!

Edited to say ... I realized I tried to unnecessarily age you! Early-morning math is not my thing. I might be married to a mathematician, but it doesn't improve my arithmetic. (It doesn't improve his either, but that's another story.)

I hope you had a great birthday, Paul. Have a safe trip, my friend.

>71 PaulCranswick: - Paul, I think this birthday is the ideal opportunity to take an update of this photo. Same pose exactly (though I think you will be forgiven if you prefer not to wear shorts and socks with sandals). It would be adorable to place the old photo beside the new (and maybe give a copy of it to your mum!).

We did that once with my uncle and cousin. The first shot was my uncle holding my cousin in a silly head-lock grip on the beach one day, when my cousin was a little boy. Many years later, when my cousin had grown taller than my uncle, they redid the shot but with roles reversed. It was quite funny.

Happy belated birthday, Paul. Many happy returns.

>71 PaulCranswick: Adorable photo, Paul! I agree with >90 jessibud2: Shelley - update of that photo.

I hope your visit is going well.

I hope you had a wonderful birthday, Paul!!

>71 PaulCranswick: - Who said twins are always competing?... not even a teeny, weeny little bit of arm-wrestling in the making?
Anyway, I wish you a Very Happy Birthday!

Oh you are both cuties, Paul! Great picture!

Happy Birthday, Paul. So wonderful that you are able to celebrate this milestone with your twin.

Hi Paul! Quite a swanky affair on fb! Looks fabulous and your entire family looks incredible and no book in sight! Enjoy!

Boo hoo. I want to see! I am not on facebook. I hope some photos will find their way over here!

Happy birthday and safe travels.

Love the picture of you with your bro.

Happy Birthday!

I love the face book photos of your party. Your family is ever so lovely. Happy 50 years on this planet called earth.

And, happy 50 more to you.

All the best to you my friend!

Happy Birthday and three days, Paul!

Over thirty posts missed!! Struggling for internet up in Edinburgh.

Since I was last online I attended the birthday party for myself and my brother (mainly for him in truth but that was fine). John and his lovely wife Karen were able to attend for the 75ers and to help me fill my table as after 23 years away I am not entirely awash with friends in West Yorks! My table was called the DeVito table and my brother's the other twin in that now reasonably well known movie. I don't know what he meant!

I will find a few pictures of Hani and put them up for your, erm, delectation.

We drove up to Edinburgh on Sunday morning and have taken Yasmyne to Heriot-Watt University yesterday. Her accommodation is hardly spacious but has everything a student needs and she seems to be making friends already. Hani was starting to get a little emotional but she coped reasonably well.

We went last night to my favourite seafood restaurant in Leith, Edinburgh - "Loch-Fyne" where I had the most scrumptious of mussel and langoustine ravioli. Another day and a half in Scotland's capital before I return to England.

>72 Thebookdiva: Thank you Abby. I am always short of bookcases. xx

>73 amanda4242: Thanks Amanda

>74 Donna828: I am reading some of his very expressive poems at the moment Donna and loving them. xx

>75 brodiew2: Thank you Brodie and also thanks to >76 tymfos: Terri

>77 laytonwoman3rd: Nice to see you as always Linda. Banking issues got sorted sort of and we did at least make it. The party was good fun with Peter as usual pulling out the stops with a cabaret of nationally known (I'd never heard of 'em) personalities singing dancing and making jokes.

>78 jessibud2: Those things are made for sharing I am sure. xx

>79 torontoc: Thank you on both counts Cyrel.

>80 SandDune: & >81 Familyhistorian: Many thanks to both Rhian and Megan.

>82 SuziQoregon: Thanks Juli. I actually feel great because the climate in the UK is encouraging me to walk. In four days here I have whizzed past 10,000 steps twice already.

>83 ronincats: On both counts Roni - making to the UK and getting to 50!

>84 benitastrnad: It is indeed Benita, thank you my dear.

>85 vancouverdeb: Yes it is a long way Deb but I always relish my return visits and am edging closer to moving back full time.

>86 LovingLit: It is funny Megan but the next one I read, The North Water, I liked even more. Knock-knees?! I resemble that remark. xx

>87 LovingLit: I am struggling because of my limited on line time Megan but I will go and see what Liz, et al, have been up to.

>88 ursula: Hahaha don't worry Ursula - one of the things in the 75ers that I have noticed is that there is a distinct absence of abacuses!

>89 msf59: Thanks Mark.

>90 jessibud2: I will take that one under advisement, Shelley, hahaha. If Hani hears of that it will happen.

>91 BLBera: And I have to belatedly say thank you Beth for the very slightly belated wishes. xx

>92 karenmarie: Karen, let me see if I can persuade my brother!

>93 scaifea: Thanks Amber, it was great. I am not, believe me, the most sociable of animals whilst my brother has charisma dripping off of him but I managed to bask a little in the afterglow.

>94 Trifolia: Funny you should mention that Monica because that was done by proxy. Kyran did arm-wrestle his uncle in a fairly close loss. I on the other hand would probably not beat his rather petite wife.

>95 vancouverdeb: Thanks Deb. We haven't aged a bit of course!

>96 DeltaQueen50: Thank you Judy. It was a nice way to bring up 100 years between us.

>97 Carmenere: No you're right Lynda - but I did have The World According to Garp on the car seat and a Waterstone's £50 book voucher in my dinner jacket pocket. xx

>98 jessibud2: I will do so Shelley, promise.

>99 sibylline: Thank you Lucy. xx

>100 banjo123: Thanks Rhonda.

>101 Whisper1: Thanks Linda. I am not sure which will give up first on the next 50 years - the Earth or yours truly. xx

>101 Whisper1: Thank you Diana, is that some sort of tradition in Holland. xx

This is us about to start the birthday:



This is John, myself and Kyran and no - we didn't finish all those drinks between us!

This is Yasmyne taking her leave of Grandma and cousins

Love all the photos, Paul! the birthday party looks fantastic. Glad a couple 75ers made it too. How cool is that?

Good day, Paul!

Excellent pictures, thank you for sharing.

Great photos, Paul. Thanks for posting them!

I look forward to the *twin update photo*...

>107 PaulCranswick: - (psst! Someone, please tell Hani on facebook!!) ;-)

Yay, pictures!! Thank you so much for sharing them here as well! :)

>112 msf59: It would have been great to have invited the whole group but even West Yorkshire is a little remote for such frolics.

>113 karenmarie: Thanks Karen, you are more than welcome.

>114 jessibud2: Hani has been told Shelley. I will let her broach the subject with my brother!

>115 Deern: No problem, Nathalie. xx

Great pics, Paul! Thanks for posting them. Looks like a happy birthday all right. :-)

>117 jnwelch: Thanks Joe. It was a good one. Looking forward to seeing you soon.

Posting league update.

142 threads of 100 posts and more. New leader with Mark overhauling Mamie but it is a close run thing still:

1 msf59 5904
2 crazymamie 5850
3 scaifea 5568
4 PaulCranswick 5164
5 jnwelch 4819
6 Charl08 3593
7 kidzdoc 3189
8 KatieKrug 3121
9 EBT1002 2503
10 Berly 1893
11 Ameise1 1881
12 vancouverdeb 1753
13 Carmenere 1662
14 SusanJ67 1652
15 cbl_tn 1636
16 Whisper1 1448
17 BBLBera 1436
18 ireadthereforeiam 1383
19 lkernagh 1368
20 ronincats 1331
21 DianaNL 1230
22 FamilyHistorian 1215
23 lit_chick 1180
24 LizzieD 1100
25 johnsimpson 1083
26 thornton37814 1036
27 mstrust 1018
28 Chatterbox 1006
29 smiler69 979
30 Deern 920
31 Ape 898
32 Donna 872
33 Sibyx 853
34 lyzard 848
35 drneutron 814
36 bell7 805
37 karenmarie 771
38 Weird_O 743
39 The_Hibernator 735
40 rosalita 730
41 laytonwoman3rd 709
42 Ursula 704
43 nittnut 692
44 souloftherose 677
45 MichiganTrumpet 669
46 FAMeulstee 663
47 tymfos 647
48 SandDune 641
49 Oberon 620
50 laurelkeet 619
51 coppers 608
52 Streamsong 608
53 avatiakh 592
54 mahsdad 589
55 Dianekeenoy 587
56 foggidawn 586
57 maggie1944 553
58 AMQS 542
59 MickyFine 538
60 rebarelishesreading 523
61 PaulStalder 503
62 ctpress 492
63 luvamystery65 490
64 qebo 476
65 Banjo 473
66 norabelle414 461
67 TheBookDiva 458
68 Swynn 454
69 lindapanzo 440
70 harrygbutler 384
71 storeetllr 363
72 inge87 350
73 SqueakyChu 350
74 _zoe_ 347
75 Humouress 329
76 labwriter 324
77 ffortsa 319
78 brodiew2 314
79 lycomayflower 314
80 cameling 313
81 eclecticdodo 307
82 BBGirl55 301
83 Porch_Reader 299
84 mdoris 294
85 dk_phoenix 278
86 fuzzi 249
87 Morphy 244
88 rosylibrarian 243
89 RichardDerus 242
90 Fourpawz2 240
91 Kassilem 239
92 evilmoose 231
93 SuziQOregon 219
94 seasonoflove 206
95 connie53 205
96 kmartin802 203
97 Luxx 196
98 Rbeffa 192
99 archerygirl 190
100 Aunt Clio 190
101 Cariola 187
102 dragonaria 181
103 rretzler 181
104 aktakukac 180
105 beeg 164
106 Bekkajo 162
107 klobrien 158
108 lovelyluck 157
109 cyderry 154
110 Xymon81 151
111 amanda4242 142
112 kac522 142
113 arubabookwoman 141
114 tiffin 140
115 leahbird 139
116 susanna.fraser 137
117 jessibud2 136
118 roundballnz 132
119 elliepotten 131
120 someguyinvirginia 130
121 tututhefirst 129
122 dajashby 126
123 hredwards 126
124 Cait86 124
125 LauraBrook 122
126 witchyrichy 117
127 mckait 115
128 catarina1 114
129 CassieBash 110
130 Geezlouise 109
131 torontoc 109
132 jennyifer24 108
133 kgodey 107
134 jillbone 105
135 JustJoey4 105
136 cal8767 104
137 Deedledee 104
138 scvlad 104
139 LoisB 103
140 SirFurboy 101
141 walklover 101
142 ccookie 100

Happy belated birthday Paul. I'm glad you got to spend your five oh with all of your family. Take care.

My goodness, Paul! With all that you have going on, I'm surprised that you actually had time to post this months " Posting League."Enjoy your time in Edinburgh.

Wonderful party and family photos, Paul. Looks like you were having a good time. Lucky Yasmyne getting to stay in Edinburgh. I stayed in the rooms at Edinburgh University one time when I was there. They were much more luxurious than when I was a student and even had an en-suite bathroom. Come to think of it, they had ensuites when I stayed at the university in Northampton as well. This generation does have it soft!

I am surprised that you found time to post the stats. Enjoy the rest of your visit.

Glad you had a great time at your (brother's?) party Paul. I'm sure Yasmyne will settle in well at University. I remember thinking when we in Edinburgh last year that it would be a great place to be a student.

>120 luvamystery65: Thanks Roberta. xx

>121 vancouverdeb: I am a bit surprised myself Deb! To be fair I have the data on my laptop pretty much up to date so it was the work of about 20 minutes to get it up to speed.

>122 Familyhistorian: Meg, Yasmyne's very bijou room is much plusher than anything i got to "enjoy" at Warwick.

>123 SandDune: Yes, it was mainly my brother's party with me added as a very thoughtful appendage by him. You are right Rhian in that Edinburgh does seem a pretty ideal place to be a student.

>119 PaulCranswick: Who is this msf59 person anyway? Does this person have a life? I say Go Mamie! Go Mamie!

Hope you are having a great time, Paul!

>119 PaulCranswick: & 124 Thanks for providing the stats, Paul, 20 minutes can be a lot if your time is scarce.

Hi Paul! Thanks for posting the stats. I'm 37 with 771, which makes me happy. Hard to find 8s in that, but respectable, regardless.

My college dorm room in 1971 was called 'the fishbowl'. It was a 3-person room in a dorm built in 1937 that only had 2 of us, at least initially. Lots of windows, a shared half bath (sink/toilet) with the next room over, showers and tubs down the hall. Our room was absolutely huge. Even when we got a third person, it was more than tolerable.

I hope the rest of your visit is continuing nicely, Paul.

Hi Paul, I'll be leaving for London tonight; Debbi & Joe are heading out today as well. I'll be mainly offline, but I'll do my best to look for your posts and messages. See you soon!

Good afternoon, Paul. Perhaps I should have gotten in on Emma, but I took Joe's word and started Norhtanger Abbey. I'm seven chapters in and enjoying it. It is very different than P&P. It feels looser, less structured than the artistic precision of P&P. It is fun none the less.

Ah, Paul. Thanks for all the pictures! I must say that you're the handsome twin........ I have never found you lacking in charisma either. Just saying.
All the best to Yazmyne on her great adventure. She is a brave young woman!
All the best to you and Hani too.
And safe travels! And happy reading!

>125 msf59: Hahaha I had never heard of him either. Seems pretty popular though.

>126 FAMeulstee: I love updating the stats Anita so I normally don't really check the time other than to see how fast I can update them.

>127 karenmarie: I have noticed that you have climbed the league table steadily over the last few months and IMHO deservedly so. xx

>128 kidzdoc: Looking forward to it buddy. I hope to see you all on Sunday lunchtime in Golder's Green.

>129 brodiew2: Still my favourite of hers Brodie, Northanger Abbey, hope you enjoy it buddy.

>130 LizzieD: *BLUSHING PROFUSELY (and with thanks) * Thanks for your lovely wishes, Peggy. xx

>132 PaulCranswick: Sounds good, Paul. We (Bianca, Debbi, Joe & I) can meet you at Kings Cross if you'd like. Bianca and I are planning to meet for coffee beforehand, and we can take the Northern Line to Golders Green from Kings Cross/St Pancras station.

>133 kidzdoc: That sounds like a plan buddy and then you'll be able to meet Hani too. I will call you with our travel details shortly.

>134 PaulCranswick: Perfect! Bianca was hoping that Hani would be coming, as was I.

Review of August 2016

Books Read : 9
Year to date : 79

Genre : Literary Fiction : 8 (Year to date 44)
Thrillers/Sci Fi : 1 (Year to date 6)
Poetry : 0 (Year to date 13)
Plays : 0
Non-Fiction : 0 (Year to date 16)

Author Nationality : UK : 3 (Year to date 38)
Canada : 1 (Year to date 10)
USA : 4 (Year to date 23)
France : (Year to date 1)
Jamaica : (Year to date 1)
Australia : 1 (Year to date 2)
Malaysia : 0 (Year to date 1)
New Zealand: 0 (Year to date 1)
Ireland : (Year to date 1)
Sweden : 1 (Year to date 1)

Author Gender : Male : 3 (Year to date 53)
Female : 6 (Year to date 26)

Booker Winners : 0 (Year to date 2) // 22/50 done

Pulitzer Fiction/Novel Winners : 1 (Year to date 3) // 14/88 winners

Nobel Winners : 0 // 59/112 winners

1001 Books First Edition : 2 // 266/1001

British Author Challenge : 2 (Diana Wynne Jones & Ian McEwan ) (Year to date 15/16)

American Author Challenge : 1 Joyce Carol Oates (Year to date 8/8)

Canadian Author Challenge : 0 (Year to date 7/16)

ANZAC Challenge : 0 (Year to date 2)

Doorstopper Challenge : 0 (Year to date 3)

Booker Longlist : 4 (4/13)

Non-Fiction Challenge : 0 : (Year to date 7/8)

Pages Read : 2,426 ( Year to date 20,519)
Average Pages per day : 78.26 (Year to date 84.09)
Average Pages per book : 269.56 (Year to date 259.73)

Books Added : 28 (Year to date 216)

Book of the Month : Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madelein Thien

SO jealous of all you globe-trotters, Paul, but at least I've finally passed you on books read for the year!

>137 ronincats: Hahaha Roni, I need to get reading a bit faster but I won't swap you in this instance my dear.

Belated happy birthday Paul!

I'm hurriedly catching up.

That's funny that Northanger Abbey is your favorite, as it's my least favorite. But, then, maybe I should read it again. I wasn't a huge fan of Mansfield Park either, though I have read that one recently and liked it a bit more on the second perusal. :) If only there were a tutored read of Northanger Abbey, I sure would join!

>140 The_Hibernator: I'd say that Mansfield Park was my least favourite of the Austens. I find it hard to decide about Pride and Prejudice because it is so iconic, but I think it is my favourite. Of the others, Persuasion is probably my favourite; it is sweet and the heroine, though quiet, wins through in the end (though I think I need to reread Northanger Abbey again).

But I recently (a few years ago) discovered Lady Susan - so wickedly funny!

Wonderful pictures, Paul. Thanks for sharing.

I see that I am maintaining my spot in the top ten, barely. Maybe my Alaska photos will help. :-|

I asked the library to order a copy of Do Not Say We Have Nothing. Still no word from them. Bah.

Happy Monday to you, dear man!

Love the photos, Paul! Looks like you are having a good time. I cannot believe you posted the stats while you are away. Well...maybe I can. Anyway, it made me laugh. Take care of you, my friend.

Saw the photos over on Daryl's thread and it looks like you had a great time. I am glad you found the time to make it to London for the meetuup.

I'm so very glad that you and Hani came for the meet up, Paul! Seeing you two will certainly be the highlight of this trip, and I look forward to the next time we can get together.

>139 humouress: Thanks Nina. A couple of days away from the internet so I have my own catching up to do.

>140 The_Hibernator: To be fair though Rachel it is only one of two that I have currently finished.

>141 humouress: Nina it is my least favourite so far too (of the two)!

>142 BLBera: More than welcome, Beth.

>143 EBT1002: Thank you Ellen. Very safely in at number 9 in fact.

>144 Crazymamie: One of my brief slots of internet couldn't be wasted, Mamie! xx

>145 benitastrnad: Benita, I said to the guys during our splendid lunch that it would have been a little deplorable of me had I not made the effort to come to London with Hani given that Joe, Debbi and Darryl had also come a considerable distance the other way.
It was a long day as we travelled from Wakefield to London by train and back again (and due to problems with the service had to stand for most of the first journey) but more than worth it.

>146 kidzdoc: This has been a very special trip for us, Darryl. I have "celebrated" my 50th birthday with my twin brother in a black tie event in Leeds, we have taken my daughter to Edinburgh to start her new life as an undergraduate but meeting you guys on Sunday was right up there with those events for both of us.

Darryl and Joe have put a number of pictures up on their threads I believe so I will just put this one up which partially covers and commemorates our meet-up in London on Sunday. Pictured left to right: Joe, Debbi, Darryl, yours truly, Paul (polaris) & Luci.

Hani and I got the train down from Wakefield to London (King's Cross) and we arrived after a poor journey at about midday. After a tube trip over to Golder's Green I contacted Darryl who told me it was a twenty minute walk up to the cafe/restaurant. Darryl obviously has bionic legs as it took me about half an hour to trudge there but happily so as my fitbit once again zinged and pinged past 10,000 steps. (Most days here I have managed to do so but my linked handphone isn't working).

My experience of meet-ups has always been positive and I have never been disabused of an impression of a group friend when I have met them in real life. Added to this meet-up of course were a number of group and non-group members I was less familiar with. Participants: (LT ones I won't cover Claire's sister, Hani or Hani's Singaporean friend Farida who kindly joined us)

Darryl & Joe (kidzdoc & jnwelch) - two of my long-standing 75er buddies were of course exactly as anticipated - there are obvious reasons why they are so popular here and all those reasons were apparent and on show on Sunday.

Debbi (walklover) - Joe is a lucky guy! Witty and womanly wise; they make a wonderful couple and Joe is obviously putty in her capable hands.

Paul (polaris) - I have to say that meeting Paul was a revelation. Articulate and a consummate and engaging conversationalist. In the heart of Golder's Green (a centre of Jewish life and culture in London) and at the attached (excellent) bookshop he was a fount of information and meeting him was an unexpected blessing.

Bianca (drachenbraut23) - I am sure that Bianca was far more excited by meeting Hani than myself (as it should be as she is far more interesting a personality) but it was a pleasure to meet Bianca and have my impressions of her from LT/FB as a lovely personality confirmed.

Luci (elkiedee) - Clearly she is among the more intellectually gifted of our group; I only wish that circumstances played her a kinder hand such that she was able to post more in the group. Was rather taken over by the ladies when they decided to share desserts!

Claire (sakerfalcon) - Both Claire and her delightful sister I was meeting for the first time not having communicated or conversed on LT with either. Despite the obvious reserve of that lack of prior knowledge of each other my impression was that they are both very articulate and excellent company.

Caroline (CarolineMcElwee) - One of the few disappointments on Sunday was that the table was a long rectangular one and Caroline and I were at opposite ends with very little opportunity to converse. I would have loved to managed to spend more time getting to know her as her charm and intelligence were patently obvious from the remove of opposite ends of a feast.

It really was a privilege to meet all of you and LT really does make the world smaller and confirms always my view that our shared interest overrides the irrelevance of any other differences. As Hani said on FB (with a little help, I'll admit) - Old Friends cand sometimes meet for the first time!

Great description of our fabulous meetup, Paul! Bianca insisted that it was a 10 minute walk from Golders Green station to Café Also; I knew that wasn't right, but I didn't want to argue the point. I've always walked there with company, which made them pleasant and mostly timeless journeys. I'm glad that we could all get together, and that everyone who wanted to come did make it.

Sounds like you all had a grand time in London .....

Hi Paul!

Great pic and great LT trip report!

"Old friends can sometimes meet for the first time!"

Excellent sentiment.

I've been following the meetup and pics with envy! What a fun day (apart from the transit).

When do you return home?

Old friends can sometimes meet for the first time!
Yes thats true, I felt the same when meeting LT friends, I hope we will be able to meet someday! :-)

Hi Paul, hadn't dropped by in a while, but I feel like I'm still keeping up with you with all the pics Hani posts on FB! I've added you as a recommender for Do Not Say We Have Nothing, which I'm in a long waiting queue for at the library. Glad it worked for you. I can't believe I still manage to be within the first 30 in posting leagues considering I don't update my thread much and since I haven't been doing the rounds, don't get that many comments either. I guess I'm more popular than I realise! ;-)

Can't wait to see your reading leagues, I know I'm doing not too badly on that front!

>150 PaulCranswick: "LT really does make the world smaller and confirms always my view that our shared interest overrides the irrelevance of any other differences." I wholeheartedly agree, Paul. Thanks for posting meet-up pics. I hope to meet some or all of the folks in the photos one of these days (I've met Joe and Debbi and agree 100% with your assessment -- they are two of the best people on earth).

Thanks for the picture from your meet up. It's exciting to see the people that make up so much of our days.

>150 PaulCranswick: Excellent wrap up of the LT Summit, Paul. The photo says it all. I'm glad you guys were able to meet up. I have never had the pleasure of meeting meeting members of online communities of which I have taken part. I imagine there was at least of hint of the surreal.

So much fun following your LT meetups and journeys! Great pictures! I imagine it's a very emotional time, leaving Yasmyne behind to study, as much as it what you have wanted for her, and as much as she has looked forward to it herself. It's nice to know that you have your family and John Simpson in the area, should Yasmyne need some " folks" around.

>150 PaulCranswick: LOVE the pic. Could I ask a favor? Could you put usernames in? I'm sure of two but I'm at a loss for the others.

>150 PaulCranswick: Thqnks for the LT meet up summary. Now I feel like I've sort of met everyone in person myself.

Great picture!

Slight cock-up on the organisational front. Yasmyne's paperwork for her studies is incomplete as she needs to finalise one part of her student visa and must return to Malaysia to do it. Hani, Kyran & Belle have returned to Malaysia as scheduled and arrived safely. I put off travelling for two days and Yasmyne is coming down to Yorkshire by train to travel with me tomorrow morning (Saturday).

My fault entirely really as we deferred her picking up her British passport as we didn't want trouble from the Malaysians as they don't allow dual nationality. We will do both now and all being well she should be back in Edinburgh by mid next week.

>151 kidzdoc: I wouldn't have missed it for the world Darryl - long walk or not! In fact I appreciated the chance to enjoy the lovely weather and add to my step count on fit-bit. I did 8 days in a row of over 10,000 steps which is impressive going for me.

>152 roundballnz: It was great Alex in truth. I hope to do something similar in North Island at some stage in the future.

>153 karenmarie: I will Hani the credit for the phrase Karen as I am not sure whether it originated from me or not but she had posted it on FB first. Darryl and Bianca in particular would have been very disappointed if Hani had not joined me and my good lady was beaming when Darryl informed her that she was an honorary 75er. I suppose we had sufficient quorum to pass that motion!

>154 jessibud2: I was actually looking forward to the transit part Shelley as I had my books at the ready but standing for about an hour and a half between Doncaster and Peterborough scuppered that plan. It didn't succeed in spoiling the day at all though in truth.

>155 FAMeulstee: I hope so too Anita. One thing that came up in discussions as Claire, Bianca and Darryl had visited Holland earlier in the year was how wonderfully warm our Dutch contingent were. A ringing endorsement I would say. xx

>156 Smiler69: Lovely to see you Ilana and also glad to note that you have passed a thousand posts on your threads again this year. I will catch up on all the threads when I get back to Malaysia.
I am pleased to see that Madeleine Thien has made the shortlist for the Booker prize and I hope it wins. A little aghast to see The Sellout and Eileen : A Novel on that list as it means that either I or the panel have poor literary taste - my money is on the judging panel!

>157 EBT1002: Ellen, LT generally and this group in particular has become something I do not think I could manage without. We cannot get along with everyone and I am sure that there must be group members who consider me not their cup of tea but I am consistently charmed, enthralled and consoled in turn by the wonderful people here who I am glad to consider as friends.
Debbi and Joe are indeed a great, great couple.

>158 cal8769: Thank you Carrie. It is tremendous to note the familiarity possible when meeting an LT friend for the first time. Awkwardness is a rare thing indeed.

>159 brodiew2: I think it was surreal for some of the other diners during our lunch as they tried to figure out the array of accents and backgrounds. Hopefully we can get together when I eventually make it stateside.

>160 vancouverdeb: It has been a really enjoyable trip Deb and I will be sorry to go back in truth! I have half decided to come back to the UK next year on a semi-permanent basis. My plan is to bring in an old Korean friend of mine to manage the construction business in Malaysia and I will return to the tropics say every six weeks. My company in Malaysia will take shares in my brother's company and we will look to diversify and expand together. Hani is supportive of the idea and I think that Yasmyne being here has helped her come to terms with the same.
I was very touched when John Simpson mentioned very clearly to Yasmyne that if she needed any assistance he would be on hand if necessary - even passing her his contact details. John and his wife Karen are very genuine and lovely people; I know Kyran in particular enjoyed the opportunity of having John relate something of his life experience when they met at my birthday party.

>161 Morphidae: What a lovely surprise to see you here Morphy dear! I have edited my post to include the usernames as best I can (some of the capitals etc may be wrong).

>162 humouress: Not surprisingly Nina - I did already feel that I knew Darryl and Joe pretty well as we are regularly at each other's threads. Caroline, Paul and Claire are three people sort of outside the group (although they do post on certain threads and I have seen them around) but there was no awkwardness. Bianca and Luci are two ladies who are less active in the group but whom I have always followed when they have been around.
It is always good to put a face to a (user)name and to have your positive impressions confirmed.
As relatively near neighbours we really ought to get a meet-up sorted out soon too.

>163 banjo123: Thanks Rhonda. xx

Oh and BOOKS?!

As you may have guessed I have bought one or two during this visit although I have been reasonably restrained this time. Since Hani has taken some of them back already I will not list them all until I go back to Malaysia but I think that there are approaching 30 additions.

I have read and part read a few and will update my reviews when I get back too.

I did not bring my Penguin Poetry Anthology which explains the absence of any updates.

Finally and in anticipation of a possible relocation I joined the Wakefield library!! Took out Blade of Light by Camilleri and will finish and return it before I set off tomorrow.

>164 PaulCranswick: I hope Yasmyne wasn't too upset when you found out her paperwork was incomplete and she had to return to Malaysia... Safe travels for you and Yasmine tomorrow.

Great photo, Paul! And look at you checking out library books - most exciting!

Wishing you and Yasmyne safe travels.

>170 FAMeulstee: I am meeting her off the train about 5 pm, Anita, so I trust that she is not too fed up with things.

>171 Crazymamie: Thank you Mamie dear. I was quite excited to be honest to get my library card and I can see it getting plenty of use when I relocate.

I bet. Mine gets a regular workout - it's one of my favorite things.

>173 Crazymamie: And one of the things I most miss about the UK when I am in Malaysia. It will probably save me a few quid too.

Thanks for posting about your meet-up, Paul. I was also looking for the book haul, but I see that is still to come.

>164 PaulCranswick: Oh geeze! Bummer about Yasmyne and the visa. Will she be missing many classes? I suppose you'll make the return trip to UK with her, yes?
I was very touched by your families parting shots when you left her at university. We'll be doing the dropping off next fall and although it will probably be to a college in Ohio, it will still rip my heart out.

Hi Paul!

Whirlwind time for you and your family. I hope Yasmyne's visa issues are resolved quickly and that she gets smoothly settled back in Edinburgh.

Your splitting your time between the UK and Malaysia will be, as you say, good for Hani as she can be near Yasmyne, but also good for you as you can be near your Mum and brother/family.

Thanks for posting to your thread so lavishly while you're so busy.

>175 BLBera: I have to keep some goodies for my return Beth!

>176 Carmenere: She will probably miss Tuesday and Wednesday lectures but should be back for Thursday. She does not have any lectures on Monday.
I won't make the return trip with her but will book the flight to Edinburgh directly for her (with a change in Amsterdam). It is definitely a wrench Lynda seeing off your children and I went to wait in the car for part of it as I didn't want her to see her Dad with tears in his eyes.

>177 karenmarie: I suppose life is there to be lived Karen but I would never pass up the chance to post here! I am looking forward to catching up on the threads properly when I get back.

More safe travel wishes from me too. Looking forward to hearing about your book haul too.

Wonderful photos on this thread! Lovely to hear about herds of LTers meeting up too. *waves at Paul*

What a lot going on with you and your family and your business---it sounds like it may result in a bit less stress on you, being closer to your Mom, and Hani being closer to her chick. Good luck with all the arrangements.

Hi Mate, safe trip home with Yasmyne and then Yasmyne returns next week. I remember when we took Amy down to Nottingham for her first year at Uni, I was like you and had to go to the car to shed a tear and didn't want her to see and then in the car home Karen cried for the first thirty miles back to Yorkshire. To be honest it doesn't stop there with the tears mate, last October I gave my daughter away and when I went to the room to get her (having not seen the dress, hair and make-up plus seven bridesmaids) I burst into tears, that's the thing with having daughters. Also you saw my reaction when Kevin Simm sang Thinking out loud by Ed Sheeran which was their first dance and that was after ten months.

Looking forward to seeing you all again mate and as I have said before, if Yasmyne needs someone to talk to or anything else she can contact us, she is my honorary daughter until you come back to Yorkshire.

Wishing you a safe return home and Yasmyne a safe trip back and fro. I've been lurking mostly, but enjoyed your stories, adventures and meet-ups in England. It must be odd, yet feel familiar to meet each in person and see who's behind the books.

I'm sorry about the paperwork problem and the extra trip for Yasmyne. I hope everything goes smoothly from here on out. I love the meetup stories and photo. Golders Green brings back memories for me. I lived in Hendon for a while and passed through Golders Green regularly.

Wishing you and Yasmyne safe travels!

Yikes! Safe travels, my friend.

Lovely picture of your meetup. How wonderful!

>141 humouress: I've never read Lady Susan, but I did watch the movie Love and Friendship, which was pretty funny. My understanding is that they added a bit to the story / characters in the movie though. Have you seen it?

Hope all goes smoothly for Yasmyne.

Fingers crossed for Yasmyne and for you that all goes well.

Also, let me just chime in to say that you are most certainly my kind of cuppa, Paul. The group would most certainly not be the same without you, friend.

I missed your birthday so a very late Happy, Happy! Your party looks fun and the meetup looks supurb.

Woot!- your Fitbit stats are awesome!

If I'm reading it right, the extra paperwork give you a few bonus Dad and daughter days as you travel together. Enjoy!

I think it would be wonderful if you could return to the UK, at least on a part time basis, Paul. Sounds like you really miss the UK, the cooler weather and it sounds like it would be good for your health. I can't imagine the wrench that you must feel leaving Yasmyne behind. Goodness, I nearly fell apart when my 26 year old married son took a trip to Italy , France and England this summer, as you likely remember :) I am accustomed to them traveling to Hong Kong at least yearly so that my daughter in law can visit her sister and brother in law, and now, niece, but the new places scare me.

Right now my sister and her husband are staying at Cambridge for 5 days, visiting their son, who is in his second year, planning to complete his PhD in the next year or so. He came home for a couple of weeks here in Vancouver this summer, but I know they really love to see him and he is delighted that my sister and husband are staying in town. My son and his wife also visited Alex this summer. I am not sure how my sister does it, but he is very devoted to his research, and they stay in touch via What's App, phone calls and sending him his favourite teas, chocolates etc, from Canada, just so he knows that they are always thinking about them.

Best wishes to your family and Yasmyne during this time of transition. I know it must be wonderful to have John and Karen close by to Yasmyne.

>186 The_Hibernator: I don't think I saw the film, Rachel; or if I did, I didn't connect it to Austen. I'll look out for it. Lady Susan is one of the lesser known of her novels.

>190 vancouverdeb: They send tea from Canada to England? A bit of a 'coals to Newcastle' situation, isn't it? ;0)

>164 PaulCranswick: Oh no! Did you engineer that on purpose, Paul, just so you could get a little bit more of Yasmyne at home? Is there no way they can sort it out without her having to fly back and forth?

>165 PaulCranswick: Even if you averaged your reading between yourself and Hani, she'd still read more than me :0) I still haven't made my 75 quota, even though it's my 6th year.

>166 PaulCranswick: You can't read while standing on a train? And you call yourself a 75er! Mind you, I can't read in a moving car, much as I'd like to.

>168 PaulCranswick: Are you planning to repat, too? One of the perils of expat life is constantly losing good friends as they move onwards or homewards. Oh, well; it'll increase the probability of us meeting if you're further away, I suspect :0)

>169 PaulCranswick: >174 PaulCranswick: Oh, a library card! I really think you should give Overdrive (or similar apps) a go. I recently added the Singapore National Library to my two Sydney ones. The last time we borrowed physical books we ended up with such a large fine (being out of practice with borrowing/ returning; and we used someone else's card - it was a kindergarten project for my youngest) we probably funded a whole shelf of new books. This way, they automatically return themselves, if you forget or don't renew them.

>178 PaulCranswick: Thinking about university is a few years off for us yet. I don't tend to shed tears on parting because I'm usually worrying about whether we've got everything we should and issuing last minute instructions but I embarassed my older boy when I picked him up on his return from school camp - not even a week away, and not very far away, at that.

>179 charl08: Yasmyne and I are safely back home in Malaysia. Arrived home in our condo about 1 pm on Sunday after setting off at 5 a.m. on Friday morning in the UK. Allowing for the 7 hour time difference it made for a door to door travel time of 25 hours. I am a little bit tired!!

Was disappointed that time and business concerns there prevented me getting to the North West but I will certainly do so next trip Charlotte. xx

>180 evilmoose: Lovely to see you pedal through Megan. A herd of LT'ers? Should that be the collective noun for us I wonder? xx

>181 laytonwoman3rd: It will involve a lot of pretty intense activity over the next few months to set things up here and pave the way there. I think I am ready to go back to the UK though Linda in truth.

>182 johnsimpson: Nothing wrong with man tears John. I do feel that there are certain things (daughters mainly) that play on our emotions as we age and they come to maturity.
Quite touched by the generosity of spirit from yourself and Karen viz Yasmyne and I am sure that she would be comfortable calling you should the need ever arise.

>183 Trifolia: Thanks Monica. There is certainly some feeling of affirmation that those you have made your friends in this safe virtual world we have all so successfully propagated are at least as charming in reality.

>184 cbl_tn: Hopefully she will make a good start on having the paperwork resolved tomorrow. I was not so familiar with Golder's Green and the entrance to the tube was alive with the to and fro of young boys, presumably from classes, in the garb of Jewish orthodoxy and lent it a cosmopolitan air. There was a considerable walk from the station to the restaurant and the array of shops along the way was fascinating to me.

>185 drneutron: Thank you, Jim. Well we have at least landed back in Malaysia safe and sound.

>186 The_Hibernator: I haven't read Lady Susan either, Rachel.
I am sure that you would have enjoyed the meet-up too, my dear.

>187 avatiakh: I hope so too Kerry and hopefully it is a mere formality. You came up in discussions at the meet-up as Paul (polaris) is, like me, a regular visitor to your thread and another admirer of your reading habits. xx

>188 scaifea: Thank you for those lovely words Amber - as are you mine as you would certainly know, I'm sure.

Safe travels to you and Yasmyne, Paul. I trust that everything will work out quickly, and that she will have an excellent first term at university.

>189 streamsong: Never too late Janet! xx I am going to sync my fitbit to my phone now I am back and hopefully the results won't be lost. It was pleasant travelling just the two of us with many less bags to worry and lug about.

>190 vancouverdeb: If the parents can bear it, I do think it is beneficial to the children's understanding of the sacrifice and motivation of the parent in getting them to and beyond the various stages in their formative years. Yasmyne must have sent me 30 whatsapp messages on Thursday as she travelled from Edinburgh to Doncaster by train (with a change in Newcastle) asking advice and etc. For my part I had to drive to Doncaster train station to collect her and it is a town I had never visited by car before and I was without any aid in the form of sat-nav or map. God is great of course and I drove straight to the train station in plenty of time.
She is lucky as in addition to my brother and sister, I have a couple of close friends, including John, who assured Yasmyne of their availability in a crisis.

>191 humouress: I suppose it is the reminder of home rather than the superiority of the tea itself that makes its arrival from Canada so welcome.

>192 humouress: ( >164 PaulCranswick: ) Honestly, no. The chance to stay another couple of days was happily grabbed though!

( >165 PaulCranswick: ) I don't think that I have failed to make 75 in any year since I sort of cared about keeping track - Certainly 35 years straight.

( >166 PaulCranswick: ) Oh I did manage a few pages but it was difficult with Hani grumbling incessantly.

( >168 PaulCranswick: ) We will meet before I relocated I can assure you, Nina!

( >174 PaulCranswick: ) My first library card for 25 years and I have read my first library book since that time as well.

( >178 PaulCranswick: ) I think it is a major parting of the ways though. In my own case I never lived at my parental home on a permanent basis ever after.

>196 kidzdoc: Have just gotten back to Malaysia Darryl, hence the spate of posts. I will be off to Ghana on Saturday whilst Yasmyne will be heading back to Edinburgh at about the same time all being well.

Sounds like you had a great trip and there are lots of changes in the works. I hope everything goes well for your plans and for Yasmyne straightening out her paperwork.

I'm glad that you and Yasmyne made it home safely!

>193 PaulCranswick: I propose quire as the collective noun for LTers!

>197 PaulCranswick: (>191 humouress:) Yeah, I know. I was just teasing.

>200 cbl_tn: I was thinking: library, shelf, binding, gaggle?.... Quire I had not heard of. I think we need a whole new thread in the group to discuss that.

Hi Paul, just popping in to say Hi!

Happy Sunday, Paul! Glad you made it home safe and sound. Sounds like you had a wonderful holiday and met up with some equally wonderful people.

Hope you can get some rest before returning to the grind.

>199 Familyhistorian: Thank you Meg. I think it will be an interesting next three months.

>200 cbl_tn: Hahaha interesting A QUIRE OF LT'ers? Any thoughts anyone?

>201 humouress: Maybe you're right, Nina. To collectively call us a chapter would be apt and maybe the 75'ers would be a chatter?

>202 connie53: Lovely to see you Connie and hi right back. If I am back in the UK then travel around Europe (especially whilst the UK remains in the EU) will be very much on Hani and my agendas. An LT meet up in Holland would be very much at the front of my thoughts.

>203 msf59: Well delaying my trip back by two days means the grind is almost upon me, buddy. Will be back to the office in the morning.

UK Book Splurges

This is what I bought in the UK at:

Waterstones in York and Leeds
Joseph's Bookstore in Golder's Green (attached to Cafe Also)

217. Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands by Jorge Amado (1966) 550 pp
218. Unity by Michael Arditti (2005) 369 pp
219. Ted Hughes : The Unauthorised Life by Jonathan Bate (2015) 566 pp
220. Now is the Time by Melvyn Bragg (2015) 357 pp
221. His Bloody Project by Graeme Macrae Burnet (2015) 280 pp
222. The Tartar Steppe by Dino Buzzati (1939) 265 pp
223. Hard Rain Falling by Don Carpenter (1964) 308 pp
224. Outlaws by Javier Cercas (2012) 367 pp
225. The Death of Grass by John Christopher (1956) 195 pp
226. Did You Ever Have a Family by Bill Clegg (2015) 293 pp
227. The Schooldays of Jesus by J.M. Coetzee (2016) 260 pp
228. Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink by Elvis Costello (2015) 670 pp
229. Father and Son by Edmund Gosse (1907) 251 pp
230. Like Dreamers : The Story of the Israeli Paratroopers who Reunited Jerusalem and Divided a Nation by Yossi Klein Halevi (2013) 538 pp
231. Death of a Naturalist by Seamus Heaney (1966) 44 pp
232. Slow Horses by Mick Herron (2010) 328 pp
233. Hot Milk by Deborah Levy (2016) 218 pp
234. The Outrun by Amy Liptrot (2016) 280 pp
235. Black Water Rising by Attica Locke (2009) 427 pp
236. The Assistant by Bernard Malamud (1957) 339 pp
237. The Silent Duchess by Dacia Maraini (1990) 319 pp
238. The Many by Wyl Menmuir (2016) 141 pp
239. Horse Latitudes by Paul Muldoon (2006) 106 pp
240. Homesick by Eshkol Nevo (2004) 374 pp
241. At Swim-Two-Birds by Flann O'Brien (1939) 218 pp
242. Grief is the Thing with Feathers by Max Porter (2015) 114 pp
243. Work Like Any Other by Virginia Reeves (2016) 260 pp
244. The Elected Member by Bernice Rubens (1969) 224 pp
245. The Lonely Londoners by Sam Selvon (1956) 139 pp
246. Zeno's Conscience by Italo Svevo (1923) 437 pp

>195 PaulCranswick: Now I know why my ears were burning last week!

Great selection of books and I can see that you did some shopping at Joseph's Bookstore.

Good day, Paul! Wow. 25 hours of travel. I hope you recover quickly. Enjoy the time at home before your jaunt next week, and I hope Yasmyne's visa issues are resolved quickly.

That's a nice book haul, too.

>206 PaulCranswick: Nice haul!

>204 PaulCranswick: I like a chatter of 75ers!

You're quite the shopper, Paul! Congrats on a wonderful haul!
Sounds like the return trip for Yasmyne is not too bad, at all. Surely, there will be students and professors who will gladly share notes and info!

Hope you have a few free days to relax and snuggle with the books.

#169

I have library cards at two public libraries. One in Kansas and one here in Tuscaloosa. I was sorely tempted to purchase a card at the Linen Hall Library in Belfast, UK when I was there 6 years ago. I LOVED that library. Later, when I found out that it was the Friday night hang-out of Conner Larkin (he of the Trinity fame - book by Leon Uris) I have become even more determined to join that library circle, at some point in time.

I spent last weekend visiting my niece in Nashville, Tennessee. She graduated from Kansas State University in May and got an internship with RFD-TV which has its studios located in Nashville. The internship turned into a job and so I figured it was time to show her some support. It is a 4 hour road trip from here to Nashville, but we spent a great day together. I plan on seeing her again for the Southern Festival of the Book and have asked her to come down here for a great Art Festival that we will have in Tuscaloosa in October. Since she is determined and intrepid enough to make her home somewhere other than Kansas I want to support her in this endeavor.

>150 PaulCranswick: What a lovely tribute to a diverse group of LTers. "Old friends can sometimes meet for the first time"...well said, Paul.

>164 PaulCranswick: Oh no. Sorry about the need for Yasmyne to make the trip back to Maylaysia for a technicality.

Your plan to live in both Maylaysia and England sound like the best of both worlds. How exciting. I wish you and the family all the best through such a big transition!

>205 PaulCranswick: That would be lovely, Paul!

Don't worry about not having the time to travel to the northwest - sounds as though you and the family will be much closer soon, so hopefully we can sort out a meetup .

Your book haul sounds great. I spot quite a few of the Booker longlist there.

>206 PaulCranswick: Looks like you picked up quite a few of the Booker nominees in your UK haul.

>207 avatiakh: They would have been burning in a nice way anyway Kerry! I think I added 10 books at Joseph's Bookstore.

>208 karenmarie: Thank you Karen. Still don't feel much like sleeping in truth and it is 4 in the morning here!

>209 cbl_tn: I think as a collective noun for our subset, it would surely suffice!

>210 Carmenere: She hopes not to miss much but seems to have quite a collection of pals already so catching up shouldn't be too difficult.

>211 benitastrnad: & >212 benitastrnad: I am not sure that you can join the library in the UK without some semblance of a home address, Benita but others here would know much better than I. Nice to see you get the time to spend some quality hours with your neice.

>213 Donna828: I do think that it is a forum ideally fixed to allow us all to get acquainted without meeting, Donna but meeting is certainly the proverbial icing on the cake.

>214 connie53: Connie, the Dutch contingent were spoken of in very glowing terms in Golder's Green so how could I not want to skip across the sea to see you.

>215 charl08: I have now managed to snaffle all the longlist I just have to read 'em!

>216 thornton37814: Yes Lori, I have all the longlist now and have read 5 of them to date.

wow! Excellent book haul, Paul! Did you put them in with your luggage to get them home? That would be expensive, I imagine.

As for tea in Canada, we are quite evolved! :) I chuckled at the idea that my nephew found British Tea to be inferior, but apparently he likes some sort of particular loose tea, only sold at one place here in Vancouver. Tea is a big thing here , not that Canada is famous for tea . It might be more so here on the West Coast. I've got Stash Tea, Twinnings, Fortnum and Mason, Red Roobios, a green tea with citrus, and two loose leaf teas, and I would say my husband and I are just very average tea drinkers.

But yes, I did chuckle when I heard that my nephew was being sent tea to Britain. As you say, probably more that anything , it is a taste from home.

>220 vancouverdeb: I spread them across the luggage, Deb, plus my hand luggage and computer case. No charge for excess so I must be quite skilled at this by now! I like my tea too although I prefer starting my day with coffee made by dear old Erni. Earl Grey, Red Rooiboos and Yorkshire Tea would be my absolute favourites, I think.

Ah, for me it's my Stash Christmas Morning Tea . Yes, it's Christmas Morning for me everyday! It's a blend of black teas with a little jasmine . Truly yummy! I've tried others, including the fancy loose teas, but nothing comes close to Stash Christmas tea and thankfully it is sold all year round :) My husband is the one who likes his different teas. Bubble tea is very big here too, as I imagine it is in Malaysia. I don't drink coffee, but my husband is quite keen on his morning coffee. Nice work with not getting charged for all of those books! Quite amazing I would say. :)

>222 vancouverdeb: Everyday a Christmas Morning would be one heck of a marketing slogan, Deb. Hani likes bubble-tea but I find it utterly undrinkable. xx

Like wise, Paul. Bubble tea is undrinkable for me too. But it surprises me how many people enjoy it. My son, daughter in law - there are bubble tea houses that serve nothing but bubble tea. Ugh. Not a tapioca fan.

A lovely meet-up! I am so envious!

How long of your married life have you lived in Malaysia?

So much traveling Paul! Glad you had a great time in the UK.

All this Canadian tea talk. I'm going to snag that Christmas tea when I go to Victoria next month!

>224 vancouverdeb: My two girls like it too Deb. Cannot understand the attraction of sucking tea through a big straw and getting balls of tapioca stuck in your throat in consequence!

>225 sibylline: It was a grand meet-up, Lucy. Darryl, Joe, Debbi, Bianca, Luci, Paul H, Caroline, Claire (and her sister) all contributed in different but complementary ways to making our day in London a special one.

>226 Morphidae: Pretty much all of it Morphy really. The first eight months or so were spent in Singapore whilst I was finishing off the extension to Changi Airport terminal 2. We then lived in Johor Bahru across the border but in Malaysia for around seven years before moving up to Kuala Lumpur.

>227 luvamystery65: Save some for me Roberta as it sounds intriguing.

>219 PaulCranswick: The Dutch contingent! I like being a part of that group!

Ooh, tea talk! I love Twining's version of Christmas Tea, but my very favorites are Earl Grey and the lovely Lady Grey. I always start my day with a cuppa (I'm just finishing up today's now).

I start the day with coffee and used to drink a cup of Earl or Lady Grey in the afternoon. Last year I switched to green tea, gunpowder, and I am completely hooked to that now, a cup after breakfast & one in the afternoon.

>229 connie53: We have a triumvirate of ladies here in Diana, Anita and yourself that does great credit in spreading a great impression of the orange amongst the group.

>230 scaifea: I am enjoying a large, large cup of Red Rooiboos tea at this very moment. Really refreshing and no caffeine either.

>231 FAMeulstee: I probably drink about five cups of Erni's Nespresso coffee daily, Anita, but always drink tea at work and at least once in the evening at home.

Hi Paul! Interesting tea discussion. I've never heard of bubble tea, and from what I read about it just now I'll be happy to avoid it in the future. I like iced tea sugarless and with a wedge of lemon, for lunch and in the early afternoon. I avoid caffeine after about 4 p.m.

I'm impressed with your managing to get all your new book acquisitions home without paying extra in luggage fee.

>233 karenmarie: A convinced tea lover will, I am sure, avoid bubble tea, Karen. I have no problem with evening or even nighttime tea and coffee as it doesn't seem to make a difference either way.
The fact that Hani went back earlier and I travelled with Yasmyne enabled the juggling of luggage somewhat.

>232 PaulCranswick: Great! I'm one of a triumvirate (had to look that up through google translate)

Great book haul, Paul. You must be a skilled packer. I would need an entire suitcase for those! :)

I hope Yasmyne is safely at school.

>235 connie53: I just read three books about Cicero, Connie, and the Roman triumvirates back then didn't end wel ;-)

>232 PaulCranswick: Just visited an amphibian display at Slimbridge where two tanks were sponsored by a rooibos company. Apparently the tea helps the little frogs as part of their breeding programme!

https://www.wwt.org.uk/news/all-news/2013/08/wwt-news/poison-frogs-redbush-tea-b...

I am enjoying the tea talk. Tea is my main beverage with wine a happy second. I agree about the bubble tea and find it amazing that it is so popular that there are shops that sell mainly bubble tea.

>235 connie53: The first and second Roman Triumvirates did of course make a little bit of an impression on history, Connie. Caesar, Pompey and Crassus followed by Octavian, Lepidus and Mark Anthony gave us plenty to remember and in addition to the Classics had Shakespeare and Graves amongst other feasting to entertain us.

>236 BLBera: I am actually a very haphazard packer but my professional training enables me to gauge weight very well!

>237 FAMeulstee: Well not all of 'em Anita. Octavian who became Augustus did rather well for himself really and Caesar and Mark Anthony both bedded Cleo as well as getting to wear those rather fetching leather tunics.

>238 charl08: I'm with the frogs Charlotte although I am sure Hani hopes our breeding days are well and truly over!

>239 Familyhistorian: I would dead heat tea and coffee depending upon my mood. A really good ale/beer would win my affections over a glass of wine. Single malt would prevail over cognac and I fairly relish a cold gin with a not too generous splashing of tonic amid a formation of crystalline ice.

Hi Paul!

I hope you're settling back into home/work and that Yasmyne's visa issues have been or will be resolved before the weekend so she can get back to her studies/new friends.

I'm working my way through Great Expectations methodically; 59 chapters make for an easy 2 chapter minimum per day.

>242 karenmarie: Thank you Karen, Yasmyne has her visa interview tomorrow morning which will hopefully be a formality. We then need to get her a ticket back to Edinburgh tout-de-suite.

My progress with the Charlie Dick is fitful. I have finished Volume 1 and will definitely get through it whilst in sunny Ghana next week.

That's right, I forgot you're on the road - well, in the air! - again. I always see travel time as reading time.

Paul, you and/or Daryl need to go purchase some of these so you can send one to each of your LibraryThing friends: http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_eye/2016/09/20/britain_creates_a_series_of_stamps...

>244 karenmarie: I would have thought that there is plenty of opportunity for reading on this trip, Karen. On the flights certainly but in the long African evenings too as I won't have Hani along for company either.

>245 thornton37814: Interesting Lori. I really enjoyed her books but I am not as sure that Darryl is a Dame Agatha fan!

>245 thornton37814: I'd heard about the stamps. Thanks for posting the link, Lori!

>246 PaulCranswick: >247 karenmarie: I really would love to get all six. My boyfriend tells me I can probably pick them up on Ebay. I told him I'm not into bidding, but he told me you can buy sometimes purchase without having to bid.

>247 karenmarie: I particularly liked the And Then There Were None stamp.

>248 thornton37814: I don't quite like ebay when it comes to bidding for stuff. I am a little too impatient to wait the required time, I guess.

Happy Friday, Paul. Hope the week went well and you have a relaxing weekend planned.

>250 msf59: The week was a pretty tough one Mark to be fair trying to catch up with work, ameliorate client relations and the subterfuge of their office intrigues, managing very tight cash flow and getting ready for a week in Ghana next week where I hope to finally sign for these 300 houses I have been talking about doing for nearly two years already!

My Saturday will be a travelling one with Dubai and then Accra on Emirates. Our delegation finally stopped arguing about accommodation and let the Ghanaian High Commissioner sort out our rooms in a hotel he reckons is "comfortable" called "The Airside Hotel" - not the most promising of names but still it is work not play. As long as I have a reading light for the evenings.

I have meetings booked up with the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Housing, Foreign Ministry, The President's Office and the Agriculture Ministry as well as my old friends at the Defence Industries Holdings Corporation (DIHOC) which is effectively the commercial arm of the Ghanaian army. General Adokpa is an interesting character, a veritable man mountain, lawyer and an extremely cagey strategist. He takes great pleasure in crushing my fingers in his bear like grip whilst smiling and flashing me the most perfect set of teeth I have probably been blinded by at close quarters. It will be an experience as usual trying to negotiate a deal on the army housing with him that doesn't strip me naked before I can get back on the plane home.

Good luck with the deal Paul. Your comments about the hotel reminded me of a place I stayed in where the guests had to keep prising the lift doors open when it got stuck between floors and jump down! Sure yours will be much nicer.

>249 PaulCranswick: I always seem to be overbid by the robots at the last minute. I haven't done EBAY in a long time so I don't know if this is still what happens or not.

Just popping in to say high and wish you well in your continuing adventures.

Nice book haul way up there esp The outrun been on my radar for a bit ....

Might want to try get your hands on Landmarks have this sneaky feeling it will suit your love of words ....

Best of luck with the naked dealing, Paul, and safe travels!

Safe travels. Best wishes for intact fingers and a successful outcome.

>248 thornton37814: Can't you just get them from the British post office, Lori? I used to order stamps from them when we did genealogy by snail mail. I would send stamped envelopes to the people I hoped to get a reply from.

I hope your Saturday dealings went well, Paul. How did Yasmyne's visa issues work out?

>248 thornton37814: You can order a presentation set directly from The Royal Mail website.

252 What a time you had. So many things happening in your life. All good wishes to Yasmyne's new experiences. I am sure you and Hani will miss her dearly as she spreads her wings and flies from the nest. She will return to the nest, she is only flying in order to appreciate home much more.

>248 thornton37814: >258 Familyhistorian: Don't see why you couldn't. You can pay with MasterCard, Visa or PayPal. But you need to do it before December 31, 2016. I'd said do it before then even or they might be gone.

>248 thornton37814: You can buy gift packs of the stamps, Lori. Agatha Christie stamps

OOOh! I love those stamps!

Arrived safely in Ghana. Seven hour flight to Dubai with an eight hour stopover and then another 7 and a half hours to Accra. Got VVIP treatment at the airport as we were with the Ghanaian High Commissioner to Malaysia. Onto the hotel which is certainly not salubrious but does boast seemingly excellent internet and has clean rooms with exceptional airconditioning. The staff are friendly and unwordly. We have checked in for six nights with three of us initially growing to eight over the next few days and they never even mentioned credit cards or deposits.

Managed to read two books on the plane(s):

The Many by Wyl Menmuir &
Grief is the Thing with Feathers by Max Porter

More on these when I update my reviews.

>252 charl08: The place certainly has character and charm, Charlotte. The High Commissioner contacted Martin, my partner, and suggested we check into a grander establishment but Martin informed him we were here to do business not to enjoy a holiday and that we were fine where we were.

>253 thornton37814: I haven't used Ebay for the longest time Lori to be honest. Last time was I bought a job lot of 40 thrillers and had them delivered to my mother's house to save on shipping.

>254 amanda4242: Thank you Amanda. xx

>255 roundballnz: It is funny Alex because I almost picked up Landmarks in York just before I returned back to Malaysia and took The Outrun instead.

>256 scaifea: Still fully clothed to date Amber. Meeting General Adokpa on Tuesday though so the layers of fabric could start unravelling then!

>257 karenmarie: Thank you Karen. Our two local agents in Ghana met us at the airport after we had cleared the VVIP section and took us to our hotel. They too are real characters chivvying me about their US$300 retainers almost the minute the bags were dropped.

>258 Familyhistorian: I am fairly sure that you can order them from The Royal Mail, Meg.
Yasmyne has had her "interview" and expects the visa on Tuesday or Wednesday. She is optimistically booked on the return flight to Edinburgh at the weekend.

>259 laytonwoman3rd: Ah! I see I was right! Thanks for confirming that, lINDA.

>260 Whisper1: People say that a change is as good as a rest, Linda. I believe that those people probably haven't attempted similar schedules! Felt my age this evening I must admit.
Yasmyne will have a ball, I am sure and I do hope that mother/daughter bonding continues throughout the process. Yasmyne has parted from her boyfriend (Saad) whether permanently or not remains to be seen. Hani is pleased but I know both youngsters are probably hurting over the break-up and he is a thoroughly nice young man whom I wish all the best in the world to.

>261 Morphidae: I am not sure why Paypal seems unsupported in Malaysia. I have never been able to use it for any transactions.

>262 Familyhistorian: I have never been a philatelist, Meg, but those Christie stamps are certainly worth having.

>263 The_Hibernator: Nice to see you here Rachael, stamps or not. xx

Well, enjoy Ghana if possible, Paul. I have no idea what it is like there. Glad you got some reading in on the plane.

Paul--I have been MIA lately and hope you haven't taken my absence personally. ; )

Wishing Yasmyne good luck with her VISA and that you manage to keep your clothes on in this new deal!!

>268 vancouverdeb: I suspect that i will get plenty of reading done in between the meetings and the handshakes, Deb. xx

>269 Berly: Missed you Kimmers! I haven't been getting round the threads too well with the UK and then quickly after it Ghana. Hope to get fully up to speed soon.

What a pleasure to finally meet you and Hani in person in Golders Green, Paul! What a wonderful meetup that was. Great description in >150 PaulCranswick:, as Darryl says in >151 kidzdoc:. You and Hani are a hoot together, and make a great team. I was reading more Mick Imlah poetry yesterday, and it deepened my appreciation of his skill.

We're back home and recovering. I'm at work, but closer to useless than usual. :-)

>271 jnwelch: Hahaha Joe, I know the feeling. Very interesting day in Ghana yesterday as we had two interminably long meetings in the Ministry of Finance meeting and presenting to the Minister of Finance and his Deputy amid a huge congregation. Went reasonably well although they seem to want to take baby steps instead of implementing the development plan presented to them which involves US$17 billion of foreign direct investment without the Government of Ghana spending a penny piece as the investments are privatised. This would secure a lot of work for Ghana, Malaysia and the UK as our role is to provide a trading platform/conduit for the three through a series of targeted projects in affordable housing, energy provision, new roads, schools, hospitals, airports, airlines and so on.

Today we are with our defence partners and looking to secure a couple of firm deals on provision of affordable housing for serving army personnel. Tomorrow we go bush to the local area that has already agreed a deal for 300 homes and a sustainable farm and we have a firm deal on the table there at least.

It certainly was a jolly good meet-up and I do hope we all get plenty of opportunities in the future to do it again.

Hi Paul! I hope your Ghana days continue so well. When are you flying to Malysia again?

>272 PaulCranswick: Hi there, Paul! Seems like negotiations are going well! Hope the remainder of your trip continues to be very productive - Of all the Booker nominees that I was unable to get my hands on, The Many looks to be the most interesting. What are your thoughts?

Looks like events in Ghana are going well, Paul. And I hope Grief is the Thing with Feathers struck a chord with you, the way it did me. Special book.

Hi Paul. Hope your Ghanian adventure is successful.

>273 DianaNL: Extremely busy in Ghana thus far, Diana, but things have gone reasonably well so far. We have made good progress on our two main project targets with the Defence Industries Holding Company (DIHOC) and the Awutu Senya Local Assembly respectively.

>274 Carmenere: Thanks Lynda. To be honest The Many didn't really light my fire. It was well written but I found the plot itself somewhat negligible. There were hints and inferences about possible plot directions which would have been very interesting and I was willing the book to go there but it didn't.

>275 msf59: It did strike a chord Mark but to not quite the same extent as it did with you. I much prefer the new general who is running the show as Director General of DIHOC and the fact that we are approximately the same height has nothing to do with it. He kindly lent me his driver the other day with army outriders to negotiate the uncertain Accra traffic and I was amused that the driver was called Napoleon. If we were in London I would have been sure to have requested he drive me to Waterloo.

>276 karenmarie: Thanks Karen. We have made far more progress on this trip than we did the last. The only dark cloud on the horizon is the upcoming December election. If the presiding Government lose (and it is reasonably close with them just slightly favoured to retain power) then our work will have been to naught. DIHOC's Chairman is the Deputy Defence Minister and a new man would not want to work with his predecessors favoured companies. The fact that we are not bribing anyone and the projects are clearly of benefit to the nation may not be enough.

Hi Paul, hope all is going well in Ghana and progress is being made. My reading is picking up again and I should reach my maiden century after years of trying, not bad at 53.

It appears on facebook that Hani is very much missing you Paul. Safe travels home. I'm not sure how safe I would feel in Ghana, but I suppose you know the people that you deal with and the area quite well.

I've been following Hani on facebook too, Paul, and have only now made my way over here to learn that you're in Ghana rather than still in the UK. Safe travels, friend! And hopes that your deals hold up. AND - may you read another 2 good ones on the way home!

>279 johnsimpson: Well done John! I have to say though you read quite a number of chunksters so your number is an impressive one this year.

>280 vancouverdeb: Our partners in Ghana are effectively the army Deb so I would say it is pretty safe. To be fair I think it is something of a haven of peace, calm and stability in the region and its people are a lovely bunch. We had a hugely satisfying day yesterday with the signing and or receipt of three deals and another bigger one agreed in principle.
I speak to Hani every day by whatsapp and, if I don't phone in at an early hour I normally get an irate concerned message left for me.

>281 LizzieD: Thank you Peggy. Surprisingly I haven't managed to read too much actually on the trip itself but I do hope to knock off a couple on the way home.
Our compact delegation have had a really fun time here with plenty of banter between us all and it has made for a really enjoyable trip.

For those not on facebook as Hani put this one (amongst others) up earlier. This is your correspondent at the Awutu Senya District Assembly discussing the provision of 300 affordable homes for the rural community. I must have said something right because we were awarded with a letter of commitment from them yesterday. It was a privilege to sit with them and see how much our visit meant to them. A small number of the group had made the visit to Malaysia in March to discuss their plans with me and I was humbled that they greeted me as a brother.



You will notice the, erm, man bag. A present from Hani so I thought it politic to give the bag a photo opportunity.

Paul, you are altogether too much fun!A photo opportunity for the , erm , man bag! I know how Hani loves her handbags, so no wonder she gifted you with a man bag, or "merse" as I have also heard them called. It's not uncommon to see men with their man bags ( merse ) around here, especially among the young guys. Lovely picture. I can understand how Hani wants to know you are well , I'd be the same if Dave were away and I am just as bad with my sons.

A wonderful picture. I am glad to hear that you feel comfortable and safe. Enjoy your flight home and see if you can get some reading in.

>284 vancouverdeb: Thanks Deb. The kids were kidding me that the bag was girlish but I didn't dare agree with them!

I think the bag looks great! Hope your business continues to go well and that you get some reading time in too.

Hi Paul! Thank you for sharing the photo. It was very thoughtful of you to include your man bag. I've never heard of the term merse, but like man bag better. And, to me, it looks somewhat like a thin briefcase.

I finished Great Expectations. After a message from tess_schoolmarm on my ROOT thread telling me that I may like A Tale of Two Cities because it's the most 'un-Dickens' of his works, I may slate that in one of these days.

Safe travels home. You've been so busy traveling that I'm sure you'll be happy to get home and be home for a while.

Great photo, Paul. What an experience that must be. Safe travels, buddy.

I wouldn't have noticed it if you hadn't brought it up. I thought it was just a small briefcase.

Lovely picture, Paul. I think men need to embrace the "man bag" or whatever they choose to call it, and just get over themselves. It's a practical idea. Sometimes a briefcase is necessary and sometimes it isn't. But there are always "things" that need to be carried that may not fit neatly and conveniently into pockets.

>283 PaulCranswick: Great photo, Paul!

I must say that I love my "Man Bag" and it is very useful during the summer months when I haven't enough pockets.

To be clear, I think your man bag looks very good! Just the way you phrased it made me chuckle. When I travel by transit here, ( subway) lots of men have a variation of a man bag , satchel, lap top computer satchel. My youngest son often has his computer satchel on his person , as that is his area of work - IT stuff.

Well I am safely back in Kuala Lumpur after nearly a full day of travelling.

Reasonable flight as the stopover in Dubai was half the time of the outward journey and the flights weren't overly full. We had a wonderfully successful week and I shall be looking forward to going there again soon.

Touching episode at the airport as I met Yasmyne (a little bit by prior arrangement too) at the aerotrain going the other way. She will be back in Edinburgh tomorrow.

>286 charl08: It is starting to grow on me actually Charlotte although I wish it would also start to grow as I have trouble fitting enough stuff in there. Managed to finish His Bloody Project on the plane. Good but not wonderful.

>287 karenmarie: I haven't finished Great Expectations yet Karen (but I am reading it for the third time) but I would second the suggestion of A Tale of Two Cities which is an excellent novel IMO. I think that man bag is going to stick.

>288 jnwelch: The meeting with the District Assembly was the highlight for me as it is where we can really make a difference. I met the Minister of Finance, the Deputy Minister of Finance, the Foreign Minister, the Defence Minister and senior officials at the Ministries of Health, Education, Energy, Water and Housing but they didn't impact me in the same way.

>289 Morphidae: I suppose small briefcase is also on the money too, Morphy.

>290 laytonwoman3rd: Hahaha Linda, well said. I have no intention of straining against my feminine side!

>291 kidzdoc: Thanks buddy. We really had a whale of a time. Great food, good company on the trip, lots of banter.

>292 johnsimpson: John, I always travel with my suede jacket because of my fear of losing passport and wallet and I am not yet convinced that the manbag will replace the moth-eaten jacket.

>293 vancouverdeb: Oh Deb, I took your comments on the manbag exactly in the affectionate manner in which I know you forwarded them. As you know by now I will always try to find ways to have a chuckle about most things.

>283 PaulCranswick: Great photo.

By the way, speaking of travels, once upon a time there was much talk about Paul's US Tour.... Might that happen?

It must feel good to be home after all your travels, Paul. Great photo and wonderful that everything went well.

I am glad that you had a good trip, and are home safe and sound! I will put in a plug for Tale of Two Cities. When I read it, I was sobbing at the end. A little embarrassing as I was reading at the gym on the treadmill.

>297 EBT1002: I am hopeful Ellen that by early next year I will be solvent enough again (after last year's embezzlement issues) to finally make the trip to the USA. It will likely be a two or three pronged effort with the North West, Eastern Seaboard and Chicago on the initial radar.

>298 Familyhistorian: It was a very fulfilling trip but the hard work will really start soon. Some of the projects are as challenging as they are ambitious, but sorely needed. It is great to be home of course and Hani did seem fairly pleased to see hubby back on terra firma with man bag still in tow. xx

>299 banjo123: It is a very effecting piece of work isn't it, Rhonda? He did sentimentality superbly IMO - I know he could be, at his worst, excessively verbose, but at his best he was a storyteller without equal.

Glad you've made it home safely!

>302 PaulCranswick: Thanks Amanda. xx

Welcome home, Paul!

Happy to hear your trip home was fine!

>300 PaulCranswick: If it wouldn't be too much effort, could you point me to the appropriate thread that mentioned the embezzlement issue? I don't want you to have to go over it again for me since I wasn't around.

>303 scaifea: Thanks Amber.

>304 Thebookdiva: Trip home was a good one as they usually are, Abby. Yasmyne, my daughter, returned to Edinburgh yesterday and has safely arrived. It is the first time that she has travelled alone and she was feeling quite nervous about the prospect.

>305 Morphidae: It may take a bit of finding Morphy but it was around the time in the middle of last year when I was suddenly posting hardly at all. In short, I spent much of the previous year expanding and diversifying the company's business leaving my must trusted assistant in charge of our biggest single project which was a condominium of luxury apartments in the embassy row area of the city. The client company had a minority shareholder who was a previous colleague of mine in Ssangyong the Korean conglomerate and who appeared very keen to help us with cash flow by direct payments to us quickly. My staff had persuaded him (and almost certainly colluded with him) to make payment directly to some of our suppliers and sub-contractors in cash (without my knowledge). He received a payment of around US$300,000 and ran for the hills. Added to this were a large number of suppliers and subcontractors who had supposedly been paid who turned out not to have been and the engagement of several entirely fictitious companies for whom payments had been made by the client for no services rendered. The fall out left me in quite a straitened position and in respect of which I am still really negotiating myself through the choppy rock strewn waters. Worst thing for me was that there were certain people, some in the group, that I had undertaken to help and I was left unable to do so. A couple of those people have not communicated with me in any way shape or form since.

>306 PaulCranswick: That's just... I don't have words. And I know your staff have been like family to you, so for them to have colluded with him must be heartbreaking. And then for others to turn their backs on you because you can't help them anymore, that's just not right. *big, huge, Norabear* hugs*

*RL nickname

>307 Morphidae: Thank you "Norabear" xx To be honest Morphy I do feel very bad about not being able to help a couple of people in the group as I had hoped and promised to do so.