lindapanzo's 2016 reading--3rd inning

Welcome to my 2016 thread. Eager for a great fall's worth of great reading, as I follow the baseball playoffs, the high school swim season, and the start of the NHL hockey season. OK, those might get in the way a bit.

Much of my reading is based on the current year's category challenge. For 2016, once again, my focus is on simplicity. I'm using only four categories: (1) mysteries; (2) fiction; (3) sports books; and (4) books on history.

Most of the time, I'll have one book going in each of these four categories.

BOOKS READ IN DECEMBER
110. Writing All Wrongs by Ellery Adams--finished on 12/4/16
111. Silent Nights by Martin Edwards (ed)--finished on 12/11/16
112. The Inheritance by Charles Finch--finished on 12/14/16
113. Egg Drop Dead by Laura Childs--finished on 12/18/16
114. Relentless Spirit by Missy Franklin--finished on 12/19/16
115. Sleigh Rides, Jingle Bells, and Silent Nights: A Cultural History of American Christmas Songs by Ronald D. Lankford--finished on 12/21/16
116. Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly--finished on 12/24/16
117. The Mystery of the Cape Cod Tavern by Phoebe Atwood Taylor--finished on 12/29/16

BOOKS READ IN NOVEMBER

98. Fatal Frost by Karen MacInerney--finished on 11/3/16
99. Dangling by a Thread by Lea Wait-finished on 11/6/16
100. Better Late Than Never by Jenn McKinlay--finished on 11/14/16
101. The Mistletoe Murder by P.D. James--finished on 11/17/16
102. The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead--finished on 11/19/16
103. A Christmas Message by Anne Perry--finished on 11/20/16
104. The Case of the Counterfeit Eye by Perry Mason--finished on 11/22/16
105. Caged Eyes: An Air Force Cadet's Story of Rape & Resilience (ER book)--finished on 11/23/16
106. Bill Clinton by Michael Tomasky (ER book)--finished on 11/24/16
107. We Wish You a Murderous Christmas by Vicki Delany--finished on 11/25/16
108. The Writing Life by Annie Dillard--finished on 11/27/16
109. Floured Felonies by Jessica Beck--finished on 11/28/16

BOOKS READ IN OCTOBER

89. Smile and Be a Villain by Jeanne M. Dams--finished on 10/3/16
90. Shadows on a Morning in Maine by Lea Wait--finished on 10/6/16
91. British Manor Murder by Leslie Meier--finished on 10/9/16
92. Forever a Blackhawk by Stan Mikita--finished on 10/10/16
93. The D-Day Deception by Alex Gerlis--finished on 10/12/16
94. Pumpkin Pleas by Jessica Beck--finished on 10/18/16
95. The Wages of Desire by Stephen Kelly--finished on 10/21/16
96. The Queen's Accomplice by Susan Elia MacNeal--finished on 10/28/16
97. The Gunman and His Mother by Steven Beschloss--finished on 10/29/16

BOOKS READ IN SEPTEMBER

79. Ship of Fate by Roger Moorhouse--finished on 9/3/16
80. Love Letters by Debbie Macomber--finished on 9/5/16
81. Guest of Honor by Deborah Davis--finished on 9/7/16
82. The Language of the Dead by Stephen Kelly--finished on 9/12/16
83. A Great Reckoning by Louise Penny--finished on 9/15/16
84. When First They Met by Debbie Macomber--finished on 9/19/16
85. Tall Tail by Rita Mae Brown--finished on 9/21/16
86. The Girls of Atomic City by Denise Kiernan--finished on 9/23/16
87. A Girl Like You by Michelle Cox--finished on 9/27/16
88. To Brie or Not to Brie by Avery Aames--finished on 9/30/16

BOOKS READ IN AUGUST

72. The Punch by John Feinstein--finished on 8/1/16
73. Home by Nightfall by Charles Finch--finished on 8/3/16
74. Murder in the Secret Garden by Ellery Adams--finished on 8/9/16
75. Knit Your Own Murder by Monica Ferris--finished on 8/13/16
76. Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry--finished on 8/28/16
77. Title Wave by Lorna Barrett--finished on 8/30/16
78. Humanity by Jordan Michael Smith--finished on 8/31/16

BOOKS READ IN JULY

64. Sugar and Iced by Jenn McKinlay--finished on 7/3/16
65. Gone at 3:17 by David M. Brown--finished on 7/6/16
66. Off the Deep End by W. Hodding Carter--finished on 7/9/16
67. Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck--finished on 7/11/16
68. Murder on a Midsummer Night by Kerry Greenwood--finished on 7/15/16
69. Some Like It Cold by William Povletich--finished on 7/18/16
70. A Fatal Chapter by Lorna Barrett--finished on 7/21/16
71. Dark Chocolate Demise by Jenn McKinlay--finished on 7/26/16

BOOKS READ IN JUNE

56. Thread and Gone by Lea Wait--finished on 6/2/16
57. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini--finished on 6/5/16
58. Grace Interrupted by Julie Hyzy--finished on 6/6/16
59. Devil's Food Defense by Jessica Beck--finished on 6/11/16
60. The Last Hockey Game by Bruce McDougall--finished on 6/17/16
61. The Only Rule Is It Has to Work by Ben Lindbergh and Sam Miller--finished on 6/23/16
62. Dead Loudmouth by Victoria Houston--finished on 6/24/16
63. Clobbered by Camembert by Avery Aames--finished on 6/30/16

BOOKS READ IN MAY

39. Murder in the Dark by Kerry Greenwood--finished on 5/2/16
40. The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto by Mitch Albom--finished on 5/6/16
41. The Queen by Brian Hoey - finished on 5/7/16
42. Unforgettable World War II by Scott S. F. Meaker--finished on 5/8/16
43. Max: Best Friend. Hero. Marine by Jennifer Li Shotz--finished on 5/9/16
44. A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron--finished on 5/10/16
45. Murder on the Hour by Elizabeth J. Duncan--finished on 5/11/16
46. Fugitive Filling by Jessica Beck--finished on 5/12/16
47. Yotsuba&!, Vol. 1 by Kiyohiko Azuma--finished on 5/13/16
48. The Secret Dead by S.J. Parris--finished on 5/13/16
49, Theft on Thursday by Ann Purser--finished on 5/15/16
50. The Case of the Curious Bride by Erle Stanley Gardner--finished on 5/17/18
51. Do or Diner by Christine Wenger--finished on 5/19/16
52. A Clue in the Stew by Connie Archer--finished on 5/23/16
53. Chasing Water: Elegy of an Olympian by Anthony Ervin--finished on 5/25/16
54. Not a Girl Detective by Susan Kandel--finished on 5/26/16
55. Threads of Evidence by Lea Wait--finished on 5/28/16

BOOKS READ IN APRIL

29. A Likely Story by Jenn MacKinlay--finished on 4/1/16
30. The Road Not Taken: Finding America in the Poem Everyone Loves and Almost Everyone Gets Wrong - David Orr--finished on 4/3/16
31. Little Shop of Homicide by Denise Swanson--finished on 4/8/16
32. Library Wars: Love & War, Vol. 1 - Kiiro Yumi, Hiro Arikawa--finished on 4/9/16
33. The Sergeant's Lady by Susanna Fraser--finished on 4/10/16
34. Switcheroo by Aaron Elkins--finished on 4/13/16
35. The Echoing Green by Joshua Prager--finished on 4/16/16
36. The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson--finished on 4/21/16
37. A Scout's Report: My 70 Years in Baseball by George Genovese--finished on 4/27/16
38. A Chicago Cubs Triple Play by D.C. Brod--finished on 4/28/16

BOOKS READ IN MARCH

22. The Boys of Summer by Roger Kahn--finished on 3/5/16
23. The Case of the Howling Dog by Erle Stanley Gardner--finished on 3/8/16
24. The Game Must Go On by John Klima - finished on 3/13/16
25. A Bitter Truth by Charles Todd--finished on 3/17/16
26. Devonshire Scream by Laura Childs--finished on 3/21/16
27. The Lost Garden by Helen Humphreys--finished on 3/24/16
28. Helluva Town: The Story of New York City During World War II by Richard Goldstein--finished on 3/29/16

BOOKS READ IN FEBRUARY

13. The Train to Crystal City by Jan Jarboe Russell--finished on 2/4/16
14. Death by Water by Kerry Greenwood--finished on 2/7/16
15. Death in a Strange Country by Donna Leon--finished on 2/10/16
16. Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey--finished on 2/15/16
17. Navy Blues by Debbie Macomber--finished on 2/16/16
18. Raspberry Revenge by Jessica Beck--finished on 2/18/16
19. January 1973: Watergate, Roe v. Wade, Vietnam, and the Month That Changed America by James Robenalt--finished on 2/22/16
20. Mrs. Roosevelt's Confidante by Susan Elia MacNeal--finished on 2/25/16
21. Chicago Noir: The Classics edited by Joe Meno--finished on 2/26/16

BOOKS READ IN JANUARY

1. Keith Magnuson: The Inspiring Life and Times of a Beloved Blackhawk by Doug Feldmann--finished on 1/2/16
2. Twisted Threads by Lea Wait--finished on 1/6/16
3. Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter by Kate Clifford Larson--finished on 1/7/16 (5 star)
4. Symphony for the City of the Dead: Dmitri Shostakovich and the Siege of Leningrad by M.T. Anderson--finished on 1/10/16 (5 stars)
5. Yes Please by Amy Poehler--finished on 1/11/16
6. Gator Bowl by J.J. Cook--finished on 1/12/16
7. Blood Will Tell by Jeanne M. Dams--finished on 1/17/16
8. Gibson's Last Stand by Doug Feldmann--finished on 1/18/16
9. Queen of the Flowers by Kerry Greenwood--finished on 1/23/16
10. SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome by Mary Beard--finished on 1/27/16
11. Dying on the Vine by Aaron Elkins--finished on 1/28/16
12. Meeting Tom Brady by Richard J. King--finished on 1/31/16

Happy New Thread, Linda. Hope the work week is going well. Hooray for picking Owen Meany. You should have a good time with that one.

We are leaving for the U.P. tomorrow morning. It should be a gorgeous holiday weekend. Looking forward to it.

>4 msf59: It used to be an annual tradition for us to go to the western U.P. every fall. Usually mid to late Sept. It'd be either 90 degrees or snowing by then. You'd never know. One time, it was 90 degrees when we left home. We were wearing shorts. Got to Ironwood, MI and it was snowing. We got all sorts of looks.

Have a great time!!

Happy New Thread!

Happy new thread, Linda! You're almost to the magic 75!

>4 msf59: The UP is fast becoming one of my favorite areas to visit! I wish I lived closer to it.

Happy new thread, Linda.

It's always fun to start a new thread, isn't it? Wish I were better at putting pics up. If I were, I would do so.

Day 1 of a 3-day weekend. Cubs game on Sunday afternoon but Sat and Mon to be devoted to R & R. I'm at the library, picking up The Nix from reserve.

Some recent books I've finished.

Book #77
Title Wave by Lorna Barrett--finished on 8/30/16

I love this cozy series set in a small New Hampshire town that's filled with bookstores. In this most recent one, the sleuth, Tricia, who owns the mystery bookstore in town, goes on a cruise with her sister and some other townsfolk. Not the best in the series but still quite enjoyable for me. Hope she's back to the Booktown as her setting with the next one, though.

Book #78.
Humanity by Jordan Michael Smith--finished on 8/31/16

A Kindle single about President Jimmy Carter, focusing on his immediate post-presidency as he decided what to do with the rest of his life, as well as his later post presidency and his work with the Carter Center and Habit for Humanity.

Book #79
Ship of Fate by Roger Moorhouse--finished on 9/3/16

An interesting little Kindle single about the Wilhelm Gustloff which sank in early 1945 with more than 9,000 people perishing, nearly 6 times as many as died on the Titanic. It was called Nazi Germany's Titanic or even Hitler's Titanic. I want to know more. Awhile back there was an ER book and Terri provided me with the name of this longer work, which i want to read soon. Death in the Baltic.

Happy Saturday, Linda. Gorgeous day up here in U.P. Just chill in' with the books at the moment.

Can't watch the Cubs game but Iam trying to keep up with the score. We are having a tough time with, Bumgarner, eh?

Happy Saturday, and happy new thread! You find the most interesting Kindle singles! And I keep meaning to try the Lorna Barrett series. Too many other books keep getting in the way!

>9 lindapanzo: Hi, Linda! I went back and looked at my review of Death in the Baltic. I gave it 3 1/2 stars. I felt it had flaws, but was a worthwhile read. I hope you find it informative.

Happy New Thread, Linda! Looks like you're having a great reading year.

Hope you're having a good holiday weekend.

>9 lindapanzo: I'm way behind on the Lorna Barrett series. I'm way behind on most series now though.

Book #80
Love Letters by Debbie Macomber--finished on 9/5/16

A feel-good book in Macomber's Rose Harbor series. I rarely read romances but make an occasional exception for a Macomber book.

Recently, I got an alert that the last book in the series was been (is about to be?) published and thought I'd get caught up and read them all. I'm a few behind but have enjoyed all the books in this series.

Book #81
Guest of Honor by Deborah Davis--finished on 9/7/16

I had mixed feelings about this book. By its title, I expected it to be about the dinner in 1901 where President Theodore Roosevelt invited black leader, Booker T. Washington to dinner, the first time that a black man was so honored at the White House. There were a few pages devoted to the actual dinner itself.

The first half of the book was an overview of both TR's and Booker T's careers up to that point. Interesting to be sure, but not what I expected. The second half of the book dealt with the fallout (i.e., anger) when the press got ahold of the news of the dinner. The focus was on angry newspaper stories as well as Democrats in the South trying to gain political capital.

Interesting book, overall, but I would've loved to have read much more about the dinner itself. It felt like the author took a small slice of history about which very little is known and tried to pad it into a full length book. Glad I read it but I expected more.

Hi, Linda! Sweet Thursday! Did you decide on a Irving read? I plan on starting mine tomorrow.

Go Cubs! I want to see those bats heat up again. Not many runs these past few games.

And yes, Guest of Honor did sound promising. Footnote: I work with a Deborah Davis but I have a feeling it is not her. Grins...

>16 msf59: I'd like to get to Owen Meany but I'm not feeling up to a really long book at the moment and I actually am excited about October and Chabon. We'll see how I feel.

I'll probably read a mystery or two or three and maybe another shorter history and then see how I feel.

I still want to read #2 in the Eleanor Roosevelt bio before the year is out. By Blanche Wiesen Cook, I think. I also still haven't read The Bully Pulpit by Doris Kearns Goodwin. So, if there's a long book in my immediate future, it might be a history.

I hope you can fit Owen Meany in when you can. Nobody holds it against you if you don't read them that month. I have to still finalize what I will read by Chabon. He has a new one coming out too.

Ooh, The Bully Pulpit. I want to get to that one, one of these days.

>18 msf59: I saw a mention of that in the NY Times. More personal than usual.

I'd like to read Kavalier & Clay and also The Yiddish Policemen's Union.

Since I just read that book partly about TR, I'm kind of leaning towards the Goodwin book. Maybe read Eleanor later. I read part 1 of Eleanor more than 20 years ago so another year or two won't matter much. I was hoping to read part 2 before part 3 came out but that probably won't happen.

No Cubs tonight but my friend is in StL for the Cardinals game so I might watch that. Or maybe the first NFL game of the season.

>15 lindapanzo: I enjoy Macomber reads for an occasional diversion from other books too.

After finishing my current mystery, at long last, I've started the new Louise Penny. Always a red-letter day. Some folks thought it was so-so but one RL friend said it was second only to Bury Your Dead for her. Since that one was my favorite Penny book, too, I'm eager for this one.

Alas, I have to work the rest of the day so I haven't gotten very far into it.

Incidentally, I see quite a bit of new historical fiction in my immediate future.

https://media.bookbub.com/blog/2016/09/12/new-historical-fiction-fall-2016/

By the end of Saturday's swim meet, I developed a really bad sore throat which was helped somewhat by the strawberry limeade I picked up at Sonic. We don't have any Sonics in my county but there is one near where my niece swims.

Anyway, got home about 4 pm, feeling worse and worse. I slept off and on for most of the next 24 hours, in the Lazy Boy chair, with lots of congestion. Felt a bit better after that, enough to pick up my current Rita Mae Brown cozy/ER book.

Haven't felt this sick in a couple of years. Ugh.

>22 lindapanzo: I hope you feel better soon. If I lived near enough, I'd bring you another strawberry lemonade.

The closest Sonic is probably this one, over an hour away. I've been making do with ice cold smoothies.

I was just on FB. Sorry to hear that Louise Penny's husband has passed away. That was a moving tribute to him at the end of A Great Reckoning.

Book #82

The Language of the Dead by Stephen Kelly--finished on 9/12/16

I really enjoyed this World War 2 mystery, a first in the series, set during bombing raids etc in England during the war. I've already reserved the next one from the library.

Book #83

A Great Reckoning by Louise Penny--finished on 9/15/16

Though she's long been my favorite mystery author, in recent years, I haven't enjoyed the latest installments as much as I did the earlier books. This one focusing on Gamache and his leadership as the commander of the Surete academy. Loved the insights into Three Pines history as well. Once gain, at long last, this one had the Louise Penny "magic" for me.

Book # 84

When First They Met by Debbie Macomber--finished on 9/19/16

Enjoyed this short story/novella that is a prequel to the Rose Harbor series as to how the couple met. Wished I'd read this one before starting the series.

During my illness, my concentration isn't very good so my focus will be on my cozy, Tall Tail by Rita Mae Brown.

I'm also reading The Girls of Atomic City and also The Girl on the Train. In my present state, both are probably too much for me right now.

Hi, Linda! I hope you are having a good time with The Girl on the Train. I liked that one and the film comes out early next month, so your timing is impeccable.

I am enjoying my current reads, Madam Bovary and The North Water but the latter is shaping up to be very special.

I hope the Cubs can turn it back on tonight. Hope to see that A-Team back!

>27 msf59: Not only was I aware of the movie, but I'm reading it now because the movie is coming out. Not to mention that, at the swim meets, all the swim moms are talking about the upcoming movie. I finally brought my copy to last Saturday's meet and, after gushing about how good the book is and how excited they are to see the movie, at least they're not giving away any key plot points.

Wow, the U.S. sure flopped at the World Cup. At least Kane escaped without injury.

Book #85

Tall Tail by Rita Mae Brown--finished on 9/21/16
(ER book)

I love a good cozy mystery but sometimes, these can get to be just too cozy for my taste. With all of Harry the sleuths dogs and cats, this one is always right on the edge of being too cozy.

In this latest installment, the cats and dogs didn't seem to play as large a role throughout the whole book, for which I was glad.

In fact, this one had a pretty good mystery. The home health care nurse taking care of a long-ago former governor is murdered and, as she dies, she nearly plows her car into Harry's. The governor, the grandfather of Harry's lifelong friend, is dying of leukemia.

Brown beautifully ties together 18th century Virginia history to the present day, the state politics of the dying ex-governor's day to the bitter politics of the present day, and medical issues to create an interesting mystery.

I don't put this series at the top of my list but I do enjoy reading one from time to time. This is a series I'd recommend to cozy fans.

Sorry to read that you're ill, Linda. I hope you feel better soon!

Well, I was healthy enough to go to the Chicago Blackhawks Training Camp Festival. We didn't wander around much and I tried to take it easy. Since it was general admission, someone had to hang onto our seats. I can do that.

At one point, I stood up to let the woman next to us pass by and accidentally hit the woman in front of us with my purse. Later on, she kept turning around to look at me and I thought she was worried that I was going to hit her again. She finally asked if I could hold onto her seat so she could run to the ladies room.

Didn't read much but I'm home now and can start something new, after finishing the excellent The Girls of Atomic City yesterday.

Happy Sunday, Linda. I am sure you are kicking back and watching our Cubbies. You know I am.

I have The Girls of Atomic City on my WL. Glad you are enjoying it.

>31 lindapanzo: Glad you were able to get out. I worked on various things on Saturday and was tied up with church most of Sunday. I managed to sustain a repetitive strain injury to my thumb last week so I can only work so long at a computer before taking a break. Other things like playing the piano are too painful. I'm wearing a thumb stabilizer, but it's only partially effective. The injury was caused by picking up heavy reference books for a relocation project. (They are being placed in an in-house storage location.) I only read minimally over the weekend. I was too busy with other things. I should mention I did watch some football on TV while doing other things although I watched the Vols game a bit more closely.

Popping into say hi!!

Hooray for 100 wins! We are rolling, my friend.

Hi, Linda! Glad you felt well enough to go to the Training Camp Festival.

Oh boy!! Six mysteries just came in at the library via Inter Library Loan, including 3 brand new ones. Clear the decks, I'm reading mysteries for the next couple of weeks.

Book #86
The Girls of Atomic City by Denise Kiernan--finished on 9/23/16

Very interesting history of the role that women, from scientists to cleaners, played in the rapid effort to come up with the atomic bomb, particularly at Oak Ridge, TN. I wasn't aware of the secrecy and "need to know" aspect.

Book #87

A Girl Like You by Michelle Cox--finished on 9/27/16

I had high hopes for this one, a period mystery set in 1930s Chicago. The female sleuth is a taxi dancer who moves, working undercover, to become an usherette at a downtown venue thought to have mob ties. At the same time, she's falling in love with the police inspector who is her contact.

Slow-paced. Could've used better editing. Even so, I would probably continue if there's a second book in the series.

Book #88

To Brie or Not to Brie by Avery Aames--finished on 9/30/16

I love the cheese shop series but this one never got going for me. A wedding theme. Nonetheless, I'll continue with the series.

Savor the cheese shop mysteries while you can - the publisher cancelled the series.

>40 cyderry: That's too bad. Not my favorite series but not too bad.

A whole bunch of mysteries came in via ILL all at once so I'm reading those.

Sadly, many old favorite series are in decline for me. I've long loved the Dorothy Martin series from Jeanne Dams but, unfortunately, these are turning into travelogues with a bit of mystery.

Currently, I'm reading the latest in the Antique Print series from Lea Wait. These are turning into a story about the lives of the characters. At some point (and I'm halfway through) maybe there'll be a mystery to solve. I can hope.

I keep getting tempted by The Girls of Atomic City

.
I'm glad to hear the latest Louise Penny was good. It's probably going to be my next audiobook.

Sweet Thursday, Linda! I am sure you are getting excited about tomorrow night. I know I am getting pumped. Let's go beat some Giants!!

>42 SuziQoregon: I've had some really good reads lately, including both of the ones you've mentioned.

>43 msf59: Welcome back, stranger. Sounds like your trip was fun.

I'm going out to dinner and a stage show at Marriott Lincolnshire tomorrow night. I'll be checking the score but won't be in the car til after 10-10:30 so I'll probably miss most of it. I have to check out the Sat schedule but I think I'll be able to see that one.

You are missing the opener? Say it ain't so? My only issue, is the late starting time, since I have to work Saturday. I guess sacrifices must be made, my friend. Sighs...

have a good time at the play.

>45 msf59: Thanks, Mark. How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.

Besides the play, I have to get up early for my niece's big swim meet in St Charles on Sat. I'll need to be on the road by 8 am.

>41 lindapanzo: The Dorothy Martin books are not so fun now that Alan has retired. Of course, it's a smaller press publishing the newer ones too so the editorial process may not be as thorough either.

Linda, I realize that I have never before visited your thread. It's about time I fixed that!

I love your four straightforward reading categories. I also love "Clear the decks, I'm reading mysteries for the next couple of weeks." :-)

Living in Seattle, I'm a Mariners fan, but the Cubbies are my #2 team, so I'm ALL IN for them now!

I'm starring your thread so I can follow along now.

Have a great week!

Can you believe it? A three run homer by Arrieta?!

Those Cubs pitchers are hitting better than the position players!!

Of course, I am on pins and needles as I always am when the Cubs or Blackhawks are in the playoffs.

Go Cubbies! Go Arrieta! Let's lock this one down, Linda.

A good start to the reading month. A whole boatload of mysteries came in for me, via ILL, so I've had quite a few mysteries on hand lately.

As mentioned above, many of these are the latest in long-running favorite series.

Book #89
Smile and Be a Villain by Jeanne M. Dams--finished on 10/3/16

This is the latest (book #18) in the long-running Dorothy Martin cozy series. She was a teacher in the U.S. and then moved to England and married a Chief Constable who has now since retired.

They seem to spend their time travellng nowadays and solving murder mysteries while on vacation.

In this one, they are visiting one of the smaller Channel Islands. I still like this series but it's turning into a travelogue with mystery elements, not a mystery with some travel elements.

Book #90
Shadows on a Morning in Maine by Lea Wait--finished on 10/6/16

Another old favorite series, this is #8 in her Antique Print series. Again, I still like this series but the focus is on their characters and their lives and the mystery seems tangential.

Book #91
British Manor Murder by Leslie Meier--finished on 10/9/16

Another "latest in the series" in a long-running cozy series. This one is #23 in the series. In fact, the Lucy Stone series has held up well. Yes, there's more travelling and yes, there are always updates on Lucy and her family, but the mystery in this series is always front and center.

In this one, Lucy and a pal are invited by an earl to stay for a visit and attend a hat show. While there, they get quite involved in family matters and, of course, a murder investigation.

Book #92
Forever a Blackhawk by Stan Mikita--finished on 10/10/16

Stan Mikita. Any Chicagoan knows all about this all-time Blackhawks star. I'm so glad that, while he still had his faculties about him, he put his life story, into a book. Sadly, a few years ago, he was diagnosed with dementia.

Quite a story. He was born in Czechoslovakia and his parents allowed an aunt and uncle to take Stan and his sister to Canada to live with them. Despite his small size and a language barrer, Mikita persevered and eventually excelled in hockey and became one of hockey's all time greats.

This one brought back many memories for me!!

Go Cubs! We need to score some timely runs, Linda and nail this baby down.

>54 msf59: I am very nervous about this. I need to read or something. I have been playing computer games, words with friends, trivia crack, and the like, to keep myself occupied.

I have been messing around on LT a bit. We really need to wrap this one up tonight. Stop mucking around...

Although, as we head to the 9th inning, I am not feeling all that calm....

They did it! Cubs win! Moving on . . .

Hurray!! What an amazing, improbable 9th inning comeback. Trying to breathe again.

Go Cubs Go! Unbelievable! Now we can rest our nerves for a few days.

Go Cubs! What a comeback!

Yee-haw for the Cubs. Not sure who I want to face next though. The Nats are probably the better team but the Cubs never seem to do well vs. the Dodgers.

Book #93

The D-Day Deception by Alex Gerlis--finished on 10/12/16

A good Kindle single, like this one, makes me want to read more about the subject. Operation Fortitude, the British attempt to convince the Nazis that the D-Day invasion was going to happen somewhere else besides Normandy.

I didn't know much about this deception and WW2 double agents but now I want to read more.

Very interesting Kindle single.

GO CUBS!!!!

"The Cubs win the pennant! The Cubs win the pennant!"

:)

What a great win, Linda! I wanted to end it last night and boy did we do it! Take that Kershaw and Fox Sports!!

Now, let's beat up on some Indians.

Go Cubs!

Congrats, guys! If the O's can't be in it, I gotta pull for the Cubbies.

Thanks. I still can't believe that, after all these years, the first time in my lifetime, my Cubs are in the World Series.

We can't also can't believe how emotional everyone was, when the time came.

I'm backing the Cubbies!

Yah, for the Cubs, Linda! Is the game time 7? I thought I saw somewhere that it was 730. I hope that was wrong.

>71 msf59: I think they're all at 7, Mark. Tues and Wed in Cleveland, Fri, Sat, and Sun here, and if necessary, Tues and Wed in Cleveland.

7 is good. Glad I was wrong. Go Cubs!

Yay Cubs!!!! I am so excited that they are in the World Series even though it means that I will have a couple more weeks of reduced reading and LT-ing time!
:-D

Go Cubs!

Hi Linda! If I didn't have to work tonight, it would be fun to go to the Tennessee Smokies open house at the ball park. It sounds like it will be lots of fun, especially if the Cubs win!

http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20161023&content_id=206937612&f...

Less than 4 hours til gametime!!

Wrigley Field prices for Friday's game 1 have come down substantially but not yet enough for me. I continue to monitor the prices though.

About 20 minutes now, Linda! Are you about ready to bust?

Can't wait to get this one started, my friend. Go Cubs!

p.s. - stop beating me up so bad on TC. You are on a roll.

>78 msf59: Heh, heh. I have been doing better on TC lately, haven't I?

I checked Lake County Passage when I left work and noticed there was a big accident on the tollway so I got off the exit before. Took a little longer but at least I wasn't sitting there for an hour.

Hope the Cubs can hang in there despite this sad excuse for an HP umpire.

One strikeout for Schwarber. I predict at least 2 more tonight. Not fair to put him in this position, not having faced ML pitching since April.

Okay, one game that didn't go well. I am still a believer!

We have to get it done tonight, Linda! I thought Schwarber looked good. Nice to have him back. We need those clutch hits.

>81 msf59: After "sleeping on it," I'm feeling a lot more confident about your chances. Despite the umpiring, the Cubs had a lot of hits (but couldn't get the clutch hits).

This is the third time they've gotten shut out in the playoffs but they bounced back fast after the others.

There's a lot of room for optimism.

Sorry the game went so badly last night. Here's hoping the Cubs have a good game tonight!

>83 tymfos: I hope so, too, Terri. Also hoping that they get the game in as I suspect this miserable rain and cold weather here in Chicagoland is heading towards Cleveland.

"There's a lot of room for optimism." Amen, Linda.

I love seeing Contreras catching but not sure about Soler in right. Rather see him off the bench. Arrieta NEEDs to pitch a gem. He is due.

Your optimism appears to be warranted so far! I'm loving all the talk about Kyle Schwarber. He didn't spend much time with the Smokies on his way up through the minor leagues, and I feel lucky to have attended one of the home games while he was there.

>86 cbl_tn: I was a doubter, that's for sure. I didn't realize that he spent so much time at hitting practice. I thought it was just that one AFL game.

He is making a difference tonight. Now we need to get Fowler on track. He ought to bunt.

Much happier tonight, Linda. Looking good. Only guy struggling in this one is Fowler.

Big Jake looking real good.

If there was a rain delay would they just finish the game tomorrow?

>89 msf59: Probably. Starting to get a bit nervous.

^Good win, Linda! We will miss Schwarber in Chicago!

Good luck getting those WS tix.

I think I know what you're doing, Linda......

Sweating on the result of Game 5? The Cubs are 3-2 top of the seventh and it is nail biting stuff, not that I have any nails left!

We going to hold on, Linda? Chapman just came in to nail it down.

I am texting friends and playing spider solitaire like a crazy woman. Chapman is looking good but 8 outs is way more than usual for him. Hope he's got the stamina for that.

Nice win! They're still in it. The paper said Maddon asked Chapman before the game whether he could handle a stint like that, and Chapman said he was ready. There are going to be some tired pitchers after this series!

>95 jnwelch: At least he's got the day off to rest up.

I was driving past Great America on my way to work. For Fright Fest, they've got that gorilla climbing the tower. The gorilla is holding a huge W flag. Wish I could get a pic but I'm driving by too fast.

Hi Linda! I found a couple of local articles that you might be interested in. It seems that about half of the Cubs roster formerly played for the Tennessee Smokies, mostly within the last 4 years. No wonder they seem so familiar! Maybe we need to have an LT meetup in Knoxville for Cubs fans during baseball season. We can go to a baseball game and you can check out the up and coming talent. It's a lot easier to get autographs here.

http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20161014&content_id=206097508&f...

http://www.wbir.com/news/local/13-former-smokies-athletes-playing-in-world-serie...

One other bit of trivia - local businessman Jimmy Haslam (brother of TN Gov. Bill Haslam) sold his interest in the TN Smokies upon purchasing the Cleveland Browns.

I'm so glad they won last night!

I read this in their honor:

>97 cbl_tn: Thanks, Carrie. I'll have to check those out.

Just sitting around tonight. There's no stress, which doesn't feel right.

Maybe I'll read. I need only 2 more books to finish my 2016 category challenge. I might end up doing a very basic mini-challenge for the rest of the year. Something like read (1) books I obtained during the last 3 months and (2) holiday books.

Great start, Linda. Everything clicking.

Go Cubs!

>100 msf59: Not as nervous but still a bit. If Jake can keep dealing and not walk anyone, we could be in good shape.

Arrieta is looking very sharp. And yes, do not let your guard down against this team.

Off to a good start, Linda. We have to scrap out a few more runs. Go Cubs!

And no, we are not dreaming.

Are you getting excited?!?!

WOO HOO!!!!

WAY TO GO, CUBBIES! CONGRATULATIONS!

Woo! What a series, what a win. Nice job bringing them home, Linda. :-)

No, it wasn't a dream! THE CUBS WON THE WORLD SERIES!!!!!!!

I was really annoyed that our Fox station cut away to do the news shortly after the game ended. We didn't get to see the trophy presented.

Sweet Thursday, Linda. Hope you are floating on cloud nine. It was a very stressful game but we persevered.

Go Cubbies!

Three cheers for your Cubs, Linda!

Thanks to all the wellwishers. What a range of emotions. I thought we'd blown it, then was ecstatic when we won.

Since then, ear to ear grins, disbelief, and lots of tears of happiness. Also lots of thoughts of diehard Cub fans, family and friends, who are no longer with us. I can't stop smiling but still get a bit teary, too.

Got to work and my Cardinals fan friend decorated my cubicle in celebration. People are coming from all around to ask about it and take pics.

I also managed to switch with someone so as to take off on Friday so I can watch the parade. Unlikely to go downtown but I've regretted missing all of the 3 Blackhawks parades and did not want to miss this one.

Hi Linda! This series was so much fun to watch. I loved seeing all the former Smokies players. I didn't have a Cubs shirt so I work my Smokies t-shirt while I watched the game last night. It seems to have worked!

Hooray for going to the Cubs parade tomorrow. I am sure it will be fantastic and it looks like it will be a beautiful day. Good for you.

It feels like such a load off, doesn't it?

>113 msf59: Um, not going to the parade myself. But I am taking the day off to watch it. I've still never seen any of the Blackhawks parades. I don't like big crowds.

Had an exam this morning and couldn't read for 6 hours afterwards. Ugh. I know better but hadn't been in awhile. Thankfully, healthy eyes and distance vision was unchanged, though reading vision was, as expected, much worse. I was having no problems reading my Kindle but regular books were blurry for me.

Anyway, up and at 'em again in the reading department though bright light still bothers my eyes after they were dilated.

It's been way too long since I did this, too.

Book #93
The D-Day Deception by Alex Gerlis--finished on 10/12/16
An interesting little Kindle single about the Allies' efforts to deceive the Nazis into thinking that our D-Day attack was going to take place elsewhere. Makes me want to read much more about this topic. I always think of that as a sign of a good Kindle single.

Book #94

Pumpkin Pleas by Jessica Beck--finished on 10/18/16
Another "not bad" entry, the latest one, in the donut shop cozy mystery series.

Book #95
The Wages of Desire by Stephen Kelly--finished on 10/21/16
I'm enjoying this World War 2-based mystery series. Hope there are many more to come.

Book #96
The Queen's Accomplice by Susan Elia MacNeal--finished on 10/28/16
I love this Maggie Hope series. This is the brand new one.

Book #97
The Gunman and His Mother by Steven Beschloss--finished on 10/29/16
A Kindle single about the troubled childhood of assassin Lee Harvey Oswald. I knew very little about his past and, again, now want to read more after reading this Kindle series.

Book #98
Fatal Frost by Karen MacInerney--finished on 11/3/16
The latest installment in MacInerney's "other" cozy series, not the Grey Whale Inn series. This one is set on a farm

>116 lindapanzo: Love Maggie Hope too!

Book #99

Dangling by a Thread by Lea Wait-finished on 11/6/16

The latest in the Mainely Needlepoint cozy series. Of course there's a murder but also interesting information/focus on saving bird environments, as well as on property rights and wills.

This one completed my 2016 category challenge!!

>116 lindapanzo: Fatal Frost is on my Kindle, but I need to read the first one (which is also on my Kindle). I found a good sale on them the other day and downloaded. I'll probably get to the Beck one eventually, but I'm several behind in that series.

>118 lindapanzo: That one is on my wish list.

Congrats on finishing your challenge! And with a good cozy too!

Congrats on finishing the category challenge, Linda!

Last night before I started to watch the election results, I should have known what was going to happened. I heard someone say a little earlier at the polls that Trump had the same chance of being elected as a snowball had in hell, but then a few days ago I heard that the Cubs would win the World Series when Hell froze over - I guess we can blame the Cubs because they caused the cold weather in Hell.

What do you think?

I saw that both Trump and the Cubs had the same chance of winning. As much as I love the Cubs, I would've gladly traded their Series win for a a Trump loss.

For only the second time that I can remember, the other time was 9/11, current events have left me too upset to read. I haven't read a single page since Monday.

Sorry, that the election results have you so upset.
Personally, I don't think there was going to be a good result whatever happened.

I've been thinking a lot about my college days. I was a Poli Sci major. We often talked about hypotheticals. For instance, how to ensure one party rule without anyone really realizing it. Sadly, so much of what we thought then has come to pass. Ironic that this talk was in Wisconsin and that's a state that has followed our plans to a T. I often wonder whether the mastermind was in my class.

Waiting for someone, ahem, to take the outrage over the EC and propose an adjustment so that each EC vote is by Congressional district.

Oh Cheli, it wasn't all bad. We have a great new senator, and even better, we got rid of our businessman governor's crony he appointed as comptroller. We have budget issues but the crony made them even worse. Paying politicians before social service agencies and the like.

I'm upset with the election results, too -- and some local results made me unhappy, as well.

I do see one silver lining in what happened. It's going to be a whole lot harder for politicians and policymakers to just ignore the concerns of rural people. Up until now, nobody thought rural Americans could have any real political impact, so many rural concerns were completely ignored. I can't tell you how many policies I see that were designed to work great for city and suburban folk, but which create real hardships for people in rural areas.

>127 tymfos: I haven't moved much in my life but was born in Chicago and sometimes see things from a city perspective. I think of myself as a Chicagoan, even though I haven't lived there in 40+ years but I associate myself with the city and visit often, for Cubs and Blackhawks games, for the opera, the symphony, the ballet, and to visit family and friends.

OTOH, the town I moved to was rural when we moved there. Over the years it's grown and is now clearly a suburb. I read my local paper which has a bit more of a rural slant.

I guess I am saying that I do appreciate the rural slant.It is often overlooked and it shouldn't be. Every state has its rural areas and rural concerns. Illinois is as blue a state as can be but much of the state is rural.

I got an ER book in the mail yesterday. It's especially noteworthy since it isn't a book on sports or a mystery, which is what nearly all of my ER wins are. A fair way of pigeonholing me, of course, since much of my reading is mystery or sports related.

Admittedly, I have read a number of books about our nation's military academies. It's a subject of interest and I regularly, though not frequently, read about them.

This one looks good. Caged Eyes: An Air Force Cadet's Story of Rape and Resilience by Lynn K. Hall. Looking forward to it.

I'm back into reading. Just finished my 100th book of the year!! The latest Library Lovers cozy from Jenn McKinlay.Better Late Than Never.

Hoping to get to the 120 to 125 range by the end of the year.

Great to see you back to the books, Linda! Let's keep it going. I think you would really like Hero of the Empire! Just sayin'...

>130 lindapanzo: Congrats on finishing 100! I'm hoping to get to whatever the next in series is for me on that one soon.

>131 msf59: I'll have to check that one out, Mark. Thanks for the suggestion.

>132 thornton37814: Thanks, Lori. I have had some slow stretches but some great ones this year, too. I think it all averages out. This Library Lovers book was probably my favorite in the series.

Now that I've finished my category challenge, I'm doing a mini and focusing on Christmas books as well as books I "obtained" during the second half of the year, either by purchase, borrowing from family/friends, or borrowed from the library.

Next up, perhaps, is one of my library books which contains a group of 4 Christmas short stories by P.D. James. The Mistletoe Murder.

Every swim season (club or HS), I designate a book to bring along and read during the down times. I must've been awfully chatty. HS swim season is now over and, in 3 months' worth of meets, I think I read 10 pages of an ER book. Need to get cracking on that one. St Louis Noir.

Book #100

Better Late Than Never by Jenn McKinlay--finished on 11/14/16

This is the newest book, 7th in the series, from Jenn McKinlay's Library Lovers series. The small town library offers an amnesty day and, among the other books to come in, is a copy of The Catcher in the Rye, borrowed by a patron 20 years early. The interesting thing about the book, it was soon determined, that a much loved high school teacher borrowed it shortly before she was murdered.

The sleuth, Lindsey, the director of the public library soon investigates (it's a cozy, of course she does). She wonders why someone brought the book in just then. Was it the murderer or someone who wanted the cold case to be reopened?

As is true in many cozies, there's also a romance angle and Lindsey is torn between Sully the boat captain and Robbie the British actor. Unlike other series, though, the author seems to try to resolve that tension.

Loved the premise. Love the characters. Really just loved the whole thing. One of my favorite cozy series around.

Congrats on finishing #100 for the year! >134 lindapanzo: I love the sound of that one. I'll have to keep a lookout for that series.

>135 cbl_tn: Hi Carrie. I iike her cupcake store series, too, but the library one is my favorite. Not as enthusiastic about the British hat shop series. It's ok and I intend to continue but just not as eagerly.

Shouldn't Santa Thing be starting up soon? We've had a very mild fall but, on Sat, there's a chance of snow.

Congrats on 100! That one sounds like fun.

>136 lindapanzo: Yes, you're right about SantaThing! I went looking for info and found this discussion thread: http://www.librarything.com/topic/238265. Loranne says to look for it on Wednesday.

>138 cbl_tn: Thanks, Carrie. I'll probably do it again. Last year, I think I did Kindle books and I really preferred that. Trying not to buy too many print books. No space.

Don't forget about our group swap as well. Look in the message thread for a link to the details page.

:)

>140 mahsdad: Found it.

If anyone's looking for it, the Christmas Swap thread is at:

https://www.librarything.com/topic/239733

Yeah! Glad you're joining. I'll still do SantaThing, because its tradition, but I almost like ours better, more family like.

>141 lindapanzo: I've already signed up. It's fun to let people choose books for you. I created a wish list for it and for SantaThing.

Glad to hear. I like Christmas Swap because I'm more likely to know the people and what they like to read.

>144 lindapanzo: I plan to do both.

>145 thornton37814: I will do both also. One thing I like about Santa Thing is the option of getting Kindle books. I've really cut back on obtaining print books, though, obviously, sometimes it can't be helped.

My reading vision has declined noticeably. Hopefully will improve when I get my new glasses.

Linda, if you want Kindle books, I'll tell whomever I pick for you, to go that route, if they can. Post your preference (if you haven't already done it, on the Christmas thread).

I think you just need a valid email address. I'll post the help article from Amazon on the thread.

>147 mahsdad: Good idea. I can say that I prefer Kindle books but, if they're not available, print books are fine. I read some kind of obscure stuff sometimes. I've sent you my contact info but will also send my email address.

Linda prefers cozy mysteries, involving baseball players, preferably a Cubs player, old or new. Just helping out...grins.

>149 msf59: Darn tootin'. When I find a cozy mystery involving the Cubs, like Murder at Wrigley Field by Troy Soos, then I'm in heaven.

Heading out to a college alumni event tonight. Our longtime president, a journalist and author, is ending his reign as president at the end of the school year and travelling around the country talking to alums.

I'd hoped to read his Man in Profile before tonight but didn't make it.

Heh-heh. I was looking at my ER books and my ER book requests for this month.

I note that I have requested Ben McIntyre's Rogue Heroes four times so far (July, August, September, and October) and haven't gotten it any of those. So I'm requesting it again this month. At some point, I should give up and just buy it myself, don't you think?

Jeesh, I'm sure that's aggravating. I can say Rogue Heroes is another good one from him, and worth having.

>153 jnwelch: If I don't get it this time, Joe, I'm thinking I should just put it on my Christmas wishlist and leave it at that. Most of the time, for ER, I win mysteries or sports books but my last four ER wins have been outside of these two categories.

I'm reading Caged Eyes, about an Air Force Academy woman cadet who was raped.

I still need to get to Our Man in Charleston (about the British secret agent in the Confederacy), Why the Monkees Matter--this one was really outside of my usual, and the Bill Clinton installment in the American Presidents series. The Clinton bio is short and the one about the the Monkees and their music is pretty short too.

I'd like to start the new year with no outstanding ER reviews to finish.

>152 lindapanzo: Darn, I just gave away my ER copy. If I'd known, I'd have offered it to you first.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am thankful for your presence in the group Linda.

Happy Thanksgiving, Linda! Have a great day, with your family today.

Thanks for the Thanksgiving wishes. Hope everyone enjoyed the holiday. We usually stay home and pick up Boston Market and watch football but this year, we went to my sister's house, about 90 minutes away. My BIL's 50th birthday was yesterday, Black Friday. He didn't want a party or anything but at least we got to celebrate a bit with him.

So far this long weekend, I've finished 3 books, including 2 ER books.

Not in much of a mood to offer any reviews but I've read a few good ones lately, including, at Mark's urging, The Underground Railroad, which was one of my favorite novels of the year.

Both ER books, Caged Eyes about a woman Air Force cadet who dealt with rape, and the newest biography in the American Presidents series, about Bill Clinton, were both pretty good too. That Vicki Delany cozy, We Wish You a Murderous Christmas is the second book, and newest one, in what is quickly becoming one of my favorite cozy series, the year-round Christmas series

Happy Saturday, Linda! Sorry to hear about your bungled package. Unfortunately, mistakes happen. We just try to keep them to a minimum.

Hey, Donna got me pumped about reading A Gentleman in Moscow and since I have a lovely new copy waiting nearby, I thought I would start it soon. Do you want to join me?

I'm planning to read that one soon, too. Wasn't that the one I had the duplicate of? I've got a library book I need to finish soon but maybe I'll start A Gentleman in Moscow later tomorrow or else on Monday.

As we drove through St Charles mid-day Thursday, I was trying to look out for you but realized that I have no idea what your vehicle is. We were not in my Cubs plated-car either.

No prob with the package. Those neighbors are nice but keep to themselves. She said "books? we order toys" and I said I haven't ordered toys in years.

We were far out in the western part of St. Charles, deep in the burbs.

I hope to start A Gentleman, later next week. Might squeeze in a story collection first.

>163 msf59: OK, I can wait a bit. Next weekend, I've got a 4-day weekend and might get a lot of reading in, once again. That'll let me finish my library book and the Annie Dillard book, too.

Probably didn't encounter you then. My sister lives on the west side of Batavia. We usually take Randall to get there but we were breezing down 31, along the Fox River, to get there this time.

>152 lindapanzo: Cracked me up, Linda. Of course, on the other end of the spectrum, there is the time I requested a book a second time --- and it turned out that I had indeed been "awarded" the book the first time around. Luckily, they didn't send it to me a second time.....

>165 EBT1002: I think Monday evening is the cut off. I'm tempted to ask for nothing except the McIntyre book and, if I don't get it then, I know it's not to be. Right now, I think I've also asked for the Coretta Scott King book and a Christmas book as well.

I was starting to worry a bit about accumulated unread ER books but, last week, I read, or in one case, DNF, 3 of my 5 ER books.

Hi, Linda! I'm glad you're talking about ER requests. That was a timely reminder for me.

So I just went in and un-requested the one book I had requested. I'm in a bit of a reading funk, and the last thing I need is an ER book hanging over my head that I HAVE to read. ;)

>167 tymfos: I feel "almost caught up" with only two to go. Ten days ago, I had 5 yet to read so I feel like that's progress.

There's a stunned atmosphere around the office today. Came back from the holiday to hear that one of the guys I'm closest to at work lost his wife over the weekend. She was mid 50s, I think. After a lung cancer diagnosis a year and a half ago, they'd gotten to the point where it was being treated as a chronic disease. When I last saw him on Wed, before the holiday, there was no inkling that she'd been sick or anything. Heartbreaking. One son is a college freshman and the other a HS senior.

Oh, how sad!!!!

Another ER win. I snagged a copy of My Life, My Love, My Legacy by Coretta Scott King.

Note that, for the 5th straight time, I did NOT win Ben MacIntyre's Rogue Heroes. I wonder if it'll be an option again next month.

I've found that if I really, really want an ER book, I need to make that my only request, because otherwise I ended up with one of the other requests.

>171 cyderry: I may have a friend "in high places" who's trying to get me a copy from the publisher. World War 2 is one of my 2017 category challenge categories so I'd love to get a copy.

Besides a cozy, currently Writing All Wrongs, and the novel, A Gentleman in Moscow, I'm also reading a WW 2 chunkster, the first in the Third Reich Trilogy from Richard J. Evans, The Coming of the Third Reich. I've long wanted to read this trilogy but the only way to get started is to start reading the first one. This first one is 700 pages or so, thus I'm guessing it'll be 2,100 pages in total. Not impossible if I just stick with it.

Haven't reached WWII yet, 2017 looks like the Great Depression and New Deal hopefully.

>173 cyderry: One category for the challenge is "nonfiction" and I'm hoping to do more reading in the Great Depression/New Deal, too.

For instance, this first book in the Third Reich trilogy is about Germany in the 1930's so it really isn't a WW 2 book so I'll put it into my nonfiction/history category.

>174 lindapanzo: I have The Man He Became: How FDR Defied Polio to Win the Presidency, FDR by Jean Edward Smith, America 1933 : the Great Depression, Lorena Hickok, Eleanor Roosevelt, and the shaping of the New Deal, The Forgotten Man, and The Great Depression: America in the 1930s selected as possible/probable reads after I read Herbert Hoover in the White House: The Ordeal of the Presidency and The Great Crash 1929. I need to get back on track so that I can concentrate on WWII in 2018.

Happy Friday, Linda! You are enjoying a long weekend, right? Sweet! I am still reading my story collection, but I should finish it tomorrow and then I will start A Gentleman in Moscow.

>176 msf59: Yes, four days off now. I've got my friend's wife's wake/memorial on Sat afternoon and probably lunch/dinner after with co-workers. Except for a luncheon with Christmas singers on Tuesday, nothing else planned. Probably some shopping but still. Lots of reading ahead.

First snow of the season!! Three to five inches expected today, though much will likely melt since the ground is still so warm. A perfect day for it. After doing chores, I have nowhere I need to go. Just reading, football, and the like today.

Happy Sunday, Linda. Snow still falling here. I hope we don't get more than 2-3 inches.

I am loving A Gentleman in Moscow in the early going. Such a nice narrative flow and Rostov is such a good character.

Looks like it's going to be a stay at home and read weekend. Two bouts of snow, adding up to about a foot of snow. We are cancelling our Saturday plans and probably Sunday as well.

Also, on an irritating note...during the past couple of months, I've gotten new car brakes, new tires, and also a new battery. I thought I was set for winter. Now I've got a slow leak in one of those new tires.

Happy Sunday, Linda! I hope you are spending the day, curled up with the books. I sure am.

I just finished A Gentleman in Moscow. What a wonderful book and I thank you, very much for putting it in my hands, otherwise, it may have been awhile before I picked it up.

I hope you enjoy it, as much as I did.

>181 msf59: I'll get back to it. I've got a library book I've renewed 3 times, which is the limit, and I need to finish that.

We got maybe 6 or 7 inches of snow since late Sat afternoon. Probably not as much as expected, but it's still snowing. I've shoveled twice but, beyond taking a nap on the couch during the Bears game, I've read quite a bit and watched lots of sports this weekend, especially hockey and football.

Book #111

Silent Nights by Martin Edwards (ed)--finished on 12/11/16

This is an outstanding collection of "Golden Age" mysteries set at Christmas. Lots of authors I haven't read in quite awhile and suddenly want to read again. Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Margery Allingham, Nicholas Blake, Edmund Crispin, and Leo Bruce, among others.

This is part of the British Library Crime Classics. I've had great luck with these books. Many are included in the price of a Kindle Unlimited membership.

Sorry about the weather and tire leak. I just spent the afternoon of my day off in my car dealership service department waiting room, after driving through a snow squall to get there, so I totally sympathize.

Christmas vacation has begun!!

Alas, it will begin with a trip to get my tire fixed, again, on Fri morning.

Hooray for starting your vacation! Hope you can really hunker down with the books! I work the next 2 days! Boo!!

Back to back, I've read the newest installments in two of my top five mystery series and, as usual, loved them both.

Book 112

The Inheritance by Charles Finch--finished on 12/14/16

Lenox is now fully involved in his detective business. The focus of this book is an old school friend whom Lenox hasn't seen in years and how this old friend might be in danger. This is an absolutely terrific historical mystery series, set in 1870's England.

Book 113

Egg Drop Dead by Laura Childs--finished on 12/18/16

Another favorite cozy series featuring Suzanne, one of the three co-owners of the Cackleberry Club restaurant. As usual, she gets involved in solving the murder, this time, of a friend and neighbor (this time, a recurring character so I won't name that character). Love the characters in this one.

Book #114

Relentless Spirit by Missy Franklin--finished on 12/19/16

Since my niece has gotten really involved in competitive swimming, both club and high school, I've become quite a big swimming fan. This summer, I watched the Olympic trials every day for a full week and the same with the Olympics. I go to lots of her meets as well.

One person on the international stage, who is highly admired by the swimmers, is Missy Franklin, an only child from Colorado, who achieved Olympic success at an early age. After her disappointments in Rio, she is probably even more well respected for how she handled her setbacks this summer.

This book is her swimming memoir, written along with her parents, of her early years in the sport, along with more recent successes and disappointments. A very interesting read for swim fans and non-swim fans alike.

Much of the swimming stuff was very familiar to me, because of my niece, but at a higher level. The part about her decision as to whether to keep training with her college team or to return home to Colorado to keep training with her club was especially interesting to me. Only those at the very highest end of the sport face this issue. Loved this book!!

I woke up to a pleasant surprise this morning, two emails from Amazon with Kindle Christmas Swap books sent to me from Ellen.

Two great choices. Faithful, a book about the 2004 Boston Red Sox, by Stewart O'Nan, which will be perfect for O'Nan month in the American Author Challenge.

The second one will fit perfectly in my World War 2 category challenge. The Rape of Europa by Lynn H. Nicholas, which is about the looting of Europe's art treasures by the Nazis.

Looking forward to reading both of these.

Thanks Ellen!!

>189 lindapanzo: :-)

Wouldn't it be nice if 2017 was a year of peace and goodwill.
A year where people set aside their religious and racial differences.
A year where intolerance is given short shrift.
A year where hatred is replaced by, at the very least, respect.
A year where those in need are not looked upon as a burden but as a blessing.
A year where the commonality of man and woman rises up against those who would seek to subvert and divide.
A year without bombs, or shootings, or beheadings, or rape, or abuse, or spite.

2017.

Festive Greetings and a few wishes from Malaysia!

>192 lindapanzo: Thanks, Paul. A beautiful sentiment.

Happy holiday greetings out to you in Malaysia as well.

Merry Christmas, Linda. Hope you have a great time with the family and I hope you get plenty of reading in.

How about we take a little break from TC, for the holidays? Sound good?

Once again, I awoke, quite late, since I was up til 1:30 am finishing up one of my likely top 5 book, Hidden Figures, to find a number of Amazon Kindle gift emails from my Santa Thing Santa, Rodneyvc.

Quite a haul, in more ways than one since, of the 5 "books" I received, one was actually a collection of 4 mysteries, so I feel like I got actually got 8 books.

Great choices!! The first two were on my wishlist but the last 3 were not and I'm glad to have those, as well.

--Saving Italy by Robert Edsel--I read his other book on Nazi art theft and saw the movie and am hoping to get to this one asap
--The Cotswold Mystery Collection, which includes four mysteries from Rebecca Tope, including the first one A Cotswold Killing
--Girl Waits with Gun by Amy Stewart
--Thirteen: The Apollo Flight That Failed
--Olmec Obituary

Hope everyone had an enjoyable Christmas holiday. One last day off for me today.

RL Christmas did not include much in the way of books. I think people were too busy getting me Cubs World Champs stuff. I did get a book about the Cubs 2016 season but that was it. I may use some of the $$$ I got for an Amazon gift card.

My 13-year old nephew, who has grown a foot in less than 1.5 years, finally got a Montreal Canadiens jersey from me. I was afraid he'd outgrow anything I bought it but seems to have slowed down in the growth dept so I finally got him one. After asking for one for 2 or 3 years for Christmas, this year, he didn't ask but this year, his hockey-loving auntie got him a Max Pacioretty jersey, his favorite player., to his astonishment His paternal grandma whined that she wanted to get him one but she is not a hockey fan. I started talking about the various options and she said not another word. John was very excited.

>195 lindapanzo: Well done Auntie!!! Clearly the holidays were fun for you and yours. Hope they continue on in that vein and wishing you a wonderful 2017!

>196 Berly: Happy New Year, Berly. My niece turned 16 this past Wed. She and 3 friends dressed up and went out to dinner. I saw a pic and it looked like they were drinking an alcoholic drink but, together, they shared the 60 ounce nonalcoholic version. Those girls look old enough to be legal, I'd say.

Had to laugh. Three of the four are swimmers and all they drink are water and chocolate milk, just about. This fizzy, sugar packed drink made them giddy, I understand.

Anyway, she is getting the new Missy Franklin book, Relentless Spirit, which I read and enjoyed, and a Jolyn Clothing gift card. They're known for the swimwear and related stuff and she loves shopping there.

I've got a few books in progress but I'm unlikely to finish any of them, not even A Gentleman in Moscow, which I'd hoped to finish. For the year, I read 117 books, which is exactly one book more than I read in 2015 so I am pretty consistent.

I'm still puzzling over my top 5 for the year. For the LT Top 5, I think I will go with:

1. Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry--this has become one of my all-time favorite books
2. The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
3. A Great Reckoning by Louise Penny--my favorite mystery of the year
4. The Train To Crystal City by Jan Jarboe Russell--my favorite work of nonfiction for the year
5. The Echoing Green by Joshua Prager--my favorite sports book of the year

At this point, I'll be moving over to the 2017 group. Please join me at: https://www.librarything.com/topic/244178

Happy New Year!!

Happy Friday, Linda! I like your Best of List! Of course I am crazy about the first two. I hope I can get my mitts on The Train To Crystal City. sounds like something I would enjoy.

Congrats on hitting #117!

How far along are you in A Gentleman in Moscow? Pretty deep? How do you like the Count?

>199 msf59: I like the Count and also Nina. I think I'm at page 170 (out of 460 or so). If I focus on it, and not other alluring books, I could finish it this weekend.

Not much planned except celebrating my niece's 16th birthday on Sunday (it was this past Wed). No doubt watching the Hawks in the Winter Classic. Scheduled for Mon noon in St Louis but, last I heard, the gametime forecast is 60 degrees and thunderstorms so it might have to be pushed back.

Looking forward to your continued company in 2017.
Happy New Year, Linda

>198 lindapanzo: Great top 5 list. I had fun with mine.

Happy New Year, Linda!