CBL's Literary Adventures in 2016 Part 7

My name is Carrie, and I'm back for my 6th year in this group. I've been reading non-stop since the age of 4. I'm a baby boomer, but just barely since I was born at the tail end of that generation. (I identify more with Gen Xers since I was the oldest child/grandchild in my family.) I'm a librarian who is learning to live with the reality that there will never be enough time to read all the fascinating books that cross my radar. I have one "furbaby", Adrian (named for Adrian Monk), a very sweet 5-year-old Shih Tzu I adopted from the Humane Society in September 2013. You'll see photos here from time to time.

My reading is fairly eclectic, but I have a special love for classic mystery authors like Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, and Josephine Tey. And I have a growing appreciation of Rex Stout, who I recently discovered is my 3rd cousin 3x removed. I also try to fit in books about local, state, regional, or U.S. history and genealogy as part of my family history research, which I've been actively pursuing since middle school.

Best of the year to date:
The Library at Night by Alberto Manguel (5) - Review
Hell Is Empty by Craig Johnson (4.5) - Review
The Seven Daughters of Eve by Bryan Sykes (4.5) - Review
Anne Frank Remembered by Miep Gies & Alison Leslie Gold (5) - Review
Return of a King: The Battle for Afghanistan, 1839-42 by William Dalrymple (4.5) - Review
How We Got to Now by Steven Johnson (4.5) - Review
As the Crow Flies by Craig Johnson (4.5) - Review
The House by the Lake by Thomas Harding (5) - Review
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel (4.5) - Review
Old Filth by Jane Gardam (4.5) - Review
Charlotte's Web by E. B. White (5) - Review
The Orenda by Joseph Boyden (5) - Review
Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Pena; pictures by Christian Robinson (5) - Review
Finding Winnie by Lindsay Mattick; illustrated by Sophie Blackall (5) - Review
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery (5) - Review
Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog) by Jerome K. Jerome (5)
When Hoopoes Go to Heaven by Gaile Parkin (5) - Review
Hag-Seed by Margaret Atwood (4.5) - Review
Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson (5)
Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus by Nabeel Qureshi (4.5)

Books read in September
106. When Hoopoes Go to Heaven by Gaile Parkin (5) - completed 9/3/16
107. Hag-Seed by Margaret Atwood (4.5) - completed 9/5/16
108. Objects of Our Affection by Lisa Tracy (2.5) - completed 9/10/16
109. Cider with Rosie by Laurie Lee (3) - completed 9/16/16
110. The Strode Venturer by Hammond Innes (4) - completed 9/20/16
111. The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje (2.5) - completed 9/21/16
112. The Reluctant Detective by Martha Ockley (3.50 - completed 9/25/16
113. The World Is Moving Around Me by Dany Laferriere (3.5) - completed 9/27/16

Books read in October
114. Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson (5) - completed 10/6/16
115. A Dangerous Place by Jacqueline Winspear (3.5) - completed 10/8/16
116. His Bloody Project by Graeme Macrae Burnet (3.5) - completed 10/9/16
117. The Swerve by Stephen Greenblatt (4) - completed 10/10/16
118. Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus by Nabeel Qureshi (4.5) - completed 10/15/16
119. Answering Jihad" A Better Way Forward by Nabeel Qureshi (3.5) - completed 10/21/16
120. Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner (4) - completed 10/21/16
121. Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien (4) - completed 10/24/16
122. Paths to Happiness by Edward Hoffman (4) - completed 10/26/16
123. My Brother Michael by Mary Stewart (4) - completed 10/30/16
124. Dry Bones by Craig Johnson (4) - completed 10/31/16

Books read in November:
125. Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh (2) - completed 11/2/16

Books added in August
57. Rising Up from Indian Country by Ann Durkin Keating (free ebook)
58. The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristian Henriquez (free audio download)
59. Him Only: A Servant's Walk with the Lord by Shelia Gaines (gift)
60. Bone Gap by Laura Ruby (free audio download)
61. Classic American Short Stories by Ambrose Bierce et al. (free audio download)
62. A Murder for Max by John Lawrence Reynolds (July ER book)

Books added in September
63. Paths to Happiness by Edward Hoffman (August ER book)

Books added in October
64. Shylock Is My Name by Howard Jacobson (ARC)
65. Gunpowder Girls by Tanya Anderson (September ER book)
66. Modified: GMOs and the Threat to Our Food, Our Land, Our Future by Caitlin Shetterly (purchased)
67. America Alone by Mark Steyn (library book sale)

@PaulCranswick's British Authors Challenge

JANUARY
Barry Unsworth - Land of Marvels - COMPLETED 1/5/16
Susan Hill - The Various Haunts of Men - COMPLETED 1/25/16

FEBRUARY
William Dalrymple - Return of a King: The Battle for Afghanistan, 1839-42 - COMPLETED 2/29/16
Agatha Christie - Crooked House - COMPLETED 2/21/16

MARCH
Thomas Hardy - Far from the Madding Crowd
Ali Smith - How to Be Both - COMPLETED 3/7/16

APRIL
George Eliot - Middlemarch

MAY
Robert Goddard - Into the Blue - COMPLETED 5/23/16
Jane Gardam - Old Filth - COMPLETED 5/30/16

JUNE
Joseph Conrad - The Secret Agent - COMPLETED 6/30/16
Antonia Fraser - Quiet as a Nun - COMPLETED 6/4/16

JULY
Bernice Rubens - Favours - COMPLETED 7/17/16

AUGUST
Diana Wynne Jones - Howl's Moving Castle - COMPLETED 8/13/16
Ian McEwan - Atonement Sweet Tooth - COMPLETED 8/26/16

SEPTEMBER
Doris Lessing - African Laughter
Laurie Lee - Cider with Rosie - COMPLETED 9/16/16

OCTOBER
Kate Atkinson - Behind the Scenes at the Museum - COMPLETED 10/6/16
William Golding

NOVEMBER
Rebecca West - Survivors in Mexico
Len Deighton - Mexico Set

@Smiler69's Canadian Authors Challenge

JANUARY
Kim Thuy - Ru - COMPLETED 1/9/16

FEBRUARY
Helen Humphreys- The Frozen Thames - COMPLETED 2/15/16

MARCH
Anita Rau Badami - The Hero's Walk - COMPLETED 4/10/16

APRIL
Margaret Atwood - The Journals of Susanna Moodie - COMPLETED 4/2/16

MAY
Emily St. John Mandel - Station Eleven - COMPLETED 5/7/16

JUNE
Joseph Boyden - The Orenda - COMPLETED 7/12/16

JULY
L. M. Montgomery - Anne of Green Gables - COMPLETED 8/9/16

AUGUST
Gabrielle Roy - The Tin Flute

SEPTEMBER
Dany Laferriere - The World Is Moving Around Me - COMPLETED 9/27/16

OCTOBER
Lawrence Hill - Someone Knows My Name

NOVEMBER
Michael Ondaatje - Anil's Ghost

@msf59's American Authors Challenge/@weird_O's Pulitzer Prize Challenge

JANUARY
Anne Tyler - Saint Maybe - COMPLETED 1/27/16

FEBRUARY
Richard Russo - Elsewhere - COMPLETED 2/18/16

MARCH
Jane Smiley - A Thousand Acres - COMPLETED 3/14/16

APRIL
Take Hold!: An Anthology of Pulitzer Prize Winning Poems compiled by Lee Bennett Hopkins
A Few Figs from Thistles by Edna St. Vincent Millay - COMPLETED 4/23/16

MAY
Ivan Doig - Work Song - COMPLETED 5/8/16

JUNE
E. Annie Proulx - The Shipping News

JULY
John Steinbeck - Of Mice and Men - COMPLETED 7/3/16

AUGUST
Joyce Carol Oates - The Perfectionist - COMPLETED 8/21/16

SEPTEMBER
John Irving - A Prayer for Owen Meany

OCTOBER
Michael Chabon - The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay

NOVEMBER
Annie Dillard - Pilgrim at Tinker Creek

@Chatterbox's Nonfiction Reading Challenge

JANUARY - Biography/memoir/autobiography
The Upstairs Wife by Rafia Zakaria - COMPLETED 1/15/16
The Richest Woman in America by Janet Wallach - COMPLETED 2/2/16

FEBRUARY - History
Return of a King: The Battle for Afghanistan, 1839-42 by William Dalrymple - COMPLETED 2/29/16

MARCH - Travel
Pilgrimage to the End of the World: The Road to Santiago de Compostela by Conrad Rudolph - COMPLETED 3/8/16
Bury Me Standing: The Gypsies and Their Journey by Isabel Fonseca - COMPLETED 4/4/16

APRIL - Religion
Growing Up Amish by Ira Wagler - COMPLETED 4/2/16
The Bloomsbury Reader on Islam in the West
Pollution and the Death of Man by Francis A. Schaeffer - COMPLETED 4/17/16

MAY - The Arts
The Feud That Sparked the Renaissance by Paul Robert Walker - COMPLETED 6/10/16

JUNE - Natural history/Environment/Health
Two in the Bush by Gerald Durrell - COMPLETED 6/24/16
The Lively Place: Mount Auburn, America's First Garden Cemetery and Its Revolutionary and Literary Residents by Stephen Kendrick - COMPLETED 6/19/16

JULY - Current affairs
The Bloomsbury Reader on Islam in the West edited by Edward E. Curtis - COMPLETED 7/27/16
The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu by Joshua Hammer - COMPLETED 7/24/16

AUGUST - Science, technology, medicine
Lotions, Potions, and Deadly Elixirs by Wayne Bethard - COMPLETED 8/18/16

SEPTEMBER - Philosophy, history of ideas
The Swerve by Stephen Greenblatt - COMPLETED 10/10/16

OCTOBER - Politics/economics, business/commentary
Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner - COMPLETED 10/21/16

NOVEMBER - Essays
The Labyrinth of Solitude by Octavio Paz

My Commonwealth Challenge

The Orchid House by Phyllis Shand Allfrey (Dominica) - completed 4/24/16
When Hoopoes Go to Heaven by Gaile Parkin (Swaziland) - completed 9/4/16
The Strode Venturer by Hammond Innes (Maldives) - completed 9/20/16

I'm in the middle of a multi-year quest to read Agatha Christie's works in publication order. I'll list them here as I finish them.

Crooked House (3.5) - completed 2/21/16

I've been reading books about Jane Austen or books about or inspired by her novels. I'll list them here as I finish them.

Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld (1.5) - completed 4/1/16

I'll be following the Hogarth Shakespeare project that began with Jeanette Winterson's retelling of The Winter's Tale as The Gap of Time. If I haven't already read the play, I'll read it first. Next up is Howard Jacobson's retelling of The Merchant of Venice, Shylock Is My Name.

Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler (The Taming of the Shrew) - completed 3/16/16
Hag-Seed by Margaret Atwood (The Tempest) - completed 9/5/16

The non-stop election coverage made me think of the first president I saw in person. Actually, I think he's still the only president I've seen in person. And "saw" is really stretching it. "Glimpsed" would be more accurate. I believe this photograph is from Richard Nixon's visit to Knoxville in 1970 during a Billy Graham crusade at Neyland Stadium. My parents took us somewhere along the highway between the airport and Knoxville and we watched as the president's limousine passed. My father snapped this photograph. This may be the same presidential visit where someone stuck a sign in my father's hand that said "Heigh-ho Spiro!, although that seems more like a sign for an election year.



ETA: I think I also saw Ronald Reagan's legs at the opening of the 1982 World's Fair. All of the local high school choirs performed jointly at the opening ceremony. President Reagan was there but I was in a section of the choir that didn't have a view of the speakers. I believe I saw his limousine park below the shell at the back of the risers and saw his legs and feet when he got out of the car. But it could have been someone else's legs and feet.

Currently reading:

106. When Hoopoes Go to Heaven by Gaile Parkin
TIOLI #4 - Word from a National Park name in author's name (Park - it's in all of them!)

Baking Cakes in Kigali introduced Tanzanian Angel Tungaraza and the cake baking business she established in Rwanda while her husband worked there as a Special Consultant at the University. In When Hoopoes Go to Heaven, Angel's husband, Pius, has a new consulting assignment in Swaziland. The Tungarazas and the five grandchildren they're raising live on a farm. The story is told mainly through the eyes of ten-year-old Benedict, the oldest of the three boys. As the oldest, he feels the burden of responsibility, especially when his Baba has to travel. Benedict is a sensitive boy with a love for animals and learning. When he's not outdoors watching birds or insects, he's indoors reading the encyclopedia. Benedict seems to have inherited his grandmother's observant and thoughtful nature. Although he doesn't understand the problems that weigh on the adults and older children around him, he's able to help them see things from a different perspective and often find a solution to their problems.

I quickly fell under Benedict's spell. He's not precocious, and his innocence and sweetness are endearing. Writing from the perspective of a 10-year-old allows Parkin to indirectly comment on Swaziland's social problems, such as the status of women and the AIDS epidemic. (According to UNICEF, Swaziland has the world's highest HIV prevalence rate.) Both Baking Cakes in Kigali and When Hoopoes Go to Heaven show Africans and African nations not as the recipients of Western aid, but as agents in solving their social problems. I highly recommend both books.

I'll leave you with a sample of Benedict's wisdom:

Benedict wasn't sure that he liked the idea of a separate Heaven for dogs. Say you loved your dog and then you both got an accident and went to Heaven, but your dog had to go to a separate Heaven. Wouldn't being without your dog feel more like being in Hell? What if the Heaven for dogs was next door, and you had to speak to our dog through a fence and you could never hold him? Eh! God had made people and animals, all creatures great and small, and He had put them all together here on Earth. Why would He put them in separate Heavens afterwards? It didn't make sense.

5 stars

Happy new thread, Carrie!

>15 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie!

Happy new thread, Carrie. I'll be anxious to see what you think of Hag-Seed.

Happy new thread, Carrie. I hope you are enjoying the long weekend.

Happy new thread and happy labor day, Carrie!

Happy new one, Carrie!

>17 BLBera: Thanks Beth! I love it so far. When I'm not reading it, I can't wait to get back to it. Always a good sign!

>18 Familyhistorian: >19 Carmenere: Thanks Meg & Lynda! No long weekend for me, though. I'm working today. :-/

>20 Crazymamie: Thanks Mamie!

Happy new thread, Carrie!

Happy new thread! >13 cbl_tn: Sounds like some great reading.

>22 Trifolia: >23 charl08: Thanks Monica & Charlotte! My monthly plan is usually too ambitious. There are more books I want to read than there is time to read them. Sigh.

I finished Hag-Seed last night, but I haven't had time to review it yet. Maybe tomorrow.

Morning, Carrie!

>26 Crazymamie: Evening, Mamie!

107. Hag-Seed by Margaret Atwood
TIOLI #14 - Title & author's name contain double vowels

Twelve years after Felix Phillips was relieved of his role as Artistic Director of the Makeshiweg Festival, he has an opportunity for revenge. Felix is teaching theater to medium security prison inmates. This year they'll be producing Shakespeare's Tempest, the same play that Felix was preparing for the Makeshiweg Festival a dozen years ago. Felix's life uncannily mirrors the plot of The Tempest.

Margaret Atwood's modern retelling of The Tempest doesn't feel constrained by Shakespeare's plot. It's imaginative and suspenseful, with just a touch of the supernatural that leaves readers wondering if it's real or imagined. Readers unfamiliar with Shakespeare's original will learn the basic plot along with the Fletcher Correctional Players. The epilogue provides a summary of the play. Atwood's skill as a literary critic infuses the story as Felix and the cast think about and discuss the characters and their motives, make staging decisions, and adapt the script for their audience and setting. This novel will please both Atwood fans and Shakespeare fans. Enthusiastically recommended.

This review is based on an electronic advance reading copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

4.5 stars

>28 cbl_tn: Glad you think that one is a winner. I'll begin it tonight or tomorrow. I'm so distracted by Mr B that I don't know how focused I would be on a book.

Happy new thread, Carrie! Hello to cutie Adrian!

>28 cbl_tn: Looking forward to this being published in the UK. Sounds excellent.

>12 cbl_tn: That's actually an interesting idea. Which presidents have you met?

I went to a post presidency book signing by Jimmy Carter. That evening could be its own book, or at least its own Kindle Single. Bookstore gave me a number for the line but ran out of books etc.

I also saw the first George Bush pre presidency when he was running for president in 1980. He gave a talk and answered questions at my college.

I've never met a sitting president though.

>29 thornton37814: I hope Mr. B is back to normal this evening!

>30 tymfos: Hi Terri! Adrian would lick you if he could It's how he says hello! :-)

>31 charl08: I don't think it's easy to rewrite a classic. This one will be hard to top in the series.

>32 lindapanzo: Hi Linda! As far as I know, I've only seen that glimpse of Nixon and maybe Reagan's legs and feet in person. I've seen governors in person. I heard our current governor, Bill Haslam, speak at a local high school graduation when he was mayor of Knoxville. Lamar Alexander visited my high school when I was a junior or senior. I saw Donald Sundquist at Neyland Stadium during the celebration for the Vols 1998 national championship.

During the four years I lived in England, I saw the Queen, Prince Charles, and Diana several times. I went to the State Opening of Parliament a couple of times, and I went to the Trooping the Colour. (By "went", I mean that I was among the crowd that lined the streets along the route the Queen traveled from the palace to the event, and not that I was in the same room - or even the same building! - as the Queen.)

This has been one of those days. I had a late afternoon presentation and ended up getting home an hour later than usual. Poor Adrian had an accident in his crate that I had to clean up when I got home. As I was putting the linens from his crate in the washer, I dropped a gallon jug of vinegar on my big toe. Fortunately it was a glancing blow so it didn't break and I don't think I'm in danger of losing the nail. I'd love to curl up with a book, but I'm too frazzled to concentrate. Maybe a movie will work better.

>33 cbl_tn: Mr B is much better. Of course, all three of them decided to spend the evening sleeping so they'll probably be wild all night.

>34 cbl_tn: Ouch! I've been reading Hag-Seed this evening -- or at least part of it.

I grew up in Abilene, Kansas, so I saw Dwight D. Eisenhower numerous times while growing up. He was first elected when I was 3, and I remember a visit where he was on the balcony of the Sunflower Hotel and I was on the street in the crowd on my dad's shoulders. I was within 7 feet of him as he walked up the sidewalk to the Eisenhower Presidential Library when it was dedicated in 1963, and Nixon attended that as a civilian. My school was right across the street from the Eisenhower Center and we all stood on the steps and waved flags as all the dignitaries drove by. Then we were released and headed over to the grounds to see everything we could. I donated my Brownie snapshots to the Library a few years ago. Nixon returned as President for Ike's burial in 1969.

I also touched Bobby Kennedy's hand at a rally he gave at Allen Field House when I was at KU.

I've requested Hag-seed for the third time from Early Reviewers.

I attended the dedication of the Bush Library here in Dallas, so got to see and hear from all of the living Presidents. That was pretty awesome. Not quite the same thing, but I stood along Constitution Avenue during Reagan's funeral cortege to the Capitol. They transferred the casket from a hearse to the caisson near the Ellipse, and it was followed by a riderless horse and accompanied by muffled drums. It was a pretty moving experience and would have been no matter the President.

Happy new(ish) thread, Carrie! I thought I'd left a comment, but I must have been reading threads on the bus :-) Two BBs for me so far - the Gaile Parkin series, which the library has as ebooks (yay) and Hag-seed, although actually I have reserved that already. But now I'm looking forward to it even more.

I hope your poor toe is OK. I dropped a full (large) bottle of beer on mine when I was about 16 (I was taking it to my father and a couple of others at a picnic, not drinking it myself) and lost the nail, but no break. Still horrible though.

>35 thornton37814: I hope the cats let you get some sleep last night!

>36 ronincats: It sounds like you were in the right place at the right time! I hope the 3rd time is the charm for Hag-Seed. This is the 3rd or 4th time that I've requested Shylock Is My Name. It's the only Hogarth Shakespeare I haven't read yet, and my public library hasn't purchased a copy. Yet.

>37 katiekrug: I've watched most of the presidential funerals on TV. I've never been close enough to attend one in person. I remember watching Ford's funeral. Six months later, I was at a conference in Grand Rapids and the opening reception was at the Gerald Ford Museum where he was buried.

>38 susanj67: I hope you'll like Hag-Seed and the Parkin books! I'm glad your toe fully recovered. Mine feels a lot better this morning. I'll have to make sure I wear shoes today that won't put a lot of pressure on that toe.

Carrie - Great comments on Hag-Seed; it's my favorite so far. You could skip Shylock Is My Name - unless you really, really want to read a lot about circumcision.

Happy new thread, Carrie!

>40 BLBera: I'll probably read it anyway, but thanks for the warning!

>41 kidzdoc: Thanks Darryl!

Busy morning ahead. I'm taking Adrian to the vet for his annual shots and checkup. Then I have a hair appointment. I arranged a play date at Stella's for Adrian so that I won't be leaving him home alone right after his shots. He's never had a reaction to them before, but there's no sense taking chances if I don't have to!

Adrian passed his physical with flying colors! He didn't complain too much about the shots, either. He's such a sweet boy.

Hmmm, I may have to look into Hag-seed but I will probably read The Tempest first.
Have a great weekend!

>43 cbl_tn: Carrie, that's good news! I hope he enjoys his play-date with Stella, and you enjoy the hairdressers :-)

>44 Carmenere: I think you might enjoy Hag-Seed more if you've read The Tempest. I listened to an audio production by L.A. Theatre Works (I think) last year. I had forgotten some of the details, but I remembered enough.

>45 susanj67: A good time was had by all. Stella would have liked to come home with us. She's spending the night later this week when her "parents" are going out of town overnight.

>12 cbl_tn: lol. That's two (1.5?) more presidential parts than I have seen!

>47 LovingLit: Maybe one of these days I'll assemble enough parts to equal a whole president! ;-)

108. Objects of Our Affection by Lisa Tracy

The author of this book, Lisa Tracy, has a fascinating lineage. On both sides of her family, she descends from several generations of career military men who rubbed shoulders with the likes of Theodore Roosevelt and Douglas MacArthur. One of her ancestors was the first Surgeon General of the US Navy and had ships named after him. And this is a book about their furniture.

I suppose it shouldn't be surprising that Tracy would focus on her family's furniture and household goods since she's the former Home & Design editor of The Philadelphia Inquirer. It's not the best place to look for what it seems like she was looking for – an understanding of the challenges faced by earlier generations of her family, the reasons behind the choices they made, how those choices shaped their lives and the lives of future generations, and how their personalities still echo in her own life.

Tracy and I are not kindred spirits, as this passage illustrates:

I'm poking around my living room, looking for something to pass the time, when my eyes finally fall upon the sandalwood keepsake box that belonged to {her grandmother} Jeanne. I open it out of boredom as much as curiosity. One more family item to process, this box that lay unexamined all these years, and which I brought back with me finally, when we packed Mother's house. In the end I took it home with me just because it was fairly small—a little bigger than a shoebox—and I was afraid it would get lost in the shuffle.

To my surprise, I find the box is packed to the lid with letters, carefully bundled and tied with string or ribbon.

She had this box for years without opening it once?! I can't imagine ever doing that. I would be more interested in the contents of the box than in the box itself. Tracy admits to launching her search through the family documents with a view to providing provenance for the furniture and collectibles she and her sister were planning to sell at auction.

Genealogical research might have given Tracy more satisfactory answers than she gathered from the stories and memories attached to the family heirlooms. As meaningful as they can be, heirlooms can only ever tell part of a family's story.

2.5 stars

>46 cbl_tn: I agree that knowing enough of the plot of The Tempest helps. I read it years ago and had debated re-reading it before starting the Atwood, but I found I knew enough about it.

Oh! How exciting that you have seen the Queen and the trooping of the colour. I am a big fan of the British Royal family. Oh and you saw Diana!I missed seeing her when she visited Vancouver in 1986, as I had a fairly young baby and was working full time. Glad to hear that Adrian's checkup and shots went well. I always worry a bit when Poppy has her shots as well. Usually she seems a little weary for a day or so. No big deal, just a little tired.

>12 cbl_tn: lol. I've never seen a president in real life. But I've seen the Dalai Lama. :)

>50 thornton37814: I don't think it will matter how long ago someone has read The Tempest. Hag-Seed is written in a way that will remind readers of the details they've forgotten.

>51 vancouverdeb: I had several opportunities to see Diana in person. And William and Harry when they were very young boys. I'm glad I was able to do that!

>52 The_Hibernator: I don't know many people who can say they've seen the Dalai Lama in person!

I made the mistake of not reading The Merchant of Venice before I read Shylock is My Name which I had to abandon.
Have a lovely Sunday!

>54 Carmenere: I've read The Merchant of Venice, but I don't remember much if anything about circumcision coming up in that one. The local public library still hasn't purchased Shylock Is My Name, and it's not a book I want to buy myself. The library has an online suggestion form so I've submitted it there. I won't be reading it unless I get an ARC or the library buys it or I order it via interlibrary loan. It has to be out for a year before I can place an ILL request through the public library.

Morning, Carrie! All caught up with you and happy to hear that Adrian has passed his physical and done well with his shots. Whoot! I always get so nervous since we have two pets that have had bad reactions to the immunizations.

I have Shylock is My Name - Lynda sent me her ARC copy after she finished with it. I have not read it yet, but will do so soonish, and I would be happy to send it along to you if you PM me your address.

Happy Sunday to you!

>53 cbl_tn: He came to Minneapolis and gave a talk in the Metrodome.

Hi Carrie!
>43 cbl_tn: Yea for Adrian!
And thanks for the review of Hag-Seed. I'll need to get hold of that one.

>49 cbl_tn: - Too bad about Objects of Our Affection. It looks like a missed opportunity. And I agree, although furniture and objects can create a certain atmosphere, it cannot tell the whole story. I'm always on the lookout for good literary non-fiction, but after reading your comments, I'll pass this one.
I hope you're enjoying your weekend, Carrie !

Once during the Reagan administration, my mom and I stayed at a hotel where then-Vice President Bush was going to address some kind of meeting or gathering. There were Secret Service all over the place ("those men in suits," my mom called them) and agents on the rooftops of adjacent buildings. Very interesting. Alas, we caught not one glimpse of Mr. Bush. They apperently had one elevator out of service for the general public, devoted to the Veep and his people.

>56 Crazymamie: Adrian has been his usual happy go lucky self today, so no nasty side-effects from the vaccinations. Yay! Thanks for the offer of Shylock. I'll pm you with my mailing address. I still have a chance to snag a copy from this month's ER offerings. I think Lori has also requested it, so if she wins a copy and I don't I would be able to get her copy when she's finished.

>57 The_Hibernator: I don't think the Dalai Lama has ever been to Knoxville, but I did find a photo of him with our former mayor, Victor Ashe. It was taken in DC.

>58 mstrust: I don't think you'll regret reading Hag-Seed!

>59 Trifolia: I feel incredibly fortunate to have the letters, diaries, and photographs that I do. One book that I would recommend instead is A Secret Gift: How One Man's Kindness--And a Trove of Letters--Revealed the Hidden History of the Great Depression.

>60 tymfos: That's interesting! Too bad you didn't get a glimpse of him while you were so close.

Morning, Carrie! I started it yesterday, and it's small, so I should finish it quickly. Not nearly as charming as Vinegar Girl. Ha!

>62 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie! I'm not expecting to like it as well as any of the other three I've read in the series. I loved Vinegar Girl, and it's not even my favorite in the series. Hag-Seed has assumed the top spot. I really liked The Gap of Time, too.

I came home to an unpleasant development. There's a sign at the end of my dead-end road that it will be closed for paving 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. tomorrow through ?, weather permitting. I always come home at lunchtime to take Adrian out and to eat, since it's easier to eat at home because of my food allergies. My house may not be accessible even on foot because the road's shoulder is so narrow. The friends I'd normally leave him with are out of town camping. I do have a neighbor who has offered to let me leave Adrian on his porch tomorrow. He lives close enough to the end of the road that his house will be accessible by walking through lawns. I'm supposed to have Stella overnight on Thursday. I hope the paving is done by then.

>64 cbl_tn: - Hi Carrie, I hope the road is paved by now! Have a lovely weekend!

>65 Trifolia: Hi Monica! The paving was finished when I arrived home from work on Wednesday. Just in time, because I got Stella first thing yesterday morning. Her "Bubba" is picking her up later this evening. Tuesday Adrian started out on my neighbor's porch. The family who lived there previously had a dog, and the porch door has a plastic flap big enough for a lab. Even though Adrian was in a crate, I kept worrying about the min pin from across the street getting through the plastic covering in the door and finding a way to attack Adrian in his crate. A co-worker talked me into retrieving Adrian and leaving him in the vacant office next to mine. I did that, and he was good as gold! I was able to leave him with Stella's family on Wednesday.

It's been a busy week, and I've been too tired to read for long in the evenings. I've almost finished Cider with Rosie, and I hope to read The Strode Venturer over the weekend. I've stalled on the audio of The Cat's Table. Michael Ondaatje is reading his own work. A professional narrator would have been a much better choice for this novel.

Glad the paving incident turned out ok! That must have been stressful and frustrating. All's well that ends well though! Glad to see that you'll be joining on the Bible group read next year. I'm looking forward to it.

>67 The_Hibernator: Definitely stressful. I'm happy that Friday is here! And thanks for organizing the Bible group read. I've really enjoyed it every time I've done it, and I'm past due for another cover to cover reading.

109. The Illustrated Cider with Rosie by Laurie Lee
TIOLI #8 - Cover has me seeing red

The village...was like a deep-running cave still linked to its antic past, a cave whose shadows were cluttered by spirits and by laws still vaguely ancestral. This cave that we inhabited looked backwards through chambers that led to our ghostly beginnings; and had not, as yet, been tidied up, or scrubbed clean by electric light, or suburbanized by a Victorian church or papered by cinema screens.

It was something we just had time to inherit, to inherit and dimly know – the blood and beliefs of generations who had been in the valley since the Stone Age. That continuous contact has at last been broken, the deeper caves sealed off forever. But arriving, as I did, at the end of that age, I caught whiffs of something old as the glaciers.

In this memoir, Laurie Lee recalls with nostalgia his childhood in a Gloucestershire village from the tail end of the First World War into the 1920s. Lee gives the impression that he was compelled to preserve his memories because his was the last generation to experience village life in the pattern it had followed for centuries. The technological advances following World War I irrevocably changed this pattern.

The oversized illustrated edition wasn't the read I expected it to be. The photographs are too small to easily make out details, and many of the reproductions of paintings are blurry. The book is too large to hold comfortably, so I could only read a chapter or two at a time. The book just didn't flow for me. I wouldn't recommend the illustrated edition to other first-time readers.

3 stars

Happy Friday, Carrie. Glad the road is done. Have a nice weekend.

Stopping by to say hi, Carrie. Poppy is still asleep, like a good girl :) But I know she says hi. We have had some new neighbours move in behind us, and Poppy has not quite decided whether she can accept the new dog , named " Ace" who sometimes wanders in his fenced back yard. Poppy barks at him and we are trying to acquaint Poppy with Ace . Gradually she is diminishing her " alarm" barking when she spies or hears Ace in his backyard. She is so silly! She got used to the previous two dogs that lived behind us, but it took her some time. Next door is a new little puppy named Cookie, and that is a bit of a challenge for Poppy too. ;-)

>71 vancouverdeb: Good morning! It sounds like it takes Poppy a while to adapt to change. I can identify with that! Adrian only barks at other dogs when he's inside and they're outside. He's very outgoing and he wants to make friends with anything that moves and breathes.

Good thing that the paving episode turned out better than anticipated, Carrie. I hope you are having a good weekend.

>49 cbl_tn: I think that I would have a similar reaction to Objects of Our Affection but then we are more attuned to history through people and their stories. It seems like the writer, especially given her background, is more interested in what her family left behind. It is kind of like the "archaeologists" who go looking for treasure and those who go looking for the stories behind the artefacts that they find.

All caught up with you, Carrie. SO glad that the paving is finished. I think you were smart to retrieve Adrian from the neighbor's porch - that way you knew he was safe and you didn't have to worry. Probably less stressful for Adrian, too.

>73 Familyhistorian: That's a good analogy!

>74 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie! It should be quite a while before we have to endure repaving again. I've lived here for nearly 13 years and this is the first time it's been repaved since I've been here. It's been patched, but not completely repaved.

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I'm reading The Strode Venturer this evening and I just ran across a glaring error. The There's a man in the book who is just about to turn 30. There was a "gap of three years" between this man and his sister, and the inference is that the sister is 3 years younger, which would make her 26 or 27. Then she says she was see when her parents separated and her brother was 12. Finally, she refers to something that took place in 1950 and says that she had just got married then. The action seems to be taking place in 1961, and if she's 26 or 27 in 1961, she would have been 15 or 16 in 1950 when she got married. I hate it when authors are careless with their timelines.

Adrian and I participated in the Humane Society's 5K run/walk today. Last year it was scorching hot. Today we walked the whole distance in the rain. I pushed Adrian in his stroller, but he still got soaked, and he hates getting wet. Stella and her "mom" walked with us, and Stella's "dad" ran. My friend and I finished in just at 1 hour. We were pleased with that, particularly since we were both pushing dogs in strollers. We got an extra workout that way. I came home soaked, so I've started laundry and also a pot of chicken and rice soup.

Morning, Carrie! I think I would rather have the rain that the scorching hot, but Adrian might disagree. Glad you managed it.

>75 cbl_tn: I loved the Hammond Innes books as a boy, Carrie, but they haven't aged particularly well have they?
The Booker shortlisted Eileen which was set in the early 1960s irritated me by having the jocks in a bar refer to the strength and toughness of Joe Frazier who was anything but a household name at the time. Careless.

>77 Crazymamie: I commented as we were walking yesterday that I preferred the rain to the 90+ degree temperatures! I think Adrian has forgiven me for keeping him out in the rain (which he thinks is a 4-letter word - and he's right!).

>78 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul! This is my first Hammond Innes. I gravitate toward historical mysteries and thrillers, so this isn't much different than what I'm used to reading. I'm finding some of the attitudes toward women and children dated, though.

I'm not a boxing fan, and I tend to confuse Joe Frazier and Joe Louis. Maybe the author did that, too? But even so, the editor should have caught this.

110. The Strode Venturer by Hammond Innes
TIOLI #8 - Cover has me seeing red

March, 1963. Looking back through my diary, as I begin this account of the strange means by which the prosperity of the company I now serve was founded, I find it difficult to realize that there was a time when I had never been to the Maldives, had scarcely ever heard of Addu Atoll. The island we now call Ran-a-Maari had only recently been born the night I flew into London from Singapore.

So begins this mid-20th century naval/boardroom adventure. Commander Geoffrey Bailey of the Royal Navy is at a crossroads in his life, poised to retire from his commission and return to England. A series of events sweeps him into the affairs of Strode Orient, the company that had taken over his father's shipping line three decades earlier. He can secure a position in the company by locating the wayward Strode brother whom he met several years earlier overseas. His search takes him to the Maldives, where he finds Peter Strode involved in a secret project with the citizens of Addu Atoll. Bailey follows Peter Strode into a dangerous, uncharted region of the Indian Ocean where he will discover the secret that Strode is so closely guarding. Bailey must also stand his ground against an opposing faction in the London boardroom of the Strode corporation. This proves to be nearly as dangerous as his ocean adventure.

This thriller is representative of the postcolonial era that saw the fragmentation of the former British empire into independent states. I'm not a frequent science fiction reader/viewer, but I did watch Star Trek regularly as a child. The section of the book in uncharted waters has a similar feel to a Star Trek episode, with shore parties stranded and in need of rescue. A transporter would have come in handy. Recommended for readers who enjoy vintage thrillers.

4 stars

111. The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje
TIOLI #9 - Title describes an unlikely possession

Since this is a somewhat autobiographical novel, I suppose it's fitting for the author to narrate the audio version. However, I'd place Michael Ondaatje among those authors who should never narrate their own books. His monotone delivery, his tendency to slur his words, the near absence of plot, and the non-chronological construction made this a difficult audio read. The novel's structure reminded me of Conrad's The Secret Agent. Like Conrad's book, there are elements of a good crime novel here, but the digressions dissipate narrative tension before it has a chance to build. A better reader might have been able to make something out of this. I'll give Ondaatje at least one more chance before I give up on him.

2.5 stars

Next up in audio: A Dangerous Place by Jacqueline Winspear

>81 cbl_tn: That does not sound good. Argh.

I always think of him as the author of The English Patient. I've still never read anything by him though.

>82 lindapanzo: I probably should have abandoned it, but once I got past a certain point, it seemed like I'd already invested enough time that I ought to finish it.

>81 cbl_tn: Seems like I need to remove that one from my TBR list. It was probably added because of the word "cat" in the title anyway. LOL

Morning, Carrie! I have only read one book by Ondaatje - The English Patient, and I loved that one.

>81 cbl_tn: What a shame he wasn't up to much as a narrator - I liked this one.

>84 thornton37814: No cats anywhere in this one that I can remember. There were dogs on board the ship, though.

>85 Crazymamie: I am planning on Anil's Ghost for the CAC in November so he'll get another chance.

>86 charl08: I'm not sure that it's the kind of book that works well in audio format. Maybe when I've had time to get over this experience I'll take a look at a print (or ebook) version.

I'm glad the paving is over, and worked out OK for you!

>87 cbl_tn: So there is no "truth in labeling"? I'm glad I removed it from the list then. ;-)

Morning, Carrie!

>88 tymfos: Thanks Terri! It added stress to an already busy week.

>89 thornton37814: No truth in labeling here. Although as explained in the book, the cat's table is the polar opposite of the captain's table. It's where the lowest status passengers sit.

>90 Crazymamie: Evening, Mamie! I started to reply to posts when I was home for lunch, but I was distracted when Adrian fell off the back of the sofa. (Don't worry - he's OK!)

I've only read The Cat's Table and feeling generous, gave it 3. 5 stars. I'm afraid I'm not much of a fan of Michael Ondaatje. Can I admit I did not even enjoy The English Patient in cinema format? Poppy and are off for a foray in the rain. Oh, fall has arrived.

>89 thornton37814: Well, Sherlock, Mr. B, and Barney are offended! They said it is really the opposite. That's where the highest class ones should sit.

>92 vancouverdeb: Hmm. I still intend to try another Ondaatje in a couple of months when he's one of the featured authors in the Canadian Authors Challenge. And I'm very much looking forward to fall. We're still having 90F temperatures here. Ugh!

>93 thornton37814: You told them?! I hope you didn't mention my name as the bearer of bad news!

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I just finished the dishes and couldn't find my rings. I usually put my watch and rings in my pocket while I wash the dishes. The watch was there, the rings were not. I had thrown away trash before starting the dishes, and I was afraid I had accidentally thrown the rings away with the trash. Fortunately today was trash day so I hadn't accumulated much since this morning. I emptied the bag on some newspapers and sure enough, there were my rings. That's the silliest thing I've done in a while.

Carrie, I did that with my Fitbit recently. Thank goodness you found the rings, and there wasn't too much rubbish to go through.

>95 susanj67: Hi Susan! I'm glad you found your Fitbit! I kept better track of my rings today.

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It's been a good day all around here. Tennessee just beat Florida for the first time in I don't know how many years. They were down 21-3 at halftime, and came back to win 38-28. I cleaned my stove, oven, and range hood during the first half. It was more interesting than the game at that point. And I received a notice that I was approved for an electronic ARC of Do Not Say We Have Nothing. I'm looking forward to that one!

I saw part of the second half of the Tennessee-Florida game. Tennessee looked great! They've got a tough few games ahead of them.

>97 porch_reader: You would have thought differently if you'd caught part of the first half! Georgia away will be a tough match, as will Alabama at home.

112. The Reluctant Detective by Martha Ockley
TIOLI #7 - Series book by an author I've never read before

Reverend Faith Morgan is being considered for a new assignment near her hometown of Winchester. On her first Sunday in the area, she visits the service at St. James' of Little Worthy, where she had been an occasional visitor during her childhood. Faith and the rest of the congregants are shocked when the incumbent drops dead during the celebration of the Eucharist. As a former police officer, Faith is the first to realize the signs that this wasn't a natural death. The police investigation puts Faith back into close contact with D.I. Ben Shorter, her live-in boyfriend during her days in the police force. The issue that drove them apart is still unresolved, and this causes some awkward moments as they each carry out their current duties arising from the murder.

This first-in-series mystery shows promise. The mystery plot is better than many, with plenty of suspects and red herrings. Even though I caught the clues that pointed to the motive for the murder, I wasn't sure of the murderer's identity until the very last minute since the circumstances affected several characters. On the other hand, the secondary characters weren't developed as well as in other series debuts, where the mystery plot often takes a back seat to the development of the characters and setting. This must be difficult to get just right. The book combines elements of cozy/village mysteries, police procedurals, romance, and Christian fiction, and may appeal to a broad readership as a result.

3.5 stars

Adrian just received an e-birthday card from his vet. I love his vet's office!

Happy Birthday to Adrian! Poppy turns 3 tomorrow - September 26. Sadly I know our vet office will not be sending us a birthday card for Poppy, but our dog walker brings Poppy a big bag of goodies at Christmas , which is lovely! :) Have fun with Do Not Say We Have Nothing. I read it earlier this month, and reviewed it . She is a Canadian writer and shortlisted for this years Man Booker list and on this years Canadian Giller Prize Longlist ( short list yet to be announced) . As a good Canadian, I had to read her book fairly quickly! :)

>101 vancouverdeb: I hope Poppy had a good birthday today! Was the weather nice for her walk?

Still looking forward to Do Not Say We Have Nothing. I'll get to it fairly soon next month. I need to read Behind the Scenes at the Museum first because it will expire sooner!

113. The World Is Moving Around Me by Dany Laferriere
TIOLI #13 - Book about taking a trip

Haiti's misfortune was not what moved the world: it was the way the Haitian people stood up to misfortune. We gazed with wonder as the disaster revealed a nation whose rotten institutions prevent it from coming into its own. When those institutions disappeared from the landscape, even for a moment, we discovered a proud yet modest people through the clouds of dust.

Writer Dany Laferrière was visiting his home country when the earthquake struck on January 12, 2010. He and a friend were waiting for a meal at the restaurant in a Port-au-Prince hotel. Laferrière's immediate family survived the earthquake, and he was able to return to his home in Montreal a couple of days later with assistance from the Canadian embassy. He was soon back in Haiti for the funeral of an aunt who died not long after the earthquake.

This memoir isn't a fully-fleshed narrative account of the earthquake. It's a series of vignettes that often read like journal entries. Some themes emerge from the collection, including Laferrière's opinions about Haitian culture, religion, and humanitarian assistance and the aid workers who flocked to Haiti almost before the ground stopped shaking.

3.5 stars

Nice review of The World Is Moving Around Me, Carrie. I only gave it 3 stars, as I thought it was a disappointing and overly insular read.

>104 kidzdoc: Hi Darryl! The World Is Moving Around Me felt unfinished/incomplete to me. I wonder if he wrote it too soon after the event? The French edition was published in 2011, just a year after the earthquake. He's gathered his initial impressions about the earthquake and its effects, but I don't think he was sure about what he wanted to accomplish with them.

Morning, Carrie!

>81 cbl_tn: - Too bad you did not like The cat's table very much. I remember I liked it and gave it 4 stars. I don't know if I would have liked it as an audiobook though. Imo, the narrator's voice in audiobooks is often too compelling. I prefer reading to listening anyway.

So cool that Adrian's vet sent birthday-wishes.

>106 Crazymamie: Afternoon, Mamie!

>107 Trifolia: I enjoy listening to audiobooks, but some books just don't work well in that format!

Yesterday I drove to a conference about an hour and a half from home. After I arrived, the local news stations started running stories about recent random shootings on the interstate along a stretch I had driven through earlier in the day. I have to drive home tomorrow and I'll have to decide whether to risk the interstate through thT stretch or take an alternate, longer route home. All three incidents reported in the media haopened at night and in the opposite direction of travel than I'll be heading tomorrow.

>109 cbl_tn: - That sounds scary, Carrie! I wish you a safe trip home.

>110 Trifolia: Thanks Monica! I made it home this afternoon, and I have to say I was relieved to get past the stretch of interstate where the random shootings have occurred. So far the shootings have all been at night so I wasn't too worried, but I couldn't help thinking about it during that stretch of road.

I read about the interstate shootings in east Tennessee on the WSB TV website yesterday, Carrie. I hope that the perpetrator is caught before anyone gets hurt.

>112 kidzdoc: Thanks Darryl. This is very close to where Lori lives.

>69 cbl_tn: aw, shame you didn't gel with the illustrated Cider with Rosie. I enjoyed reading it. (the same edition)
I read mine when I was laid up with a bung foot, so had to sit up in a chair with it up. The available lap made reading it much easier than my normal reading position, on my side, in bed.

>103 cbl_tn: wow, that sounds full on. Not sure if I would warm to the vignette style, I think I would prefer a fully fledged narrative.

Oh how scary having to brave random shootings! I don't know what I would have done - if I'd have found an alternate route or not. But that just adds so much commuting time!

*waving hello*

>114 LovingLit: Hi Megan! I may see if the film version of Cider with Rosie works better for me.

>115 The_Hibernator: Hi Rachel! All of the incidents have happened at night. I traveled through that section of Interstate around noon yesterday so I decided not to take an alternate route. I found out this morning that there was another shooting incident Thursday night after I had driven through there earlier in the day. It's unsettling.

>116 katiekrug: *waving back at Katie*

I was overly ambitious last month and didn't finish my planned reads. My equally ambitious October list includes:

Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson (currently reading)
Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien
Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus and Answering Jihad by Nabeel Qureshi (reviewing for publication)
His Bloody Project by Graeme Macrae Burnet
How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster
My Brother Michael by Mary Stewart
Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill

Audiobooks:
Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt
Dry Bones by Craig Johnson

In progress books I still need to finish:
Middlemarch by George Eliot
The Swerve by Stephen Greenblatt
A Dangerous Place by Jacqueline Winspear (current audio "read")

Hi Carrie - I can't wait to see what you think about Behind the Scenes at the Museum; it's been sitting on my desk for a long time.

Oh I loved Behind the scenes at the Museum. I read it nearly twenty years ago though, so not sure if I would still love it as much!

Jeff has forbidden me to drive on I-81 for awhile. He says there's no guarantee the nut case won't open fire during the day time. This means I'll have to go to Dandridge to get on I-40 and go that way to North Carolina instead of up through Virginia. Although I could take 11-E through Bulls Gap and get on at exit 23 which is past where the shootings have occurred, there's no guarantee the perp won't move further up. (Of course, there's no guarantee he won't switch to I-40 either.) It's a bit unsettling to have it happen so close to home.

>119 BLBera: >120 charl08: I love Behind the Scenes at the Museum so far! I'd say it's aged well. It's hard to believe it was Atkinson's first novel.

>121 thornton37814: I haven't heard of any new incidents this week. I wish they would catch this person!

September Recap

Best of the month: When Hoopoes Go to Heaven by Gaile Parkin
Worst of the month: The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje

Physical books owned: 2
Physical books borrowed: 4
Ebooks borrowed: 1
Audiobooks borrowed: 1
ARCs: 1

I really loved Someone Knows My Name, Carrie! I hope you do too. I enjoyed Do Not Say We Have Nothing too, but Someone Knows My Name was favourite read for me. Poppy says hi to Adrian!

>124 vancouverdeb: I've wanted to read Someone Knows My Name for ages and I just haven't managed to fit it in. I hope I get to it. Reading has been going slow since school started.

Adrian sends his regards to Poppy. He has an appointment with the groomer on Saturday. I'll try to post an "after" photo.

114. Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson
TIOLI #10 - Title contains at least 3 different vowels

We live in a place called 'Above the Shop' which is not a strictly accurate description as both the kitchen and dining-room are on the same level as the Shop itself and the topography also includes the satellite area of the Back Yard. The Shop (a pet shop) is in one of the ancient streets that cower beneath the looming dominance of York Minster. In this street lived the first printers and the stained-glass craftsmen that filled the windows of the city with coloured light. The Ninth Legion Hispana that conquered the north marched up and down our street, the via praetoria of their great fort, before they disappeared into thin air. Guy Fawkes was born here, Dick Turpin was hung a few streets away and Robinson Crusoe, that other great hero, is also a native son of this city. Who is to say which of these is real and which a fiction?

Ruby Lennox narrates her life story beginning with her conception in 1951. Each chapter provides a window to another year in Ruby's life. Ruby defines herself in relationship to her mother, her older sisters, her father, and her extended family of aunts, uncles, and cousins. Each chapter concludes with a footnote that anchors Ruby to her family's past in the stories of her grandmother Nell's and her mother Bunty's youths.

Up to now, my only experience with Kate Atkinson has been the Jackson Brodie novels. I liked Case Histories and loved the rest. I picked up her first novel with some trepidation. Would it live up to the Jackson Brodie novels? I'm happy to say that it exceeded my high expectations. Atkinson strikes a perfect balance between strong characters, vivid settings, and narrative pace in a distinctive voice. As she does in the Jackson Brodie novels, Atkinson follows chains of small events that propel characters toward major events that will change the course of her characters' lives. Atkinson is well on her way to becoming my favorite currently active author.

5 stars

Morning, Carrie! That's a lovely review of Behind the Scenes at the Museum - if you posted it, I will thumb. I have that one in the stacks, so I'm looking forward to it even more.

Great review of Behind the Scenes at the Museum, Carrie. I've loved every Atkinson I've read, and your comments give me high expectations for this one. I hope to get to it this year.

>127 Crazymamie: >128 BLBera: Thanks! If you've enjoyed Atkinson's other books, I think you'll like this one, too. It reminds me of another book (not one of Atkinson's), but I can't say which one without giving away a spoiler.

Ooh great review of Behind the Scenes of the Museum . Like you, I enjoyed the Jackson Brodie series , as well as Life After Life by Kate Atkinson. You've convinced me to search search for Behind the Scenes at the Museum. Thumbed your review.

Poppy is also off to the groomer next Wednesday. Her hair tangles very easily and she is not keen on having it brushed, so off for a bit of trim. Poppy will actually bite the brush , she is so unhappy :) She is a high maintenance lady. Best wishes to you and Adrian as you go to your appointments.

We live in a townhouse and Poppy has a couple of new neighbours - a little darling bark-y toy poodle named Cookie next door , as well as a quiet German Shepherd kitty corner to us. Poppy finds the " barky poodle to be a bit of a challenge, but she is getting used to it, and not barking in reply :) Oh the challenges of living in a townhouse! :)

Carrie, you are making me want to move Behind the Scenes at the Museum closer to the top of the Read Soon! pile :)

>126 cbl_tn: So pleased to see that Kate Atkinson has gone down so well. She is a favourite of mine too.

Have a splendid weekend, Carrie.

>130 vancouverdeb: I hope you like Behind the Scenes at the Museum! Poppy may enjoy having a friend once she gets used to her. It sounds like she's making progress already!

>131 katiekrug: Hi Katie! I hope you enjoy the Atkinson!

>132 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul! I woukd eventually have read Behind the Scenes at the Museum, but I'm so glas that the BAC gave me occasion to read it now.

Great to read all the enthusiasm for Behind the Scenes at the Museum here.

>135 charl08: Isn't it?! Now I need to find time to squeeze in Life after Life.

Here for the pictures of the new " do's :)

>137 vancouverdeb: I didn't get a photo of both of us together, but I did get a couple of Adrian - one with his Tennessee scarf from the groomers and one with the Halloween costume I bought for him this morning.

I love the Halloween costume, Carrie. That is very creative.

Way to go on those challenges, Carrie! I have fallen off the bandwagon(s) it seems. I loved your review of Kate Atkinson's first book. I have one of her oldies, Human Croquet, that I am planning on reading this month. I wish she would do some more Jackson Brodie books.

Adrian seems quite proud of himself decked out for Halloween. Very cute!

Nice review of Behind the Scenes at the Museum, Carrie! I loved Life After Life and I enjoyed its sequel A God in Ruins only slightly less so, so I'll add this book to my wish list.

Kate Atkinson is a recent addition to my list of favorite contemporary authors, and I anticipate that Sarah Moss will follow very shortly.

>126 cbl_tn: - I'll have to add Behind the Scenes at the Museum. I loved her other books as well. The Jackson Brodie-series was fun, but Life after Life and A God in Ruins really impressed me.

>138 cbl_tn: Great pic. Sure he's going to get plenty of compliments in that outfit!

Carrie, I loved Behind the Scenes at the Museum - it is probably my favourite Kate Atkinson. I'm glad you got to it and loved it too!

Adrian's outfits are very cute :-)

>139 BLBera: Thanks, Beth! I wish I could say I made it, but I am not a crafty person. I was thrilled to find it ready-made in the pet store! And on sale!

>140 Donna828: Hi Donna! Some of the reviews I've read say that Human Croquet is similar to Behind the Scenes at the Museum. I expect I'll enjoy that one, too, whenever I get to it. Thankfully the public library has most of Atkinson's books in their Overdrive collection!

>141 kidzdoc: Hi Darryl! I haven't tried Sarah Moss yet. The public library has a copy of Cold Earth so I've added it to my library WL. I just saw on Paul's thread that you're getting ready to read His Bloody Project. I should finish that one this afternoon. Do Not Say We Have Nothing will be next weekend's reading project.

>142 Trifolia: Hi Monica! I'm looking forward to Life after Life more than ever now.

>143 charl08: Thanks Charolotte! I wish I got more trick-or-treaters here. I live on a dead-end road, and the only trick-or-treaters I'll likely get are the grandchildren of the neighbors across the street. There's a toddler down the road that is probably still too young for trick-or-treating this year. She loves dogs, though, so if I let her parents know that Adrian will be dressing up they might bring her by to see him.

>144 susanj67: Thanks, Susan! I'm really happy to see all the enthusiasm for Kate Atkinson!

>138 cbl_tn: love it!

>147 The_Hibernator: Thanks, Rachel!

Hi Carrie, I was absent several weeks on LT but I try to do better in the future. As I can see you've done some lovely readings.
I wish you a wonderful start into the new week.

>149 Ameise1: Hi Barbara! I've missed you! My LT activity has slowed down in the last few weeks, too.

115. A Dangerous Place by Jacqueline Winspear
TIOLI #3 - Main character has to decide what is true

At the end of the last book in the Maisie Dobbs series, Maisie hadn't decided whether or not to accept James Compton's proposal. Several years have elapsed since the conclusion of that book. Maisie did marry James and moved with him to Canada, where he worked in the aeronautics industry. James was killed during a test flight, and Maisie's shock and grief caused her to lose the child she was carrying. Maisie has been unable to face returning to England and the home she had shared with James. Maisie has reached Gibraltar, and her discovery of a dead photographer shortly after her arrival gives her a puzzle to occupy her mind. Maisie's case map soon has threads leading to the Spanish Civil War, local communists, and intelligence agents (both British and foreign).

I had hoped Maisie had left the world of espionage behind in A Lesson in Secrets, but it wasn't to be. I don't think the style of this series is particularly well suited to espionage plots. Even Maisie admitted to another character toward the end of the book that the explanation for the murder had become convoluted. She tried out several explanations of the death in conversations with several different characters, and each successive explanation served more to obfuscate than clarify the circumstances of the murder. The tension peaked too early, and Maisie's foray into war-torn Spain is unnecessary to the plot (although it is within character for Maisie to put her wartime nursing experience to use when she sees a great need for it.) I don't think this book would work as well as a stand-alone as some of the other books in the series. The series shifted from a post-war First World War focus to a build-up to World War II focus with A Lesson in Secrets, and I would recommend that readers new to the series go back at least that far to catch up before reading this installment.

3.5 stars

116. His Bloody Project by Graeme Macrae Burnet
TIOLI #10 - Title contains at least 3 different vowels

Although fictional, His Bloody Project has the appearance of a compilation of historical accounts of a sensational triple murder in a remote Highlands village in the mid-19th century. The documents include witness statements, coroners reports, journalist accounts of the trial, and, at the heart of the book, a lengthy confession by the 17-year-old boy who never denied responsibility for the murders. Highland customs of land tenancy figure prominently into this story, as does fatalism and its relationship to the Presbyterian doctrine of predestination.

This book has been shortlisted for the 2016 Booker Prize, and that puzzles me. I finished the book without an inkling of what the reader is supposed to do with the information presented in the novel. Am I supposed to question the murderer's sanity, or question his guilt? Could the murderer have had an accomplice, or could he have been protecting someone else? Or is everything as it appears to be, with a victim who just “needed killing”, as the saying goes? It seems to me that this subject has been done before and done better. It's hard not to compare this book with Margaret Atwood's Alias Grace.

This review is based on an electronic advanced readers copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

3.5 stars

Adrian looks so cute in his Halloween costume! I love his scarf too! Poppy is not that keen on even her rain coat, so no costumes for Poppy. She'd likely snap at me for too much handling. :) My sister got her new puppy a new Batman suit for Halloween. Apparently he ( and Icelandic Sheepdog ) is very easy going.

Must not look at either of your reviews, as both are books I hope to read.

>152 cbl_tn: Carrie, I had a similar reaction to His Bloody Project. At the end of it I thought I'd missed something, but I still don't know what it was.

>153 vancouverdeb: Hi Deborah! Adrian is pretty easy going as far as clothing goes, as long as I don't try to cover his head.

>154 susanj67: I'm glad to know it's not just me!

>154 susanj67: Me too. Although thanks to your comments I want to sign out my copy of Alias Grace and reread.

>156 charl08: I'm in good company then!

Morning, Carrie!

Afternoon, Mamie!

>138 cbl_tn: lol, dogs get Halloween costumes too!!?? Classic.

>152 cbl_tn: I finished the book without an inkling of what the reader is supposed to do with the information presented in the novel
Well now, that does present a problem!! Sometimes they just don't work.

Hi Carrie

I love the Haloween outfits for your wonderful pet! We dressed Lilly as a spider one year. It was a fun time.

>160 LovingLit: In my neck of the woods, dogs get Halloween costumes! At least, Adrian and Stella do.

>161 Whisper1: And Lilly does, too! She looks like she enjoys pretending to be a spider!

Morning, Carrie! I love Adrian's costume!

>163 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie! Adrian says thanks!

I found out today that the author of the book I'm currently reading, Nabeel Qureshi, was diagnosed with advanced stomach cancer a couple of months ago. He's still a young man, somewhere in his mid-30s. This knowledge of what he's facing now has made it difficult for me to read his autobiography. It's making me sad.

>152 cbl_tn: I noticed that Darryl (perhaps clutching at straws?!) loved it, but my own views were closer to yours than his. It was good but not uniquely splendid.

Have a great weekend, Carrie.

Morning, Carrie! So sad about the author.

>166 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul! I wonder if the difference in opinion about HBP has something to do with how much crime fiction you read? It seems like most of us who weren't as impressed with it dip into the crime genre on a fairly regular basis.

>167 Crazymamie: Morning, Mamie! I'm still sad about the author. I have one more book of his to read and review before the end of the month. I'm reviewing them for publication, and I have a Nov. 1 deadline.

>168 cbl_tn: Good point Carrie. Darryl rarely reads books of that genre I know so that may explain why it impacted positively on him more than we. It was pretty good I thought just not drop dead great.

>170 PaulCranswick: I've just started Do Not Say We Have Nothing and I'm hooked after the first chapter! I have an ARC of Eileen that I might read next weekend. Or I might just skip that one. I'm not sure that anyone in the group has had a lot of love for it so far.

17. The Swerve by Stephen Greenblatt
TIOLI #8 - Has a sculpted or painted human image on the cover

Many Greek and Roman classics are known to modern scholars only from references in other classical works. On the Nature of Things, a scientific poem by Lucretius, was almost one of them. Renaissance scholar Poggio Bracciolini discovered a copy of Lucretius' poem in a monastery library in the early 15th century. As Poggio's copy began to circulate and more copies spread, Lucretius' poetic explication of the Epicurean philosophy of science shifted the worldview of its new audience. Poggio, a career papal secretary, had opened a Pandora's box that led to a decline in the church's authority in secular matters such as science. Greenblatt's narrative loses some of its momentum when his own focus swerves from Lucretius, his work, and its influence both in his own day and after its rediscovery, to an extended biographical section about Poggio. Greenblatt speculates about details of Poggio's early life in the absence of documentation. Those details don't appear to have much relevance to the history of On the Nature of Things. An author of an earlier generation might have confined such speculations to footnotes.

4 stars

118. Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus by Nabeel Qureshi

I'm reviewing this one for publication so I won't post a full review here. Just a couple of comments. Qureshi had extensive debating experience in high school and college. His ability to analyze a topic and build a logical argument is well suited for apologetics. This isn't a polemic attack against Islam. Qureshi is respectful of the tradition in which he was raised, but it ultimately proved to be insufficient to answer his deepest questions about God.

>171 cbl_tn: I am rooting for this one to win all the prizes. Thien has collected images linked to the history of the book on a tumblr - http://donotsaywehavenothing.tumblr.com

>174 charl08: Thanks for the link! I am still loving this book, and I also hope that it wins. It's reminding me of a biography I read a couple of years ago - Wild Swans.

Morning, Carrie!

>175 cbl_tn: Yes, it has that wide sweep that Chang's book also had.

>138 cbl_tn: >161 Whisper1: LOL, I'm loving the doggie halloween costumes. I once purchased a sombrero for my cat, Mittens. Ahhh, didn't work out well. Thought he might enjoy the reindeer antlers. I thought wrong.

>168 cbl_tn: I enjoyed His Bloody Project more than you, Carrie, and I'm also a frequent reader of mysteries. I really enjoyed the history in HBP especially as it is set in my ancestral stomping grounds.

I also read Behind the Scenes at the Museum. I didn't know it was Atkinson's first novel until you posted that info on the BAC thread.

>138 cbl_tn: A belated but heartfelt Two Paws Up for the Adrian hot dog costume — so adorable! And great review of Behind the Scenes at the Museum which is the only Atkinson I haven't read yet. I need to get on that.

Great review of Behind the Scenes at the Museum, Carrie. I haven't read that one yet, but it's inching its way up the pile. I just finished one that I think I first heard about from you, The House by the Lake. I really enjoyed it. Thanks.

>176 Crazymamie: Afternoon, Mamie!

>177 charl08: I should have known that you've read that one, too!

>178 Carmenere: I'm picturing Mittens wearing the reindeer antlers and the sombrero at the same time! That would have been quite a sight!

>179 Familyhistorian: I liked the history and the setting of HBP, but the quality of the writing just didn't strike me as prize-worthy. Maybe my expectations were too high. I think one thing that surprised me about HBP is that it reads like standard English with a few regional terms thrown in for color.

>180 rosalita: Hi Julia! Adrian says thanks! And I think you will like Behind the Scenes at the Museum whenever you get to it.

>181 BLBera: I think you'll like it, too, Beth! I'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed The House by the Lake! I'm wondering if my brother might read it if I give him a copy for Christmas. He's had several extended stays in Germany over the last few years for work, and he made several trips to Berlin on those visits.

119. Answering Jihad: A Better Way Forward by Nabeel Qureshi
TIOLI #10 - Title contains at least 3 vowels

I'm also reviewing this book for publication so I won't post a full review here - just a few comments. Nabeel Qureshi converted from Islam to Christianity as a young adult. He is now a Christian speaker. In this book, Qureshi addresses 18 questions that he is often asked about jihad. Some Muslims believe and proclaim that Islam is a religion of peace, while some radical Muslims espouse jihad. In Qureshi's view, both are legitimate expressions of Islam. As an American Muslim, Qureshi was taught by his parents and religious leaders that Islam is a religion of peace. When Qureshi began to study the foundations of Islam during his college years, he discovered violence at its core in both the Quran and Muhammad's life. He believes that all Muslims who study the foundations of their faith will eventually be forced to choose one of three options - apostasy, apathy, or radicalization. Qureshi proposes that love, rather than fear or fighting, is the best response to jihad.

3.5 stars

Good afternoon, Carrie. Sorry you won't get time to read Someone Knows My Name. I totally understand that you won't have time. I'm feeling the same way with too many books and too little time. Answering Jihad: A Better Way Forward sounds interesting and a very good review.

By the way, Poppy wants Adrian to know that she got a fuss - free winter coat . It only has two places where the velcro attaches, just underneath the belly and underneath the chin. Unfortunatly that nice warm winter jacket only was left in a " blue dog bone " pattern, so Poppy might be mistaken for a guy, but the fuss free aspect made it worth it! :)

>184 vancouverdeb: Adrian has a felt winter jacket that velcros on easily. It's his favorite color, orange!

>183 cbl_tn: Interesting mini-review Carrie. I cannot of course comment in detail as I haven't read Qureishi's book, but I don't agree that only those three options are available. One of the problems with militant islam, as with radical ideologies of most kinds, is with the literalism of their interpretation of documents. Islam in organised practice in many countries (and spreading) has failed to undergo the evolution in its belief that Christianity was subject to.

There is no reading between lines, no attempt to take measure of the figurative teaching over an inflexible literalist approach. For example the three parts of the Quran which references the use of alcohol in no way forbids its use (if read properly it advises caution and sobriety which most of us would accept) but the primacy of that source document is being overridden by so-called scholars talking about what they call "hadiths" or the life and teachings of the Prophet, many of which are disputed and the source of much conflict within the islamic community. The foundation of islam and the life of the Prophet must be seen in the context of its time and not used as an example to be followed literally today. The Prophet married a nine year old girl which is hardly acceptable behaviour today but he lived over a thousand years ago in a largely tribal society where care for the vulnerable was seen differently. The answer is for islam to modernise, for the moderates to impose themselves and for its peaceful core tenets to be re-established.

"Jihad" does not invoke necessarily war. It actually means "striving" and this can be through work and working for peace not necessarily by propagating attacks upon non-believers. Some islamists would have Qureishi put to death for having the temerity to leave the faith for another. It is a sign of the lack of confidence of those in a religion too often seeking the imposition of discipline than having the self-confidence in the quality of its message. Qureshi has a perfect right to his opinion and to hold whatever faith he has and books like this that increase measured debate are always to be welcomed.

Have a lovely weekend, Carrie. xx

>186 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul! If I haven't misunderstood some of the points in Qureshi's books, I think he would largely agree with what you've said. One of the eighteen questions he addresses in Answering Jihad is "Who are the true Muslims--violent or peaceful Muslims"? In this chapter as well as a couple of others, he uses the analogy of the Protestant Reformation, where the reformers stripped away centuries of Catholic tradition and theology to return to the foundations of Christian faith and practice. It's not a perfect analogy, but I think I see his point.

When I lived in England, I got to know a Pakistani immigrant in the Manchester area who had converted from Islam to Christianity before leaving Pakistan. He often received death threats from his Muslim neighbors. If Qureshi has also received death threats, he won't have to worry about that much longer. Sadly, he was diagnosed with advanced stomach cancer in August and the prognosis isn't good. Based on the information in his autobiography, he can't be any older than mid-30s. He has a daughter born just last year.

The last year I lived in England I developed a friendship with a colleague's Muslim neighbors. The adult sons in the family owned the other side of the semi-detached house where my friends lived. The parents lived in Lebanon where the father was a member of parliament, but they spent a good part of the year staying with their sons. (This was in the midst of the civil war in Lebanon.) We were all invited to dinner at their house on the last night of Ramadan that year.

120. Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner
TIOLI #4 - One of the top 250 most reviewed books on LT

I am late to the party with this book, but better late than never! The book is coauthored by an economist (Steven Levitt) and a journalist (Stephen Dubner). Dubner narrates the audio version of the book, which has been slightly adapted for the audio format. (For instance, some of the visual data from the print edition are described for audio listeners.) Levitt's natural curiosity leads him to pose some unconventional questions, and his results sometimes challenge conventional wisdom. In this book, he asks questions such as “What do schoolteachers and sumo wrestlers have in common?”, leading to an analysis of cheating in the wake of high-stakes testing; “Why do drug dealers still live with their moms?”, leading to an analysis of the “corporate” structure of gangs; and “What makes a perfect parent?”, in which Levitt contrasts parenting traits correlated with successful outcomes for children with traits that are either negatively correlated or don't make a difference. The book doesn't have an apparent political agenda. Some of the answers may offend or challenge readers on both ends of the political spectrum. Readers who approach this book with an open mind may gain a new perspective on social policy and some of its unintended consequences.

4 stars

>187 cbl_tn: That is so sad and how terrible for a young family to have to face up to being bereft of their husband/father in so untimely a manner. As I said above I am offering a personal view on the state of islam as I see it not a critique of Qureishi's book which I haven't read (but would like to). There is basic decency inherent in all faiths and one of my favourite parts of the year is Ramadhan when we eat as a family and communally. It is a time of togetherness and I am pleased your erstwhile neighbours were cognisant of the joys of sharing that blessed time with you. xx

>172 cbl_tn: Carrie, The Swerve is on my Pulitzer list, but it looks a bit hard. Maybe I won't rush to get to it...

>190 susanj67: Hi Susan! The subject matter of The Swerve may sound complex, but it's an easy read for the topic. It's aimed at a general audience, and it's not too dry. You will get through it in no time whenever you get around to it.

>191 cbl_tn: Carrie, that's good to know! I must make more of an effort with the Pulitzer winners next year!

>189 PaulCranswick: I didn't mean to ignore you there, Paul! One thing I loved about living in the London area was the cultural diversity. I made friends from all over the world when i lived there.

>192 susanj67: I would love to read more Pulitzer winners, too.

I finally finished Do Not Say We Have Nothing. It needs to settle before I write a review. I've rated it at 4 stars for now.

Morning, Carrie!

Afternoon, Mamie!

Just stopping by to check how you are doing. Real life caught up with me again, but I'm looking forward to a few days of vacation next week, hoping to catch up on threads and books.

Hi Monica! RL has slowed down my reading quite a bit. I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving and a few days of vacation next month! The US celebrates Thanksgiving on the 4th Thursday in November - usually the last Thursday of the month, but not always. Thanksgiving and the Friday after Thanksgiving are mandatory holidays where I work, and I'm planning to take Wednesday off, too.

We have mandatory holidays on November 1st (all Saints) and November 2nd (All Souls) and I also took Monday off. We seem to use similar logic.
I already bought the fourth (and final) book in the series by Elena Ferrante, so I have something to look forward to! Can't wait, actually.

>199 Trifolia: I hope you enjoy your holidays next week! It sounds like you picked up the last Elena Ferrante book just in time!

121. Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien
TIOLI #12 - Has a negation in the title

Do Not Say We Have Nothing traces the impact of China's political revolutions on two families from the mid-20th century to the present day. Marie, the daughter of Chinese immigrants in Vancouver, begins her story in 1989, with her father's death. The story reaches back in time to the Cultural Revolution, when Marie's father, Kai, was a student at a Shanghai music conservatory. His life intertwined with that of Sparrow, a composer and professor at the conservatory, and Sparrow's cousin, Zhuli, another student at the conservatory. The three are separated when the events of the revolution catch up to them. The story continues with Sparrow's daughter, Ai-ming, and her aspirations of attending a Beijing university. The student protests at Tiananmen Square change the direction of her life. A mysterious Book of Records provides a link from the past to the present.

The book's recurring themes include music, mathematics, Chinese characters and their shades of meaning, the social and psychological effects of the lack of self-determination, familial duty, love, and friendship. The first section covering the end of the Communist Revolution through the first years of the Cultural Revolution is the strongest part of the book. The characters are well rounded and the physical setting is vivid. The second half that centers on the events of Tiananmen Square isn't as sharply focused, and Ai-ming is not as fully developed as the other major characters in the book. Perhaps that's intentional, though. As a child of the Cultural Revolution, her life has always been controlled by the state. The well-deserved attention this book has received from major literary prize committees has it poised to become Thien's breakthrough novel.

This review is based on electronic advance reader copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

4 stars

Nice review of Do Not Say We Have Nothing, Carrie! I hope to finish it tomorrow.

Morning, Carrie! Nice review of the Thien book.

Great review - what a good book to get as an ER.

>202 kidzdoc: >203 Crazymamie: >204 charl08: Thanks, everyone! I happened to check NetGalley at the right time to snag a review copy! I was also able to get review copies of His Bloody Project and Eileen. I'm still reading Eileen, and I'm not far enough into it to have made up my mind about it. I haven't considered abandoning it yet, so that's a good sign!

Waving from Knoxville!!

Hi, Carrie. Looks like you are keeping busy!

>206 katiekrug: Hi Katie! Oh, so close! You'll have to let me know if you ever drive through again when I'm not sleeping. I'm not too far from I-40.

>207 ronincats: Hi Roni! A little too busy. I'm really looking forward to Thanksgiving break!

Hopefully Eileen works better for you than it did for me. I really don't know what all the reviews were raving about...

Happy Friday, Carrie!

Yup, Eileen is a slow read with most of the action in the last couple of chapters. I'm betting many have given up on it before getting to the end.

Excellent review of Do Not Say We Have Nothing. It seems a lot of people preferred that one to the one that eventually won this year's Booker Prize.
Have a lovely weekend, Carrie!

Great review of Do Not Say We Have Nothing. I enjoyed it too - gave it 4 stars. Since it is by a Canadian author, it has been available on the shelves here since May or so? I have Eileen waiting on the shelves, but I have so many TBR's in mind.

>209 charl08: >210 Carmenere: Yeah, I haven't found anything to rave about yet. All she's done so far is wallow in her own filth. I think I'm curious enough to see it through to the end.

>211 Trifolia: Thanks! The description of this year's Booker winner doesn't appeal to me, so I'm not planning to read it.

>212 vancouverdeb: Do Not Say We Have Nothing was just released in the US this month. It hasn't showed up in my local public library system yet. I think they'll eventually add at least one copy.

My asthma is trying to flare up with the change in weather, so I'm not planning to do much today. I have to do some laundry, and I need to make a trip to the grocery store. Maybe I can catch up on some reading otherwise. I have some books in progress that I'd like to finish: Eileen from the Booker shortlist, Mary Stewart's My Brother Michael, and How to Read Literature Like a Professor. I might be able to finish Dry Bones before the end of the month, too.

I've been looking forward to fall and the arrival of cranberries in the grocery store. Last Saturday I tried a new recipe for cranberry muffins and they didn't turn out well. The batter was too thin, and the flavor was too bland even though the recipe included orange juice and orange peel. I tried a different recipe this morning and these turned out much better! I should have gone to my Farm Journal cookbooks the first time around.

>214 cbl_tn: - Sorry to hear about your asthma. I hope it settles soon.
I'll be looking forward to your review on How to Read Literature Like a Professor. I read it a few years ago and I liked the contents as well as the style of professor Foster. I now notice I forgot to write a review on this book (on his other How to read novels like a professor), probably because I read a few chapter in between other books and then forgot to finalize it on LT.

Cranberry muffins ... that sounds delicious!

>214 cbl_tn: Things we share:

1 A flaring up of asthma (hope you are coping ok)
2 Admiration, if qualified admiration for Do Not Say We Have Nothing; and
3 Hopefully a restful and rewarding Sunday. xx

>215 Trifolia: Thanks, Monica! A couple of days of light activity have helped. I still have several muffins left to share!

>216 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul! The asthma is better today. I've been able to rest enough this weekend to head it off. I'll try to get more rest today before the start of another work week.

>217 cbl_tn: - Thanks, Carrie, I'd love to share the muffins.

122. Paths to Happiness: 50 Ways to Add Joy to Your Life Every Day by Edward Hoffman
TIOLI #10 - Title contains at least 3 different vowels

With the plethora of self-help books available, an addition to their ranks needs to offer something new in order to earn more than passing notice. The author of this book, a licensed psychologist and university professor, offers 50 suggestions for cultivating happiness based on positive psychology research. All of the recommendations are evidence-based, with the reference list providing citations that support each of the 50 recommendations. Some of the cited works are classics by Jung, Freud, May, James, and the like, while many others are citations to more recent research in psychological and medical journals.

Some of the suggestions are activities, while others are emotions or states of mind. Recommended activities include things like community singing, cooking and baking, genealogy, knitting, prayer, travel, and volunteering, all activities that have added joy to my own life. I found the emotions/states of mind slightly less persuasive and somewhat repetitive. Is there really a difference between awe and a sense of wonder? Yet these are two separate recommendations.

This book provides useful suggestions for coping with the mild depression, or “blues”, that often follow a life-changing event like divorce or a bereavement. The book seems to be designed as a gift book, and it would make a thoughtful gift for a friend or relative who is coping with a major life change. It may also be useful for counselors or therapists to share with clients either in its entirety or by selecting recommended activities for homework assignments.

This review is based on a complimentary copy provided by the publisher through LibraryThing's early Reviewers program.

4 stars

>218 Trifolia: Put on your wading boots and come on over! Just watch the pond between here and there. It's a little deep in a few spots. ;-)

>219 cbl_tn: - Excellent review. Did the author add sharing a cranberry muffin with a friend as a path to happiness?

>221 Trifolia: I didn't see that one! Should be #51!

123. My Brother Michael by Mary Stewart
TIOLI #1 - 1-word weather report on p. 33 (hot)

“You find that the grave of Michael Lester is a moving and as important as the 'tomb of Agamemnon' at Mycenae, or Byron or Venizelos or Alexander. He, and the men like him, are a part of the same picture.” I stopped, and then said helplessly, “Greece. Damn it, what is that it does to one?

He was silent a moment, then he said, “I think the secret is that it belongs to all of us—to us of the West. We've learned to think in its terms, and to live in its laws. It's given us almost everything that our world has that is worth while. Truth, straight thinking, freedom, beauty. It's our second language, our second line of thought, our second country. We all have our own country—and Greece.”

On the heels of a broken engagement, 25-year-old Camilla Haven is traveling alone in Greece. Her money is almost exhausted and she'll have to return to England soon. While she's sitting in an Athens cafe trying to come up with a way to stretch her remaining money to allow for a trip to Delphi, a man appears with keys to the car that he insists she hired to drive to Delphi on a matter of life and death. There's obviously been some mistake, for the person who hired the car is described as “Simon's girl”, and Camilla doesn't know anyone named Simon. However, Camilla's six words of Greek aren't enough to get her out of this muddle. The man disappears before she can convince him he has the wrong person. With no way to return the car to its owner, she decides to drive it to Delphi and deliver it to Simon, who is surely there waiting for it. After all, it's a matter of life or death.

As luck would have it, Camilla finds Simon before she reaches Delphi, but he's as puzzled as she is about the car. Camilla feels responsible for the car, and Simon feels responsible for Camilla, so they join forces to look for another Simon. Meanwhile, this Simon has his own reason for being in Delphi. His older brother, Michael, had been there during World War II, and had died there. Simon's recent discovery of his brother's last letter home has brought him to Delphi to search for answers.

Mary Stewart helped to define the romantic suspense genre. Her novels are more than brain candy. They have weight and substance. Her main characters in this novel are well-read in the classics. They can see Homer and the pantheon of gods in the landscape and in the faces and bearing of the local residents. Readers will need to suspend their disbelief at some of the decisions required of Camilla and Simon to get them to the right location for the action to begin. The payoff is almost as rewarding as a trip to Greece, and much less expensive.

4 stars

Hey Carrie - I hope your asthma is improving.

Great comments on the self-help book. I am a long-time Stewart fan; I loved her books when I read them in high school. I think I might have a couple of old copies around somewhere. I should try one and see if it holds up. From your comments, it sounds like it does.

I hope your Sunday is lovely.

>224 BLBera: Thanks, Beth! Adrian and I walked for well over an hour this afternoon, trying to get in 10,000 steps for wellness points. That's an impossible goal for a weekday at this time of year, but I'll try to do it on Saturday or Sunday if the weather permits. The exercise and deep breathing seems to have helped the asthma, so that's a plus. Hopefully I won't pay for it tomorrow!

This Mary Stewart holds up well for the most part, except they smoke a lot more than most people smoke nowadays. The female lead wasn't helpless.

>172 cbl_tn: I have that book on my Audible account. Looking forward to it.

>173 cbl_tn: How interesting.

>226 The_Hibernator: Hi Rachel! I think The Swerve will work well in audio!

Carrie, well done on the stepping! It's good that it seems to be helping with the asthma, too.

Morning, Carrie! Nice review of the Stewart book - loved the quote. I gave you my thumb. Adding that one to the list for when I need something lighter to balance out the heavy.

>228 susanj67: Hi Susan! I managed 10,000 steps Monday evening, too. Just barely. I'm getting close today. I have about 800 to go, and I think I'll walk up and down the hall during commercial breaks while I watch the final game of the World Series tonight.

>229 Crazymamie: Thanks Mamie! That passage really struck me when I read it. But really, the whole thing is extremely well written for genre fiction.

Morning, Carrie!

>231 Crazymamie: Evening, Mamie! I'm not sure I was fully conscious this morning! I stayed up too late watching the World Series, and I didn't even watch the end. I had no idea how long the rain delay would be so I turned off the TV and went to bed.

This was such a fun World Series to watch. Half of the Cubs roster formerly played for our local AA Cubs affiliate, and I've seen them play in person. They were fun to watch in the minor leagues, too. The former Smokies who played last night include Hendricks, Schwarber, Contreras, Bryant, Baez, Russell, Edwards, Montero, Almora, and Coghlan. I don't have a Cubs shirt so I wore my Smokies shirt for the game. It seems to have worked!

Morning, Carrie! We made it to Friday!

>233 Crazymamie: Yes we did! And I think we deserve an extra hour this weekend. Have one on me! Sunday morning, 2 am.

Ha! Thank you, Carrie! How very generous of you.

>235 Crazymamie: You're welcome! ;-)

124. Dry Bones by Craig Johnson
Oct TIOLI #3 - Main character has to decide what is true

While Walt Longmire and his deputies are investigating the death of local rancher Danny Lone Elk (natural causes or murder?), their job becomes more complicated when they learn that a rare and extremely valuable fossil was recently discovered on the ranch. With Lone Elk's death, who will gain ownership and control of the T-rex, Jen? Did her discovery lead to Danny's death? The dispute over Jen draws the feds into Walt's investigation. Walt would love to wrap this one up quickly so that he can focus on his daughter, Cady's, visit. She'll be bringing her 5-month-old daughter to Wyoming for the first time.

Walt was out of his jurisdiction in the last series book, and I was more than ready to see the familiar secondary characters I've grown to love over the course of the series. Most of them made at least a brief appearance. This book seems to have a little of everything that readers might enjoy – humor, family drama, tragedy, wilderness survival, Native American mysticism, romance, and, of course, crime solving.

My sympathy for Cady, and to an extent Vic, keeps growing. Walt is turning into a bit of a know-it-all. Why would a man who admittedly rarely sets foot in a church know, not just the words to a 200-year-old hymn, but also the name of its author and the year it was written? And why in the world would he recognize the names of buyers from every major museum and auction house in the US? When does he have time to learn these things, and why does he bother to remember them? (Note to self: Do not play Trivial Pursuit with this man.)

This book will work as a standalone, but it will be much more fun for those who are reading the series in order. Johnson throws in a few inside jokes here and there that readers unfamiliar with the series won't spot.

4 stars

Next up in audio: My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante

October Recap

Best of the month: Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson
Worst of the month: All reads this month were above average!

Physical books owned: 4
Physical books borrowed: 1
Ebooks borrowed: 3
Audiobooks borrowed: 3
ARCs: 3

November Reading Plan

Once again, my list is probably too ambitious. I need to finish some current reads:
How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster
Middlemarch by George Eliot
A House for Mr. Biswas by V. S. Naipaul

I'd also like to read:
Blue Lightning by Ann Cleeves
Gunpowder Girls by Tanya Anderson
The Prime Minister by Anthony Trollope
The Labyrinth of Solitude by Octavio Paz
Mexico Set by Len Deighton
Survivors in Mexico by Rebecca West
Farm Fresh Murder by Paige Shelton
Hey, America, Your Roots Are Showing by Megan Smolenyak
The Hippopotamus Pool by Elizabeth Peters
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard

Audiobooks:
My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
Anil's Ghost by Michael Ondaatje
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

Carrie, that's an ambitious list! I hope you read everything you want to. Enjoy your extra hour this weekend. We had ours last weekend, so by Monday I will once again be able to tell the time difference without having to google.

>240 susanj67: Hi Susan! The beginning of the month is filled with good intentions. Then reality sets in...

Pumpkin is the muffin of the day today. I have a batch in the oven, and chai tea ready to go with them. And a book. I'm ready to start Blue Lightning.

Yesterday I came across my father's student teaching log. He taught high school English. They were studying American literature. They seem to have read excerpts from various authors, but they did read one novel, The Rise of Silas Lapham. I've never read this book. It's on my reading list now. I'll look at my father's lesson plans and discussion questions as I read. But not this month, as my reading list is already full!

>242 cbl_tn: That is so cool, Carrie. I never saw my father read a book amazingly, but then again he was more absent than present growing up.

Have a wonderful weekend.

>243 PaulCranswick: My father didn't read fiction within my memory. He only taught English for student teaching. He ended up in higher education and taught psychology and computer science courses until he became a full-time administrator. The only time I remember him reading fiction was when he read to my brother and me at bedtime, or when we listened to audiobooks in the car. Otherwise, all I ever saw him read were books and magazines on computing.

The book I have the most vivid memory of reading with my father is Lassie: The Mystery of Bristlecone Pine. I think he also read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn with us, but I'm not sure that we ever finished it. I've read that one so many times that my memory is fuzzy about any single reading experience with it.

>244 cbl_tn: I failed to mention that the other book I often saw him reading was the Bible. He taught a Sunday School class for many years, and he spent a good part of Saturday preparing the lesson. He was a very good teacher, so his student teaching experience didn't go to waste even though he didn't teach high school English as a career.

Incredible -- You read 124 books thus far! Congratulations Carrie!

>244 cbl_tn: / >245 cbl_tn: I wish I had those fond memories of my Dad. Last Christmas when I saw him (to appease Hani, and to make my peace with him really), I couldn't really put into words my feelings. The main questions to ask were why? Why had he cheated my brother in business? Why had he accused me of money laundering? Why had he termed my kids half-breeds?
All I saw was the shadow of the hard, irascible man who used to go out to work and provide for us when I was small and the tough love he gave us and which helped me to stand on my own. Yikes I sound like Johnny Cash! It was humbling to see him wheelchair bound but largely unapologetic.

Good luck finishing Middlemarch in November. It's quite the chunkster!

You've made me laugh twice - once at the free hour for Mamie and once at my inability to say Pufkin munkin, er I mean Pumpkin Muffin. Which sounds delicious btw.

I am reading Middlemarch via the serial app on my phone. It's been a week and I'm 5% in... i might finish in 2017?

>248 The_Hibernator: Hi Rachel! I've been reading Middlemarch since April and can't manage to finish it, even though I'm enjoying it. Too many other books keep crowding in. A House for Mr. Biswas is a different story. I'm not enjoying it, but I'm too far along to abandon it (although it seems that's what I've done, even if I'm not ready to admit it!)

>249 charl08: The pumpkin muffins were delicious. I always have pumpkin in the pantry because Adrian's vet told me to add it to his food to give him more fiber.

I would give you an extra hour this weekend, too, but I'm all out! Mamie got the last one. ;-)

>246 Whisper1: Hi Linda! I finished #125 during game 7 of the World Series but haven't found time to review it yet. I'd like to get to 150 by the end of the year, but as busy as the holidays can be, I don't know if I'll manage it.

>247 PaulCranswick: I wish everyone had a father as great as mine was, but it seems that's not the way the world works. I'm glad that you have been able to break that pattern with your own children. I'm sure that their memories of you will be very different.

Hi, Carrie!

The thread is up for the group read of The Prime Minister, hope to see you there. :)

Thread

>252 lyzard: Found it! Thanks for letting me know!