Carmenere's 6 foot 2 inch challenge for 2016 (#8)

AUTUMN IS AWESOME! Need I say more ;0)

If I learned one thing this year, it is how difficult, almost impossible to reduce the size of a 7+ foot stack of books. Ugh! New books have called and I've answered their cry so the TBR stack may remain at 6 feet 2 inches for a while longer.

The Tickers:







The List:

1. Isabel Allende
*2 Paula
Infinate Plan
Ines of my Soul
*2 Zorro
House of Spirits
Kingdom of the Golden Dragon
The Sum of our Days

2. Julia Alvarez
How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents

3. Laurence Bergreen
*2 Over the Edge of the World

4. Eric Blehm
The Last Season

5. Andrea Cameleri
Angelica’s Smile
Game of Mirrors
Shape of Water 5-11-16

6. Agatha Christie
Postern of Fate
Murder in the Mews
The Hollow
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
Then There were none
Evil Under the Sun 2-23-16

7. Sandra Cisneros
The House on Mango Street 1-6-16

8. Debra Dean
*2 The Madonna’s of Leningrad

9. Ian McEwan
Enduring Love
Amsterdam 1-15-16

10. Lin Enger
The High Divide

11. Wm Faulkner
Mosquitos
Soldier’s Pay

12. Graham Greene
Our Man in Havana

13. Daoud Hari
The Translator

14. Charmaine Harris
Deadlocked
All Together Dead
Dead to the World
Club Dead 5-31-16
Definitely Dead
Dead & Gone
Living Dead in Dallas 5-10-16

15. Khaled Hosseini
A 1,000 Splendid Suns 7-2016

16. Stephen King
11/22/63 2-15-16
Under The Dome
Lisey’s Story

17. Barbara Kingsolver
Prodigal Summer
Pigs in Heaven
Small Wonder 7-18-16
High Tide in Tucson
Animal Dreams
Homeland and other Stories
Flight Behavior
Poison wood Bible

18. Eric Larson
Thunderstruck 4-23-16
In the Garden of Beasts 3-18-16

19. Donna Leon
Blood From a Stone
About Face
Willful Behavior
Uniform Justice
Through a Glass Darkly
Dressed for Death
Doctored Evidence

20. Arturo Perez-Reverte
Captain Alatriste 1-4-16
Sun Over Breda
Nautical Chart
Club Dumas

21. Nathaniel Philbrick
In the Heart of the Sea 3-30-16

22. Jose Manuel Prieto
Encyclopedia of a life in Russia 3-26-16

23. Mary Doria Russell
A Thread of Grace
Doc
Dreamers of the Day
Epitaph

24. Richard Russo
That Old Cape Magic 2-2016

25. C J Sansom
Sovereign
Dark Fire
Hearts tone
Revelation
Winter in Madrid

26. Raja Shehadeh
Palestinian Walks 5-13-16

27. Hampton Sides
In the Kingdom of Ice

28. Alexander McCall-Smith
No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency 4-7-16
Kalahari Typing School for Men
Good Husband of Zebra Drive
Heavenly Date and other Flirtations
Sunday Philosophy Club
Forever Girl
Tea Time for Traditionally Built
*1 Espresso Tales
*1 Right Altitude to Rain
*1 Lost Art of Gratitude
Blue Shoes and Happiness

29. Henry David Thoreau
Cape Cod

30. Leo Tolstoy
War and Peace

31. John Kennedy Toole
A Confederacy of Dunces

32. Jess Walter
Beautiful Ruins 3-3-16

33. Sarah Waters
Fingersmith

34. Simon Winchester
Surgeon of Crowthorne
A Crack in the Edge of the World
Krakatoa 5-1-16

*1 switched out these for
#28 Alexander McCall-Smith
Morality for Beautiful Girls
The Full Cupboard of Life
Portuguese Irregular Verbs 6-5-16

*2 switched out these for
35. James Michener
Iberia

36. Chinua Achebe
Things Fall Apart 6-11-16

37. Tim O'Brien
The Things they Carried 6-23-16

38. e. lockhart
We Were Liars 7-9-16

Where my books take me...
States visited as of 9-20-16

visited 36 states (72%)
Create your own visited map of The United States

Countries completed as of 10-10-16

visited 39 states (17.3%)
Create your own visited map of The World

Books read in JANUARY

Captain Alatriste
The House on Mango Street
Amsterdam
Lumberjanes #1 Library e-book
Crippled America Neighborhood Book Swap
Lumberjanes #2 Library e-book

Books read in FEBRUARY
War and Peace
That Old Cape Magic
11/22/63
Over the Top and Back Library audiobook
Evil Under the Sun
Yes Please Library audiobook

Books read in MARCH
Beautiful Ruins
In the Garden of Beasts
Encyclopedia of a life in Russia
In the Heart of the Sea

Books read in APRIL
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear
Thunderstruck
The Never-Open Desert Diner
Shylock is My Name Pearl ruled

Books read in MAY
Krakatoa
The Very Persistent Gappers of Frip
Living Dead in Dallas
The Shape of Water
Palestinian Walks
Club Dead

Books read in JUNE
Portuguese Irregular Verbs
Things Fall Apart
The Things They Carried

Books read in JULY
The Master of the Prado - Library
A Thousand Splendid Suns
We Were Liars
Shifting Sands
Small Wonder
The Complete Don Quixote

Books read in AUGUST
Brave New World
Symphony for the City of the Dead - library
Dark Matter - library
My Name is Lucy Barton - Library (booker ll)
Hot Milk - Library (booker sl)
Work Like Any Other - library (booker ll)
The North Water - Library (booker ll)

Books read in SEPTEMBER
The Sellout - Library (booker sl)
The Underground Railroad - Library (national book award ll)
Sweet Lamb of Heaven - Library ( " ")
Eileen - Library (booker sl)

Books read in OCTOBER
The Throwback Special - Library (national book award
sl)
Another Brooklyn - Library (national book award sl)
What Belongs to You: A Novel - Library (national book award LL)
The Portable Veblen - Library - national book award LL)
Miss Jane - Library - (national book award LL)
Tales of the Peculiar - Library - Halloweenish
Ghostland An American History in Haunted Places - Library - Halloweenish

My attention has moved toward.............Awards

I just finished my 5th Booker Long lister and here's the standing thus far....

1. The North Water
2. Hot Milk
3. Work Like Any Other
4. My Name is Lucy Barton
5. The Sellout (review to come later today or tomorrow)

Up next on the Booker list is Eileen. This one looks gooooood!

Keeping this close at hand.............
---------------------------------------------------
National Book Awards: DATES FOR 2016

May 16 (12 midnight, Pacific): Deadline for entry form submission (NOW CLOSED)

July 1: Books due to Judges and NBF office.

Mid-September: Longlist Announcement

October 12: Finalists Announcement

November 16: National Book Awards Ceremony and Benefit Dinner (Winners announced)
------------------------------------------------------
2016 PEN Literary Awards DATES FOR 2016

https://pen.org/

The finalists for all book awards will be announced on February 2. The winners for all 2016 awards will be announced on March 1, except those for the awards for Debut Fiction, Art of the Essay, Open Book, Literary Science Writing, and the PEN/Fusion Prize, which will be named live at the 2016 PEN Literary Awards Ceremony on April 11 at The New School in NYC.
------------------------------------------------------
The Wellcome Book Prize timetable

https://wellcomebookprize.org/

April 2017
Winner announced

March 2017
Shortlist announced

January 2017
Longlist announced
-------------------------------------------------------
2017 winner of the Baileys Womens Prize for Fiction

http://www.womensprizeforfiction.co.uk/

Short list announced in April
Winner will be announced on Wednesday 7th June
--------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------------------
The Best Translated Book Award
http://www.rochester.edu/College/translation/threepercent/index.php?s=btb

March 28,2017 Longlist
April 18, finalists
May 9 winner awarded
-------------------------------------------------------

There's also the Walter Scott Prize for historical fiction
http://www.walterscottprize.co.uk/about-the-prize/

The Orwell Book prize for political writing -
http://www.theorwellprize.co.uk/the-orwell-prize/about/

There are also crime fiction prizes from the Crime Writers' Association
http://thecwa.co.uk/the-daggers/categories/goldsboro-gold/

-----------------------------
Baillie Gifford prize
http://thebailliegiffordprize.co.uk/

Short List
Second-hand Time, Svetlana Alexievich, translated by Bela Shayevich (Fitzcarraldo Editions)
Negroland: A Memoir, Margo Jefferson (Granta Books)
The Return: Fathers, Sons and the Land In Between, Hisham Matar (Viking)
East West Street, Philippe Sands (Weidenfeld & Nicolson)

Winner announced November 15, 2016

I think that's it folks, next one's yours :0)

Happy new one, Lynda.

Happy new thread, Lynda!

Happy new thread!

I think reducing the pile by a foot gets lots of credit. Did the books go out of the house or did you keep any?

Happy New Thread, Lynda! Happy Saturday! And hooray for cooler temps. Nice to have the house open again.

Enjoy your weekend.

Happy new thread! And happy Autumn!

Hi Lynda! Happy New Thread!

I have been happy with the few Costa winners or shortlisted titles I've read. And I think you read enough crime fiction that you might find some of the Edgar winners or shortlisted titles of interest.

Happy New Thread, Lynda!

"...the TBR stack may remain at 6 feet 2 inches for a while longer." I suppose it was inevitable, wasn't it?

Re: this year's Booker, I have read:
Work Like Any Other
My Name is Lucy Barton
Eileen

Interestingly, I gave 4 stars to Lucy Barton and only 3.5 to Eileen but the latter is, for me, much more memorable. In any case, Work Like Any Other is my favorite so far.

You are doing so well with the Booker's, Lynda. I have only read Work Like Any Other and Lucy Barton so far, and I preferred Lucy Barton. Currently I am in the midst of Do Not Say We Have Nothing , which also made the Giller Long List. I enjoy the lists. I have Eileen waiting for me, partly because it was one of the Booker Books available in Canada that is a soft cover and so it was affordable. :) It looks creepy good , but we'll see :)

Morning, Lynda! Happy new one!

>7 BLBera: Hi Beth and thank you!

>8 kidzdoc: Hi Darryl and thanks!

>9 charl08: The books actually were set free, Charlotte! Non-library books are taken to my local bookstore where I receive store credit. Old library books I donate back to the library for their next sale.

>10 msf59: Hey Mark, After a day of storms we have a humid free day in the mid 70's, sunny too. I'd say it's just about perfect!

>11 mstrust: Thanks Jennifer. You've really gotten my excited about autumn! I brought up my decorations from the basement yesterday and cleaned the house. Now, to decorate and eat Pumpkin Pie flavored Pop Tarts : 0D

>12 cbl_tn: Costa and Edgar awards! Thanks Carrie, I'll add them to my list! With so many contests it looks like I should pay the most attention to short lists!

>13 EBT1002: Hey Ellen, I'm reading Eileen right now and when I read a first person narrative like this I can't help but wonder just how truthful it can be.
My top pick is still The North Water but I have a feeling the Booker People won't select it :(

>14 vancouverdeb: I'm really enjoying the list more than I had thought, Deborah! DNSWHN is not available at my library but if it makes the short list I'll see if I can get it through Book Depot.

>15 Crazymamie: Morning to you too, Mamie! It's gonna be a good one, hope for you too!

----------------
Will is playing taps at a local event today so we'll go to that and then watch whats left of the Browns game while decorating for fall. I'm going to try skillet lasagna for dinner but my expectations are not that high. Also want to get back to Eileen. It's only 260 pages but little or no dialog so it's slow reading.

I need to read The North Water. I have it on hold at the library.

Skillet lasagne sounds good! (Any lasagne sounds good to me.)

I don't know that the narrator of Eileen is terribly reliable but she is certainly interesting!

Happy new thread, Lynda!

Happy new one, Lynda!!

Here's a pic of my trumpeter at the Viet Nam Memorial traveling wall. Quite an honor to play taps at the closing ceremony and on 9/11 too! Will said "oh, probably 7 people will show up" I told him a lot of people tend to go to something like this. Lo and behold a couple hundred were there on a beautiful afternoon.


>17 EBT1002: LOL - the Skillet lasagna was axed by the guys, Ellen *sigh* so I made chili instead. Which was quite good on a chilly day. Hubsters is staying away from carbs and didn't want the pasta.
Yup, I'll give you that, Eileen is interesting, for sure!

>18 DianaNL: Thanks Diana!

>19 scaifea: Thanks, Amber!

--------------
Another glorious day over here! I have some ironing to do and a couple of things to pick up at the store. Decorate the house for autumn and read. Leftover chili for dinner, yea!

Great pic of the trumpeter Lynda. I'm impressed you've got all those books out of the house. I find that so difficult!

I've still not even looked at Eileen. Maybe if it makes the shortlist.

Morning, Lynda! Chili sounds good, and I love it even more leftover. We got our Fall stuff out yesterday, too - we are about half way done. Sadly, though, we have no pumpkin pie Pop Tarts to commemorate the occasion.

>21 charl08: LOL, not so difficult, Charlotte, when I'm making room for new books to enter the house!
I have Hystopia and will only read it if it makes the short list. Paragraphs are pages long! What's with that?!

>22 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie! What?! No pumpkin pie Pop Tarts!!! :0(

It's very sad.

Morning Lynda! Gorgeous day in the Midwest. It makes a dreaded Monday a bit more tolerable.

>24 Crazymamie: >25 msf59: Hey, Mamie and Mark! Hope you both got through Monday safe and sound!
---------------
The Booker Short List has been revealed:

Do Not Say we have Nothing I may need to purchase
All that Man is "
His Bloody Project "
Hot Milk - one of my favorites
The Sellout - my least favorite but according to the blurb posted on the Booker Home Page and quoted below, I can see why it was chosen
Eileen - half way through this one, an older Eileen is recanting her story of her younger and alienated self. I'm expecting a big reveal by the conclustion (fingers crossed)

So here is what Booker says about this short list :

"the final six on the short list reflect the centrality of the novel in modern culture - in its ability to champion the unconventional, to explore the unfamiliar, and to tackle the difficult subjects"

>21 charl08: I would be very interested in your reaction to Eileen, charl. It's the only one on the short list that I have read; I liked it more than most people seem to have done.

Hi Lynda! I think I used that exact same quote over on my thread. I haven't read enough of the short listed novels to have much of an opinion, but I will proceed with reading them (as I'm able to acquire them -- I'm first up for The Sellout but waiting in the queue for all the others) with that quote in mind. We'll see.

ETA: I'm also most tempted to purchase Do Not Say We Have Nothing. It seems to be receiving high marks all around, at least here on LT. But I am trying to just wait my turn at the library....

Lynda, your tall stack of books may not be diminishing as quickly as you'd hoped, but at least you are making the effort. The library keeps giving me shiny new books to read so my old ones are getting older...and older.

Eileen certainly fits the Booker criteria. It is unconventional, unfamiliar, and tackles a difficult subject. It is also the only one on the short list I have read. Looking forward to your comments on it.

Good for Will playing taps at the 9/11 ceremony. I always get chills and a lump in my throat when I hear it.

>27 EBT1002: looking forward to your thoughts on The Sellout, Ellen.

>28 Donna828: Donna, I just set aside some books from my stack that will suit October. They total approx 12 inches so fingers crossed I can reduce it even more by the end of the year!

Ugh! I'm unable to renew Underground Railroad! Think I can zoom thru it in 3 days? Since Eileen isn't due, I'll put her on the back burner and give it a shot.

Morning, Lynda!

Nice summary of the Booker Prize shortlist, Lynda. Although I've barely started it my hopes will likely rest on Do Not Say We Have Nothing, now that Work Like Any Other was regrettably cast aside. I didn't get on with Hot Milk or The Sellout, and I would be very disappointed if either book came out on top.

Morning Lynda! Hope the week is going well and the books are treating you right.

Back to another cool down today. I will gladly accept it.

>30 scaifea: Morning, Amber!

>31 kidzdoc: I've decided, Darryl, not to purchase the books the I can not get from my library but concentrate on what I can get from the Giller and National Book Award Long List. I'm still in the cheering section for Hot Milk but I don't think it will win.

>32 msf59: Mark, the books have been kind and the cooler weather is a relief. Hoping 70 degrees holds on till the end of November.

----------------
Eesh, I need to take mom to 2 dr appts today, so I think I'll just find dinner along the way home. Hmmm, maybe fried chicken.

So, I've put Eileen aside for a couple of days and began Underground Railroad. This is going to be a good one, I can tell already.

Hi Lynda - I have Underground Railroad to read after I finish Behold the Dreamers, which is very good, by the way.

Sweet Thursday, Lynda. Enjoy your quiet day with Mr. Whitehead. What an amazing book that is.

>34 BLBera: Oh my gosh, Beth, we have a wonderful dilemma! I'm reading UR right now and thus far fabulous. My heart is in my throat all the time.
I've got Behold the Dreamers beside my desk and hope to get to it sometime soon.

>35 msf59: Sweet it is, Mark! The National Book Award longlist was just posted and i'm about to see what I can request from the library! So exciting!!

Here's the National Book Award longlist for Fiction, my friends:

Fiction

Chris Bachelder, The Throwback Special - ebook
Garth Greenwell, What Belongs to You - ebook
Adam Haslett, Imagine Me Gone - requested
Paulette Jiles, News of the World - requested 3rd in line
Karan Mahajan, The Association of Small Bombs - requested
Elizabeth McKenzie, The Portable Veblen - requested (Mamie read this and I had it home from the library but returned it unread) Currently reading
Lydia Millet, Sweet Lamb of Heaven - ebook 2 stars
Brad Watson, Miss Jane - requested
Colson Whitehead, The Underground Railroad - 4.5 stars
Jacqueline Woodson, Another Brooklyn - requested - playaway

Ha! I'm going to be one busy cookie! There goes my TBR's for October off my 7foot tower ( sigh )

Hi Lynda: I just visited to let you know I posted the longlist, and here it is!

I've read two and have Underground Railroad on my desk for my next read.

>36 Carmenere: Looks like you are going to be very busy reading the list. I was underwhelmed by The Portable Veblen, but have heard good things about The Organisation of Small Bombs.

>37 BLBera: Awe, that's so nice of you, Beth. I'm really excited about this award because all the books are easily accessible. I see I have some catching up to do!!

>38 charl08: Ha, I remember Mamie wasn't enthralled with it either. But just look at that cute little varmint on the cover. He's adorable! That alone is worth one star ;0}

OMG! It is so difficult to get parents to volunteer to work concessions for 2 measly hours! I've just emailed the band director to see if he'd post the link to the band facebook page and see if that works. *SCREAM!*

*deep breath* Morning folks :0D - loving The Underground Railroad. Whitehead is very creative in telling an old story in a new, heartfelt way.

I'm going to have another cup of coffee and read now.

Morning, Lynda! Been there, done that with the getting parents to volunteer - sending you positive mojo.

I liked The Portable Veblen, I just didn't love it, and I don't think it is award worthy - the nominations boggle me a bit.

>41 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie! Ooops! I thought TPV was a miss for you, thanks for correcting me. I feel better about reading it now.
LOL! well, by the look of you, you didn't pull out all your hair in frustration. I hope I'll be able to say the same for myself.

Well, I went back and read what I wrote about it - I said I liked it but that it didn't quite work for me. Here is the link to my thoughts (there are no spoilers): Mamie's Thoughts on TPV

Morning Lynda.

Morning Lynda. Happy Friday. Thanks for sharing the NBA longlist. I was not crazy about Sweet Lamb of Heaven but I have heard good things about the Haslett, Jiles and Woodson. All are on my list.

Seems to be a mixed LT reaction to The Portable Veblen, so I think I will pass on that one as well.

>45 msf59: Mark, The Portable Veblen is definitely not your cuppa.

One thing The Portable Veblen and Sweet Lamb of Heaven have in common is that they are very original. I liked Millet's previous book Mermaids in Paradise a lot more than this, but she is certainly an original thinker. TPV has quirky characters, but I think I noted that while there's a lot about our culture of conspicuous consumption, I am not sure I see how it got on the prize list.

>43 Crazymamie: Thanks for digging out your review, Mamie! Yup, it does sound fairly positive. I like quirky, so now that I know what to expect I'll be ready for those speed bumps!

>44 weird_O: Well, hi there, Bill! Welcome to my humble abode!

>45 msf59: You are quite welcome, Mark! I'm listening to Sweet Lamb in Heaven and although I'm not far into it, it does have me musing. Hmmmm, just what's going on here?

>45 msf59: >46 Crazymamie: Well, Mark and Mamie, I just brought TPV home from the libary and I'm very curious so putting it atop the new arrivals. Soon very soon.

>47 BLBera: I haven't read MIP, Beth so I have nothing to compare SLiH. SLiH is intriguing for sure and it probably has nothing to do with what I think it does. So fun finding out!

--------------
Good news! the band director will post my link to the band fb page tomorrow and even add his own message to it. I think this might work! *crossables crossed*

Quiet night at home, perfect time to get back to The Underground Railroad

I just started it, Lynda, and can tell it will be hard to put down.

Fingers crossed that you get the volunteers you need. I have that problem a lot, too, with PTO here. The worst is when folks sign up to help and then don't show up!! Yeesh.

Morning Lynda! Happy Saturday! I hope The Underground Railroad has swept you away.

>47 BLBera: I am with you on that one, Beth. I also much preferred Mermaids in Paradise.

Morning, Lynda! Happy Weekend to you!

Happy Saturday, everyone! I dropped will off at his internship and now I must make cheesy potatoes for the annual fundraiser which will be held in our development tonight. In the meantime, I'll slip in some reading and listening.

>49 BLBera: TUR is a gripping story, Beth. I love following Cora and Caesar.

>50 scaifea: I've got so many things crossed, Amber, I can barely type or walk :0} Well, yeah the no shows are another frustration all together!

>51 msf59: It has, Mark, yet this is not the first book I've read concerning eugenics. If you haven't read Necessary Lies I highly recommend it.

>52 Crazymamie: Thanks! and Happy weekend to you too, Mamie

Lynda, good luck tonight and have a great Saturday!

I love the opening fall images. Halloween is my favorite season. I love decorating at fall time. The last few mornings and evenings there has been a slight breeze. A harbinger of fall is in the air. It cannot come soon enough. This summer was way too hot.

Thanks for posting the books on the NBA fiction longlist, Lynda. I'll definitely read The Underground Railroad and Another Brooklyn once I finish with the Booker Prize shortlist. I was disappointed that Work Like Any Other and Homegoing weren't chosen, though.

Morning, Lynda!

Happy Sunday! Happy Football! Happy Reading, Lynda!

>54 mstrust: Our party was a blast. Mark! Not as crazy as a few years ago when many residents ended up in the lake but fun none the less.

>55 Whisper1: Yes, Linda, too hot, too humid, too rainy. I'm hoping it does not evolve into too cold, to icy and too snowy.

>56 kidzdoc: Hey Darryl, I'm a little more than 1/2 way through The Underground Railroad, 1/2 way through Eilleen and 1/2 way through Sweet Lamb of Heaven. At this pace, I'm going 1/2 way out of my mind ;0}
I can borrow all of the National Book Longlisters from my library! Woo Hoo!

>57 Crazymamie: Good Afternoon, Mamie!

>58 msf59: Happy Sunday to you too, Mark! The Browns were so close to winning today but........ya know.......not meant to be.

------------
*sniff, sniff, sniff* The house if filling with the wonderful aroma of pot roast. I'm reading and watching a rain shower move through the area. Ahhhh

Oooh, pot roast and a rain shower sounds lovely! I love those kinds of afternoons.

>59 Carmenere: Kudos to your library for all those books being available. Good luck with Eileen. I'm havering about reading that one!

Morning, Lynda! We got the rain but not the pot roast.

Hi, Lynda! Ooh, pot roast...

I have started The North Water. Man, this is just my cuppa. Tough, gritty and well-written.

Ahoy, matey's! Ok that's enough of that. Crazy morning of college apps, Fasfa and diabetic supplies for mom when all I wanted to do was finish the Underground Railroad. 70 pages to go!

>60 scaifea: Morning Amber! Yes, a perfect day to have a cozy meal!

>61 charl08: Yeah, Charlotte, I was surprised I was able to request all of them. Eileen is different but I hope you give it a try. I'd love to read your opinion

>62 Crazymamie: :0( Not to worry, Mamie! It's probably not pot roast weather at the Paradisio until, what?, December?

>63 msf59: Ooooo, I thought it would be, Mark! Glad you're enjoying it!

Morning, Lynda! Um...it's never really pot roast weather here, so you just have to make it when it sounds good, but yeah, December or January.

#44-2016
The Underground Railroad
Colson Whitehead
National Book Award LL
2016
306 pages
4.75/5

Location, location, location..........................
Georgia Plantation - USA


South Carolina


North Carolina home in town


Woods of Tennessee


Indiana farm


Thoughts...........This National Book Award longlister is quite a ride! We board the Underground Railroad in Georgia with runaway slaves, Cora and Caesar and with them the reader sees just what, Lumbly, their first conductor means when he says, "If you want to see what this nation is all about, you have to ride the rails. Look outside as you speed through, and you find the true face of America." In her journey toward freedom, she sees the good in people you'd least expect and the bad in those you'd think would befriend her. The trip offers vignette like snapshots of historical relevance from the 1800's during which suffering and brutality is tempered by kindness from strangers.
Whitehead's writing moves forward at a quick pace and often times with a lump in your throat and a tear in your eye, you will be moved and find that this book will live with you a long time.

>65 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie! Sad you don't really have pot roast season but I agree when it sounds good, go for it!

I loved your thoughts on The Underground Railroad and the accompanying images. This is such a special book and it is in the running with as being my favorite novel of the year.

>68 msf59: Oh, thanks, Mark! I couldn't help but compare it to another book I just read The Sellout. Well, actually, there is no comparison! TUG teaches and opens conversations and helps in understanding the plight of others. Worthy of an award, for sure.

Nice review of The Underground Railroad, Janet! I'll buy and read it next month.

>70 kidzdoc: Lynda ^ says, Thanks, Darryl! I look forward to your thoughts on it.

Morning Lynda! My LT pals have not convinced me to read The Sellout, so that one will have to wait. I think I have it saved on audio though, just in case.

Keep spreading the joy on Underground. It deserves it.

Happy Fall y'all!


>72 msf59: Honestly, Mark! With so much to read, put The Sellout on a back, back, back burner.

Ugh! I had to speak in front of an audience of 100+ parents last night in regards to volunteering for the music association. Though my heart has calmed down, I'm still recovering. Since 6th grade I've gotten this panicy feeling every time I talk to a group of people. I wish I could get past this feeling but I'm helpless. *sob sob sob* I know a good many of the people there but I suddenly forget to breath, talk to fast and forget half of what I want to say.
Does anyone know of a cure? *sigh*

I hope to finish National Book Award LLer Sweet Lamb of Heaven this morning. I'm looking forward to how this story is going to wrap up.

Still 1/2 way through Eileen the last of this years Booker SL I have available to me.

Then it's on to The Portable Veblen.

Mindfulness get together this evening. A group I feel fairly comfortable.

#45-2016
Sweet Lamb of Heaven
Lydia Millet
National Book Award LL
2016
Audio
2/5

Location, location, location............
Anchorage, Alaska


Coastal Maine


Thoughts.............Anna decides to have the baby her husband, Ned, does not want. When Lena is born her father has very little to do with her and withdraws from his marriage. Anna on the other hand adores her daughter but these darn voices she begins hearing after her birth are very strange, unrecognizable and make no sense, at all. When Lena is 6 and now living in a run down motel in Maine with her mother, Ned comes back into their lives and manipulates Anna into agreeing to fake family love for the duration of his political campaign. Weird how Ned knows things before they happen, strange how the residents in the run down motel hear voices too. Sounds like a spooky thriller to me, until the story becomes some metaphysical gibberish that does not make any sense and becomes something like a drug induced trip that's really difficult to wrap ones head around.

>74 Carmenere: So, no then. Good to know.

Morning, Lynda! I have the same problem with speaking in public, and to make matters worse, my skin blotches when I am nervous or embarrassed. Very disconcerting. The point is that you did it anyway - well done, you!

Morning Mamie, ooo, sorry to hear about the blotches. Never had that happen but still feeling rather jittery this morning and it's ridiculous! It's done, right?
LOL the funny thing is only 3 people signed up for a slot since my *gag* inspirational *apparently not* speech. *sigh*

I have had to do a little public speaking over the years and I suppose I manage reasonably well but still can find it a bit nerve wracking. The hardest for me probably has been giving expert witness testimony in court in construction cases. Not a pleasant experience generally as more often than not the other side's legal team do their utmost to make you appear a complete nincompoop and I do have a habit of speaking a little too quietly. I found that if I don't pitch my voice too much the other side have to strain to hear and it can sometimes discompose them. Have to be careful though as it can irritate the Judge in the process.

Morning Lynda. I felt the same way about Sweet Lamb. Disappointing, especially since I really liked her last about about Mermaids.

Hope Eileen is working for you better.

Hi Lynda - I loved The Underground Railroad, too. I can't imagine listening to Sweet Lamb of Heaven; I had to keep looking back. It wasn't easy to follow. I was disappointed because I really liked Mermaids in Paradise; Millet is very original. Still, I think I might like to read this one again.

Morning, Lynda! Happy Friday!

>77 PaulCranswick: Oh Paul, it sounds like you know just exactly what you're doing! Mindful of the environment and composed and that is exactly what I'm not.

>78 msf59: Hey Mark, I've not read anything else by Millett but perhaps I should just to give her a fighting chance.

>79 BLBera: Ya know, Beth, I rarely listen to fiction, I'm much better with non-fiction on audio. No plot to follow, fewer characters to understand makes it a more enjoyable read. So yes, I may have thought differently of Sweet Lamb had I read it, but audio was all that was available, so I'll never know. :0(

>80 Crazymamie: O My Gosh! has it been that long?! Well, Thanks Mamie and I hope Friday and Saturday were good to you! Happy Sunday too!

Just finished Eileen. Hmm, I've got to give this one some thought.

Morning, Lynda! Happy Sunday to you - hoping it is full of lazy!

>82 Crazymamie: Howdy, Mamie! I think lazy will, indeed, be the word of the day. I'm excited to be starting The Portable Veblen today!
Ugh! it looks to be the longest book on longlisters I've read this year.

Good luck with the Veblen. Hope you like squirrels!

LOL, actually, I love squirrels, Charlotte. Our yard is home to lots and lots of grey, black and brown squirrels. They scurry across the deck, they climb our bird feeder and eat my flowers but I still like them. Go figure!

Morning, Lynda!

Hey Amber! It's another beautiful day by me! It's probably upper 60's low 70's and sunny!

Hey, for those of you not keeping track, the Browns will start their 5th quarter back in as many games. Is that exciting or what?! Think I'll read instead.

Via Charlotte:

The 2016 Baillie Gifford prize longlist: Non-Fiction

Second-Hand Time by Svetlana Alexievich, translated by Bela Shayevich (Fitzcarraldo Editions) - library
The Vanishing Man by Laura Cumming (Chatto & Windus)
Being a Beast by Charles Foster (Profile Books) - Library
Stalin and the Scientists by Simon Ings (Faber & Faber)
Negroland: A Memoir by Margo Jefferson (Granta Books) - Library
This Is London by Ben Judah (Picador)
The Return: Fathers, Sons and the Land in Between by Hisham Matar (Viking) - Library
The Gene by Siddhartha Mukherjee (Bodley Head) - Library
East West Street by Philippe Sands (Weidenfeld & Nicolson) - Library
Guilty Thing: A Life of Thomas De Quincey by Frances Wilson (Bloomsbury)

#47-2016
Eileen
Ottessa Moshfegh
Booker SL
2015
260 pages
3/5

Location, location, location............. Rutland, Massachusetts

Thoughts.........If the Booker prize judges are looking for the "unconventional", "to explore the unfamiliar, and to tackle the difficult subjects" then this book has it all. Eileen is a twenty-four year old, college drop out and prison secretary. She lives with her alcoholic father and is on the verge of becoming one herself. After her mother died when she was 19 she rarely cleaned the house let alone herself. They live in total squalor and to say that she is the personification of the house would be more than evident. She fantasizes about leaving her father, her humdrum life and finding someone who loves her.
When she believes she's found that person her life changes in every way just not exactly the way she's romanticized.
For the first 3/4 of the novel I felt like I was as trapped in Eileen's life as the boy's in juvenile prison. I wanted to get out, escape from her unusual and crude ways and nearly gave up on this book. The last 1/4 was more exciting and the reader senses that the first 150 tiresome and irksome pages were needed to drill in the point that Eileen is desperate and gullible and will do just about anything to have someone love her. Really, we would have understood that by page 75. Still, the author shows talent in setting a stage and creating interesting characters.

Morning Lynda! I am enjoying hearing about your current reads. Interesting stuff. I will have to give Eileen a try.

Hope you had a good weekend.

Morning, Lynda! I keep going back and forth about Eileen - can't decide if I want to read that one or not. I guess I'll wait until I hear it calling me loud and clear. Until then plenty of others in the stacks. Hoping that Monday is kind to you. Hoping it is also kind to me, Ha!

>91 msf59: Hey Mark! I'm really enjoying reading the newer books. It's actually quite nice to take the path lightly tread for a change.

>92 Crazymamie: Howdy, Mamie! I don't think you'll here Eileen calling you. She speaks in a whisper. Perhaps worthy of a read, if she wins the Booker.

Rain scheduled for later today so I'm off to run some errands then roast a chicken.

The Browns almost won yesterday, then lost in extra innings or what ever that's called after regulation time.

Looks like the Indians are bringing the post season to Cleveland. Tickets for ALDS go on sale today!

Hiya, Lynda.

I wish I could read Underground Railroad right now, darn it, but there are too many others queued in front of it.

>94 jnwelch: I know what you mean, Joe!! I've got so many books home from the library it makes my head spin. All I want to do is sit in a comfy chair and read non-stop. Unlikely :(

Morning Lynda! Go Tribe! See you in the postseason. Our Cubbies won their 100th game last night. B.A.G.

>96 msf59: B.A.G. indeed! Love how the postseason extends the summer! Cubs had a whopper of a season! Our pitching maybe in trouble but holding out for the best.

Big day at our house! A 75 yo elm tree which stretches its graceful arms across our driveway is coming down this morning. It has been splitting and we've been told it would heal itself so We've been working to save it but the split gets wider and wider and I freak out at the thought of snow bringing that tree down and doing a lot more damage to the surrounding area.

Freak out #2 - Will's been invited to go with his buddy's family to the caribbean after graduation. He's already going to Disney with the Marching band this spring, then there's a grad. Party. This elm tree project is mucho dinero. Plus the family vacay we hadn't even planned yet. *sigh* we just don't know what to do.

Off for my 3rd cup of coffee.

Morning, Lynda! Sorry about the tree, and YIKES to thinking through everything else. I hear you - we replaced both AC units just after Daniel had that surgery on his leg and then had to replace the pool pump, which cost more than both AC units combined. Can you say skinny Christmas?!

>99 Crazymamie: Hey Mamie! Well, now that I'm less stressed about a splitting elm falling on someone in our driveway AND now that we've soul searched about Will's trip with friends I feel a bit less stressed. He's decided that since summer is so short and he wants to travel to other areas of the world before he goes to the Caribbean again, we thanked the the family for the kind offer but declined in favor, of perhaps, going back to Europe this summer.

Finished The Throwback special with review to follow after breakfast.

Great comments on Eileen, Lynda. I'm thinking I'll have to pick it up one of these days.

Yikes to the tree - I've had to have a couple removed, so I feel your pain.

Will sounds like a very practical youngster. Kudos to the parents. :)

>101 BLBera: I hope you do, Beth. It's quite a good book.
Here's the ill fated tree

We counted approx 80 rings. :0(
Will's been a great kid and I really give a large amount of credit to my mom and dad who watched him from 8 weeks old to kindergarten while Bill and I went to work.

After breakfast today........a review.

#48-2016
The Throwback Special
Chris Bachelder
National Book Award LL
2016
audio
3.75/5

Location, Location, Location................. Click here for Joe Theisman's injury & basis for this book

Thoughts..................22 middle-aged men get together annually to reenact, Washington Redskins, Joe Theisman's career ending injury and Lawrence Taylor's reaction to it. The reenactment is really quite a big deal and taken very seriously, almost sacredly. Know that this book is not just about 10 seconds of football, it is about the lives and thoughts of the men playing their parts. I'd liken this story to entering the inner sanctum of a man cave and at heart, men are still boys. I wasn't keen on reading this book but so glad I gave it a chance.

Gosh - I've never heard of a sporting reenactment group like that. Interesting stuff. Glad it was a good read. Eileen has arrived in the library shelf so I should be getting to that at some point.

>104 charl08: I haven't either, Charlotte. I'd bet there are some sports enthusiasts that do this sort of thing.
Looking forward to your thoughts on Eileen.

Yesterday marked our 23rd wedding anniversary. More or less a typical day which was absolutely lovely. LOL for dinner I made Hungarian goulash accompanied with Bull's Blood wine.

I haven't read a dang thing all weekend but I'm 1/4 of the way through Veblen and, so far, have good vibes about it.

Leftovers tonight so maybe a little reading after a jaunt to Tractor Supply. Fun 😜

Happy belated anniversary. I'll watch for your Veblen comments.

Nice review of The Throwback Special, Lynda. I'm a football fan, particularly of the New York Giants, and I remember watching that sickening hit on Joe Theisman by Lawrence Taylor, but I have no desire to read this book, which you confirmed in your comments about it. Thanks for taking one for the team.

ETA: Happy belated anniversary! Hungarian goulash sounds promising.

Happy Anniversary!

>106 BLBera: Thanks Beth! I hope to get a big chunk of reading done tomorrow, I can't doddle on this book when so many more are giving screaming for attention.

>107 kidzdoc: It was my pleasure to take one for the team, Darryl. Still, it was better than I expected.
The goulash was even better tonight. Yum!

>108 mstrust: Thank you, Jennifer! That's lovely!!

Happy belated anniversary, Lynda.

Morning Lynda! And Happy Anniversary! Trying to catch up a few threads. This might take awhile...

ETA: Oh, yeah...Go Indians!!

>110 DianaNL: Thanks, Diana :0)

>111 msf59: Thanks, Mark :0)
and Goooo Cubbies!

So! I just discovered an ebook I didn't know I downloaded is due in 3 days! Going to zip thru this one today, for sure. Once again this book, by Garth Greenwell, What Belongs to You is taking me into a segment of society I know very little about.

Happy belated anniversary Lynda.

More anniversary wishes. Goulash sounds lovely.

>113 PaulCranswick: Thank you very much, Paul!

>114 charl08: Thank you, Charlotte. Goulash was delicious! Think I'll make it again around Halloween.........you know, Ghoulash?!

#49-2016
Another Brooklyn
Jacqueline Woodson
2016
National Book Award ll
Audio
4.75/5

Location, location, location................Brooklyn, New York


Thoughts...................I loved this beautifully written story of four pre-teen girls, August, Sylvia, Angela and Gigi coming of age in the mid '70's. The story is told from the vantage point of August. When her mother has mental health issues, August and her brother are uprooted from their Tennessee farm by their father and move to Brooklyn, New York. Brooklyn is not an easy place to grow up. Drugs, murder and prostitution affect the girls on a daily basis. Their home lives are not at all ideal and even their friendship suffers from betrayal. The story follows them to adulthood and reveals the path that each has taken.
I especially liked the references made to songs of the 70's, Rock the Boat, Minnie Riperton and Al Green, they all added to the authenticity of the era.
Highly recommended.

Totally belated happy anniversary!! :)
Goulash is among the very few meat dishes I'm missing, but as you so rarely get a good one in a restaurant here (and where I live it's on every menu, served with bread dumplings that have also pieces of bacon), I'm coping.

Another Brooklyn sounds like a must, I'll get the sample.

Thanks, Nathalie! I rarely order goulash out or any meat dish for that matter. I'm likely to order pasta, shrimp, scallops or the occasional steak.
I'll eat a bit when I make it for the guys but mainly I load up on sauce and nokedli/dumplings.

Off for coffee with the moms - then ugh! I have to work concessions tonight for lack of a team leader.

Great comments on Another Brooklyn, Lynda. I am 10 on the list at the library, so it will probably be at the end of the year.

Hi, Lynda! Hooray for Another Brooklyn. I have it saved on audio. Yesssssss....

Go Cubs! Go Indians!

Nice review of Another Brooklyn, Lynda! I'll plan to read it next month.

>121 kidzdoc: Thanks, Darryl. I look forward to your thoughts.
_______________________

Due to lack of volunteers I again worked concessions. Oddly enough, I'm enjoying it. *don't tell anyone, k?"
Grocery shopping this morning - homecoming parade this evening (Beautiful weather) - perhaps a little reading in between

Have a splendid weekend, Lynda. xx

Happy Saturday, Lynda. Go Cubs! Go Tribe!

Let's keep this train going! B.A.G.

Morning, Lynda!

>123 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul! Hope your's is going well too xx

>124 msf59: Hey Mark! So far the Indians and Cubs are looking good. I'll try to catch a bit of the Cubs game tonight.

>125 scaifea: Good evening, Amber! Hope you had a wonderful Saturday. They weather by me has been absolutely flawless. Should be the same all week! Whoop!

---------
50% done with National Book Award longlister What Belongs to You: A Novel Not an easy read.

Happy Sunday, Lynda. Enjoy your beautiful weather - and football?

Lynda, I am enjoying your comments on all the contemporary fiction you are reading. I am on the waiting list for some of the books but am still sneaking in some of my old books along with the new. It's sad when you lose a big tree but it sounds like this one had to go before it became a real menace. I love our trees but the upkeep is expensive. My husband did the trimming last time when we had a rented cherry picker here to paint the back of the house. He loved it and did a great job.

>127 BLBera: The weather's been fantastic, Beth and the trees are reaching their peak color. It should be nice most of the week and I just hope it lasts till Thanksgiving :0}

>128 Donna828: I've really enjoyed reading the new stuff, Donna, books I surely would not have picked up if they'd not been on a awards list. It's opening me up to the unconventional, unfamiliar and uncomfortable. It's really stretching my reading life and I love it.
Yes, it is indeed sad when a 75 year old tree becomes life threatening. I'm sure no one thought about that when the driveway was made back in the 70's but we certainly are not in need of any trees as seen in this photo down our driveway

>129 DianaNL: Ha! Love it, Diana!! Hope you have a good week too :0)

--------
Ahhh, love a day when I've no need to leave the house! Finished a National Book Award longlister with review to follow.

Just found this on Darry's thread:

Fiction:
Chris Bachelder, The Throwback Special - Read - It's pretty good
Paulette Jiles, News of the World
Karan Mahajan, The Association of Small Bombs
Colson Whitehead, The Underground Railroad - Read - A winner!
Jacqueline Woodson, Another Brooklyn - very very good but similar to other neighborhood girl's coming of age books I've read.

I have news of the world and assoc. of small bombs in my possession and will move them up post haste!

Hi Lynda. Like you, the prizes are keeping me from making much progress on my TBR stacks!!! Your comments about The Underground Railroad make me even more anxious for my turn in the library queue. I'm also in the queue for Another Brooklyn and looking forward to it, as well.

I think Beth is reading The Association of Small Bombs and it looks excellent. I think she used the word "heartbreaking." Lots of that going around in literature (and life) these days.

"...love a day when I've no need to leave the house!" Ah yes, those are special. I may not see one for a few months but I will be looking ahead in my schedule and trying to "make one happen."

Happy Monday, my friend!

#50-2016
What Belongs to You: A Novel
Garth Greenwell
National Book Award Long list
2016
195 pages
3/5

Location, Location, Location....................Sofia, Bulgaria

Varna, Bulgaria


Thoughts.............. An expat American teaching in Bulgaria is drawn inexplicably to a fellow, Mitko, in a rest room who sells what the expat is hoping to acquire. It's quite obvious from the start that Mitko desires nice things and will do what he needs to in order to get them. A homosexual relationship begins between the two in explicit language. Over the course of time the expat gets more than he bargained for from Mitko and each time he gives him money and sends him on his way, Mitko returns.
Frankly, I have never read a book like this before. It was enlightening and I grew sympathetic to the American's and Mitko's alienation.
Looking back, the expat recalls his childhood, his confused initial feelings of sexuality and the reactions from his parents, especially his father, who did not offer the support and understanding the young man required.
Perhaps, the author in writing this book, wants to shed light on an unfamiliar topic and if so, I think he's succeeded.

>132 EBT1002: Hi there Ellen! HA! my TBR's have not moved an inch since last thread. I'm not seeing a break anytime soon yet it's so nice to read new fiction.
You've got a lot of good reading ahead of you with Underground Railroad and Another Brooklyn. I look forward to your thoughts on both.

>130 Carmenere: What a pretty driveway! Enjoy your day at home.

Great comments on What Belongs to You, Lynda. I'll watch for your comments on The Association of Small Bombs.

>135 mstrust: Thanks, Jennifer, it is a pretty driveway. When all the leaves have fallen our drive becomes a shapeless mosaic of color which must be blown off before rain and snow plasters them to the cement. Quite a job!

>136 BLBera: TAoSB is up next, Beth,so give me a few days to read and digest. It sounds heartbreaking already and I just read the jacket blurb.

Oh, that *is* a lovely driveway! Thanks for the photo!

The Windians are looking pretty good despite injuries to our pitching staff. On to the American League Championship! Friday 8pm CLE vs Toronto @ Cleveland.........you're all invited!

>138 scaifea: Thanks Amber. Needless to say we have a snow plow service on that baby.

------------
Dentist today! I just know she wants to do some creative things with my old fillings but, no way sister, not until my higher end dental plan kicks in in 2017.

Morning Lynda! The Cubs lost a tough one last night. Hoping for a victory tonight.

Congrats on your Indians. That's the way to do it.

>140 msf59: Hope the Cubs get it done tonight, Mark!

Flustered! All that Man is just came in for me at the library! Hold everything! I'll try to get this one in before the booker prize is revealed on the 25th.

Hope you enjoy it! I liked it a lot.

>139 Carmenere: I visited the dentist just yesterday. Tell me about old fillings... A new guy--the lady I saw last time seems to be gone--wants to redo two fillings she did, NCTC. Then two others I gotta pay for. Does that make it a wash for the dentist?

>143 charl08: I started it in the dentist's waiting room, Charlotte, and I like it already

>144 weird_O: Ugh! No way! Redo 2 newer fillings?! + 2 more?! Nooooo, I don't think anything is a wash where dentists are concerned. Good luck with that, Bill!!

As expected, my dentist wants to replace a silver filled tooth with a crown and the tooth is cracked, wouldn't hold the new compound. I get that. But, she also wants to cap the tooth next door (no fillings, not cracked - I think a filing will do). I told her I'm not comfortable getting all these teeth crowned and she said she'll have to see what the ex-rays show....................in January. at least she's willing to put it off till new plan kicks in.

Morning, Lynda! Love the driveway photo - gorgeous. I have both Another Brooklyn and The Underground Railroad out from the library.

A belated Happy Anniversary to you and the Mr.

Go Cubs! Go Indians! Should be a very exciting weekend ahead. B.A.G.

Boo to dental woes...

>146 Crazymamie: Mamie! So good to see you up and about! I think you're going to be very happy with AB and TUR.
Thanks re: anniversary! It looks like we both took the love of October to the alter!

>147 msf59: Whoop, whoop, Mark! I love how the post season is extending summer for us. On to the League Championships! Gooooooooooo Cubs Gooooooo Indians!
Dental woes......ah, what cha gonna do?

-----------------------
Both Will and I are feeling out of sorts today so we're lying low.
Oh, finished Veblen. I'll knock out a short review.
*brief soapbox visit* In the past I have voted for both R's and D's but this year I could just cry at how this election is dragging on and on. I find it so difficult to believe that the USA can only offer us two 70 year old been there, done thats. Sometimes I feel I should just vote for the best VP candidate. Can we have a redo? Does anyone else feel this way? Other countries must be laughing at us.*thank you, that is all*

#51-2016
The Portable Veblen
Elizabeth McKenzie
2016
National Book Award Long lister
430 pages

Location, location, location.....................Palo Alto, California

Cobb, California

Thoughts............Quirky and somewhat humorous, the author weaves a world where a squirrel can talk and indeed give advice to mere humans.
In this story Veblen, who has an unusual closeness to squirrels has been proposed to by Paul. Their engagement has it's ups and downs and differences that they must overcome. Screwball comedy at that and entertaining as well.

Nice comments on Veblen, Lynda. Are you puzzled about its presence on various prize lists? I thought it pleasant enough and enjoyed it but it won't be among my top reads of the year.

>150 BLBera: Sure, I'm a little puzzled, Beth, but I was also puzzled why novels like Lucy Barton and The Throwback Special made award lists. *shrugs* I just don't know what the judges are looking for :0}

I've got 3 books going at the same time! See what you've done to me Librarything!!!!
I'll take Miss Jane to the Pulmonary docs office today (breathing test and flu vaccine, what fun). I think I can easily get through Jane in two days.

Morning Lynda! Hope you feel better. Nice thoughts on The Portable Veblen. I will read that one, eventually.

>153 msf59: Ya know, Mark, there's something to be said to reading the newer books. I always say, "oh, I'll read that one some day" and unlike you, I rarely do.

So Bob Dylan wins the Nobel Prize for literature. Educate me folks! Do the Nobel Prizes recognize achievement in the past year or lifetime achievement? It it's in the past year, I really have some catching up to do caused I've missed it. ETA: apparently, it's works throughout his life.
Perhaps the judges determined that it's time and AT this time for everyone to re-read his sentiments.

http://bobdylan.com/songs/
Nice website to review his many songs.

From the Wikipedia entry on the Literature Prize:

Since 1901, the Nobel Prize in Literature (Swedish: Nobelpriset i litteratur) has been awarded annually to an author from any country who has, in the words of the will of Alfred Nobel, produced "in the field of literature the most outstanding work in an ideal direction" (original Swedish: den som inom litteraturen har producerat det mest framstående verket i en idealisk riktning). Though individual works are sometimes cited as being particularly noteworthy, here "work" refers to an author's work as a whole.

The comments by the head of the academy on NPR this morning were interesting - went back to Homer and others that composed poetry designed to be accompanied by music. The choice opens an interesting door, though, by asking what's literature...

>155 drneutron: Thanks for that info, Jim!
As I think about it, lyrics as literature, they're initially words on paper, true, but transformed by music and performance bringing those who listen to the words to tears or inflame them, bringing sadness or joy. I certainly know more lyrical literature by heart than any other book I've read. For example Ecclesiastes 3:1-15. Thanks to Turn, Turn, Turn by Pete Seeger, it put the bible on the lips of many who may have never read the bible.
Perhaps after everyone gets over the initial shock, we'll see the sense in it.

Morning, Lynda! I did not know about Dylan winning the Noble Prize for Literature. Interesting.

>157 Crazymamie: Howdy, Mamie! Yeah, I think a lot of people, including me, are quite surprised about Dylan.

Breathing test went fairly well and the results were a bit better than last years. Yeah for that!

Hooray for Bobbie. He really is a poet. Someone mentioned that for some songs, you have to have the music, but for Dylan, you can read his lyrics without the music. And he does have a huge amount of work. I love the choice.

>130 Carmenere: what a marvelous driveway!!!
My dad's town has a 10km road to it (the only road in or out) and my kids gall it "Grandad's long driveway" :)

>159 BLBera: Ya know, Beth, the more I think about Dylan and the Pulitzer the more I like it. Definitely unconventional, out of the box choice. Not many lyricists have the body of work nor the socially conscious material that BD does. In my little opinion, I think the judges want us to see how relevant Dylan's material is today. To take another look and go, "yeah, things don't change much" - "what can we do now to change the cycle".

>160 LovingLit: >130 Carmenere: .....and honestly that's only the half of it, Megan.
Did a little converting and, OMG! a 6 mile approach! How fun is that! How many times have your kids said "Are we there yet?, Are we there yet?"

So cool! I'm currently watching my son's marching band on a local morning show. They're on the shores of Lake Erie in downtown CLE where it's really really cool to them, it's like 39f out there! I'm sure they're getting a good view of the sunrise.

President Obama is visiting this morning as are the Toronto Blue Jays, in town for the first game of the ALCS vs the Indians! Woot woot woot!

Morning, Lynda! Happy Friday!

Good Morning, Cleveland! Happy Friday.

>162 Crazymamie: Happy Friday to you too, Mamie! Finally getting a chance to sit down.

>163 BLBera: Cleveland say good afternoon to you, Beth! Cold start but it's turned into a sunny high 50's kinda day. Not bad.

So, tonight is Senior Night at the football game. The parents escort their child band member across the field and is recognized with a brief bio by the announcer. So exciting. Will says it's going to be an awesome halftime show. The seniors have chosen the music etc. Can't wait!!

We woke up at 4:30am to get to school by 5:15. As I was walking through the bedroom, not turning out the lights..........I must have broke my little toe for the 10,000th time. Ouch

Hey all, Indians win, Indians win! the first game of the ALDS! Yesss!

What a night at senior night at the hs stadium. To the strains of Light em Up the trombones went pyrotechnic! Yup, they made it appear as if flames were shooting out of the trombone section. All supervised by adults, of course.

Another beauty here today. It's been an awesome fall....but wait!.....it's going up into the 80's next week. Summer fights on!

Happy Saturday, Lynda! Go Indians. Nice to have that first win under your belt.

Now let's see if the Cubbies can do the same...

Bummer about the toe breakage - I know that feeling well. Senior Night! i still remember that very well even though it was WAYYYYYY back in 1985. The seniors got to leave their hats off, so it was easy to tell which ones were seniors, and the girls all got corsages to wear on our band uniforms. My Dad was working, and my mom never attended any events, so my sister and her husband stood for me instead. Ah...memories. Will's evening sounds like it was full of fun.

>166 msf59: Hey Mark! until Cle meets them in the World Series. Har!

>167 Crazymamie: LOL listen to you, 1985! just a youth! Hats off, interesting way to identify them. Guys and gals got boutonnieres pinned onto their uniforms last night and took a nice group pic. Will has lots of good band memories and he still has the Disney trip to look forward to.
Now that MB is wrapping up it's time to prepare for symphonic band and jazz band.

Happy Sunday, Lynda! Go Indians! Go Cubs! Both teams are rolling.

I started Another Brooklyn. What a beauty! I think my only problem with it, will be it's length. It is soooooo short.

Morning, Lynda!

Another non-plussed a little by the choice of Bob Dylan for the Nobel Prize. iF Svetlana Alexievich wins for what is essentially elevated reportage (and I am fine with that - her Chernobyl Voices is eminently moving) and you then admit song lyrics as literature then Dylan must be the lyricist par excellence.

That said, with some exceptions, if his lyrics are written down and read without the music they stand up as pretty mediocre poetry.

Not sold on the decision but I am perhaps less stupefied by it as I was on the day of the announcement.

ETA Have a lovely Sunday, Lynda. xx

>169 msf59: Hey Mark, hope you had a lovely weekend despite the Cubs loss. All will be well, I can feel it in my bones.
Go Cubs..............Go Indians!

>170 Crazymamie: Hellooo, Mamie. Hope you enjoyed a lovely weekend too.

>171 PaulCranswick: Well, Paul, the Nobel judges certainly took a liberal interpretation of the rules and made literary heads spin, look up and take notice. This choice will be dissected and debated for a very very long time. Probably, forever.

--------------------
Absolutely glorious weather weekend in the CLE! Indians are up 2-0 vs Toronto in the ALCS. Sweet. Our third injured pitcher just makes it all a little more exciting but I feel this team has the mojo to go all the way.

Our wonderful neighbor, an amateur photographer, took Will out yesterday to take senior pics amidst the beautiful autumn background. She'll put them on a flash drive and we can chose what we want to do with them. She asks nothing in return but I gifted her with a crepe pan and utensils and I will show her how to make crepes or palacsinta, as we call them in Hungarian.

Morning Lynda! Go Tribe! How about shooting for 3-zip? Sounds lovely, doesn't it?

Like music to my ears, Mark!

Well it's a glorious morning in CLE!

We worked outside all day yesterday cleaning out our old wood pile and splitting and stacking wood from our old elm tree.
Today, much of the same as it will probably be the last 84F day till April? May? June? who knows. We need to lay down mulch, finish the wood pile, fill bird feeders, probably mow the lawn too.

But! first and foremost I'm going to finish Miss Jane!

Go Indians! Wow! How exciting. Talk about the catbird's seat.

Morning Lynda! You must really be buzzing.

Howdy, Mark! Kluber is lacking some spark this afternoon. Top of the fifth and the Indians are down 2-0. Hoping a big inning for the tribe is just around the corner and happens before we step out for candidates night. Ugh, why did I commit to this?

Candidates night was fairly interesting! Not only did I see local candidates and learn the issues, I also met the young lady Will likes.

Indians are hoping for a win this afternoon and move on to the World Series. Crossing crossables.

We've been so busy I haven't had time to comment on my latest read. For sure, after dinner

Woo hoo woo hoo! The Indians are going to the world seriesssss!

Come on Cubs, CLE is waiting for you!

Lynda, I can't believe that your library does not have Do Not Say We Have Nothing, as one of the Giller Prize books, since it is also short- listed for the Booker Prize . I recall you mentioning that your library had none of the Canadian Giller Prize books, but one would hope for the Man Booker Short list.

Go Indians! They are red-hot, my friend. I hope we meet in the World Series. Fingers crossed.

Come on, Cubbies!!

Morning, Lynda! I'm happy for you and your Indians!

>180 vancouverdeb: It's weird, Deborah. We're just a hop, skip and a jump away from Canada and some books are still difficult to request from the library. After checking this morning, The Wonder is on order so I requested that but there are 3 people ahead of me, 13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl is available so I checked out the ebook. Hopefully, more will be coming in before the November 7th announcement.

>181 msf59: Yes indeed, Mark, the whole town is sizzling! Time to stock up on Indians swag! Wow, the Cubs brought it last night! Sending good mojo their way!!

>182 scaifea: Morning, Amber and thanks. Indians have not won the World Series since 1948 so we're looking to change that this year!

Morning, Lynda! Sounds like a productive evening. And hooray for your Indians!

#52-2016
Miss Jane
Brad Watson
2016
279 pages
National Book Award Longlist
4/5

Location, location, location..............Mississippi farmland

Thoughts..............After the death of their youngest child the Chisholm's, thinking they were well past their fertile years, gave birth to a beautiful blue eyed baby. Dr. Thompson hesitates on proclaiming the baby's sex but believes it is a girl. The difficulty in giving Baby Jane a sex concerns the fact she was born with a genital birth defect which will never allow her to fulfill, what in the early 20th century, a woman's duty to have children or even be intimate with a man. That's not all. The defect also has some very unacceptable social taboos which leave her unable to go to school or keep friends. For a very brief time, Jane fell in love with the neighbor boy and in a Cinderella like period of time she dances, flirts and acts like her infliction does not even exist. But it does and when reality returns, young Jane learns how to live with her problems and shield them as best she can or use them to her advantage when need be. Her soulmate through life are not her disgruntled parents nor her freedom seeking sister but the doctor who brought her into this world. He taught her about life and peacocks and love. A beautiful story which is based on the authors family. Touching and well written.

>184 Crazymamie: Morning, Mamie!!

Go Cubs! Go Indians! Sweet Thursday, indeed!

>187 msf59: Howdy, Mark!

Great comments on Miss Jane, Lynda. Congrats to your team, the Indians. That must help to make up for the Browns, right?

>189 BLBera: Thanks, Beth! I really liked this gentle book. The Indians have been a joy to watch all season, hope the pitching stays solid despite injuries.
IMO, since the Browns haven't won a championship since Paul Brown left to organize the Cincinnati Bengals, I truly believe change of name and team colors may shake off the losing mojo. I suspect that won't happen anytime soon.

Hi Lynda! All caught up here now! Congrats on the Indians American League championship. I'll root for them in the series if the Cubs don't win the National League. (Our local minor league team is a Cubs affiliate.)

Even I am getting excited about the World Series and I hope that the Cubs make it to face off with the Indians.

Have a lovely weekend, Lynda.

>191 cbl_tn: Hey Carrie! You must be talking about the Tennessee Smokies! When we were in Gatlinburg, maybe about 15 years ago we went to their gift shop and purchased Will a t-shirt. I'm hoping for Indians vs Cubs series. May the best team win.

>192 PaulCranswick: Wow! It's great to be on the world stage, Paul! I'm hoping for the same, it would be quite a match up.

Still reading Small Bombs and finding it very interesting. A good day to stay indoors and read in a comfy chair with blanket and tea.

>193 Carmenere: Yes, the Tennessee Smokies! They weren't a Cubs affiliate 15 years ago. They would have been affiliated either with the Toronto Blue Jays or the St. Louis Cardinals then. Since then, they've been affiliated with the Arizona Diamondbacks for a couple of years, and with the Cubs since 2007.

Happy Saturday, Lynda. I am almost done with Small Bombs. I like it but not sure I quite love it. See how it wraps up.

Hope the Cubs nail down a win tonight, so we can see you on Tuesday. Fingers crossed.

>196 cbl_tn: Yeah, I'm certain it was pre-Cubs, Carrie. It made a nice souvenir for the little guy.

>197 msf59: I'm only about 1/2 way through Small Bombs and I'm also looking forward to how it all shakes out.
Gooooo small furry animals from Chicago!

Happy Saturday, Lynda!

Happy Saturday, Mamie. I've got a Yankee pot roast on the stove and it's aroma is intoxicating!

Oh, pot roast! Love that. We are ordering pizza from the Mellow Mushroom - one of our favorite spots.

>201 Crazymamie: Since last night was football/marching band night we ordered pizza's and wings from a local pizza place. I couldn't believe the itty bitty size of the wings. I assume they're from chickens but perhaps another small bird, like squab wings. Dissappointing but the pizzas were magnifico.
Just finished the pot roast and it was perfect for a fall day.
-------------------------------
I picked up some spooky books from the library this afternoon: Hollow City, Ghostland and Tales of the Peculiar. I will try to slip them in between award long listers.

Driving out to Pennsylvania for the day. We're between rainy days so should be a beautiful drive.

Woo Hoo! Are you ready for this?!

Happy Sunday, Lynda! Woo-Hoo!! We are going to the World Series! How great is that?

My only quibble: WHY the 7:30 start time? Why not 7?? Tough on a working man!

>204 msf59: It is REALLY, REALLY GREAT, Mark! Both teams deserve this as do their fans. It will be party central around here, for sure!

Quibble not my friend and rest assured you can still get a decent nights sleep. The times posted in >203 Carmenere: are from a local TV station so it's in Eastern Time and you should assume the game will probably begin at 6:30 Central Time.

Cookies, anyone?


Nice day in Pennsylvania. Wouldn't be complete with out stopping at a drive thru beer store. Only in PA, right?!
On the drive home I read aloud from Tales of the Peculiar, a short story entitled The Splendid Cannibals. Good one!

Well, good luck to both you and Mark in the World Series. May the best team win.

>206 BLBera: Yes, Beth, both teams have struggled for a very very long time. The last time the Indians made it to the WS was in '95 '97 after a 50 years of maybe next years. We had an amazing team in the '97 series yet lost to the Florida Marlins in game 7 - 11th inning. Why? The Curse of Rocky Colavito! Clevelanders still feel the pain of that loss today.
On the other side, the story I've been hearing about the curse of the billy goat at the 1945 Cubs World Series resulting in their loss is intriguing.
So is it Cubs vs Indians or Billy Goat vs Colavito? Ya gotta love baseball!

We have to put those dreaded curses to rest, although I guess we both can't do it this time...grins.

I think I can feel your giddiness from here...another grin.

Hey Mark! Baseball fans from both cities have suffered for a very long time!!!! It will be exciting to see how it all pans out!
I'm over the top giddy.

Morning, Lynda! I brought doughnuts:

>211 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie! Great way to kick off a weeklong party!

Hm... so how did it happen that I lost your thread? :o
Anyway, I'm back halfway in time to wish you, err.... a great season? Anything special you have to say when it's about baseball? Enjoy! :))

>203 Carmenere: Oh dear! I stopped by the say hello and found out *gasp* that you are a Cleveland fan! ;-p
Sad that they beat my Jays! :(
Should be an exciting week for you and the other LT baseball fans!

> 213 We all somehow lose threads now and then, Nathalie! It's the finding them again that's so remarkable! Thanks? for all the baseball wishes ;0)

>214 ChelleBearss: Ohhh, sorry to have had you gasp on your first visit to my 2016 thread, Chelle! It was sad we had to play Toronto in the League Championship. I love Toronto, especially your airport that offers direct service to many destinations, I would have rather sent another team packing.
Yeah lots of baseball love on LT. Can any team really lose with so many readers behind them?

---------------
I hear Tom Hanks and Stephen King are on the Indians Party Deck! Yaaaaaaaaaay!

OK, quick review before game time!

Getting excited? Game-time is in an hour, my friend. I have ate dinner and now I am kicking back with my favorite cold beverage.

Looks like a cool evening but at least it will be dry. They mentioned you could get rain tomorrow.

Boo to Stephen King and Tom Hanks. I will not longer read his books or watch his films. Kidding...of course.

#53-2016
Tales of the Peculiar
Ransom Riggs
2016
160 pages
Spooky October
2.5/5

Location, Location, Location................Swampmuck

Ireland High Tide

Thoughts............The Forward, written by Millard Mullings of Miss Peregrine fame, tells the reader the stories in this book "is a collection of our most beloved folklore". In regular folklore fashion many if not all of the short stories have a moral behind them which is really nice for the young adult reader this book is directed to but to your average adult it's just meh. Nothing scary but lots of the peculiar.

Hi Lynda! I found out this morning that the Smokies are having an open house this evening. Coincidentally, the timing coincides with the opening game of the World Series! ;-) They're offering free popcorn, free inflatable to entertain the kids, all you can eat specials for hot dogs, etc., discounts on merchandise in the club store, and giveaways throughout the evening. And there will be TVs all over the stadium, including the big scoreboard. Sounds like a fun night! One of my coworkers was thinking about going. Her husband is an Indians fan!

>216 msf59: Hey Mark! How's my favorite Cubs fan doing? We're just about ready to stroll over to our neighbors house for a small watch party. Yup, you heard right. Possibly some rain tomorrow but haven't heard if it will occur around game time.

Enjoy the game!!

>218 cbl_tn: Why aren't you there, Carrie?! Sounds like a good time! Your co-workers husband is one brave guy!

>220 Carmenere: It's my evening to work late, and I have to open in the morning, too. I need my beauty sleep! ;-)

Morning, Lynda!

Morning Lynda! Big win for the Tribe last night. Congrats. Kluber and Miller are incredibly tough. See you again tonight. Fingers crossed we stay dry.

Good morning!
Today on the Party Deck we're featuring a simple breakfast of Cleveland's own Slyman's corn beef and coffee of course

>221 cbl_tn: Bummer, Carrie! Hope you have a great and well rested day!

>222 scaifea: Good morning, Amber :0)

>223 msf59: Howdy, Mark! Take heart, the series is long and our pitching staff is wounded, but yeah, they brought it last night. You know the game's been moved up an hour to avoid incoming rain, right?

----
So, have you heard? Paul Beatty wins the Booker Prize for The Sellout. Really?!

>215 Carmenere: yes we do have a lovely airport. I've actually started flying out of Hamilton when I can, instead of Toronto. It's got a lot of the same flights but the airport is much smaller and quicker to get through. We have done a couple flights from there and had great experiences!

Big win for your team last night! I listened to the game on my commute home and they were up two-zip at that time!

>225 ChelleBearss: Wow, Chelle! Hamilton you say?! That would save us about an hours drive time! I'll put my travel agent (aka husband) on that right away. Thanks so much!
Yes, it was a fun game to watch, but baseball turns on a dime and being a life long Clevelander I've come to expect the unexpectable. :0}

This might be a totally stupid remark, but I've been staring at that corn beef picture for at least a minute and don't understand it. :o Is it meant to be confusing (why is the bread upright and with the thinner end where most of the meat is?) or is it because I never ate corn(ed) beef, not even from a tin and therefore don't know what it should look like? And is it something you'd have with coffee with milk? Okay, I clearly prefer those cookies from >205 Carmenere:. :)

And I live in a country where last night an US guest presented a typical dish from home in our "Hell's Kitchen", and of course it was a cheeseburger. He also presented his favorite Italian dish, Spaghetti with tomato sauce. The HK candidate then had to prepare a fusion dish and came out with a cheeseburger with spaghetti in the meat. You can imagine what that looked like. :(
==> just to show that we know next to nothing about US food and so my question is serious. *lookingatthefloorinembarrassment*

I'm considering reading Paul Beatty's older books that have been called "brilliant" by Guardian readers. Maybe I'll like them better than The Sellout.

Morning, Lynda!

>227 Deern: I'd say this is a better representation of a corned beef sandwich - that one looks "artistically arranged". I don't see how one could eat it...

Hi Lynda! My friends did go to the Smokies Open House last night. They let people bring in folding chairs and sit on the field to watch the game on the left field scoreboard. They also used the scoreboard to keep track of the score. They're having another open house Friday night for the first game in Chicago.

>229 drneutron: Haha - thank you for that! :) If I still ate meat I'd totally want that one though with less stuffing, it looks quite like pastrami and less like raw ground beef.

>227 Deern: I kid you not, Nathalie! That is exactly what a corn beef sandwich looks like from Slymans in Cleveland. They come in the size shown and one a tiny bit smaller which I normally order. It's a messy affair with the meat sliding out from between the bread. (Not what you'd order on a first date. Usually, one half always comes home with you for later. Comes with a dill pickle and a cup of potato salad. I offered coffee with it cause it was morning when I posted but a Coke or beer would be more appealing.
-LOL, well, cheeseburgeretti won't be on my dinner table anytime soon.
- maybe I'll try Beatty's earlier stuff too, just to give him another chance.

>228 Crazymamie: Good afternoon, Mamie!

>229 drneutron: OMG, Jim! Even the small Slymans sandwich is larger than this one. You can now imagine just how HUNGRY we are over here.

>230 cbl_tn: Sounds like a good time, Carrie! And probably a few degrees warmer than Cleveland.

>231 Deern: I'm not crazy about having meat either, Nathalie, but whenever we're in the neighborhood of Slyman's I make an exception. And yeah, they're so popular because you just can't find another CB sandwich like it anywhere.m Their pastrami sandwiches are just as big.

---------
So I met the neighboring mom's for coffee this morning and the atmosphere is totally giddy! Indians swag on everyone, strangers chatting, people smiling. It just feels real good.

Squeeze in, some arrivals to the Party Deck include Drew Carey, Michael Symon and LeBron James with his shiny new championship ring! The more the merrier.

Hi Lynda, wow, that's quite the party you have going on there in Cleveland. I have to admit that since they trounced our Blue Jays, I just have to root for the Cubs. But hey, it's going to be a great series.

I've been doing some Halloween reading myself and have finished The Haunting of Hill House and Frankenstein so far and now have picked up an Australian ghost story, The Dead Path. Enjoy your scary reads!

All rigggggggghhhtt! The beer has arrived!

Looks like the rain is moving out but it's one heck of a chilly night! Currently 41f but feels like 35 with a 9mph wind.
-----------------

>233 DeltaQueen50: Well Judy, it's understandable why you'll root for the Cubs. Feel free to grab something from the Party Deck anyway!
I read Frankenstein many years ago but I'll look for the other two you've mentioned, thanks!

Yah, the beer is here!! Are you watching this one from home?

I heard the weather is going to be pretty crappy. Is it raining at the moment?

>235 msf59: Yup, Mark, we're staying in tonight. Staying warm and dry. Ha! you heard correctly the weather is indeed crappy! We've had some rain this afternoon but it appears to be moving out and weather people are saying game should be good to go. Rain comes back after the game....assuming it's only 9 innings! Enjoy the game!!!!

>233 DeltaQueen50: Judy I feel the same way! Rooting for the Cubs just because Cleveland beat our Jays! However, I wouldn't be upset if Cleveland won because both teams are overdue!

>229 drneutron: Ooh, yes please...

Morning Lynda! Well it was our turn, this time. We were hitting on all cylinders last night. See you in Chicago, my friend.

Good morning, we're taking advantage of this break in the action to clean the Party Deck The "seven" on the truck clearly means Tribe in 7!!!! Woot Woot!

>237 ChelleBearss: So true, Chelle! There are really no losers in this series!

>238 kidzdoc: >229 drneutron: OK, one short CB for the kids Dr! Coming right up!

>239 msf59: Yeah, Mark, the Cubs brought it last night. Powerful pitching and talking bats! Congratulations! C U in Chicago!!

---------------------
On the reading front, I'm enjoying the haunted history lessons in Ghostland An American History in Haunted Places.

Morning, Lynda!

>240 Carmenere: Good Morning, Mamie! It's a perfectly dreary and wet autumn day over here. A good day to stay in and read. *Sigh* but I've got to go out today and again tonight. People don't get that I really just want to be a hermit.

I would also like to be a hermit.

Can I be hermit number three please?

Joining the hermit group :)
(is hermit group a contradiction?)

>242 Carmenere: >243 Crazymamie: >244 charl08: >245 Deern:

>246 Carmenere: :D
Where's the love button?

>247 Deern: No button Nathalie but the thought that you really liked it warms my heart :0)

The big screen tv's are coming on to the party deck

This may provide enough beer for the evening and what's beer without brats

OK, we're ready!

>246 Carmenere: HA! What great company I am in!!

Morning, Lynda! Getting ready for the game tonight I see.

>249 Crazymamie: Gooooood morning, Mamie! Yeah, we are a great bunch of hermits, aren't we?! I'm doing my part this morning by staying in my jammies till I get ready for HS football. (Mark assures me he won't let anything happen at the world series till I return home after half time).
I'm sort of planning out my 2017 thread this morning and about to knock out a review. Hermits can be quite productive when left alone.

credit for this recipe goes to lycomayflower posting to Amber's thread :0)

Apple (or pumpkin) butter cookies!

1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 TBLSP cream (sweet or sour; I think we always used sour)
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
thick apple butter (or pumpkin butter)

Mix shortening, sugar, and eggs thoroughly. Stir in cream and vanilla. Combine flour, soda, and salt; stir into egg mixture. Place in refrigerator for 1 hour. Roll out and cut in rounds with cookie cutter (we always used the mouth of a drinking glass). Place teaspoon of apple butter in center of half of the rounds. Slit remaining rounds with knife (two scores in the center) and place over rounds with apple butter. Pinch edges together with fork dipped in flour. Bake at 400 degrees about 8-10 minutes. Do not overbake.

#54-2016
Ghostland An American History in Haunted Places
Colin Dickey
285 pages
Halloweenish
4/5

Location, location, location.....................New Orleans, Louisiana Jackson Square

Athens, Ohio The Ridges - Athens Mental Health Center

Estes Park, Colorado The Stanley Hotel

Thoughts.....................Well, this collection of stories certainly delivers. The author takes the reader across the United States to historically haunted venues and tells of the often gruesome circumstances which made them so. The stories are well told and contain historical background which set the tone and times. What's lacking are photos, maps and illustrations which I would have liked to refer to as I read. Still, I really enjoyed the effort.

Oh, that sounds like a really good one. I'll have to look for it for next year's Halloween reads. And the pics you chose were perfect.
I get frustrated when I'm reading non-fiction, especially history, and the author is writing all this stuff about place and people that are so important, and they can't include a single photo. The flip side is reading a non-fiction that is full of photos that add nothing to the tale, like the book I read that included photos of pubs that were nearby to the historical locations. Yes, it seemed like the author had done a pub crawl and put those pics in instead of something more appropriate.

>253 mstrust: Yeah, Jennifer, what's it take to include some visuals.......if, as you say, they suit the story!

Happy Friday, Lynda! Getting ready to head out to one of our favorite watering holes to watch the game.

The wind will be blowing out, so there should be plenty of action. Enjoy, my friend.

Happy Friday, Lynda. I'm happy to see you are enjoying the Indians' success.

Love the spooky pictures! I'm afraid I am not a tv sports fan, so I feel a bit lost . :)

"The wind will be blowing out, so there should be plenty of action." Well, that never happened! Congrats on another win, Lynda. I can't believe our bats went stone cold, just when we needed them.

Happy Saturday, my friend. We will see you tonight.

Morning, Lynda! Happy Saturday!

>255 msf59: "The wind will be blowing out, so there should be plenty of action." Who would have thought that in those conditions this game was as motionless as a corpse?! Just not the Cubs night :(

>256 BLBera: For sure, Beth! Although we've been to the world series in '95 and '97 the Indians haven't won it since 1948! That followed with about 4 decades of miserable last place seasons. So yeah, I'm psyched! Thank you for your happiness :0)

>257 vancouverdeb: Take heart, Deborah, with a book in hand you're never lost. :0)

>258 msf59: Thanks, Mark! Sweet win indeed especially since management made a wise decision, earlier this year, in bringing back Coco Crisp.
Yes! See you tonight! Wrigley looked amazing last night! (but those roof top seats look frightening)

>259 Crazymamie: And a happy Saturday to you too, Mamie!! It's going to be a beauty in CLE!

Bringing in onto the party deck.
Did you know, Charlie Sheen is joining us on the PD too?

"Who would have thought that in those conditions this game was as motionless as a corpse?" Great point. I don't think anyone hit one to the warning track all night.

We watched the game at one of our favorite watering holes last night, but we are staying home for Game 4. There will still be snacks and refreshments.

How about you?

>262 msf59: Hey, Mark! It was such a lovely night we tossed steaks on the grill and dined al fresco with neighbors. Once inside, opened wide the patio doors and let the warm breeze flow into the family room.
---------
Just realized I needed to read a book to put into the neighborhood book club, so I chose The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks from my bookshelf. I've heard great things about it and I think my fellow readers will find it very interesting.

Happy Sunday, Lynda! Another solid win from the Tribe! I am impressed with their spirit and their drive. They are now in the catbird's seat.

I LOVED Henrietta Lacks. Excellent choice.

I also loved Henrietta Lacks; it was a good discussion book as well.

>264 msf59: >265 BLBera: Thanks Mark and Beth for confirming what I thought I'd heard. So far, I'm finding it very easy to read without too much medical jargon.

About to stuff a chicken into the oven and then we're off to a local establishment to watch the World Series.

Thank goodness our delivery of space heaters has arrived to the party deck

Morning Lynda! What a tense game, eh? Yes, the Cubs pulled it out but the Indians did not make it easy. Whew!

See you tomorrow night, my friend.

Yup, lost one last night, but hey, there's no crying in baseball. Still hoping the Indians give baseball fans in Cleveland something to cheer about!

Another nail biter, for sure, Mark! I'm nervous, the Indians have been close before and, well, you know, it's Cleveland. It's going to be a balmy 68f tomorrow night. What a lovely night for a ball game!

That is an awesome pumpkin!!

>68 msf59: Great pumpkin, Lynda!

I'm glad the Cubs are still in it, and I'm consoling myself that, if they end up losing, at least Cleveland fans like you will be happy. It's been a fun series to watch. Lots of good pitching.

68 degrees in November! Perfect for baseball.

Happy Halloween, Lynda!

>269 ChelleBearss: Isn't it, Chelle?! I wish I could take credit for it.

>270 jnwelch: Yeah, Joe, I'm happy that the Cubs will be in it for one more night ;} Seriously, you're right, both clubs and cities are more deserving of a championship than any other I can think of.
Springlike weather, for sure!

>271 mstrust: Thanks, Jennifer, same to you!

---------------
Hoping to finish up dinner early so we can set up a bonfire and wait for our trick or treaters. Excellent night for ghosts, goblins and princesses.

The Cavs have moved their starting time to 6pm tomorrow night to accommodate the World Series. Sure to be another crazy night in Cle!

Let's go Tribe!!!!!

In other news.............we had a multitude of animals come to our door last night. 1 elephant, 3 unicorns, several fish and 2 horses. I've never seen this much wildlife in my front yard before. The backyard is another story :0}

Morning Lynda. Gorgeous day in Chicagoland. ItisNovember, right?

I am sure Cleveland is buzzing. Of course I want to see it go to a game 7. Ooh, baby.

>274 msf59: It does not seem like November, Mark, it's seems more like opening day at the ballpark!
I don't think my little heart could take going to game 7.

Well good luck to both Mark and Lynda. :)

I had two from "The Purge," a superhero with a silver mask? and an adorable little kitty (Scout). Today, I loaded up all the leftover candy and brought it to my office.

I found out from our local media that half of the Cubs roster for the Series have played for the Smokies at some point in their careers. I remember quite a few of them. It's fun to see them on such a big stage.

Did you know that Browns owner Jimmy Haslam used to own the Smokies?!

>276 BLBera: Now that you mention it, Beth, we did have one "The Purge" but I didn't understand who TP was. *sigh* so out of the loop :0(
Our leftover candy will probably be consumed during the game tonight. It's that or our fingernails which would be 0 calories.

>277 cbl_tn: Ohhh, well that's cool, Carrie. You have a very legit reason to root for the Cubbies!
Actually, I'm not all that familiar with Haslam except something about a trucking company and it's in court and bla bla bla. Oh, wait I do remember something about Tennessee but not sure exactly what it was. Something about the Steelers too, I think. *shrugs* :0} I'm glad he purchased the team though and brought them back to Cleveland. Hopefully, they'll improve someday.

I am eating an early dinner, Lynda, so I can have plenty of time to digest before the tension begins to rise. This has been a hard-fought series.

OMG! I can't bear to watch this fiasco! Sob sob sob, boo hoo hoo

It's over!

I think the fans are stunned, Lynda. Lots of baseball left, though. The Tribe are fighters.

Are you drinking heavily?

>282 msf59: LOL how'd you know, Mark?! Yeah I'm drowning my sorrows! And I'll have another beer now that this promising inning has come to an end

Kipnes!!!

They can keep chipping away...

Stay sober enough to watch the end of the game.

Didn't chip enough for my liking, Mark :0(

Tonight will be an amazing game for sure. Memories of the '97 World Series are still vivid in my mind as the Indians lost in the 11th inning of the 7th game. Talk about being deflated!

In othe news.............Al Roker has joined us on the Party Deck! Yeaaaaaaa. Al was the weather man at a local station before he headed over to the Today Show.

I've not read much but when I'm able, still working on The Association of Small Bombs and Henrietta Lacks.

Off for coffee with the neighbor mom's and then some running around to do.

Morning, Lynda!

Morning Lynda! Good luck tonight!

Here we go - Game 7! It can be hard to read during these games, can't it? :-)

Lynda, I'm sending these along because it seems like you'll need them:



Good luck!

If the Cubbies have to lose to anyone, Lynda, at least it's you. xx

May the best team win and I hope they both do themselves justice.

>291 mstrust: Now that is a pretty sight.

Hi, Lynda! I am sure you are all aglow. I took a short nap, after work. These late nights are cutting into my beauty sleep but, of course I would not miss a minute for anything.

At least you have your ace on the mound and he has done well against the Cubs. This is going to be a crazy game. Cubs fans are not used to this intensity.

Like you mentioned on my thread- whatever the outcome, it has been a great season for both teams.

That said: Go Cubs!

>288 Crazymamie: howdy Mamie! It's been a beautiful November. A day like today, I can just hug!

>289 ChelleBearss: thanks Chelle, it will be an exciting game to watch

>290 jnwelch: I've been sitting on the edge of my seat, Joe! I'm going nuts

>291 mstrust: oh thank you, my friend, win or lose it will be consumed!

>292 PaulCranswick: I know they'll both look good. And they've made their cities proud. The Indians were sloppy last night and I'm almost positive they don't want to look like baffoons again.

I don't like to predict but I will for the fun of it: Indians win 4-3

>293 msf59: ha, cross posted, help yourself to a beautiful glass of beer, Mark and cheers it's been fun now let's play ball!!!

The team with more runs inevitably wins the game. Good luck to your Indians, Lynda.

I won't be watching. Sorry. Gotta read #75!

I am enjoying the sportsmanship type of rivalry between you and Mark. I'm sure tensions are running high in both households. I hope both teams play a good game!

>296 weird_O: Yup, that's the way it works, Bill. Hope #75 is a memorable read.

>297 Donna828: Hey Donna. I've enjoyed kibitzing with Mark. Knowing someone from the other side has really enhanced the game.

OMG! OMG! Tied up!

ugh! top of the 10th and they're putting the tarp on the field.

That's it for me. I have to work tomorrow. I'll find out how it turns out in the morning, assuming they get ti resume play before then!

Good night, Carrie! It was a long one.

Congratulations, Cub fans.

Just popping in and waving - sounds like it has all been rather exciting.

Morning Lynda! I am sure you are as emotionally exhausted as I am. Sorry, for your loss, my friend. It was a helluva series and the Indians never gave up.

It will be nice, to get back to normal life. I have neglected my books.

Well, I can't say that one didn't hurt. To top off the Indians loss, it seems like the beautiful fall days are gone and replaced with cooler temps, dark clouds and rain. I need to console myself with my blankey and books.

>303 charl08: Hi Charlotte! It's been exciting, fun and draining.

>304 msf59: Yeah, it was a well played series, Mark. I knew from the start that our pitching was questionable but it was the Cub's timely hitting that sealed the deal. Here's to the normal life and books!!!