Lori's Ancestral Challenge

Hi. I'm Lori. I'm a librarian and professional genealogist. My inspiration for this year's challenge comes from my ancestors. I'll explain all the connections with the individual categories below.


(A recent photo of my boys for those who must see them!)

My categories are:

1. Johannes Lantz - Around the World.
2. Rev. Stephen Batchelder - Borrowed Books.
3. Rev. Nathan Ward - Christian Classics.
4. Lucinda Virginia Phillips - Series.
5. Godfrey Dearborn - Literary Classics.
6. Richard Thornton - History and Genealogy.
7. John Perkins Historical Fiction.
8. Mary Ann Harris - Children's/YA.
9. Joseph Fowlkes - Non-Fiction.
10. Francis Aldridge - Fiction and Other Literature.

Abandoned reads: Thomas Duke

By the way, I designed my challenge so it can run through the entire year. I'm up to 100 books this year. I'd like to get back up to 150 a year, but I doubt that will happen. No minimums or maximums in categories. I suspect some categories will be lots fuller than others, but I really don't expect any of these categories to be under-represented as some were in my 2016 challenge.

Category 1: Johannes Lantz - He was the immigrant ancestor for my mother's paternal line. He was probably born in Switzerland. We believe he is the Johannes Landis living in St. Marie aux Mines in the Alsace Region of France. We believe he is the Johannes Lans who sailed on the Phoenix, arriving in Pennsylvania in 1749.



Around the World. One to two books per month. Goal is one book from each country in 10 years. If no acceptable book is found, a magazine, journal article, or article from a reference source may be substituted. (Such an article will count my personal reading around the world challenge, but will not be counted as a book for the category challenge or 75 book challenge.) Fiction and non-fiction are both valid for this category.

1. Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Nigeria) - completed 10 Jan 2017
2. The High Mountains of Portugal by Yann Martel (Portugal) - completed 19 Jan 2017
3.
4.
5.

Category 2: Rev. Stephen Batchelder - Rev. Stephen Batchelder was minister of the church in Hampton, New Hampshire for awhile. He was a pretty controversial figure. He had four wives. One of them (not the one from whom I descend) is allegedly the inspiration for Hester Prynne. He ended up returning to England, so he was "borrowed" by America for awhile.


This is the tower of All Hallows Staining in London where he's buried.

Borrowed Books - Books I borrowed from a friend.

1. The Fish Can Sing by Halldor Laxness (Iceland) - completed 6 Jan 2017
2. Down by the Riverside by Jackie Lynn - completed 30 Jan 2017
3.
4.
5.

Category 3: Rev. Nathan Ward - He was converted under the teaching of George Whitefield and served as longtime minister of the congregational church in Plymouth, New Hampshire.



Christian Classics - I have a list of older and more modern Christian Classics I'd like to make my way through. I'd like to read about one per month.

1. The Confessions of Saint Augustine by Augustine; translated by Edward B. Pusey - completed 20 Jan 2017
2. Dark Night of the Soul by Saint John of the Cross - completed 28 Feb 2017
3.
4.
5.

Category 4: Lucinda Virginia Phillips - Jennie married Josiah Fowlkes. They had 5 children. He died the night before my grandmother was born. She then married John Howell, who had five children by his first wife. Together they had five more. Many of her children married his children.


Incidentally, I own this black dress!

Series - I've got lots of series underway, but I'm not making the headway I need to be making. I also have some on my radar. This category will help keep me on my toes. Most of these will be mysteries.

1. Stake & Eggs by Laura Childs - completed 2 Jan 2017
2. Devonshire Scream by Laura Childs - completed 26 Jan 2017
3. Red Velvet Revenge by Jenn McKinlay - completed 7 Feb 2017
4. The Nature of the Beast by Louise Penny - completed 12 Feb 2017
5. By Book or By Crook by Eva Gates - completed 24 Feb 2017
6. A Prayer for the Night by P. L Gaus - completed 28 Feb 2017

Category 5: Godfrey Dearborn - He's the immigrant for most of the Dearborn lines in the United States, settling in Hampton, New Hampshire. He's one of the founders of the town. He's a classic example of a well-researched New England progenitor.



Literary Classics - I anticipate most of these will be American or British authors who are well-studied. I'd like to include some novels, poetry, drama, and maybe some other genres. A few modern classics such as One Hundred Years of Solitude may be included. I also want to draw from the "Authors" card game for this category. I'd like to read at least one work listed on the cards for each of the thirteen individuals.

1. A Child's Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson - completed 13 Jan 2017
2. Eight Cousins, Or the Aunt Hill by Louisa May Alcott - completed 14 Feb 2017
3. Selected Poems by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - completed 15 Feb 2017
4.
5.

Category 6: Richard Thornton - Earliest proven Thornton ancestor. We know that he is connected to the Quaker Thornton family of Thomas Thornton and Martha Boykin, but we're not quite certain how to connect the dots on the one or two remaining generations yet. Three of Thomas and Martha's children were loyalists.



History and Genealogy - Books I'm reading in support of my family history research. It can also include books on DNA as applied to genealogy. It can also be any other history book that fits the history category, but I probably won't read too many that don't pertain to my research.

1. Lost Attractions of Sevier County by Tim Hollis and Mitzi Soward - completed 1 Jan 2017
2. Death in Yellowstone: Accidents and Foolhardiness in the First National Park by Lee H. Whittlesey - completed 11 Jan 2017
3.
4.
5.

Category 7: John Perkins - He arrived on the Winthrop Fleets. Through this immigrant ancestor, I probably have the most connections to historical figures, including one of the "Salem witches."



Historical Fiction - Some of these may be mysteries, but any historical fiction counts.

1. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah - completed 29 Jan 2017
2. Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien - completed 6 Feb 2017
3.
4.
5.

Category 8: Mary Ann Harris - Mother of 10 children. Half of them died in infancy, childhood, or as a teenager.



Children's and YA Literature - Includes fiction and non-fiction.

1. The Queen of the Frogs by Davide Cali and Marco Soma - completed 12 Jan 2017
2. The Inflated Story of Noah by Dr. Dan Bellamy - completed 19 Jan 2017
3. One Came Home by Amy Timberlake - completed 28 Jan 2017
4. Cats, Cats, Cats by Leslea Newman - completed 31 Jan 2017
5. The Poet's Dog by Patricia MacLachlan - completed 31 Jan 2017
6. Little Cat's Luck by Marion Dane Bauer; illustrated by Jennifer A. Bell - completed 7 Feb 2017
7. Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You?: Dr. Seuss's Book of Wonderful Noises by Dr. Seuss - completed 21 Feb 2017
8. All Aboard!: National Parks by Kevin Meyers and Haily Meyers - completed 21 Feb 2017
9. Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes - completed 21 Feb 2017

Category 9: Joseph Fowlkes - I'm quite certain based on his religious affiliations this ancestor would disapprove of fiction. If he did read fiction, he would likely be excluded from his church, based on the minutes I read.



Non-Fiction - Self-explanatory. It's a catch-all for any non-fiction that doesn't fit other categories.

1. Mexican Ice Cream: Beloved Recipes and Stories by Fany Gerson - completed 12 Jan 2017
2. The Not-Quite States of America: Dispatches from the Territories and Other Far-Flung Outposts of the USA by Doug Mack - completed 14 Jan 2017
3. Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder - completed 25 Jan 2017
4. The Little Bookstore of Big Stone Gap by Wendy Welch - completed 17 Feb 2017
5.

Category 10: Francis Aldridge - Franchis was born in Virginia and moved to North Carolina. Sources on him are scarce so a lot of misinformation on him and his children abounds. It takes a lot to build a case to document him, and it's far easier for a lot of researchers to just latch onto what they find rather than to evaluate it.



Fiction and Other Literature - This is the catch-all category for literature, including fiction that doesn't fit other categories, poetry, and drama.

1. Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury - completed 17 Jan 2017
2. The Last Original Wife by Dorothea Benton Frank - completed 20 Feb 2017
3.
4.
5.

Abandoned Reads - Thomas Duke - Thomas was orphaned.



Abandoned Reads - Hoping this category is really small!

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

This thread is now open for business. I'll be posting some of the options I'm considering for each category over the next couple of weeks. Of course, shiny new books may affect some of the categories, but not all of them.

BEST THEME EVER! SERIOUSLY!

Okay, I'll quit shouting at you now. You can probably hear me from here. :)

>3 thornton37814: He was a pretty controversial figure. He had four wives.

Hopefully not at the same time!

>8 thornton37814: Pyrkyns... such an awesome spelling!

>10 thornton37814: I have read minutes books from various religious groups where one wonders how they stayed solvent given the rate at which they kicked people out. Or, as I said to my 8-greats grandfather who, being dead, didn't respond, "You had to go and marry someone from a group that didn't keep nearly as good records, so that the only religious record we do have is you getting kicked out of your original group for marrying outside the group!"

ETA: Spelling and KITTIES!

Wow, what a fascinating theme!

I don't know how a thread could be personalized more than this, it's a great idea and fun to read. I'm just curious, did you do all of the research yourself? I think genealogical research is the most fun and the most frustrating project I can imagine!

What an awesome theme, Lori! Love the clever categories.

Wow! An impressive and very creative theme!

Reading about your categories is fascinating! Very creative use of your knowledge of genealogy.

great idea for a challenge, Lori!

I'm really impressed, Lori, this is an awesome theme!

Wow, this is seriously impressive, Lori! I've been dabbling in my genealogy for a few years now, and I'm taking a round of courses through my county genealogical society currently.

Can I ask what software program you use? I just have an Ancestry tree (which has good and bad points, as I'm sure you know), and I'd like to get dedicated software, but finding out what would be best for me is a bit of a challenge. (And I have a Mac, which narrows options down.) Thanks!

Absolutely love how you've combined your passions for genealogy and books.

This is a wonderful theme, and so perfect for you. Great to see you all set up, Lori!

This is a great theme and I look forward to seeing the books you'll be reading. (And taking a BB or two, I suppose).

What a wonderful theme and with such special meaning for you! Love it!

This is such a fascinating theme!

>14 casvelyn: Glad you like my theme. I kept coming up blank on a theme, and then I thought of this one and made it work! Those old church records are wonderful. It is amazing to see how many people were "excluded." Recently I was struck by the use of the term "excluded" in some cases and "excommunicated" in other instances as I was reading one church's minutes for a client.

>15 Jackie_K: Thanks, I hope to have fun with it!

>16 clue: On my own lines, I have done most of the research. In the case of the Thornton line, a cousin did some research, but he sometimes "rushed" his conclusions so I re-evaluated. I'm actually working back through all my lines, but it is a slow process. I'm a much more experienced researcher than I was 20 years ago, and some of my research probably dates back to then. I didn't always get everything I should for ancestors, and I'm trying to remedy that as I work through things. I'm also pulling lines forward as much as I am able, mainly for DNA matching purposes.

>17 countrylife: Thanks, Cindy! Glad you like it.

>18 rabbitprincess: When your mind comes up empty on regular themes, you sometimes think outside the box!

>19 VivienneR: I'm sure you might hear a little more about some of these fascinating characters. I plan to do some additional research on one of them next month. I did some reviewing of what needs to be done as I was creating the categories, so hopefully I'll be able to share if I make any big breakthroughs.

>20 majkia: Thanks, Jean! It should be fun!

>21 Chrischi_HH: Glad you like it. It may end up being my favorite theme ever.

>22 LauraBrook: I'm glad to hear of your interest in genealogy. I use RootsMagic. A lot of my Mac-using friends like it. It is also supposed to be able to sync with Ancestry trees by the end of the year. I think a lot of us expect the announcement any day now! (I also like Legacy, but RootsMagic was the first to support Evidence Explained citations. I switched to it from Legacy at that time, and I did not switch back.)

>23 LittleTaiko: Staci, it was a "marriage made in heaven" for the category challenge!

>24 DeltaQueen50: Thanks, Judy! You'll definitely know it's my thread when you visit! LOL

>25 dudes22: Yes. I did play around with a lot of books in my wish list to try to prioritize some of my reading. I've fallen behind because of reading fewer books the last couple of years. Hopefully I can make a bit of a dent in that list.

>26 lkernagh: It took some work to find the right ancestors to make it work. I was tempted a time or two to use someone not in my direct line, but I didn't allow myself that luxury.

>27 MissWatson: Glad you like it!

I looked long and hard through my wish list and came up with a list of books that might fit my Johannes Lantz category. This is my "Around the World" category. I believe I explained I'd eventually like to read a book set in or about each country of the world. I know The U.S., Canada, United Kingdom, and Ireland will be no problem to fill. This category is really about getting in some of those other countries (or territories).

Just because a book is on this list does not mean I will get to it this year, but it's one of the ones I'm considering. I really do believe the books in this list stand a much better chance of getting read than some in other categories. My options include:

Land of Love and Drowning by Tiphanie Yanique (Virgin Islands)
The Devil Takes Half by Leta Serafim (Greece)
Detective Inspector Huss by Helene Tursten (Sweden)
Claire of the Sea Light by Edwidge Danticat (Haiti)
Justine by Lawrence Durrell (Egypt)
A Beautiful Place to Die by Malla Nunn (South Africa)
The Abandoned Room by Wadsworth Camp (Panama)
Children of the Street by Kwei J. Quartey (Ghana)
Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Nigeria)
And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini (Afghanistan)
The Skull Mantra by Eliot Pattison (Tibet)
Gardens of Water by Alan Drew (Turkey)

I have some others such as Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng which I've included as a target book in another challenge which would fit here. I just think it would be good to put some in other categories to make me make progress toward the overall goal of reading a bit more globally.

Fantastic theme Lori! I love the graphics that you used. I can't believe you still have that black dress in >5 thornton37814:. How did you end up with it?

I love the categories too. I'm an amateur genealogist, so I hope you can also work in more info on your interesting sounding ancestors!

>34 luvamystery65: It's a wonderful story of how I came to have the dress. Several years ago, I discovered which cousins owned my dad's Grandma Jennie's Bible. I contacted them about coming out to make a copy of it. They did. His mother was the one who ended up with the Bible and the dress. My dad immediately recognized that dress when they brought it out. They decided a female descendant should be the one to own it. I was very excited to be the one who got it!

>35 NinieB: I'm glad you love the theme. I'm certain I'll be able to weave a few tales in from time to time!

Speaking of genealogy, National Genealogical Society's 16 page registration brochure for the 2017 conference in Raleigh was just released. If you enjoy genealogy, please consider coming. I'll be speaking, and I'll also be participating in the keynote address on Wednesday morning. It is available at their website.

>36 thornton37814: That's very exciting that you are speaking at NGS-- congratulations! I went to Portland, and then Sacramento, a number of years ago, but haven't made it since then.

>37 NinieB: Thanks. Hope you can make it to another conference sometime.

I prioritized some of the books I borrowed to read for the Stephen Batchelder category. Here are a few of the options:

Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng
Thus Was Adonis Murdered by Sarah Caudwell
Strawberry Yellow by Naomi Hirahara
Funeral Music by Morag Joss
The Banks of the Boyne by Donna Fletcher Crow
Why Shoot a Butler by Georgette Heyer
Seneca Falls Inheritance by Miriam Grace Monfredo
The Fish Can Sing by Haldor Laxness - completed 6 Jan 2017
Death Assemblage by Susan Cummins Miller
Slight Mourning by Catherine Aird
The Case of the Gilded Fly by Edmund Crispin
The Alto Wore Tweed by Mark Schweizer

I have several more I could substitute for these or may work in. Some borrowed titles may even be listed as options for other categories, but these are the twelve I prioritized to read!

>36 thornton37814: Now I wish I was going to NGS next year! Because all the conferences are close to home in 2018 (NGS in Grand Rapids, FGS in Ft. Wayne, Midwestern Roots in Indianapolis), I'm saving my conference budget for that. Plus I have to renew my library certification in March 2018, which means I have to accumulate 50 credits of continuing education between 2018 and 2023. Three conferences ought to just about take care of it.

>40 casvelyn: Wish you could go to Raleigh. It would be nice to meet you in person. I did think it was a bit strange NGS and FGS were so near one another next year, but sometimes you go with the hosting offers.

>36 thornton37814: Lori, that is an incredible story of how you came into the dress. How incredibly thoughtful of your cousins to decide that a female descendant should own it. I'm excited for you because I know you know its immeasurable value.

That's a great theme! And I appreciate the picture of the kittens, of course!

>42 luvamystery65: Yes, it was wonderful. I think it made my dad happy they chose to give it to me.

>43 -Eva-: Glad you like the theme and the kitties!

For my Nathan Ward (Christian Classics) category, some of the options include:

The Treasury of David by C. H. Spurgeon
Confessions by St. Augustine
The Pursuit of God by A. W. Tozer
God in the Dock by C. S. Lewis
A Testament of Devotion by Thomas Kelly
The Little Flowers of St. Francis of Assisi by St. Francis of Assisi
The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis
A Simple Way to Pray by Martin Luther
Interior Castle by Teresa of Avila
Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan
Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Dark Night of the Soul by Saint John of the Cross

I'm certain five of these are new. There are a couple I think I've read, but I'm not sure. In other words, roughly half are new, and half are re-reads.

>41 thornton37814: I wish so too! We'll have to coordinate conferences at some point!

>46 casvelyn: Happy Face :-)

Here are some of the next in series for ones underway or even first in series for a few I want to try. These fit my Lucinda Virginia Phillips category. I may read more than one in some series to try to catch up, but I'm only listing the "next" here.

The Nature of the Beast by Louise Penny
A Prayer for the Night by P. L. Gaus
Purgatory Ridge by William Kent Krueger
Red Velvet Revenge by Jenn McKinlay
Scandal in Skibbereen by Sheila Connolly
Stake & Eggs by Laura Childs - completed 2 Jan 2017
Back to School Murder by Leslie Meier
Bowled Over by Victoria Hamilton
Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good by Jan Karon
Death on Blackheath by Anne Perry
The Dream Stalker by Margaret Coel
A Deadly Cliche by Ellery Adams
Eggsecutive Orders by Julie Hyzy
Blood Atonement by Dan Waddell
Manna from Hades by Carola Dunn
Ashes and Bones by Dana Cameron
While My Pretty One Knits by Anne Canadeo
The Dead in their Vaulted Arches by Alan Bradley
The Gods of Gotham by Lyndsay Faye

There are many more series underway so this category is likely to end up looking vastly different from the choices I'm initially prioritizing, depending on my mood at the time. However, I'm positive I'll get around to many of these.

Oh dear - I already see a lot of books I have not read so the potential for book bullets is great. And you've only mentioned your potential books for your first few categories. OH dear me!

>49 dudes22: I know. I forgot to post yesterday, but my stomach was giving me fits. I'll post one after the 2 p.m. news conference a church is holding to give news about the Reed family situation. That's the story of the man who has been looking for his wife and daughters. His son was with him.

So heartbreaking. The sheriff's department notified Michael Reed that his wife's body has been recovered. No word on the daughters yet. The Parkway Church of God in Gatlinburg set up a relief fund for Michael and his son. Info on donating to the fund is on the church's web site and Facebook page. Because this was the "first story" of missing persons to hit the news, this one has become a story to touch so many people. Friends from all around the country keep asking if he's found them yet.

My literary classics category is called Godfrey Dearborn. When I was in about the third grade, I got a card game called "Authors." My friends and I used to play this game quite a bit. I'd like to read at least one of the 4 titles listed the cards for each author. I also have a few other books in the category. Please understand some of these are really short stories or poems (sometimes long ones). If I can locate it in an electronic book format by itself at Amazon, Archive.org, Google Books, etc., I may choose to read it that way. If not, I may read a short collection containing it. The fourth through sixteenth entries (beginning with Twain) are from the card game. The others are from my wish list. I will likely read additional plays by Shakespeare as I'm reading the Hogarth Shakespeare series. Some of these are re-reads.

Moby Dick by Herman Melville (to be read with a book by Nathaniel Philbrick)
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Travels with a Donkey in the Cevannes by Robert Louis Stevenson
The Mysterious Stranger by Mark Twain
Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
The Virginians by William Makepeace Thackeray
A Child's Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson
Hamlet by William Shakespeare
The Spy by James Fenimore Cooper
The Alhambra by Washington Irving
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
The Village Blacksmith by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
The Lady of the Lake by Sir Walter Scott
Idylls of the King by Alfred, Lord Tennyson
Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott
The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allen Poe

>52 thornton37814: I'm starting Moby Dick mid-January for my Blue Category. I'll post a Group read thread because there are one or two others to join me. If you can't read in January at least you can go back and chime in when you are ready. I'll likely read through February. I also plan on listening to In the Heart of the Sea and
Why Read Moby Dick by Nathanial Philbrick. Perhaps we can do a shared read.

>53 luvamystery65: I'll try to keep that in mind for January then. The Philbrick book has been on my wish list for awhile, and I thought I really needed to do a re-read of the work by Melville to go hand-in-hand with it.

My history and genealogy category is Richard Thornton. Lots of options on this one, and this list doesn't really reflect some of the genealogy titles because some of those are more reference-oriented than readable. Here are some of my options:

Elizabeth of York by Alison Weir
Catherine the Great by Robert K. Massie
The Plantagenets by Dan Jones
Albion's Seed by David Hackett Fischer
Colonial New England on 5 Shillings a Day by Bill Scheller
The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England by Ian Mortimer
Child Life in Colonial Times by Alice Earle
The Jew Store by Stella Suberman
Cabins in the Laurel by Muriel Earley Sheppard
Where We Lived by Jack Larkin
Rethinking Home by Joseph Anthony Amato
A Storm of Witchcraft by Emerson W. Baker
Seventeenth-Century America by James Morton Smith
Letters from Forest Place by E. Grey Dimond
The Highland Scots of North Carolina, 1732-1776 by Duane Gilbert Meyer
Cemeteries and Gravemarkers by Richard E. Meyer
The Famine Ships by Edward Laxton

Many more options exist in my wish list, but these are the most likely candidates based on my interests of the moment.

I quite liked The Plantagenets. It's kind of spoiled me for other Plantagenet books though ;)

I will be interested to hear what you think of The Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England!

>56 rabbitprincess: Both of those have been wishlisted for awhile so I'm eager to have motivation to read them.

My historical fiction category is named after John Perkins. Here are a few books I might read for this category:

The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
The Queen's Vow by C. W. Gortner
The Accidental Empress by Alison Pataki
The Malice of Fortune by Michael Ennis
When Christ and His Saints Slept by Sharon Kay Penman
Katherine by Anya Seton
The Violin of Auschwitz by Maria Angels Anglada
Sacred Hearts by Sarah Dunant
The Last Runaway by Tracy Chevalier
The Illuminator by Brenda Rickman Vantrease
Broken Music by Marjorie Eccles
A Simple Murder by Eleanor Kuhns

Adding:
A Thread of Grace by Mary Doria Russell
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

Awesome theme, Lori, and impressive research. Great way to organize themes. And speaking at NGS, too! And a plan for 100 books... inspiring, to say the very least.

>22 LauraBrook: RootsMagic is my genealogy software of choice, too, although I'm on a PC. It's easy to use and fairly intuitive.

>59 kac522: Thanks, Kathy. RootsMagic really has a lot of power because you aren't forced into canned reports and can do a lot of customization. I was a little concerned about one of my NGS topics this week. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park library was a key repository for one of my talks. I lived in fear for about two or three days until they told us the headquarters building was undamaged in the wildfires last week. I was literally afraid my talk was going up in smoke. It did, however, force me to see what else might be available beyond the other few repositories I was already intending to use, and I found some additional collections I plan to browse.

My children's and YA literature category is named for my great grandmother Mary Ann Harris. Although she died in 1937, my mother told me a few things about her as she remembered them. This is another category that will have lots of "to be determined" reads as I'll likely read all the Caldecotts and some of the Newberrys selected in January. Here are some others on my radar:

That Book Woman by Heather Henson
Cats, Cats, Cats by Leslea Newman
The Best Cat in the World by Leslea Newman
The Knights Before Christmas by Joan Holub
The Greek Who Stole Christmas by Anthony Horowitz
The Boy on the Porch by Sharon Creech
One Came Home by Amy Timberlake
Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool
Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai
Bound for Oregon by Jean Van Leeuwen
World of Pies by Karen Stolz
The Poet's Dog by Patricia MacLachlan

I suspect I'll fine lots of options to add here, but at least I've prioritized a few.

They announced two juveniles were charged with starting the wildfire on Chimney Tops 2 that spread to Gatlinburg and other parts of Sevier County.

My non-fiction category is named after my ancestor Joseph Fowlkes who belonged to a church in which reading fiction could get one excluded. His family was literate, and he owned several slaves. I'm certain he read mostly religious works but probably read other non-fiction as well. I never saw him in trouble for reading fiction when I read through the church's minutes.

Here are a lot of non-fiction titles I'd like to read soon:

Storm Kings by Lee Sandlin
The Little Bookstore of Big Stone Gap by Wendy Welch
Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt
The Violinist's Thumb by Sam Kean
Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder
Forever Liesl by Charmian Carr
Hot, Sour, Salty, Sweet by Jeffrey Alford
A New Turn in the South by Hugh Acheson
Books to Die For by John Connolly
If You Lived Here, I'd Know Your Name by Heather Lende
Debbie Macomber's Christmas Cookbook by Debbie Macomber
Why Read Moby Dick by Nathaniel Philbrick
The Cooking of Southwest France by Paula Wolfert
The Story of Charlotte's Web by Michael Sims
How to Read Novels Like a Professor by Thomas J. Foster
The Reading Promise by Alice Ozma
Promised Land: Thirteen Books that Changed America by Jay Parini
At Home with Books by Estelle Ellis
Line by Line: How to Edit Your Own Writing by Claire Kehrwald Cook
The Good Book by Andrew Blauner
Our Father Abraham by Marvin R. Wilson
Sin and Syntax by Constance Hale
A People and Their Quilts by John Rice Irwin
See Rock City by Donald Davis

I doubt I'll make it to all of these, and I'm certain to find others I want to read during the year. Hopefully I can "knock out" a few though!

My Fiction and Other Literature category was named for ancestor Francis Aldridge. This is one of my largest TBR categories so don't surprise if I deviate from this list. I'm also certain some nice shine Early Reviewer books, NetGalley offerings, etc. will be begging to be included here also.

Here are some options:
A Lowcountry Wedding by Mary Alice Monroe
The Last Original Wife by Dorothea Benton Frank
Plainsong by Kent Haruf
New Mercies by Sandra Dallas
School for Love by Olivia Manning
The Diary of Mattie Spenser by Sandra Dallas
A Novel Bookstore by Laurence Cosse
Finn by Jon Clinch
The Robber Bride by Margaret Atwood
The Fishermen by Chigozie Obioma
Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury
The Ivy Tree by Mary Stewart
The Land of Green Plums by Herta Muller
Dog Songs: Poems by Mary Oliver
Good Poems, American Places by Garrison Keillor
Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Masters

This concludes my projections for the moment.

Our Living Christmas Tree begins tonight and continues for the next three nights. It will be live-streamed on one or more nights. I'm going to be rushing to eat something before I need to be there because our fall graduation ceremony is late afternoon. I'm hoping the speaker is short-winded. I'm sure the speaker will be boring. I think less than 5% of the graduation speakers have been interesting since I have been here.

A really personal and creative theme which got me to wondering if I could use some family items for mine. That is, if you don't mind the borrowing.

>65 hailelib: Please borrow! The more the merrier.

Wow, what a great theme!

>67 Tess_W: Thanks! Glad you like it!

Hi Lori good luck with your 2017!

>69 BBGirl55: Thanks very much! I hope I am able to knock out a lot of those "prospects."

All the Light We Cannot See was by far the best book I read in 2016.

>71 Tess_W: I've read nothing but rave reviews of it. The times I went to get it, it was checked out. I think it is in the regular stacks now instead of the lease book shelves so it will be a little less visible unless someone is really wanting that particular title.

What fun using your august ancestors for your categories! From what I know of my American (father) side my family dated back to the 1700s in the U.S. mostly as craftsmen. I never knew much about my French (mother) side. When I was in school we had to make a family tree with hair and eye color. Both of my grandmothers were alive at the time and gave me as much info as they could. I was very proud of my tree. Unhappily things do not last in the tropics and my project is long gone, alas.

>73 mamzel: It's too bad your project is gone. It is easier when you have older relatives still alive to ask. I had one grandparent still living when I began researching.

Great theme!

>75 The_Hibernator: Thank you very much! It took awhile to come up with it, but I'm going to enjoy it.

>59 kac522: Thanks for letting me know you prefer RootsMagic too! I'm tempted to buy a PC laptop just to use for this purpose, honestly. It would be easier to use at my Mom's house too, as she's the one with the bulk of the family paperwork and photographs.

Well, you win for best theme this year! And how wonderful to own that dress. We recently inherited a portrait of an ancestor of my husband's that now hangs in the living room. It's an extraordinarily unattractive painting, but there's something about having a picture of a relative painted in 1830.

>77 LauraBrook: I have lots of friends who run RootsMagic on Mac OS. Of course, you probably want a laptop of some sort.

>78 RidgewayGirl: Thanks! I do like my theme, even if it is a bit unusual.

Holiday Hauls

SantaSwap (from Joanne):
1. Silent Nights: Christmas Mysteries edited by Martin Edwards
2. Dying in the Wool by Frances Brody
3. The Cozy Cookbook (which includes recipes from Avery Aames, Daryl Wood Gerber, Ellery Adams, Connie Archer, Leslie Budewitz, Laura Childs, Cleo Coyle, Victoria Hamilton, B. B. Haywood, Julie Hyzy, Jenn McKinlay, and Paige Shelton. It also includes excerpts from the books!

SantaThing (selected by LibraryThing programmer ccatalfo):
4. Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich
5. Debbie Macomber's Christmas Cookbook by Debbie Macomber

Sevier County Public Library/Sevier County Genealogical Society:
6. The Historic Architecture of Sevier County, Tennessee by Robbie D. Jones

Amazon purchase:
7. Births, Deaths, and Marriage Notices from Lamar County Alabama Newspapers by Veneta Aldridge McKinney

McKays purchase:
8. Ancestors and Relatives: Genealogy, Identity, and Community by Eviatar Zerubavel
9. From Memory to History: Using Oral Sources in Local Historical Research by Barbara Allen and Lynwood Montell
10. Writing Family Histories and Memoirs by Kirk Polking
11. Scottish Surnames & Families by Donald Whyte
12. Writing the Family Narrative by Lawrence P. Gouldrup - This is a duplicate. I didn't think I owned it and was in a hurry and didn't check LibraryThing. At least it was only $1.50.

Gifts from family members:
13. Murder in the Mystery Suite by Ellery Adams
14. Scandal in Skibbereen by Sheila Connolly
15. Make It Ahead: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook by Ina Garten

Looks like you got some great gifts! I'm about half through with Murder in the Mystery Suite right now. Ellery Adams was at a Mystery Authors event my son and I went to last year, and I got a signed copy. :)

Happy Holidays!

>81 virginiahomeschooler: Great! I hope you are enjoying it. I hope I will too!

I mentioned earlier that one of my categories was inspired by the card game Authors, at least to an extent. Here is what the current decks of the game look like:



Of course, there are official rules for the game:



It's pretty obvious you can also use them as a substitute deck for regular cards. I don't remember the original game having the regular cards option. The info on the cards themselves and the titles was much larger, at least in my memory.

So impressed with your challenge this year, Lori!

>84 VictoriaPL: Thanks. I'm looking forward to it. I have lots of options with interesting choices.

Let's up the number of Christmas books to 16. Carrie (cbl_tn) and I just met for lunch and exchanged gifts. Among my gifts was Lost Attractions of Sevier County by Tim Hollis. As I saw it, I commented there were more lost attractions now. I think we both had Sevier County on our minds as most of what was in the package I gave her came from Sevier County. She also gave me a puzzle of that great Charles Wysocki painting, Frederick the Literate, that features a cat curled up around the books on the shelves, and a bookmark from Mexico. That's all I'll mention since it's the only book-related stuff.

2016 Book Meme

Describe yourself: Waiting

Describe how you feel: Sorrow without End

Describe where you currently live: Appalachia

If you could go anywhere, where would you go?: Beneath the Book Tower

Your favorite form of transportation: Gone Camping

Your best friend is: Anne of Green Gables

You and your friends are: Tailing a Tabby
. . . and yes, it's probably one of mine

What’s the weather like?: Reading Up a Storm

You fear: A Fatal Winter

What is the best advice you have to give?: To Live Is Christ: Joining Paul's Journey of Faith

Thought for the day: Things Fall Apart

How I would like to die: Sudden Death

My soul’s present condition: Hand in Hand: Walking with the Psalms Through Loneliness

Top 11 for 2017

Note: The top 5 were all 5 star reads. The next 6 were all 4.5 star reads. (I hated to omit just one since those are the only ones that made it above 4 stars. I am trying to arrange them in order of how well I enjoyed them.)

1. Pennies for Hitler - Jackie French
2. Felicity - Mary Oliver
3. War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
4. The Practice of the Presence of God - Brother Lawrence
5. Carolina Cradle: Settlement of the Northwest Carolina Frontier, 1747-1762 - Robert Wayne Ramsey
6. Hag-Seed - Margaret Atwood
7. Sifting Through Ashes: Words & Images - Robert Miller
8. Oliver the Cat Who Saved Christmas - Sheila Norton
9. The Return of Sir Percival: Book 1, Guinevere's Prayer - S. Alexander O'Keefe
10. Farming Dissenters: The Regulator Movement in Piedmont North Carolina - Carole Watterson Troxler
11. The Thousand-Year Flood: The Ohio-Mississippi Disaster of 1937 - David Welky

>89 The_Hibernator: Thanks. Happy New Year to you also.

1. Lost Attractions of Sevier County by Tim Hollis and Mitzi Soward

Date Completed: 1 Jan 2016

Category: Richard Thornton (History & Genealogy)

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: I am not sure when I first visited Sevier County, Tennessee, but it's been a favorite place since the 1970s. Sometime in the late 1980s after both my parents retired, they purchased a membership in one of the campgrounds in Pigeon Forge. I lived in Cincinnati at the time, and I would often join them for my vacation or for the weekends while they were staying a couple of weeks. During that time I saw many changes in the attractions offered in the area. I often remarked, "That wasn't there the last time, but what was there?" I could no longer remember. This book by Tim Hollis, an Alabama native who studies tourism in the South, and Mitzi Soward, a long-time resident of Sevier County, brings back memories of many of those lost attractions. In his research, Tim even came across some ads for businesses no one seems to remember. I've lived in the area for almost eighteen years now, and the area continues to change. I enjoyed this look at the past, but I hope someone comes up with a companion volume of some of the other businesses catering to tourists which once served visitors in Sevier County. Perhaps some of these are in books on the cities of Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg themselves.

This photo serves as proof I ate the required foods for New Year's Day -- pork, blackeyed peas, greens (in the form of spinach), and cornbread.

I absolutely love your thread here, Lori! Fantastic!

>93 tymfos: Thanks, Terri!

2. Stake & Eggs by Laura Childs

Date Completed: 2 Jan 2017

Category: Lucinda Virginia Phillips (series)

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Suzanne hears snowmobiles near the Cackleberry Club and then hears an accident. When she investigates, she finds a decapitated snowmobiler who fell victim to a taut wire. She calls Sheriff Doogie. She finds a young boy one evening in the Cackleberry Club who borrowed a key from her employee Joey. This one has lots of suspects--some local and some not. The small town flavor of this series really makes it fun. There is plenty of humor interspersed as well. I might even try one of the recipes at the end!

>92 thornton37814: I read something interesting today in our newspaper about pork and the New Year. Pigs can't turn their heads. Why didn't I realize that? To see behind they have to turn their whole body around so they rarely look back. It's supposed to bring luck if you eat hog jowls with the rest of the lucky foods at New Years because pigs usually are looking forward to the future. Or so our gardening columnist says.

>96 clue: Most southerners just slice a little hog jowl in their blackeyed peas in place of the bacon we use for seasoning. However, any pork will theoretically work.

3. The Fish Can Sing by Halldor Laxness

Date Completed: 6 Jan 2017

Category: Rev. Stephen Batchelder (Borrowed Books)

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Alfgrimur's mother left him in the home of a man and woman in Brekkukot when he was born and before she left to pursue dreams in America. His "grandfather" was a fisherman, specializing in lumpfish. His grandmother, who was not married to the grandfather but kept his house, seemed to always be up,never sleeping, but attending to the needs of the grandfather, Alfgrimur, and other guests. Alfgrimur grew up wanting nothing more than to follow in his grandfather's shoes as a lumpfisherman. Alfgrimur had a nice voice and was often asked to sing at funerals. Gardar Holm grew up in the village known as Georg, but he left to pursue a career in music years before. Alfgrimur is sent to the university where he meets Holm, but he eventually returns to Brekukkot. His grandfather wishes him to become a clergyman; others want him to become a singer; he would be content to be a lumpfisherman. The novel takes place in the days when Iceland is forging its identity. Of course, the parallel is that Alfgimur is forging his own identity at the same time. It's not really that long of a novel, but its reading should not be rushed in order to savor the imagery and depths of the novel. It's a coming of age story of both Alfgrimur and Iceland.

This was the view out my window this morning. It was still accumulating at the time.

It was beautiful here, too, although there are no vistas from my windows! I discovered that Ivy, the new dog, does not like snow. The cat spent more time outside today than she did, and that includes the walks where she stayed on the least snowy parts of the sidewalk! Stay warm, Lori.

>100 RidgewayGirl: I got quite warm shoveling it this afternoon, but I did it as early as possible to allow for the sun to melt and dry as much as it could. I was afraid it might be a bit too cold this morning. It was 18 at 5 p.m. Temps will not get above freezing until Monday. The snow plow came through late this afternoon, and it looks like traffic has been able to get up and down the hill better since then. I'm a bit worried about the part near my house refreezing and becoming black ice overnight. That's usually one of the worst spots on the road. They leveled out a turn onto the street across from mine when they built the subdivision, but it gives water a bit of a chance to build up. I'm planning to go to church in the morning. The two earliest services were cancelled so I'll just be heading to the 10:45 service. The choir was supposed to sing, but I doubt enough choir members make it to make it worthwhile. I wasn't scheduled for 10:45 praise team, but I could end up filling in.

I'm trying desperately to catch up on threads, but it looks like it might be July before that happens!

After my disastrous experience, please be careful shovelling the snow!

>102 VivienneR: I was quite cautious while I was doing it. I'm always afraid I'll fall -- and I'm alone. At least some neighbor would theoretically spot me, but it might be awhile as little traffic as we get during a snowstorm.

Lovely shot of the weather up there.

Here in Florida even we are in the deep freeze. High today was 41. Freezing temps at night. We're still in the RV. The park has shut off the water to avoid burst pipes. With lows in the 20s the RV is chilly! Not insulated like a nice warm house.

We have two electric heaters running and still the propane heater comes on periodically to try to keep the temps inside in the 60s.

And, of course, I have a head cold.

>104 majkia: My parents had an RV for many years, and I've been in it a time or two in really cold weather. We had a couple of those ceramic heaters which kept it toastier than it would have been otherwise. I think the overhead unit did have a heat setting too, but we tried not to use it as much because the propane gets to be pricy.

Hoping I manage to have enough time to finish the book I've been reading in print tonight. I have no idea how much longer is on the audio book, but I suspect I'll be listening to it the rest of the week. I'm hoping the client project for today will take less time overall than the one yesterday did, but I suspect it will take about the same amount of time. The good thing is I only need to visit one repository rather than two so I won't have as much travel time.

I finished one tonight, but I'll have to report it when I have time -- hopefully tomorrow.

4. Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Date Completed: 10 Jan 2017

Category: Johannes Lantz

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: This story is set around 1967 to 1970 during Nigeria's Biafran war. It is narrated by Ugwu, who works in the household of Odenigbo. Odenigbo's partner is Olanna, and she has a twin sister Kainene. The novel centers around the families of all these people as well as the war itself. The novel appeared to be well-written although the editor needed to do additional work in some of the non-spoken sections to make those conform to grammatical rules and to get rid of passive tenses. As I read the story, I wondered how the war affected some friends I met in graduate school who lived in Nigeria during that time. Sadly I lost touch with them so I may never know the answer.

I decided to treat myself yesterday afternoon to one of Sevier County's restaurant for "lupper" (the combination lunch and supper meal - when you skip lunch and eat an early supper). I chose Paula Deen's Restaurant.

 

 

You choose 3 meats per table, 4 vegetables per table, and 1 dessert. They bring you a hoe cake with sweet potato butter and that amazing buttery, garlicky biscuit that was sitting atop it. For the meats, I chose her cheesy meat loaf, catfish, and fried chicken. I was a little disappointed in the texture of the meat loaf. I think I grew up eating my mother's meat loaf which had more filler in it, giving it a crumblier texture, so when it's more solid, I don't enjoy it as much. The catfish was really good. I'm pretty picky about catfish, and this is the first catfish in East Tennessee that is worth eating. The fried chicken is reminiscent of what my grandmother used to make. For the veggies, I selected green beans, creamed potatoes, squash casserole, and macaroni and cheese. (They had other options including salad, slaw, blackeyed peas, creamed corn, etc. I chose to go with things not eaten this year. All were good. I picked the banana pudding which was good but had more whipped topping than I really enjoy. Next time I'll probably try her gooey cake (or whatever it called). I can't remember the third option, but I think it was a peach dish, maybe cobbler.

I was past stuffed. I'm glad I had plenty of time before bed for some of it to settle. It's a bit pricy, but it was a treat.

Happiness is a lap full of cats.

>109 thornton37814: My parents were just at that restaurant yesterday! They are on vacation in Tennessee.

>111 casvelyn: How interesting. I hope they enjoyed it. I debated on it or Margaritaville, but I decided to go with it.

>109 thornton37814: Hi Lori :Um I lost interest in what you are reading because I can't stop looking at your meal at Miss Paula's! Hoe cakes were one of the first things I learned to make as a child but haven't made one in over 40 years.

I think I will get her cookbook off the shelf.

>110 thornton37814: A lap full of cats sounds very cosy at this time of year!

>113 lsh63: The hoecake was tasty, especially with the sweet potato butter. Enjoy making them.

>114 rabbitprincess: I was quite happy to have the lap full. It did keep me warm.

5. Death in Yellowstone: Accidents and Foolhardiness in the First National Park by Lee H. Whittlesey

Date Completed: 11 Jan 2017

Category: Richard Thornton (History & Genealogy)

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Yellowstone historian Lee H. Whittlesey did a magnificent job of documenting deaths occurring in or near Yellowstone National Park. He spent hours pouring through newspaper accounts and locating testimony of persons who witnessed the accounts as well as reading official superintendent reports which often included accounts of such incidents. The "in Yellowstone" portion of the title is a bit misleading as some of the reported deaths took place outside the park or in gateway cities. Since I was listening to the book in audio format, I wish these portions had been omitted to make the book not quite so long and seemingly repetitive. I really think this is a book which probably works best in print or e-book format where one can "skim read" portions. Much of this book needs to be read by persons preparing to visit Yellowstone so they are aware of the dangers of not following guidance of rangers and park literature. The narrator, Stephen R. Thorne did a good job convincing the reader he was the author and witnessed much of the book although he pronounced a few names of Southern locations a bit strangely. I received the audio version of the book from the Tantor Media through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program in exchange for a review. This review refers to a reading of the 2nd edition of the book.

6. Mexican Ice Cream: Beloved Recipes and Stories by Fany Gerson

Date Completed: 12 Jan 2017

Category: Joseph Fowlkes

Rating: 4 stars

Review: This is an amazing collection of recipes for sorbets and ice creams from different regions of Mexico. The author spends time discussing traditions, the regions, and the ingredients. It includes traditional recipes as well as some more modern takes on the favorite dessert of summer. While I'm not likely to make the ice cream that featured grasshoppers as an ingredient, it was interesting. The author includes a recipe for sugar cones as well as for several toppings. The recipes do require an ice cream churn/freezer. I received an electronic copy of an e-galley for review purposes from the publisher through NetGalley. However, I liked this book so much I'm certain I'll be ordering my own copy before summer.

>117 thornton37814: This is a BB for me, I love to go to our Mexican ice cream parlor.

>118 clue: I pre-ordered it from Amazon so it will come in the summer. Does your Mexican ice cream parlor sell a variety with grasshoppers?

What a fantastic theme you've chosen this year! I enjoyed reading the stories of your ancestors.

>120 mathgirl40: Glad you enjoyed it! Some of them are quite fascinating.

Earlier today I was going to log into the public library's catalog to determine if some books were available. To my horror, I got a message saying my library card had expired. Why do they not warn you of impending expiration? They had my email address. It makes no sense. I called but found out it could only be renewed in person. Needless to say, I went to the library after work so I would still be able to download e-books and audiobooks.

Recently I noticed some books which are in my "to be read" list saying they were available at the library are no longer showing in the catalog. I learned today they had weeded 3800 books from the collection and moved things around. I guess I need to check to see which books are no longer available at the library so I can try to locate them elsewhere if they are ones I really want to read.

>119 thornton37814: Well, not to my knowledge, but I have heard they have some flavors for the Mexican customers that local folks might not appreciate. I'll have to inquire!

>123 clue: That was the most memorable of the strange flavors!

>122 thornton37814: What an awful afternoon that must have been.
I hope today improves, even though it is.... Friday the 13th!

>125 VictoriaPL: Hey, my library card is good until January 2019 now so remind me in 2 years!

7. The Queen of the Frogs by Davide Cali and Marco Soma

Date Completed: 12 Jan 2017

Category: Mary Ann Harris (children's & YA)

Rating: 4 stars

Review: A group of frogs is enjoying life at the pond until one day a frog finds a crown in the water and is named Queen of the Frogs. The other frogs tell her what a queen does, and she complies, but they find life not quite so pleasant working for the queen and her advisors. It is a beautifully illustrated story, translated from the Portuguese. It teaches a moral lesson which may not be quite so obvious to young readers but can be drawn out of them by asking questions. I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Early Reviewers in exchange for an honest review.

8. A Child's Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson

Date Completed: 13 Jan 2107

Category: Godfrey Dearborn (Literary Classics)

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: I remember owning an abridged version of this book as a child. I later located a copy of the complete version in a library to read. I just re-read the complete version. The poems are age appropriate for children, but I suspect many of them are a bit dated for today's children. Still many of the poems stand the test of time. The edition I read was from 1905 with illustrations by Jessie Willcox Smith. These are watercolor plates chosen to illustration some of the poems. Most poems are accompanied by line drawings as well.

Note: This book was rebound by a library. I have no idea which cover matched it. I chose the cover from my childhood abridged volume to display in this message.

A Child's Garden of Verses was one of my favorite books when I was young. Definitely my first book of poetry. I'll admit that I loved it more for the illustrations than the poems.

>129 VioletBramble: I think most of us did as children, but I still remembered many of the poems. It was my first book of poetry too. I wrote quite a few poems back in my elementary years. However, a retired schoolteacher told me they weren't any good so I became discouraged and quit. I used to stay at her home down the street from my house until one of my parents got home. It's a shame she did that because I threw out those poems, and I wish I could look at them and read them now. I'm sure they weren't Mary Oliver quality, but I doubt they were as bad as she said. I always understood meter and rhyme. Perhaps I conformed a bit too much?

9. The Not-Quite States of America: Dispatches from the Territories and Other Far-Flung Outposts of the USA by Doug Mack

Date Completed: 14 Jan 2017

Category: Joseph Fowlkes (Non-Fiction)

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: This combination travelogue and history presents a fascinating look at territories owned by the United States. Mack took trips to the U.S. Virgin Island, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Marianas, and Puerto Rico where he commented on the culture and infused it with a bit of the history of the islands. Readers get a sense of what each of these islands are today, but the book is not quite what I expected. Many of these territories are over-commercialized; some are not. I appreciated the historical parts more than the travelogue portions, and I sincerely wish more attention to what the culture was like at the time the territories were acquired so readers could compare it to what the United States was like at that time and then draw present-day comparisons based on a number of factors. Mack points out few Americans really know much if anything about the territories. His book was designed to bridge that gap for himself and somewhat for his readers. While I'm glad I read the book, I am interested in reading other books about these territories which may be more aligned with my own interests. For example, Mack focuses on the economy and on political factors, but rarely addresses religion which is a strong interest of mine. Fortunately Mack includes a brief bibliography of other materials at the end of the book for those who want to delve a bit deeper. An advance review e-galley of this book was received by the publisher through NetGalley for review purposes.

Stopping by to drool over the food pictures and the congratulate you on 9 books completed already!

Impressed by your reading!

>132 lkernagh: I'm a bit shocked I'm doing so well in the completions category.

>133 Tess_W: Thanks. I've got a couple more print ones in progress. I'm trying to decide which audiobook will be playing on my commute starting Tuesday.

>131 thornton37814: The V.I. will celebrate their centennial this year - they were bought from Denmark in 1917.

>135 mamzel: That is true! I wonder what sorts of celebrations are planned? I may have to Google and find out.

10. Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury

Date Completed: 17 Jan 2017

Category: Francis Aldridge (Fiction and Other Literature)

Rating: 4 stars

Review: This coming of age story is set in the summer of 1928. It's a fascinating look at the carefree summers of yesteryear and the memories made of small things--things as simple as "dandelion wine." Bradbury has a way with words, and he does an excellent job evoking the time and place. A series of vignettes give the novel its form.

This says it posted but I keep refreshing, and it isn't there, so pardon me if it is a duplicate.

It's Supercat!



Mr. B got into the stash of plastic bags and managed to get one around his neck. He tried really hard to get it off. I snapped this photo before freeing him of his new Ingles cape.

>138 thornton37814: I've been having that problem all day. The posting, not the Ingles cape. Though both are annoying ;)

>139 VictoriaPL: If you had an Ingles cape, I'd worry!

>140 thornton37814: Ha! I couldn't tell you the last time I was in an Ingles. Though I did shop there when we lived up in TN.

>141 VictoriaPL: Ingles is most convenient for me of the grocery stores. The new Food City in Morristown is nice though.

11. The Inflated Story of Noah by Dr. Dan Bellamy

Date Completed: 19 Jan 2017

Category: Mary Ann Harris (Children's/YA Literature)

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Dan Bellamy tells the story of Noah with balloon sculptures. He shot photographs of his balloon sculptures in North America, Central America, the Galapagos Islands, and Israel. The text includes the sort of humor many young readers enjoy. This is definitely a winner for young readers.

Note: Since this book needed original cataloging, I thought I might as well read it while I was cataloging it.

I'm slowly starting to make my way through the threads. I love your set up here. It's great you took inspiration from your family history. I'm hoping to start working on my again at some point this year, I had started working on it several years ago, but lost everything when I had a hard drive crash. Luckily I hadn't gotten very far. Looks like you're off to a good start on your reading. I also remember having a copy of A Child's Garden of Verses as a kid. I don't remember any of the poems, but my dad used to read it to us every night before bed. I noticed one of your possibilities for historical fiction was The Queen's Vow by C. W. Gortner. I just read that one in December and thought it was really good. I hope you enjoy it as well if you decide to give it a go.

>144 staci426: I'm hoping to get to it (The Queen's Vow), but I know I have a lot on my plate so I probably won't make it to all of them. I hope you get back to your family history research. Back your files and photos up to external hard drives, flash drives, a service like Carbonite or Mozy (or even Dropbox or Box), etc.

12. The High Mountains of Portugal by Yann Martel

Date Completed: 19 Jan 2017

Category: Johannes Lantz (Around the World)

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Three stories--ranging from 1904 when cars were novelties until the late 20th century--are connected to a village in the high mountains of Portugal and to a crucifix in the church there. The connection runs a bit deeper, but readers are unaware of this until the end. It's a strange story, and while I never thought about dropping the book, I'm not certain I enjoyed it. I think it's the way the novel wraps up that leaves me somewhat dissatisfied. Readers deal with death, grief, religion, and even Agatha Christie, in the pages of the book, but I'm not sure the author's intentions in his theme are fully realized. I'm not even certain I know the author's intentions. It's a strange and somewhat disturbing novel.

Barney is watching the Inaugural Balls. He's decided he wants to join "Lord of the Dance".

 

13. The Confessions of Saint Augustine by Augustine; translated by Edward B. Pusey

Date Completed: 20 Jan 2017

Category: Nathan Ward (Christian Classics)

Rating: 3 stars

Review: Augustine reflects on his life before and after he committed it to God. He often quotes (or near quotes) entire passages of Scripture in doing so. I read the version translated by Pusey and published in the Modern Library. It's a Christian Classic which has endured for generations, but it is not the easiest read because Augustine's tendency to "ramble."

Note: I picked a random cover.

>148 thornton37814: I'm with you! There are some interesting parts and some put you to sleep parts. I read it because as a history prof I thought I should. Won't be re-reading it!

>149 Tess_W: Yes. I wonder if a more modernized translation might help, but I doubt it.

A couple of weeks ago my tire pressure light came on. We assumed it was the weather because it had been fluctuating so much, but when it came on today after the tires were filled a couple weeks ago, I decided I must have a leak. Indeed, they found a nail in my tire. I'm so glad I quit going to the place where I purchased my tires. A friend told me her husband always got his tires there so I went there, but I regretted it almost instantly. The man who owns it is not very friendly, and whenever I went for anything I felt like he didn't really want me there. I finally started going to another place which is much friendlier and very busy. They do good work and don't rip you off. I'm not sure how the first place stays in business because of the attitude, but I definitely know why all the recommendations I heard later were for the place I now go for tire-related things.

>151 thornton37814: I'm glad you got your tire fixed and that you found a place you feel more comfortable going to.

Lori, I wonder if you'd found one of those outposts of the 19th century, where the owner is great with men, but doesn't think women should frequent a tire store? When I was still living in England, we used a garage that always treated my husband very well, but were openly rude to me. We eventually used a place that was further away but understood professional behavior. I'm glad you found a better place.

>152 VictoriaPL: Yes. I'm much happier at this place.

>153 RidgewayGirl: Well, if I were married, I'd probably let the husband deal with all the car issues because I hate dealing with things like that, but since I'm not, I have no choice.

While researching my family last night, I uncovered a "black sheep" cousin who met her death by homicide last night. In order to get access to a database which includes the newspapers I need to find more of the story, I am paying the out of county fee for Knox County Public Library. I was told I'd need a library card number to access the databases even in the library. The good news is it will provide me with access to additional e-books and audiobooks. I sent in the fee, and they are supposed to email me my library card number so I can begin using databases immediately. I'm hoping I get the email tomorrow or Friday since all our mail goes through Knoxville in the first place. It would have cost me more than the out of county card fee to drive to the state library and archives in Nashville to get the needed article. Now I'll be able to do it in my own home, and I'll be able to see if the annual fee is worth paying for increased e-book and audiobook access. I decided I will always check my local library's collection first so I really can evaluate the amount of unique things they provide.

>155 thornton37814: A silver lining!

>156 VictoriaPL: The other good thing is I'll be able to spend my day off with my cats instead of spending it in Knoxville! ;-) (although I will admit I was looking forward to lunch at Tupelo Honey Cafe)

14. Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder

Date Completed: 25 Jan 2017

Category: Joseph Fowlkes (Non-Fiction)

Rating: 3 stars

Review: I expected to like this book much more than I did. The story of what Paul Farmer did in providing health care in Haiti intrigued me. I did, however, feel the story bogged down in places -- mainly when it got "too medical" or "too political" for a mainstream audience. I'm glad Kidder decided to share Farmer's story with the world; however, it could have been more readable.

>157 thornton37814: Ha! Maybe you, me and Kay can go to Tupelo Honey when we finally find our way up there.

>158 thornton37814: I'm sorry you didn't like this book more. I read it after being terrible annoyed by Three Cups of Tea and was blown away by Farmer's drive and passion. I found Kidder very readable and I always recommend it to my students.

>159 VictoriaPL: Sounds like a plan!

>160 mamzel: I liked the story. I just thought it got a bit more technical in places than it needed to be.

A friend of mine managed to find a photo of the two of us at the infamous Mary Tyler Moore statue depicting the hat toss in Minneapolis to post to Facebook.

>162 thornton37814: - Great photo! I have a similar one from when I was there a few years ago. Now to see if I can find it...

>163 LittleTaiko: Hope you do find it. I do hate my hair in that one. My beautician had really gotten way off my natural hair color, and it looked awful. I like my new beautician much better.

>162 thornton37814: It's sad that she's gone. And, Lori, we own the same purse!

>165 RidgewayGirl: It is sad. The handle actually came off that purse, but I still own it. I keep thinking someone with a really strong sewing machine will be able to fix it.

I expect to complete at least 3 more this month. Two are in process--one on my Kindle app; the other in print. The third is a YA book which should read quickly. I don't expect to finish the audio book until next month. It's my "commute" book.

Found it! This is from our trip in 2008.

>168 LittleTaiko: That's great!

15. Devonshire Scream by Laura Childs

Date Completed: 26 Jan 2017

Category: Lucinda Virginia Phillips (series)

Rating: 4 stars

Review: In this enjoyable installment, Theodosia attends a high-end jewelry show at her friend Brooke's shop. A smash and grab incident results not only in the theft of all displayed jewels but also in a death. Detective Burt Tidwell arrives on the scene. Brooke asks for Theodosia's help in finding the thieves/killer. Theodosia notices more than most of the persons at the event, but she purposed to find any clue which might aid the police from her crouched position. The FBI is involved in the case, and one of the agents seems somewhat interested in Theodosia. As usual, readers can drool over Haley's creations and Drayton's teas, and Theodosia puts herself in danger when she tries to go it alone without Tidwell's help. Fortunately, he's on speed dial. This one kept me guessing, and the ringleader was not a person I expected. It's nice to be surprised by an outcome once in awhile.

>170 thornton37814: - I skipped your description because I'm notthat far in the series, but I'm hoping to get a few more read this year.

>171 dudes22: I decided I want to get caught up on both that series and the Cackleberry Club series by her. I'm now caught up until the next one comes out (which will be soon) in the Tea Shop series. I have a few more to go in the Cackleberry Club series, but I'm hoping I can catch up by reading one every other month or so.

16. One Came Home by Amy Timberlake

Date Completed: 28 Jan 2017

Category: Mary Ann Harris (Children's/YA)

Rating: 3 stars

Review: This Newbery honor book starts off a bit slow with a little too much detail about pigeons. However, once the story about Georgie's missing sister Agatha begins to take over, and Georgie and Billy go looking for her, the story begins to improve. Georgie's home is in Placid, Wisconsin so some of the action takes place there. It's a bit of an adventure, and some middle school readers are certain to enjoy it, but for others it will likely not resonate.

17. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

Date Completed: 29 Jan 2017

Category: John Perkins (Historical Fiction)

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Two sisters--Isabelle and Vianne-- living in France during its Nazi occupation help persons escape over the Pyrenees and rescue young Jewish children. It's also the story of their family, friends, and network. It shows the horrors of the Holocaust. The author also created a modern aspect to the story as one of the sisters prepares to visit France for a 50 year reunion. This element was created mostly to produce an update on what happened to the various characters. The story seemed a bit slow to really develop, but once the story began to draw in the reader, it was absorbing.

>174 thornton37814: - This is definitely on my reading list for this year - I think maybe in April.

>175 dudes22: Hope you enjoy it. I am not certain why enjoy historical fiction books set in that era so much, but I do. Maybe I like to read about the cause for which my Dad fought?

>174 thornton37814: Oh, yay! You got to it. I loved it, except for the modern segment.

>178 thornton37814: I think it was only there to give the current status. That part could be handled just as effectively with an afterward.

>176 thornton37814: - I find that I've been reading more books set in WW II in the last few years than I ever did before. Not sure if there's more fiction being written about it or if I just am more drawn to what is being written.

>179 dudes22: I think I'm drawn to them. I read a lot set in that period too.

18. Down by the Riverside by Jackie Lynn

Date Completed: 30 Jan 2017

Category: Rev. Stephen Batchelder

Rating: 3 stars

Review: Rose Griffith, recently divorced from Rip, leaves behind Rocky Mount, North Carolina and the life she's known, bound for Arizona, when she has car trouble. One man is willing to give her a lift to Shady Grove, a campground run by an ex-con who turned his life around and tries to give other ex-cons the same chance. Rose decides to take her mother's maiden name Franklin. As they are pulling up to the campground, the sheriff's department is pulling the body of the undertaker, Mr. Franklin out of the river. Although Rose never met the man, she's sure he didn't commit suicide and begins to investigate. She's also using her nursing skills to help a family camped nearby who have a daughter with cancer being treated at St. Jude across the river and another daughter donating the bone marrow for the transplant.

Even though this novel includes a mystery, it seems to be somewhat minor in comparison to the theme of second chances. The mystery itself was somewhat lacking. I'm very familiar with the area, and several things struck me as "unbelievable," including the fact anyone who led a nurse's lifestyle, even a place like Rocky Mount, would find the West Memphis area appealing. It's known primarily as a place trucks stop going into and out of Memphis, and it has a less than stellar reputation in regards to criminal activities. I like the idea of a series set in a campground. I grew up in a household that camped frequently. In fact, as a child I used to dream of writing a series of children's books set in a campground. My reactions to the book are mixed. I might give the second in the series a chance if I come across it.

19. Cats, Cats, Cats by Leslea Newman

Date Completed: 31 Jan 2017

Category: Mary Ann Harris (Children's/YA)

Rating: 4.5 stars

Review: Old Mrs. Brown is the ultimate crazy cat lady! This book if a quite enjoyable illustrated poem. It's certain to please crazy cat ladies like myself as well as young readers, especially those who adore cats.The illustrations are nice, but not as cute as the poem itself.

20. The Poet's Dog by Patricia MacLachlan

Date Completed: 31 Jan 2017

Category: Mary Ann Harris (Children's/YA)

Rating: 4.5 stars

Review: Teddy, a dog once owned by Sylvan the poet, rescues a couple of children in a blizzard. He takes them to the cabin where they stay until they can get out. The story is told through the dog's voice. The poet taught him words. I don't want to give away too much, but this book would be great for elementary school kids to read and enjoy. It would also work well as a read aloud book.

>174 thornton37814:
Oh shoot, that one was on sale on Kindle a few days ago and I forgot to click "buy."

>184 -Eva-: Hopefully it will come up again. I'm pretty certain I bought it on sale awhile back.

21. Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien

Date Completed: 6 Feb 2017

Category: John Perkins (Historical Fiction)

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Set largely in China, readers become acquainted with the families of Sparrow and Kai at the Shanghai Conservatory in the 1960s, pulling the narrative forward from the Communist Revolution to the demonstrations at Tiananmen Square and even providing updates after that event. The book shows a relationship between mathematics and music. As a genealogist, I was particularly drawn to the mentions of the "Book of Records." As a musician, I was drawn to the rest of the story. I enjoyed the frequent mentions of one of my favorite Russian composers, Shostakovich. The writing was strong. A more in-depth knowledge of twentieth century Chinese history would make the work more enjoyable than it already was. The book was well-deserving of its shortlisting for the Man Booker Prize.

Lori, I'm waiting to read the Thien book, but the waiting list is very long.

>187 RidgewayGirl: Sometimes there are advantages to university libraries! The students don't have a lot of spare time to read, and many, although not all, faculty members just purchase them.

22. Little Cat's Luck by Marion Dane Bauer; illustrated by Jennifer A. Bell

Date Completed: 7 Feb 2017

Category: Mary Ann Harris (Children's/YA)

Rating: 4 stars

Review: This delightful book tells the story of Patches the cat who longs for a special place. When the screen pops off the window, she finds a special place right in the home of the meanest dog in town, Gus. She's lost and doesn't know how to get home. Needless to say Patches gives birth to a litter of kittens right in Gus' doghouse. A bond between dog, cat, and kittens is made. There's more to the story, but I'll let you read it for yourself. The book is written as though it is poetry, but it's really prose disguised as poetry. The short lines should make it easier for more advanced younger readers to enjoy. It shows a 4.7 reading level with a 760L lexile. I suspect many third graders could enjoy it and perhaps even some advanced second graders. Many of the lines are shaped to go along with the text. Illustrations are sparse. It would make a good read aloud book. Marion Dane Bauer continues to be one of the better writers of children's books.

Interesting article on Laura Ingalls Wilder books in New York Times today: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/07/books/review/little-house-laura-ingalls-wilde...

I need one of my genealogy books--a very thin one--for something on which I'm working, but I cannot locate it. I was pretty sure I last used it right before a recent trip to Raleigh and stuck it inside one of the totes, but it is hiding very well. I just ordered another copy. I'm sure I'll locate the original copy now. ;-)

I made "stewp" today. I just didn't thicken it as much as a stew because I opted for diced tomatoes instead of tomato paste.

23. Red Velvet Revenge by Jenn McKinlay

Date Completed: 7 Feb 2017

Category: Lucinda Virginia Phillips (Series)

Rating: 3 stars

Review: In this installment, Mel and Angie take the cupcake van to a rodeo up north. The head of the rodeo is glancingly shot and then the star of the rodeo ends up dead. At first he appeared to be gored by a bull, but when no blood turns up on the bull's horns and the medical examiner agrees it was something else, they must find the weapon and the killer. Needless to say, Mel become involved. Also Mel and Angie make a bet with the barbecue vendor next to them regarding sales. When they find their freezer unplugged, they are sure the men next door did it, but they lack evidence. This one just didn't quite work for me as well as some of the others in the series. It may be because I didn't really like the rodeo characters and setting. The book ends with a big cliffhanger.

24. The Nature of the Beast by Louise Penny

Date Completed: 12 Feb 2017

Category: Lucinda Virginia Phillips (Series)

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: When young Laurent LePage comes into the bistro telling about a big gun and a monster, no one believes him until he is found dead the next day. Although Gamache retired from the surete to Three Pines, his memory of the crime scene overturned an "accidental death" ruling to murder when he noticed something missing which should be present as well as a positioning technicality. Isabelle LaCoste assumed the chief inspector position with Jean-Guy as her assistant. The village is visited by a professor and by two CSIS agents, all of whom studied the man believed to be responsible for building the supergun no one was sure existed. Also at the center of the mystery is a play written by one of Canada's most evil serial killers. A second death occurs.

I'm a bit conflicted about my rating. I'm certain part of me wants Gamache back in charge of the surete. The others kept him involved in the investigation which was probably a bit of a stretch of what would actually transpire. The other thing bothering me is the reader is expected to believe this supergun was in the woods near Three Pines for 25 years without anyone finding it. As many times as people tramped in and out of the woods near the village in the other installments, I find it difficult to believe it was hidden all that time.

I love many aspects of the series, but I really don't like the "dark side" to it. I suppose I like things slightly "cozier" than the series is. The atmosphere is becoming more like Twin Peaks. I think the plot in this installment ventured too close to the espionage genre for my comfort.

The afterward of this installment indicates it was based on a real life scenario. Perhaps it was a little too chilling for the tastes of some readers of the series such as myself. This isn't my least favorite installment of the series, but it is far from my favorite.

>194 thornton37814: - Yeah, that one wasn't one of my favorites either, even though I gave it four stars. I think I was so relieved it that it was better than her previous book, that it impacted my rating.

>195 LittleTaiko: When the plot begins deviating too much into the espionage genre, it always turns me off. I really don't want the international/political angles to it nor the "scary" elements. I suspect it really doesn't satisfy readers of that genre either because it's too "tame" for them.

My nephew inherited the "carpentry" gene from my paternal grandfather. One of his friends is getting married and asked him to make a bed for them. My nephew took wood from his friend's great- or great-great-grandparents' home to create this:

That is beautiful, Lori. An instant heirloom!

>198 DeltaQueen50: Yes! It's a wonderful way of preserving some of the house.

>197 thornton37814: What a lovely wedding present!

>200 VictoriaPL: It is great!

25. Eight Cousins, Or the Aunt Hill by Louisa May Alcott

Date Completed: 14 Feb 2017

Category: Godfrey Dearborn (Literary Classics)

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Rose is orphaned. Her legal guardian is her Uncle Alec. She moves to the "Aunt Hill," the home of six aunts and seven cousins, all of whom are male. Her color is pale, but Uncle Alec prescribes sunshine and play. She must also learn to eat oatmeal and not drink coffee, among other changes. The book was pretty progressive for its time. Even though today's children will not relate to much of what takes place, it can still be enjoyed within its historical context. Alcott did a remarkable job with characterization. This is one reason the novel stands the test of time.

>197 thornton37814: - I'm always so impressed with woodworkers - that looks like quite a nice piece of furniture.

>202 thornton37814: - I haven't read much of hers besides Little Women and some of the sequels. This sounds lovely.

>203 LittleTaiko: He's made several beds. Some of the ones he's made utilize cabinet doors. I hope you enjoy Eight Cousins if you give it a try.

>197 thornton37814: So beautiful and what a great idea!

>205 clue: It is. I think he's working on nightstands to go with it now.

26. Selected Poems by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Date Completed: 15 Feb 2017

Category: Godfrey Dearborn (Literary Classics)

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Longfellow's poetry was written in an era in which many poets expressed their faith in their poetry regardless of whether the theme of the poem dealt with religion. This collection contains several of his shorter selections such as "The Village Blacksmith" and "Paul Revere's Ride" as well as the full text of his longer historical poems "Evangeline" and "The Courtship of Miles Standish" and selections from "Song of Hiawatha." Many of the lines are longer than those with which readers of modern poetry are accustomed. The poetry's rhythm lends itself to a slower reading than some. Still these are classic poems. I enjoyed reading some for the first time and re-reading others.

>207 thornton37814: I've never been one for epic poetry. I do like some of Longfellow's shorter poems.
My favorite is The Day is Done. But I also like Hymn to the Night and The Arrow and the Song.

>208 VictoriaPL: All the shorter ones you mentioned were in the collection.

>209 thornton37814: Yes, I didn't realize it, but that's the book I have, LOL. Different cover though.

>210 VictoriaPL: The version the library owns includes one of those ribbon bookmarks such as the ones included in Bibles. It was purpose, presumably to match the book jacket.

>202 thornton37814: I loved Eight Cousins when I was a kid...I still have the sequel, Rose in Bloom, which I think is even better!

>212 christina_reads: You are the second person who mentioned the sequel. I don't think I ever read that one. Hopefully I can track down a copy at some point.

>212 christina_reads: I agree; the sequel is better.

>213 thornton37814: ^^ And that makes me the third. :) If you have a Kindle, it's available as a free download because it's out of copyright.

>214 casvelyn: I'll probably end up doing that even though the formatting on some of those drives me crazy. It isn't one of the ones we own at the library.

>215 thornton37814: The Kindle copy I have has good formatting. I have had some, though, that were unreadable.

>216 casvelyn: That's good to know.

Attack of Shiny New ARCs!

I may not make it through all my February or March planned reads. I was attracted to some shiny new ARC's.

One came at the offer of the publisher through private contact, and I've actually begun reading it.

Sue Spertus Larkey / Bone Soup and Flipped Bread: The Yemenite Jewish Table

It's rotating in and out with some other things I'm reading.

However, today I received a notice from NetGalley I was approved for one of the books I requested from this month's Early Reviewers batch. I then looked at my pre-approvals where I found another title I requested from this month's ER batch. I found another book already on my wish list, and two more books which sounded interesting to me. So my NetGalley haul for the day is:

Wolf on a String / Benjamin Black
New Boy / Tracy Chevalier
Adam and the Genome / Dennis R. Venema and Scot McKnight
Heading Out: A History of American Camping / Terence Young
The Old Testament Is Dying: A Diagnosis and Recommended Treatment / Brent A. Strawn

I need to re-read Othello before I tackle the Chevalier book. I am currently reading Dark Night of the Soul (at lunch or in the mornings when I'm watching the front desk in the library), The Little Bookstore of Big Stone Gap (at home with cats on the lap), the above-mentioned cookbook (on iPad), the Bible (year-long read, but not straight through like some are doing), and The Inquisitor's Tale (on iPad). My current audiobook is Eva Gates' By Book or By Crook (generally in the car). I want to read The Ivy Tree by Mary Stewart over the weekend if I can. It's checked out and at home. It's for the British author challenge.

I guess some of the stuff will be pushed later in the year. So many books, so little time!

Whoa, that's a great Netgalley haul! Good luck juggling it and all of your other planned reads!

>219 rabbitprincess: Well, I've already discovered a glitch in the weekend's plans. I thought The Ivy Tree was in the at home stash of library books, but it must be in the "at the library" stash. I'm not driving back to get it when I have plenty of other options. However, the Benjamin Black book will fit in nicely with the Irish theme for March so I'll probably wait to read it until March. I have another fiction book from the public library checked out so I'll probably go with it for the weekend. It should be a pretty quick read.

27. The Little Bookstore of Big Stone Gap by Wendy Welch

Date Completed: 17 Feb 2017

Category: Joseph Fowlkes (Non-Fiction)

Rating: 3 stars

Single Sentence Review: I would prefer to visit the bookstore than read about it.

Review: Wendy Welch and her husband Jack decide to open a used bookstore in a small Virginia town. Everyone thinks they are nuts. No one expects it to last. Their resources were few. At first they mostly relied on their own books and yard sale books. When they open, they also begin receiving books for trade. She recounts their difficulties. My favorite chapter in the book gave details on a multi-state bookstore tour they made. She gave high praise to Square Books and to the town of Oxford, Mississippi, which made me very happy since it is in my home state and is a place I enjoy visiting when I'm in Oxford. The book bogs down a bit in the details of owning and operating a bookstore, but I suspect it might be attractive to someone considering going into the used book business. One chapter is a list of recommended reads. I questioned some of the choices and agreed with others. Ultimately I would rather be browsing the shelves of the bookstore while petting one of those adorable foster kittens in their online virtual tour than reading about it. Fortunately it's not that long of a drive, so I may actually be able to visit.

>221 thornton37814: I live in Arkansas and go to Square Books every chance I get too. In fact, I've been thinking of a trip to Oxford this spring. Since I live in northern Arkansas it's a six hour drive to Oxford so I don't go often.

When I saw the title of this book I thought at first it was another book by Adriana Trigiani. Have you been to Lemuria in Jackson? I haven't been there in several years but it used to be a really good store too. Not quite the personality Square Books has though. I'd love to take a bookstore trip road trip!

>222 clue: That's basically what the one chapter described -- a bookstore trip road trip. From the amount of space, I think Square Books was her favorite. I could also tell she really likes Malaprop's in Asheville, North Carolina too. That's the closest "indy" bookstore for her so it was talked about a couple places in the book. I go there when I'm "in" Asheville, but not when I'm going through Asheville (and in a bigger hurry).

28. The Last Original Wife by Dorothea Benton Frank

Date Completed: 20 Feb 2017

Category: Francis Aldridge (Fiction & Other Literature)

Rating: 2 stars

Review:Normally I enjoy Frank's books, but I did not connect with this tale of a woman who after years of tolerating her husband decides to exert herself. It glorifies divorce, marital infidelity, and more. Too much of the book was set in Atlanta instead of the Charleston/Sullivan's Island area. I'm struggling with whether to continue to read her work or not. I love Charleston/Low Country settings, but the last couple of Frank books disappointed. Perhaps it's time to move on.

29. Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You?: Dr. Seuss's Book of Wonderful Noises by Dr. Seuss

Date Completed: 21 Feb 2017

Category: Mary Ann Harris (Children's/YA Literature)

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Very cute rhyming book about sounds Mr. Brown can make which encourages the child to imitate Mr. Brown. This should be lots of fun for the preschooler!

30. All Aboard!: National Parks by Kevin Meyers and Haily Meyers

Date Completed: 21 Feb 2017

Category: Mary Ann Harris (Children's/YA Literature)

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: I loved the idea of a book on national parks for preschool children. This one is mostly filled with a nicely drawn illustration which will appeal to children,the name of the park, a phrase describing the park, and one or more things associated with the park labelled. Since Great Smoky Mountains National Park is about 30 to 45 minutes away, depending on traffic, I'll use it as an illustration. The phrase is "Savoring the fall colors." The things associated with the park are backpacks, tents, kayaks, marshmallows, flashlights, and squirrel. Personally I love the park in all its seasons! I was a bit disappointed a few other parks were omitted. Shenandoah or Everglades would have been nice to include for more representation East of the Mississippi. Denali and Hawaii Volcanoes would have been nice additions to expand beyond the "lower 48." Still, it's a nice introduction for youngsters going on their first camping trip.

31. Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes

Date Completed: 21 Feb 2017

Category: Mary Ann Harris (Children's/YA Literature)

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Kitten mistakes the full moon for a big bowl of milk in the sky. She tries to get it, but fails. It's a cute book for preschoolers and could lead to some interesting conversations about the moon, about reflections, about kittens. Since giving bowls of milk to kittens is discouraged, I'm a bit surprised this book incorporated this, but it might lead to an interesting conversation about what you should or should not give to a kitten.The illustrations are well done. It is deserving of the Caldecott Medal it won.

I purchased the above three books for a baby shower later this week. They are all board books. I just thought they needed to be read first!

Of course you had to read them first.

>229 MissWatson: I'm glad someone else understands!

>230 thornton37814: I do that myself.

>231 MissWatson: :-) Too bad it won't turn into the emoticon on LT.

>192 thornton37814:
Looks delicious - I'd pick soup over stew most days. :)

>197 thornton37814:
That's so beautiful!

>233 -Eva-: It's almost not soup weather here any more. I am quite proud of my nephew's carpentry skills.

Hi Lori!

>235 luvamystery65: Hello Roberta!

I finished an audiobook on the drive across the mountains today. I just got back to my hotel room after hanging out with friends for the evening (discussing genealogy). I'm too tired to post the review. I'll either get to it after I get back tomorrow evening or on Sunday.

I made it home about a half hour ago. I'm too tired to think about writing a review at the moment so I'll do that one tomorrow.

32. By Book or By Crook by Eva Gates

Date Completed:24 Feb 2017

Category: Lucinda Virginia Phillips (Series)

Rating: 3 stars

Review: Lucy Richardson quit her Harvard library job, leaving behind Boston and rejecting the marriage offer from the man her family wanted her to marry. She went to visit the relatives on the Outer Banks. After being introduced to the head librarian, she received an offer to become assistant librarian. The library is hosting an exhibit of first editions of Jane Austen's works. At an event to celebrate the exhibit, the library board chair is murdered and the head librarian is found with the likely murder weapon in her hand. Then the first editions begin disappearing in publication order. As in most cozy mysteries, some circumstances stretch the reader's imagination. The main one for the duration of the series will be the suitability of a lighthouse as a library. The main one for this installment concerns the security over the exhibit. As far as characterization, the author created some likable and some despicable ones. I really wish a few more of the despicable ones could have been guilty this time so we don't need to deal with them in the next installment. Several contradictions were in this book -- all minor -- but things a good editor should have noticed and corrected. Despite the problems, it was a fun "listen" (audiobook). I would probably prefer a different audiobook narrator. I found her voice annoying at times, and characters were not always distinguishable.

33. A Prayer for the Night by P. L Gaus

Date Completed: 28 Feb 2017

Category: Lucinda Virginia Phillips (Series)

Rating: 4 stars

Review: It's a rumspringa gone awry. A group of nine Amish youth become involved in drugs to the point one is murdered, apparently by a drug dealer. Another is injured. One of the girls seeks help from pastor Cal Troyer and reserve sheriff deputy Professor Michael Branden. Sheriff Robertson finds himself at odds with DEA on how to handle the case when the girl is kidnapped by the dealers. Jeremiah Miller, whom we met in an earlier installment, is in this installment. Will the youth renounce their Amish faith or return once their rumspringa is up? Will they even be alive to make the choice? Will marriage follow for the girls? I don't want to give away too much. I stumbled upon the audio version of this series a couple of installments back. I really enjoy George Newbern's narration of the series. It is published by a mainstream publisher, but it would still be appreciated by those enjoying Christian fiction. This installment is probably a bit "preachier" than some of the others as both Pastor Cal Troyer and the Amish bishop offer advice to the young people.

34. Dark Night of the Soul by Saint John of the Cross

Date Completed: 28 Feb 2017

Category: Rev. Nathan Ward (Christian Classics)

Rating: 3 stars

Review: This book is a Christian classic. It is somewhat like a commentary on a poem. The reading requires contemplation, and it really should not be rushed. The fact I was in a rush to complete it probably influenced my lower rating. I found the language a bit "stilted" and the sentences too long for most modern readers.