Porch_Reader (Amy) Reads in 2017

Hi! I'm Amy, and this is my 10th year in the 75 book challenge. Welcome to my 2017 thread.

I read a variety of books, including literary fiction, mysteries, and assorted non-fiction. I have two sons (a 10th grader and a 7th grader), so I read some YA/juvenile books that they've recommended to me, as well as some that I want to check out before making recommendations to them. You'll also see some management/leadership books here that I read for the classes that I teach at the University of Iowa. I am always trying to read the growing number of books in my TBR piles, but new books seem to replace the ones that I read.

I hope that you'll feel free to lurk or post here!

In addition to reading, I love to travel with my family. Here are two pictures from our summer vacation last year. We went from Iowa to NYC to Maine to Niagara Falls, and back to Iowa!

So that you can get a sense of my reading tastes, here are some of my favorites from 2016:

Top 10 Fiction:
The Mothers - Brit Bennett
The Turner House - Angela Flournoy
Commonwealth - Ann Patchett
The Tsar of Love and Techno - Anthony Marra
The Excellent Lombards - Jane Hamilton
Americanah - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
My Name is Lucy Barton - Elizabeth Strout
A Great Reckoning - Louise Penny
Shelter in Place - Alexander Maksik
Before the Fall - Noah Hawley

Top 10 Nonfiction:
My Life on the Road - Gloria Steinem
Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right} - Arlie Russell Hochschild
I Am Malala - Malala Yousafzai
Only What's Necessary: Charles M. Schulz and the Art of Peanuts - Chip Kidd
What I Talk About When I Talk About Running - Haruki Murakami
Love Wins - Rob Bell
10% Happier - Dan Harris
Dear Mr. You - Mary Louise Parker
When Books Went to War - Molly Guptill Manning
Sh*t My Dad Says - Justin Halpern

Welcome back!

Thanks, Jim! And thanks for getting things set up over here. I love a shiny new group!

Great to see you back for another year, Amy. xx

Happy reading in 2017, Amy.

Hi Amy and happy 2017. Next time you go to Niagara Falls in the summer please stop by and see us.

Hi, Amy! Great family photos up there!

>6 PaulCranswick: - Hi Paul! Happy Holidays!

>7 FAMeulstee: - Thanks, Anita! Here's to a great 2017 for you too!

>8 RebaRelishesReading: - Reba - I would love to visit you at Chautauqua sometime! I'm not sure where we are headed this summer, but we loved the Northeast!

>9 scaifea: - Thanks, Amber! Our boys agreed to just a few vacation selfies. These were the best of them!

We are traveling from Dec 25 - Jan 4, so we exchanged Christmas presents early. My husband and two sons learned quickly that a book is always a good gift for me. Here are some pictures of my books.

I also got some book-related gifts, including coasters that look like library cards, a typewriter pencil holder, a coloring book for book lovers, and A Wrinkle in Time shirt.

Wow, what a great haul, Amy! Your family spoiled you! I love your library card coasters! A Wrinkle in Time is on my 2017 TBR--I have never read it!

Hi Amy!

Looks like a lovely Christmas to me :)

Dropping my star, Amy. I LOVE your Christmas haul - so great and also fun.

>13 emilyesears: - Emily - I can't wait to see what you think of A Wrinkle in Time. I loved it when I was younger, and it held up well when I re-read it a few years ago!

>14 DianaNL: - Hi Diana! Happy Holidays!

>15 RebaRelishesReading: - It was a great Christmas, Reba! Both of my boys played in the praise band for Christmas Eve for the first time. That made this year extra special!

>16 Crazymamie: - Hi Mamie! I did get some fun presents! I'm going to take my typewriter pencil holder to work. I'm pretty sure some of my students have never seen a typewriter!

Happy New Year!

Great family photos and book piles!

Dropping a star to keep in touch in 2017.

I am part of the group.
I love being part of the group.
I love the friendships bestowed upon my by dint of my membership of this wonderful fellowship.
I love that race and creed and gender and age and sexuality and nationality make absolutely no difference to our being a valued member of the group.

Thank you for also being part of the group.

>11 porch_reader: I read Upstream last year and loved it. Hope you enjoy it too.

Happy New Year, Amy.

Happy New Year, Amy! Your Christmas goodies are fabulous. Gold star for Mike and the boys. Enjoy your vacation and the rest of winter break. It will be over before we know it!

I know you won't be home for a few more days, but I wanted to let you know that Beth and I have started chatting on her thread about a possible meetup on MLK Weekend. I know that timing is problematic for you with show choir, but would the Monday work? Come on over and chime in when you can.

Hi Diana, Karen, Rachel, Paul, Lori, Beth, and Julia! Happy New Year too all of you!

>24 rosalita: - Julia - I just popped over to Beth's thread to catch up on meetup planning! Thanks for the head's up!

We are still on vacation, so my reading has been a little sporadic the past few days, but we did listen to most of The Daily Show (The Book) on our drive from Iowa to Florida. I also started a book that my 12-year-old gave me for Christmas - The Eye of Minds. He read it in English class and loved it. I also have been reading a few chapters of All the Birds in the Sky. I had a hold on it through our online library system, and of course, my turn came while we are traveling, but it is engaging enough to keep my attention even after long days at amusement parks.

And in other book-related news, we went to Universal Studios, and I got to visit Diagonal Alley and Hogsmeade! They were quite realistic, and it was fun to see all of the kids and adults who are so in love with J. K. Rowling' creations. I drank some butter beer and ate some chocolate flies. It was a blast!

I might pass on those chocolate flies but otherwise I'd say you are having a wonderful time in Florida. How nice that you could get away on a bittersweet holiday. Warm is always good this time of year! I will be following along with your reading again, Amy. I like that your son thought enough of a book to buy you a copy. You are raising those boys right! Happy New Year!

Happy new year and new thread, Amy!

Glad to hear you had a blast at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I nerded out pretty hard when I went there a couple years ago. Did you end up acquiring any Hogwarts House swag?

Hi Amy, and Happy new Year! Just dropping off my star. See you soon.

>27 Donna828: - Donna - My husband was suspicious of the chocolate flies too, but they were really just fly-shaped chocolates, something we all enjoyed! Getting away for the holidays has been really nice this year. We had a traditional Christmas Eve at home, with both of my boys contributing music at church and then hit the road on Christmas Day. I have missed my mom a lot, and getting away with my husband and boys has really helped.

>28 MickyFine: - I think that the Wizarding World is a great place to nerd out! I had so much fun explosing all of the nooks and crannies. I did get a Platform 9 3/4's shirt and some Gryffindor notebooks. And my son got a wand!

>29 nittnut: - Hi Jenn! Thanks for dropping by!

You know, I've never heard of anyone not loving the Wizarding World attraction — as you say, a great place to nerd out. Isn't it great when hugely popular things actually live up to their hype? I'm glad you are all enjoying your trip.

>30 porch_reader: Excellent choices! I have a wool Hufflepuff cardigan that I bought there.

Happy New Year! Your Christmas haul is impressive. I'm glad to see When Books Went to War on your best of 2016 list. I received a copy in the Christmas swap.

>32 MickyFine: - Oooh, a Hufflepuff wool cardigan. That's a great choice. I am not looking forward to returning to Iowa from FL, but a wool cardigan would make it easier.

>33 cbl_tn: - Thanks, Carrie! I loved When Books Went to War. I wish my grandpa was still alive so I could ask him if he received any of the books they handed out.

Sounds like a fun time in Florida. Enjoy!

Happy New Year, Amy :-) Your Christmas gifts look great! I hope your students are suitably confused by the typewriter pencil holder. My office roomie (28) had never seen a dictaphone tape until she saw one on my desk and asked what it was. Young People Today :-)

Happy New Year, Amy!

Those are great family photos. You all look so happy.

I hope you enjoy that March trilogy. What an experience. Great gift from someone.

>35 RebaRelishesReading: - We are having a blast, Reba! Tomorrow we will finish up with a half day of amusement parks and a good start on our drive home!

>36 susanj67: - Susan - A dictaphone tape! That's another blast from the past. I have a v-mail reader on my desk that I got off of eBay. It was used in World War II as a sort of magnifying glass for the miniaturized v-mail. My grandpa worked with v-mail in the war, so that attracted me to it, but it is also a good conversation piece.

>37 jnwelch: - Hi Joe! I saw that one of the March books made your best of 2016 list. I can't wait to start in them!

We spent today at Hollywood studios. My husband and older son waited in a long line to ride the Rockin' Roller Coaster, which gave my younger son and me plenty of time to geek out in the Star Wars section. The new Star Wars movies have given it new life, but I still love the original three. After Carrie Fisher's death, I saw someone say that Leia was the only princess they ever wanted to be, and I think I agree. I love her resourcefulness!

Hi Amy - sounds like a wonderful trip! Our family trips have always been so memorable and the kids talk about them even years after the fact.

I saw The Last Policeman in your terrific gift stack - I really enjoyed that one and am now listening to the second book in the trilogy. Hope it works for you!

Hi Amy, I'm just dropping a star and catching up. Sounds like you had a terrific get away and I hope you have a safe journey home!

>40 vivians: - I agree! Our family trips almost always have those sorts of moments we talk about for years - even if it is just the silly little things that become inside jokes. I've loved spending time with my boys. And I can't wait to get to The Last Policeman. I'm hoping for a snowstorm so I can get to all of my new books!

>41 Copperskye: - Hi Joanne! We just finished driving for the day. We got a little over halfway home and will finish it up tomorrow.

----
I finished The Eye of Minds before bed last night and The Daily Show (The Book) on audio while driving today, but I have to wake up again to hit the road in less than 7 hours, so I'll write more about those once I'm home.

Amy, I fully support your desire to bury yourself in your new books, but I cannot approve your method for achieving it. Just Say No to snowstorms!

>43 rosalita: - OK, Julia, I see your point. Maybe we could just get the mayor of West Branch to declare a pajama reading day instead!

Hi Amy! Just dropping a star. Several of my TBRs are on your Best of 2016 lists as well as Upstream. I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts about it.

>45 lalbro: - Hi Liz! Thanks for stopping by! I'm looking forward to dipping into Upstream. I enjoy Oliver's poetry, but this is my first go with her essays.

Today was another day of driving, but we are finally home!! I love to travel, but I also love coming home. We finished another audio book today - We Gon' Be Alright: Notes on Race and Resegregation. More comments on that one tomorrow.

Book #1: The Eye of Minds - James Dashner - Finished January 2, 2017

Category: middle grade, trilogy, science fiction
Pages: 310
Rating: 4.5

My 7th-grade son read this book during the fantasy/science fiction unit in his English class this fall. He liked it so much that he bought me a copy for Christmas. He was excited to talk with me about the ending, so this was the first of my Christmas books that I read.

This book is set in a future where people spend a great deal of time in the VirtNet, a virtual reality world that is totally immersive. Michael and his virtual friends Sarah and Bryson are experts are hacking the world and achieving what they want That's probably why the VirtNet Security (VNS) approaches them to find Kaine, a savvy hacker who is breaking VirtNet rules and causing some severe consequences. The book is a fast paced sequence of challenges that Michael and his friends must face as they attempt to outwit Kaine. It is no surprise that this book appealed to my 7th-grade son, and it kept me turning the pages too. The ending caught me by surprise, but after talking it through with my son, I could see how subtle clues had been dropped. I got him the 2nd book in the series, The Rule of Thoughts, for Christmas, and I expect I'll be borrowing that one from his shelf. before long.

That is so cool that your son wants to share a book with you. I love when my kids recommend things.

>49 BLBera: - I thought it was cool too, Beth! He was so proud of himself for thinking of it. And I loved being able to talk with him about it afterward!

Book #2: The Daily Show (the Book): An Oral History as Told by Jon Stewart, the Correspondents, Staff and Guests - Chris Smith - Finished January 3, 2017

Category: nonfiction, audio
Pages: 444
Hours: 16 hours and 8 minutes
Rating: 4.8

I'm a huge fan of The Daily Show, so I really enjoyed this book that takes readers behind the scenes. I learned more about the challenges that Jon faced when taking over the show, the events that really helped him find his voice, and the contributions made by new writers and correspondents. The book also covers conflicts that the show's staff experienced and reactions from frequent guests like John McCain. Occasionally, some dialogue from a sketch or interview was reproduced in the book. Because I've been watching the show for a long time, I remembered many of these clips and enjoyed them even more for knowing their backstories.

This book worked really well on audio. The use of multiple narrators made it feel like a conversation. Highly recommended for fans of the Daily Show.

Book #3: - We Gon' Be Alright: Notes on Race and Resegregation - Jeff Chang - Finished January 4, 2017

Category: nonfiction, audio
Pages: 208
Hours: 5 hours and 27 minutes
Rating: 4.7

Since the election, I've set a goal to read books that help me understand experiences that are different from my own. This series of essays explores issues of race and resegregation in America. Chang discusses current events, including recent tragedies and protests, alongside data on resegregation patterns. He weaves personal stories in with his own analysis of the reasons why polls show that people were more concerns about race in 2016 than anytime since 1992, the year of the Los Angeles riots, and 1965, the year that Malcolm X was killed and the Watts riots occurred. Because I grew up in Missouri and lived in St. Louis when I was just out of college, I was especially interested in his coverage of the Michael Brown killing in Ferguson, Missouri and its aftermath. Chang did an excellent job of helping me see recent events through a different perspective.

Hello porch_reader!

>11 porch_reader: Nice book haul. There are some very different, very cool items in these stacks.

>12 porch_reader: Cool Wrinkle in Time t-shirt.

>53 brodiew2: - Thanks, Brodie, I did get a good variety of books, but it makes it hard to decide what to read next!

Amy - Both the Daily Show book and the Chang sound good. I watched an interview with Stewart and Charlie Rose about the book, and it sounds interesting.

Nice start to 2017.

I'm glad you made it home before the snow hit the areas you likely had to travel through. Good timing, Amy! I read The Hunger Games on my then 13-year-old granddaughter's recommendation. Not only did I like it but I went on to read (actually I listened to them) the next two books. It was fun talking about them with her. I love that books can bring people together in a unique sort of closeness like that so I can understand why your son was proud of himself. It sounds like the closeness will continue through the trilogy...

>55 BLBera: - I thought The Daily Show book was very well done. It was written like an interview, so there are the voices of writers and correspondents and guests that come together to give a multi-dimensional picture of the show's history.

>56 Donna828: - We were so lucky with traveling, Donna! I was nervous about driving given the uncertainty of the weather this time of year, but our timing was great. I love that your granddaughter recommended The Hunger Games to you. I think I was the first one in my family to read that series, and then I passed it along to both my mom and my older son!

Book #4: All the Birds in the Sky - Charlie Jane Anders - Finished January 7, 2017

Category: science fiction
Pages: 316
Rating: 4.6

"When the whole world turns chaotic, we must be the better part of chaos."

As middle school students, Laurence and Patricia are both outcasts. He develops a two-second time machine, and she is rumored to have magical powers. Friendless, they find each other and develop a tenuous friendship. But as unexpected events take them both away from their middle school, they lose touch. They meet again as adults in a futuristic San Francisco. As the world begins to fall apart around them, they each try to save it. But Patricia's use of magic and Laurence's reliance on science and technology often put them at odds. Through their friendship, we gain insight into the clash that may save the world or may end it.

The world that Anders creates in this book is an interesting one. Of course, magic has always had a prominent place in books, and so have potential technological advances. Putting the two side by side, however, allows for a unique look at each. Anders explores a number of other themes, including the challenges of building relationships with those from other groups. At times, the story was a bit discontinuous, jumping ahead in time to accomplish all it set out to do, but overall, I was fascinated by the characters and the world building in this one.

>58 porch_reader: This sounds like an interesting one, Amy. Great comments, as usual.

Sounds like your vacation was great. We are hoping to take the kids next Christmas. We shall see. So glad you're not traveling now. It's pretty nasty down this way. And so cold!

I'm intrigued by >52 porch_reader:. I will have to take a look at that one. I think it certainly will pay for us all to try and understand other perspectives. Half the issues we have at the moment might be attributed to political tribalism and an inability to see a different opinion as just a different opinion, and not as a threat. Sigh.

>58 porch_reader: I loved this book! The author is fascinating as well. And, you have The Last Policeman to look forward to as well. Dropping a star, we share so many of the same books.

>59 BLBera: - Beth - It took me a bit to get into All the Birds in the Sky (maybe because I started it on vacation), but the last 2/3rds really pulled me in!

>60 nittnut: - Yes, we are glad that we are not in the southeast now, Jenn! We had great weather, but DisneyWorld was very crowded - I think the week between Christmas and New Year is their busiest week of the year. We got up early most mornings and beat the crowds!

>61 Dianekeenoy: - Yes, I think I would like to read more by Charlie Jane Anders. And I can't wait to get to The Last Policeman. I've heard so many good things about it. Thanks for stopping by!

Hi Amy - I've been reading some mixed comments about All the Birds in the Sky, but I just brought it home from the library, so I expect I'll pick it up in the next month or so.

>63 BLBera: - I'll be interested to see what you think of it, Beth. I kept thinking that the potential wasn't fully realized, but the author attempted to deal with some big issues, and I liked the way it ended, so I gave her points for,that.

Book #5: Your Heart is a Muscle the Size of a Fist - Sunil Yapa - Finished January 8, 2017

Category: fiction
Pages: 320
Rating: 4.4

This book is set during a single day in 1990 in Seattle, Washington. The story of the World Trade Organization protests are told through the eyes of police officers and protesters and diplomats. I appreciated this book for trying to represent multiple perspectives on the complex issues that were at play in these events. At the same time, the author had the challenge of creating backstories for these characters with whom we spend only one day. There were times when I wanted to understand the characters and their motivations more deeply, but Yapa succeeds on many fronts, providing a sense of the inevitability of the events that played out that day. There were also moments of beautiful and spare writing, including these:

This was a man with the days stitched into his skin.

What a violence of the spirit to not know the world.

The world was a bottleful of sparkling darkness and cops the ones charged with keeping the cork in while the rich shook and shook.

>60 nittnut: I am also interested in >52 porch_reader:. Your goal of using your reading to get new perspectives on issues and the world is so important. We must seek to understand.

>66 witchyrichy: - Thanks, Karen! I think that one of the best things that reading can do is to take us out of our own worldviews and expose us to those of others. We Gon' Be Alright was a good book for that purpose for me.

Book #6: Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City - Matthew Desmond - Finished January 11, 2017

Category: nonfiction
Pages: 292
Rating: 5.0

This book sheds light on an important and understudied factor in the cycle of poverty, the search for affordable housing. To gain insight into this problem, Desmond spent time living in a trailer park and a rooming house in Milwaukee, WI. He got to know landlords and tenants, earned their trust, and learned their stories. He discusses the phenomenon of eviction by sharing the stories of several of these individuals. He adds context to his findings by collecting and analyzing comprehensive quantitative data about evictions in the city of Milwaukee.

The book is extremely well written. Desmond provides a balanced perspective of both landlords and tenants. He writes about all parties with respect and does not rely on easy explanations for complex circumstances. While the majority of his book is descriptive, he also discusses the policy implications of his findings. He provides clear evidence that eviction has wide-reaching implications and that a single break can help an individual escape the cycle of poverty.

The shortlist for the 2017 Tournament of Books was announced today. I've read six of the eighteen books on the shortlist (which may be a record), and since the tournament doesn't start until March, I may be able to squeeze a few more in.

Here are the books that will be pitted against one another in the 13th Annual Tournament of Books.

All the Birds in the Sky - read
The Throwback Special
The Mothers - read
Moonglow - read
Sudden Death
We Love You, Charlie Freeman
Homegoing
The Nix - read
The Vegetarian
High Dive
Sweet Lamb of Heaven
The Sport of Kings
Version Control
Grief is the Thing with Feathers
Mister Monkey
My Name is Lucy Barton - read
Black Wave
The Underground Railroad - read

I've liked all of the ones that I've read. I think The Mothers might be my personal favorite, but I expect that Moonglow and The Underground Railroad will do well in the tournament.

Good review! I've got it on reserve at the library - just waiting to get it in!

Amy: I've read Moonglow, Homegoing, Sweet Lamb of Heaven, Mister Monkey, My Name is Lucy Barton and THe Underground Railroad. I agree with your assessment. I wouldn't be surprised if the Whitehead and Chabon were the final two.

Thanks for posting this list Amy! I've read a few and Moonglow is my clear favorite. I haven't heard much talk about The Sport of Kings, despite it having won the Kirkus award and gaining a spot on a lot of "best of" lists. Do you think you'll read it?

The touchstone for The Mothers goes to the wrong book. Who is the author?

>72 vivians: - I haven't heard a lot about The Sport of Kings either, Vivian. But reading the synopsis of it peaked my interest. I think that it is going to be a part of the three-book play-in round. Three books about "highbrow sports" will be pitted against each other to see which one makes it into the bracket.

>73 countrylife: - Geez, I just went back and a bunch of the touchstones were wrong. I hope I have them all fixed. The Mothers is by Brit Bennett. I loved it when I read it last fall. The Mothers refers to a group of older women in a Black church, and it is partially through their eyes that we learn the story of three teenagers growing up in California. The story was good, but the writing was outstanding. Here's one of my favorite quotes:

"A soft death can be swallowed with Called home to be with the Lord or We'll see her again in glory, but hard deaths get caught in the teeth like gristle." p.64

>68 porch_reader: This book was such a raw, honest look at poverty and homelessness. Desmond got the right mix, as you point out: close in personal views supported by data.

Morning, Amy! Happy Saturday to you! I love that quote you posted in >74 porch_reader:.

>75 witchyrichy: - I agree. The personal stories were what affected me the most emotionally, but the broad view based on data did a great job of showing the scope of the problem.

>76 Crazymamie: - Hi Mamie! That quote from The Mothers really got me. "Called home to be with the Lord" was a oft-heard phrase at funeral in the small Missouri town where I grew up.

Book #7: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: The Illustrated Edition - J. K. Rowling - Finished January 14, 2017

Category: YA, fantasy
Pages: 259
Rating: 4.8

I got the illustrated edition of this second book in the Harry Potter series for Christmas, and it was a good excuse to revisit the story. Jim Kay's illustrations are a great complement to J. K. Rowling's words, which are filled with images themselves. I tried to read this one a little at a time, but got pulled in at the end.

Book #8: March, Book One - John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell - Finished January 16, 2017

Category:Pages: 121
Rating: 5.0

I was home yesterday because of freezing rain, and it seemed like a perfect time to pick up the first book in the March trilogy. In addition to it being Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, John Lewis was in the news here in the U.S. this weekend. He questioned the legitimacy of the recent presidential election, and our President-Elect lashed out at him on Twitter. Honestly, I was shocked. John Lewis is a hero in my eyes. I was thrilled to see that Trump's harsh words sent sales of Lewis's graphic novel trilogy soaring.

The graphic novel format works well to tell John Lewis's story. Book One in the trilogy tells us about Lewis's childhood and his early efforts at using nonviolent resistance to force the desegregation of Nashville lunch counters. I think that the stark images and straightforward words allow the significance of the story to shine through. I hope that this format also allows his story to reach people of all ages.

>79 porch_reader: I also spent a good bit of the day reading March, Book One and March, Book Two. I agree about the format being a good way to tell the story in general but also for a wider audience. A good balance of context and action.

What a great way to spend MLK's birthday, Amy.

>78 porch_reader: We have really enjoyed reading the illustrated versions too. They are really well done.

I've got the March books on my list. Glad to see so many people around here are liking them. I've been trying to work on teaching my kids about the civil rights movement, things they might have picked up in a normal US school year, but they haven't been going to school in the US.

>80 witchyrichy: - Karen - The March books were a great choice for Monday, weren't they!

>81 BLBera: - It was a good way to spend MLK Day, Beth, although I hated to miss the meet-up.

>82 nittnut: - I have been really impressed with the illustrated Harry Potter books, Jenn! It's been a good way to revisit the stories.

>79 porch_reader: I read my first graphic novel this month (Maus I : A Survivor's Tale) and will read more. The John Lewis books certainly appeal. It is hard, as a Brit, to associate the name with a civil rights politician as, John Lewis, is probably the largest Department Store chain in the UK.

Book #9: Today Will Be Different - Maria Semple - Finished January 17, 2017

Category: fiction
Pages: 259
Rating: 4.6

"Today will be different. Today I will be present. Today, anyone I speak to, I will look them in the eye and listen deeply. . . Today I will be my best self, the person I'm capable of being. Today will be different."

So begins Eleanor Flood's day, a day like many others in her life in Seattle, where she lives with her husband and eight-year-old son Timby. Since leaving her job as an animator in NYC, she has struggled a bit to figure out her life. Today, like many others, she begins the day with a plan that is quickly set aside when she gets a call from Timby's school to pick him up, find that her husband is not at his office, and get surprised by an old employee for lunch. As Eleanor and Timby run from place to place, we learn more about Eleanor's backstory and even get a glimpse at a graphic novel that Eleanor has written about her childhood. The plot is engaging, but the best part of the book are Semple's spot-on observations about the Eleanor's life. She had me nodding and laughing throughout the story. I think that Where'd You Go, Bernadette is still my favorite Semple book, but I enjoyed spending time with Eleanor Flood.

Book #10: Biblio Tech: Why Libraries Matter More than Ever in the Age of Google - John Palfrey - Finished January 18, 2017

Category: nonfiction, audio
Pages: 288
Rating: 4.2

John Palfrey led the effort to reorganize the Harvard Law School Library, and is the founding chairman of the Digital Public Library of America. In this book, he describes what libraries may look like in the future. Palfrey recognizes that libraries need to provide both physical and digital materials, at least for the near future. He advocates for libraries as nodes in a digital network so that information is shared efficiently. He also discuss the important role that libraries play in providing both digital access and research librarians that can reduce unequal access. The book is a bit dry. Palfrey describes his perspective on the libraries of the future, but I would have liked a bit more of a narrative style, with more examples and stories, but as a fan of libraries, it was fun to think about their future.

>84 PaulCranswick: - Paul - I haven't read many graphic novels, but the March book was extremely well done. I had no idea that John Lewis was a British department store. Maus I : A Survivor's Tale is definitely on my TBR list. I've heard that it is amazing.

Book #11: Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void - Mary Roach - Finished January 20, 2017

Category: nonfiction, audio
Pages: 336
Rating: 4.5

Mary Roach makes every subject interesting, and space travel is no exception. In this book, she describes all of the challenges that come with traveling in outer space, especially with a destination as far away as Mars. Roach doesn't shy away from any details. She covers how astronauts eat and take care of other personal needs. If you like knowing obscure facts about a range of subjects, you will enjoy Mary Roach.

Hi Amy - You have been doing a lot of great reading.

I can't wait to read the Semple. I think I am up to 10 on the list at the library.

The library one sounds interesting as well.

I love Mary Roach. She is an original thinker.

>I've yet to read a bad Roach book, Amy. That was a good one!

Hi Amy - I think you enjoyed the new Semple more than I did but I'm glad it worked for you. I was definintley a fan of Where'd You Go, Bernadette?. I'm just finished The Painted Veil which I picked up on sale from Audible. It's totally engaging - I love it when that happens! Have a good week!

This sounds like a fantastic book--I definitely need to get my hands on it! It sounds like a book that they should use in library school. I'm finishing up my MLIS degree right now and sometimes we're assigned articles from like 2002 and 2003 and it shocks me. My textbook for this semester's Archives and Manuscripts course was published in 2006 and hasn't been updated since. It seems crazy that a field like library science (which is very much a technology-based field) would have such outdated teaching tools.

>92 emilyesears: We hardly ever used textbooks when I was in library school, mainly because the field was changing quite a bit then. Most profs placed lots of articles on reserve instead of requiring a textbook. The older articles we utilized tended be the "classic" articles.

>92 emilyesears: In some of my fundamentals of librarianship courses we used textbooks but a lot of the readings for courses were articles for me too. Who are you doing your MLIS through (if you don't mind my asking)?

>87 porch_reader: I was gifted with both volumes: Maus I and Maus II. I have a few other things to finish but they are added to my list for this spring.

>86 porch_reader: I read Biblio TECH as part of preparation for a talk to librarians last March. I agree about the book being a little underwhelming but be sure to check out the project he started: the Digital Public Library of America (http://dp.la). It's a portal to digitized media collections. Cool primary sources from historic photos and documents to videos and audio files.

If you're interested in more library books, you might want to try This Book Is Overdue: How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All. Library Thing gets a shout out! And I have other books and resources listed on my resource page for the talk.

>92 emilyesears: A thumbs up for The Painted Veil from me too. Pretty much everything Somerset Maugham wrote is worth reading.

>94 MickyFine: I'm doing the program at the University of North Texas. A lot of the technology courses don't have textbooks, but the non-tech ones tend to, as well as the core courses that everyone takes.

>89 BLBera: - Hi Beth! The Semple was a quick read. I'll be looking out for your thoughts. And I completely agree that Roach is an original thinker. I appreciate her sense of humor too!

>90 rosalita: - Julia - I think I've only read two Roach books, Stiff and Packing for Mars. I'll have to go back and pick up some of the others.

>91 vivians: - Vivian - I agree that Where'd You Go, Bernadette was a fantastic read. I think that raised my expectations for Today Will be Different.

>92 emilyesears: - Emily - I agree. Textbooks have a hard time keeping up with technological advances. I think our librarian has an undergrad degree in computer science, and that perspective has served him well. Congrats on being almost down with your MLIS degree!

>93 thornton37814: - Lori - I can definitely see the benefit of using articles rather than books. I do that in the management classes I teach too.

>94 MickyFine: - And mixing texts and articles is another good strategy. Keeping up with the fast flow of information is definitely a challenge. I read somewhere that at least half of the information that technology majors learn in their first year of a four-year degree is obsolete by graduation.

>95 witchyrichy: - Wow, Karen, the Digital Public Library of America looks like a great resource. What a cool project. And I'm putting This Book is Overdue on my TBR. That sounds like a good one.

>96 PaulCranswick: - And onto the TBR goes The Painted Veil too. Thanks for seconding the recommendation for that one, Paul.

Book #12: Homegoing: A Novel - Yaa Gyasi - Finished January 29, 2017

Category: novel
Pages: 329
Rating: 4.9

Spanning from eighteenth-century Ghana to present-day America, Homegoing tells the stories of two Ghanaian sisters, one of whom marries an Englishman and lives in comfort while the other is sold as a slave, and their descendants. Each chapter focuses on a single individual, and each chapter has its own narrative arc, reading like a complete story. But each chapter also relates to the previous ones, finishing the stories that have come before it. The result is a book that tells a vast story in a very intimate way, making clear the ways in which we are all a product of the stories that have come before us. The book is also beautifully written. Here is one of my favorite quotes:

"Old Lady said that only bodies died. Spirits wandered. They found Asamando, or they didn't. They stayed with their descendants to guide them through life, to comfort them, sometimes to scare them into waking from their fog of unloving, unloving."

Oh, Oh...b.b.!! On to the wish list it goes.

I only avoided a BB for Homegoing because I already read it. Great comments, Amy.

If you like Roach's sense of humor, I recommend Bonk. We read it for my book club, and it was the most uproarious meeting ever - it's about sex research and SO funny.

I'm all caught up with your reading, Amy. We read similar books, and I find myself nodding and agreeing with you as I read your comments. No book bullets this time as I've read many of your recent books.

I do appreciate your posting The Tournament of Books list. I am still waiting for Moonglow from the library. Have a good week!

>100 porch_reader: I am far down on the holds list for that one at the library, but your excellent review has me looking forward to it more than ever, Amy.

Lots of good books on the tournament list and your own reading!

I finished The Underground Railroad yesterday and am still thinking about it. Jarring, sometimes horrific but powerful.

Happy Saturday!

Hoping all is well there, Amy, and it's just that RL is busy. We are missing you here.

Haven't seen you for an age Amy. Hope you are doing well and will come back to us soon.

Amy - I hope you're finished with your semester and things are calmer and include a lot of good reading.

Steve, and Julia and I are going to meet in Rochester on May 27. Interested?

Stopping by to say hello!

Hope all is well, Amy, and that you will stop by and update us all soon.

This is a time of year when I as a non-American ponder over what I am thankful for.

I am thankful for this group and its ability to keep me sane during topsy-turvy times.

I am thankful that you are part of this group.

I am thankful for this opportunity to say thank you.

A quick hello to let you know I am wishing you and your family a lovely holiday season and a wickedly good new year!

Still missing you, Amy, no matter what the circumstances. Hope you will return in 2018.

Hi Amy, stopping by to wish you and your loved ones peace, joy and happiness this holiday season and for 2018!

Knowing you lights my world!
Merry Christmas! Peace and Joy!

Wishing you all good things this holiday season and beyond.

Best wishes for a restful holiday and a wonderful new year!

Happy Holidays, Amy!