Vivian's 2017 Reading

Happy New Year to my LT friends!
2013 favorites:

A Constellation of Vital Phenomena
TransAtlantic
Life After Life
The Goldfinch
The Cuckoo's Calling
The Big Rock Candy Mountain
Dog Stars
Flight Behavior
A Land More Kind Than Home
The Hired Man
How the Light Gets In

Going Clear
The Black Count
The Swerve

2014 favorites:

Eventide Kent Haruf
Longbourn Jo Baker
The Martian Andy Weir
Burial Rites Hannah Kent
The Silkworm Robert Galbraith
The Painter Peter Heller
The Rise and Fall of Great Powers Tom Rachman
All The Light We Cannot See Anthony Doerr
History of the Rain Niall Williams
The Bone Clocks David Mitchell
Every Man Dies Alone Hans Fallada
Euphoria Lily King
An Officer and A Spy Robert Harris

Top rereads:

Poisonwood Bible Barbara Kingsolver
Gilead Marilynne Robinson

Top nonfiction:

Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant Roz Chast
Last Days of the Incas Kim MacQuarrie
The Boys in the Boat Daniel James Brown

2015 favorites:

Lila
Nora Webster
A Place of Greater Safety
The Daughters of Mars
The City and the City
Out Stealing Horses
Lamentation
A God In Ruins - #1 of the year
The Illuminations
A Little Life
Sweetland

Top rereads:

Life After Life
Doc
Year of Wonders
Fifth Business

Top non-fiction:

Being Mortal
A Spy Among Friends
When a Crocodile Eats the Sun

2016 favorites:

Non-fiction

Four Seasons in Rome
King Leopold's Ghost
Not My Father's Son
Hero of the Empire
Evicted

Rereads

A Tale of Two Cities
The Manticore

Fiction

A Gentleman in Moscow
Sacred Hunger
The Glorious Heresies
Commonwealth
News of the World
Moonglow
Black River
The Spinning Heart also loved The Thing About December
Poldark So far have loved the entire series
A Perfectly Good Man

#1 Nutshell Ian McEwan
So much talk about this slim novel - yes it's witty, inventive, an implausible retelling of Hamlet. It was a fast read. Impressive but not engaging.

#2 The Stranger from the Sea Winston Graham
The Poldarks are now comfortable landed gentry and the saga continues with their two almost-grown children. There are complicated love issues but also wonderful historical interludes about Napoleon and the advent of steam engines.

#3 War and Turpentine Stefan Hertmans
On the NY Times top 100 list and heartily recommended during their year in review podcast. Well-known Flemish poet decides to read his grandfather's journals many years after the latter's death. Unclear how much is fictionalized but really gripping accounts of the grandfather's childhood and WWI experiences. I loved the accounts of the grandfather's marriage to the sister of his true love. A little too much insertion of the author and all in all it pales in comparison with Chabon's Moonglow.

Are you done, Vivian? I hope so, my friend. Happy New Thread! Happy New Year. I LOVE your Best of Lists!!

Dropping a star, I enjoyed reading your thread last year.

Hi Vivian! A couple of my favorites - Commonwealth and Moonglow - made your "Best of" list! And you are already off to a good start for 2017. Happy reading!

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.

Welcome back Chris and I look forward to your list of shame!

Happy reading in 2017, Vivian!

Welcome back!

You're ahead of me on the Poldark saga!! And in the reading, generally!! Oh, no...

(But happy new year, anyway....)

So nice to see all these visitors!

>5 msf59: Thanks Mark, happy to see you here!

>6 karspeak: Thanks for dropping in Karen.

>7 porch_reader: Hi Amy - same to you. I listened to Moonglow but just went out and bought the hardcover over the weekend because I'm ready to reread at least parts of it. I really loved it.

>8 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul - thanks for the New Year wishes - same to you!

>9 FAMeulstee: Welkom Anita and thanks for your good wishes.

>10 drneutron: Thanks Jim!

>11 Chatterbox: Hi Suzanne - I got a quick start to the year with long weekend car rides! Great news to report - the transplant "took" and my brother is apparently fighting the leukemia successfully. Woo hoo - hope this is an omen for a better year ahead for all of us!

Amazingly enough after book #8 I am still really enjoying the Poldarks. I'll be very sad when I'm done.

Vivian, that is some wonderful news about your brother. Sounds like 2017 is off to a great start for you and your family. I look forward to following your reading as we have such similar tastes. I may have to take a look at the Poldark series. I'm not currently watching it on PBS. It's hard for me to watch TV when there are so many books calling out to me.

Happy new year, Vivian! Great news about your brother and a nice way to start off the year.

I am so pleased Black River made your Best list :)

Happy New Year, Vivian. Great lists for your best reads.

Great news about your brother.

So, so pleased to hear the good news about your brother; glad for him and that you didn't have to go through that and discover that it was to no avail...

Checking in here.

Oh no - missing on my own thread!
>13 Donna828: Hi Donna - I definitely recommend the Poldark books. They are terrific historical novels, with lots of political and social details about Cornwall in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. But they are also stories with great characters and plots. I only watched the first Masterpiece Theater season (the recent one) and loved it - very true to the books.

>14 katiekrug: Thanks Katie!

>15 BLBera: and thanks Beth!

>16 Chatterbox: Yes, great news, and a tremendous relief for all...

Plus I get to announce some wonderful literary news: that same brother (my only one) just won a 2016 National Jewish Book Award for co-editing Makers of Jewish Modernity: Thinkers, Artists, Leaders, and the World They Made.

and >17 thornton37814: hi Lori - thanks for checking in!

#4 Countdown City Ben H. Winters
The second in Last Policeman trilogy once again follows Hank Palace, now a former detective of the Concord (NH)Police Dept, as the world slowly crumbles around him in anticipation of the asteroid hit. The mystery itself is a little too twisty for me, but the disintegrating landscape is gripping and very well done.

#5 Angel Elizabeth Taylor
Found a fun podcast called "Overdue", which is just two guys talking about a book for about an hour each week. There are spoilers so one needs to read the book in advance. They make a lot of lame jokes but also some astute observations and comments. They post a list of books they will be discussing for the next month or so. I saw Angel and, never having read Taylor, got the ebook from my library. Angel is a very different kind of heroine: unlikeable, unliked, and completely deluded about her talents. I heard there's a film which I'll have to look up.

I totally agree with you about the Winters - the mystery part never did much for me, it was the context that I thought was so well done.

I've read a few novels by Elizabeth Taylor (there was a a year-long project devoted to her a few years back in another group) and liked them, but I never got around to Angel. I do own it, though. I understand it's very different from her other works. Of the ones I read, my favorite is probably A View of the Harbor.

ETA: Actually, I rated AVotH 4 stars and A Wreath of Roses 4.5!

Congrats to your brother! That's awesome news. And your description of Countdown City makes me excited to get to The Last Policeman, which is currently on my nightstand!

>20 katiekrug: ok thanks I may try one of the other Taylors. Hard to know why some authors fall out of favor.

>21 porch_reader: Thanks Amy - yes we're really thrilled.

I just heard an NPR segment with Nancy Pearl that prompted me to add yet another series to my fictfact list...the first volume is Slow Horses and the series is called Slough House. Sounded very intriguing.

Well, this is clearly going to be your brother's year!! The transplant took AND a major book award! I may have to ask if I can rub his head for luck...

I've just finished The Stranger From the Sea and am starting The Miller's Dance. At this rate, I'll be finished with the Poldarks by mid-February or even sooner -- and moving on to Allan Massie's Death in Bordeaux quartet.

>23 Chatterbox: I have the Allan Massie series in my future too so I'm eager to hear what you think.

#6 Behold the Dreamers Imbolo Mbue
Riveting story of an immigrant family from Cameroon struggling to remain in the US. With a backdrop of the Lehman collapse and the downward-spiraling economy, a revealing look at those who were marginalized.

#7 Yes, Please Amy Poehler
Amusing but not great. With the exception of theAlan Cummings memoir I have not loved any of these celebrity writings.

#8 LaRose Louise Erdrich

I loved Behold the Dreamers, Vivian. I thought the comparison of the two families was brilliant.

I think I can pass on the Poehler. I liked LaRose, but it isn't one of her best, IMO.

Agree on both counts, Beth. The Round House was far better, in my opinion.

#9 As Good As Gone Larry Watson
I enjoyed this a lot, though perhaps slightly less than Montana, 1948. An estranged cowboy is suddenly pulled back into the lives of his son and grandchildren, each of whom is in the midst of a crisis.

I won the Watson from ER last spring, I think it was, and still haven't read it... *hangs head in shame*

Me too - and I finally just got around to it! It was a very quick read though - only two nights.

Happy Friday, Vivian. Hope you had a good week. Looks like we had similar feelings about the Winters and the Watson books.

How was LaRose? I have it saved on audio and on ebook.

>26 vivians: I agree, Vivian. The Round House is by far the best of her latest work. I still love her earlier work the best: Love Medicine, Tracks and The Last Report are my top three.

Hi Mark - I l liked LaRose and thought it was worth reading. It just didn't ring any bells for me.

Thanks for the other Erdrich recommendations Beth - I'll add them to my TBR!

#10 World of Trouble Ben H. Winters
Volume #3 in the Last Policeman trilogy - this one races at breakneck speed toward the end of the world. Still good but a little messy.

#11 You'll Grow Out of It Jessi Klein
At times laugh out loud funny (a rarity for me) and at times cringingly too intimate.

#12 The Gustav Sonata Rose Tremain
Really loved this story of two Swiss boyhood friends in the 1950s. Both lives are impacted by the repercussions of WWII. Gustav has been taught since early childhood to curb his emotions and to "master" his fears; his desperately bitter mother projects her unhappiness on him. Anton is more volatile, selfish and greatly affected by the love of his parents and their hopes for him. Highly recommended.

Twelve books in January is impressive, Vivian. And some good ones, too. Behold the Dreamers was one of my favorites last year.

#13 The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper Phaedra Patrick
Pleasant but felt unoriginal (too similar to Harold Fry and Ove. A charm bracelet leads a widower on a quest to learn about his wife's surprising early life.

#14 My Name is Leon Kit De Waal
Costa nominee - just ok. A British child's family life falls apart and he descends into a foster care nightmare in which he is separated from his baby brother.

#15 Before the Fall Noah Hawley
Crash of a small private airplane on its way from MV to NY. An inconceivable survival tale (one victim survives the crash unhurt then swims the Atlantic for eight hours carrying a burden on his back) followed by a mess of possible explanations for the crash. Very meh, especially the ultimate explanation.

#16 The Leopard Jo Nesbo
Phew - really graphic, as are all the Nesbos. Lots of victims (I had a hard time keeping track) and lots of violent deaths. Good twists.

#17 A Share in Death Deborah Crombie
My first Crombie - very satisfying to meet Kincaid and James. A time share in a mansion in Yorkshire and several deaths.

#18 The Painted Veil W. Somerset Maugham
Terrific - just loved this and then borrowed the movie from the library. Told from the wife's point of view, this story of a unhappy marriage in the 1920s was beautifully written. Kitty is a British socialite who marries Walter,a bacteriologist, out of desperation, not love, and moves with him to Hong Kong. There she is neglected and bored and embarks on an affair with which she believes to be true love. When Walter discovers her betrayal, he insists that she accompany him to treat a cholera epidemic in interior China. She matures and changes, but there is no sugar-coating or contrived ending. So many themes: class, gender, love and marriage, religious devotion, self-sacrifice.

#19 The Wangs vs. the World Jade Chang
I was less enthused about this than many people....just didn't resonate. I didn't get the humor which all the reviewers lauded. The art-world expose also fell flat with me and I didn't like the characters....plus the whole bankruptcy scenario seemed false.....plus I thought the ending was totally contrived. I think I just talked myself out of liking it at all.

#20 The Fatal Flame Lyndsay Faye
A satisfying end to the trilogy. No happy ever after but maybe contented ever after was enough for Timothy Wild. The focus was on an arson case but it broadened to include political corruption, the brutal treatment of women and immigrants, and a return of Timothy's true love. Great characters and wonderful relationships, particularly those of the two brothers and of Timothy and his memorable landlady.

#21 Still Alice Lisa Genova
Brutal. Finally read this because I will be seeing Lisa Genova at an author event.

#22 All Shall Be Well Deborah Crombie
My second Kincaid mystery - wonderful that they're available for audio download from the library. More about Gemma and her son, which I enjoyed. Duncan's terminally ill neighbor and friend is murdered.

#23 The Shattered Tree Charles Todd

#24 The Course of Love Alain De Botton

NF Days without End Sebastian Barry

#25 August Heat Andrea Camilleri

#26 Last Night in the O.R.Bud Shaw

#27 Thrice the Brindled Cat Hath Mew'd Alan Bradley

#28 The Queen of the Tearling Erika Johansen

#29 The House at the Edge of the World Julia Rochester

I just read your comments on The Wangs vs. the World. I love how you talked yourself out of liking it at all! I did like it, but different strokes...

I love the Kincaid/James series - it just gets better and better.

Great to see you yesterday! I'm sorry you had to miss Doerr. He used PowerPoint and was quite funny. There wasn't a ton of depth to his comments or insight into the novel, but he did finish on a rather political note about reading, empathy, and "the other."

Vivian, I just caught your comment on Katie's thread. A foot already, huh? Down here in Manhattan, it's gloomy, with a lot of freezing rain, not the idyllic snowstorm of my childhood, alas. I was all set to bundle up and play later on, but now I think not.

#30 Lincoln in the BardoGeorge Saunders
Right now I can only say WOW. Listened on audio and plan to immediately buy the book for a reread. An amazing read (or rather listen), totally different from anything I've read before.

#31 A Country Road, A Tree Jo Baker
I loved Longbourn and was equally transfixed by this very different fictional account of Samuel Beckett. He is never called by name in the entire book and I found I needed a little assistance from Wikipedia to flesh out the details of his real life in order to fully appreciate this truly lyrical account of his life in France during the war.

#32 Into the Magic Shop James R. Doty
Read for book club - a bit of a cult-ish memoir about the power of the heart and how meditation, visualization and introspection changed the life of a boy with a dysfunctional family. Very meh.

Hi Vivian - I loved A Country Road, A Tree when I read it last year.

I'm waiting for my turn for Lincoln in the Bardo. I've heard so many good things about it.

Hi Beth - I keep thinking about Lincoln in the Bardo and listening to interviews with George Saunders. I think I'll read Tenth of December despite of my usual aversion to short stories - that's how impressed I am with his writing. I'm curious to hear what you think!

#33 The Essex Serpent Sarah Perry
Essex in the late 1800s - a London widow and a married parish vicar form an unusual relationship. I thought I would love it and was therefore somewhat disappointed....very gothic-y, and in some parts unnecessarily winded. Lots of interesting topics, such as science versus faith, how religion fits into a modern life, the independent life of women, poverty and housing issues in London, medical advances, illness, socialism, the interior life of children....perhaps this wide range contributed to my inability to focus and just enjoy the narrative.

Hmm. I have been waiting to get The Essex Serpent from the library, Vivian. I'll have to lower my expectations, I think.

I've never read Saunders, but some of my colleagues are big fans, so I am anxious to read it.

I had heard a lot of raves about The Essex Serpent, and it was included in the Walter Scott long list, which is usually a good indication for me. It was ok, just not great. Eager to hear what you think of the Saunders.

#34 The Versions of Us Laura Barnett
I heard about this on LT and the premise sounded great. The execution wasn't terrific and I was ready to DNF it after 50 or so pages. I just couldn't keep the "versions" straight. But in the end I liked it a lot and felt very sentimentally attached to the two main characters, Eva and Jim. They are followed chronologically through three different paths their lives might take, different spouses, children, careers, and locales.

You've read a bunch of books, as usual, that are sitting on my TBR list: Essex Serpent, Versions of Us, the Saunders novel (I've read the stories -- recommended), Jo Baker's new book, Behold the Dreamers, etc.

I am convinced there is a whole sub-genre of fiction known as twee-but-charming, into which books like Ove, Harold Fry, Arthur Pepper, et al belong. Just heart warming, dontcha know. You feel curmudgeonly if you don't like them, but then they all start feeling "samey"...

Shall pack Lincoln in the Bardo in my bag for the train. I have a book circle meeting Tuesday, returning Wednesday in time for another book group here in Providence, and should be able to squeeze that in, and perhaps Behold the Dreamers.

Hi Suzanne - love the "twee-but-charming" - you nailed the genre description. I'm eager to hear your thoughts on Lincoln in the Bardo. Saunders has been on every podcast & radio show I listen to....
I'm trying to work my way through the Bailey's shortlist at least, and also the Walter Scott list. Lots of new-to-me names.
Let me know next time you have any free time in NY.

#33 Exit West Mohsin Hamid
Very thought-provoking take on immigrants told through the eyes of a couple escaping an unidentified war-torn Arab nation. How they adjust and how they change while coping with tumultuous change makes very compelling reading. My only criticism is that the end seems to drift off.

#34 A Closed and Common Orbit Becky Chambers
Great sequel, again retains its 'Firefly" feeling. Two stories with closely related paths. Despite this being science fiction and about AI, the themes it explored (gender, equality, sentience, free choice, racism) are all current. Great characters, amazing imagination.

#35 The Dark Circle Linda Grant
Bailey's shortlist - a prolific UK author but previously unknown to me. Really excellent, set in the Kent countryside post-war, the story of East End Jewish twins who are sent to a previously posh, now NHS sanatorium to recover from tuberculosis. The bulk of the story is told as the patients await the magical antibiotic cure, but there is also a section which outlines the impact of this dark time on all their lives. Must look for more by Grant.

#36 The Burned Bridges of Ward, Nebraska Eileen Curtright
A friend's son is a literary agent and shepherded this book to publication. Small town, single mother, quirky characters. Some humor, very short.

#37 The Best We Could Do Thi Bui
Graphic novel - beautiful memoir of an immigrant family's flight from Vietnam and new life in the U.S.

#38 Raven Black Ann Cleeves
This has been on my TBR forever, the first of a trilogy about the Shetland Islands. Terrific setting, great pace, interesting characters.

#39 The Sport of Kings C.E. Morgan
What a slog! SO many digressions, on botany, anatomy, geology, endless pages. Overall I thought it was pretentious and disappointing, and am having difficulty understanding all the awards it has garnered.

#40 First Love Gwendoline Riley
Bailey's shortlist. More an exploration of one woman's relationships rather than a narrative. Abusive marriage, bleakness and unhappiness containing more questions than answers.

#41 Stay With Me Ayobami Adebayo
Tumultuous Nigeria in the 1980s is the backdrop for this novel about marriage, love, deceit and loss. Very well written from the point of view of two narrators. Lots of insight into both childlessness and motherlessness.

#42 Celine Peter Heller
Heller is still one of my favorite authors. This semi-autobiographical novel doesn't contain a very compelling mystery, but it does reveal a wonderful aristocratic elderly private investigator who is modeled after Heller's mother.

You're doing great with the Bailey's shortlist, Vivian. I haven't even started yet. Thank goodness I already have some of these books on my list, but you did manage to catch my attention with the Curtright and Bui. I think I'll pass on the Morgan, the subject didn't sound that interesting to me anyway.

I'm waiting for my library to get The Dark Circle, First Love and Stay with Me.

Hi Beth - I always find it frustrating when shortlisted books aren't yet available, so this year I resorted to buying a few from Book Depository. This year's list definitely exposed me to some new-to-me names, so that has been a real plus.

#43 City of Secrets Stewart O'Nan
What a versatile writer - this was so different from his other works but equally good. Post Holocaust, a Latvian survivor of massacres and the camps joins the resistance against the British mandate in Jerusalem. Tortured souls try to achieve normalcy - both compelling and heart-breaking

I might resort to BD, yet, Vivian, but I am trying to resist.

#44 The Wings of the Sphinx Andrea Camilleri
I'm still enjoying Montalbano's cuisine and his love life but the mystery was a little thin. It involved an organization of church and civic leaders who pretend to save "fallen" women but in fact goad them into burglary.

#45 The Miller's Dance Winston Graham
Another terrific chapter in the lives of the second generation of Poldarks.

#46 Leave the Grave Green Deborah Crombie
I added this series to my list because of LT fans and also because they are easily available on audio from my library via the hoopla app. I enjoyed the first two, but this one, #3, was a little disappointing. The mystery, which connected the accidental drowning of the son of two musical prodigies with the murder, 20 years later, of their son-in-law, was not too interesting, and the relationship of the two detectives moved unconvincingly. But I'll probably keep reading at least a few more.

#47 Pirate King Laurie R. King
It took me forever to finish this one - I started it as an ebook twice, then finally listened to the audio on 1.5X speed. It just never grabbed me, despite the plot of Mary Russell as an assistant to a silent movie director, filming a pirate movie in Portugal and Morocco. It was confusing and irritating, and Holmes played an unimportant role.

Hi Vivian - I saw on Joe's thread your question about London bookshops. Rather than butting in over there since the question wasn't directed to me, I thought I'd butt in over here ;-)

My favorite bookshop is Daunt Books on Marylebone High Street. I believe there are other locations, but this one is absolutely gorgeous. It arranges it's stock by country and city, so you can find fiction and nonfiction side-by-side. It's great if you are interested in a particular location. And again, it's worth at least a quick stop because it's really lovely.

The London Review Bookshop in Bloomsbury is also excellent.

I am a sucker for poking around used bookstores, especially the ones on Charing Cross Road. My favorites are Any Amount of Books and Henry Pordes. There is also a giant Foyles on Charing Cross Road which has a great selection but isn't much different in personality than any other chain bookstore.

And my absolute favorite book-buying experience is the South Bank Book Market under Waterloo Bridge. It's open-air and lots of fun to browse.

I'll shut up now. I'm planning my own UK trip in July (mostly for work but a few days of vacation for me) - I think the planning is half the fun!

Great - thanks for all these! I'm having a blast planning the trip but there just isn't enough time for everything! Let me know if you have any other London-ish thoughts.

I just like to wander around. But since you'll be there in the summer, try to find a cafe with outdoor seating (there is a good place behind the LRB Bookshop which is near the British Museum if you'll be over there) and order a pitcher of Pimms.

#48 The Loving Cup Winston Graham
Still loving the Poldarks. One of the great subplots: the burglary of an armed carriage Great suspense in addition to all the recurring characters.

#49 The Undoing Project Michael Lewis
A little disappointing but still a fascinating look at the Tversky-Kahneman collaboration & personal friendship.

#50 All Grown Up Jami Attenberg
Very meh. This was told in a series of vignettes, almost as if they were written as independent short stories. Consequently, there was some repetition which was irksome, as characters were re-introduced. Also found the protagonist selfish and annoying, so that didn't help.

#51 White Nights Ann Cleeves
Great 2nd installment in the Shetland series. The midsummer setting was so evocative, with daylight lasting 22 hours and disrupting sleep and normal emotions. Cleeves introduces a small and remote community within the small and remote Shetlands, and the new characters mix with the ones introduced in Book 1. The mystery involves a group of off-islanders as well, when a stranger visiting an art gallery is murdered.

52 The Potter's Field Andrea Camilleri
#13 in the series, getting a little tiresome for me (although the food references remain mouth-watering). Montalbano investigates a Mafia murder. Lots of Gospel & literary references around the theme of betrayal, from the 30 pieces of silver to the potter's field.

#53 Autumn Ali Smith

#54 Mourn Not Your Dead Deborah Crombie

#55 Beartown Frederik Backman

#56 Stars Go Blue Laura Pritchett

#57 A Horse Walks Into a Bar David Grossman

How was All Grown Up? I liked the last two Attenbergs I read (the only two I've read!).

Wow sorry Katie - haven't updated my own thread in a while! I really wasn't thrilled with All Grown Up. It was my first Attenberg and I'll have to be convinced to read another....which were the ones you read and would you recommend?

Have you heard of any more author events? I'd love to go to another one. Remember last time I ran into someone I knew who was dating Lisa Genova? I saw him a couple of weeks ago and he told me Lisa has a TED talk (available on youtube) about her research into Alzheimer's. It's only about 20 minutes - pretty interesting, and has something like a million hits!!!!

#58 House of Names Colm Toibin
Now I'm sure I'll read anyting Toibin writes...A retelling of the Greek tragedy of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, the book begins with the sacrifice of their daughter Iphigenia and Clytemnestra's vow of vengeance. The story is told by three of the names of this house of tragedy: Clytemnestra, her other daughter, Electra, and her son, Orestes.

>58 vivians: - No worries! I know you're busy.

My first Attenberg was The Middlesteins, which I liked, and then I read Saint Mazie, which I loved. I'll try All Grown Up from the library rather than buying it, I think....

Haven't heard much on the author event front, but I haven't been looking, either... Interesting about Genova. I found her kind of annoying so I'm not sure I could listen to a TED talk by her :-P

Is your UK trip all planned out? I leave in just over a week - it really crept up on me!

>60 katiekrug:
Maybe I'll give Attenberg another try!

Hope your trip is great. I've planned everything except the London part. We'll have 3 days there, 4 days in Cornwall and 5 days in Wales. Seems too short but it's hard to coordinate everyone's schedules. As it is, the two older boys (and girlfriends) will only be joining for part.
I'm debating between an airbnb and hotel in London. Where are you staying and would you recommend?

I'm staying at a Hilton something-or-other in Kensington because I wanted to use points. I haven't done an airBNB in London because I usually use them for longer vacations, and I'm never in London long enough! Other hotels I've stayed at don't stand out, to be honest, but I am pretty cheap so... :) The Melia up near Regent's Park was pretty nice, but work paid for that!

Oh, I just remembered! I wanted to book a nice-looking and reasonably priced place near the National Gallery - The Thistle - but by the time I made up my mind, the dates I needed were sold out. It seemed like a great central location - you might check it out if you decide to go the hotel route.

Thanks for THistle idea! Just looked it up and they are having a summer sale :) L99 per night with breakfast!

YAY! Let me know how it is, so I can make a note for future trips...

#59 Days Without End Sebastian Barry
Walter Scott Prize winner! I struggled with this a few months ago in print, and just couldn't get into it. But on audio it was a different story, and I absolutely loved this love story set during the Indian and Civil Wars. First person narrative by Thomas McNulty, an Irish orphan who emigrates to the US and becomes a soldier, an actor, a father, a soldier again, a farmer, and through it all he is never apart from the love of his life, John Cole. Very affecting, didn't want it to end.

Have a great vacation, Vivian.

>66 vivians: sounds good. I'll have to look for it.

Thanks Beth - it's not until August but I'm really looking forward!

#60 Magpie Murders Anthony Horowitz
Extremely enjoyable mystery from the author of the Alex Ryder series. A double story line with multiple nods to great mystery writers like Agatha Christie. The first is an unfinished murder mystery set in 1955 England and featuring a likable German-born investigator named Atticus Pund. The narrative abruptly ends just as the killer is about to be revealed, and the action shifts to the present-day when the editor plays sleuth to discover the missing chapters (and resolve another mystery).

#61 Golden Hill Francis Spufford
I wanted to love this historical fiction set in 1746 New York but found it to be very slow-moving, albeit beautifully written. A British stranger arrives in NY with a substantial letter of credit. The mystery of his purpose is not resolved until the very end; in the interim he finds himself in romantic, legal, political and financial trouble.

#62 Anything is Possible Elizabeth Strout
I wasn't a fan of Lucy Barton but was surprised by how much I enjoyed these linked short stories and the re-appearance of familiar characters.

#63 Jamaica Inn Daphne Du Maurier
Read because of our upcoming trip to Bodmin Moor. Can't wait! A dying wish from Mary's mother sends her to the side of her cowering aunt and abusive innkeeper uncle. Very atmospheric.

#63 Red Bones Ann Cleeves
Still enjoying this Shetland series, this one featuring amateur archaeologists on the island of Whalsey. A bit formulaic - why is there always a second death in these novels?

#64 The Leavers Lisa Ko
An 11 year old American born Chinese boy, being raised by his undocumented mother in the Bronx, is suddenly abandoned, ultimately to be raised by decent foster parents in upstate New York. His trauma, as well as his mother's , are gripping and timely. Amazing that this a debut novel.

#65 Standard Deviation Katherine Heiny
Read for book group based on NY Times review. It is written through the perspective of Graham, in his early sixties, married to his second wife, the overly gregarious Audra. They have a 10 year old autistic son, Matthew, who is obsessed with origami. Lots of humor, not terribly likable characters, a weird subplot about Graham's first wife and overall just "meh."

Vivian, I'm not sure how long it goes on for, but there is a cute set-up in Grosvenor Square - "Summer in the Square" with ping pong tables, a giant chess set, big jenga sets, etc. In case you all are looking for a break from the usual sight-seeing stuff...

And most importantly, there is a Pimm's stall with drinks made in the classic style - I slurped down two large ones in short order and was immediately refreshed and ready to get back to traipsing around town :)

#66 the Golden Legend Nadeem Aslam
Very powerful novel of contemporary Pakistan in which both Christians and moderate Moslems are persecuted. Massud is an architect, an innocent bystander of an assassination attempt. His widow Nargis is forced to flee, along with her Christian neighbor Helen and Imran, a Kashmiri rebel who has abandoned his cause. Highly recommended.

#67 Garment of Shadows Laurie R. King
Much better than the last one (Pirate King) because its deep delve into political intrigue in the 1920s Rif rebellion in Morocco. The French, Spanish and British are all involved in a very intricate plot, in which an amnesiac Mary Russell becomes involved. Nice to see the reappearance of the Hazr brothers.

#68 The Age of Doubt Andrea Camilleri
Montalbano continues to battle middle-age and the mystery involves an international smuggling ring. Characters remain engaging and humorous.

#69 Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine Gail Honeyman
Recommended by my library but it didn't work for me. A history of horrendous abuse creates the need for order, routine and privacy, but in fact Eleanor, though severely damaged, is in greater need of human contact. She gradually recovers somewhat with the help of a co-worker and, finally, a therapist.

#70 The Good People Hannah Kent
Very moving story about three Irish women in a 19th century rural village who try to cure a young boy who stopped developing. Based on a true story (like her earlier Burial Rites which was also excellent) and clearly well-researched. Her descriptions of Nora's grief upon the deaths of her husband and daughter are extraordinary. Walter Scott longlist.

#71 Born a Crime Trevor Noah
Somewhat disappointing - perhaps because I read it rather than listened to the wildly acclaimed audiobook. I wonder if a second book is in the works, because his more recent years were not mentioned. Still a gripping portrait of a "colored" boy growing up in post-apartheid South Africa.

#72 Tin Man Sarah Winman
Bought this in a London bookshop (!!!!) after hearing Simon Savidge rage on his podcast. Short but beautiful and memorable story of love and friendship, loss and grief. Very good, enough to make me search out her other works.

#73 The Japanese Lover Isabel Allende
Disappointing, especially after hearing Allende speak at a Simon & Schuster event last year. Very choppy, hurried and just not a great story. A wealthy family in San Francisco, a young love affair with the Japanese son of the family gardener which develops into a 70 year affair.

#74 Al Franken, Giant of the Senate
Fabulous! Funny, optimistic, heartfelt, and a wonderful antidote to current affairs.

Hi Vivian! I'm working on an LT meet-up for September 9. Interested?

https://www.librarything.com/topic/266680

>72 katiekrug: Sounds great - I will definitely try, thanks!

So envy you your London trip, and it looks as if you're cherry picking the best reading.

My fave London bookshop, bar NONE, is Hatchard's, on Piccadilly. It's more than 200 years old, and has the creaking staircases to prove it. Nope, the selection isn't quite as wide as some of the others (but it's just down the road from the biggest (I think) Waterstone's right at Picc. Circus, and I love the vibe and the history and tradition. I've been buying books there since I was a little girl living half a block from Harrod's. (I can still find my way to Harrod's book department with my eyes closed, incidentally.)

Daunt's is good, though I like the one in Holland Park/Kensington. I also have a big sentimental attachment to Foyle's, where I have been shopping ever since they divided their books by publisher. Seriously. You had to know who published the novel you were looking for in order to find it...

I have my fave routines in London that would prob bore you witless, but for a first-time visitor, why not go to ye old Cheshire Cheese on Fleet Street for a pub lunch? The vittles is good (vittles meaning food...) although I suggest trying to miss the lunchtime crowd during the week, and you can amble just behind it, down some alleys, and find Gough Square and Samuel Johnson's house, with the statue to Hodge, "a very fine cat indeed." You're within walking distance of Sir John Soane's house/museum, which is one of those places that is quirky and fascinating. He was a Georgian/Hanoverian architect and collector of absolutely everything (from art to antiquities to objets de vertu -- the sarcophagus of Seti I belonged to him, probably to the dismay of that pharaoh...) and had an act of parliament passed in the early 19th century to preserve his house as a museum. There are some great Hogarths downstairs, and there is stuff everywhere, and it's a house that is preserved the way someone would have lived in it circa 1820/1830.

I love rambling through Regent's Park and especially Queen Mary's Rose Garden at this time of year. There is Shakespeare in the park that I think continues until August? You can rent a cushion and (if it's chilly) a blanket (or used to be able to.) I saw Judi Dench there one season.

I also like to walk along the South Bank. Katie has already mentioned the book sale, but you can walk waaaay further east from there. My favorite walk is east from London Bridge on the South Side (roughly where HMS Belfast is moored, where London City Hall is.) First, walk through Hay's Galleria (there's a little bookstore in there, too, the Riverside Bookshop), then head east with your back to the Houses of Parliament and facing HMS Belfast. And just keep walking. You're heading toward some of the fascinating old warehouses that were at the heart of old East End: Dickens territory, where goods arrived and departed from all over the Empire. (What is left of it, post Blitz...) You walk through the galleria, and turn right at the river, and keep walking. You'll pass a lot of modern construction on your right, some of which is interesting, some hideous, but the fun is watching the river traffic. (I once was staying with a friend in an apartment on the river and woke up, opened the curtains and found a British Columbia -- Canada -- ferry right outside my window, with interested deckhands staring at me in my t-shirt!) You'll go through Tower Bridge's access point, but keep walking. Right after that, you have a choice -- you can either fork right and go down Shad Thames, or go left, and stick by the river, and walk along by all the restaurants, etc. I suggest doing the latter, and follow the path past all the houseboats, etc. At the end of it, it zigs and zags a bit and you'll see a little narrow channel off to the right -- a fascinating glimpse of more old warehouses. You can talk the pedestrian bridge, and go a block or two further into Bermondsey, just to get a glimpse of some of the new condos, then turn around and come back via Shad Thames and have lunch at one of those restaurants (like the chop house.) A bit pricey, but worth it!

Re Indian food -- everybody will say you need to go to Brick Lane. I argue for Spitalfields and the Commercial Lane area. Try Lahore Kebab House (and watch out because they're all named the same!) Of course, it's all subjective. Brick Lane is Bengali, and Commercial Road tends to be more NW Indian. You can get great Indian food cheaply in Southfields, too, but you'll need to check around for names, and frankly (while there is a tube stop) it's a long haul, out past Putney and nearly to Wimbledon. If you want posh, interesting Raj-style Indian, try Veeraswamy on lower Regent Street, near Piccadilly Circus. I've always liked it.

For afternoon tea -- museums are always good. But my two faves are cheek by jowl. One is Richoux, which has such a lavish spread that you'll never want to eat again: finger sandwiches, delicious fruitcake (please smuggle me some back!!!) a pastry AND scones with clotted cream and jam, plus tea. Almost next door is Fortnum and Mason, which you should visit anyway simply for the food hall, parts of which (the non-touristy parts) remind me of what Harrod's food halls used to be like when you could actually buy food to eat and not just biscuits to take home there. Just eyeball their hampers... But I used to LOVE their afternoon teas, although I think now they are obscenely expensive. If not, the Welsh rarebit is to die for.

If you need new hiking/walking shoes, Lillywhites at Piccadilly Circus can oblige. I've been getting mine there since I was little. (seven or eight?)

Cornwall... Well, I know the south coast well, the north coast not nearly as well, though I've walked chunks of it around St. Ives, and from Tintagel to Bude. But that was a while ago. I know the Fowey estuary pretty well, but I don't think that you'll be down around that part of the country, will you?

Fabulous recommendations Suz - thanks so much! We're leaving tonight and are very excited. Gary and I have been to London several times, as have the older kids, but bookstores weren't on my priority list during those times - now they are! Our time in Cornwall is limited but we'll definitely be hiking on Bodmin, we have theater tickets for the Minack in Pothcorno, and Port Isaac is on the list too! I'm not too frequent a poster on FB but will try to add a few photos.

Safe travels, Vivian.

#75 The Arab of the Future 2 Riad Sattouf
So depressing to read and see such deeply ingrained anti-Semitism.

#76 Blue Lightning Ann Cleeves
Here's my beef: why does this series always begin with two murders? Otherwise a good edition, with the introduction of Fair Isles and a "meet the parents" subplot. Lots of bird watchers and bad weather. Could have done without the ending.

Congratulations on reaching 75, Vivian!

Congrats on 75, Vivian. Vacation report?

Hi Anita and Beth - thanks for the 75 congrats.

The trip was wonderful and well worth all the planning. We had three cool and rainy days in London, and walked about 10 miles each day. We played tourist on one day for the sake of our youngest child, who had no recollection of earlier trips. The London Eye, the Tower, British Museum and a Thames ride were the highlights. One day I took her to the Harry Potter plays as a birthday present, while the rest of the crew had high tea and went to the National Portrait Gallery, both events I was sorry to miss. I also got to spend time at Foyle's and Hatchards, both terrific treats.

We rented a van and drove to Salisbury. I went to high school across the street from the Frick Museum, among whose treasures are a John Constable painting of the Cathedral. It was always a favorite of mine, and I even made an emergency trip there the week before we left in order to show it to my daughter. We took a fabulous tour of the spire, and then an equally breath-taking tour of Stonehenge. There is no longer public access to the stones without one of these tours, which in my opinion was well worth it. The guide had worked on a number of the digs in the area and was very knowledgeable.

We drove around Cornwall for 4 days, with my favorite stops being Port Isaac (my Doc Martin obsession in full gear), a hike on Bodmin Moor, an outdoor performance at the Minack Theater located right on the cliffs, visits to St. Ives, Truro and Penzance, a foggy and rainy stop at Land's End, and Tintagel Castle. Then on to Cardiff, Brecon Beacon National Park (more great hiking) and finally Snowdonia.

The kids (and 2 significant others) were all great, motivated and amazingly appeared on time for breakfast every morning! It was wonderful to spend the time together. I'm not great with photos but posted a few on my FB page - happy to share with all who are interested!

Thanks for sharing the details, Vivian. It sounds wonderful. Welcome back.

So glad you had such a fabulous time! I hiked around Betws-y-Coed, on the edge of Snowdonia, in the Conwy Valley and near the Swallow falls, a number of years ago, and then drove through chunks of Snowdonia -- wonderful. The British ability to preserve footpaths and the "right to roam" makes so much of this possible in a way that just isn't here in the US. I haven't been to Minack, alas, although in the late 80s I read some of the books about the creation of the theater, etc.

"Eleanor Oliphant" didn't work well for me, either -- read too much like an add for therapy, which is fine, but...

Maybe I should use an audiobook credit for the Sebastian Barry novel?? I have it on my UK Kindle (was v. cheap, on sale, I think) but I'm not usually a massive fan of his books.

Congrats!

>81 BLBera: Thanks Beth!

>82 Chatterbox: The trails were terrific, if quite crowded. We found people to be much less talkative than hikers in Switzerland, for example, but virtually everyone who did stop and chat (and this included taxi drivers and restaurant staff as well) had Trump comments to make.

The audio of Days Without End really worked for me, whereas the print hadn't.

Can you make it to the NY meet-up?

>83 drneutron: Thanks Jim, much appreciated!

#77 History of Wolves Emily Fridlund
Booker longlist, didn't work for me. A teenager living in rural Minnesota, whose parents were former commune members (and possibly not even her biological parents), meets a family vacationing on the lake and becomes a babysitter/confidant. Another story line involves a pedophile teacher which actually is quite confusing. Just didn't like it.

#78 The Twisted Sword Winston Graham
Poldark series continues to be absorbing. The Poldarks in Paris, the return of Napoleon, and lots of tragedy.

#79 The Dance of the Seagull Andrea Camilleri
A little too mystical, with Montalbano solving the crime (including the kidnapping of his colleague Fazio) with the help of a vision.

#80 Dreaming of the Bones Deborah Crombie
Best one so far. Kincaid is called upon to help his wife, a Cambridge poet and scholar, investigate the cold case of a poet's suicide. A group of university friends from the 1960s are all implicated and their lives remain intertwined. The plot was complex but remained very clear. Really enjoyed this one.

Hi Vivian! Thanks for coming in for lunch on Saturday. It was great to see you, as always. Did your daughter get the tickets?

> 86 Ha - guess we cross-posted. A really amazing weekend: two spectacular Broadway shows AND a wonderful LT meet-up.

#81 The Secret Scripture Sebastian Barry
At age 100, Roseanne McNulty secretly begins to write the story of her life, the better part of which has been spent in a crumbling psychiatric hospital. Her doctor also keeps a journal, and of course their two paths converge (a little too coincidentally).

What a great Mom you are!! Glad your daughter was happy and that you had a good weekend. I hope we'll have a chance to meet again and that we can have a real conversation then!!

So -- what do you think of the Man Booker shortlist???

I've read them all except Elmet, which is not available from my library. Maybe I'll cave and buy it from Audible. I didn't like the Fridlund debut as much as you did, but I agree that it was well-written. Just seemed too long and repetitive. I'm still ploughing through 4 3 2 1 and really loved the others. I had trouble with Days Without End in print and started it two or three times, but then it really worked for me on audio. Loved Autumn, which was a surprise to me because I didn't love How to be Both. And Lincoln in the Bardo was great on audio.

I'll be interested in your take on 4 3 2 1; the description makes it sound like Life After Life, which I loved, but I don't know if I want to read another version of it.

HI Beth - I'm reading it very slowly but so far so good!

#82 George and Lizzie Nancy Pearl
Perfect light reading for a round trip car ride to Ithaca. I'm a fan of Nancy Pearl so wanted to like the book, Although I found it relatively entertaining, in the end I was so annoyed with Lizzie, the depressed only child of tremendously screwed-up and self-absorbed academics. She has a deeply damaging high school rebellion from which she can't recover. George is the opposite: positive, endearing and even noble. The ending was ridiculously contrived.

#83 Lucky Boy Shanthi Sekaran
Book group. Soli is a Mexican immigrant, first traumatized by her crossing, then her pregnancy and finally by a horrendous series of events leading to her incarceration and deportation. Kavya is a successful, relatively happily married chef, who is desperately trying to be a mother. Obviously there's no happy ending here. A good read but not great.

#84 Glass Houses Louise Penny
Although this series is formulaic at times, I still enjoy the characters and the set-ups. I loved the idea of the cobrador and the idea of a moral conscience, as well as the underlying plot of the war on drugs.

#85 Bella Poldark Winston Graham
So very sad to have finished this excellent series. It's been a wonderful journey, even prompting a RL trip to Cornwall. I can sense a re-read in my future.

#86 Dark at the Crossing Elliot Ackerman
National Book award finalist, the first I've read specifically addressing the crisis in Syria. An Iraqi émigré who had assisted the US forces as a translator, decides to leave his US home and fight with the rebels against the Assad regime. Stuck at the border in Turkey, he is befriended by Syrian refugees and has to confront his motives - ideology?guilt? Very gripping and worthwhile.

I just finished Glass Houses, Vivian, and thought it was excellent. I'd be interested in your comments on Lucky Boy and Dark at the Crossing; I have both from the library and am wondering what I should read next.

Hi Beth - I really enjoyed Glass Houses. It's amazing how she can keep coming up with plots and keep the characters so engaging. Lucky Boy was too long but very topical and thought-provoking. Definitely worthwhile but not an enjoyable read. I felt the same about Dark at the Crossing - it provided insights into the motivations (or lack thereof) of a jihadist and into the conditions at the Turkish-Syrian border, but it was a tough slog.

NF Solar Bones Mike McCormack
I tried several times to make headway but it didn't work. The underlying voice was so compelling (middle-aged Irish engineer) but I couldn't get past the structure. I did love the daughter's crazy art installation and his reactions. I'm beginning to think this would work better on audio so may revisit it later.

#87 Sing, Unburied, Sing Jesmyn Ward
Loved it - well worth all the accolades. JoJo's voice will stay with me. I usually strongly dislike magical realism but it really worked here.

#88 Dead Water Ann Cleeves
Murdered journalist and an off-the-island investigator brought in to support the suffering Jimmy Perez. Lots about the Shetland oil and gas industry and conflicts therein. Still a worthwhile series.

#89 Home Fire Kamila Shamsie
Three British siblings of Pakistani descent are haunted by the legacy of their jihadist father. The story opens with the eldest, Isma, who is studying for her PH.D. in Amherst. Her younger twin siblings, are Aneeka, a headstrong and intelligent law student, and Parvaiz, who disappears to follow his own dreams. Both girls encounter the scion of an important political figure, whom they manipulate to save their brother. Extremely powerful and purportedly a retelling of Antigone (which I now need to read).

#90 Reservoir 13 Jon McGregor
Ostensibly about the disappearance of a 13 year girl from a small town in England (sometime early to mid last century?). Yet it's more about the life of the village and its many inhabitants, told in small snippets until one becomes familiar with all the characters. Very different and very good.

#91 I Am I Am Maggie O'Farrell
Disappointment from a favorite author. Contrived stories about multiple near-death experiences.

#92 The Treasure Hunt Andrea Camilleri
Not a great addition - Montalbano is unhappy about ageing and continues to have relationship issues. The book begins with pair of elderly religious fanatics who have completely lost their minds and begin shooting at passersby under their window. But from there the novel goes downhill pretty quickly. Montalbano begins receiving anonymous letters leading him on a 'treasure hunt', and at the same time he's introduced by his friend Ingrid to a young man who wants to study Montalbano's methods.

#93 In this Grave Hour Jacqueline Winspear
It's 1939 and war is declared in England. Maisie investigates a series of murders of Belgian WWI refugees. She also deals with a mysterious evacuee, a precocious seven year old who is billeted with Maisie's father.

#94 Pachinko Min Jin Lee
Really deserving of its place on multiple "best books" lists. Four generations of a Korean family, first in Korea, then in Japan, struggle through war, displacement, discrimination and religious upheaval. Very worthwhile.

Wow, what a lot of good reading, Vivian. Is I Am I Am a new O'Farrell. I love her writing.

I just finished Sing, Unburied, Sing, which I loved, loved, loved.

HI Beth - haven't updated in ages, just life getting in the way. I really like O'Farrell but this new one, which I ordered thru Book Depository because I couldn't wait for U.S. publication, was a disappointment. It was a series of vignettes about near-death experiences and just seemed rambling to me. A few were very good and really resonated, especially one about miscarriage, but overall I wouldn't recommend it.

I loved Sing, Unburied, Sing too. I'll go back and edit in some mini-reviews when I can. I also really loved Manhattan Beach - I think you shared that sentiment!

#95 Forest Dark Nicole Krauss
So disappointing, pretentious, and self-absorbed. If the author reminds me one more time that she is a well-known novelist I will scream. She does write well but that just isn't enough.

#96 Manhattan Beach Jennifer Egan
Loved this historical novel which ran the gamut of multiple genres: coming-of-age, gangster, depression-era family, feminist, rescue-at-sea, father-daughter....all very successful. Lots of fascinating historical details and the relationships are beautifully drawn.

Yes, I did love Manhattan Beach, Vivian. I have Forest Dark waiting for me to get to soon; it has to go back to the library in a couple of weeks.

#97 The Last Ballad Wiley Cash
My third Cash, another hit. A novel based on the life of Ella Mae Wiggins, a mill worker during the strikes in North Carolina in the 20s.

>100 vivians: - I won that one a few months ago from the ER program and it still hasn't arrived... Grrrr....

Hi Katie - it's really good. I think I owe Mark some thanks for introducing me to Wiley Cash - so far I've enjoyed everything of his I've read.

#98 Miss Kopp's Midnight Confessions Amy Stewart
This third installment was far better than its very meh predecessor, perhaps because it focused on the plight of young women brought into the jail on dubious charges of moral depravity. Several plotlines which worked well together.

#99 Thin Air Ann Cleeves
University friends from London travel to Shetland's northernmost island, Unst, to celebrate a wedding. The police inspector is still very likable, as is his hippie counterpart from Aberdeen.

#100 Going Into Town: A Love Letter to New York Roz Chast
She's a genius.

#101 Angelica's Smile Andrea Camilleri
These are getting old, as are Montalbano's aging complaints.

#102 Casualty of War Charles Todd
Finally completed this series with a slog. I kept confusing all the Travis relatives and the platonic Bess-Simon relationship continues to be infuriating.

#103 The Pale Horseman Bernard Cornwell
Continuing saga of the English vs the invading Danes in the 9th century. Uhtred is torn between his allegiance to King Alfred, whose religious views and corrupt priests are objectionable, and his loyalty to the Danes who reared him when he was a hostage. Lots of battle scenes, tactical maneuvers, etc., like the Sharpe books.

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.

Hi Paul and thanks for the visit!

#104 The Black Tower Louis Bayard
Loved this historical novel about the Dauphin's survival after the Revolution. A dissolute medical student, Hector Carpentier, joins the real-life police detective Vidocq. Must read more Bayard.

#105Killers of the Flower Moon David Grann
Excellent narrative non-fiction, combining the history of the Osage murders in 1920s Oklahoma with the beginnings of the FBI.

#106 The Address Fiona Davis
The author visited our local library so I felt compelled....shouldn't have. Convoluted story about the Dakota.

You have done some very good cherry-picking of the best reading, I think!! Congrats on passing 100 books...

I've got Reservoir 13 ready to read soon-ish, and Dark at the Crossing has been sitting here for too long, clearly. Also Manhattan Beach.

I have to finish Masha Gessen's book before her talk!!

Meanwhile, I have to give a shout-out to Vanishing New York. Do NOT listen to it as an audio book as the narrator chooses to pronounce Houston Street like the city in Texas, which infuriated me past bearing, so I swapped the audio for a Kindle version. It's a fascinating polemic, based on the author's blog, which blasts excessive gentrification. You might find it intriguing.

See you in a few weeks?

>71 vivians: I agree with your view of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

I tried to read it twice and each time put it down.

Hi Vivian - Congratulations on passing 100. How was The Black Tower; it's been sitting on my shelf for a while.

Hi Suzanne, Linda and Beth!

I'm a little disappointed in my reading count this year....it pales in comparison to last year for 2 reasons: 1) I've been listening to many more podcasts, which cuts into my time with audio books; 2) I became overwhelmingly and illogically obsessed with Doc Martin and have spent way too many hours watching (and rewatching) the series.

>105 Chatterbox: Looking forward to Masha! Let me know your city plans and maybe we can meet for dinner before. I'm in the library queue for her new book but if I don't get it soon I'll bite the bullet and buy it.

>106 Whisper1: I just started the Rachel Joyce sequel to Harold Fry and I'm afraid I'm going to fee the same way about this one!

>107 BLBera: Beth, I really enjoyed The Black Tower. (I just love it when I feel impelled to google all the real history!) I don't remember how I came across it - I think it was an audible special deal. Anyway, I highly recommend it!

>105 Chatterbox:, >108 vivians: - I just returned Gessen's book to the library because there was just no way I was going to get to it (much less through it!) before her talk.

(Vivian - I responded on my thread, but I would be up for dinner beforehand :) )

>108 vivians: Dinner before would work -- or let's say, I'll make it work. There's enough time for me to schedule travel around this, tho it probably means train. I'll try to get a ticket on Sunday (this weekend) in order to lock in a low price. I'm always leaving this too late, and I have to be near the station anyway.

I pre-ordered the Gessen tome, and it's one of a relative handful that I have paid full price for that has not been funded by the latest e-book settlement from Amazon/Apple, so I don't feel too bad about that.

Are you reading The Music Shop? Or is that out yet? It's quite bad, alas.

Re Doc Martin, there is no such thing as irrationally obsessed. I fail to grasp this assertion on your part... (That said, I have almost entirely stayed away from video, which has done wonders for my reading -- that and the absence of health crises on the part of friends and family. All I've had to worry about are my damn migraines.)

OK, booked the train down on the 18th and back the morning of the 20th. Best I could do to get the "normal" fare and not pay a higher price. Forget about paying a lower price, as I normally could booking two weeks out!! So, I'll get in around 1 p.m. on the 18th. Just shoot me a PM as to where/when you want to meet. I'll be staying on the Upper West Side (102nd/Bway).

>111 Chatterbox: Sounds great - will get in touch with plans.

#107 The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy Rachel Joyce
A companion novel to Harold Fry, not great.

#108 Dreaming Spies Laurie R. King
Much better than the last few - 1925 Japan so lots of historical detail, including an appearance by the then Prince Regent Hirohito.

#109 Less Andrew Sean Greer
Disappointing - story about a 50 year old failed novelist who escapes an old lover's wedding day with convoluted travel plans. Some humor but overall pretty depressing.

#110 The Graybar Hotel Curtis Dawkins
Long listed for the Aspen prize. Very gritty stories about prison life.

#111 You Don't Have to Say You Love Me Sherman Alexie
Audio read by the author - very emotional and genuine.

#112 Kissed a Sad Goodbye Deborah Crombie
Still enjoying this series, my favorite so far with flashbacks to WWII evacuees. Lots of present-day London trivia, specifically the Isle of Dogs near Greenwich. Only one murder victim, thank goodness, the scion of a wealthy family in the tea business.

#113 The Devil and Webster Jean Hanff Korelitz
Long listed for the Aspen Literary prize. I enjoyed the cynical views of academia and the audiobook was read in an appropriately sardonic tone. Better than I expected.

#114 Millard Salter's Last Day Jacob M Appel
An enjoyable story with a likable protagonist: a 75 year old psychiatrist who is choosing to end his life before become frail or sickly.

#115 The Marriage of Mary Russell Laurie R King
Novella - very engaging story of Holmes' ancestral home and a hastily planned wedding.

Wishing you all good things this holiday season and beyond.

^ I hope you are having a wonderful holiday with the family, Vivian. I haven't seen you around much this year but I see you are still doing plenty of reading and this is a good thing.

Thanks Paul and Mark!

#116 The Weight of Ink Rachel Kadish
Desperately needed editing - just way too long. A cache of 17th century Jewish documents is found in a London townhouse by an aging scholar and a doctoral student. The timeline goes back and forth between these two periods. Lots of historical detail: London during the plague, the impact of the Inquisition and the flight of Jews to Amsterdam and England, etc. Good but often bogged down in excess description and detail.

>112 vivians: - Disappointed to read your comments on Less, as I picked it up recently. Oh, well. I'll give it a try at some point...

I also liked that entry in Crombie's series. But really, I like them all!

And totally agree on The Devil and Webster - it was better than I expected. I bet it would be fun on audio.

Happy (almost) new year, Vivian!!