Mamie's 2017 Madness (Page 9)

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snail's pace

Books Read in March:
21. An Artificial Night by Seanan McGuire (4 stars), library ebook, urban fantasy/private detective (October Daye, book 3) - series recommended by Roni
22. All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque (4 stars), reread, audiobook, WWI fiction, off my shelves
23. Cast in Courtlight by Michelle Sagara (4.5 stars), ebook off my shelves, fantasy (Chronicles of Elantra, book 2) - series recommended by Roni
24. Cast in Secret by Michelle Sagara (4 stars), ebook off my shelves, fantasy (Chronicles of Elantra, book 3) - series recommended by Roni
25. Late Eclipses by Seanan McGuire (4 stars), library ebook, urban fantasy/private detective (October Daye, book 4) - series recommended by Roni
26. The Third Man by Graham Greene, 2017 acquired audiobook, thriller
27. White Nights by Ann Cleeves (3 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, crime fiction/police procedural (Shetland, book 2)
28. The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett (3 stars), off my shelves paperback, crime fiction/detective

Books Read in February:
12. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles, (5 stars), library hardback, historical fiction - recommended by Mark, and Lynda hypnotized me
13. The Looking-Glass War by John LeCarré, (4 stars),2017 acquired audiobook, espionage (George Smiley series, book 4)
14. Thin Air by Robert B. Parker, (3.5 stars), library hardback, crime fiction (Spenser series, book 22), read this with Roberta
15. Raven Black by Ann Cleeves (4.25 stars), ebook, crime fiction, off my shelves (Shetland, book 1)
16. The Caves of Steel by Isaac Asimov (3.5 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, crime fiction/scifi (Robot series, book 1)
17. A Local Habitation by Seanan McGuire (3 stars), ebook, urban fantasy/mystery, off my shelves (October Daye series, book 2) - series recommended by Roni
18. City of Secrets by Stewart O'Nan (3.5 stars), ebook, historical fiction, off my shelves
19. The Hanging Tree by Ben Aaronovitch (4.5 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, urban fantasy/police procedural (Rivers of London series, book 5)
20. Ghachar Ghochar by Vivek Shanbhag (4.5 stars), 2017 acquired paperback, contemporary fiction

Books Read in January:
1. Rivers of London: Volume 1: Body Work by Ben Aaronovitch, art by Lee Sullivan (3.75 stars), GN - police procedural, off my shelves, (Rivers of London series, GN set in between books 4 and 5)
2. The Spy Who Came in From the Cold by John LeCarré (5 stars), paperback/audio combo, espionage, off my shelves (George Smiley series, book 3)
3. The Chisellers by Brendan O'Carroll (4 stars), library paperback, historical fiction/humor - series recommended by Nancy (Agnes Brown trilogy, book 2)
4. The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner (5 stars), ebook, off my shelves - series recommended by Jenn (Queen's Thief series, book 1)
5. The Paper Menagerie by Ken Liu (4.5 stars), ebook, short story collection, off my shelves - recommended by Mark
6. Talking to the Dead by Harry Bingham (3.75 stars), ebook, off my shelves, police procedural - series recommended by Julia and Joe and Mary (Fiona Griffith series, book 1)
7. Nutshell by Ian McEwan (5 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, literary fiction - Katie's Dirty Dozen
8. Summer Knight by Jim Butcher (4 stars), audiobook, urban fantasy, off my shelves - Roberta said to keep going (Harry Dresden series, book 4)
9. The End of the Affair by Graham Greene (4 stars), audiobook, literary fiction, off my shelves
10. Get Shorty by Elmore Leonard (4.25 stars), ebook, crime fiction, off my shelves
11. Going After Cacciato by Tim O'Brien (4 stars), library paperback, literary fiction/Vietnam

My name is Mamie. 49. Mother of four. Happily married. I am an Indiana transplant currently residing in Georgia. I like to wax poetic about the pecan trees and complain about the heat. I miss winter. I believe in the power of kindness and shared laughter. I heartily embrace wine, snark, and shenanigans; I like to think of them as my posse.

This is my sixth year in the 75ers group. I will read almost anything (Um…NOT self-help), but I tend to lean towards crime fiction, space opera, and historical fiction. I have a soft spot for quirky characters and magical realism.
This group has greatly increased my reading of truth - I love memoirs, travel writing and narrative non-fiction. I am greatly looking forward to another reading year spent amidst the chaos of the 75.

I am planning on walking the cat this year. That is, I am just going to go where my reading takes me. I am not committing to any challenges except for Ellen’s Reread Challenge, which is a perfect match for me because every year I reread multiple books. I love to reread - it’s like getting together with old friends. I like the comfort of knowing where I am going and the surprise of discovering new truths in a familiar landscape.

So some thoughts I have:

It would be nice to read some of the hundreds of books I have sitting on my shelves - especially the authors that I have multiple standalone books by, such as Elmore Leonard, Philip K. Dick, and George Orwell

I want to keep going on some of the series I focused on this past year as well as some that I have neglected for a while: Harry Bosch, Harry Hole, Inspector Montalbano, Bruno Courrèges, Barsetshire, the Vorkosigan Saga, The Others, Sebastian St. Cyr, ...

I would like to eventually read all of the books mentioned in The English Patient, starting with The Histories by Herodotus

Usually I list my print and ebook purchases, but I thought it might be fun to follow my audiobook purchases instead this year. My husband always gets me the 24 credit Audible membership for Christmas, so…

1. Nutshell by Ian McEwan, narrated by Rory Kinnear, Katie's Dirty Dozen 2016 COMPLETED
2. The Looking-Glass War by John LeCarré, narrated by Michael Jayston COMPLETED
3. Brat Farrar by Josephine Tey, narrated by Carole Boyd - $2.95 Daily Deal
4. The Hanging Tree by Ben Aaronovitch, narrated by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith COMPLETED
5. Till We Have Faces by C. S. Lewis, narrated by Nadia May - a favorite of both Birdy and me - $2.95 Daily Deal
6. Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman, narrated by Neil Gaiman - because I couldn't NOT have it LISTENING
7. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman, narrated by Neil Gaiman - just $6.99, and I am wanting to get to this one soon
8. Sherlock Holmes Collection by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, narrated by Stephen Fry
9. A Vindication of the Rights of Women by Mary Wollstonecraft, narrated by Fiona Shaw - $3.95 Daily Deal
10. The Third Man by Graham Greene, narrated by Martin Jarvis COMPLETED
11. The Captain and the Enemy by Graham Greene, narrated by Kenneth Brannagh COMPLETED

Katie’s Dirty Dozen - That’s right, folks, KAK’s reserved spot is back for a third year, let’s see what she gets me with this time

1. Everyday people by Stewart O'Nan (linked short stories)

From 2016:
1. Kamchatka by Marcelo Figueras
2. Destiny of the Republic by Candace Millard
3. The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henríquez - seconded by Charlotte and Susan
4. In the Walled City by Stewart O'Nan COMPLETED 8/12/16 3.8 stars
5. My Reading Life by Pat Conroy - she recommended the audio, and don't speed it up
6. Nobody's Fool by Richard Russo COMPLETED 7/21/16 5 stars
7. Ruby by Cynthia Bond - seconded by Charlotte
8. Not My Father's Son by Alan Cumming - she recommends the audio read by Cummings himself
9. Songs for the Missing by Stewart O'Nan
10. Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye - Roberta also loved this, Katie says the audio is great, purchased 5/15/16
11. The Jaguar's Children by John Vaillant
12. Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi COMPLETED 10/2/16 5 stars
13. Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat - she pointed out that this was only $1.99 on Kindle and that it was one of her very favorites, purchased 7/13/16
14. Tribal: College Football and the Secret Heart of America by Diane Roberts
15. Manhood for Amateurs by Michael Chabon
16. Nutshell by Ian McEwan COMPLETED 1/2017 5 stars
17. Black River by S. M. Hulse

AND, from 2015:
1. The Mermaids Singing by Lisa Carey ($1.99 on Kindle), purchase on 2/18/15 COMPLETED 8/19/16 5 stars
2. Bright's Passage by Josh Ritter (2.99 on Kindle), purchased on 2/23/15
3. The Tilted World by Tom Franklin and Beth Ann Fennelly ($3.79 on Kindle), purchased on 3/31/15 COMPLETED 11/7/15 4.2 stars
4. Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler ($12.77 trade paperback), purchased on 4/1/15, COMPLETED read for Mark's AAC in January 2016, 4.25 stars
5. Paradise Alley by Kevin Baker ($.99 on Kindle), purchased on 4/9/15 - second book in a series, first book Dreamland was recommended by Katie and purchased last year
6. Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing - used an Audible credit COMPLETED 6/16/15 4.9 stars
7. Academy Street by Mary Costello ($9.99 on Kindle), purchased on 6/12/15 COMPLETED 7/2/16 5 stars
8. Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn ($5.99 on Kindle), purchased on 8/28/15
9. Sweetland by Michael Crummey ($.99 on Kindle), purchased 9/5/15 COMPLETED 11/19/15 4.5 stars
10. If You Only Knew by Kristan Higgins ($7.99 on Kindle), purchased on 10/26/15

Every year, LT is an embarrassment of riches for me. I like to keep track of who recommends what and any other pertinent info that lands a book on WL.

1. Winter by Christopher Nicholson - read Suz's review on her thread, it was one of her top reads from last year
2. News of the World by Paulette Jiles - because Mark said so!
3. The Return: Fathers, Sons, and Between by Hisham Matar - memoir -read Rhonda's review on her thread
4. Those Who Hunt the Night by Barbara Hambly - read Roni's blurb on her thread about this series
5. Knots and Crosses by Ian Rankin - series recommended by Deborah - read her review of the third book on her thread
6. The Western Lit Survival Kit by Sandra Newman - Joe says this is delightful
7. The Inquisitor's Tale, Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog by Adam Gidwitz - read Anne's review on her thread
8. A World of Love by Elizabeth Bowen - read Meg's review on her thread
9. Under Another Sky by Charlotte Higgins - read Susan's review on her thread, and she said that she heard about it on Jennifer's (inge87) thread
10. He Wants by Alison Moore - read Nancy's review on her thread
11. A Robot in the Garden by Deborah Install - read Caro's review on her thread
12. Full Dark House by Christopher Fowler - read Robin's review of the 13th book in this series
13. A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro - read Faith's review on her thread
14. Moonglow by Michael Chabon - Charlotte talking about reading this on her thread has made me add it to the list, and I was really trying not to...
15. The Assault by Henry Mulisch - read Anita's review on her thread
16. India: A Portrait by Patrick French - read Erik's review on his thread - he says a good look at modern day India
17. The Watcher by Ross Armstrong - read Charlotte's review on her thread
18. The Girl of Ink & Stars by Kiran Millwood Hargrave - read Jenny's review on her thread
19. I Will Have Vengeance by Mario De Giovanni - read Ellen's review on her thread
20. The Ferryman Institute by Colin Gigi - because Jim said so
21. Madwoman in the Attic by Sandra M. Gilbert - read Gail's review of it on her thread
22. Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah - read Heather's review on her thread - she says the audio is superb
23. Savage Beauty: The Life of Edna St. Vincent Millay by Nancy Milford - read Cee's review on her thread
24. The Riviera Set by Mary S. Lovell - read Susan's excellent review, which has not yet been posted to the book's page
25. In the Kingdom of Ice by Hampton Sides - read Jim's review on his thread
26. Emotionally Weird by Kate Atkinson - read Jenny's review of it on her thread
27. Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders - read Joanne's review on her thread
28. Smoking Poppy by Graham Joyce - read Lucy's review on the book's page after she mentioned it here
29. My Favorite Thing is Monsters by Emil Ferris - because Mark and Joe said so!
30. How to be a Heroine: Or, What I've Learned From Reading too Much by Samantha Ellis - Heather was reviewing another book by this author on her thread and mentioned that this one is her favorite
31. Scriptorium by Melissa Range - read Joe's lovely review on his thread (poetry)
32. Excellent Women by Barbara Pym - read Anne's review of this on her thread, and it's narrated by Jayne Entwhistle!!
33. The Dead Ladies Project by Jessa Crispin - read Lucy's fab review on her thread
34. War and Turpentine by Stefan Hertmans - read Donna's excellent review on her thread
35. Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France by Leonie Frieda - read Charlotte's (Fourpawz2) review of it on her thread

This should do it - next one's yours!

Happy New Thread, Mom!!!!!!

>8 thearlybirdy: Nicely done, Birdy - you are first! And it's even your lucky number!!

Happy New Thread!

>10 thornton37814: Thank you, Lori!

Happy new thread, Mamie! And Birdy, congrats for being first :-)

Thank you, Susan! Birdy was very excited to be first - she might have had insider information.

Happy new one, Mamie!

I was going to accuse Birdy of having inside information, and lo and behold....!

No fair! Well, I guess it is. Happy new thread!!

>14 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie! LOL.

>15 Berly: Yep, we are cheaters, Kim - and we have no shame. I didn't tell her ahead of time that I was setting up a new one, but she happened to wander into the bedroom just as I had finished, so off she ran.

Good afternoon, Mamie and happy new one! It's about time I started a new one too.

>1 Crazymamie: Lovely topper.

Afternoon, Brodie! And thank you. So glad you like the topper.

Happy new thread. The "insider trading" made me laugh (not a sentence I ever imagined myself saying). Love the topper. My brother and I were reminiscing the other day about how I managed to nearly set fire to my bed with a too-high set bulb and a blanket, trying to cover up reading past my bedtime. Although my Gran said she did it with candles. Which I can't get my head round. It's really a miracle I'm here.

Thank you, Charlotte! Glad you love the topper and the insider trading. Ha! Your story is scary - I am a big fan of the LED lighting that doesn't get hot like that because I remember having desk lamps that I burned myself on when I was young. And thank goodness for miracles - how ever would we manage without you? Birdy had a miracle when she was younger, too - a tree fell right through our Indiana house and landed immediately next to where Birdy was sitting in her bedroom. Right. Beside. Her.

Happy new thread, Mamie. I chuckled at the insider information.

Happy New Thread, Mamie!

I'm reading Norse Mythology in print, but I can imagine it being a great audio book.

>21 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg! Happy to provide a laugh.

>22 jnwelch: Thank you, Joe! It is really great as an audiobook - I love Gaiman as a narrator!

Well, I crashed the site when I tried to post my message here a few minutes ago. We'll try again.

Happy New Thread, Mamie. I love the rooster pot and the memories you are creating with Rae. I'm also very happy you are liking the Cast In... series so far.

Happy new thread, Mamie! Adorable topper!

Oh, dear, Roni! Thanks for trying again. Rae and I are looking forward to many fine dishes from the rooster - we are both completely in love with the pot, and I hope that my other cookware is not getting jealous.

The Cast In series is really fun - I can see why you just kept going straight through, and I may do just that since there are so many layers to the story. And I just got the fourth Toby Daye on digital loan from the library today!

>25 Carmenere: Thanks, Lynda! I want to know what book those two are reading up there.

Happy New thread, Mamie! I love that joyful topper. I am glad you have decided to read Everybody's Fool. I am definitely on board too.

Thank you, Mark! Glad the topper is a hit. Did you finish Nobody's Fool?

Happy new thread, Mamie, dear.

I love the opening shot which reminds me of my own childhood in a shared room with my twin trying to read after light's out.

>20 Crazymamie: woah! That is an amazing story. I can't believe I haven't heard that before. That must have been terrifying.
I saw a huge branch of a tree (it started form the base of the tree so was like a trunk) fall off and narrowly miss a lady and her toddler son. They stopped short to tie his shoelace, and if they hadn't, the tip of the bushy part may well have hit them. Everyone who saw was stunned.

>30 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul. The topper spoke to me as well - love memories like that.

>31 LovingLit: It was my first year on LT, Megan. Craig was already in Georgia working, and the kids and I stayed in Indiana to sell the house. Abby and I were outside in the backyard reading on the deck, and we heard this great cracking noise. At first we saw nothing, and then ever so slowly a giant tree in our yard started to fall towards the house. We watched in horror as it fell right through the girls' bedroom. We ran inside to find Birdy with debris in her hair and the top of the tree lying right next to where she had been sitting. So scary!



Your story is scary as well - so lucky that they stopped to tie his shoe.

>32 Crazymamie: wow, that would be so scary!

>32 Crazymamie: OMG! How frightening is that! Glad only the house needed repairs.

Holy crap! That was a close call!

>33 ChelleBearss: Chelle! How are you? It was very scary, but luckily nothing was hurt except for the house.

>34 Carmenere: Yep - beyond bizarre, Lynda. And it was a lovely day, as you can see - we took the photos just after it happened.

>35 drneutron: It was, Jim. The house we purchased in Georgia had no tall trees anywhere near the house, and that was purposeful, as the incident gave Birdy quite a scare.

Happy Friday, Mamie!

I remember when that tree fell, and that Birdy was right by where it landed. Wow. You do all you can to protect your kids, and then something unpredictable like that happens. What a photo.

>24 ronincats: So it was you that crashed LT yesterday!! >: / LOL

>32 Crazymamie: Unbelievable!!! I think Birdy has an angel or two watching out for her.

And may the Luck o' the Irish be with you all today!!

Happy Friday, Joe! So true - you just can't plan for everything because life has its own ideas.

>39 Berly: Ha! It was unbelievable, Kim. I completely agree about Birdy.

Today is one of Rae's favorite holidays - she was so excited because she got to wear a St. Patrick's Day shirt to work with her scrub pants. She looked so cute! And she even had four leaf clover decals on her nails!

I like the attention to detail on the nails!! : )

She got the decals for her birthday, and she was BEAMING as she left the house this morning.

Happy new one and happy Friday, Mamie.

I remember that incident well. So scary!! But now, years later and many miles away all is well!! Hope you have a good day today and "happy new thread".

>44 Ameise1: Thanks, Barbara!

>45 RebaRelishesReading: Yep. Can't complain, Reba - life is good. And thanks for those good wishes!

>32 Crazymamie: Wow. Just wow.

I'm not surprised it was good to find a house without the trees nearby. How scary.

Yep. It was kind of crazy. One year we had an ice storm that was very bad, and we lost several trees then - very scary because of the cracking sounds that the tree limbs made as they got weighted down by the ice. That was a complete mess, and we were without power for several weeks. It was gorgeous outside afterwards - like a winter fairytale, but very scary to live through. I do not miss a lawn full of huge old trees that surround the house.

Happy new thread, Mamie, I remember reading like at your topper :-)

Thank you, Anita - me, too!

Happy St. Puntrick's Day, Mamie!

Happy Friday, Mamie! I did finish Nobody's Fool. I am going to miss Scully & Co. The book may have been a bit long, but the writing and these characters were awesome. Russo at his very best.

Happy weekend, Mamie!

Cheers to a new thread and having a happy weekend, Mamie!

Happy weekend, Mamie!

Happy new one, Mamie. The tree in the house is terrifying. Yikes. Have a great weekend.

Happy New Thread! I love the topper. I totally read under the covers as a kid. Then my flashlight was confiscated so I squished into the corner behind the bedroom door and read by the hallway light. I was nearly smashed a couple of times by unwary parents coming in to check I was in bed.

The tree story is the scariest. I am so glad we don't have a lot of big trees right next to the house. We have a few paperbark maples right next to the house, but I think they would be more of a leaning issue than a crashing issue.

Hope your weekend is excellent!

Happy new thread, Mamie! (I missed your last in its entirety, but I'm semi-caught up now). Hope you have a fantastic weekend.

Happy Weekend, Mamie!

The picture only confirms my theory that that must have been utterly terrifying!!! Wow, you must thank the heavens that you till have your family intact.
I hope you are having great weekend, it is Sunday evening here and we have just had people over for dinner. they came early and left relatively early too, so it has meant a bit of evening playtime on LT. Bonus!

Hi Mamie! Happy newish thread! The tree story is scary. There are lots of tall pines in my vicinity, and they often seem to have weak roots. Several years ago, I was just on the verge of leaving for work when I heard a very loud boom. I went outside and discovered that one of the pine trees behind the house next door had fallen and taken out the fence. It took down a power line that blocked the road. It's a dead-end road, so that was the only way out. I had to wait for the power company to take care of the downed line before I could leave for work. I get nervous now when the wind is blowing and the trees are groaning.

Makes me feel I've known you awhile to hear about that tree episode again! Had forgotten all about it!

Another quiet weekend over at the Pecan Paradisio. With you and Amber and Darryl missing in action this weekend it has been awfully slow around here.

Trust all is fabulous!

>32 Crazymamie: OMG, that is a horrifying, terrifying story! I'm SO glad Birdy was/is okay!

A belated Happy New Thread, m'dear!

>32 Crazymamie: Oh, good lord! How horrifying.

Hi Mamie!

Morning, Mamie!

Happy Pre-Tuesday, Mamie. :)

Mmphmumbleday is drawing to a close, Mamie. See you on Tuesday. :-)

Morning, All! It felt like a big family powwow this morning at the Pecan Paradisio. Daniel was up early to hit the road for Charleston, Abby has a new job and had to be there at 6am, Birdy is always up early, Craig and Rae were getting ready for work, and I got up to see Dan off. So now Birdy and I have the house entirely to ourselves - well, and the fur critters. Just the usual chores on the schedule for today, and I need to decide what's for dinner - I will need a lot less of it since Dan won't be here. Heh. A good time to try some new recipes without having to double them right off the bat.

On the reading front, I finished two books this weekend. The first one was Cast in Secret - the third book in the Chronicles of Elantra series. I am liking the character development and the pacing of these - the books are over 500 pages, but read like 200. Fast and action packed, and the world building is fun. The second book I completed was Late Eclipses, the fourth book in the October Daye series - another solid entry. Both of these series were recommended by Roni - she has not yet steered me wrong. I think I will probably go straight into the next book in each series while everything is still fresh in my head.

Morning, Mamie! Hooray for a family powwow! It is quiet here. Matt left for work. The women-folk & doggies are still in full slumber.

I am off today, so no complaints here. Have a great day.

Morning, Mark! I was just over at your place. Hoping the day off is just what you want it to be.

Hey Mamie! That Michelle Sagara book sounds good. I moseyed on over to Amazon to see if maybe I should get the first one, and it turned out I bought it last time you mentioned them. Ha!

Too funny, Susan! I have done that before, so I am always thankful that Amazon keeps track of my book purchases.

Happy morning. I love when we are all up together and getting going, and I love the part of the morning after everyone is off to where they need to be and I am sipping a cup of tea, deciding what's going to happen (laundry, dinner, unpacking) and it's just quiet.

Happy morning, Jenn - I like that phrasing! Yep - Birdy and I are enjoying that last bit right now. We have come up with a menu plan, and I am excited because I am picking an Instant Pot today, and we are going to make some new recipes using it. I am so excited!

I. Cannot. Warble. Enough about the Instant Pot. I LOVE it.

I think I will also love it - I adore my slow cooker, and the Instant Pot seems like it would be the best of both worlds.

There's nothing like a quality pot. I got a couple thirty years ago and they are still in good condition. You can't get ones like that anymore without spending a fortune!

So true, Morphy.

I mentioned this conversation to some local women friends who tell me there are LeCruset outlet stores...may have to look for one of those.

There are, Reba, and several of mine are from outlets.

I'm still thinking of pot noodle whenever someone mentions instant pot.

I'd be terrible at a family powow. My default morning behaviour is to hunch over the caffeine.

Hiya, Mamie! Hope all is well.

>70 Crazymamie: Woohoo! Batting 1000 so far, yay me!

Just. Trying. To. Catch. Up. On. LT!! pant, pant, pant.

Hi! : )

>83 charl08: Too funny, Charlotte! Hunching over the caffeine is pretty much my default morning behavior, too. The kids have learned not to make idle with the conversation or to ask any questions until I have had at least half a cup. Preferably more.

>84 jnwelch: Hello, Joe! All is well; these are just busy and full days. I have been using my free time for reading, so less LT time for the moment.

>85 ronincats: Keep up the good work, Roni!

>86 Berly: I hear you, Kim. I am also very behind in these here parts.

Hello!

Morning, Mamie!

Morning, Amber!

The Audible Daily Deal today is a good one - Mrs.Dalloway, and it's narrated by Juliet Stevenson. This one comes highly recommended by me - an excellent pairing of story and narrator, and it's just $2.95!

Morning, Mamie! Sweet Thursday. I see you making the early A.M. rounds. Did you sleep okay?

I am going to start Lincoln in the Bardo today. It has been getting great buzz.

Morning, Mark! Sweet Thursday! And nope - I am hardly sleeping at all these days. My insomnia is running rampant.

I had Lincoln in the Bardo out from the library in print form, and it was...strange. All the citations made it feel disruptive to me, and I could not get into the flow of it. I returned it and am in the queue for the digital audio from the library - I am thinking it will work better in that format for me, as I liked the sample that I listened to online. It's a long queue, so it will be awhile. Are you listening to it?

Ooh Juliet Stevenson. She's a favourite. Will look and see if it available here.

Hi Mamie! I've been hearing a lot of warbling about Hot Pots lately. Are they similar to pressure cookers?

Love the Paradisio Pow wow! What a great way to start the day.

Morning, Mamie!

I have been using my free time for reading Good!

Oh, I really liked Mrs. Dalloway. The first Virginia Woolf I connected strongly with.

>93 charl08: For me, too, Charlotte. Hoping you can get it.

>94 Carmenere: Hello, Lynda! Yep, they are electric, so they do all the work for you as far as the pressure is concerned, so much less scary than the stove top variety. But you can also use them to cook rice, make yogurt, steam things, make oatmeal, and use it as a slow cooker. You can sauté in it, so you don't need to brown things in another pan first. I used mine to make this stew: Instant Stew, which was delicious, and the cook time for the meat and veggies was ten minutes, then you let it slow release the pressure, so add another 15 or so minutes. Remarkable, and the meat was even more tender than what I can achieve on the stove.



We had another Paradisio powwow this morning, minus Daniel, who is in Charleston.

>95 jnwelch: Morning, Joe! Sweet Thursday! Life has been crazier than usual lately, so I feel like I have to chose wisely with using my free time at the moment. Hopefully, things will slow down soonish.

Me, too, with the Mrs. Dalloway love, and I also loved what Michael Cunningham did with that character in The Hours. LOVE that book!!

>82 Crazymamie: Last night my BFF brought soup over for movie night and it was in a beautiful, deep-red, enameled cast iron pot...from Costco (their Kirkland brand)!! Got to check that out too.

Oh, I really love red, Reba!

Good morning, Mamie! I hope all is well with you and the fam at Pecan Paradiso.

Hi Mamie, thank you for mentioning the Audible deal on Mrs. Dalloway, I've secured myself a copy and I'm looking forward to fitting it in. That stew looks delicious and I'm all for 10 minute meals so I will have to investigate this Instant Pot further. :)

>100 brodiew2: Afternoon, Brodie! All is well.

>101 DeltaQueen50: Hello, Judy! And hooray for snagging Mrs. Dalloway! The stew was very good - will definitely make it again, but I am going to add some more spices next time. I am thinking paprika, Worcestershire sauce, and cloves - it was just a bit on the bland side for us, but the veggies were perfectly cooked, the meat was so tender, and the sauce was velvety and thick. Tonight we're having Turkey Meatball Stroganoff.

>97 Crazymamie: Yes! I read The Hours before I read Mrs. Dalloway, and appreciated it that much more once I read MD.

*grin*

I know that I still have not caught up with my thread - perhaps tomorrow. Anyway, I am hopeful...

Morning, Mamie! That Stroganoff looks pretty amazing...

Morning, Amber! It was quite tasty - it got a thumbs up from everyone.

Morning, Mamie! Happy Friday! yes, I am listening to Lincoln in the Bardo. It is an amazing performance but after listening to 3-plus hours, I am going to start over. I do not want to miss anything.

70 degrees here today! Yah!

Morning, Mark! Happy Friday! Lincoln in the Bardo is definitely a different kind of book - all the citations make it feel kind of clunky, which is why I was thinking it would work better on audio. I had read a ways into it and felt I was missing something, too. I will be waiting to read your thoughts when you have finished it.

Hooray for your 70 degrees! We are going to 79 today, so we are practically twins.

>109 Crazymamie: I appreciate your comments on the format of Lincoln in the Bardo, Mamie. Are the citations the typical sort you might find in a nonfiction book, or are they like informative footnotes, or something completely different? And how are they handled in the audio version?

Julia! I have been catching up on your thread but haven't posted there yet - I have also not read The Sparrow, but Linda sent me a copy of it, so I will be sure to get to it this year.

Lincoln in the Bardo is very different. The citations just sight the source of the quote, so there is the quote, which is not in quotations, and then beneath it there is the source. No footnotes. So like this:



I could not get into the rhythm of it because I found the text distracting. On audio, there are multiple narrators, and they pause and then cite the source, so it's still there but less annoying. I am thinking it would work better in audio for me just because I would not have the visual cacophony.

Happy Friday, Mamie! Well, it looks like I'll have to look into a Hot Pot. I do have a pressure cooker and only used it once as I am a bit afraid of it. A neurosis passed on to my from my mom. Which brand do you own?

Happy Friday, Lynda! Yep - we had a pressure cooker, too, but only Craig had used it because it scares me. He used it for canning, and I was convinced that it would explode at any time - and SO loud! I purchased the 6 quart Instant Pot, so this one:



I got mine from Target because I had gift cards and I could use my RedCard to get 5% off, but there are everywhere - Kohls, Amazon...

>113 Crazymamie: Ha! Tomm is the one who works our pressure cooker, too, because I'm scared of it! We do our holiday turkeys in it. I'm hoping for the Instant Pot soon...Mother's Day...

Thanks Mamie! I'll look into it :0)

>114 scaifea: Yep. They terrify me. Here's hoping you get an Instant Pot soon - you will love it!

>115 Carmenere: You're welcome, Lynda!

Happy Friday, Mamie!

Happy Friday, Joe!

Wahey! Friday :-)

My thoughts exactly, Charlotte!

Happy Friday, Mamie! However, be warned...

Happy Saturday, Mamie!

Hi Mamie! Happy Saturday! I will have to look into an Instant Pot. I do not own a pressure cooker. They scare me. It's nice to know I'm not alone!

Good morning, Mamie! Happy Weekend!

So the conversation about enameled cast iron and my friend's visit with a lovely one finally got to me and the pot shown above is on its way to my house :) Now we'll see whether I finally give in to the conversation about Instant Pots. I've never had a pressure cooker (my Mom did but I never was impressed...of course that was 60 years ago...) but you all seem so happy with the Instant Pot I'm starting to wonder.

>121 brodiew2: Nice, Brodie! You're on a roll.

>122 scaifea: Happy Saturday, to you, Amber! I hope you are feeling better.

>123 cbl_tn: Hello, Carrie! Happy Saturday! The Instant Pot in not scary at all, and I love all of its possibilities.

>124 jnwelch: Afternoon, Joe! Happy Weekending to you - I have been mostly reading so far. It's 80 here but with a nice breeze, so the screened-in porch has been delightful.

>125 RebaRelishesReading: Oh, that's beautiful, Reba! I am so excited for you, and what a lovely shade of red. What I am liking about the Instant Pot is that you can use it in so many more ways than as just a pressure cooker.

So this thread is now genuinely a slow cooker!

Love seeing the results of your kitchen work, Mamie and I must say that both dishes you put up pictures of looked appetising in the extreme. I don't think that I have ever had turkey meat balls before - who'd have thought that turkeys had such big.............ah no never mind, hold that thought.

A lovely weekend to all at the Pecan Paradisio.

>102 Crazymamie: wow, my mouth is watering now. That looks delicious!!! I don't believe I have ever had anything even close to that meal, we don't eat much turkey here in NZ.

Morning Mamie! Happy Sunday! I loved Lincoln in the Bardo. It is a bit of a challenge at times, with the ghost voices, coming and going, but what a literary marvel, he has created. A one of a kind experience. I plan on revisiting it, in print at some point.

Morning, Mamie! Happy Sunday!

Hmmm. When we were off the grid I couldn't consider anything like the instant pot. Hmmm. Must consider!

Morning, Mamie!

Morning, Mamie! A chilly, damp start to our week in Chicagoand. Boo!

Hey Mamie! Lunch is leftover roast chicken from yesterday, so mumble mumble day could definitely be worse. Hope yours is speeding along...

Today is a GREAT day despite it being Monday because I am headed home!

(And, obviously, it's all about me...)

Hi Mamie, wishing you a good start into the new week.

>136 Ameise1: "Like!"

Morning, Mamie!

>136 Ameise1: Excellent!

Happy mumphmumble day, Mamie.

Hi Mamie! I am finally find the time to visit stop by your thread and get caught up.

Wishing you a week that is absolutely fabulous.

Happy Tuesday Eve, Mamie. I hope your week is off to a fabulous start.

Thanks, Beth - I added my thumb!

>90 Crazymamie: Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? I am.

Hooray for the Instant Pot!

Thanks Mamie.

Morning, Mamie!

Morning, Mamie! Happy It's Not That Day That Comes Before This One!

Hi Mamie! I hope all is well.

Hi Crazy. I am skipping over all the food talk since my tummy isn't up to anything solid right now. I have Lincoln ready to go and read the first few chapters before I got diverted. I liked it and want to get back to it soon! Happy Hump Day. : )

Howdy do, Mamie! I've decided to pass on the Instant Pot. Soon, Will is off to college and it will be only myself and hubsters. I see a lot of early bird specials in my future. Less cooking, less dishes, why fuss even when it's faster fuss :0)

Have a wonderful Thursday!!

Oof! I am struggling to keep up these days. Life has gotten very busy, and I am warning you now that I won't be here much for the next several months. I will keep my books list up top current, so you can always check in there to see what I am reading at the moment and what I have finished. I am hoping to be back in full swing here by summer.

On the reading front, I have finished up three more books:


26. The Third Man by Graham Greene, 2017 acquired audiobook, thriller - this was great on audio, narrated by Martin Jarvis. I have the special Kindle edition that has clips and stills from the film inserted into the text, and I followed along with that. When I finished up, I watched the film again, and it was full of fabulous. I had not realized that Greene was asked to write a screenplay specifically set in post WWII Vienna. He said he needed to write a novella first in order to flesh out the characters, so that is what he did. When they filmed it, they changed some major things, but Greene was a part of all the discussion. He and the director disagreed on the ending, so the book has a completely different ending than the film. When Greene saw the finished film, he said that the director was right, and that the film has the stronger ending.


27. White Nights by Ann Cleeves (3 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, crime fiction/police procedural (Shetland, book 2) - the second entry in Cleeves Shetland series, and it is not nearly as good as the first book. I feel like she mucked up the ending - I had someone different picked for the murderer, and I think mine would have made for a better story. Also, some weird tension between the two lead detectives in this one which didn't really make sense to me since they got along fine in the first book. I like the lead characters and the setting, so I will continue with this series.


28. The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett, off my shelves paperback, crime fiction/detective - I hardly ever say this, but I think the film is better than the book with this one. The book is okay, and the humor and the characterizations are great, but it gets a bit tedious towards the end, and I wanted it to just be over already. It's twisty and not in a good way. I much prefer The Maltese Falcon. Hammett obviously likes to create complicated female characters that blur the lines between heroine and villain. They are hard to get a feel for except to predict that they will lie and have their own agenda. I like that, but I think he did a much better job of it in The Maltese Falcon. Here, I just wanted to slap them. Repeatedly. And I could not understand why Nick and Nora put up with them - I would have just walked away. Still, because of the book we got the charming film, so it's hard to argue with that.

Best with your upcoming business!

Just have to report that my beautiful new pot has arrived. Turns out it's made by a subsidiary of J. A. Henkels in France. Didn't know they had a cookware subsidiary.

Thank you, Reba. Hooray for the new cookware - what will you make in it first?

What upcoming business is going to keep you away from us? ; )

I hope your activities are full of excitement and fun rather than being a drag, and that you have a wonderful Spring, whether or not you are gracing us with your presence ;).

Catching up with the thread:

>127 PaulCranswick: Haha, Paul! Indeed it is. And these balls came from the turkey breast, so the anatomy is very confusing. Heh. The turkey meatballs were very good - loads of flavor, which is hard to do with turkey, I think. We tried another recipe with zucchini in it, and they were even better. Made them using the Instant Pot as a slow cooker, cooking them and the marinara sauce together and serving it over linguine. Delicious.

>128 LovingLit: It was very good, Megan. Rae does not usually like turkey, but she liked that recipe. Anf the ones we just made the other night that I was telling Paul about. Most yum.

>129 msf59: Hello, Mark! I am still in the library queue for the audio of Lincoln in the Bardo. I am currently number 16 in line for two copies, so it could be a while.

>130 scaifea: Howdy, Amber!

>152 Berly: Just life in general, Kim. Rae is transitioning to working full time, which is good but also very stressful for her, so I like to make myself available in the evenings to hang out with her. And Abby has a new job at a local coffee shop, and I need to help with transportation to and from work for a bit. Birdy is finishing up her senior year, so that is its own kind of craziness. On top of that we have old dogs that require lots of care right now - Bailey has gotten a bacterial skin infection, and Barnum is showing signs of dementia. SO, I have to choose carefully how to spend the bits of free time left over after all the regular household stuff and the kid stuff. I have been focusing on trying out loads of new recipes and reading. That doesn't leave a lot of time for the threads, but it is a temporary thing. I am hoping that by June everything will have calmed down. In the meantime, I will check in when I can, but I don't want to stress about it, and I don't want anyone here to worry about me. Life is good. Very good. Just also very busy.

>153 lunacat: Thank you, Jenny - such kind words and sweet thoughts. I truly appreciate them.

>149 Crazymamie: Completely agree with your comments on The Thin Man and The Maltese Falcon, Mamie. We love the Thin Man movies, so I was surprised the book was just so-so. The Maltese Falcon is way better. Great movie, too, of course.

>131 sibylline: Lucy, I am in love with mine. On Friday I am going to make mashed potatoes in it, and I won't have to drain the potatoes after or dice them up first, so I am very excited to see how they turn out. Everyone here loves mashed potatoes, so this could be a HUGE time saver for me.

>132 scaifea: Hello, Amber! Thanks for helping to keep my thread warm.

>133 msf59: We are back to our 80s weather, Mark, and I miss the cooler temps. That being said, the days here have been absolutely gorgeous lately, and the stars at night from the deck have not disappointed. Feels like resetting myself every evening that I snag time to sit out there with a glass of wine and just enjoy gazing at the stars.

>134 charl08: Glad to hear that your Monday behaved itself, Charlotte.

>156 jnwelch: Me, too, with being surprised with the novel of The Thin Man. I wish he would have written more Sam Spade. Have you read Red Harvest or The Glass Key - I have both of those in the stacks.

>135 katiekrug: So true, Katie! I am so excited that you are back!! I missed you!

>136 Ameise1: That made me laugh - thanks, Barbara!

>137 jnwelch: Hello, Joe!

>138 lunacat: Thanks, Jenny. Hoping yours was full of happy.

>139 lkernagh: Hello, Lori! Lovely to see you here! Thanks for those good wishes. Hoping your week is full of fabulous, too!

>140 BLBera: Hello, Beth. Thank you.

>142 nittnut: Hiya, Amber!

>143 BLBera: So funny, Beth, because I thought I was responding to you on your thread - I still don't know how I did that. Weird.

>158 Crazymamie: Yes, I've read them both. I thought Red Harvest was a knockout. The Continental Op is quite a creation, and the story is both a pulse-pounder and thought-provoking. Set in a small mountain town, not the big city. If you saw The Last Man Standing or Yojimbo, this is where they came from, as far as I know.

>144 scaifea: Hey, Amber!

>145 jnwelch: That post made me laugh, Joe! Good work!

>146 brodiew2: Hello, Brodie! All is well.

>147 Berly: I am sorry to hear that you are still not feeling well, Kim. NO FAIR! I think you should be exempt from sickness for at least the next five years.

>148 Carmenere: That makes sense, Lynda. I think I would still use it a lot even if it were just Craig and I, but that is because I really love to cook - I find it relaxing. And with the Instant Pot, I can eventually get rid of the rice cooker and the slow cooker, saving some valuable shelf space. The other day I had chicken going in the slow cooker to shred and use in an enchilada recipe, and meatballs and marinara sauce going in the Instant Pot at the same time. I was giddy with my multi-tasking!!

Hoping your Thursday is also full of wonder!

>161 jnwelch: Oh, thanks for that, Joe! I will read The Glass Key first then and save the knockout for the follow up. I am excited!

Catching up from further up stream (BAD Mamie for taking so long to get to this):

>51 brodiew2: I liked that one, Brodie! Thanks!

>52 msf59: I loved Nobody's Fool, Mark, and it didn't feel too long for me - I wanted more. I need to watch the movie because I think Paul Newman would make a perfect Scully.

>53 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia!

>54 DeltaQueen50: Thank you, Judy!

>55 Carmenere: Thanks, Lynda!

>56 BLBera: Thank you, Beth! The tree through the house was indeed terrifying. I hope never to experience anything like it again.

>57 nittnut: Glad you love the topper, Jenn. I also read after hours as a kid. I still do, I just don't get in trouble for it anymore. Heh.

The tree was a scary thing, and we purposefully picked a house with no big trees close enough to fall on it. And I am jealous of your maple trees - those are so pretty!

>58 bell7: Thanks for taking the time to catch up with me, Mary!

>59 jnwelch: Thank you, Joe!

>60 LovingLit: It was very scary, Megan. Getting an extra bit of evening to spend on the threads is a lovely treat - especially when it was completely unexpected. Go, you!

>61 cbl_tn: Hello, Carrie! And thank you. That is also a scary tree story - we lost several tress in an ice storm back in 2005 or something like that, and three of them fell on the house, but only damaged the roof, and one of them took out our power pole, which meant we were one of the last houses to have power restored that winter. They had downed power lines all over the place, so they had to prioritize - our neighborhood got power restored almost immediately, but we did not because we also had the downed pole in our yard from the main line to our house to contend with. NOT fun, and it was a long haul with no power because we had a well at that house, so no power, no water. Luckily, a friend of ours loaned us their generator once they got their power restored. We had to pick and choose what to power, but at least we had water.

>62 sibylline: Lucy, you were my very first friend on LT, so you have known me the longest of anyone here. I still remember that you told me the 75ers were "where it was at" and helped me to start my very first thread.

>63 PaulCranswick: We are are well, Paul, just very busy these days. I am really hoping for a slow down in the next month or so. Thanks for missing us.

>64 EBT1002: Thank you, Ellen. It was a big scare for her, but she came out just fine, thank goodness. It makes me feel like a good cry just thinking about it. I am very thankful.

>65 Copperskye: It was, Joanne. And hello!

>66 scaifea: Hello, Amber!

>67 lunacat: Oh dear, Jenny. I don't think I will ever feel like that on a Monday, but go, you for being so positive. I'm more like, lets' just try to get through it without any major damage.

>68 BLBera: Thank you, Beth!

>69 jnwelch: I always love when Mmphmumbleday draws to a close, Joe. It's always a good thing.

Okay! Look at me all caught up with my thread!!! I am practically giddy.

If I missed you - holler!

>155 Crazymamie: Yup. That's is certainly a lot of RL to handle. Good luck on all fronts and don't worry, we will keep your thread warm when you get sucked away in the whirlwind. ; )

And I think you are absolutely right -- the next bug that comes knocking on my door, I am going to tell them Crazy said, Berly "should be exempt from sickness for at least the next five years." So there!!! News flash: I actually ate something and it stayed down today!! Yippee!

>170 Berly: Thank you, Kim!

Hooray for keeping something down! Progress!

I'm glad it's just RL keeping you busy and nothing terrible (though the old dogs is sad :( ). I totally understand about not wanting to feel stressed about trying to keep up. I've gotten a bit more lackadaisical recently and don't freak out when I see dozens of unread posts on my starred threads. I'll get there eventually...

And as for my own, I love having visitors, but I also know that if I don't visit everyone I can't expect visits, so I am letting myself not be concerned about that, too. It's very liberating :)

Wow, it does sound like that's a lot to keep up on. Have to say I'm glad not to have kids at home to complicate matters! We have enough going on as it is, and maybe things will settle down into boringness once we move. I could do with some of that after the last however many years, honestly. It's really thoughtful of you to be around for some decompression time with Rae. I hope you get some good reading in here and there when you can at least!

Happy Friday, Mamie! You are certainly a busy mom too! So, Birdy is a senior this year, I forgot about that. How does she feel about ending this chapter? Will has a bad case of Senioritis but fortunately this semester's classes agree with him and overall enjoying it. I think it's more stressful for me as I've enjoyed experiencing high school with him. Way more enjoyable than my high school years.

Impressive job catching up, Mamie!

Happy Friday! Hope you get a chance to relax this weekend.

Happy Friday, Mamie. I hope there's only good craziness around today.

>172 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie. Old dogs is sad - Barnum and Bailey are both 14 years old. Weird to think that Birdy was just 4 when we got them.

I have such strange pockets of time these days that I know I can't keep up here the way I like, so I just didn't want to hurt people's feelings or make them worry when I can't make it here some days. And you are so right - it is liberating to just let go of worrying about it.

>173 ursula: It is a strange kind of busy these days, Ursula. I like having the kids here - I'm glad they didn't need to run from home as soon as they were able the way I did to escape my mom. But you are right - it also makes things more complicated. Luckily, we will not be planning a big move any time soon. And the economy makes things tricky for them - it's really hard to get full time employment with businesses just wanting to hire a bunch of part time people in order to avoid having to provide benefits. It's a very different world than the one Craig and I experienced at that age.

And thank you for those kind words - I love hanging out with Rae, and I am so very proud of her. She constantly amazes me and makes me want to be a better person.

Morning, Mamie! Happy Friday. It looks like you have your hands full with RL. You know, we will always be here, if you need us, my friend.

>174 Carmenere: Happy Friday! Birdy is very excited that she is almost done, Lynda. I loved high school, but I remember getting to the very last semester and just wanting to be done already. I was so ready to move on to other things and start a new chapter.

>175 jnwelch: Thank you, Joe! Happy Friday to you. Craig is off this weekend, so hopefully it will be a good one. The coffee shop Abby works at is closed on Sundays, so that is a bonus.

>176 BLBera: Happy Friday, Beth! And thanks for those wishes! Hoping your day is full of fabulous!

>178 msf59: Morning, Mark! My hands are momentarily full, but this, too, shall pass. Life is funny that way. And I so appreciate your lovely words - means a lot to me.

>151 Crazymamie: It's too pretty to use lol

Good morning, Mamie! Happy Friday! You know what time it is...



>149 Crazymamie: It's been a while since I read The Thin Man, but I remember thinking it was ok. I fell in love with films first, so the book's differences in character were the standout. Nick is not the happy go lucky sophisticate we get from William Powell. He is more of the world weary, though happy to be done with it, detective. Nora was pretty close to who Loy made her out to be. Love the films. William Powell is one of my favorite actors.

Chiming in on the Instant Pot discussion - I love mine!! I have already started a collection of vegan Instant Pot cookbooks, lol.

>149 Crazymamie: I agree with you about The Thin Man. I love the movie, tolerated the book.

>181 RebaRelishesReading: No, it isn't, Reba! It will be even more beautiful when you taste the amazing food it can render.

>182 brodiew2: Morning, Brodie! Happy Friday! Nice pun!

Right. I much prefer William Powell's Nick. I think I need to watch the film again. So charming, that one.

>183 alcottacre: Hello, Stasia! Yep, I am loving the Instant Pot. I'm making mashed potatoes in it tonight, and I'm very excited about it. They just go in under pressure for ten minutes using the manual setting, and I won't have to drain them - you put the potatoes in (I'm using 5 pounds of yellow potatoes), 1 cup of broth or water, 1 cup of milk, 1/4 cup of butter. When they are done, you add salt and pepper and use a potato masher to mash them right in the pot. I can't wait!!

Oh, I'm glad it wasn't just me with The Thin Man - I was so disappointed with the book because I was expecting to love it.

>184 Crazymamie: I have a collection of all of the Thin Man movies and would happily watch any of them at the drop of a hat. I will probably never read the book again. For me, that is saying something because I almost always prefer the books to the movie versions.

Howdy Mamie! Happy Friday and I hope you have a lovely weekend.

I have The Thin Man sitting unread on my shelf. After all the comments I shall proceed with caution. Have a great weekend, Mamie!

I've never seen The Thin Man movies. (I know....)

I've read some Dashiell Hammett - The Glass Key, Red Harvest, The Maltese Falcon - and The Thin Man I think is maybe the last one on the 1001 books list so I'll get to that one too. I'll make sure to read it before seeing the movie since that definitely seems to be the best way for this one.

>185 alcottacre: I have only seen the first one, Stasia. I will not read the book again, either, in fact, I am trying to decide if I am even going to keep the book. Although I do love the cover...

>186 luvamystery65: Howdy, Roberta! Thank you - hoping your weekend is full of fabulous!

>187 Familyhistorian: Hello, Diana! Thanks for the sweet kitty.

>188 DianaNL: I want to see it again, Ursula - it's been a long time, and I have never watched the sequels. I have The Glass Key and Red Harvest on the shelves, waiting patiently. I really love The Maltese Falcon, and have read it multiple times, and of course, the movie is a favorite of mine. LOVE Bogart. And yes - definitely read the book before watching the movie.

Hi Mamie, think you missed me or called me Diana?

>191 Familyhistorian: Oh, dear! You are right, Meg, and thanks for pointing it out. Yes, no need to rush to get to The Thin Man - it's not bad, it is just not nearly as good as The Maltese Falcon. And it does not have the charm of its movie version. I'm sorry I missed you earlier.

>192 Crazymamie: No worries, Mamie. It's hard to keep up with threads at the best of times and when so much else is happening things can get scrambled.