Cameling's Reading Beanbag #2

Hello again everyone, from my comfy beanbag in Massachusetts. My thread is often a hodgepodge of books, food and travel .. in that order of importance, although books and food are close to being tied for first. This year, I'm planning to cook from The Unofficial Book of Hobbit Cookery by Chris-Rachael Oseland through the year, so I'll add pics from the results in addition to pics of food from my travels.

Through some of my travels, I hope to be able to meet up with some of you in person, so don't be too surprised if I reach out with a PM or two if I'm going to be in your neck of the woods.

I have successfully culled my bookshelves in the week between Christmas and New Year's Eve, and look forward to overfilling them once again in 2018, a weakness I am not interested in overcoming. I can't wait to see what you are all reading this year.

Happy reading, one and all !




Fiction 27
Non-Fiction :5

Female Authors :21
Male Authors:11

January Reads
The Waking Land - Callie Bates
The Sun and Her Flowers - Rupi Kaur
Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant - Anne Tyler
Age of Assassins - RJ Barker
Three Floors Up - Eshkol Nevo
2 Serious Ladies - Jane Bowles
Death At La Fenice - Donna Leon
King of Spies - Blaine Harden
White Fire - Preston & Child
Operation Monsoon - Shona Ramaya
The Pyramid of Mud - Andrea Camilleri
Lily and the Octopus - Steven Rowley
Banana Cream Pie Murder - Joanne Fluke
A Homemade Life - Molly Wizenberg

February Reads
When in French: Love in a Second Language by Lauren Collins
Ice Ghosts by Paul Watson
Sacred Sins - Nora Roberts
Burning down George Orwell's House - Andrew Ervin
The Fishing Fleet - Anne de Courcy
Tulip Fever - Deborah Moggach
The Wife, the Maid and the Mistress - Ariel Lawhon
The Rules of Magic - Alice Hoffman

March Reads
Pachinko - Min Jin Lee
The Devil Takes Half - Leta Sarafim
Night of the Animals - Bbill Broun
My Mother, She Killed Me. My Father, He Ate Me - Kate Bernheimer
The House of Broken Angels - Luis Alberto Urrea
The House on Mango Street - Sandra Cisneros
Winter Station - Jody Shields
Here in Berlin - Cristina Garcia
Soul Cage - Tetsuya Honda

April Reads
Dark in Death - J.D. Robb

15. by Lauren Collins
When in French: Love in a Second Language

It's one thing to fall in love with someone from a different culture, but when one falls in love, marries someone from a different culture who speaks a different native language and moves to another country, what is one to do? Well, if you were Lauren Collins, you'd be quickly signing up for language lessons and learning not only how to speak comfortably in French, but to also understand how an inter-cultural relationship has both enjoyable and at times, frustrating differences.

And what do you do when the families go on a vacation today? How will they communicate? How are they to prevent their relatives from unwittingly insulting or embarrassing one another? When will they eat?

But the book isn't just a fun memoir, the author also delves into language learning and the history of languages through the years and across borders.

3.5 stars

16. by Paul Watson
Ice Ghosts : The Epic Hunt for the Lost Franklin Expedition

When 2 ships, the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror were lost in an exploration for a Northwest Passage through the Arctic in 1848, it spawned a search for the man leading expedition, Sir John Franklin, and his crew for over 200 years.

This is a fascinating narrative nonfiction about why the expedition took place, the challenges they were faced with, some speculation as to why, how and where the crew died, and the determination and perseverance by Lady Franklin who tirelessly championed the search for her husband.

Bringing in Inuit history, scientific and technological advances, naval history and whaling history, it's incredible not only how long the search took, what information had been available but dismissed which may have resulted in some survivors being rescued, and what lessons had been painfully learned in Arctic exploration along the way.

4 stars

This was just too funny not to share:

A beautiful piece of Peranakan embroidery at The Intan, a small museum I visited today



I loved this old lamp


Decorative carving usually used as part of furniture

A bowl of rice noodles in a thick, rich fish broth with vegetables and thick pieces of battered & fried fish, garnished with crisp shallots



"chee cheong fun", a popular snack of steamed rolls made with rice flour, with a piquant hoisin & star of anise sauce, sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds and a side of chili paste

The long work week has taken a toll on my reading. I am looking forward to some quiet time this weekend to get some reading done.... in between eating. :-)

Happy Saturday, Caro! Happy New Thread. Love the camel topper. Hope you had a good week. Tired of winter, yet?

Ice Ghosts sounds like my cuppa. Thanks.

Happy New Thread, Caro!

I love that camel topper, too. Hope you get that quiet time for reading this weekend. I know we'll have the Olympics on the agenda, and reading, too.

Happy new thread, Caro. Love the camel topper. As usual your thread is drool worthy.
When in French sounds good.

I hope you do get to read and eat a satisfactory amount on the weekend.

Happy new thread, Caro!

Happy new thread! Love your camel topper!

Happy new thread, Caro!

If you haven't found the Earthsea cycle group read yet...

That camel topper is wonderful. Are the hippos in >3 cameling: bookends? Terrific. and I like the sound of the book on searching for Franklin.

>6 cameling: *snerk*

Happy new thread!

>5 cameling: Poor Lady Franklin. She never gave up, but she also never got over it. Sad, sad life.

>8 cameling: YUM!!!

Happy new one, Caro! I really love the topper.

>6 cameling: *belly laugh*

Happy new thread, Caro.

How long will you be in Singapore?

>1 cameling: A new camel! And a really lovely one, at that!

Happy new thread, Caro. I have been interested in the lost Franklin expedition for a long time and have followed the story of how the Erebus was discovered at long last.

Happy new thread Caro! Eating and reading? My two favourite things. Only thing missing is the sleeping. :D

Happy birthday, Caro!

And a belated Happy Birthday, Caro!

>10 msf59: As I've been in Singapore since Jan 31 where it's a balmy 85F everyday, I can't say I'm missing winter or tired of it yet. It's been pretty steamy here over the last 2 days, so I actually wouldn't mind a little snow.

Having said that, I hope winter will be over when I come home on March 3.

Are you back in the routine, with your wonderful Mexican holiday but a dream? Bet you're missing the warm beaches.

>11 jnwelch: Thanks Joe. Alas, I haven't managed to catch much of the Olympics because I've been running around on a fairly tight schedule. So I have only been able to catch highlights at night for a few minutes before I'm out like a light. :-(

>12 BLBera: Eating over the weekend was not a problem, Beth. Having the will power to stop before over-eating, on the other hand ..... ;-) It was a good weekend though. I managed to get some reading done, a run by the beach at sunrise, hung out with my mom for a day (which is getting to be more and more challenging as her dementia continues to take away more of her personality and memory) and some friends.

I was really surprised at how clever When in French turned out to be. I was expecting a bit of a chicklit read and was thus pleasantly surprised by the amount of linguistic evolution and history peppered throughout.

>13 scaifea: Thanks, Amber

>14 ChelleBearss: He's a happy little fellow isn't he? I'm glad he's earned himself another fan.

>15 FAMeulstee: Thanks for the link to the group read for Earthsea, Anita. I thought I had a copy of the book on my Kindle but I can't seem to find it. Ugh! I must have it in print on my bookshelf at home. Bummed.

>16 ffortsa: Judy, yes, the hippos are bookends. If I had the space (meaning, if I had fewer books), I'd be buying lots of different bookends ...but the few that I have have ended up in a storage tote in the basement as the books have edged them out and taken up every bit of real estate on my suffering bookcases.

I think you might like Ice Ghosts .. hopefully you'll find a copy at your library.

>17 drneutron: here's another one for you, Jim...

>18 richardderus: I know right, Rdear? It's not just all the money she invested in trying to sponsor the searches, but all the way to the end, she continued to love him and pine for him. So very sad.

>19 Crazymamie: Glad happy camel has yet another fan. If you had liked the patio sign in >6 cameling:, check out the new one I posted in >27 cameling:

>20 PaulCranswick: Paul, I just sent you a PM. I'm in Singapore until next Tuesday, when I head off to Jakarta for a few days. Then I'm heading your way the week after. :-)

>21 EBT1002: Thanks, Ellen. Glad you like happy camel. That's what I've named her .. Happy.

>22 Familyhistorian: I hadn't actually known much about the Franklin Expedition at all, so I'm really very glad I chanced upon the book and decided to take it home with me. Ice Ghosts also covers not only the lost Franklin Expedition but some of the much earlier ones attempting to find a Northwest passage and some of the post Franklin search expeditions. Reading also about Inuit storytelling histories was an eye-opener for me.

>23 jolerie: Gong Xi Fa Cai, Valerie. Are you doing mega preparations for tomorrow?

>24 ChelleBearss: Thanks very much, Chelle

>25 ronincats: Thanks very much, Roni.

Since I've been posting so much food lately, I thought I'd change up the pace a little and give you all some other photos. With the Chinese New Year around the corner, what more appropriate than some photos I took around Chinatown in Singapore the other day.

A guy set up a little mat on the ground on which to sit, his little easel and a large roll of paper. Looks like he just draws as he rolls his scroll. Needless to say, he drew quite a crowd of interested on-lookers and more than his fair share of people who stepped up to offer unsolicited suggestions ... haha


Half a Beijing Opera mask painted on the side of a parking garage


Samsui women were immigrant Chinese women who came to Singapore and Malaya in the 1920s - 1940s to take up construction jobs. They were instrumental to the development of infrastructure in Singapore. They were easily recognized by their characteristic red cloth folded headwear.


Another samsui woman, this one carrying building material (usually bricks) in rattan baskets balanced on a pole

Some shophouses in Chinatown. The owners would live upstairs and sell goods in the store on the ground floor.



Street decorations for the lunar new year in Chinatown. You can also see the juxtaposition of a modern skyscraper in the background with an old pre-war building in front


I just liked the mural painted the side of this stretch of buildings. It reminds me of old Chinese porcelain plates

In case anyone was in any doubt as to which animal was being celebrated in this coming lunar new year..



An example of how a multiracial society lives, right smack in Chinatown is large Hindu temple. Sitting resplendent on a wall, a sacred cow stares out calmly with the top of the Sri Mariannam Indian template in the background.





Carved wooden doors lead to the side entrance of the temple

You didn't think I'd not post any food, now, did you?!

Forget the plain macarons ... here are cute and pretty macarons. They're not as sweet as the ones in the US which I find too too sweet and so never eat them when I'm at home. These .. I ate 1 whole one and was quite happy.

These carry motifs for the Chinese New Year


These are based on Japanese anime characters

A slightly spicy savory crisp omelette tossed with fresh shucked oysters (it's not meant for breakfast .. this is usually eaten as a snack or a side dish at meal times)


Half a stingray grilled on a banana leaf, with a spicy chili paste on the top. It's served with pickled onions and a kalamansi lime squeezed over.


Water convovulus sauteed with a fermented shrimp and chili paste.


Sop kambing - a spiced lamb soup

Dried fruit sold by weight at by a street vendor


Watermelon seeds, dried and eaten as snacks. The different colours denote different flavorings added I think. I don't like them, so I don't know what the flavorings are


There are apparently different grades of peanuts... who knew?

>33 cameling: Oh, those unicorn Macarons! Adorable!

Love all the photos, Caro! Thanks so much for sharing. And the sign in >27 cameling: made me laugh.

Wishing you a belated Happy Birthday, and hoping it was full of fabulous!

Yum! My stomach is growling looking at the food. Water convovulus is called by so many names.....but it is one of my favourites.
We had Tong Yuen for Christmas and New Years already so the preparations for Chinese New Year is not so intense. My MIL in performing in a Chinese dance this weekend so the boys will be there to cheer her on.
You want snow? We have lots and I'm more than happy to share. ;)

Have a great trip Caro.

Hi, Caro. Sweet Thursday!

Thank you for all the photos. I'm loving being able to armchair travel with you. And the food! Of course, I'm drawn to the cookies in >33 cameling:. :-)

I love that sign in >27 cameling:.

>34 cameling: *commence lethal-level drooling* Yes please. All of them. And a second half-stingray, please.

Singapore is a beautiful city.

Good food pics as always! Mrsdrneutron says the stingray looks awesome!

>5 cameling: That one looks like a must read for me. I have read several books on the Franklin expedition. Thanks for the recommendation, Caro!

>30 cameling: >31 cameling: >32 cameling: Thanks Caro for sharing the pictures of Chinatown in Singapore. I like the statues of the Chinese samsui women.

Happy Year of the Dog!

Yea for the photos! The little koi fish macrons are so sweet. And nice to see the dried fruit vendor selling a big pile of my favorite candied ginger.
Happy belated birthday! It looks like you're having a good time.

Loving all the photos! I hope your birthday was good. It looks like you may have eaten some really good food. :)

>33 cameling: Tortoro macrons! That seems like one of the best things ever!

>36 ChelleBearss: I saw some Snoopy, Woodstock, Charlie Brown and Lucy ones the other day, but the vendor wouldn't allow me to take photos. :-(

>37 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie. The birthday celebration was fun with 6 other friends at a quirky restaurant named Fat Lulus.

>38 jolerie: Valerie, I don't think I'll take you up on your very kind offer of snow. After giving it some thought, I thinking, why hasten my having to deal with the cold sooner than I have to. I'm going home in March which is only a few weeks away. Might as well relish the warm sunshine while I can, right?
How was your MIL's performance? I'm sure she did great, especially knowing the grandkids were there to root for her.

>39 jnwelch: Glad to be of service, Joe. I've been able to take a few more photos during this trip because I'm here for longer. It's also been great catching up with some old friends, even a few ladies who had been in the same class since we were 7 until we were 16.

>40 richardderus: Ahh.. I should have sent you a bib for Christmas ... would save the staff having to mop the floor behind you. *heh heh*

I'm in a new library along Orchard Road now, catching a little quiet time to catch up on work in between meetings. It's small but they've made very clever use of space and I love it. Will try and take some photos to share later.

>41 drneutron: Jim, time to plan a trip over here. I met a friend whose daughter is studying aeronautical science at the National University of Singapore. I didn't even know they offered that here .... so that must mean they would have need of someone like you to come over as a guest lecturer perhaps? :-)

>42 alcottacre: Stas, I really enjoyed Ice Ghosts not only because of what I learned from it, but also because it was just written in such a way as to keep the reader engaged... well, at least this reader.

>43 FAMeulstee: Woof Woof, Anita. Happy Year of the Dog to you too. So glad you enjoyed the photos. Even Starbucks decided to release a Samsui barista bear here in Singapore.


>44 mstrust: Jennifer, you have sharp eyes indeed to have spied the candied ginger. I bought a bag of dried guava and dried mango just now to snack on. The trip is going well, thanks .. and if it wasn't for the work portion, I'd be really fully enjoying myself. Haha

>45 nittnut: Thanks Jenn. The birthday celebration was nice because it was with my closest friends. The hubster was wanting to throw a fancy surprise party but one of my best friends put the kibosh on that idea, (yaay!) because she had already made a reservation at a quirky restaurant she knew I would like. I'm really not for large celebrations when it comes to my birthday.

>46 Oberon: Erik, Totoro had a nice black sesame and vanilla filling. Really quite tasty, although I felt bad about biting into him.

The hubster was trimming the leaves off the coconut tree in my mum's yard this morning .. and rewarded himself with 2 fresh coconuts after.



Very pleased with his trophies

Love the photos, Caro. And, as usual, drool worthy food. :)

"Down at an English fair, one evening I was there
When I heard a showman shouting underneath the flare

I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts
There they are, all standing in a row
Big ones, small ones, some as big as your head
Give 'em a twist, a flick of the wrist
That's what the showman said

>51 BLBera: Glad you're enjoying the food travel, Beth.

>52 magicians_nephew: Why do I think this is part of a Monty Python skit? I seem to remember hearing them sing this...

Part of the small library I was in yesterday .. let's wander between the meandering shelves...



A reading nook with a table and chair in between the shelves


A cosy reading nook in the shape of a curled leaf

An open space downstairs to sit, read, do homework...





Writing classes are held in this room .. which also doubles up as a cafe when classes are not in session.

There are work tables and small collaborative areas on the left, but there were people there, so I didn't want to take their photos ... magazine bank on the right .... hubster walking thru and interrupting my photo...


magazine bank


A reminder on the stairs of the usefulness of the library app.

Oh my gosh! I love that library. Now I am all depressed about how normal mine is.

After all that reading, we needed a little sustenance ..

Rum mille crepe cake


Chocolate peanut butter, dark chocolate mousse cake

Somebody's got to, right? : )

>57 Berly: You and me both, Kim... you and me both. *sigh*

Wow! Loving all the photos, Caro. The food, OMG! And that library is heavenly! Enjoy the rest of your trip and it's great to see Edd join you on this adventure.

Beautiful library, good food, happy times!

Nice library! Our local branch is pretty nice, but that one's really well done.

What Jim said, Caro. How great to have a small library that's so well-designed.

>58 cameling: Oh my. That's my kind of sustenance.

It's beautiful! Thanks for posting pics of both the library and the cakes!

The coconut song was done by the Pythons but it was an old British music hall comedy turn long before that

LOVE the photos! That library is so beautiful.

Love that library Caro especially the little private reading nooks. You could totally just escape in those.

Yes, enjoy the sunshine. Winter can wait it's turn. I'm pretty much ready for spring now and even my boys who love to play out in the white stuff are hankering for warmer temps as well.

LOVE the library, Caro. I could move in. And food, too.

Oh, me too! What a lovely, airy library. So many nooks.

Hi Caro! I'm loving all the photos, especially the cute macaroons, and that library!

And Rum mille crepe cake. Yum.

>61 msf59: So glad you approve of the pics, Mark. I had to have something to give your beautiful pics a run, right? I've been told there are 2 other libraries in Singapore which offer interesting and yet functional space for readers, kids and even computers just for the elderly (something to do with larger keyboards with softer keys for arthritic fingers). I'd like to see if I can make it over to visit one of them before I return. But if not, I'll definitely make it part of my agenda the next time I'm here.

>62 richardderus: I knew posting library pics in this group would generate a lot more interest than if I had posted it on FB. lol

>63 drneutron: The only suggestion I had to make was that they put in some floor cushions to sit on rather than for patrons to sit on the wooden steps.

>64 jnwelch: I do try to post more mainstream food pics from time to time ... oh wait, I'd first have to eat more mainstream food more often. Haha... But those cakes were really good. The hubster wants to go back again before we leave ... I'm not going to try and persuade him otherwise.

>65 mstrust: You're welcome, Jennifer.

>66 magicians_nephew: Ah ha .. I'm glad I'm not going as senile as I sometimes suspect I am, Jim. So MP did sing the Coconut song... I've just gone and Youtubed it, and found a whole bunch of different versions of the song. Edd is asking if I'm quite alright ... because I'm playing each one in turn :-) You should check out the Muppets version... LOL There's even a MP version set to Japanese anime clips of buxom lovelies.

>67 Crazymamie: I think if towns paid more attention to designing good and pretty spaces in libraries, more people would spend more time in them.

>68 jolerie: Valerie, I saw many a teenager or two curled up in those reading nooks in the library actually reading as opposed to watching vids on their phones/tablets or texting. Whichever architectural firm it was who designed the library deserves, IMO, an award for creating spaces that are enticing more young readers.

I have one more week of warm weather and then I head back to Boston next Saturday. *sigh*

>49 cameling: >43 FAMeulstee: Funny you mention Starbucks, Caro, as I had my very first visit to Starbucks a week ago.

>69 BLBera: Beth, now that's not a bad idea .... if they had nooks with beanbags or little beds in them, I'd move in too.

>70 ffortsa: Time to start a petition for small neighborhood libraries in Manhattan to be re-designed, Judy.

>71 EBT1002: Ellen, I'm going to have to get on a serious work out regimen when I go home to work off all this weight I've gained during this trip. I've noticed a definite drop in my metabolic rate this year, which is most upsetting.

This is my favorite coffee when I'm in Indonesia .. kopi tetes ... it's thick coffee made with fresh ground local coffee beans (in this photo, the beans are from Sumatra) dripped into a glass with condensed milk at the bottom. Patience is required because the water is poured into the top of the metal canister and it slowly drips, through a metal plate on which the canister rests, into the glass.

Padang is a common way to eat in Indonesia. Depending on the restaurant or cafe, they make about 20 - 30 different dishes and when you sit at the table, they bring all the dishes out in small plates and place them on top of each other. You just help yourself to what you want, and only pay for the dishes that you've eaten from. There's always a big bowl of rice as well, to accompany the dishes.



This was my dinner on my last night in Jakarta:


Close ups ... ayam bakar (grilled chicken with a tamarind sweet glaze and fried shallots)


sop buntot (a very peppery oxtail soup)

These were stone carved art hanging on the wall by the elevator at the hotel which I particularly liked.

I did get to do a fair bit of reading .. I'll have to find some time tomorrow to add the books and post some reviews.

Wonderful photos, Caro! And isn't the guy in the second carving astonishingly flexible?

>76 cameling: Kind of reminds me of Vietnamese drip coffee...although I realize now that I've never even tried it before! Enjoy the rest of the trip and hopefully Spring is that much closer when you get back to Boston. :)

>76 cameling: How does one drink it? In the layers or stirred or what?

Lovely meals. Lovely presentation idea.

>80 mstrust: I know right, Jennifer? He could be a member of Cirque de Soleil any day! I'm jealous .. wish I was that flexible.

>81 jolerie: Yes kopi tetes is similar to Vietnamese luak ... except for the different coffee beans used and also their drip apparatus is slightly different.

>82 richardderus: One removes the metal apparatus, stirs the coffee with the condensed milk, slurp, sit back and emits a blissful sigh.

17. by Nora Roberts
Sacred Sins

This is my first Nora Roberts picked up on a whim, and while it's not quite as thrilling as her InDeath series, I am pleased to see that there is a sequel.

A serial killer appears to be killing women by strangling them with a priest's amice. Is he a priest himself, or was he a priest? Or is the killer just someone who believes the voice he hears in his head is God giving him instructions to cleanse these women?

With no obvious clues as to the motive behind the killings and no indication as to who could be the killer, the major needs answers and for the killer to be caught quickly. The detectives in the team find themselves paired with a psychiatrist brought in to profile their killer. While sparks fly between brooding Detective Ben Paris, who has a deep loathing for psychiatrists, and Dr Tess Court, who believes everyone can be healed with the right treatment, the killer is becoming more dangerous.

I really like how the author is able to pack enough details in this story to keep it moving at a fast pace, and yet not make things too convoluted that one loses the plot. The twist at the end was a real surprise to me.

3 stars

18. by Andrew Ervin
Burning Down George Orwell's House

When advertising genius, Rey Welter develops a conscience and turns his back on the advertising world and his job and loses his wife, he decides to leave Chicago and rent a house in Scotland George Orwell has spent writing his novel 1984 in.

On the remote island of Jura, the islanders aren't the most hospitable lot, it rains everyday, the expensive boots he bought from Chicago are useless and gives him the worst blisters and he is miserable . The only saving grace is the Scotch, copious drams of which flow smoothly down his throat.

Oh and maybe I should mention that the islanders involve Rey in their annual boozy hunting event where they look for a sheep killing werewolf.

3 stars

19. by Anne de Courcy
The Fishing Fleet

During the period of the Raj in India, not only was elephant hunting popular by the men, but husband hunting was all the rage among the women of the British Empire.

Researched from letters and journals, the author covers the lives of some women from Victorian England, who traveled across the world to India, in search of a military or businessman husband. With India being the exotic and spice laden jewel of the British crown, many British men chose to leave England to seek their fortune in the British Raj. With few eligible men available in England, the women decided to follow in their footsteps and seek a husband among their fellow countrymen.

With tiger hunts, glittering parties, picnics and parties, life in the Raj could have been a dazzling whirlwind.

However, most of the women of the Fishing Fleet would soon find that the reality of life in India was not always as aromatically rosy as they had envisioned. Most found themselves in marriages of convenience, some were in distant outposts with few other Europeans for company and then there was the heat that sapped their energy. Some fell into depression or suffered domestic abuse with no one to help them.

It was an interesting look into a time when the British Empire was at it's height.

3 stars

>76 cameling: That coffee looks amazing, Caro.

Burning Down George Orwell's House sounds interesting.

20. by Alice Hoffman
The Rules of Magic

When Frannie, Jet and Vincent were children, they knew they were different, but they didn't realize just how different. As they grew into their individual strengths, they were warned that there was a curse over their family bloodline .. they were not to fall in love, otherwise those they fell in love with, would suffer tragedy and even death.

This is a prequel to Practical Magic and it follows the lives of the 3 siblings from childhood to adulthood, the heartache and sorrow they experienced, the challenges which called every ounce of courage in them to fight for what they wanted or to keep someone safe.

There were portions of the book that dragged and I thought the author could have condensed things a little to keep the pace at a more even clip.

Not as good as Practical Magic but it was an interesting prequel nonetheless.

3 stars

21. by Ariel Lawhon
The Wife, the Maid and the Mistress

An interesting if slightly campy novel using real characters of the 1930s. Judge Joseph Crater is last seen at a New York night club owned by mob boss, Owney Madden. When his wife tries to report him missing, she is led to believe, for about 2 weeks, that he's fine, busy and just being his regular self. However, when a journalist is tipped off that there could be a story behind the disappearance of Judge Crater, the police are finally called in to investigate in his disappearance.

Among the seedy world of corruption, greased palmed favors and shady mob activities, Judge Crater's world is exposed, with 3 women revolving through the doors... his long suffering wife, his mistress who would do anything for a chance at Broadway, and the maid, who sees one thing too many.

What really happened to Judge Crater .. and will the truth ever be allowed to surface?

3 stars

22. Deborah Moggach
Tulip Fever

I've had this in my TBR Tower for quite a while, and finally took it off to read. I understand this has been adapted for the movie screen.

In the 1630s, Tulipomania struck Holland. Everyone was crazy about this flower and certain tulip bulbs fetched astronomical sums. A wealthy merchant, Cornelius Sandvoort commissioned artist Jans van Loos to paint his and his wife's portrait. However the artist and Cornelius's young wife, Sophia, are attracted to each other and soon after, engages in an affair.

When the Sanvoort's maid, Maria, is caught in dire straights, van Loos, Sophia and Maria embark on a crazed plan that was to give them all their freedom. As their plan is put into action, they realized they were not as careful as they had thought, and that others had to be brought into their conspiracy. Tulipomania, while only casually mentioned, played a big part in the success of their plan.

But with all best laid plans, the unexpected has a nasty habit of leaping in and bestowing delightful favors or causing plans to collapse like a house of cards.

3.5 stars

>87 BLBera: Beth, the coffee was very aromatic and thick. I love good coffee.

Burning Down George Orwell's House is a fun read.

Wow, lots of great reading going on over here!

>76 cameling: That coffee looks delicious! How long would it take to drip?

Lots of good reviews, Caro. I think the wrong book cover slipped into >86 cameling:.

I think I liked The Rules of Magic a bit more than you, but Practical Magic definitely is the primo one. (Is "primo one" redundant?) I'm glad I finally read PM in the last year or so, after thinking about reading it for ages.

>93 ChelleBearss: I had a slower reading month in February, but in general, I've been pleased with what I was able to read. I'm always thankful if I don't end up with dud reads when I'm traveling when my reading options are a bit more limited, based on what I've brought along with me, or downloaded on my Kindle from the library.

The coffee took about 15mins to drip to the level in the glass at the point I took the photo. So not too bad .... it's a coffee not meant to be drunk in haste. Most people drink it in the morning over a newspaper or at the end of the day when they may just be hanging around chatting with friends/family after a meal.

>94 jnwelch: Thanks Joe. And thanks also for the catch on the book cover which I've just fixed.

I wonder if I would have liked Rules of Magic more if I hadn't yet read Practical Magic? This is where time machines would come in really useful. ;-)

Happy Sunday, Caro. I love all your photos.

I took a walk around Little India today after lunch. Our lunch was on washed, freshly cut banana leaves. On both plates, is a little tub of warm pumpkin pudding for dessert (it's the one with the little spoon in)

Masala thosai with a selection of dhaals and sambars, and some vegetables dolloped on the banana leaf



Vegetable briyani, papadam and chapati, with dhaal, curry and cucumber yoghurt

>96 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara. I'm glad to share .. and welcome home! I'm glad to have followed you along on your recent skiing holiday.

Here are some scenes from the Little India neighborhood

Entrance to the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple


Temple roof .. or rather, part of it. All hand crafted by artisans from India




Side wall of the temple

>98 cameling: thanks Caro. Currently it's freezing cold here with a terrible strong chilly wind. We're going out for lunch wit my MIL and BIL. The walk to the restaurant will be a challenge.

Colorful buildings

A good use, I think, of outdoor wall space

More outdoor murals

Lovely! Such vibrant colours!

Thanks for sharing those lovely photos with us, Caroline! The food looks amazing.

I'm enjoying that street art, Caro. Thanks for taking and posting all those colorful photos.

Great pics, as usual! I love the flower vine artwork.

I love being able to travel with you, admiring the art and enjoying the food. It is so satisfying.

And that temple? Clearly this is a religion with no idea of "over the top."

>105 ChelleBearss: Makes a change from a lot of brown in Jakarta last week .. mostly because of the smog.

>106 kidzdoc: You're welcome, Darryl. As for the food .. if you come visit Boston this year, I'll make some of it for you. Enticing enough? ;-)

>107 jnwelch: You're very welcome, Joe.

>108 drneutron: Jim, there is a partially government funded organization that holds Art events and activities every year, and part of their mission is to infuse more street art that captures elements of Singapore's history on the murals in specific neighborhoods. So the art that I've shared here will be on the walls only for a maximum of 2 years, after which the walls will be whitewashed and new artists will be commissioned to paint new murals on the walls again. I didn't get to cover all of Little India .. mainly because I kept walking in circles and missed a few alleys... and it was also blisteringly hot so I gave up after a while and jumped into a cab to head back to my air conditioned room.

>109 richardderus: Glad you are enjoying the photos, Rdear. I'm going to miss the sunshiney warmth when I head back to Boston on Saturday, but I'll also be glad to be home and to get back to routine again.

The temple in >99 cameling: is a South Indian temple. The figures on the handcarved roof depict scenes from the Ramayana. There's another Indian temple on the East side of Singapore that has a more impressive and larger roof. It usually takes a large team of stone carvers from India sitting on bamboo scaffolding to patiently chisel away to make all the figures before they all get painted. The roof in >99 cameling: is made of soap stone imported from India.

Wonderful pics!!! The murals, the temples, the food! Thanks for posting so we can see these incredible sights. And pumpkin pudding- yum!

The world tour is delightful, Caro. thanks!

Beautiful and yummy! Feast for the eyes and the mouth. Best combo. :D

Dear Caro thank you for a lovely evening last night. Your company as always helps to lighten my mood and fill my stomach!

>111 mstrust: Thanks Jennifer. They're not as amazing as National Geographic shots, but they're not too badly taken for a camera phone, I think. ;-)

>112 ffortsa: You're welcome, Judy. I think between a few people on LT, we may have photos from every continent on our lovely planet. If there was a way to compile all the photos together it would be interesting, I think, to see how many countries we've covered between us.

>113 jolerie: Thanks Valerie. Now to find a way to include sound as well ... hmmm.... Maybe I'll see if I can post short vids the next time.

>114 PaulCranswick: You beat me to the photo post, Paul. I was just about to post our Meetup pic from our amazing dinner last night. Hanging out with you is always the highlight of my KL trips.

Thanks to you, I can now also add Messer Marco Polo, Dead Man's Time and The Hopeless Life of Charlie Summers to my TBR Tower. I was just about to download a few more books from my e-library onto my Kindle because I've already read the ones I'd borrowed before my trip. I'm dying to read Messer Marco Polo and am really disgruntled that I am held hostage in meetings today and while I do like the friends I'm meeting this evening and haven't seen them either, in a year, I am secretly hoping the evening will not go too late in the night so that I can read before sleep claims me. Shhhhh....

I've a half hour break before my next meeting and I'm logged into LT for a quick peek at what some of you are doing ...

Now that I think about it ... I wonder what psychologists would say about my conflict between wanting to meet with friends I've known for 25 years and wanting to just stay alone in my hotel room or in a cozy corner of a cafe to read. Now, if these friends I'm meeting this evening would have been happy just to be in my company and read on their own too .. I wouldn't have warring emotions. Alas, none of the 6 people I'm meeting are readers. *sigh*

>115 cameling: I so much look forward to your visits Caro.

Moi aussi, Paul, moi aussi.

We were briefly talking about non-English movies last night. If you haven't already, I really recommend watching the following:

- Come What May (French) .. I don't know anyone yet who has watched and not liked this movie
- Piku (Hindi) ... not a dance around a palm tree scene in sight. Deliciously funny and Irfan Khan and Amitabh Bachchan are just too good.
- Blue Lips (French, Spanish, English... sounds schizophrenic but it really works)

Hooray for the Meet Up, with Paul & Hani! Looks like you are getting some reading in too. Keep it up, my friend.

>118 cameling: I will see if Belle can get them on Netflix or whatever it is called. xx

Bookish friends who'll sit and read with you are hen's teeth. I had one evening with friends so long-standing that we all three sat around and read while their kids were out doing teenager stuff. It lives in my memory as one of the best nights I spent at their house.

I must say I don't think I have any RL friends who love reading as much as I do. Maybe just 1.... Glad there is this group otherwise I'd be wondering if I'm the only one!?!

>119 msf59: I'm certainly doing better (so far) at carving out some good reading hours for myself this year, Mark. I certainly hope I'm able to keep up the pace. Certainly I have no shortage of books to read. ;-)

I'll have to get to some of the GNs that are getting a little long in the tooth in my TBR Tower when I get back. Not a bad problem to have, to be sure.

>120 PaulCranswick: Paul, those are all available on Netflix. :-)

>121 richardderus: Wow, that sounds like a perfect evening, if you ask me, Rdear. Last night with my old colleagues was a really fun evening. It was great seeing a few I'd not met up with in over 10 years while the others are ones I see each time I visit Kuala Lumpur. But I didn't regret dragging myself out of the hotel room once I was in their company. Especially when I noticed one of my friends walking a little oddly and he later told me that he's been diagnosed with mild Parkinson's. So sad. But he remains chirpy and doesn't want medication. He wants to try and see if he can curb the progress through exercise and diet first. I've noticed that even his speech is slower. So sad.

>122 jolerie: Fortunately for me, the hubster is a reader too. So we often have reading nights when we're just sitting together and each reading our own books .. blissful. More blissful for me because he gets up regularly to bring us both mugs of tea/water and snacks. :-)

It's great when all family members love reading. This is the case with us and I love these moments.
Happy Wednesday, Caro.

Thank you for sharing all of the wonderful photos! Treat for the eyes!

>95 cameling: And I was mulling over this question--which of the "Magic" books to read first. I happen to have Rules of Magic and was planning to read it pretty soon, but then wondered if I should read Practical Magic first. I think I'll stick with reading Rules of Magic first; do you think that's the way to go?

Karen O.

Hello Caro--frequent lurker, rare commenter here, but I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed the Singapore pictures. My family lived there 8-9 years while I was in college (and beyond), and during my summer vacations and Christmas holidays, I spent a total of about 9 months there.

>30 cameling: The first summer I was there, someone was building a house at the end of our block up on a hill. I watched trains of women walking up and down the hill with the baskets on poles. It was fascinating watching this method of construction. I can't remember if they wore the red headdresses, but I wonder if they were samsui? (This was 1969).

So much fun looking at all your photos. And meetups!

Loving all of the photos here, Caro - so beautiful and so interesting.

>76 cameling: I recently had a very similar coffee - Abby brought me a Vietnamese coffee from the coffee house where she works. I loved it!

>85 cameling: I liked Burning Down George Orwell's House - so quirky. I think I might have to reread that one this year.

>104 cameling: I LOVE these!

>114 PaulCranswick: Hooray for a meet-up!

Looks like life has been very full and very busy for you - hoping you get some time to slow down and be lazy very soon.

>124 Ameise1: I had a lovely hour between meetings today and enjoyed a nice mocha latte with a book. What was a nice surprise was the hubster met me at the cafe and he pulled out a book to read as well. We were the only 2 people not staring at our mobile phones in the whole cafe. :-)

>125 klobrien2: I think it would work better if you read Rules of Magic before you read Practical Magic. If I had read them in that order, I suspect I would have enjoyed RM more. It does give you a good background to the characters you'll meet in PM.

>129 cameling: That sounds lovely! I loved reading in Starbucks while I was waiting for C to finish preschool!

>123 cameling: Oh dear, I am so sad about your friend's news. It's wonderful that he's taking control of the condition, but it's still so awful to know the outcome and be unable to help.

*hugs*

Sounds like a very good day NOT to be in Boston, Caro!

>114 PaulCranswick: Love the meetup photo!!

>123 cameling: And yay for great reading companions. The warm tea is a nice touch from the hubster.

>126 arubabookwoman: The women you saw walking up the hills with baskets strung on poles were definitely samsui women. If you had been in Singapore back in the late 60s - 70s, you will probably recognize events or even places in these photos...

The big MPH bookstore at the corner of Hill Street


Old bus tickets


Coffee shop 'uncle' with the fresh loaf of bread that will soon be sawn into slices, slathered with butter and kaya, and served with soft boiled eggs and thick coffee

>127 nittnut: Glad you are enjoying them, Jenn. That's one of the benefits of technology, it has allowed us to share memories, to arm chair travel, and to make the world a smaller place where one is able to make friends regardless of physical distance, and hopefully build a better understanding of cultures and people across the globe.

>128 Crazymamie: How wonderful that you've had an opportunity to taste Vietnamese coffee, Mamie. It is so much more flavorful and aromatic compared to McCafe coffees and Dunkin Donut coffees which I don't bother drinking. Having fallen when I was very young, into a muddy ditch, my first taste of Dunkin Donut coffee reminded me of that accident and I've never gone back (to either place) for another dose.

>130 ChelleBearss: Waiting for anyone or anything is so much more pleasant when one is able to read. :-) I was waiting at the telco company today to sort out something with my mom's phone service and while others around me groused about the long wait, I barely noticed the time since I was tucked into a memoir about living out WWII in Singapore behind convent walls.

I'm sure if everyone were to just carry a little book with them wherever they went, they wouldn't be quite so unhappy if they had to wait at the post office, hair salons, banks, doctor's office...

>131 richardderus: Thanks Richard. I'm trying to see if I can get some recommendations to sports therapists for him. He's pretty much trying to manage his condition on his own, and I feel he would be better aided with professional help, both psychological and physical.

>132 ronincats: The storm's come in and my friends are reporting power outages, broken branches all over the roads, gale force winds flinging garden furniture about and fallen trees. I hope the inclement weather will be over by the time I fly into Boston.

>133 Berly: Kim, I'm always grateful for surprise moments with the hubster .. especially if he doesn't want me to go shopping, an activity I detest. LOL

I'm so glad the monster work week is over. I was working until 2am last night while the hubster packed. We managed to get a couple of hours of sleep before I had to drive him to the airport to catch his flight to San Francisco. We're flying home separately because he's going to hang out with 2 of his best friends for a few days while I will head home tonight because I've a meeting in the office on Monday.

I'm looking forward to catching up on sleep on the plane this evening. Catch you all when I'm back Stateside.

Have a good flight!

Safe travels and happy homecomings!

Love the photos of Little Indian, Caro. Nice one of Paul and you as well.

Safe travels.

Wishing you safe travels, Caro!

Safe travels home Caro!
Hopefully the busyness will subside when you are back home. :)

Safe travels indeed, Caro!

Safe travels!

Travel safely!

Thanks all.

I'm home after a cancellation and delay in Frankfurt due to the weather which required me to spend the night at a hotel near the airport in Frankfurt, wherein a drunken person attempted to barge his way into my room, throwing himself against the door a few times until I called down to the front desk. Security came up to drag the guy away because he insisted it was his room (it turned out he was trying to get into the right room number .... wrong hotel) and the general manager was apologetic (after waking me up again an hour later) and said they would be taking 20% of my bill ... before realizing I didn't have a bill because it was being comped by the airline, after which he wanted to deliver a bottle of champagne to my room as compensation for the disturbances (including his?) ....... at 3.30am. *sigh* I decided to forgo sleep and just read for the rest of the night .. after all, I didn't know what else to expect.

Soooo happy to be home again, even if I did have to weather a nor'easter snowstorm and was snowed in for 2 days ... not that I minded since I did some grocery shopping the day before the storm.

The hubster came home just before the storm hit, and spent yesterday in a major jetlagged fog.

So all is well, even if it's a little weird to look out the window to thick snow on the ground and on the trees after being in 90F degree weather for a month.

23. by Min Jin Lee
Pachinko

A wonderful family saga spanning 4 generations beginning with Hoonie, a Korean man who runs a boarding house in a Korean fishing village. When his daughter finds herself pregnant, the intervention of a Korean missionary saves her and her family from a loss of standing in the community. They move to Japan to live with the missionary's brother and and his wife, and there they stay, facing a life of hardship when they realize the Japanese look down on Koreans and treat them as less than second class citizens.

Each character in the story are unique, strong and colorful in their own way. The tight bonds of family resonates throughout the novel as does the history behind the lives of Koreans living in Japan during the 1900s.

While I am familiar with the Korean war, I was not aware of Koreans who found themselves stranded in Japan during the war, and the challenges they faced when they found themselves stranded in a country that didn't appreciate nor want them, but were unable to return to their motherland because of war conditions.

This partially historical novel gave me a deeper appreciation for all the freedom I've taken for granted.

4 stars

So, just a typical Caro adventure, right? Glad to hear you are both home safely, well-supplied, and with power to keep warm!

24. by Leta Serafim
The Devil Takes Half

The first book in a series set in Greece, Petronas, the chief police office and his team struggle with their first homicide when an archaeologist and her assistant are killed. To help our intrepid detective with his investigations is a priest with a penchant for criminal investigative TV programs. Our detective's confusion grows along with his list of suspects. When the body count starts to mount and the priest is brutally attacked, Petronas realizes that he may have been barking up the wrong tree all along.

If the homicides weren't enough to keep him busy, Petronas's personal life is far from blissful. His wife is unhappy and jealous over his frequent (though innocent) meetings with his first love, and her actions may have led to a tragic outcome which Petronas is unable to forgive her for.

I can't say I'm wild about Petronas as a character, and I'm a little bummed there isn't more mention of delicious Greek food in the story. But it does manage to hold its own and I will give this series a chance and plan to read the next in the series.

3 stars

My first discarded book for the year is Unspeakable Things by Kathleen Spivack. I think I have a pretty strong stomach for dark and unpleasant subjects, but this book made me not only uncomfortable but nauseous. Based on emigres to the US, it started out quite promisingly but then spiraled into a rather surreal world of eccentric musicians searching for missing fingers, child abuse, Rasputin, rape and genetic engineering coincided. I didn't make it beyond a third before I had to give up. I found nothing of value in this work and it still leaves a bad taste in my mouth whenever I think about it.

No. no, no and NO.

>146 cameling: This looks like a book I would really like. Thanks for your review.

Glad you survived the trip - the drunken man sounds like a character out of a novel!

Glad you arrived home in one piece, even if your trip was rather eventful!
Hope you get to have a nice relaxing weekend!

>149 cameling: Oh. Yeah, no.

Pachinko made me stay up late. Glad you liked it, too.

>145 cameling: Great story - Were you able to sleep on the plane?

You got me with Pachinko and The Devil Takes Half, Caro.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend. Are you home for a while?

>149 cameling: Sounds like this book is aptly named!

Another voice cheering for Pachinko. Perhaps I can get one of my book groups to give it a try.

Welcome back friend

>150 RBeffa: It is a great story, and also a little sad. It makes you question how much fate plays in our lives and what (if anything) we're able to do to change our fate.

The drunken man incident was annoying more than scary, and I'm glad the hotel staff took care of it so quickly. But what I want to know is why things like this appear to happen to me on a regular basis.

>151 ChelleBearss: Chelle, it feels great to be back and even better knowing I'm going to be home based for the rest of the month until the middle of April. Now if only work were to lighten up a little, that would be the cheery on the top of the ice cream sundae. :-)

>152 richardderus: I know Koreans who've been living in Japan through 2 - 3 generations. I was aware they had faced discrimination for not being Japanese, but not to the degree the book highlights. That must have been such a hard choice for them ....to stay and live with discrimination or to return to Korea and starve.

>153 BLBera: Beth, I always manage to sleep on planes, even during moments of turbulence. And it doesn't matter which seat I get either.

I arrived on Sunday afternoon, so not much of a weekend left to enjoy, but it was good to unpack, take a long hot shower and relax in pjs on the couch for the rest of the evening. Then it was back to work the next day and it's been pretty much non-stop for the whole week, the snowstorm notwithstanding. In fact, the stupid storm made things even more difficult because not only did I have work I had to do (thankfully we didn't lose power and I can pretty much work anywhere as long as my laptop is working and there's an internet connection), but I had to help the hubster with some snow removal a couple of times that day because it was just thick, wet and heavy snow. Grr... Enough already, I say!

>154 ffortsa: The thing is, Judy, the book has received rave reviews ... and I really couldn't find anything redeeming about the book, much less worthy of praise. Did the reviewers just look past the revolting acts and focus on ...... hmm..... not sure what they focused on, really, because the images that unfolded in my mind as I read the book were so troubling and disgusting I still can't get over them.

>155 magicians_nephew: Good to be back, Jim. Yaay... Pachinko as a book group read. I'd be interested to see what your group has to say about it after they've read it.

25. by
Night of the Animals

Interesting if somewhat dragged-out dystopian tale of a man who hears voices in his head since the time of his brother's death. When the voices tell Cuthbert he needs to release all the animals in London Zoo if he is to be reunited with his brother. As he embarks on this quest, the rest of the world is faced with a suicide cult on a mission to destroy all the animals and themselves.

With the 2 missions clearly at odds, does Cuthbert's quest actually put the animals in greater danger or will he be the hero that saves the world and find answers to his brother's death?

It could have done with better editing, and I think there elements of the book which could have been removed altogether without negatively impacting the story because all they did was add pages to the book without any benefit.

3 stars

>26 cameling:. by Kate Bernheimer
My Mother, She Killed Me. My Father, He Ate Me

A collection of 40 revised fairy tales from around the world by authors such as Neil Gaiman, Joyce Carol Oates, Aimee Bender and Michael Cunningham. What I liked was at the end of each story, the author gives his or her explanation of the fairy tale on which his/her revised story was based.

Some of the revised fairy tales have a much nicer ending than the original, some are given a modern face lift, and some fall into much darker endings.

Loved it.

4 stars

>159 cameling: Umm, interesting title. It does sound fun, though.

>160 BLBera: Beth, the title is based on one of the revised fairy tales in the book. It is a fun book to read and I totally enjoyed it.

Today is going to be Spring Cleaning Day at the cameling house. .... or at least that's the plan. Looking out the window at the snow covered ground, it does seem like we're in the midst of winter, but I'm channeling Spring in the hopes that if we clean out our closets for clothes to donate to Goodwill and cull some of our books to donate to the library for their April book sale, maybe Mother Nature will take the hint and stop dumping all this white stuff on us and grace us with some warmer temps. I can but hope ... as I eat some mangoes ... yup, I'm eating warm weather fruit too. Every little bit helps, right?

Happy St Patrick's Day!

Good luck with your spring cleaning! We have too much to do here to do it in one day so I'm slowly working on each kid's room first and moving in their next sized clothes and culling or saving the old.

>26 cameling:

If you haven't read Sally Magnusson's where memories go
you may want to check out the many insights into dementia.

Good that your friend is seeking natural alternatives for Parkinson's
and hope that he finds one that works. My concern would be that
many of the medications offered distinctly state that they are most
effective IF taken early in the disease.

Also, if there was a natural one to be recommended that actually
shows promise of working, likely Michael J. Fox would alert us all...?

>159 cameling: I've had that one on my WL for a while. I don't even remember where I first heard of it, but I'm glad to see your review and that you liked it.
Good luck with your cleaning today. I have cleaning to do today too, but I'm not nearly as ambitious as you :-D

Happy Spring Cleaning Day, Caro. And St. Pat's Day! I forgot the Wearin' o' the Green, and had to go back and get some on.

Has your friend looked into electrical brain stimulation for Parkinson's? It's not for everyone, but it made a huge difference for a friend of ours who has P's. http://www.parkinson.org/Understanding-Parkinsons/Treatment/Surgical-Treatment-O...

>164 ChelleBearss: We didn't get as much done as I would have liked, but we did make a fair dent into the Spring Cleaning chores. We put together 4 large bags of clothes, 2 bags of old blankets and pillows and 2 bags of shoes which we brought to the Goodwill truck.

Cleaned the house (it's crazy how dusty the place can get when it's only just the 2 of us in the house!) and then we had to stop for a break..... and some blueberry pie I made yesterday morning. :-)

I did get started on culling books from the shelves for the library donation box, but I didn't get very far before I started to re-read Echoes in Death by JD Robb.

>165 m.belljackson: I have not read Where Memories Go, so thank you for the recommendation. I know my mom is upset that she is more and more forgetful, and I have noticed also a change in her personality for the worse. But at the same time, I'm frustrated that she is not motivated to do some things that could help alleviate her depression and potentially slow the relentless invasion dementia is making in her.

My friend with mild Parkinson's lives in Malaysia and he is not confident in the experience of the specialists there in treating this disease. He may seek a 2nd opinion in Singapore or Australia, 2 countries he visits often as his sons live there.

>166 mstrust: Ooh, it's not often I get to hit you with a book bullet, Jennifer. I think you'll enjoy >159 cameling: It is certainly quirky.

I should do more cleaning .. we have let piles of books grow like trees in almost every room in the house. It's funny what you get used to, but because I've been away for over a month, coming back to this really opened my eyes to how bad we have let it get.

>167 jnwelch: Electrical brain stimulation, Joe? That sounds scarily like the electric shock treatments that inmates in institutions for the mentally ill used to be subjected to. I did, after I got over my reflex cringe at the sight of the words, click on the link you provided and it actually sounds quite reasonable. I've forwarded the link to my friend and perhaps he can check it out with his doctor, to see if it's even a treatment that's available in Malaysia where he lives. Thank you for the recommendation.

Made corned beef and cabbage, potatoes and carrots for St Paddy's dinner last night when we had a few friends over. All washed down with bottles of Guinness.



Leftovers were turned into a corned beef hash with homefries, eggs and toast for brunch today.



The hubster is now in a food coma from celebrating his Irish heritage over the weekend.

The donation boxes for the library came to an abrupt halt when I started to re-read Echoes in Death yesterday. It still felt like a fresh story and I ended up spending the rest of the night and this morning reading the book to the very satisfying finish.

Alas, I have to make cookies today for a friend's housewarming party and so the book culling is suspended for the weekend. Perhaps I'll gradually clear off more shelves ... more? .. I have yet to finish even 1 shelf yet ... through the week.

>159 cameling: Coolio! Didja know there's a companion volume, XO Orpheus, containing 50 "new" myths?

Love the beefcorn dishes. Basically cabbage gets me to the table fast no matter what you serve with it, but I'll cut a beotch to get to the beefcornings.

>169 cameling: Re. your answer to Joe: I know Electric Shock Treatment has a bad name and would scare me big time.
That was until a neighbour and friend of me had a treatment resistant major depression with psychotic episodes. After years of trying everything else, the doctors advised this and she went on with it. She had three treatments, and now it is over three years ago and she is doing very well. So it doesn't have to be bad, at least when it isn't a forced treatment.

I always dread spring cleaning but when it is done, it feels SO good. We have this ledge where we keep a lot of family pictures. It's kind of a hard spot to dust and wipe down so of course it collects dust like nobody's business. When I get around to doing a full wipe down, it is the best feeling ever and also relieving but gross to think of all that dust just chilling around. :/

>172 richardderus: ooh no, I did not know that, Rdear. I just looked it up on Amazon... this is so up my alley.... *off to check if my library has it and to hold it*

I love corned beef dishes too, but only if it's homemade. I can't stand the stuff that comes in cans. They smell and taste funny.

>173 FAMeulstee: I've been trying to get more information into this treatment and it's been interesting how far the technology and treatment has come from what I'd seen in movies or read in articles from the 1940s. But it looks like the more common treatment is for mental disorders such as major depression, bipolarism and manias. Joe's link to the Parkinson's Foundation where ECT was used as treatment for Parkinson's is the first I've come across. I would like to learn more about this treatment since it could potentially help my friend and am, during breaks at work, scouring articles on the subject.

Some article refer to ECT as Magentic Stimulation Therapy .. I think this sounds a lot nicer than Electroconvulsive Therapy.

I'm glad your neighbor is much better after having gone through her treatments. Has she stopped the treatments and is just on medication or does she still have regular treatments?

>175 cameling: My neighbour had three ECT treatments and after those she could wean of her anti-depressants. The psychatric care could be minimized, so she is very happy.
As I understood from her they can work more precisely on certain areas in the brain. The treatment sure has evolved in the last decades, althoug it is still considered to be the last straw, after all else has failed.

>175 cameling: It's great that she is weaned off of the anti-depressants too. It sounds like this therapy was key for her. It still sounds a little scary to me and from what I've been reading so far, while the technology and our knowledge of how the brain reacts to stimulus has definitely improved over the years, the bits about the memory loss after each treatment sounds quite worrying. Then again, if this is the treatment of last resort, I don't suppose patients will mind losing a few memories if it means they'll start to feel like their regular selves again.

I made a 2nd recipe from the Hobbit Cookbook I received at Christmas. This time, it was the Beef, Mushroom & Onion handheld pies. When I made the filling, I didn't like how everything was just brown looking, so I threw in some peas as well .... after all, Hobbits need their vegetables too. They turned out really tasty and they've been given the thumbs up by the hubster too.

Hi, Caro. Somehow, your thread got lost in the LT shuffle, once again, but I have found you.

I had heard mixed reports on Pachinko, so I have been on the fence but you have eased me off a bit, so thanks.

Funny, I have had My Mother, She Killed Me. My Father, He Ate Me on shelf for a couple of years now and just lent it to a friend at work, (I have really got him turned on to short stories) and he said, this morning, he is really enjoying it. It looks like I will be placing this collection on the Must Read Now Shelf, once it returns.

>170 cameling: That looks great!

>178 cameling: They look so good! I think I'll have to look for The Hobbit Cookbook!

Karen O.

>178 cameling: Fully behind the green-peaing of the pies. Looks really really good.

>178 cameling: They look delish, esp on the pfaltzgraff plate.

What do you think the chances are of me convincing Judy that I am actually really a Hobbit and should only be fed from food described in the Hobbit Cookbook ?.

Those hand pies look good.

>178 cameling: I would pay for one of those!

>179 msf59: So glad you found me again, Mark. It's easy to lose threads here in this group .. take it from the voice of experience. Even when I star some threads, because this is such a gregarious (in a good way) group, I lose threads regularly and have to hunt for some when I realize I haven't seen them in a while.

I think Pachinko can be read as a hopeful story, one of resilience and determination, and it can also be read as a story of despair, helplessness and resignation. I'm not usually a fan of multi-generational stories, but this one, I have to say, drew me in and I cheered for, cried for and was indignant on behalf of the main characters. If you do read it, I'll be interested to see what you think of it.

I hope your friend remembers to return My Mother, She Killed Me. My Father, He Ate Me. I've had that problem with some friends who borrow and forget to return them. I had a friend who borrowed a book after I made sure to mention it's a book I would like back, and then he gave it away to someone else after he was done with it. Edd has a friend who, has friends sign a book with the title of the book/or CD and the date they've borrowed the item. And when they return it, they sign the book again.

>180 klobrien2: It's actually a fun book. Some dishes, like the oatmeal, I won't be making because I hate oatmeal, but I'm keen to try almost every other recipe in it. That's my challenge for the year .. to make *almost* every recipe in The Hobbit Cookbook. :-) Thanks

>181 richardderus: Thanks Rdear. I made about 24 of them and sadly they are all gone with a request from the hubster to make them again.

>182 RBeffa: Thanks Ron. I love my pfaltzgraff plates and down to my last 4 because we've had them for a long time and use them for daily meals, so quite a few have been broken along the way... mostly by me since I keep dropping things.

>183 magicians_nephew: Glue some hair on your toes and walk around without shoes and Judy might fall for your ploy.

>184 mstrust: Wow, thanks for the compliment, Jennifer. I'll save you a seat at the table the next time I make these.

27. by Luis Alberto Urrea
The House of Broken Angels

This is an amazing Mexican American family epic. As Big Angel, patriarch of the de la Cruz family plans and gathers his large family for his last birthday party, his mother dies the family heads into a weekend to bid farewell to his mother and then celebrate his birthday.

Amidst the preparations for both events, Big Angel's children, brothers, sister-in-law all tell their own stories.

Little Angel, Big Angel's half brother, shared father but as half 'gringo', did not share the same life his half-siblings did. There was resentment and misunderstandings on both sides, and finally, Big and Little Angel, get to mend fences.

It's a great story of a family who has had to live on both sides of the US-Mexico border, and resonates more today because of the current political and social climate here.

4.5 stars

Great food photos as always, Chef Caroline!

Nice review of The House of Broken Angels; I'll be on the lookout for it.

Great comments on The House of Broken Angels, Caro. I'm chuckling at your spring cleaning stories -- that's about how it goes with me as well, especially once I start clearing books from shelves. It's a months' long process.

I saw something online this morning and thought of you. Have you even seen anything about Book Crossing? I know that you sometimes release your books to be found by others and this looks like something interesting you could do before you set them free.
You register your book and put an ID sticker into the cover before you give it away or leave it to be found. When someone reads it they can log online and report where there are and then when they pass it along you can see where your book ends up.
I thought it was an interesting concept!

https://www.bookcrossing.com/howto

>188 kidzdoc: Thanks Darryl. I think you'll like House of Broken Angels .. come to think of it, I don't think I know more than 2 people who might not like this .. and those 2 only like reading chick lit and romance to the exclusion of all other genres.

>189 BLBera: Oh I'm so glad I'm not the only one with spring cleaning challenges. It is indeed turning out to be a multi-week process. I've at least managed to put together a few more bags to bring to the Goodwill truck today, and I tackled and cleaned out the fridge this morning so I'm feeling pretty good. I refuse to look at the piles of magazines and books all over the dining table, on the couch and floor of the room we spend most of our time in ... I think I'll try to deal with those tomorrow.... maybe. ;-)

>190 ChelleBearss: Yes, I've registered some of the books with BookCrossing before sending them out. I tend to do that only with books I send out to people I don't know and books I'm not expecting to be returned. It is fun and occasionally, I'll log in to see where books I've sent out a couple of months or years ago are now and where they've been since.

Caro! I was just thinking this morning while checking threads that I hadn't seen you posting in a bit.

28. by Sandra Cisneros
The House on Mango Street

This is a delightful set of vignettes told from the view point of young Esperanza Cordero. Each chapter covers an episode in her life with her friends, neighbors, family members or stories of people she comes in contact with.

The stories are funny, heart-breaking and poignant. Esperanza lets us see the world through her eyes and her psyche. Through her stories, we also understand the person Esperanza is growing up to be.

3.5 stars

>193 cameling: I have the Spanish version of this book, but haven't gotten the energy to tackle it, considering the woeful state of my Spanish.

29. Jody Shields
The Winter Station

In a sleepy Russian city of Kharbin on the border of Northern China, the Baron, the city's medical commissioner, is alerted to 2 dead bodies who appear to have disappeared. If that wasn't sufficiently mysterious, he finds out later the bodies were likely cremated .. but why was he not informed? When more people start dying, their bodies disappearing before they can be properly identified, the Baron is convinced there is foul play afoot, but he gets no support from the city's governor.

When a medical team from China is brought in following another death, this time witnessed by the Baron who is stopped from touching the man, he starts to suspect what disease might have killed these people.

Surrounded by intrigue and conspiracies, the Baron realizes the plague has been brought to their city, but how is it spreading? This being in the early 1990s, not much is known about this disease, the cause, how it is spread or the proper treatment of its victims. How will they bring this epidemic under control without alerting and alarming the city residents?

I liked the story, but found the pace a little uneven. There were far too many sections that dragged, in my opinion.

3 stars

30. Tetsuya Honda
Soul Cage

When Reiko Himekawa is called out to investigate the discovery of a dismembered hand, she is horrified to find her Crime Unit directed to work with a local crime unit which now also includes a Sargeant she wishes to avoid. But work together she must, if they are to find the rest of the victim's body. When a contractor is missing, his garage covered in blood, they tag the fingerprints taken from the hand to him. But where's the rest of him?

The investigation unearths a connection to the yakuza and additional deaths by suicide. But the puzzle grows instead of untangling and Reiko begins to have misgivings about the identity of the person to whom the hand belongs.

Just when you think you understand the plot, the author makes a change and tosses all your theories out the window. The reader is treated with lots of twists in this crime story.

3 stars

31. by Cristina Garcia
Here in Berlin

While this is a work of fiction, I felt I was reading interviews of real people. Set in Germany, a visitor to Berlin, armed with a camera moves around the city, meeting different people and capturing their stories. It's an interesting work which gives the reader a snapshot of life in Berlin and the people who give her vibrancy and color.

3.5 stars

>194 ffortsa: I'd love to be able to read House of Broken Angels in Spanish ..but my Spanish is deplorable so I'm likely not going to be able to venture far into the book anyway. I wish I had time to study the language so I'm able to read in the native language. I'm sure while I enjoyed the translated version, it would have been more colorful in Spanish.

Oh, you hit me with a BB with House of Broken Angels, Caro. I plan to read it soon.

I'm glad you liked The House on Mango Street. Me, too.

My company, I'm convinced in a petri dish for all communicable diseases. All it takes is for a couple of people to be sick and we all start dropping like flies. Last week, I finally fell prey to whatever virulent bug was going around this time. I had such a bad cough, I sounded like someone with a 4 pack-a-day habit. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Yesterday I was finally fever and headache-free, cough is gone and I just have minor sniffles. I'm so glad because I hate being sick.

I think I was delirious while I did some work during the week because I'm looking at emails this morning and have no recollection about having had any conversation on some of the subjects with some people.

>199 jnwelch: wow.. hitting you with a BB is akin to winning the lottery! Whoop whoop!

>200 cameling: Glad you're feeling better, Caro.
You know what freaks me out, and I see it too often? Store cashiers that lick their fingers to count money or open plastic bags. What a handy way to spread germs like magic.

>202 mstrust: Ooh.. you too, Jennifer? I HATE that. Or also when they cough into their hands and then hand you change in the hand they coughed into.

What I find odd are the signs in some bathrooms in restaurants that say all employees must wash their hands before exiting the bathroom. I always think .. why just employees? Why not say everyone must wash their hands before exiting the bathroom for the sake of good hygiene practice. Some years ago I was washing my hands in a bathroom when a woman and small child came out from one of the stalls. The child asked her mom if she should wash her hands, and the mom said .... 'oh that's ok sweetie. You're young so you don't need to. And we're late, so let's just go' !!! And of course she touched the handle on the door to open it . Arrrghhhhh..... this is why I always use a piece of tissue to open bathroom doors upon exiting. Some people are just gross.

Hi, Caro. Great to see you, stop by and give us a book update. First off, my pal from work returned My Mother, She Killed Me. My Father, He Ate Me in a very timely fashion and he loved it too. I turned him onto short fiction and he has been gobbling it up. Now, I need to find time to read that collection.

It looks like I should give Pachinko a chance. You gave it a good endorsement. Hooray for The House of Broken Angels! I love Urrea and this is high on my To-Read list!

Mango Street fizzled out for me, but I know readers really like this book. I did love her poetry though and I think that is where she shines.

>204 msf59: I haven't had time to do more than lurk and skim some threads over the last few weeks because of either work or illness. Hopefully things will ease up a little .. at least I know it will towards the latter half of next week.

So glad to hear your friend loved the book. Can't wait to see what you think of it when you get to it yourself.

Pachinko actually made me interested in the history of Koreans who were separated during the war, and the plights of those left behind in Japan because they had starvation to look forward to if they were to return to Korea, how they were treated and when things started to change for the better. There are some interesting documentaries and Korean movies I've been watching since.

I'm sorry you didn't like The House on Mango St all that much. It's funny, but I preferred her stories over the poetry.

I just realized I am heading out to LA on Sunday to attend a conference next week. Yikes! I thought I had another week before the event. So of course now I'm starting to feel a little frazzled thinking of all the things I need to do before I can leave.

I'll be off to Asia again straight after the conference, and this time I'm hitting Shanghai, Tokyo and Seoul. I do expect a little downtime in between so I'll try to see if I can explore parts of these cities I've not yet been to.... and what I can eat there. :-)

I visited the MFA yesterday evening thanks to a meeting in Boston that ended early. It's so much nicer to be able to wander around my favorite rooms without the usual weekend crowd.

I love John Singer Sargent and always make a stop in his gallery whenever I'm in the MFA. Here are a couple of my favorites.

I also visited the special Takashi Murakami exhibition. I've always liked his works and he's really popular in Japan. They're all so cheery and fun.

This one came out particularly well because I was taking a panoramic shot of this really long painting when I saw a man walk into the room... so I waited until he walked through part of the photo before taking the snap and moving on to the the next panel.


This is simple from a far


But on closer inspection ... the texture of the white background is clever

His famous Kaikai and Kiki plastered all across the wall.

img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ghzUdxYQKDakmrfPB9vXyZ_ZU_aUcq21mc8dYMDOJepU41NXe5B_OG-RhYUK5Lb--g0lHF7U8wI0jdths-8p1mU-3MueK2n3zWfNmhlqsYU8yYK024Gr_LObw3Eh02_mW5eVq3jxWshS0GWwoSwu7oMETHbnwRZS3CVs3zEOPYmJxG36pL2r8EIj11ehLRiSiL68zCzpnV3c9nNvyGl9cbhBBxCzqr5rW0FdH9HiOxUx1lRsjKMNciMrPXCRDD_-AeWN89FEFQbCjWE95TrOJ_J8SD7STUswLXcebXlULzorx8mBD2O06dBnC8S1Co0g5LhsL9qc6QEvHLBRUxNFA6-rT1iLQRLJuYQl49s-B2vyOLxJzXvn241r6cXgzM73PpsCd5eifvP1r38cZ5YnN1fBQ4SlcK2pib7VOAVhXDQ6IF1PcLJW7SzV7c4UEfhKjuJ0ApmxtNnuQMYAmmiz3aPmSmIsk7QKzK6p78sNMW20nOWHf0XpSkLcVSNe1e5ipp41a1eFZuJ7lvJSCOv9N60muk4cDh_yU2TjCJRZSIMCnsbUSLBuaDgJoiMuzcwTMQH9dRlZpVrEEu0k1h89nDLkG9-vx8ukXzue5jI=w1024-h768-no">

This was really cute and funny. It's a little netsuke of a bear with a swollen scrotum that's crushing a man

We went to a Takashi Murakami exhibit here at the Museum of Contemporary Art maybe half a year ago, Caro, and really enjoyed it. The content may have been a little different - here's one shot of it (not mine):

Thanks for the art picks, Caro! The flowers and dragon are gorgeous. The one guy in the pic gave it scale.

>211 jnwelch: He's such a wonderful artist, isn't he, Joe? I just love his works. They never fail to make me smile. I went to another exhibition of his works in Tokyo some years ago and it was about 4 times the size of the MFA exhibition. I spent an entire day there and noticed that everyone leaving the exhibition all left with big smiles on their faces.

>212 mstrust: You're welcome, Jennifer. I think it's amazing that artists are able to paint such large works and keep everything so proportional. If I had to do that, I guarantee my dragon would look extremely deformed.

32. by JD Robb
Dark in Death

The latest in the In Death series finds an interesting and elusive murderer our investigative team is challenged by. The murderer has a grudge against an author of crime fiction and has decided to bring the author's characters who are the victims and murderers into reality. With clever planning and making changes to each situation in the books so as not to repeat the mistakes made by the fictitious murderers, Lt Eve has to delve into Roarke's library and hit the books to learn who the next targets are, how they're to be killed and who the murderer is going to be disguised as.

With careful planning, the murderer manages to stay one step ahead of the investigative team, but for how long?

The series continues to surprise and entertain.

3 stars

Just speaking up, Caro, as I see I haven't done so in weeks of lurking!

I haven't been lurking. Sad but true. Just MIA. But I (think) I am back!! I love your thread. There are so many pictures I have to wait for it to finish loading otherwise it just keep scrolling through the same things over and over. No really! I love all the pictures. I just have to be patient. : )

Safe travels, Caro. I also loved Here in Berlin and House on Mango Street; it's a deceptively little book, isn't it?

Love the photos of art, as always. Your thread is so pretty.

I hope the cough is gone; sometimes those linger.

*lurk lurk lurk*

Hi! Just getting caught up. I'm glad you're feeling better - maybe wear a mask on the plane so you don't pick up something new?
I'm glad you liked House on Mango Street. I will warble it anywhere. :)

Hope your travels are going well! Love the art photos here

Quiet over here, Caro.

Hope all is well my dear.

Missing having you around!

If you want to stoke your camel addiction, Pier One has these in stock right now.

driving by honking the horn and waving at Caroline

Hey! Where'd you go? : )

I finally got back to your thread and you just disappeared. Where are you, Caroline?

Still missing ya...no sightings here since April. Hope everything is OK.

Another one missing one of his best pals in the group. Hope all is well, Caro.

Like all of us I am missing your wonderful posts and adventures Caroline.

Adding my "missing you", Caro.

Luckily there is Facebook. Otherwise I would suspect that you and Edd had been abducted by aliens.

True. Glad all is well. But I want her HERE as well. : )

CARO!

Trust that you and Edd are having a splendid Thanksgiving Weekend.

Stop by soon and update us all on your culinary adventures.

I know it's not the same but since we left Seattle in June I have been craving Indian food. Your thread is reigniting that craving. Perhaps when we go back to Seattle for Christmas....

I'm pleased to see your 4.5-star rating for The House of Broken Angels. I bought that after Mark had warbled enthusiastically about it. Perhaps I'll read it before the end of the year.

And I have Here in Berlin on my shelves, as well. 3.5 stars is still respectable! So I'll try to get to that one soon, as well.

Find the Light—Reflect the Light—Be the Light

Happy Yule 2018!

(Or in other words, Happy Christmas, to you and yours!)

Hope you have a great Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Happy holidays, Caro.

Missing you.

Happy Christmas from Santa Mouse and Rudy the Red Shelled Lobster, Caroline! I hope to see you in Lisboa this coming spring.

Happy New Year's Eve!!

I wish you from my heart a healthy 2019 filled with happiness, satisfaction, laughter and lots of good books.