bell7 (Mary) reads through the library in 2018 - the fourth page

New quarter, new thread!

If you haven’t met me yet, I’m Mary and a librarian in western Massachusetts. I love fantasy with great characters and world-building, but I’ll read almost anything, fiction or nonfiction, that catches my interest. Aside from reading, I also knit and enjoy sports. I love the New York Giants, but aside from that it's Boston all the way! I also dogsit on the side. I'm single with no kids, but I have four siblings and you'll sometimes find my thread peppered with comments about them and my niece and nephew. Mia and Matthew are my thread toppers all year.

Here are a couple of photos from my trip earlier this month:


Mia hamming it up for the camera


Matthew often says "yay" and claps his hands to show his approval - this was on our way back from Rehoboth beach where the kids had a blast in the water.


While we waited for my brother-in-law to get his morning coffee, Mia decided moving all the rocks around was a fun game, and Matthew decided to copy her. He really looks up to her, and it's absolutely adorable to watch him try to copy her (and her completely ignore him and play her own game her way).

One of my responsibilities at work is a book club I've been facilitating since 2012. Here are this year's selections:

January - Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly
February - The Harbinger by Jonathan Cahn
March - One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus
April - The Finest Hours by Michael Tougias
May - In Paradise by Peter Matthiessen
June - The Heart of the Matter by Graham Greene
July - Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver
August - Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed
September - The Girl Who Fell from the Sky by Heidi Durrow
October - The Book of Illusions by Paul Auster
November - After This by Alice McDermott
December - Blessings by Anna Quindlen

2018 Reads so far:

January -
1. Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper
2. The Stone Sky by N. K. Jemisin
3. Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
4. Penderwicks on Gardam Street by Jeanne Birdsall
5. Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly
6. The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser
7. Blood Rose Rebellion by Rosalyn Eves
8. Reflections on the Psalms by C.S. Lewis
9. Throne of Jade by Naomi Novik

February -
10. Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel
11. The Great Commission to Worship by David Wheeler and Vernon Whaley
12. Dear Fahrenheit 451 by Annie Spence
13. The Harbinger by Jonathan Cahn
14. The Rain in Portugal by Billy Collins
15. No Time to Spare by Ursula K. Le Guin
16. Long May She Reign by Rhiannon Thomas
17. Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech
18. The Library at the Edge of the World by Felicity Hayes-McCoy

March -
19. Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline
20. One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus
21. The Black Prism by Brent Weeks
22. Ask a Manager by Alison Green (ARC - out May 2018)
23. When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing by Daniel H. Pink

April -
24. Restore Me by Tahereh Mafi
25. Bellocq's Ophelia by Natasha Trethewey
26. Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops by Jen Campbell
27. Inside Job by Connie Willis
28. Scythe by Neal Shusterman
29. The Finest Hours by Michael Tougias and Casey Sherman
30. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
31. I Work at a Public Library by Gina Sheridan
32. Cringeworthy by Melissa Dahl
33. Beartown by Fredrik Backman
34. A Masque of Mercy by Robert Frost
35. Bored and Brilliant by Manoush Zomorodi

May -
36. Better by Atul Gawande
37. Lost Crow Conspiracy by Rosalyn Eves
38. In Paradise by Peter Matthiessen
39. Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas
40. Jade Dragon Mountain by Elsa Hart
41. Great at Work by Morten Hansen
42. A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab

June -
43. How to Read Poetry Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster
44. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
45. The Gospel of Isaiah by Allan MacRae
46. The Heart of the Matter by Graham Greene
47. Black Powder War by Naomi Novik
48. A Conjuring of Light by V. E. Schwab
49. Barracoon by Zora Neale Hurston
50. Us Against You by Fredrik Backman

July
51. Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman
52. The Word is Murder by Anthony Horowitz
53. Empire of Ivory by Naomi Novik
54. A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond
55. Linchpin by Seth Godin
56. Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver
57. Victory of Eagles by Naomi Novik
58. The Legacy Journey by Dave Ramsey
59. The Penderwicks at Point Mouette by Jeanne Birdsall
60. Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor

August
61. The Labyrinth of the Spirits by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
62. The Destiny Thief by Richard Russo
63. The Penderwicks in Spring by Jeanne Birdsall
64. O Pioneers! by Willa Cather
65. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed
66. Tongues of Serpents by Naomi Novik
67. Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfeld (ARC - due out Jan. 2019)
68. Happiness is a Choice You Make by John Leland
69. Meet Me at the Museum by Anne Youngson
70. Simple Wisdom: Shaker Sayings, Poems and Songs collected by Kathleen Mahoney
71. The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald

September
72. The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken
73. The Shakespeare Requirement by Julie Schumacher
74. The Girl Who Fell from the Sky by Heidi Durrow
75. Get a Financial Life by Beth Kobliner
76. Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger
77. Goldenhand by Garth Nix
78. Across the Wall by Garth Nix
79. Binti by Nnedi Okorafor
80. Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs
81. The Penderwicks at Last by Jeanne Birdsall
82. Crucible of Gold by Naomi Novik
83. River Marked by Patricia Briggs

October
84. Dark Lord of Derkholm by Diana Wynne Jones
85. Binti: Home by Nnedi Okorafor
86. Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
87. The Book of Illusions by Paul Auster
88. One Summer: America, 1927 by Bill Bryson
89. Binti: The Night Masquerade by Nnedi Okorafor
90. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
91. Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

November
92. Blood of Tyrants by Naomi Novik
93. After This by Alice McDermott
94. The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
95. Bibliophile by Jane Mount
96. Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
97. Dog Sense by John Bradshaw
98. The Kingdom of the Blind by Louise Penny

December
99. The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
100. Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor
101. The Last Word: The Lore and Lure of New England Graveyards by Melvin G. Williams
102. Blessings by Anna Quindlen
103. League of Dragons by Naomi Novik
104. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
105. Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri

Currently reading:
Half a King by Joe Abercrombie
Musicophilia by Oliver Sacks
The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker

And in case you missed it from my last thread, here's a repeat of September in review:

September in review

72. The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken
73. The Shakespeare Requirement by Julie Schumacher
74. The Girl Who Fell from the Sky by Heidi Durrow
75. Get a Financial Life by Beth Kobliner
76. Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger
77. Goldenhand by Garth Nix
78. Across the Wall by Garth Nix
79. Binti by Nnedi Okorafor
80. Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs
81. The Penderwicks at Last by Jeanne Birdsall
82. Crucible of Gold by Naomi Novik
83. River Marked by Patricia Briggs

Books read: 12
Fiction/Nonfiction/Poetry/Plays: 11/1/0/0
Children's/Teen/Adult: 1/4/8
Library/Mine/Borrowed: 8/4/0
Rereads: 2

Standouts: The Girl Who Fell from the Sky surpassed my expectations as a reread. For new to me books, Across the Wall really impressed me with the range of short stories Garth Nix can write.

Thoughts: I've been trying to read some books of my shelf, and I managed four this month which I will count as a win. I finished the Penderwicks series, which I'd been rereading at various points this year, and I've continued to make progress in Temeraire - I've only got two books left! So even though the books I read never quite met my expectations - either not as good as I'd hoped or completely surprising me with how excellent they were - I'm pretty satisfied with that, and overall enjoyed my reading. I tied April for the most books read in a month (primarily a combination of reading some short books and getting sick towards the end of the month). I also read slightly more teen/children's books than adult books, which I haven't been doing much this year (I think January was half and half), and also may account for the slightly higher numbers of books read this month. So the last three months' numbers have been 10, 11, and 12 books read. Don't worry, I'm not expecting 13 in October (it'll probably slide back down, if anything, and end up at 9-10).

I've already got a stack of library books ready to go for October, but what am I mostly reading right now? A couple of my own books. I'm nothing if not contrary - tell me I *have* to read something, and it's no longer the book I want.

Happy new thread! Adorable photos of your niece and nephew :)

Hi Mary. Happy New Thread!

Love the pictures of Mia of the Curly Hair and Matthew of the Clapping Hands! They are adorable. Also wanted to compliment you on your knitting skills from the last thread. I have a friend who knits socks so I know they are a lot of work for something relatively unseen.

I went to get my copy of The Girl Who Fell From the Sky and discovered The Girl Who Chased the Moon. So much for my memory! Haha. Speaking of girls, our Lab Girl library book discussion is coming up next week. I'm awaiting the book with bated breath. It's popular here because our local Missouri State University chose it for their Common Read. In fact, it's required reading for all freshmen. I haven't heard definitely, but the author usually gives a talk on campus. I'm hoping that's true for this one. I read it last year but wanted to do a quick reread before the group meets to refresh my steel-trap of a memory. *grin*

Happy New Thread, Mary!! Glad you enjoyed the Nix books. Great photos of the tadpoles.

Happy new thread, Mary!

Happy new thread, Mary!

>7 bell7: I know the feeling: tell me I *have* to do something, and it becomes difficult to do. Luckely with books I only read what I have planned myself to read.

>8 figsfromthistle: Thank you!

>9 Donna828: Thanks, Donna! Those kiddos are the best (but I might be a little biased). Ah, I could see why you thought The Girl Who Chased the Moon would be fantastical. I liked Sarah Addison Allen's Garden Spells quite a bit, so maybe you'll like it after all? :) Hope you get Lab Girl in time and get to hear the author! Our book club hasn't read it, though we do like memoirs. Three people recommended Educated to read next year, so I have a feeling that will garner enough votes for our 2019 reads.

>10 ronincats: Thanks, Roni! Nix is a pretty reliable author for me. I love the original Sabriel trilogy.

>11 scaifea: Thanks, Amber!

>12 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita! There are only 12 books I read a year that are for book club. Other than that I can (and do) read whatever I want. It just means that some of the books I *thought* I wanted to read when I requested them from the library may go back unread, but that's okay too.

Well, my cold is hanging on and I finally gave in and called the doctor this morning to make sure that's all it is. It's totally in my throat and chest, and I was tired enough on Saturday that I took a *four hour* nap. I'll be seeing a physician's assistant today (my primary care doesn't come in to the office on Mondays) and not going in to work again. We'll see what they tell me. I'm kind of hoping it's strep throat at this point so I can start taking meds and not be contagious by tomorrow afternoon. Honestly, part of the reason I finally did this was because my grandfather's in the hospital and I won't be able to visit him if I'm sick.

Today will mostly be a hang out and read & knit day. I've been working on mittens that are using up some of the yarn from my stash, then taking the ends of that yarn to weave into a multicolored blanket that my grandma was knitting before she passed away and that I took home to finish (she asked me and a couple of cousins to do that with her in-progress projects).

Happy new thread!

Sorry your cold is lingering. I've had mine only since Thursday and it seems to be following the usual progression (for me) - a few days in the head, followed by a few in the chest and then hopefully outta here. No sore throat for me, thank goodness. That's the worst.

Take it easy!

>16 drneutron: Thanks, Jim!

>17 katiekrug: Ugh, yeah, it was frustrating to have a relapse over the weekend. The initial strep test was negative and they ruled out pneumonia, so it appears to be just a cold that's been rougher and longer than I'm used to. I've called in to work for today and tomorrow. Thursday is my regular physical so we'll see if I'm better by then. In the meantime, lots of tea and hanging out at home. I bought a few easy-to-make things, including canned chicken soup.

This is hopefully my last sick day of the week! I've had lots of rest, tea, some chicken noodle soup this morning, and even a Claritin for good measure. Not sure what finally helped, but I'm feeling pretty good other than a lingering roughness in my throat. So tomorrow should be back to work.

Today I'm kind of happy to be home, though. It's been a rainy, blah day - it's absolutely pouring right now - and it was nice to get caught up on stuff like laundry and cleaning the bathroom that didn't take a lot of energy but wasn't something I was up to doing over the weekend. I baked some cookies and made myself tater tot hotdish to have some ready-to-warm-up food for the next few days.

Slowly making progress in my "currently reading" stack, but no finished books to report on yet.

Happy New Thread, Mary!

I hope you keep feeling better and better.

I love the photos of Mia and Matthew.

My wife grew up in western Massachusetts - Pittsfield. If you're comfortable sharing it, she'd like to know where you're a librarian. (You can pm me if you'd rather?)

>20 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe! Today was definitely a huge improvement. I PM'ed you where I work. I do love the Berkshires - the Pittsfield area is lovely!

84. Dark Lord of Derkholm by Diana Wynne Jones
Why now? I was in the mood for a fun & light comfort read

The people in this fantasy land just want the Pilgrims Parties to end. Mr. Chesney has been bringing people from our world on tours, and they're sick and tired of renaming their towns, having wizards guide them along, and choosing a Dark Lord that must be defeated. It's ruining their economy. So Querida, the head of the wizard University, consults the Oracles to see how to stop the tours. This makes Derk, generally good guy and hopeless wizard with a menagerie at home (including a bunch of griffins that are a part of the family) the Dark Lord for the year, and mayhem ensues.

This book was almost my first introduction to Diana Wynne Jones (I'd read Cart and Cwidder as a kid, but didn't realize at first it was the same author). I almost immediately started reading everything I could get my hands on. In this one in particular, she plays with the conventions of the fantasy genre and pokes fun, all the while telling a fun, fantastical story. Some of it is more obvious, like the journey motif of the pilgrim parties and the adventures they get leading up to attacking the Dark Lord in his citadel. Others are nods that just made me laugh like the dwarf named Galadriel. It's really brilliantly done and such a fun read. 4.5 stars.

I watched This is Us last night and one of the characters was reading Binti! It made me so happy to recognize the book.

That also might be why I decided to pick up Binti: home as my next fiction read this morning. So far, so good and I should finish it tonight.

I'm still working my way ever-so-slowly into The Shaker Experience in America. It was really excellent at putting me to sleep for naps while I was sick. My struggle is I am interested in the Shakers, but this is a painstakingly thorough historical survey (the website that suggested it had as the "one book" to have in your library about Shakers) and I guess I'm not entirely convinced I wanted something quite this comprehensive. At some point I'll decide if I'm going to finish it or return it. I keep hoping it picks up a little.

One Summer: America 1927 by Bill Bryson is more my speed of nonfiction. I've read/listened to events in May surrounding Lindbergh's solo flight across the Atlantic, and am now deep into baseball lore and Babe Ruth. Rather than really sticking with one theme, Bryson covers various events of interest from May - September 1927, so if his tendency to go off in tangents annoys you this probably isn't the right book. I love them, so this kind of thing where he just lays out a bunch of interesting things one after the other (sometimes making really nice transitions, bringing back elements from earlier in the book) and you can tell he's just thrilled to bits to be able to share some of the tidbits he discovered with readers.

Pretty soon I'll have the Bruins on and will check in on the Yankees' pre-playoff game. I'm kind of hoping they lose because they've been killing the Red Sox lately, but it's hard to know what's going to happen in the playoffs.

If the Yankees win this Wild Card game, The Wayne and I are committed to going to a division series game. Such a great rivalry...

Hope you continue to feel better! I am getting there :)

As usual, adorable pictures of the kids!

>24 katiekrug: Glad to hear your cold's improving, Katie. I'm almost there :) And congrats on your Yankees' win - they deserved it, and it should be an exciting series. Will you watch it at Yankees Stadium or out in Boston?

>25 The_Hibernator: Thanks, Rachel! Hope you're doing well.

85. Binti: Home by Nnedi Okorafor
Why now? I really enjoyed Book 1 and had to continue the series! It's been in my library stack for only about a week, so I basically read it as soon as I finished a couple of titles and was in the mood for it.

Binti has been at Oozma Uni for a year with her foe-turned-friend Okwu; she's now ready to return home for a visit and her pilgrimage, but what she finds will rock her world even more.

I really enjoyed book 1 which involved alien contact and learning to listen to your enemies. This one continues to explore those themes, as well as acknowledge the PTSD issues that Binti would have after her experiences in the first book, and further explores the prejudices she has about people on earth. The blend of inventive science fiction and challenging themes have really impressed me in these short works. 4.5 stars.

I'll fit in one or two books before Book 3 just because I like to spread out series. I don't tend to like a book as well if I read the next one right on top of the first. But I'm really enjoying these and highly recommend them. I can see myself rereading these for sure.

>26 bell7: - Hopefully here in New York, but tickets are scarce... unsurprisingly.

>28 katiekrug: I can absolutely see how that would be the case, especially since game 3 could potentially be the series winner.

Weekend reading:

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik and One Summer: America, 1927 by Bill Bryson
I also have a bookmark in The Shaker Experience in America, but I haven't picked it up in awhile and I'm not enthusiastic about it (a little too painstaking and dry), so it may be going back to the library after the long weekend.

On deck:
The Book of Illusions by Paul Auster for book club a week from Wednesday (I'm planning on starting it Monday and taking my time)

The rest of my nightstand:
Binti: The Night Masquerade by Nnedi Okorafor
We Will Win the Day by Louis Moore
Blood of Tyrants by Naomi Novik
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

>27 bell7: Oh, I really must get hold of this series. Not sure what's taken me so long. Great review!

>31 charl08: thanks, Charlotte! I hope you enjoy the series when you get to it.

Happy Monday!

I haven't managed to get any reading in - yet - but I took a long walk in the morning and did a bunch of cooking so I should be pretty well set for food for the week. Yay! I also watched a bit of the Bruins game, so I did get to relax a little in there. After Bible study, I'm planning on reading in front of the Red Sox/Yankees game. Spinning Silver has been a truly excellent read, and I'm excited to make some more progress. Starting tomorrow, I'm going to pick up The Book of Illusions to get that read for next week's book club.

86. Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
Why now? The question is, why not SOONER? I had this on my list to read as soon as I knew it existed, and finally in a moment when I had caught up on library books and book club books and all other must-reads of some fashion, I picked it up and enjoyed it immensely

The short way to describe this book is as a retelling of Rumpelstiltskin. And I suppose it is, in a sense. In a weird way, though it's purely fantasy, it struck me as more realistic than the original fairy tale. The bare bones: a moneylender's daughter gets herself in hot water when she attracts the notice of the Staryk king for her ability to make money, "change silver to gold."

Naomi Novik spins a taut and intricate tale of three women - Miryem, Wanda and Irina - all in very different social classes and situations who manage to create agency for themselves when life deals them hard knocks. Each of the three, and occasionally other characters, narrate their tales in first-person. You'd think this would get confusing, but their voices are distinctive and Novik does a great job of introducing details early on so you know who's speaking. It allows her to bring in multiple locations and perspectives in a fascinating way. If you love your fantasy with rich world-building and strong female characters, this is an excellent choice. 4.5 stars.

Maybe close to 5 stars, but I find myself getting stingy with the highest rating. It's super hard to summarize this one without spoiling.

>34 bell7: I have this! Sounds like I should shuffle it higher up the TBR pile.

>35 lycomayflower: Oh I hope you enjoy it! Roni (ronincats) was singing its praises on her thread as well.

Yup, I was!

Hi Mary

Your niece, Mia, is incredibly beautiful. What a wonderful smile! And, congratulations for reading so many books thus far this year.

>37 ronincats: *waves* your comments were one of the reasons I wanted to read it very soon.

>38 Whisper1: Thank you, Linda! Glad to see you here. Those are some of my favorite photos from the trip - they're up on my corkboard at work to look up at my desk and make me smile. Not long ago Mia's "smile" for the camera was a bit of a grimace, so I love being able to capture her big grins now.

87. The Book of Illusions by Paul Auster
Why now? Tomorrow's book club choice

Professor David Zimmer is drowning his sorrows after a horrific plane crash kills his wife and two sons, when he comes across the slapstick silent films of Hector Mann. Mann is an enigma who never gave the same story twice of who he was and where he came from before he made films in the 1920s and disappeared in 1929 never to be heard from again. Zimmer writes the definite book of Mann's films and receives a shocking letter, inviting him to meet Hector Mann himself in New Mexico.

This book is incredibly difficult to wrap my head around and explain what I think. Auster certainly writes sentences well, sometimes bringing me up short with the perfection of a single thought. The descriptions of films are superb. But as for the actual story, I found myself second-guessing every last detail. Did this "really" happen, or is it all a figment of Zimmer's imagination? What are the illusions - the films, the story, life itself? It's just the sort of postmodern hard-to-follow plot one of my brothers loves and I can't stand, because I feel unsettled, questioning, and a little miffed that the author is holding something back from me (or making me fill in part of the blanks of the story - am I doing it right? Did he really mean for me to question everything?). The parallels between Zimmer and Mann, for example, made me wonder about the veracity of the story. I didn't particularly care for the story or the characters, and though I'm sure the ambiguity will make for a fantastic book discussion, this is not the type of book I tend to finish left to my own devices. A cautious 2 stars with the caveat that I'll probably like it better after we discuss it.

Just playing catch up, Mary. Looks like you had some excellent reads in my absence and I'm happy to see your cold has hit the bricks finally.

>41 MickyFine: Welcome back! I know you've been back for awhile, but I guess what I mean is, welcome back to getting back in routine and the swing of things as you must be if you're visiting threads :)

So Wednesday's book discussion went very well. As I suspected, though I disliked the book it made for a very good discussion, particularly surrounding the ideas of illusion and reality, and how each individual perceives things. I think I was the only one who wondered if absolutely everything in the story was illusion. But it was a little funny because after I brought up the idea, some people would kind of add a caveat of, "I think this part was 'real'" which was interesting in and of itself.

It's the time of year that we vote on next year's books, so I'm looking forward to seeing those votes come in and putting together a list for next year. I'll let you all know in early November what we have planned.

I'm *almost* done with One Summer and will post a review after that's complete.

I'm currently dogsitting for a very rambunctious and naughty dog. Fortunately he is house trained, but he's a very energetic and playful Goldendoodle and likes to nip. I'm trying to train him out of that (and also to sit while I open the door or put his food down so he's not jumping all over the place), but I don't really know what I'm doing training a dog (guess I should look up some books - any recommendations?) and I know his owner will probably be fine with some behaviors that I'm definitely not (like jumping up on my lap when I'm trying to read).

And I think I've mentioned here that I'm working on making the dogsitting gig an official side business? I went through the hoops this week to get registered with the town and set up a "doing business as" or DBA sole proprietorship account with my bank. I also called an accountant today, a guy who also does investing, and set up a meeting to go over some things and see if we'd be a good fit for working together. I'm really hoping it works out - it's a fairly accessible location and it would be wonderful to leave taxes to someone else's capable hands. But if nothing else, next week I should be able to get some questions answered about setting up the business and making sure of what I can deduct as business expenses and all that fun stuff.

So that's my life update in a nutshell! I got out of work early this afternoon, finished up the last of those errands to get the DBA going, and now will make some taco soup, walk the dog and get ready to enjoy the weekend. I'm planning on going to a yoga class tomorrow but otherwise have a pretty lowkey weekend ahead to read and relax.

Just checking in, Mary. Sounds like you are busy as usual! Great idea about the side business, though the hoops to jump through sound tiresome, but I guess that's to be expected.

Enjoy your lowkey weekend! To ensure enjoyment, I recommend NOT watching the Giants game ;-)

Good luck with setting up the side business, Mary, and best wishes for the most relaxing of weekends.

>45 katiekrug: Yep, always busy! Trying not to get so much so that I stress myself out, but definitely involved in a lot. I have a regular commitment on Monday nights and will be getting back to dogsitting the stinker, so I may not even remember they're on... :)

>46 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky! Hope you have a good weekend as well.

88. One Summer: America, 1927 by Bill Bryson
Why now? In looking for an audiobook, I stumbled on one available through the library that was a Bryson I hadn't read, and I have really enjoyed the ones that are read by the author himself. I also happen to own the book, so it counts as a book off my shelf - I went back and forth in formats.

BIll Bryson, author of memoirs, humorous books, collections of articles, and books on topics that range from the English language to science, now turns his attention to one chronological period: namely, May - September 1927 and the events that occurred in the United States in that time frame.

Beginning with Charles Lindbergh's solo flight across the Atlantic, and following events through late September and the Yankees winning the pennant, Bryson certainly makes his case that 1927 was "one hell of a summer." The range of people and topics involved is staggering. Flight, automobiles, organized crime and Al Capone, motion pictures, Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth's crazy home run derby, and boxing are just a smattering of what's included. Bryson has a tendency to include in all his books fascinating but tangential stories that relate somewhat to his topic. I almost had the sense that this was the driving factor behind this book in particular. Though loosely organized chronologically, he has to go back and forth in time giving background information on each of his subjects, so that thread of time is easily lost. Bryson's clearly fascinated with his subject(s), however, and gives readers such fun bits of trivia along the way that those who enjoy that quirky style may not mind in the least. The downside is each of these topics could be, singly, a book of its own (and indeed, are listed in the extensive bibliography and notes for each chapter), so at once it seems over-long to pack in, say, a 25 page epilogue, and also never really goes in depth. Still, it's a fun if occasionally dizzying overview and I found it interesting how many of the topics intersected in surprising ways. 4 stars.

Part of my feeling it was long has to do, I'm sure, with it taking me about 3 weeks to complete the book. After I finished my book discussion read, I refused to start any more books until I finished this one, really pushing through text and audio. I did enjoy it, it's simply not my favorite Bryson nor one I expect to reread.

>34 bell7: ' The question is, why not SOONER?'

Yes! Spinning Silver is superb - so glad you enjoyed it too :-)

>44 bell7: Good luck with getting the dogsitting business set up! And the Goldendoodle sounds adorable - although I would also struggle with being nipped. It's been ages since I did any dog training - I think we trained ours to wait for his food by taking the food away when he moved towards it. I never cracked how to stop nipping/biting in a young dog though - ours just grew out of it in the end. It's hard when they're young and full of beans. I've heard Dog Sense recommended but not sure if it addresses training specifically.

>49 souloftherose: Dog Sense looks good, Heather - maybe not specifics, but understanding dogs in general would be a good thing! I put the book on hold at the library. I did find out from his owner that he behaves the same way with her, and I think he's trying to assert his dominance, as well as some puppy playfulness in there. Apparently he hasn't been neutered yet, so that might make a difference too? I've been putting his gentle lead collar on when I'm at the house for long periods of time, and that's definitely cut down on the nipping. I've also gotten him pretty good about sitting 'til I put the food down. I've tried to tell him "Come!" to get it, but he waits until I walk out of the room before devouring it. :D

And yay for another fan of Spinning Silver! I knew I'd like it, it was just a matter of finding the right time to book horn it in.

89. Binti: The Night Masquerade by Nnedi Okorafor
Why now? I loved the first two Binti books, and had this out of the library the same time I read book 2, but just waited a few books to finish up other books I had going, read my book club book, and just space things out a little.

Book 3 of the Binti trilogy starts of with a bang, with her and her new friend Mwinyi racing back to her home and family, who may be in terrible danger. Binti also hasn't heard from Okwu, her Meduse friend whose people are mortal enemies of the Khoush. The Khoush don't think much of the Himba, Binti's people, and she knows that they wouldn't blink at annihilating them to get to the Meduse if they really want war. Can she, a master harmonizer, bring peace once again?

The first two books are novellas, and this one - while still short, and fast-paced reading - is a little longer. Binti has grown so much, and you see her develop as a person taking in new cultures and ways of understanding the world almost despite herself. It's also just a really inventive, fun story to read and I really enjoyed seeing how it all came together. These are definitely books I would reread. 4.5 stars.

These are so. good.

I had been planning on listening to / reading Blood of Tyrants after finishing up One Summer: America 1927, but it was checked out when I tried to download it. So while I wait on that, I started listening to Howl's Moving Castle and figured I'd reread the book when I get home on Tuesday, and start Blood of Tyrants when it's available (sure, they're both fantasy, but they're different enough I can keep them straight).

For something completely different, I'm planning on starting A Gentleman in Moscow next. Our library copies (2) have been out of the building pretty much since it came out two years ago.

>52 bell7: That's impressive borrowing by the library customers! Hope you like it, the story just swept me along with it .

>52 bell7: I hope you enjoy A Gentleman in Moscow. It was one of my five-star reads this year.

>53 charl08: yeah, it's really taken off with word of mouth praise and I think at least one local book club reading it.

>54 MickyFine: so far so good! I absolutely loved his description of Montaigne's essays being perfect winter reading.

Happy Tuesday, all!

This is my last day dogsitting for the incorrigible puppy. I work 12-8 today, so I spent the morning packing and listening to some choir music to prep for tomorrow ("practicing" is too strong a word, as I only listened through twice, once to the original and once to the alto part of all four songs, where I half-attempted to sing along).

I've already read a third of A Gentleman in Moscow and am enjoying it immensely. It's a quiet read, but several sentences and descriptions are just pitch perfect and make me want to linger over it with a good cup of tea. The narrator himself has a personality and occasionally speaks directly to the reader. I'll slow down a bit as my schedule picks up and the Red Sox play in the World Series, but I expect I'll be reviewing it over the weekend.

One of my Litsy postal bookclub partners has picked A Gentleman in Moscow, so (unless another member vetoes it) I'll read it soon. Looking forward!

>57 The_Hibernator: oh, I could see that being a good one for it. Hope you enjoy the read, Rachel!

So I haven't actually finished anything in the last few days (I knew I wouldn't), but I decided to embark on my own little random project: reading through the library stacks.

I buy adult fiction for the library, and I often wander through the stacks looking for "Staff Picks" to add to a shelf. So often, I'll see a book that I think, "Oh yeah, I wanted to read that..." and can't find a book I've actually finished. I decided to give myself the mini-challenge of reading a book from each shelf.

Now it has rules that I'm allowed to break, and I don't have to do this on any sort of schedule, which is why it's a mini-challenge. I will choose one book from a shelf, mostly books that I've wanted to read and just haven't yet. I'm allowed to skip over popular, multi-shelf authors like David Baldacci and James Patterson completely. And this is kind of on the back burner, like, I'm looking for a new read and not sure what I feel like so I'll wander over to the last shelf I left and see what jumps out at me. I also don't have to actually finish the book I select. An unfinished book still counts towards a shelf done.

I was originally thinking I'd make it a 2019 project, but then figured why wait? The first book I selected was Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

Happy Saturday! I'm planning a cozy day in on this cold and dreary rainy day, though I do have a few things I want to accomplish as well. My major project is going to be going back through my dogsitting jobs this year and estimating the mileage I can deduct from my taxes. Then tonight the one "going out" I've scheduled is my brother's band at a local bar which includes dressing up in costume.

I also have Ant Man and the Wasp home from the library, so watching that is happening at some point this weekend too.

90. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
Why now? This has been really popular in my library system, so on a whim I decided to check it out for myself. The hold came in a little sooner than I was expecting, but after finishing up some of this month's "must reads" I put it on the top of the stack with several days left to go before the due date.

Count Alexander Rostov returns to Russia right after the Revolution, and finds himself on trial as a Former Person. He could have been sentenced to death but he is granted a reprieve, of sorts: house arrest at the Metropol Hotel.

What a lovely, lovely book. I was enthralled from the very beginning, from the epigraph and the trial's transcript on. The book is sweeping - covering several decades of the Count's life - and intimate, with the Metropol as setting allowing us to get to know a small cast of characters who come in and out of the story as it unfolds. Each sentence is carefully crafted and the narrator himself has personality, sometimes talking to the reader and other times including footnotes in a way that make you forget this is fiction and the Count a made-up character. If you enjoy character studies, beautiful writing and historical fiction, I can't recommend this book highly enough. 5 stars.

You know those books that are just so good you want to keep going back to them and can't even articulate how amazing they are? Yeah, that's how I felt about this one. I was recommending it to people before I'd even finished, and the ending did not disappoint.

I like your mini-challenge of reading the library shelves. I might do something similar next year with my own shelves, as it fits into my all random reading plans for 2019.

>62 katiekrug: I might also expand it to my own shelves, Katie, as reading some of my own books has always been a "plan" of sorts but never quite seems to happen. I blame it on not having due dates and thus feeling no time pressure whatsoever.

Yeah, I think it’s a pretty cool idea for a challenge!

>61 bell7: Your experience reading this reminded me of my own. I think I might read it again. Such a great book! Lovely that so many people in your library system have found it.

Good luck with your reading the shelves project. Sounds like fun.

>64 drneutron: Thanks, Jim!

>65 charl08: I put it on my wishlist, so hopefully I'll own it soon! I think a couple of book groups read it, so it's been out almost constantly - and the way our system works, it's not just our library (though that is a good number of the checkouts), but also about 160 that share between them, so if someone puts a hold on it in another town, it'll get sent to them if it's free on another library's shelf. So some of those checkouts are from other towns, but still, it's been off the shelves more than on.

Hope you all are having a lovely Sunday! Yesterday was my stay-in day to get caught up at home and relax, until I went out dressed as a scarecrow to watch my brother play in a band and hang out with some friends. It was fun, but tiring, as I got home close to 11 (and most of them went stayed out even later!). Today I had nursery and went right to work, so I'm about ready to relax for the evening. I'm thinking I'll jump on the treadmill for a 40 min. walk and put on the World Series game. I haven't yet stayed up for a full game, and the one night I decided I would - Friday - it went to 18 innings! I only stayed up for about 12 or 13 and then grumbled but went to bed. I might stay up tonight for the deciding game... no promises, though.

Tomorrow's back to a busy week with work and then Bible study. I'm getting mostly adjusted to this schedule, but still have to figure out occasional visits to my parents and my grandfather (both used to happen on the weekends, but I haven't managed that since my schedule changed to include Sunday hours). I'm off on Friday for working today, so I'll have a nice three-day weekend coming to fit in some things, I hope.

It makes me happy when an LT Friend loves one of my favorite books. I thought A Gentleman in Moscow was superb. I hope to pick up a copy for my permanent collection at one of the library book sales, although if I owned it I certainly wouldn't want to part with it. I also liked Rules of Civility by Towles.

I can't wait to see what your book group will be reading next year. I hope Lab Girl makes the cut. Do you get a vote?

>68 Donna828: Hi Donna! I have to read Rules of Civility - I'm glad to know it's also a good read.

I do get a vote! And I tend to do it before everyone else so that I'm honest about what I want to read instead of being influenced by what's getting votes and what I maybe don't want to read instead haha. I will have votes in by the end of the month, so I'll give you all a sneak peek at the results (I'll give them out at book club Nov. 14). If none others get turned in, I'll have to break a tie between Cutting for Stone and The Underground Railroad. It's so much fun to see the votes come in and put the list together!

91. Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
Why now? The audiobook was available when I was dogsitting, and since I own the book I knew I could swap formats a few days later when I went home. This is about my fifth time reading it.

Here's what I wrote a few years back:

Sophie Hatter is the eldest of three sisters, and as everyone knows, that is not the birth order one wants to have in a fantasy story, especially if this particular sister is the stepsister of the youngest. But this is not your typical fantasy story and Sophie is not your typical heroine. When the Witch of the Waste grows jealous of Sophie's magical ability and turns her into an old woman who can't tell anyone she's under a spell, Sophie leaves the hat shop to seek her fortune. She comes across the Moving Castle owned by the Wizard Howl, who - as everyone in Ingary knows - eats girls' hearts, and bullies her way on board. Calcifer, a fire demon, lets her in and seems to like her, offering to break her spell if she will break his contract with Howl, though he can't tell her what it is either.

I usually try to keep my summaries short, but there's a lot going on in this story. Believe it or not, I only scratched the surface and didn't go beyond page 60. Part of the reason I love and reread this story is because of its complexity and having the opportunity to perhaps pick up on small clues to the plot that I overlooked the first time. The other reason is that Sophie, Howl, Calcifer, Michael (Howl's apprentice), and all the rest are fabulous characters. I love Sophie's sort of bullying magic, Howl's ridiculously vain behavior, and Michael's longsuffering. Their interactions are entertaining whether it's the first or the third time I've read the book, and even when I know exactly what's going to happen and how, I enjoy spending time with them. Howl's Moving Castle has a permanent place on my bookshelves.

I always forget what a slow start this book is, but I enjoy it every time. It's connected in my head with The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner (she admires Diana Wynne Jones and uses a line as a nod to this one), as I often (re)read them around the same time. But I think my next series after I finish the Naomi Novik series is going to be a reread of the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas now that Kingdom of Ash has come out. I never did read The Assassin's Blade either.

So happy you loved A Gentleman in Moscow - I'm in the same boat.

Looking forward to the final results of your book club's vote. :)

>70 bell7: Aaah, Sophie love! Couldn't agree more! (and some A Gentleman in Moscow love as well, although I certainly won't reread it as many times as I have this one.

>71 MickyFine: I have preliminary results ready but will post tomorrow with the finalized list just in case I get any last-minute votes turned in :)

>72 ronincats: Gotta love Sophie and Howl, Roni! (Though I confess I love Howl as a character but he would drive me crazy in real life lol). And agreed - I would reread both, but I'll definitely read Howl's Moving Castle more. It's a perfect comfort read, while A Gentleman in Moscow is a little more of a mental workout.

October in review
84. Dark Lord of Derkholm by Diana Wynne Jones
85. Binti: Home by Nnedi Okorafor
86. Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
87. The Book of Illusions by Paul Auster
88. One Summer: America, 1927 by Bill Bryson
89. Binti: The Night Masquerade by Nnedi Okorafor
90. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
91. Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

Books read: 8
Fiction/Nonfiction/Poetry/Plays: 7/1/0/0
Children's/Teen/Adult: 0/3/6
Library/Mine/Borrowed: 5/3/0
Rereads: 2

Standouts: The Binti trilogy, Spinning silver and A Gentleman in Moscow were fabulous

Thoughts: I'm back to an average reading month with 8 titles completed. Funnily enough, the list bookended by books of my own that I reread - Dark Lord of Derkholm and Howl's Moving Castle. I definitely was in the mood for comfort reads in fantasy this month, and I expect that might continue as I finish out the year and life gets busy with holiday prep and dogsitting jobs. And though it looks like this year is shaping up to be a "light" reading year for me, I should make 100 books with no trouble.

Next year's book club list is finalized, but I forgot to bring a copy home to be able to share it with you all. I'll grab my copy on Monday and post it next week. We've got a great mix of fiction and nonfiction as per usual, and I'm looking forward to discussing many of these. Surprisingly, 3-4 will be rereads for me.

I was off yesterday and today but sadly have not done much reading. I cooked a bunch yesterday, trying a couple of new recipes, and today I cleaned my apartment. I'm trying to get back into an exercise routine, so lots of walking the treadmill both days too.

The one (!) book I'm reading right now is Blood of Tyrants and I find myself less than enthusiastic to pick it up most days. It starts off with Laurence and Temeraire separated as the result of a storm hitting their ship, and Laurence has forgotten everything that happened in the last eight or so years. I'm 200+ pages in still wondering why he's lost his memory. Is it a convenient way of bringing up past events in a random but less obvious way? Does something need to be relearned that will be important later on, or did the characters start going in a way that needed to change so this was a convenient way of having make a new series of decisions that his earlier actions and beliefs made impossible? I'm finding it frustrating more than anything, because much of what draws me to this story is the relationship he has with Temeraire (the dragon) and their conversations and banter. It's all missing with that one change. Why press on then? Because I've really enjoyed the series up to this point, and I want to see how it all turns out. I'd be somewhat annoyed if I get this far - especially having reread the first six - only to give up now.

Evening Book Discussion 2019 titles:

January - My Stroke of Insight by Jill Taylor Bolte
February - Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
March - Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks
April - Evicted by Matthew Desmond
May - Flight of Dreams by Ariel Lawhon
June - The Radium Girls by Kate Moore
July - Sea Glass by Anita Shreve
August - The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
September - Educated by Tara Westover
October - Lucky Boy by Shanthi Sekaran
November - Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance
December - A House Among the Trees by Julia Glass

I usually vote but ended up taking my votes out in the end because I liked the list better (including both Cutting for Stone and The Underground Railroad) as a whole. We've got five nonfiction titles and three of the titles (Flight of Dreams, The Underground Railroad and Cutting for Stone) will be rereads for me. We used to have a page cap of 450 pages, but last year they voted not to have one at all, and I started putting the page numbers on the descriptions I hand out before voting. Cutting for Stone will be the longest book we've read by at least 100 pages, so it will be interesting to see if they continue to want no limit after that. I did put it in a month that would give us five weeks to read it (we meet on the 3rd Wednesday of every month, and there are 5 in January), and a time of year that's kind of perfect for curling up with a long book and not going outside. So we'll see what happens. I'm especially looking forward to reading Year of Wonders, since I like the author and haven't read it yet. I'm also looking forward to hearing what my ladies think of The Underground Railroad, which is a challenging book in many ways and the fantastical elements make it different from the historical literary fiction and nonfiction that my group tends to like. Educated was one I was reluctant to read, but it was hands down the most popular choice with landslide voting. I've pushed it to September hoping the holds list will calm down and we'll be able to get enough copies in time, plus, well, the title fits.

Anybody read any of the others? What do you think - good/bad takes, options for discussion fodder?

Ooh, that's a really good list! My two cents:

January - My Stroke of Insight by Jill Taylor Bolte - Never heard of the title or author
February - Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese - I read about half of this and then stopped because I don't remember why :)
March - Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks - Loved this when I read it way back in pre-LT days
April - Evicted by Matthew Desmond - Reading this now and it's very good
May - Flight of Dreams by Ariel Lawhon - I've been meaning to read this. I liked her first one okay; met Lawhon at the Asheville Booktopia event a few years ago...
June - The Radium Girls by Kate Moore - Read this; it's an important, little-told story but I found the writing pretty meh and very repetitive
July - Sea Glass by Anita Shreve - I have this one on my shelf. I like Shreve's earlier stuff so have high hopes for it.
August - The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead - Loved it.
September - Educated by Tara Westover - Want to read it.
October - Lucky Boy by Shanthi Sekaran - Never heard of the title or author.
November - Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance - I'm mildly interested in reading this one
December - A House Among the Trees by Julia Glass - I haven't heard of this one but liked the one Glass I've read and have a couple of others on my shelf.

I wish my book club was more democratic. I was talking to another member over the weekend, and we are thinking of pressing the issue. Right now, the two co-organizers alternate picking books. One of the organizers is a friend and she picks pretty good ones (and is easy to influence - ha!) but the other organizer - Pretentious Dude - picks stuff I don't usually end up liking as much...

Anyway, I love your reports from the book club, and it looks like another good year ahead for you!

>76 bell7: I like your method of voting for the year's worth of books at once. I'm (kind of) leading a book group of zoo volunteers and the logistics are so difficult! How do the books get nominated, and how does your voting work?

>76 bell7: Yay for the book club list! Your club has interesting tastes. I'm looking forward to hearing all about their feedback next year. :)

>77 katiekrug: Thanks for your thoughts, Katie! It's interesting seeing what folks have heard of and not. I too had never heard of Lucky Boy so interested in seeing how that one goes. I don't remember why My Stroke of Insight sounds familiar - maybe it was on the bestseller list a couple of years ago? A few of the titles came out in 2016, oddly enough. It's interesting to me seeing how other groups do it. There are some groups in my town that they all take turns picking - maybe host picks? - or have some kind of a vote. It might be worth pressing if the group would have a different taste as a whole from the two organizers? Good luck if you do! Pretentious dude especially sounds like he may have a tough time ceding some of that responsibility.

>78 norabelle414: It's helpful for us to have a full year, for sure! The classics book club (run by a volunteer) has a fair number of people attending, but they only pick titles a month or two in advance and it drives me slightly batty haha. So the books get nominated by the book club members as well. I have about 7-8 regulars, I'd say, and they all gave me about 5 titles or so that they were interested in reading. I double check the library catalog to make sure there's enough copies and that we can get them in multiple formats (I look for large print and either e-book or audio formats). Then I take the titles that make that cut, add the publisher's descriptions, number of pages, and year published. I hand out the descriptions (usually about 20 titles, give or take, and I'll add a couple of suggestions if I think we're short of that), and ballots. For the ballots, I ask members to vote on books 1-10, with 1 being the one they want to read the most, and 10 the least. This is so that I can count not only votes but give each title a weighted score. A vote for #1 is 100 points, and 10 is 10 points just to make it easy for me to visualize. I then make a spreadsheets with all the titles, and list out the ballots and votes, then tally the votes and the weighted score. I'll organize it so I can see the number of votes, and then typically what I'll do is use the weighted score to break a tie.

This all sounds very complicated, but what it ends up looking like is this:



See all those "2" votes? The weighted score tells me that the couple of people who voted for a title either really wanted to read it or were less enthusiastic about it than some other titles. So I use the higher "score" to break those ties and come up with the 12 titles (sometimes 11 if we're already picking one to be a special event, such as a community read or author visit).

Lastly, I completely choose the *order* of the books on my own, and try to match them up thematically when appropriate (Sea Glass just seems like a summer book, and when we read The Boys in the Boat I put it in the month it would coincide with the summer Olympics), and finally I just try to spread out books that might be too alike. So the memoirs are spaced out (January and September), and we're not reading nonfiction titles back-to-back.

Oh, and as for my own voting, I typically vote first so that I'm not massaging the list and taking out books that are on the cusp of the list but I don't want to read - I try to be uninfluenced and vote first. But when I originally did the tallies, it looked like I would have to break a tie between Cutting for Stone and The Underground Railroad, which I didn't really want to do. So this year, I took out my votes and compared the list with and without... and found I actually preferred the list without my votes. There were only three titles different, but both Cutting for Stone and The Underground Railroad easily made the list, and it was a little more clearcut - no ties - and more diverse.

All that makes it sound really confusing, but this is a process over a couple of months, and well worth seeing a really interesting list of titles that includes some I may never have thought of on my own.

>79 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky! I'm looking forward to reading and discussing. They do tend towards literary/historical fiction, and my group tends to have more of the, hm, serious bent than the other group led by my boss (they're a bit more popular fiction, much less nonfiction). I will definitely post a bit about our meetings - they're smart but unpretentious folk, so it's really interesting to get their perspectives, especially when I struggle with or dislike a book.

>76 bell7: That's a really good list of books. I have read / want to read several of them.

>81 The_Hibernator: Thanks, Rachel! I'm looking forward to the reads - including the rereads, because it's always great to hear what my book group thinks of things and mull over it in a different way.

92. Blood of Tyrants by Naomi Novik
Why now? I waited 'til I was done with Howl's Moving Castle, and started reading along with the audiobook when it became available - almost finished with a series I started a long time ago!

Laurence and Temeraire are on their way back to China, but are separated in a storm that washes Laurence up on Japan's shore with no memory of the last eight years.

I had a really tough time getting into this installment. The first 100 pages are him and Temeraire separated from each other (again), and some of the plot choices just left me scratching my head. Why are we suddenly introduced to more characters in another country? Unless there's some reason that makes sense in book 9 alone, there seemed absolutely no reason for him to be in Japan at all. And I kept trying to find a good reason for Laurence to have lost his memory, or some insight that we could get from it, but all it ever really seemed to do was make much more explicit what had already been clear from reading the other books in the series - that Laurence has become a different man, not one who will blindly follow his superior officers' commands in duty, but one who has a moral compass that dictates his actions even when it goes against authority. The final third of the book had the bulk of the action, but it was too little, too late at that point. 3 stars.

I really hope book 9 brings everything together in a satisfying way after all this. I would've given up on the single book, but the series has been good enough that I persevered.

I started dogsitting last night and will be there over the long weekend. I have four dogs and two cats, which is a record I think for the number of animals I've cared for at once (unless you count one dog, four cats and a fish...). The dogs are labs, very happy and fairly well-behaved, that get walked four times a day. When I work a full day, they have a dog walker. So I have no problem getting my steps in, but a bit of a challenge reading anything. That didn't stop me from bringing all my library books, though, just in case. The one I'm really focusing on is my book group choice, After This, because I'll be sunk if I don't finish it by Tuesday. I should, though. It's a short book.

I'm also planning on meeting up with Joe (jnwelch) on Saturday, so it should be a fun weekend.

I didn't bring a laptop with me, so this is probably it for updates until Monday or Tuesday when I get back.

Hope you have a great time with all the critters and Joe! :)

P.S. Not necessarily at the same time.

>13 bell7: I very much enjoy the works of Sarah Addison Allen. Her writing reminds me of Alice Hoffman

Hi, Mary.

Thanks so much for making time for the meetup today at Six Depot. Loved it! Great cafe, too.

I’m another Sarah Addison Allen fan, too. Garden Spells hooked me, and I read them all after that.

Hi Mary. It's my first time visiting your thread. Mia and Matthew are so cute! I can see why you have them as your year-long thread toppers.

>76 bell7: I had a stroke (a small one, thank goodness) almost 3 years ago and a colleague gave me a copy of My Stroke of Insight. I really want to read it but haven't yet had the gumption. Perhaps I'll read it in January and I can follow along with any comments you have about it.

The rest of that list looks great, too. I have read a few of them and have a few others on the shelves.

Have a great week, Mary!

>85 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky! Both were fun :D

>86 Whisper1: I've only read Garden Spells and Practical Magic, but I think I can see a little of that connection, Linda. I want to read more by both authors.

>87 jnwelch: It was wonderful to meet you, Joe! I had a great time.

>88 EBT1002: Welcome, Ellen! Glad you found me. Let me know if you do decide to read My Stroke of Insight in January and I'll follow along with your comments as well. I'm really looking forward to our 2019 reads; I think the group came up with a great mishmash of fiction, nonfiction and different topics, and I'm looking forward to the reads, even the ones I'm rereading.

93. After This by Alice McDermott
Why now? Book discussion for Wednesday (actually finished Saturday/Sunday)

In linked vignettes, we follow the Keane family from Mary and John meeting after World War 2 to the children growing up and experiencing Vietnam and the beginnings of the sexual revolution.

This was a quiet sort of story that I spent most of the book not sure if I really liked it or not. The format gives a sort of distance from characters and events - we're given a very domestic scene with most of the emphasis on the experiences of the women of the family and though there are some snapshots of the boys, large experiences such as Vietnam are told more from the perspective of those left behind. There was more general commentary on changes in family life, religious outlook, "the calm before the storm" as one of my book club participants called it. This isn't a particular family with characters you want to know, this is your average Catholic family on Long Island, and the author leaves it up to the reader to fill in the blanks, perhaps from his or her own experiences. It's not a book I'd make a point of rereading, but McDermott can certainly write some lovely sentences and creates some memorable images, so I would try another book by her. 3 stars.

This was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and lost out to The Road by Cormac McCarthy. Our book club started out with a few people lukewarm about the book, but we ended up talking about a lot - gender identity and roles, family, religion, as well as our particular takes on the writing style and story. We didn't even touch on the end (which would've had us going another 20 minutes at least). At one point I remember looking up at the clock thinking we had just about run out of things to say, but then the conversation picked up again and we went slightly over our allotted time. So while we didn't love it, the four of us at discussion certainly ended up with a lot to say.

>90 bell7: - Ooh, that one actually sounds right up my alley. Nice review!

>91 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie! Hope you enjoy it.

Waitwaitwait!

SOMEthing is weird here. I swear I wandered by and left a comment about Evicted...well no matter, I have oodles of opinions so I'll just leave this one here. I would say that you should be aware of the topic's relevance to club members and have a notion of how to handle a person who takes the book very personally or has a response that could be uncomfortable for others to be part of. Given where I live, there were several deeply triggered responses too our library's copy. I ended up removing it from the shelves.

>93 richardderus: That is strange, Richard. I've had messages disappear into the ether occasionally.

And yeah - I expect the discussion will probably draw out some political lines. We've had a history of having strong disagreements with a lot of respect, so I hope that will continue but I will be ready to divert or diffuse discussion as needed. I haven't read the book yet myself, so it's hard to predict, but my understanding is that in my area tenant/landlord relationships *tend* to be better, and much of the law is in the tenants' favor.

94. The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Why now? The audio was available when I was looking for a new before-bed listen, and I decided to "reread" before I read the sequel

Here's what I wrote when I first read the book two years ago:

Ada has a clubfoot and her mother has abused/neglected her all her life, but when her brother Jamie is sent away from London to the country for safety during the air raids, she takes the opportunity to run away from home. The children are reluctantly taken in by an old maid, Susan, who tells them she isn't very nice - but she doesn't hit like Ada's mother did and has a pony named Butter that Ada is determined to ride.

This is a heartbreaking, lovely book. Ada is a strong, independent girl but deals with her abuse in a very realistic way - the scenes of this were probably even harder for me to read as an adult because I understood what was happening more than I would have as a child. I cried and cheered as Ada began to overcome her past and trust Susan, and as Susan herself came to love the children. Details about riding as Ada learns to ride Butter and some aspects of the war fill out the narrative. The ending felt just a little bit rushed and neat, but overall it was a satisfying read and I can see why it's won such acclaim.

My thoughts on a reread are pretty much the same, caveats on the ending and all. I've recommended it to adults looking for a good story/listen (Jane Entwhistle does a fabulous job) for car rides and to children looking for a good story with a strong female lead. I'm looking forward to reading The War I Finally Won sometime soon - and somehow I missed the fact that Kimberly Brubaker Bradley has written a bunch of other titles too. More reading!

>93 richardderus: Was your comment on Katie's thread? She just read it and I think I remember seeing a comment from you there.

Good review of The War That Saved My Life, Mary. I loved it, too. Debbi just read it for the first time and likewise loved it - she ate it up in one long sitting.

We immediately ordered The War I Finally Won, so that should be showing up soon.

>94 bell7: I'm sure it won't be more than your calming and soothing ways can smooth over.

>96 drneutron: It might well have been, I know I said something about the book over there, but what the heck I've said my piece now. Thanks for noticing and reminding me, Doctor Spaceflight!

>97 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe! I know we talked about it briefly when we met, so I'm glad to hear Debbi enjoyed it too. I'll look for your thoughts on The War I Finally Won>

>98 richardderus: Thank you, Richard :) Fortunately I don't have to do that all that often. We have very opinionated ladies but very respectful, and it's (usually) pretty fun to hear all sides. The most directly political we've gotten was when we read Sonia Sotomayor's memoir a few years back, and we had a fantastic discussion. This could, of course, bring up some more personal issues depending on folks' backgrounds - and I could be surprised and get some new people that impact the group dynamics - but my group tends to do a good job talking about potentially dicey issues.

Happy Friday, everyone! I'm kind of loving the 9-2 Friday schedule. I went from work to meet a cat I'll be feeding over Thanksgiving weekend - really doing double duty, as I'll be dogsitting most of those same days and just coming to visit the cat, Dexter. So I'll be keeping careful track of my mileage for next year's taxes.

And, since I did have some mileage to catch up on, I did a bit of work organizing my dogsitting paperwork, filling out mileage, updating my spreadsheets for what I've made, and saving copies of checks for my files.

And finally... I booked a week in Cancun at an all-inclusive resort. One of my friends is getting married in February and it's a destination wedding, so I took a week off from work and splurged all my vacation money savings on it. I am beyond excited!

Now that I feel properly accomplished for the day, I'm going to get a good 40 minutes on the treadmill, cook some spaghetti for dinner, and go watch Fantasic Beasts 2 with my brother and his girlfriend this evening.

>100 bell7: Cancun in February! What could be more perfect?!

I hate you.

>100 bell7: Oooh, warm weather winter vacations are lovely!

Sounds like your weekend is off to a fantastic start.

Cancun in February sounds wonderful!

>101 richardderus: you don't really want the hot weather and sandy beaches do you? (shockingly, I'm not a beachy kinda person, and I hate how the sand gets everywhere, but I'm making an exception) *smooch*

>102 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky! It's been a good weekend, though busy, and somehow I managed a 3 hour nap yesterday (guess I needed sleep?). I'm working today, and planning a quick grocery shopping on my way home.

>103 EBT1002: I'm thinking it'll be lovely, Ellen.

>104 bell7: In February I do!

>105 richardderus: Fair enough :)

>104 bell7: Upside to resorts is that most of them have pools with excellent views of the ocean so you can skip the sand everywhere problem. :)

Cancun sounds like a great idea, especially in February. Have you got plans for a frock or is it a casual one?

>107 MickyFine: Best of both worlds, really.

>108 charl08: I'll have to ask them how fancy they're getting, but I'm planning on bringing a knee-length dress I already own and maybe finding a pair of sandals a little dressier than flip flops but still doable in sand (I do not trust myself to walk in heels on a beach).

Happy Thanksgiving, all! I want be around much on threads today, as very soon I'll be heading over my parents for dinner and seeing family. All my siblings, my niece and nephew, my brother's girlfriend and my grandfather will be over. My sister's family will be staying for the weekend, so I'll be spending as much time with them as possible between dogsitting and cat feeding (yep, two jobs over Thanksgiving weekend).

Wishing all the best to you & yours!

Happy Thanksgiving to you, Mary! I hope you have a wonderful time with your family as well as the dog(s) and cat(s) for whom you are caring. :-)

Wishing you wonderful Thanksgiving Weekend, Mary.

>111 EBT1002: Thanks Ellen! Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend.

>112 PaulCranswick: Hope you had a great weekend, Paul, and that life is calming down for you.

95. Bibliophile by Jane Mount
Why now? I bought it when I was in DC a few months ago and knew it would be a quick read over Thanksgiving weekend - plus, my library bought it, so now I can put it in staff recommendations!

Jane Mount, of My Ideal Bookshelf fame, continues her illustrations of book stacks of every design. This delightful collection of book lists - including repeated features on bookstores, libraries, and recommendations from bookish people, as well as books in various genres and time periods - is an absolute treasure trove for any book lover. I dare you to get through this and not add to your TBR list! 5 stars.

96. Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Why now? Well, with my brilliant idea to "read a book I've been meaning to read from every shelf of the library" - this was on shelf #1. I really enjoyed Adichie's Americanah (and her essays on feminism) and have been meaning to read another fictional title by her.

In the 1960s, a group of idealistic academics get together to talk about Nigeria and the direction their country is going. Odenigbo hosts, and his girlfriend Olanna, her family, and his houseboy Ugwu all get caught up in the tumultuous events of Biafran independence and the ensuing war.

Though it's a sweeping tale covering several years, Adichie focuses so brilliantly on her characters that the reader is drawn in to their lives, dreams, and events that affect them specifically. In part, she drew on her parents' experiences during the Biafran war, and though she mentions in the author's note that she didn't always stay historically accurate for the sake of the story, Adichie clearly has done her research and includes a page-long bibliography for anyone interested in following up and reading more. I knew nothing of these events, but could still follow the story and the raw human drama and emotion she brings out in these characters. I may not quite be able to bring myself to read it again, but I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction or literary fiction with strong character development. 4 stars.

I learned a lot about Nigeria - and how ignorant I am of that country! - as well as had the realization that I really haven't read many African or African diaspora authors who *aren't* Nigerian. Clearly I've got more reading to do, in more ways than one.

>114 bell7: - I just bought a copy of this and it arrived today! So pretty...

I look forward to diving in.

>115 bell7: - I've only read Purple Hibiscus by Adichie but am eager to read more. There was a chance Half of a Yellow Sun would be our December book club read, but it was decided it was too long for a month in which most people would be trying to get ready for the holidays. We'll be reading We Need New Names which is by another African (non-Nigerian) woman writer.

>116 katiekrug: It's beautiful, isn't it? I don't usually pay full-price for books (I get brand-new ones as gifts or buy used at book sales and such), but I made an exception for this one. Half of a Yellow Sun is a little on the long side at over 400 pages, and I could see how it would be too long for a December read. I'll look forward to seeing what you think of We Need New Names - it's been on the edge of my radar waiting for a push to get it firmly on the TBR list.

I finished up dogsitting, packed this morning, and headed back to work for the first day back since Tuesday. My boss is off most of the week, so I'll be in charge while she's gone. I often look back on an interview I did with a library director for grad school, and asking what the hardest part of his job was. "You know the saying 'the buck stops here'?" he asked. "Well, sometimes it's hard being the buck." I don't always have to make the tough decisions, but it is just a little exhausting being the one with the final say sometimes.

So instead of going grocery shopping and cooking, I got take out and after dinner instead of unpacking, I watched the documentary "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" about Fred Rogers. That was an insightful and feel-good look of one of the staples of my childhood that features interviews with Fred's wife and two boys, people who worked on the show, and Mr. Rogers himself. It was really enjoyable - and has a ridiculously high rating on Rotten Tomatoes so you don't just have to take my word for it.

I loved that film, I loved Mr. Rogers, and I'm glad it worked as a stress-management tool for you. Sending huggings.

>114 bell7: I loved this one too: such a beautiful book.

Great to read re going beyond Nigeria for African fiction: there's a lot of gems out there. I was really pleased to see a new one by Tsitsi Dangarembga on my holiday - although she's now been based in the US a long time - I bought it on the spot as I wasn't sure it would be released in the UK.

>119 richardderus: It's a great film, isn't it? Thanks for the hugs - this is also the lead up week to the big to-do that I'm running next Tuesday for the library's 50th birthday bash (50 years in our current building, the public library has existed in various locations for longer than that), so I'm trying my best to manage stress well, including getting enough exercise starting today.

>120 charl08: One of my goals that I'm going to try to focus on especially next year is to read more diversely and more globally. Thanks for the heads up - there's a new author I'll have to look up!

97. Dog Sense by John Bradshaw
Why now? Dogsitting for someone with an ill-trained, nippy dog made me realize I should probably learn some more focused information about dogs and dog training - this is one that Heather (souloftherose) mentioned as one she'd seen recommended.

John Bradshaw, dog owner and biologist, breaks down what we know of dogs scientifically to explain their behavior, learning, emotions, senses, and more.

This book doesn't address dog training per se, but the scientific information that Bradshaw provides could be a great jumping off point for dog owners and enthusiasts who want to have a good sound basis for their methods. In particular, Bradshaw dismantles that dogs are much like wolves, and that as pack animals they're always seeking to dominate (in fact, that was a little annoying repetitious in the beginning). He then breaks down other aspects of dog biology, in accessible and clear language that also addresses alternate explanations for scientific studies' results and where more research needs to be done. Though it didn't address training specifically, I did get some insights that improved my dogsitting - in particular, noticing that the dog I was watching pays very close attention to where I am, and the more attention I pay to him the better behaved he is. Another I had only once that showed what I thought was very dominating and aggressive tendencies, I'm now reinterpreting as fear and wondering what kind of specialized retraining would be necessary for him. I'll definitely have this in the back of my mind as I seek out more direct training manuals. 4 stars.

>118 bell7: I've heard great things about that documentary. I wish I had the attention span for such things right now. But it'll wait until my mental health calms down a bit. :)

>122 bell7: I recommend books by Turid Rugaas and Karen Pryor about dogs and behavior modification.

>123 The_Hibernator: I hope it does calm down for you soon, Rachel, things have certainly sounded challenging for you lately. It's worth watching and at an hour and a half not too bad as far as length goes - I knit while watching because keeping my hands busy actually helps me focus.

>124 FAMeulstee: thanks for the recommendations, Anita, I'll look those authors up!

>80 bell7: What a great spreadsheet!

>127 Whisper1: Thanks, Linda!

Hey, what about the Monks of New Skete? They're dog boys.

The World Between Two Covers might be worth skimming through for ideas for your reading more internationally challenge, Mary.

Just catching up with your thread, Mary. I read with interest how your bookclub picks their books. Mine picks month by month which can be frustrating especially when sourcing books. Sounds like you are keeping busy. Good luck with getting your side business on an official footing.

>129 richardderus: Thanks, I'll look them up too, Richard.

>130 MickyFine: Hi Micky! Thanks for the suggestion - I'll check it out. I also have a copy of Nancy Pearl's Book Lust to Go hanging around somewhere, which has book lists for all sorts of locations.

>131 Familyhistorian: I could see how that would be frustrating, Meg! We sometimes have book clubs coming in looking for very popular or hard-to-get books and the book is to be read in a couple of weeks... I always feel a little bad we can't fill the hold in time.

Catching up on some reviews...

98. The Kingdom of the Blind by Louise Penny
Why now? Series entries are "drop everything and read" books as soon as a new one comes out

Former Chief Inspector Gamache - now on suspension during an investigation in to his handling of the drug bust in the previous entry - is called to a remote location by a dead man. He's been asked to notarize a will for a woman he never knew - along with Myrna, the bookstore owner and psychologist in Three Pines, and Bernard, a young man neither of them know. The woman, Bertha Baumgartner, was a cleaning lady known as the "Baroness," and she told her three children the story of how they were cheated out of their inheritance, a fifteen-million-dollar one that she just happens to leave them in her will. Confused, Gamache begins investigating the larger story behind this woman and her family.

I thought this was one of the stronger entries in the series, back to some of the more convoluted resolutions, and including some politics on the police force, as Jean Guy Beauvoir, Gamache's protegee and now son-in-law, deals with the internal investigation. There are several threads, as Gamache is also trying to find the missing drugs before they get out on the street, a side story that was just as - if not more - interesting than the main mystery. The book has the same faults and joys of the rest of series, but at #14 you pretty much know what you're in for when you pick it up. 4.5 stars.

99. The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Why now? I decided it was time to read the sequel to The War That Saved My Life, and when I was ready I borrowed both the e-audio and the book from the library

Ada can finally get surgery to correct the club foot she's had all her life! But she's still dealing with all kinds of mixed-up emotions from her mother's abuse, and can't quite trust anyone but herself.

I don't know why, but while I liked this story and thought Ada's emotions were an accurate portrayal of a kid who's gone through all sorts of trauma, it didn't have quite the charm of the first book for me. Maybe because I had expectations going in? We don't have the same arc of Ada learning how to ride and coming out of her shell. It's much more internal as she learns to deal with her feelings of anger and fear all the while with the war going on, and Lady Thorton and other guests coming to live with them while Lord Thorton is part of the war effort. Historical fiction set in World War 2 can be tricky in kids' books, but Bradley does a great job of referencing events that adults will understand the full implications of in a way that sensitive children could still handle. 4 stars.

Phew! It has been a busy couple of weeks.

The week of being in charge went with just the normal amount of hitches, making decisions and emailing the boss with things that didn't have to be determined right away.

I had a big to-do on Tuesday, celebrating 50 years of our library building's existence (the free public library has been around since 1892). I chose a mostly open-house format with historical collections on display; foam boards of "then and now" 1968 and 2018 in books, music, and our library mostly created with volunteers; and refreshments. The one thing scheduled was a presentation on the history of the library that I researched and wrote - and gave! (I hate talking in front of people, but I love the history, so it balanced out). I'd invited dignitaries, and our state senator came out to give us a citation. We also had a citation from the state representative, but he had a personal conflict and couldn't make it. We also had all the trustees, my boss (for the beginning, until she had to go to another meeting), and the Selectmen. A fair number of people in town made it out, too, and I'm estimating around 50? I don't really know, I was so busy and focused and hostessing I forgot to count at any point and didn't take any pictures. Fortunately, one of my co-workers came (on his day off, no less) and took pictures which he shared on our Facebook page. The presentation went well, too. I was nervous enough that I talked fast, but that was the only "tell" and I got great feedback from people. They also liked looking through the old photos, but a lot of people left soon afterwards and instead of going the full two hours that I'd planned, my volunteers and I had mostly packed up by the time the library closed and I didn't even have to stay late. I had put a TON of work into it, so it was great to see it go so successfully!

Now I'm free to start planning other local history projects, such as a couple more walking tours in town - I'm working on a couple, one down some streets that talks about the history of the houses, and another of a cemetery in town. One of the cemetery commissioners came to my talk, and afterwards I talked to him about taking a walk that already exists and putting it on an app that allows you to self-guide using your phone as you do the tour. Actually, I'm working with the Mass Center of the Book on this one, and they're putting the info and photos I send them on the app. Anyway, he seemed interested in the possibility and got me in touch with someone to talk to. We set up a meeting and chatted yesterday morning, and he was really excited about the project, offering to meet me at the cemetery the day I decide to take photos (it's been too cold lately) and give me more information as we go through.

Since I worked on Sunday, I'm off today. I haven't quite figured out all my plans, but I'm thinking I might Christmas shop today and grocery shop/cook tomorrow. My church is hosting a big event over the weekend, and I offered to carol on Saturday. Tonight and Sunday I'm babysitting or a couple who's acting as Mary and Joseph in the event. They have a sweet little almost-two-year-old girl that I'll watch for them in their home. But that doesn't start until 5, and will probably be only for a few hours before I put her to bed, so it's a semi-relaxed weekend, which is just how I like it. I meant to decorate my Christmas tree over the weekend, but what started as "I'll just put up the lights" last night became full-blown decorating, so it's now up in my living room and looks lovely right by the window. I have a six-foot tree and may need a bigger one to accommodate all the ornaments I've collected over the years - I get one on every trip, and could almost deck out a small one just on DC trips. The Capitol dome, Holocaust museum, and Arlington National Cemetery are all new this year, and I also got one when I went to the Hancock Shaker Village in the fall.

In reading news, I started Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor on Monday and I'm nearly finished. I barely started The Dinosaur Artist by Paige Williams and will try to make some progress over the weekend while deciding what fiction I want to start next.

Wow, Mary! You have been a whirlwind of activity!

Congratulations on the talk. That amount of work is hard to believe you ever decided was a good idea...until someone says, "well done!" Then suddenly it's okay.

The cemetery idea sounds great. Good on you for thinking of it.

Pictures of the decorations!!!

>135 richardderus: Thanks, Richard! Yes, the talk was a lot of work but I also had in the back of my mind that I could use it as a backbone for future talks as well. I was asked once to give a talk at our local historical society and couldn't that particular day they wanted (I was on vacation in DC, natch), and thought this could be a natural one to have in my toolkit if the opportunity arose in the future.

And since you asked, here is the tree and new-this-year ornaments (I forgot about the National Cathedral too):

>136 bell7: Gorgeous!

Some of you might remember the meetup where I bought this when we went to historic Alexandria:



My mother started a tradition when my parents were on their honeymoon and on every family trip since, of buying an ornament to remember the trip. I carried on the tradition, and it's something special putting up my Christmas tree and remembering the various places I've been and visits I've had over the years.

>137 norabelle414: Thanks, Nora!

November in review
92. Blood of Tyrants by Naomi Novik
93. After This by Alice McDermott
94. The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
95. Bibliophile by Jane Mount
96. Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
97. Dog Sense by John Bradshaw
98. The Kingdom of the Blind by Louise Penny

Books read: 7
Fiction/Nonfiction/Poetry/Plays: 5/2/0/0
Children's/Teen/Adult: 1/0/6
Library/Mine/Borrowed: 6/1/0
Rereads: 1

Standouts: Bibliophile was just plain wonderful

Thoughts: Life was busy and I'm not surprised I only read 7 books (tying May for second-least I read in a month all year). It started out slow with two I was "meh" about, and started picking up in the second half of the month. I'm a little surprised I didn't read any teen titles, but I'm finding myself picking up more and more adult books now even though I enjoy some for younger readers when I pick them up. Also surprising is that I only read one fantasy title, and I didn't love it.

>137 norabelle414: Ooo tha Arlington one is something extra special. Lovely tree, all memories and things to smile about!

>141 richardderus: Thanks, Richard!

100. Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor
Why now? A librarian group I used to be a part of was reading it for this month's reader's advisory round table discussion and though I couldn't go, decided to read it around the same time anyway

Twelve-year-old Sunny lives with her family in Nigeria, though she was born in Chicago. She's also albino, which leaves her very much a fish out of water. Then she meets two new friends, Orlu and Chichi, who introduce her to another world for people with special powers - people like her, the Leopard People.

Drawing on both fantasy school stories and Nigerian folklore, Okorafor writes a stellar fantasy for middle grades about three friends. A couple of times I wanted the plot to pick up a little or the stakes to feel higher, but part of that had to do with the young audience it's meant for and the simple fact that if it's too dark not many parents are going to allow kids to read it. Details about the training Sunny and her friends receive are fun and inventive and remind me a little of Harry Potter in the way her lessons would introduce her to more of this hidden culture of juju wielders. I'll certainly look for the sequel. 4 stars.

Good reviews of The Kingdom of the Blind and The War I Finally Won, Mary. Both of those are in my future. I like how you say, "The book has the same faults and joys of the rest of series, but at #14 you pretty much know what you're in for when you pick it up." Right - I find the plots absurd, but I'm invested in the characters, and her writing carries me along.

Way to go on the 50 year library celebration; that sounds great. A lot of work, but worth it.

I hope you enjoyed Akata Witch. Looking forward to your comments.

100 BOOKS!!!

>143 bell7: Congrats on reaching 100!

Congrats!

>144 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe! I'm glad that sentence was able to convey what I was thinking about the book. I feel like I've mentioned her sentence fragmentation in a ton of reviews but... well, if you've read along this far, you know, no? :) And yes, the library celebration was a lot of work but worth it. I'm glad I did it, and I'm glad it's over! I did enjoy Akata Witch and have updated my comments.

>145 richardderus: Thanks Richard! It was looking for a little while like I might not reach that milestone this year, so I was pretty proud of myself for doing so!

>146 thornton37814: Thanks, Lori!

>147 drneutron: Thanks, Jim!

An update on what I'm reading -

I gave up on The Dinosaur Artist which had a fascinating premise but unfortunately such a scattered and slow start that I just gave up on it. Maybe if I have time to sit down and read several chapters at once, it won't seem so all over the place and it was more my reading than the format. Maybe.

The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker - I hadn't heard of this book at all until I read through this BuzzFeed list of what librarians are reading. I am intrigued by the description since I facilitate a Bible study and a book group, and this time of year of course there are tons of family gatherings. So far so good - I started it this morning and it's very promising.

Blessings by Anna Quindlen is my book group book, and I started it last night. It's a perfect sort of on-the-treadmill read, not too taxing and seems to be shaping up to be a heartwarming story. Though it's set in the summer, this will be a better December choice than the true crime book we read a couple of years ago.

League of Dragons by Naomi Novik is my audiobook before bed (Simon Vance is the narrator), and I've supplemented a bit with reading because I tend to zone out and not pay attention even when it's one of the best narrators. Slow going, I'm only on chapter 2. I should have a little more reading time this weekend, and if so I'll read a chunk on Saturday (or listen while I knit, which helps me pay attention better than falling asleep) because I don't want to finish Blessings too soon (Monday would be ideal for next Wednesday's discussion).

>149 bell7: Interesting about The Dinosaur Artist. The author talk I went to was very scattered and slow but I assumed the book wouldn't be that way.....

More congratulations from me on the 100 books.

I love the sound of your library celebration and talk. The kind of event I really enjoy: I'm not surprised people appreciated your research and the opportunity to find out more. Even more congratulations!

I also loved Bibliophile: hoping that her dystopia pages will give some ideas for the book group I'm in.

>150 norabelle414: I was hoping it would be, too, from your comments. The introduction tried to get you hooked by describing the guy, Eric, who was selling the dino skeleton sweating while it was at auction and another guy figuring out what it really was. The first chapter started with Eric's parents & birth, then the next chapter switched to another guy who was Eric's mentor and how he got interested in fossils. I was... not quite 50 pages into it and had no idea where it was going. And you know how nonfiction books have a way of tangents kind of giving you background information along the way as you're introduced to topics? This one felt like the tangents were taking over and why am I reading about the history of what people thought fossils were in ancient times right now? I could never really connect it with a thread of a story. The more I write out that outline, the more I'm convinced it wasn't just me. It's too bad, because it really does sound like an interesting story. Sex on the Moon was a similar sort of heist story (though about moon rocks), but I felt like Ben Mezrich did a much better job of keeping the tension up and introducing information as you needed to know it.

>151 charl08: Thanks, Charlotte! Does your book group read a specific genre of science fiction or dystopia? I've enjoyed the idea of a genre-based book club, and though mine doesn't really have one we do tend to gravitate towards literary fiction, historical fiction, and memoirs. Blessings so far has been a bit of a departure for us.

101. The Last Word: the Lure and Lore of Early New England Graveyards by Melvin G. Williams
Why now? I was looking for information on the artwork on early graves in town, and used this as a resource - as it was a short pamphlet, I decided to read all 32 pages of it.

Local author Melvin G. Williams divides this pamphlet on early New England graveyards into three major sections: "The Graveyard School of Art," on the common images on old gravestones such as the death's head and willow & urn motif; "Stories in Stone" in which he gives myriad examples of epitaphs organized thematically; and "Rubbing for Fun and Profit" which details two different types of grave rubbings that can be done.

Such a short book oversells itself a bit with its title and sections, but it gave me enough information for what I needed, namely, knowing what to call a death's head and pointing out the imagery on some of the old stones in a local graveyard. I do wish Williams had given more specifics about some of the graves he talks about - much of the time he only names the town, which is a challenge in my hometown that has three cemeteries which he may be referencing. Also both of the techniques for rubbing are not allowed in my town, so if you're using this for ideas definitely look into the local regulations. He's a little short on the "for profit" aspect of grave rubbings too, basically just mentioning that you might sell them an make a hobby profitable. But it's just a short pamphlet, really. The bibliography suggests many longer books that probably would be more complete.

Not going to bother rating this one since I really did read it just to get the information and decided it was short enough I might as well polish it off.

Happy Friday, everyone! I'm excited for the weekend, though I'll really only have tomorrow off before I go right back to work on Sunday. But because I did my laundry and swung by the post office today, I have very little I actually *have* to do tomorrow and am planning a fairly relaxing day before going out to celebrate my brother's birthday.

This week has been busy as usual. Though we've had a week of highs in the 30s, I got a call from the guy I'd met up with about the cemetery walking tour on Wednesday saying "It's supposed to get up to 40 today, want to go out and take pictures?" So I did, we did, he picked me up at the library and talked a lot about the stones and their history while I went through and took photos until my phone died in the cold. It was c-o-l-d in the mid-30s (close to 0 Celsius). Today was a little warmer and I knew I only had a few more to do, so I went out and took the rest. The only thing left on my plate for this is to find a couple of historic photos from our collection and add them to the Google folder. I've shared it with the person who will actually be adding the info into an app for a self-guided walking tour, so my end is nearly done. I'm actually really happy with how quickly I was able to get that together. And in the meantime, I brushed up a little on my history of New England gravestones and iconography. (Thus the pamphlet read in >153 bell7:).

Tonight was also the town's holiday party, so I had a nice dinner and some fun in a Yankee swap (we played the version where you can either steal or open, once, and after that the person you stole from has to pick another gift to open). It's a little more awkward and obligatory because I'm in management than the ones we used to do with just the library staff. Ah well.

I'm still reading the books mentioned in >149 bell7:. Blessings is moving along the quickest and I'll probably have to slow myself down and read the other two books over the weekend. My goal is generally to finish it around Monday and have Tuesday and Wednesday to prep for book club. I've only got about 65 pages left. It's a warm and enjoyable book, and rather deceptively simple, I think. I'll be going along without thinking too deeply about what's going on and then the narrator will have an insightful observation about how a character lives with the past intruding on the present or has a revelation that an alternate life wouldn't necessarily have been a happier one for her. I'm looking forward to delving into the questions and hearing what my ladies have to say about it.

Quite the week! I think the app developer should be thrilled to have your part done so quickly. And the whole Holiday Party thing is one major reason I'm *thrilled* to be unable to hold an office job.

Sending hugs!

>155 richardderus: It'll probably be a little while on their end because they get college interns to do most of the work, but then all I'll have to worry about is any follow up and clarification, so I can move on to other local history projects.

The holiday party isn't really so bad (I've read some real humdinger horror stories on the Ask a Manager blog). When I first started at the library, we'd get just our department together and have a potluck and someone's house, followed by fun games or surprises coordinated by the children's librarian and a cutthroat Yankee Swap in which we could continue trading the (unwrapped) gift for something someone already had until someone decided to open it (this only works with a smallish 12-15 people, but is fun because eventually almost everyone gets an additional opportunity to swap). But the past couple years a combination of interpersonal issues and all-around holiday busy-ness has meant just the library staff hasn't done their own party. The town party is still fun, but I don't know as many people from other departments and I feel more obligated to go because I'm management. My introvert self was tired and grouchy at the end of a long week :)

Goddesses below us! You'd be a freak of nature if you weren't! Well, it's done until 2019 and permaybehaps that'll be the holiday party where you can offer a toast to President Pelosi.

Octopuses with epilepsy got nothin' on me for crossing crossable parts.

I think a tree with ornaments that mean something to you, like the souvenirs on yours, is really special, Mary. Even better that it is a family tradition. Great that your 50th anniversary talk went so well as did the prep for the cemetery app.

>157 richardderus: Heh, we've got enough to deal with in town politics without getting national...

>158 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg!

102. Blessings by Anita Quindlen
Why now? This month's book club pick - discussion on Wednesday

A young, desperate couple leaves an infant at Blessings, where the new caretaker Skip Cuddy finds the babe and decides to raise her. As he's on parole and the old lady Lydia Blessing is old and set in her ways, it may not seem like the best of situations. Can they manage to be a sort of family?

A heartwarming tale that reads very fast and was sometimes deceptively simple, while delving into themes of family and secrecy. Unfortunately I had one of the big reveals spoiled for me while researching for my book club before being quite finished with the book, so what should've been an "Aha!" moment was only a small nod of recognition. Though to be fair, there was plenty of foreshadowing. The ending seemed a little abrupt, a sense that the idyll couldn't have lasted anyway and though I knew that, it didn't make me any happier about it.

I'm still not sure what I think of the book and I'm going to leave of rating it for now. The writing went down so smoothly that I kind of forgot to take notes or think deeply, so I wanted to give myself a couple of days to go over the questions and review/reread portions before book group. I also read in spurts, getting to a certain point where I realized I'd finish it too soon and stopped reading for a day or two, which didn't help any.

Joy to the World, Mary dear! And thanks.

>161 richardderus: You're welcome! I should not be surprised at how quick the post office gets things to you, but it does always surprise me when it's only two days (and over the weekend at that). I sent out the BookPage yesterday morning as well.

103. League of Dragons by Naomi Novik
Why now? Because I really wanted to finish off the series this year instead of carrying that goal into 2019 - I found a library audio available to download but mostly read the book

Laurence and Temeraire continue with the Russians after giving Napoleon a huge defeat, but the brilliant strategist makes it back to France. Then Temeraire and Iskierka discover that their egg has been stolen by the French, and might be in danger.

This ninth and final book in the series is a satisfying end. This sprawling series has brought us all across the world - the only continents not visited by our characters are North America (which is nonetheless mentioned) and Antartica. Several characters make a reappearance here as the final denouement between Napoleon's forces and all others comes to a head. Several of the battles were disconcertingly off screen, with new chapters starting the action afterwards and looking back, or somewhere in the middle, a narrative decision I can't quite figure out. That aside, I really enjoyed seeing how everything came together in the end. 4 stars.

I enjoyed my reread/finishing of the series, but doubt I'll have the patience or stamina to do it again. I didn't like how it took so long for me to realize what the *point* of the plot was in a given book (I feel like most of my plot summaries are lies as a result). I really liked the final ending though.

I'm still working my way through The Art of Gathering, which has been an interesting read so far, and I'm just starting (you might want to avert your eyes here, Richard!) my annual reread of A Christmas Carol.

Other books out from the library and to be read soon:
Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri
One Day in December by Josie Silver
The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers by Maxwell King and
Half a King by Joe Abercrombie

That's quite the stack of books, Mary!

>163 bell7: I bailed on the series after Tongues of Serpents, but still felt this was a terrific silly-fun romp.

>165 MickyFine: That's me being good only having about 5 books out from the library! :D

>166 richardderus: My first read in the series stalled after book 6 as well, Richard. It was actually strongest when it was in mass market paperback and the first three were printed within a few months of each other, I think. Definitely a fun romp!

So book club was yesterday and we talked about Blessings by Anna Quindlen.

Believe it or not, the most talked about question was, why the title Blessings? What did you expect when you first read the book, and what do you think it means now?
Some of the responses - One person thought she was getting something religious, and when she started the story she wondered if a poor abandoned baby figuring in the story was why we read this in December (she's a psychologist by trade and I told her while it might have been subconscious on my part, no, I'd picked it primarily because it seemed a nice, easy read for a busy time of year!). One of the ladies thought long and deep and gave us a definition of blessings as good things happening that are unexpected and undeserved. We discussed the ways in which blessings, and indeed happiness, is individual and depending on what we focus on, lives can be happy or sad - just look at the character of Lydia Blessing herself. I brought up the irony that Lydia's mother, we come to find out, withheld her approval (the giving of approval being one definition of blessings) from many of Lydia's choices, but no one really jumped on that comment.

We also talked about whether or not the ending was a happy one, which brought out some interesting differences of opinion as well - what's happy? Was it a realistic ending? Probably. We talked a lot about family, what makes a family, and the different types of families represented in Blessings (we couldn't think of one "traditional" family), and what we thought of some of the individual characters. One of the secondary characters that stood out for us was a grouchy housekeeper, Nadine, whom we almost wanted to see with her own story.

It was good, because before I'd studied the questions I read the book fast and thought, well, that was a nice story but I'm not sure what we'll talk about. I shouldn't have doubted my ladies would have plenty to say! There were six of us, too, which is on the larger side for my discussions and all the more surprising this late in December.

I was just on Katie's thread and saying how I wished I could visit the LT real life bookclubs and I've said it before here, and I'll say it again. What a fascinating discussion, and I'm adding the book to my wishlist.

Find the Light—Reflect the Light—Be the Light

Happy Yule 2018!

>168 bell7: So nice when you have solid turnout for a program and a great discussion.

How much does your library shut down over the holidays?

>170 richardderus: thanks, Richard! Best wishes of the season to you.

>171 MickyFine: my discussion runs small, 4-6 most months and maybe 8 if we all show up. So it was nice to get a good group together for sure! We'll close at noon on Christmas Eve and be closed all day for Christmas, and that's it. On New year's Eve we'll close at 5 and be closed New year's day. What about yours?

I got my lovely package today, thanks! I'm shaking my fist at you because I want several items quite badly. *sigh*

Happy Holidays Mary!

>173 richardderus: I added quite a few titles to my own TBR list, Richard. Glad to share the, er, joy with you ;)

>174 The_Hibernator: To you too, Rachel - thank you!

104. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Why now? It's an every year tradition for me around this time of year

My non-review: This has really become a favorite classic and tradition of mine to reread every year. Several movie versions are good too, but I always love rediscovering the original and noting a scene or turn of phrase that I may not have noticed before.

Well, I'm ready as I'll ever be for Christmas! I baked yesterday with my sister, which finished the gifts I was making for my housemates. It turned out to be a fun day hanging out with her and my mom. We watched The Man Who Invented Christmas, which I hadn't expected much of and was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

Today's been a relaxing day at home, just doing a quick run of errands in the morning - post office, grocery store, bank. I'm going to be dogsitting a lot in the coming days so I'm trying not to have too much food on hand and only picked up some essentials. At some point today, I want to get on the treadmill and have a few things I'd like to tidy at the apartment, but really it's going to be fairly relaxed reading, knitting and watching Christmas in Connecticut this evening (first time, library borrow).

Tomorrow is my last Sunday singing in choir for Advent, and then I'll run from there to nursery for the rest of service. After, I'm going over my parents for the NY Giants game, and celebrating my brother R's birthday with my family and his girlfriend. On Monday, I work in the morning, go to dogsit for an overnight, and have a Christmas party and 11 p.m. Carols and Candlelight service (for fun, not in choir). Christmas Day itself will be breakfast and presents at my parents' and the dogs in the afternoon.

Then I'm back to a regular work schedule, and continuous/overlapping dogsitting jobs from December 29 to February 4. So I think my Christmas tree will have to come down one of those days after work or else stay up until March. If the first couple months' schedule is any indication, I'm going to be a busy bee in 2019 (my vacation is February 7-14 and followed by more dogsitting). I have no idea how that's going to affect my reading, but I may find myself trying more audiobooks while I walk the dogs.

Whew! Your schedule exhausts me, and I'm just reading it. I hope it's all very pleasantly uneventful and that your prediction for 2019's dogwalking is on the mingy side. Hangin' with dogs is The Best.

What Richard said, Mary. That schedule sounds packed but good. Happy Holidays!

>172 bell7: We close at 2 on Christmas Eve, we're closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day, we close at 5 on NYE (although I'm taking my EDO that day) and then we're closed New Year's Day. I'm super jealous as Mr. Fine is off work until January 2.

Have an excellent Christmas with all your plans!

>178 richardderus: yeah, it's kinda overwhelming when I write it all out like that. It's not as bad as it sounds because I'm staying at the house with the dogs. Much of January is with the labs that must be walked a lot, so I'll be cold but get my exercise!

>179 jnwelch: packed but good seems fair to me, Joe. I'll probably really take it easy on my days off 😁 happy holidays to you too!

>180 MickyFine: Ooh nice, so pretty similar to my working hours then. It'll be a little challenging for me to get to work at 8:30 tomorrow tbh (it has to do with union contacts and such, so we're essentially working the same hours as town hall employees and getting a halfday holiday). I'm a little jealous of Mr. Fine's break as well. My brother's girlfriend is an academic librarian and she'll be off for closer to three weeks. Happy Christmas to you too!

Edited to fix my spelling and grammar because my typing on a phone keyboard of atrocious.

That sounds like a busy schedule. I hope you find time to take down your tree and set up your 2019 thread. Have a great Christmas.

>182 Familyhistorian: Merry Christmas, Meg! These next couple of days will actually be more relaxed than the whole slew of events sounds. The dogs I'm caring for overnight only get fed in the evening and are let out every 5 hours or so, so I'll spend a normal Christmas with my family with breakfast in the a.m. and relax and read or knit for much of the afternoon before heading home. I keep looking for the 2019 group and not seeing it, but at the latest I'll set one up Jan. 1 since I have the day off. The dogs will be walked 4x but so far I have heard of no family plans (watch, last minute I'll get the invite to an event on New Years' Eve or day...).

>183 bell7: That sounds a lot better, Mary, with the built in family and you time. Jim has just hinted that the 2019 75 group will be up today or tomorrow.

Happy holidays, Mary.

>184 Familyhistorian: ooh, excellent, I'll keep a lookout!

>185 PaulCranswick: thank you, Paul!

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate it!

I'm eking out the last few minutes in bed before I get up and start my day. I'll take care of the dogs and fish, then head to my parents for a late breakfast and presents with my siblings (minus A and her family still in DC) and grandfather. My brother R will be bringing his girlfriend which will be a fun addition to the festivities. I'm hoping we get to Skype A's family and see my niece and nephew at some point though they're still at the age where they like to play with each gift they unwrap which makes that tough 😂

Though there's still a week left in the year, I decided I'd better start a thread while I still have time. Here's my 2019 thread. Hope to see you there!

I'll keep posting here primarily for the next week, of course. I'm hoping I still have a book or two left for 2018.

Well, it's been a lovely day and a half off for Christmas. We had breakfast and presents opening, Skyped a bit with A's family (Mia predictably ignored us all while she did what she wanted to do, and Matthew was excited to wave to each new person he could see on the phone and ask "Dat?" if he didn't know someone. I played pitch with my parents and me and my dad beat my mom and grandpa (who's very good at pitch) 3 games straight. Then I went back to the dogs and watched Doctor Who Christmas specials until late into the evening and went home.

I'm back to work 9-5 today and I want to get back in my routine of walking on the treadmill as well. I have a few days home and start dogsitting again on Saturday. The weekend should be fairly relaxed other than working Sunday, and starting Dec. 31 I'll have about a month watching the 3-4 labs that must be walked a lot. I do have a few days off in there - Fridays for working Sundays, holidays, and a long weekend I'd already promised to someone else, so I'll be leaving one job for another in the middle of the month - and I'm thinking I'll start listening to audiobooks on the walk, especially now that I have bluetooth headphones for my phone (gift from my parents). So hopefully my reading numbers won't suffer too much!

I'm currently still reading The Art of Gathering which I'm enjoying but keep putting down for fictional reads that are catching my attention. Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri was a recent LibraryReads pick and is very good fantasy with a bit of a romance in it. And Musicophilia started as an audiobook read by John Lee, but I'm not focusing on it well so I picked up the book to be able to follow the case studies of people with strange relationships to music - like the folks who music sends into a seizure.

I saw Empire of Sand all over bookish media this month. I'm glad it's got some substance to back up the hype. I'm off to see the wizard when he comes home around four thirty. A month is a long time to be apart and I'm delighted it's almost over.

Happy Christmas, Mary!

>192 bell7: Not sure Empire of Sand would really be your cuppa, Richard, but I'm sure enjoying it. Happy reunion with the YGC.

>191 norabelle414: Thanks, Nora! Merry Christmas to you too!

>192 bell7: A happy and beautiful and sunshiney day to you, dear Mary! I'm going to skip Empire of Sand. I Kindled up a sample...not my taste at all. I see what the lovers are loving but I don't love that.

Sounds like you'll have a busy but lovely end to 2018, Mary! :)

>193 richardderus: It was a sunshiney (if cold) day, thanks Richard! Nice that you were able to get a sample and confirm it wasn't for you.

>194 MickyFine: Oh yes, and in fact I can almost guarantee I won't be staying up til midnight to ring in the new year! :)

105. Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri
Why now? I've had this on my radar since it made the November LibraryReads list and finally moved it to the top of the pile as the library due date approached

Mehr has lived a sheltered life as the daughter of the governor of Irinah, half Ambhan (ruling class) and half Amrithi (a hated group). Her mother left her and her sister Arwa behind when she was exiled years ago, and Mehr deals with the slights of her stepmother. Her father, though, has still given her much freedom, allowing her to perform the Amrithi rites. But then one of these rites brings her to the notice of the Emperor, and a group of people come to Mehr for a marriage contract. Mehr knows there's probably something sinister behind it, but with her family on the line, what choice does she have?

This debut fantasy has gotten a lot of hype and as soon as I knew about it, I knew I wanted to read it. The imaginative worldbuilding is well done. I sometimes wished for even more, but because the location and Mehr's understanding of events is so small we can only know as much as she does. The narrative is third person, mostly staying tightly with Mehr's point of view and occasionally switching to show us another character's actions. The plot moves along at a good clip and the growing romance between Mehr and her husband is well done. 4 stars.

Oscillating between 4-4.5 stars on this one. Usually my measure is, would I reread it? And I find myself not sure.

Happy Friday!

This is my last night in my own bed for the forseeable future (February 4, but who's counting) as I have a few dogsitting jobs strung in a row including one that runs for most of the month of January. Well, at least the business is doing well!

I'm actually about to head out for a joint birthday party and my brother's band playing at a local pub. I've become very much a homebody and don't really want to get off my chair, but once I'm there I will have fun. One of my good friends, my brother, and two of their friends all have birthdays close together so it's a big bash, and most of my family should be there too. I'll probably leave later than I'd like and early enough that my brother makes fun of me :D

I'm bringing of course ALL THE BOOKS I have out from the library to my dogsitting jobs, but there are three I'm currently reading. In addition to The Art of Gathering and Musicophilia which I've already mentioned, I started Half a King tonight. It's the first in a trilogy that we have at the library and books 2 and 3 showed up on my weed list (that is, they haven't been checked out of the library in 2 years or more). I decided to read them to "save" them from deletion if I end up liking the series or, conversely, if I really hate book 1, I'll just delete all of them. I only got a few pages into the story, so it's too early to tell at the moment.

>197 bell7: Have fun with all the dog sitting, Mary. Think you'll finish any more books this year?

>198 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky! I had been hoping to finish one more over the weekend, but it's not looking likely between my work schedule and the fact that I'm not very far in any of the three I'm reading right now. So this is the smallest number of books I've read since I started keeping track of my yearly totals (in 2012 I read 108).

I'm hoping to read a chunk tonight in The Art of Gathering, and if I finish another book this year, it'll be this one.

My phone occasionally feeds me articles it thinks I'll find interesting (and Google knows everything about me, so 80% of the time, it's right). Here's an article on updating the canon that I came across today and found interesting. Mostly, I thought it was interesting because it wasn't saying there should be no list that we turn to culturally, but argued for updating it with sometimes newer books, sometimes what the author thought were better choices.

I was an English major, so there are certainly many of those books that I've read - some for school, some I found on my own. It's useful to have cultural frames of reference from which we write and communicate and make metaphors. Many of the books we call classics have survived because they speak beyond their own time to something greater about human experience. Does that mean I'll love every classic I've read? Nope. There are some that have had me scratching my head entirely, others that I can appreciate even if they weren't for me, and some that I love for speaking directly to me. I will admit, I love more of the ones I picked up on my own because I felt like it. I'm contrary enough that I drag my feet over reading assignments and reading a book on someone's schedule besides my own. But that would be true of any assigned text, not just classics.

But there's *so much* out there that we can't read it all, and there's never going to be one list that we all agree is *the* list to read from. I would, for example, quibble with the author over keeping The Scarlet Letter (though I absolutely agree it's better than The Great Gatsby, having read them both in 2012 when a high school student I knew was also reading them). Even in high school, I loved language and word play and cleverness. I loved Shakespeare. I read Macbeth for school and a bunch of other plays for fun, and compared notes with a likeminded friend of mine who went even above and beyond that and memorized some of her favorite soliloquies. There's also something to be said for meeting a book at the right time, having knowledge of the world, literature, and life experience to be able to fully appreciate something.

I don't have an answer, but it's a puzzle I like to unpack every so often and see if I can make sense of it. As a librarian, I want people to enjoy reading and know that there are stories out there that they will love, rather than automatically assuming it's got to be drudgery and there will be a test on this. Sometimes it's a joy, sometimes a challenge, other times a complete escape from reality. But please don't make me read Paradise Lost again.

So - what would you keep? What would go? What would you add? if you were in charge of the literary canon.

Mary, you have had a very busy holiday schedule. Congrats on compiling and giving the talk on the 50-year library history. It helps loving the topic for sure, although public speaking would still be a nightmare for me. I like the new list for your book group. Some strangers on there and some favorites…I loved Cutting for Stone and Year of Wonders. You have some very special ornaments on your lovely Christmas tree.

I don't have much of an opinion on the literary canon debate other than "make new friends but keep the old". In other words, leave it as it stands but maybe have an addendum with some of the modern books. I couldn't access the article you cited so I'm not sure how recent the books are. I think To Kill A Mockingbird, The Grapes of Wrath, and My Antonia should be on a "modern" list.

Happy New Year!

>200 bell7: - I think the success of canon books has less to do with the books themselves than with how they are taught. I can't think of any books I had to read in high school that I hated, but I was lucky enough to have 4 excellent English teachers, so....

>201 Donna828: Thanks, Donna! Public speaking is not my favorite, but it helps that I knew many of the people who came and know the subject material well - it helped put me at ease, and mostly I just had enough nerves to do well (though I did talk rather fast!). Oh, too bad about the article not linking. It looks fine on my phone and my work computer, so I'm not sure what happened. I think it's always going to be a challenge of education to pick titles. My own high school reading was mostly short stories and poetry, not a lot of full novels. I found a lot of those on my own. Happy New Year!

>202 katiekrug: That's a really good point, Katie. My teacher for Paradise Lost didn't believe me when I said I couldn't make heads or tails out of things just because they were written in verse and made me read a section out loud in front of the class and tell him what was in it.

>203 thornton37814: Happy New Year, Lori!

Alright it's the end of the year, and I've come to terms with the fact that I won't be finishing any more titles this year.

I did want to share one picture book one of my co-workers discovered, 'Twas the evening of Christmas by Glenys Nellist. It's a riff on 'Twas the Night Before Christmas but tells the story of Jesus's birth and includes lovely illustrations that evoke mood - peacefulness, the brightness of the angels visiting the shepherds - in color and form. While some lines are a little forced ("Merry Christmas, my son" is very clearly not going to be something Mary said to Jesus), it worked well most of the time and would be a nice family readaloud.

Closing out the year with a December in review

99. The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
100. Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor
101. The Last Word: The Lore and Lure of New England Graveyards by Melvin G. Williams
102. Blessings by Anna Quindlen
103. League of Dragons by Naomi Novik
104. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
105. Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri

Books read: 7
Fiction/Nonfiction/Poetry/Plays: 6/1/0/0
Children's/Teen/Adult: 1/1/5
Library/Mine/Borrowed: 6/1/0
Rereads: 1

Standouts: Probably my favorite of the bunch was Empire of Sand, but none quite reached the 4.5/5 star range (other than my annual reread, A Christmas Carol)

Thoughts: For December specifically, my numbers stayed surprising close to November's in all the things I track. Not surprisingly, I only finished 7 books (two very short ones) in a very busy month. I finished my read through of Naomi Novik's Temeraire series, which I'm pretty proud of accomplishing and not carrying over to 2019.

For the year, this is the lowest number I've *ever* read since I started keeping track of my yearly totals in 2008. 2012 was the lowest before this with 108. I've been busy in my personal life, leading a lady's Bible study at my church, becoming Assistant Director at the library last December, officially making my dogsitting a side businesses, and making exercise more of a priority. All of this had an impact on my reading ability, and honestly I'm proud I still made over 100. I discovered a new-to-me author in Nnedi Okorafor, whose work I really enjoyed, as well as some other fabulous books by authors I'd read before (Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and N.K. Jemison among others). In 2019, my one real goal is to read diversely, and try to pay attention to authors whose works may not be the first on the radar of my patrons, but nonetheless would be appreciated if nudged in the right direction.

Follow my reading in 2019!