Mamie's 2018 Madness (Page 16)

Birdy, Abby, Daniel, and Rae

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Books Read in October:
92. Fight No More by Lydia Millet (4.5 stars), library hardback, linked short stories - recommended by Beth
93. Mind's Eye by Håkan Nesser (3.5 stars), 2013 acquired ebook, crime fiction/police procedural (Inspector Van Veeteren, book 1)
94. The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee (4 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, YA/historical fiction (Gentleman's Guide, book 1) - recommended by Meg
95. The Colorado Kid by Stephen King (3 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, mystery (Haven, the tv series is loosely based on this)
96. The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman (5 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook, horror
97. The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde (4 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, ghost story
98. First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones (reread), 2011 acquired ebook, urban fantasy
99. Sunshine by Robin McKinley (4 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, urban fantasy
100. Exit Strategy by Martha Wells (5 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, science fiction/AI (The Murderbot Diaries, book 4)

I am planning on walking the cat again this year. That is, I am just going to go where my reading takes me. I am not committing to any challenges except for Katie’s PopReadHarderSugarEtc.Challenges 2018

Books Read in January:
1. Blizzard of Glass: The Halifax Explosion of 1917 by Sally M. Walker (4 stars), library hardback, YA non-fiction/history - mentioned on Julia's thread last year in reference to the 100 year anniversary of the incident
2. March: Book Two by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell (5 stars), library paperback, GN non-fiction/memoir/Civil Rights Movement
3. Artemis by Andy Weir (4 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, sci-fi
4. You Gotta Get Bigger Dreams by Alan Cumming, narrated by Alan Cumming (4.5 stars), 2018 purchased audiobook, non-fiction/vignettes with selfies
5. The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher, narrated by Carrie Fisher and Billy Lourd (4 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook - recommended by Mark
6. The White Album by Joan Didion (4 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, non-fiction/essays
7. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (3.8 stars), 2012 or earlier acquired paperback, gothic fiction/classic
8. Ties by Domenico Starnone (4 stars), library paperback, literary fiction/relationships - recommended by Lynda, translation
9. God Stalk by P. C. Hodgell (4 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, fantasy - recommended by Roni and read for her GR of it
10. The Jaguar's Children by John Vaillant (4.5 stars), library hardback, contemporary fiction/illegal immigration - recommended by Katie
11. Nightblind by Ragnar Jonasson (3 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, crime fiction/police procedural (Dark Iceland series, book 2), translation

Books Read in February:
12. The Dying Detective by Leif GW Persson (4 stars), library hardback, crime fiction/police procedural (Johansson and Jarnebring series, book 8) - recommended by Charlotte, translation
13. The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion (4.5 stars), library hardback, non-fiction/grief
14. The Girl With All the Gifts by M. R. Carey, narrated by Finty Williams (5 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, dystopian/zombies - recommended by Mark
15. Chimes at Midnight by Seanan McGuire (4 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, urban fantasy (October Daye series, book seven)
16. March: Book Three by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, Nate Powell (5 stars), library hardback, non-fiction/The Civil Rights Movement
17. A World Gone Mad: The Diaries of Astrid Lindgren 1939-45 by Astrid Lindgren (4.25 stars), 2016 acquired hardback, non-fiction/diary/WWII, translation
18. Greenglass House by Kate Milford (4 stars), library hardback, juvenile fiction/mystery - recommended by Amber
19. A Vindication of the Rights of Woman by Mary Wollstonecraft, narrated by Fiona Shaw with Jonathan Keeble (4 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, non-fiction/feminism
20. On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder (4.5 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, non-fiction/democracy - recommended by Joanne
21. The Cold, Cold Ground by Adrian McKinty (4.5 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook, crime fiction/police procedural - recommended by Charlotte
22. My Favorite Thing is Monsters by Emil Ferris (4.5 stars), library paperback, GN - recommended by Mark and Joe

Books Read in March:
23. Not My Father's Son by Alan Cumming, narrated by Alan Cumming (4.5 stars) 2017 acquired audiobook. non-fiction/memoir/abuse - Katie's Dirty Dozen
24. The Strange Death of Fiona Griffiths by Harry Bingham (4.5 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, crime fiction/police procedural (Fiona Griffiths series, book 3)
25. Pictures at a Revolution: Five Movies and the Birth of the New Hollywood by Mark Harris (4.5 stars), 2014 acquired paperback, non-ficiton/film history
26. Slow Horses by Mick Heron, narrated by Gerard Doyle (5 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook, crime fiction/espionage (Slough House, book 1) - recommended by Charlotte and Deborah
27. The Lady Vanishes by Ethel Lina White (3.5 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, crime fiction/mystery - recommended by Heather
28. How to Build a Girl by Caitlin Moran, narrated by Louise Brealey (5 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, contemporary fiction/coming of age
29. Binti by Nnedi Okorafor (4 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, sci-fi/space opera (Binti, book 1) - recommended by Joe
30. Acceptance by Jeff VanderMeer (4 stars), 2017 acquired paperback, weird fiction (Southern Reach, book 3)
31. Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maude Montgomery, narrated by Rachel McAdams (4.5 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, juvenile fiction/classic (Anne of Green Gables, book 1)
32. MI5 and Me: A Coronet Among the Spooks by Charlotte Bingham (3 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, non-fiction/memoir - saw this mentioned on Charlotte's thread and loved the quotes she posted from it
33. Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World by Pénélope Bagleu (5 stars), paperback borrowed from Birdy, GN/non-fiction/history, translated - recommended by Charlotte
34. Octopussy and The Living Daylights by Ian Fleming, narrated by Tom Hiddleston (4 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook, short stories/crime fiction/espionage (James Bond, book 14)
35. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by Ian Fleming, narrated by David Tennant (3 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook, juvenile fiction
36. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré (5 stars), 2013 acquired paperback (also listened to the 2017 acquired audiobook), crime fiction/espionage (George Smiley novels, book 5)
37. A Rage in Harlem by Chester Himes, narrated by Samuel Jackson (4.5 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook, crime fiction/noir (Harlem Cycle, book 1)
38. How to Cheat a Dragon's Curse by Cressida Cowell, narrated by David Tennant (4 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, juvenile fiction (How to Train Your Dragon, book 4)
39. The Moneypenny Diaries: Guardian Angel by Kate Westbrook (4 stars), 2015 acquired ebook, crime fiction/espionage (The Moneypenny Diaries, book 1)

Books Read in April:
40. Women & Power: A Manifesto by Mary Beard (4 stars), 2018 acquired hardback, non-fiction/essays/feminism - recommended by Charlotte
41. A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf, narrated by Juliet Stevenson (5 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook, non-fiction/essays/feminism - recommended by Joe
42. The Hounds of Spring by Lucy Andrews Cummin (5 stars), 2018 acquired paperback, contemporary fiction/utterly delightful
43. The Wendy Project by Melissa Jane Osborne, Illustrated by Veronica Fish (3.5 stars), paperback borrowed from Abby, GN/grief/fairy tale retelling
44. The Dark Angel by Elly Griffiths (4 stars), traveling paperback sent by Katie and going to Beth next, crime fiction/mystery (Ruth Galloway, book 10)
45. Frankenstein in Baghdad by Ahmed Saadawi, translation, (4.5 stars), 2018 acquired paperback, contemporary fiction/horror
46. The Chalk Circle Man by Fred Vargas (3.5 stars), library paperback, crime fiction/police procedural (Chief Inspector Adamsberg, book 1)
47. Above Suspicion by Helen MacInnes (4 stars), 2013 acquired ebook, espionage/WWII
48. Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome (3 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook, humor - recommended by Lucy
49. The Chessmen by Peter May, narrated by Peter May (4 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, crime fiction/mystery (The Lewis Trilogy, book three)
50. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle (3 stars - reread), paperback borrowed from Birdy, YA science fiction/time travel (The Time Quintet, book 1)
51. All Systems Red by Martha Wells (4 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, science fiction/AI (The Murderbot Diaries, book 1)

Books Read in May:
52. Still Waters by Viveca Sten, translation (3.75 stars), 2018 acquired Kindle Book, crime fiction/police procedural (The Sandhamn series, book 1)
53. Closed Circles by Viveca Sten, translation (3.25 stars), ebook borrowed from the Kindle lending library, crime fiction/police procedural (The Sandhamn series, book 2)
54. Guiltless by Viveca Sten, translation (3.25 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, crime fiction/police procedural (The Sandhamn series, book 3)
55. The Quiet American by Graham Greene (4.5 stars), 2016 acquired paperback, literary fiction/espionage - recommended by Bill
56. Echo Park by Michael Connelly (4.5 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, crime fiction/police procedural (Harry Bosch series, book 12)
57. The Terror by Dan Simmons (5 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook, literary faction/horror - recommended by Susan
58. The Overlook by Michael Connelly (3.5 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, crime fiction/police procedural (Harry Bosch, book 13)
59. The Duke's Tattoo by Miranda Davis (4 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, romance (The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, book 1) - recommended by Charlotte
60. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie, narrated by Dan Stevens (4 stars - reread), 2018 acquired audiobook, mystery

Books Read in June:
61. The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton (4.5 stars), 2018 acquired hardback, crime fiction/mystery/time travel - recommended by Heather
62. The Purple Diaries: Mary Astor and the Most Sensational Hollywood Scandal of the 1930s by Joseph Egan (3.75 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, non-fiction/Hollywood history
63. Tonight You’re Dead by Viveca Sten, translated (4 stars), borrowed from the Kindle Lending Library, crime fiction/police procedural, (Sandhamn Murders, book 4)
64. Scandal and the Duchess by Jennifer Ashley (reread), 2014 acquired ebook, historical romance (Mackenzies Series, book 6.5)
65. The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley (reread), 2010 acquired ebook, historical romance (Mackenzies Series, book 1)
66. I Hear the Sirens in the Street by Adrian McKinty, narrated by Gerard Doyle (4.25 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, crime fiction/police procedural (Sean Duffy, book 2)
67. Dead Lions by Mick Herron (3.6 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, crime fiction/espionage (Slough House, book 2) - recommended by Charlotte
68. The Last Man in Europe by Dennis Glover (4.5 stars), 2018 acquired hardback, historical fiction - heard about this on Charlotte's thread (Guardian reviews) and purchased it and then reading Beth's recent review of it made me want to get to it NOW
69. In the Morning I'll Be Gone by Adrain McKinty, narrated by Gerard Doyle (4.5 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, crime fiction/police procedural (Sean Duffy, book 3)

Books Read in July:
70. A Rising Man by Abir Mukherjee, narrated by Simon Bubb (reread), 2016 acquired audiobook, crime fiction/police procedural (Sam Wyndham, book 1)
71. Matilda by Roald Dahl, narrated by Kate Winslet (4.5 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook, children's literature/classic - Katie's Dirty Dozen
72. A Necessary Evil by Abir Mukherjee (4 stars), 2017 acquired hardback, crime fiction/police procedural (Sam Wyndham, book 2)
73. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling (reread), illustrated hardback edition acquired in 2015, fantasy
74. The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger (4 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, non-fiction/disaster/Hurricane Grace
75. The Dawn Watch: Joseph Conrad in a Global World by Maya Jasanoff (4 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, non-fiction/literary history
76. The Annotated Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler (5 stars), 2018 acquired paperback, crime fiction/noir/private detective (Philip Marlowe, book 1)
77. The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain (4.25 stars), 2010 acquired paperback, crime fiction/noir

Books Read in August:
78. Artificial Condition by Martha Wells (4.5 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, science fiction/AI (The Murderbot Diaries, book 2)
79. The Kill Artist by Daniel Silva (4 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, crime fiction/espionage (Gabriel Allon, book 1) - recommended by Susan
80. Queenpin by Megan Abbott (4 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, crime fiction/noir - recommended by Roberta
81. Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells (5 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, science fiction/AI (The Murderbot Diaries, book 3)
82. Like Water For Chocolate by Laura Esquirel (4 stars) library hardback, translation, historical fiction/culinary fiction/magical realism
83. Tin Man by Sarah Winman (5 stars), 2018 acquired hardback, contemporary fiction
84. They Shoot Horses, Don't They? by Horace McCoy (3.5 stars), library hardback, crime fiction/noir
85. Vision in Silver by Anne Bishop (4.75 stars), acquired ebook, urban fantasy (The Others, book 3)

Books Completed in September:
86. Fatal Pursuit by Martin Walker (4 stars), 2017 acquired paperback, crime fiction/police procedural (Bruno Corrourrèges, book 9)
87. Soulless by Gail Carriger (reread), 2013 acquired ebook, steampunk (Parasol Protectorate, book 1)
88. The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman, illustrations by Chris Riddle (5 stars), library hardback, juvenile fiction/fractured fairytale - recommended by Amber and Birdy
89. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (4 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, mystery/autism/child narrator
90. Borkmann's Point by Håkan Nesser (3.5 stars), paperback acquired before 2012, crime fiction/police procedural (Inspector Van Veeteren, book 2)
91. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams (4.5 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, play

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

1. The North Water by Ian McGuire - Mark and Judy loved this one, too. And also Richard, though a weentsy tidge less.
2. How to Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran - go with the audio
3. Brother, I'm Dying by Edwidge Danticat
4. The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan - Katie says for when I'm in the mood for something light and recommends the audio
5. When God Was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman - Katie mentioned on Joanne's thread that she loved this one
6. Matilda by Roald Dahl - the audio narrated by Kate Winslet COMPLETED 4.5 stars
7. Come Hell or Highball by Mala Chance - saw this first on Katie's thread and then Meg's enthusiasm sold it to me
8. The Map of Love by Ahdaf Soueif - Katie says,"...one of my very favorite books - easily in my top 10."
9. Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay
10. How to be Safe by Tom McAllister
11. Georgia: A Novel by Dawn Tripp

From 2017:
1. Everyday people by Stewart O'Nan (linked short stories)
2. Exit West by Mohsin Hamid
3. Wait Till Next Year by Doris Kearns Goodwin (memoir)
4. The Golden Legend by Nadeem Aslam
5. Personal History by Katherine Graham
6. Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan
7. Taft by Ann Patchett
8. Dear Fahrenheit 451 by Annie Spence
9. Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood
10. The Lost Book of the Grail by Charlie Lovett
11. Snow in August by Pete Hamill - Katie mentioned how much she loved this one over on the AAC thread after Mark had posted the list for next year

From 2016:
1. Kamchatka by Marcelo Figueras
2. Destiny of the Republic by Candace Millard
3. The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henríquez - seconded by Charlotte and Susan
4. In the Walled City by Stewart O'Nan COMPLETED 8/12/16 3.8 stars
5. My Reading Life by Pat Conroy - she recommended the audio, and don't speed it up
6. Nobody's Fool by Richard Russo COMPLETED 7/21/16 5 stars
7. Ruby by Cynthia Bond - seconded by Charlotte
8. Not My Father's Son by Alan Cumming - she recommends the audio read by Cummings himself COMPLETED 3/01/18 4.5 stars
9. Songs for the Missing by Stewart O'Nan
10. Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye - Roberta also loved this, Katie says the audio is great, purchased 5/15/16
11. The Jaguar's Children by John Vaillant COMPLETED 1/2018 4.5 stars
12. Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi COMPLETED 10/2/16 5 stars
13. Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat - she pointed out that this was only $1.99 on Kindle and that it was one of her very favorites, purchased 7/13/16
14. Tribal: College Football and the Secret Heart of America by Diane Roberts
15. Manhood for Amateurs by Michael Chabon
16. Nutshell by Ian McEwan COMPLETED 1/2017 5 stars
17. Black River by S. M. Hulse

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

Susan’s Summer Shivers - Susan’s suggestions for some cold reading during the hot summer, which lasts about 9 months in Georgia

1. The Terror by Dan Simmons LOVED this!
2. The Abominable by Dan Simmons
3. The Disappeared by C J Box "...there is an atmosphere of absolutely freezing throughout the book." (#18 in the series, so please don't mention that I'm thinking of reading this out of order)



Heather suggested Cold Earth by Sarah Moss - she says, "...it's about a group of archaeologists in Greenland who get cut off after reports of a virus spreading back home and then one of the team starts having strange nightmares."

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

1. Curse of the Narrows by Laura m. MacDonald - about the Halifax explosion of 1917. Recommended by Bonnie, Meg, and Susan
2. Greenglass House by Kate Milford - recommended by Amber (she gave it an A!) COMPLETED 4 stars
3. In America: Travels With John Steinbeck by Geert Mak - recommended by Anita
4. The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton - recommended by Barbara
5. Darktown by Thomas Mullen - Jim, and he says the second book Lightning Men is just as good
6. The Book of Dust by Philip Pullman, audio narrated by Michael Sheen - recommended by Traci
7. Number 17 by Jefferson Farjeon - Harry recommended this series on his thread
8. Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney - recommended by Lisa (jonesli)
9. Slow Horses by Mick Herron - recommended by Deborah and Charlotte COMPLETED 5 stars
10. The City of Falling Angels by John Berendt - recommended by Carrie
11. Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowley - recommended by Caro
12. For the Time Being: A Christmas Oratorio by W.H. Auden - recommended by Christina
13. Under Another Sky: Journeys in Roman Britain by Charlotte Higgins - recommended by Beth
14. The Good People by Hannah Kent - recommended by Bonnie
15. Good Morning, Midnight by Lily Brooks-Dalton - recommended by Shannon
16. How to Build an Android The True Story of Philip K Dick's Robotic Resurrection by David F. Dufty - recommended by Victoria
17. The Confession by Jo Spain - recommended by Susan (Irish noir, she says!!)
18. Four-Day Planet by H. Beam Piper - recommended by Richard
19. Black Hammer by Jeff Lemire - recommended by Jim (GN)
20. Hedy's Folly by Richard Rhodes - Jim again (the doctor is IN)
21. The Wandering Falcon by Pakistani author Jamil Ahmad - recommended by Judy - interlinked short stories
22. Exposure by Helen Dunmore - recommended by Anne
23. Silent Days, Silent Dreams by Allen Say - recommended by Richard
24. Dead Wake by Erik Larson - recommended by Karen
25. The Passage by Justin Cronin - recommended by Lori (ikernagh)
26. Drawing From Memory by Allen Say - recommended by Richard
27. A Catalog of Birds by Laura Harrington - recommended by Beth
28. The Largesse of the Sea Maiden: Stories by Denis Johnson - recommended by Mark
29. The Twelve-Mile Straight by Eleanor Henderson - recommended by Susan, it's Southern Gothic
30. Autonomous by Annalee Newitz - recommended by pammab
31. Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World by Pénélope Bagieu - recommended by Charlotte (GN) COMPLETED 5 stars
32. Women and Power by Mary Beard - recommended by Charlotte COMPLETED 4 stars
33. Go Down Together: The True Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde by Jeff Guinn - recommended by Mark and Jim
34. Twenty Thousand Streets Under The Sky by Patrick Hamilton - recommended by Susan
35. 1939: The Making of Six Great Films from Hollywood's Greatest Year by Charles F. Adams - recommended by LittleTaiko
36. MI5 and Me: A Coronet Among the Spooks by Charlotte Bingham - saw this mentioned on Charlotte's thread, and I loved the quotes she posted from it COMPLETED
37. Enchanted Islands by Allison Amend - recommended by Chelle
38. A Time of Gifts by Patrick Leigh Fermor - recommended by Megan (evilmoose)
39. The Berlin Stories by Christopher Isherwood - recommended by Vivienne (VivienneR)
40. Conclave by Robert Harris - recommended by Vivienne (VivienneR)
41 The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband by Julia Quinn - recommended by Meg, she says it's a prequel to The Bridgertons series! *happy dance*
42. The Reapers Are the Angels by Alden Bell - recommended by Shannon (sturlington) - zombies!
43. Lonely Hearts by John Harvey - series recommended by Charlotte (she reviewed book 12 on her thread)
44. Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend - recommended by Anne
45. Time After Time by Jack Finney - recommended by Richard (time travel)
46. Time on My Hands by Peter Delacourt - Richard again (time travel)
47. The Grass Dancer by Susan Power - recommended by Charlotte
48. The Dry by Jane Harper - recommended by Charlotte
49. The Last Man in Europe by Dennis Glover - saw this mentioned on Charlotte's thread - "April, 1947. In a run-down farmhouse on a remote Scottish island, George Orwell begins his last and greatest work: Nineteen Eighty-Four" COMPLETED
50. Miss Burma by Charmaine Craig - recommended by Deborah and Charlotte
51. The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee - recommended by Meg COMPLETED
52. Road to the Isles: Travellers in the Hebrides 1770-1914 by Derek Cooper - Meg again!
53. Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome - recommended by Lucy, and Reba also loved it COMPLETED
54. Bitten by Kelley Armstrong - recommended by Chelle
55. The lost by Claire McGowan - recommended by Charlotte for those who like Ruth Galloway
56. Astrid Lindgren: The Woman Behind Pippi Longstocking by Jens Andersen - saw this on Charlotte's thread in the Guardian reviews
57. Euphoria by Lily King - recommended by Karen
58. Happiness by Aminatta Forna - recommended by Beth
59. Paradise in Chains: The Bounty Mutiny and the Founding of Australia by Diana Preston - recommended by Susan
60. Assignment in Brittany by Helen MacInnes - recommended by Paul
61. The Shadow Killer by Arnaldur Indriðason - recommended by Chelle
62. Under the Pendulum Sun by Jeannette Ng - recommended by Heather
63. E. B. White on Dogs by E. B. White - recommended by Lucy
64. Less: A Novel by Andrew Sean Greer - recommended by Joe and Richard
65. The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turon - recommended by Heather COMPLETED
66. Almost No Memory by Lydia Davis - recommended by Lucy
67. Wish I Was Here by Jackie Kay - recommended by Helen
68. Fight No More by Lydia Millet - recommended by Beth - linked short stories COMPLETED
69. The Lost Books of the Odyssey by Zachary Mason - recommended by Amber

2018 PopSugar Reading Challenge

1. A book made into a movie you've already seen Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré
2. True crime
3. The next book in a series you started The Dark Angel by Elly Griffiths
4. A book involving a heist Greenglass House by Kate Milford
5. Nordic noir Nightblind by Ragnar Jonasson
6. A novel based on a real person The Terror by Dan Simmons
7. A book set in a country that fascinates you - The Chessmen by Peter May
8. A book with a time of day in the title - Chimes at Midnight by Seanan McGuire
9. A book about a villain or antihero - The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
10. A book about death or grief - The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
11. A book with a female author who uses a male pseudonym - The Chalk Circle Man by Fred Vargas
12. A book with an LGBTQ+ protagonist Tin Man by Sarah Winman
13. A book that is also a stage play or musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by Ian Fleming
14. A book by an author of a different ethnicity than you - March: Book Three by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, Nate Powell
15. A book about feminism A Vindication of the Rights of Woman by Mary Wollstonecraft
16. A book about mental health The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley
17. A book you borrowed or that was given to you as a gift
18. A book by two authors
19. A book about or involving a sport
20. A book by a local author - March: Book Two by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell
21. A book with your favorite color in the title All Systems Red by Martha Wells
22. A book with alliteration in the title - The Dying Detective by Leif GW Persson
23. A book about time travel - A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle
24. A book with a weather element in the title
25. A book set at sea - The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger
26. A book with an animal in the title The Jaguar's Children by John Vaillant
27. A book set on a different planet Artificial Condition by Martha Wells
28. A book with song lyrics in the title The Cold, Cold Ground by Adrian McKinty
29. A book about or set on Halloween Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling - counting this as it has a chapter titled Halloween, and it is a turning point in the book
30. A book with characters who are twins God Stalk by P. C. Hodgell
31. A book mentioned in another book Above Suspicion by Helen MacInnes (mentioned in A World Gone Mad)
32. A book from a celebrity book club
33. A childhood classic you've never read Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery
34. A book that's published in 2018 MI5 and Me: A Coronet Among the Spooks by Charlotte Bingham
35. A past Goodreads Choice Awards winner Artemis by Andy Weir
36. A book set in the decade you were born - The White Album by Joan Didion
37. A book you meant to read in 2017 but didn't get to - The Girl With All the Gifts by M. R. Carey
38. A book with an ugly cover The Strange Death of Fiona Griffiths by Harry Bingham
39. A book that involves a bookstore or library - The Annotated Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler
40. Your favorite prompt from the 2015, 2016, or 2017 POPSUGAR Reading Challenges (you can easily Google these): A Book From A Nonhuman Perspective (2017 Challenge) Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells

Advanced Reading Challenge

1. A bestseller from the year you graduated high school
2. A cyberpunk book
3. A book that was being read by a stranger in a public place
4. A book tied to your ancestry
5. A book with a fruit or vegetable in the title
6. An allegory Frankenstein in Baghdad by Ahmed Saadawi
7. A book by an author with the same first or last name as you Binti by Nnedi Okorafor
8. A microhistory - Blizzard of Glass: The Halifax Explosion of 1917 by Sally M. Walker
9. A book about a problem facing society today On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder
10. A book recommended by someone else taking the POPSUGAR Reading Challenge Slow Horses by Mick Herron (Charlotte)

My 2018 Data:

Books read: 100
Group Read: 1
Formatted Challenge: 2
PopSugar Challenge: 38

Books that are part of a series: 51
In Translation: 14
Rereads: 7
GNs: 5

Format:
hardback: 17
paperback: 17
ebook: 40
audio: 24
audio/print or ebook combo: 2

Borrowed: 14 (public library), 2 (Birdy's library), 1 (Abby's library), 1 (traveling LT book), 2 (Kindle Lending Library)
Archive (Purchased in 2012 or earlier): 5
Purchased in 2013: 4
Purchased in 2014: 2
Purchased in 2015: 2
Purchased in 2016: 6
Purchased in 2017: 22
Purchased in 2018: 39

Authors:
Living: 78
Dead: 22

Male: 50
Female: 50

American: 46
Australian: 1
Canadian: 2
English: 24
French: 2
Icelandic: 1
Iraqi: 1
Irish: 5
Italian: 1
Mexican: 1
Scottish: 7
Swedish: 8
Welsh: 1

New to me authors: 49

fiction: 79
non-fiction: 19

Genres/category:
non-fiction/memoir: 8
non-fiction/essays: 4
non-fiction/film history: 1
non-fiction/history: 5
non-fiction/politics: 1
classic: 2
literary fiction/contemporary fiction: 6
literary fiction/espionage 1
literary fiction/historical fiction: 4
crime fiction/espionage: 7
crime fiction/mystery: 6
crime fiction/noir: 5
crime fiction/police procedural: 17
romance: 3
weird fiction: 1
dystopian: 1
fantasy: 3
urban fantasy: 4
sci fi: 7
steampunk: 1
ghost story: 1
juvenile fiction: 7
play: 1
short stories: 1
YA: 1

LT Recommendations Read:
Amber: 2
Beth: 2
Bill: 1
Birdy: 2
Charlotte: 10
Deborah: 1
Heather: 2
Katie: 3
Lucy: 1
Lynda: 1
Mark: 3
Meg: 1
Joanne: 2
Joe: 3
Roberta: 1
Roni: 2
Susan: 2

Time Travel Book Recommendations:

1. Time And Again by Jack Finney - Richard (ask Richard if he meant the Time and Again book or if this is different), Shelley, Joe and Debbi also loved this
2. Time on My Hands by Peter Delacorte - Richard
3. If I Never Get Back by Darryl Brock - Shelley, but it involves Mark Twain AND baseball, so maybe not
4. Replay by Kevin Grimwood - Shelley and a BIIIIG second from Richard
5. A Time to Remember by Stanley Shapiro, about the Kennedy assassination - Shelley
6. Doomsday Book by Connie Willis - Julia
7. Murder in Time by Julie McElwain (they are good but not spectacular) - Julia
8. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffeneggar - Beth (and Helen says DO NOT read the coda) and Chelle
9. Gods, Monsters, and the Lucky Peach by Kelly Robson - Susan (quondame)
10. The Dechronization of Sam Magruder by George Gaylord Simpson - Karen
11. The House on the Strand by Daphne du Maurier - Karen
12. 11,000 Years Lost by Peni R. Griffin - Karen
13. The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes - Karen
14. Kindred by Octavia E. Butler - Karen
15. Household Gods by Judith Parr and Harry Turtledove - Richard loathed it but Susan (quondame) says yes
16. How To Stop Time by Matt Haig - Chelle
17. To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis - Lucy says, "Helps (but not at all essential) to have read Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome. Highly recommended. A hoot! I actually listened to it on Audible."

On the reading front, here is what I read last month:

Books Completed in September:


86. Fatal Pursuit by Martin Walker (4 stars), 2017 acquired paperback, crime fiction/police procedural (Bruno Corrourrèges, book 9) - Another fun entry in this series set in the French countryside that features loads of delicious food paired perfectly with a lot of wine.


87. Soulless by Gail Carriger (reread), 2013 acquired ebook, steampunk (Parasol Protectorate, book 1) - Chelle's recent enthusiasm for this series made me want to get back to it. Since it had been years since I read this first entry, I decided to reread it before moving on to book two.


88. The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman, illustrations by Chris Riddle (5 stars), library hardback, juvenile fiction/fractured fairytale - recommended by Amber and Birdy - Birdy checked this one out from the library, and I told her that Amber had loved it when she read it earlier this year. Birdy also loved it, and said I had to read it, so I did. I'm not sure which I love more, the story or the illustrations - truly delightful.


89. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (4 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, mystery/autism/child narrator - I have been meaning to read this one for years, and I am so glad that I finally made time for it. Very well done - I love books that can make you want to laugh and cry at the same time. Life is like that.


90. Borkmann's Point by Håkan Nesser (3.5 stars), paperback acquired before 2012, crime fiction/police procedural (Inspector Van Veeteren, book 2) - Okay, funny story; I thought this was the first book in the series. It was a paperback that moved with us from Indiana, and I did not realize it was not the beginning of the series until I was more than half way through it. When I went to Amazon to look up the first book, it told me that I owned it and purchased it back in 2013. Weird. I have no idea why I have book one on Kindle and book two in paperback, and I acquired the second book first. Is your head spinning yet? Anyway, I loved the humor in this and the weirdness of a detective that seems to be pursuing a serial killer at a leisurely pace.


91. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams (4.5 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, play - Loved this. I think I might have read it back in high school, but I didn't remember much of it except for the basic premise. This version is very interesting in that it has both the original version of the play that Williams wrote and the modified version. After asking Elia Kazan to take a look at it, Kazan wanted changes to Act Three, and because Williams really wanted Kazan to direct it, he made the changes even though he didn't agree with them. I liked that the edition presented the original play first, then a letter from Williams explaining the changes to Act Three and why they were made, and then the modified version of Act Three. I think Williams was right, and that the original version was better. I followed up my reading with watching the 1958 movie starring Paul Newman and Elizabeth Taylor, which is excellent, but now I wish I could see them perform the play as it was originally written.

This should do it - next one's yours!

Wow! One for me. I am soooo happy. Glad to have you back.

Look at you getting the jump on everyone, Bill! Nicely done! And thank you.

Happy new one, Mamie!

>15 Crazymamie: Thanks, Katie!

Happy new thread, Mamie. Lovey picture of your brood at the top there, what a great bunch.

>18 Helenliz: Thank you, Helen! The topper photo is one of the ones they gifted me with for my birthday this year - here's what Daniel gave me first saying that he thought I would love a new photo of them:



It made me laugh - it was framed, and it's a photo of Daniel holding a photo of his girlfriend Kaitlyn holding a photo of the girls.

Happy new thread, Mamie! What a beautiful topper!

Thank you, Lynda!

>19 Crazymamie: Ha ha ha, What a great sense of humor!

>22 Carmenere: It was a perfect gift, and yes, he has a really great sense of humor. So fun!

Hi Mamie! Happy new thread.

>19 Crazymamie: Clever.

I hope you're having a loverly day, even if the weather is confused and thinks it's still summer. It's humid and going to be 85F here today, so no hammock for me this afternoon.

Happy new thread, Mamie and lovely topper.

>24 karenmarie: Thank you, Karen! Glad you like Daniel's funny gift.

No fresh air here today, either. I love when it is cool enough that we can open up the doors to the screened-in porch and watch the game from out there. But not today. Still, there's football, so I am happy. We have been taking turns "hosting" game day in pairs, and it has been really fun - whoever is hosting decides on the menu, does the shopping, and makes the food for everyone. And last Sunday we added in a cocktail - we are going to feature a different one each Sunday, so that should be full of fabulous!

>25 jessibud2: Thank you, Shelley!

Happy New Thread, Mamie! Love the topper! Great looking kids!

I also loved Fight No More: Stories. One of my favorite collections of the year.

Happy new thread, Mamie - what a beautiful family.

>28 msf59: Thanks, Mark! I also think they are great looking, but I might be slightly biased.

Fight No More was an almost perfect read for me - I did not like that the stepdad got to have a voice. But this collection of linked stories is definitely a gem.

>29 BLBera: Thank you, Beth! And thanks for putting Fight No More on my radar - I really loved it.

Happy new thread, Mamie.

>31 Ameise1: Thanks, Barbara!

Last night we watched The Canterville Ghost, which I have not seen in many years. Still fun. I have never read the original story, although I have it in the stacks, so I will be making room for it this month.

Happy new thread, Mamie! It's lovely to see you back :-)

Thank you, Susan! It's really great to be back.

Hmmm don't think I've ever seen (or read!) The Canterville Ghost. I'll have to go look for it!

Lucy, the original movie is very cute. There have been several remakes, but I have not seen any of them. I know there is one with Patrick Stewart in it.

Happy New thread Mamie. Love the photo - great gift. I've never seen the Canterville Ghost either, but that adult actor looks very familiar...

>38 charl08: Thank you, Charlotte! The adult actor is Charles Laughton.

>30 Crazymamie: You are welcome. I thought it was a great collection.

Happy new thread, Mamie!

Lovely topper with your offspring, the one in >19 Crazymamie: made me giggle, clever! :-)

>40 BLBera: Indeed it was!

>41 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita! Glad you got a giggle out of the photo - me, too!

Happy New Thread, Mamie!

What a great photo of the gang up top. Nice present!

I know you've posted it before, but I just love that snowy gif in >7 Crazymamie:.

Thank you again for the kind words today.

Lovely picture of the kids up top, Mamie! I remember when you got it for your birthday. What a great idea for watching football--especially now that cocktails have been added. I'm just sipping my wine here.

Hi there, Crazy! It's great to see you back here and I love the recent photo of your kids up top. And the picture of the picture of the picture. LOL

Happy new thread, Mamie. Great family photos. I especially like the one in >19 Crazymamie:.

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread, Mamie!

Oh, I LOVE The Canterville Ghost (the story, not the movie, which I haven't seen)! I hope you do, too!

Happy new thread, Mamie!

Love the family photos, both the topper and the fun photos-in-a-photo Daniel put together.

Hoping October is a nice upswing from a rough September for you.

>43 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe! It was a great present - now all of the framed photos reside on the mantle in the living room. And it's a fun memory.

I love that snowy gif, too - I miss snow.

You are welcome, my friend.

>44 ronincats: Thanks, Roni! We are having loads of fun with the football food - the hosting works so well because everyone gets a chance to choose the menu and everyone also gets a chance to just relax and enjoy the day without having to do any work. The cocktails are a HUGE hit - yesterday we made frozen grasshoppers, which Rae LOVED.

Nothing the matter with your wine - my very favorite beverage.

>45 Berly: Hey there, Kim! Glad you love the photos - it was the perfect gift.

>46 Familyhistorian: Thank you, Meg! That photo still makes me laugh every time I see it.

>47 quondame: Thanks, Susan!

>48 scaifea: Thank you, Amber! I'm happy to note your enthusiasm for The Canterville Ghost - hoping to start it today.

>49 bell7: Thanks, Mary! Glad you love the photos. And thank you so much for those good wishes.

Happy new thread, Mamie! Good photo of your kids up top, and an amusing initial gift photo, too!

>33 Crazymamie: I think I'll have to try to schedule a viewing of The Canterville Ghost sometime soon.

Happy new thread! Lovely picture of your family :)

Miss Birdy is twenty years old today! I honestly don't know how that happened.

Happy Birthday, Birdy!

>55 katiekrug: Thank you, Katie - she is sitting right here with me, so I passed along your good wishes!

More happy birthday wishes for Birdy!

>57 susanj67: Thank you, Susan!

Happy new one, Mamie! It is good to have you back.

>1 Crazymamie: Lovely topper with the kids.

I revisited The Big Sleep in your absence and have Casablanca on tap. I learned a lot about TBS from a special features video. Reshoots were made almost a year after the film wrapped based a producers memo to Jack Warner concerning some of Lauren Bacall's scenes. The reshoots enhances the film and some of original scenes were cut. Also, one piece of the mystery remains unsolved to this day. Who killed the chauffeur? Producers had no clue so they reached out to Raymond Chandler. Surprisingly, he didn't know either. How about that?

In other news, I've just started The House Without a Key as part of an annotated collection of novels, 'Classic American Crime Fiction of the 1920s'.

Have a great day!

Happy birthday to Birdy!!

>59 brodiew2: Thanks, Brodie! Believe it or not, I actually knew all of that trivia - The Big Sleep is a favorite of mine, and we lucked into a DVD edition many years ago that features both versions of the film - another thing they changed was the actress who played Eddie Mars' wife. I found out the trivia about who killed the chauffeur recently when I read The Annotated Big Sleep. So funny!

I have The House Without a Key in the stacks - I actually bought the entire series of those Charlie Chan books with my jury duty check many years ago, but I have yet to read them. The covers are really great:

..

Hoping your day is also full of greatness.

>60 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Anita!

>61 Crazymamie: Very cool covers, indeed!

Great to see you back on LT, Mamie. I am more than ready to put September behind us and move forward. Up here in the "true north" we are celebrating Thanksgiving today. I cooked yesterday so today is a quiet day of rest and relaxation. I almost went with Borkman's Point as my first Hakan Nesser read as well, I wonder if it was the first one translated into English. Luckily I realized that Mind's Eye was the first in the series and have one ready to go.

>62 brodiew2: I know, right?!

>63 DeltaQueen50: Thank you, Judy! Thanksgiving - my favorite holiday! Good thought about the Håkan Nesser book - I bet you are right. I have since gone back and read the first one, and it is not nearly as good, so at least read the second one before you decide to pass on the series if you don't like the first.

I'm another fan of The Canterville Ghost. I think you'll have a lot of fun with it.

Had to come and share what I showed Katie. We went to Costco today and I bought two cases of wine. After an absence of several years they are now stocking Gnarly Head Old Vine Zinfandel, one of my favorites, for $7.99 a bottle. Had to grab it while I could. They also had this glass, but I did pass on it...

I love the fact that in French they specify it's decorative... Just in case you were wondering.
I did not know all the Chandler trivia. I thought it was just me missing something with the gardener. Huh.

>65 jnwelch: I started it last night, Joe...well...in the wee small hours of this morning, and right off the bat it is so completely different from the movie. Hoping to finish it up today.

>66 ronincats: Oh. My. Word. That is a very big glass, Roni. Wouldn't you love to see someone loading that into their car? Too funny. And hooray for Cosco having a favorite wine back - I have not had that one, so I'll have to look for it.

>67 charl08: Me, too, Charlotte! Laughing about the Chandler trivia - the annotated version is full of fun stuff like that.

SO yesterday I bought this at the grocery store to try, and guess what it pairs perfectly with? This:



You're welcome.

>69 Crazymamie: - *scribbles additions to grocery list*

>70 katiekrug: It's most yum, Katie!

Happy new thread!

Thanks, Jim!

>54 Crazymamie: that's a lovely picture. Loving the bunches. Hope she had a happy birthday and that it still includes cake, even though she's not still 5.

>74 Helenliz: Thank you, Helen! She did have a most excellent birthday - we had her favorite meal which is pineapple chicken with jasmine rice and peas. For dessert, she chose Big Ol' Cookies, which are these giant cookies we make with chocolate chips and toffee. We served them warm in tiny cast iron skillets with vanilla ice cream on top.

What, you can buy wine in Costco? The mind boggles.

>76 Familyhistorian: Hello, Meg! I have never been to a Cosco, but yes, apparently you can. I miss being able to buy alcohol in the grocery store - down here, you have to go to a liquor store to buy anything other than beer and wine type stuff.

Hi, Mamie! Happy belated birthday to Birdy! It is such a sweet photo.

The evening news had foreboding (hmm...forbidding?) emphasis on this here Hurricane Michael that is projected to roar across the Florida panhandle and Georgia and (oh the horror!) the Carolinas. I shouldn't be spoiling the happy vibes, but do stay safe, Mamie. Looks bad.

>78 msf59: Hello, Mark! Thank you - Birdy is right here, so I passed along your good wishes. Glad you love the photo.

>79 weird_O: Bill, thanks for thinking of us. You are right - we are directly in the path of Hurricane Michael. We live in Albany, so we have been battening down the hatches all day. Most businesses and schools have closed for tomorrow and Thursday, and we are really hoping not to get the predicted winds.

Happy belated birthday to Birdy!

You certainly are in the path, Mamie, and my thoughts and prayers are with you.

Thank you, Karen! And I SO appreciate your thoughts and prayers - Craig's office and both Abby's and Daniel's place of employment are closed tomorrow, so at least we will all be together. Life is never boring, right?!

>69 Crazymamie: Why thank you for that suggestion!! Happy day after the birthday wishes to Birdie AND wishing you the best of luck in the storm. Stay safe.

>69 Crazymamie: Mamie, I was catching up on threads on my phone, and I thought that top picture was beer. Beer and Kahlua. Thank goodness I could make the picture bigger :-) And now I see they are both fall-flavoured.

Our news is focusing on Florida for the hurricane, so I didn't realise that you were getting it too. And I see Georgia has now declared a state of emergency. Thank goodness you will all be at home together. I hope it loses its oomph by the time it gets to you.

Thinking of you and yours today - stay safe, friend.

>83 Berly: You are most welcome, Kim! And thank you for the good wishes for Birdy and for our safety.

>84 susanj67: Oh dear, Susan! That made me laugh - the top one is cold brew gingersnap latte made with almondmilk.

We live in Albany, Georgia, which is very close to Florida:



I appreciate your good wishes - yes, we are under a state of emergency, and they have upgraded the winds we are supposed to get and the time it is supposed to get here. I am really hoping they are wrong about the wind speed by the time it hits us. And I am so very thankful that everyone is home together today.Just hoping for the best.

>85 scaifea: Amber, thanks for that. We will do our best.

Morning, Mamie! Good luck with the storms. Please keep us updated. Sending positive vibes...

Thinking of you all, Mamie.

Take care, Mamie.

>88 msf59: Morning, Mark! Thank you for thinking of us - I believe in the LT bump!

>89 charl08: Thanks, Charlotte.

>90 katiekrug: Thank you, Katie.

Oh my, I didn't think of the hurricane's effect on you and yours, Mamie. Under a state of emergency - cripes. Joining everyone in sending you lots of positive thoughts for your and your family's safety.

Batten down the hatches, Mamie. Stay safe y'all.

I stopped over to see how you were faring, Mamie. Then I looked at the Weather Channel report. Yikes. Hang on, and report in when you can.

Thinking of you, Mamie, take care.

Crossing my fingers for you that all goes well and the wind speeds die down! Take care

Keep safe, Mamie.

Looks like the eye has just passed over, Mamie. Hang on tight!

>94 ffortsa:, Like Judy, I'm stopping by to say I hope that the storm misses your area, or if it hits, you and your family will be safe.

Stay safe, Mamie!

HI Mamie, oh dear, you haven't posted since 7:30ish this morning. Perhaps you've lost power. Keeping you in my thoughts and hoping Michael treats you kindly.

Morning, Mamie! Sweet Thursday! Awaiting an update... Hoping everything is good at the Pecan Paradiso.

Just checking in - hoping you're all safe and snug at home.

Morning, everyone! Thanks so much for keeping us in your thoughts and for sending positive energy our way. We are all fine, but it was a scary ride. The eye passed right over us. We lost power about 6pm, and still are without it. We have damage to the house- we lost part of the roof and also the flashings. It was dark by the time it was all over, so we still need to get back out there and see what else needs attention. There are downed limbs everywhere, but it looks like our pecan trees made it though. We have shingles from the roof all over the front lawn, which is surreal, but we are so thankful to still be sitting here. Posting this from my phone, so I apologize for any typos. Just wanted to let you all know that we are fine. Again, thank you so very much for your thoughts and positive mojo- this group is so full of fabulous!

Mamie, it's great to hear that you're all OK. It sounds scary though. I was watching the news on the hour last night and saw it leave Florida, but it was so bad in the 7pm report that the reporter was inside, with the camera pointed out of the window. I hope you can get the roof fixed soon.

Mamie, I'm so glad you're all fine and sorry to hear about the damage to your house. I hope you get power restored soon.

Yikes, Mamie. House damage is not a happy occurrence but what really matters is that you are all ok. In the end, that's the most important thing. I hope the worst is over now and that moving forward with repairs isn't too onerous.

Morning, everyone! Thanks so much for keeping us in your thoughts and for sending positive energy our way. We are all fine, but it was a scary ride. The eye passed right over us. We lost power about 6pm, and still are without it. We have damage to the house- we lost part of the roof and also the flashings. It was dark by the time it was all over, so we still need to get back out there and see what else needs attention. There are downed limbs everywhere, but it looks like our pecan trees made it though. Sadly, I cannot say the same for the pecan grove behind us - a lot of trees down. We have shingles from the roof all over the front lawn, which is surreal, but we are so thankful to still be sitting here. Posting this from my phone, so I apologize for any typos. Just wanted to let you all know that we are fine. Again, thank you so very much for your thoughts and positive mojo- this group is so full of fabulous!

>108 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie! "We are all fine" Very reassuring words as that is most important. I've seen entire homes swept away in Florida, such a fierce storm! To see and hear your own home loose its bits and pieces must be terrifying. Keep safe my friend.

Glad to hear you're fine, Mamie!

Glad to hear you're OK Mamie. It sounds awful. I hope you can get the roof fixed soon.

Glad to hear y'all are ok, even if the house is slightly less so.

So glad to hear from you and that you are all okay!! Sorry your house took a beating. Hope you get power back soon. Big hugs!

Thanks for letting us know you are all OK, Mamie, though a shame about the house. And good news about the pecan trees, too. You can't have a Pecan Paradiso without pecan trees!

Glad to hear that all is well and that there is only minimal damage.

Glad you're all OK. Houses can be fixed; it can be a bit harder to fix people.

I'm getting caught up too. Look at your lovely kids in >1 Crazymamie:!

Sorry about the roof. It must have been a wild night. I am so glad you are all OK. (((hugs)))
We are through the worst of it here, I am pretty sure. Lots of wind and rain, flooding and trees down, but less damage to structures. Winds are WAY down from what you had for sure.

So glad to hear you are all OK, Mamie. And the trees too, of course.

So glad you're all okay, Mamie! That sounds mighty scary.

Glad to hear everyone's okay. Hope the power comes back soon!

Hang in there Mamie. The Georgia Power Outage Map says 'most' customers in Albany should have power restored by October 15th at 8 p.m. Long time to go, so stay safe.

Thanks so much, everyone. Just a quick update since I just have my phone. We still have no power, and it will probably be a while, but we do have a small generator from our Indiana days, so we have both the house and the garage refrigerators hooked up to that. Then we plug and unplug things depending on what we need- like coffee because priorities. The weather has been perfect- no rain and the temps have dropped. Yesterday we were able to do some temporary roof repair until the insurance guys can get to us. We also got the yard all cleaned up, which was no small task. Last night it got down into the 50s, so we opened all the windows overnight, and that was wonderful. Only going to 79F today, which feels like a gift. Really, we are just so very thankful that we came through it so well.

I’m hoping that all of you have a day full of fabulous today - I know we will. Thanks again for keeping us in your thoughts.

Hurrah for generators, insurance companies, cooler temps and open windows at bedtime! So much to be thankful! Wishing you continued good outcomes!

>122 Crazymamie: that sounds much better, Mamie. Glad you're all doing OK. As to priorities coffee - duh! Certainly counts as a priority in my world! Hope things get sorted and you're all back to normal soonest.

Mamie, hooray for the weather behaving itself, and coffee still being available :-) I hope the power isn't out for too long. Our news is showing pictures from Florida (I think they focus on it because so many British people holiday over there) and the damage looks catastrophic. One chap said that he now has a view of the beach because all the buildings in the way were destroyed. Crossing my fingers that the roof people get to you soon.

Mamie, I'm glad to hear that you've come through the storm and are able to brew coffee. And that the current weather is kindly. May it remain so.

>122 Crazymamie: Great to hear, Mamie. I'm glad you got some cooler weather out of all that.

Thanks for the positive update, Mamie. Glad to hear the weather has improved and I hope your power comes back on soon. Fingers crossed.

Mamie, I’m so glad you weathered the storm in pretty good shape. That must have been crazy when all those shingles were blowing around. It’s also fortunate that you have that generator to keep your food cold...not to mention being able to enjoy your morning coffee. And the pecan trees...so much to be thankful for.

I'm glad to hear, that you're fine. I hope all the damages can be solved soon.

Glad to hear that everyone’s OK. I hope the repairs aren’t too onerous.

Sorry to see you had damage to your house, but so thankful that's all it was! Hope you get power back on soon and hope the insurance doesn't take too long to help fix your roof!

Love that topped photo of your kiddos! Lovely

Great to hear that you and your family are all ok, Mamie. Hope that the power is restored soon but I guess with so many power outages it's a matter of waiting for your turn.

Craig and Daniel trying to decide on the best temporary fix for the roof

Baby, I'm Back! We got power restored last night, and this morning we got the cable and the internet back - I'm so happy because game day. The house repairs will be a bit of a wait, I am guessing. Our insurance told us we are a category 3 claim - I have no idea how many categories there are, but obviously we will not be first in line, nor should we be. Craig does have a roofing company coming tomorrow to look at the roof and the flashings and give us a quote - since our roof is original to the house, making it 13 years old, we will just replace the entire thing regardless of what insurance says. We did have some water damage to both Birdy's and Abby's bedroom ceilings, but really, I cannot believe how well we came through the whole thing.

The pecan grove behind us was devastated:


Before - neat orderly rows


After - chaos

Abby took some incredible photos:

Hope amidst the destruction - the grove was full of bluebirds!

Wow - you are lucky you didn't lose more of your roof, Mamie. What great photos and :( for the pecan trees.

>138 BLBera: We did lose a bit more, Beth - that just shows one section, but it was the biggest section. We lost bits here and there all the way around, and large pieces of the flashing. And yes - we were very lucky. I am very sad about the pecan grove - pecan crops are a big part of the economy in these parts, so losing so many trees before the harvest will make a huge impact. I will tell Abby that you liked her photos - she has a great eye.

>136 Crazymamie: - Wow! And >137 Crazymamie:, indeed!

This too, shall pass and still so good that no one was hurt.

>140 jessibud2: Completely agree, Shelley.

Oh my, Mamie, oh my. Those trees.

I’m glad to hear you all made it through relatively unscathed and thankful to hear you have power again!

>142 Copperskye: I know, right, Joanne?! Heartbreaking. Thank you for the kind words - we feel very lucky and very grateful.

Good to have you back with us, Mamie!

Wow, I'm so glad it wasn't worse for you guys. The trees - woo. Are they going to bounce back all right, or have you lost some entirely?

>144 jnwelch: Thank you, Joe! Those are not our trees - all of our trees came through although we lost a lot of branches. The trees in the photos are in the pecan grove behind our property - the beautiful view that I am always talking about. Pecan trees are pretty resilient, so I would say that most of the ones still standing will make it.

Sorry to hear about the trees Mamie. Just looking at that picture of the roof gives me the fear. Can't cope with those heights.

Goodness, the trees did suffer didn't they. Hopefully they all recover in the long term.
Abby really does have a good eye for a picture.

I'm so glad you posted right after the storm that you were all safe, Mamie. That was a relief. Sounds like you are on your way to recovery, but what a shame about the pecan trees. Great photos by Abby, as usual. Enjoy the games today.

Hi Mamie! I'm so glad to hear that you got your power back last night! Given where you were it's amazing that there was as little damage to your house as there was. It's sad to see the pictures of the pecan grove though - Abby took excellent pictures by the way.

Hi, Mamie. Sorry to hear about the roof damage and it is tough to see the pecan grove destruction. Glad your trees mostly dodged the bullet.

Hooray for getting your power back on.

>135 Crazymamie: What scary and powerful images. I'm so glad you and your family are well

>146 charl08: I would not do well on the rooftop, either, Charlotte. And the trees...sigh...

>147 Helenliz: They did, Helen. Some of them are already dead - a lot of them got uprooted, which is amazing. And I will tell Abby - she has taken some fabulous photos over the last few years. She just got interested in photography shortly after we moved down here.

>148 ronincats: I didn't know if I was going to be able to post at all, Roni, because the Verizon tower near us got bent in half, so the coverage was very spotty - sometimes we could text and call, and sometimes not. Very weird. Which is why you have the same post from me so far apart in the thread - I kept trying to post, but it wouldn't let me, and then I added the part about the pecan grove and it posted. I did not find out until my thread reloaded later that it had posted my first draft of the text earlier and that some of you had already responded.

Thank you for those kind words. We only got to see the first game and the night game - the middle game had no signal here, so we didn't get to watch it.

>149 karenmarie: Hello, Karen! I was truly thrilled to get the power back so quickly. I think our house must have been built pretty soundly to have withstood those winds. It's weird because some houses have no damage at all, and then others have trees through them. Most of the houses in our neighborhood are missing parts of their roof.

So true about the pecan grove - Abby will be happy to hear all the praise of her photos, but the condition of the grove saddens us. They have not started cleaning it up yet - it will probably look very bare once they remove all the debris and dead trees.

>150 msf59: Morning, Mark! The roof damage is nothing compared to what might have happened, so I am very thankful to be dealing with just it. And it hasn't rained since, which has been a lucky break for those scrambling to get temporary repairs in place. I am so happy that our five pecan trees remain standing and will make it.

And yes, hooray for power!

>151 Whisper1: Thank you, Linda! It was a very scary experience.

I'm just now catching up. Man that must have been scary -- and you're pretty far inland! Poor pecan grove!! Will they be able to save it? and how in the world did those tiny birds come through it OK? So glad you're all alright and that your damage is not worse. Best wishes for the recovery.

Just adding to the Abby photo praise!

Those poor trees. :(

It has been a while since I checked you thread, Mamie, so I didn't realize you would be in the path of Michael. (Although I should have because I remember the drive from Montreal to Florida and Georgia was when we were getting close.) Good to hear that you all survived relatively unscathed. Sad about the trees but nature is amazingly resilient and the ones still in place will probably come back. It does look odd when they get uprooted, doesn't it? That's what happened here when we had a wind storm a few years back.

Amazing photos. Hope you can get the roof redone fairly soon. Good to hear your pecan trees aren't quite as damaged. Mostly good to hear everyone is OK.

Morning, Y'all! Sweet Thursday! It's been in the high 80s and very sticky here, but this morning we have been treated to some lovely 60s temps with low humidity, so I got to open up the windows - most exciting! And it's only supposed to go to 80F today, so I'll take it. We have been having a bit of a crazy time here. Craig had his surgery on Tuesday, and he was supposed to be able to come home afterwards, but they ended up admitting him as he suffered a collapsed lung during surgery. He is home now, and he is doing great. Power here has been spotty - it comes and it goes, which is annoying, but we are thankful for the fact that mostly we have it. Georgia is slowly recovering from the hurricane - the stores are starting to have things like bread and eggs again. The coffee house where Abby works has been swamped as they were the only coffee joint opened until yesterday when Starbucks reopened. Our neighborhood is looking sad as there is a tarp on almost every rooftop and huge piles of tree limbs and debris all along the road where we were told to pile it - the city will pick it up as there is a burn ban in place currently. Thank goodness for that - I could not imagine the air quality if everyone burned their debris, which is what people usually do here.

Here's hoping your Thursday is full of fabulous!

Sounds like you are still dealing with a lot - but still with so much positivity. Good for you!

(I don't know how you do it - you should give lessons :) )

Glad to hear that Craig is home and doing well, despite an overnight stay.

The aftermath is never fun, is it? When I first moved to NC in 1991, we'd go visit Bill's Mama in Mooresville. There was still debris and huge trees down from H.Hugo in 1989. Eventually there's a new normal. I hope things settle down for you soon.

Oh dear!! A collapsed lung. Hope Craig's recovery is quick and comfortable.

Power is good, and I suppose intermittant is better than none. A collapsed Lung doesn't sound like that was part of the plan. Hope Craig is back on form soom, without the cranky recovery bit being too unbearable!

>154 RebaRelishesReading: Reba, it was very scary. I would love never to do it again. It was still a category 3 when it hit Georgia, so luckily by the time it got to us it was a category 2, which still just boggles the mind. I am assuming that they will save what they can of the pecan grove and replant - it takes about a decade for pecan trees to mature and fully produce, so the economy here will be devastated as pecans are a big money maker for Georgia. It just makes me so sad - they have not yet started cleaning up the grove at all - probably waiting on insurance to document the damage.

And the birds - yes, amazing! I don't know where they rode the storm out at. Thank you so much for your kind words and for keeping us in your thoughts.

>155 drneutron: Thank you, Jim - I will pass that along. She'll be thrilled!

>156 The_Hibernator: I completely agree, Rachel. Heartbreaking.

>157 Familyhistorian: No worries, Meg - we came through it fine. It''s a huge loss to the grove because so many of the trees that were lost were mature ones, and we were heading into harvest time. I agree that nature is amazingly resilient - the universe always surprises me with its hopefulness and it's ability to begin again. The uprooted trees are surreal - especially the really big oaks that are like that throughout the neighborhood, some of them with great mounds of earth still attached.

>158 SuziQoregon: Hello, Juli! Great to see you here! The roof repairs will probably be awhile - we are still waiting on insurance to come and take a look at it. I am happy to wait my turn, and very thankful that we are not a category 1 priority.

>160 katiekrug: Katie, thank you so much for that. I try to always look for the good in people and in life in general, although I fail a lot - my Dad used to say that there is always beauty amongst the ugly, but sometimes it takes a discerning eye and a hopeful heart to see it. My mom was a very negative person, and that was exhausting for me - I hope never to be like that.

>161 karenmarie: He looks great, Karen. He was really in a lot of pain that first night, and it scared me a little because he looked so awful after surgery. He had a really hard time getting a full breath, and he was the color of paste. Not good.

You are right - the aftermath is not fun, but one of the things that is good about it is that it really brings a community together. So lovely to see people working at kindness and generosity and patience - the world needs more of those things.

>162 RebaRelishesReading: Thank you, Reba - he is doing much better now. He even got some sleep last night.

>163 Helenliz: Exactly, Helen. Better some than none. The collapsed lung was definitely not part of the plan - too much air in the pleural space, which can happen in some cases. He had a large hiatal hernia, which they repaired, and then they implanted the LINX device. Craig has been excellent - he is usually not good at being the patient, but I think he is so thankful to be home that he is behaving himself. So far.

Sweet Thursday, Mamie. Thanks for the update. Sorry, to hear about the heat & stickiness but I am glad to hear Craig is doing better.

>167 msf59: Morning, Mark! Sunday is supposed to be a high of 68F, and I am crossing my fingers that we actually get that. And thank you in regards to Craig - he is doing really well. He plans on returning to work on Monday, which I am not thrilled about, but he has promised to wear a mask - getting stomach flu at this point would pretty much undo everything.

Glad to hear Craig is "behaving himself" so far. I had been wondering what kind of a patient the doc would make :)

Reba, he is being most excellent and just now starting to want to do more than he should. Usually he is very needy when he does not feel well, and then when he starts feeling better he thinks he knows better than his doctor. A hazard of the trade, I guess - I keep telling him that since he expects his patients to follow his advice, he should grant his own doctors the same courtesy and respect.

>171 RebaRelishesReading: Good advice. My hubby isn't an M.D. (or any kind of medical professional) but he's a terrible patient...although I would never say that to him or to anyone he might hear it from.

Ha! Good thinking - Craig knows he is a terrible patient, but we try not to give him too hard of a time about it.

Hi Mamie! What a time of it you've had!! Abbe's photos truly indicate the power of this storm toppling mighty trees and how the tiniest of creatures survived. Poor Craig having to deal with this before his surgery but glad to know all turned out well with him.
Poor you for dealing with all this as well. It's after 12 so let's have a glass of wine :)

>173 Carmenere: Hello, Lynda! YES to the wine! And thank you for those kind words - I have to admit that I would not mind a bit of boring right now. Life could slow down a bit and catch its breath - that would be fine by me.

;0)

>152 Crazymamie: Which is why you have the same post from me so far apart in the thread - I kept trying to post, but it wouldn't let me, and then I added the part about the pecan grove and it posted.

Oh, thank you for explaining this! I was sure I had read that the pecan trees were OK, and then you posted Abby's marvelous photos of all the damage and I was afraid I had completely lost all my reading comprehension skills! But now I know I read your first post and then missed your second post where you mentioned the damage. Which, still not great work on my part, but I may not be quite as gaga as I originally thought.

Hurrah for Craig being on the mend! I'm sure you are relieved to have it behind you. I hope the relief the LINX device is meant to give him manifests itself quickly.

>175 Carmenere: Cheers, Lynda!

>176 rosalita: You're welcome, Julia - it was such a weird thing, and I didn't realize it had done that until I came back later and saw it. The pecan trees in our yard came through in great condition, but the grove that runs behind our property was devastated.

And thanks for those thoughts about Craig - I am very relieved to have the surgery done and him back home. I am hoping that the LINX lives up to its promise and is life-changing, as the doctor said it could be for Craig. I guess the key is making sure to follow all of the instructions while the scar tissue is forming around the device - you have to keep it moving so it will be able to flex enough to swallow and burp. SO, he has to eat small bites of things every hour, which is kind of exhausting, but he is being very diligent about it.

Glad to hear Craig pulled through the surgery and seems to be recovering well. Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Last night we watched Ready Player One, and I am so glad that others here had already warned me that it departs from the book a great deal. It was still fun, but the book is so much better. It is such a shame that they could not work out a deal to use the products mentioned in the book. So instead of it being an homage to 80s gaming, it is more of an homage to 80s movies. Birdy loved it, but she has not read the book yet - she said she wanted to see the movie first, so she wouldn't be disappointed with it. Clever girl.

>178 bell7: You snuck in while I was posting, Mary. Thank you so much for those good wishes!

On the reading front, I have completed nine books so far this month, bringing me to 100 books read!

Books Read in October:
92. Fight No More by Lydia Millet (4.5 stars), library hardback, linked short stories - recommended by Beth
93. Mind's Eye by Håkan Nesser (3.5 stars), 2013 acquired ebook, crime fiction/police procedural (Inspector Van Veeteren, book 1)
94. The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee (4 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, YA/historical fiction (Gentleman's Guide, book 1) - recommended by Meg
95. The Colorado Kid by Stephen King (3 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, mystery (Haven, the tv series is loosely based on this)
96. The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman (5 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook, horror
97. The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde (4 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, ghost story
98. First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones (reread), 2011 acquired ebook, urban fantasy
99. Sunshine by Robin McKinley (4 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, urban fantasy - recommended by Roni
100. Exit Strategy by Martha Wells (5 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, science fiction/AI (The Murderbot Diaries, book 4)

Well done on hitting triple digits with your reading, Mamie!

>181 Crazymamie: I do love that gif. And congratulations!

Looks like you liked Sunshine well enough to make it worth your while. I'm still in the queue at the library for Exit Strategy. Glad Craig is doing so well after the surgery and hope the device is a life-changer indeed! Hugs for all the stress--just looking at all the damage around you has to be stressful! And here is something for a (hopefully) chuckle.

>182 rosalita: Thank you, Julia!

>183 charl08: Thanks, Charlotte - me, too, with that particular gif. love.

>184 ronincats: It was very fun, Charlotte - I wish she had written a sequel. Exit Strategy is worth the wait - I bit the bullet and just bought it even though I think the novellas are overpriced. Craig and I both love them, and I am trying to get Abby and Birdy to also give them a try.

Craig just keeps looking better and better, which is good since he is determined to go back to work on Monday. Thanks so much for the good wishes and the hugs. Most appreciated. I will be happy when we start seeing some of the mess get cleaned up because then it will feel like we are moving forward.

I LOVE the hormone guide - thanks for the chuckle!! I showed it to Craig, and he laughed out loud.

Lovely to see how well you and yours are dealing with hurricanes and doctors and jobs and life. And reading too. Kudos on hitting 100!

After I read Reading Player One last year, I heard about the film version and finding out it was a Spielberg project, I figured it would get mucked up. Watched the trailer and wrote it off.

Thank you, Bill! I'm not sure anyone could have made a movie that lived up to the book, but it was disappointing that the movie made the contest look so easy and that all that geeky gaming info was missing. The movie had none of the book's charm.

Congrats on 100, Mamie!

>188 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie!

Congratulations! 9 books in a month (that isn't over yet) and a total of 100 and that with hurricanes and surgery happening. Excellent!!

I started reading The Haunting of Hill House, and loved this:

“Eleanor looked up, surprised; the little girl was sliding back in her chair, sullenly refusing her milk, while her father frowned and her brother giggled and her mother said calmly, 'She wants her cup of stars.'

Indeed yes, Eleanor thought; indeed, so do I; a cup of stars, of course.

'Her little cup,' the mother was explaining, smiling apologetically at the waitress, who was thunderstruck at the thought that the mill's good country milk was not rich enough for the little girl. 'It has stars in the bottom, and she always drinks her milk from it at home. She calls it her cup of stars because she can see the stars while she drinks her milk.' The waitress nodded, unconvinced, and the mother told the little girl, 'You'll have your milk from your cup of stars tonight when we get home. But just for now, just to be a very good little girl, will you take a little milk from this glass?'

Don't do it, Eleanor told the little girl; insist on your cup of stars; once they have trapped you into being like everyone else you will never see your cup of stars again; don't do it; and the little girl glanced at her, and smiled a little subtle, dimpling, wholly comprehending smile, and shook her head stubbornly at the glass. Brave girl, Eleanor thought; wise, brave girl.”

And also this creepy description of the house:

“No human eye can isolate the unhappy coincidence of line and place which suggests evil in the face of a house, and yet somehow a maniac juxtaposition, a badly turned angle, some chance meeting of roof and sky, turned Hill House into a place of despair, more frightening because the face of Hill House seemed awake, with a watchfulness from the blank windows and a touch of glee in the eyebrow of a cornice. Almost any house, caught unexpectedly or at an odd angle, can turn a deeply humorous look on a watching person; even a mischievous little chimney, or a dormer like a dimple, can catch up a beholder with a sense of fellowship; but a house arrogant and hating, never off guard, can only be evil. This house, which seemed somehow to have formed itself, flying together into its own powerful pattern under the hands of its builders, fitting itself into its own construction of lines and angles, reared its great head back against the sky without concession to humanity. It was a house without kindness, never meant to be be lived in, not a fit place for people or for love or for hope."

Hi Mamie, so happy that you all came through the storm but also so sad for the pecan grove. Hopefully it can be restored and/or replanted. Also very glad that Craig came through his surgery and seems to be doing well. Enjoy your weekend.

>192 DeltaQueen50: Hello, Judy! I am also sad about the pecan grove - the dead trees have all turned brown, so now it looks like the pecan grove is a decaying thing. Appropriate for Halloween, I guess, but I will be so happy once they start clearing away all of the debris. I am sure they will replant, but what a huge loss to happen right before the harvest.

Craig has gone out driving for the first time since surgery - he took Birdy with him since he cannot lift anything over ten pounds, and I know she will keep a close eye on him and keep him out of trouble.

Hoping that your weekend is full of fabulous!

Hi Mamie!

So glad to hear that Craig is doing well after the surgery. And look at you, 100 books with almost two and a half months left in the year.

Congrats.

>194 karenmarie: Hey, Karen! Thank you. I was very excited to make it to 100 with all of the chaos that has been surrounding us lately. My numbers for the last two months have been low, and I was hoping the rest of my reading year was not going to go like that.

Happy Saturday, Mamie. I have put off seeing the film version of RPO, since it came out but since it is Spielberg, one of my favorite directors, I will probably see it.

I am really enjoying The Outsider on audio. I hope you are having a fine weekend.

>196 msf59: Evening, Mark! The film is fun if you go in knowing that it is a separate entity from the book. It is still entertaining, just not as awesome as the book. Abby bought it for me for my birthday, so we finally got around to watching it.

The weekend is good so far - I even got the house all to myself for a few hours this afternoon, which was delightful.

>181 Crazymamie: Congratulations on this year's century!

Woot! Congrats on 100!

Enjoyed your thoughts on Ready Player One. I read the book a few years ago, so didn't remember a lot of details and was able to enjoy the movie without making too many comparisons in my head. My brother, who's a movie nut, really enjoyed the scene that was based on the Shining I think? Or some other horror flick I refuse to see... And we really enjoyed the visuals of the car race.

>184 ronincats: *snort*

>198 quondame: Thank you, Susan!

>199 bell7: Thanks, Mary! I also love the movies, so I did appreciate the homage to the 80s movies, particularly the one you mention - really well done, IMO. I just missed all the geeky gaming stuff from the book - not Spielberg's fault since he couldn't secure the right to use the TM products. I just read the book last year, so it was still pretty fresh for me - and the 80s is a favorite decade of mine since those were my high school and college years.

Way to go on 100 books!!

Well done on 100 books!

>201 figsfromthistle: Thank you, Anita!

>202 Helenliz: Thanks, Helen!