Laura (lauralkeet)'s attempt at spontaneity - Part 1

Philadelphia City Hall
Photo credit: philly.com
Fun fact: prior to 1984, various gentleman’s agreements prevented construction of buildings taller than William Penn’s hat on City Hall’s 548-foot tower.





Hello all, I'm Laura and this is my 11th year with the 75 Books challenge. I'm in my mid/late-50s (it’s a transition year LOL), and live in Philadelphia with my husband Chris, our two dogs, and a cat. We have two adult daughters: Julia lives less than a mile away from us, and Kate lives in Brooklyn, NY. I retired in 2017 and to my surprise am now reading fewer books than when I was working. It’s been a while since I made the 75-book goal, but the people and book recommendations here are the best.

I’d like my 2019 reading to be more enjoyable than 2018, which was okay not great. I went into 2018 sure I’d read close to 75 books. Giddy with excitement, I was sure I had capacity to read all. the. things. As the months went by and I found myself reading at a steady 5 books/month (occasionally 6) sort of pace, my reading began to feel more compulsory than fun.

I have more hobbies now as a retired person than I did when I was working, and that’s a really good thing! So I need to accept my reading pace for what it is, and perhaps be more intentional in my choices in order to enjoy my reading more. My first draft of this post put forth several reading goals for 2019, but I think -- maybe for the first time ever -- I’m going to resist that temptation.

To make 2019’s reading more fun, I need to be able to make more spontaneous choices. My RL book groups will determine two of my reads each month, but I’m going to give myself permission to “opt out” if a selection doesn’t appeal. Other than that, I want to let my mood guide me, whether that’s reading books from my TBR pile, making progress on my series, or reading with an LT group like the 75 Books American Author Challenge or the Virago Modern Classics group Reading the 1940s theme.

Besides reading, I spend a lot of time knitting and have a knitting thread in the Needlearts group; stop in and say hi sometime! I also enjoy cooking and will try to post about my culinary adventures on this thread from time to time.

Books completed (click on "details" to jump to my comments)
January
1. Pachinko - details
2. My Name is Asher Lev - details
3. Becoming - details
4. Asymmetry - details
5. Sapphira and the Slave Girl - details
6. These Truths - details

February
7. Kristin Lavransdatter: The Wreath - details
8. An American Marriage - details
9. Ghost Wall - details
10. Washington Black - details
11. A Fine of 200 Francs - details
12. A Midsummer Night's Dream
13. If Beale Street Could Talk - details

Series Progress

Active series as of January 1:


My series list is courtesy of FictFact, which allows you to select the series you wish to track. They do a reasonable job of maintaining current series, although in some cases they have added books that I don't consider a legitimate part of the series (e.g., the Harry Potter prequel). The above snapshot is a view of my active series sorted on the "progress" column.

Series completed/current in 2019:
* TBD

Series started in 2019:
* Kristin Lavransdatter

Series abandoned in 2019:
* TBD

If Beale Street Could Talk

On the Back Burner:



Kristin Lavransdatter, parts 2 & 3

*settles in for the new year*

Just dropped by to add a star.

Congrats on setting up for 2019! I enjoyed Pachinko (also read for my book group) and hope you have a positive reaction. I knew nothing of the experience of Koreans living in Japan, and found the whole historical vantage point very gripping. It was long though...

Welcome back!

Just peeking round the door Laura, and plumping my cushion.

Hi Laura! Both your current reads look excellent. I must investigate the library catalogue...

Happy new year and new thread!

I hope that Pachinko turns out better for you than you think it will, Laura! I will snuggle in patiently and await the outcome.

Happy New Year & New Thread, Laura!

Look at all the visitors! A hearty hello & welcome to Katie, Colleen, Vivian, Jim, Caroline, Susan, Stasia, and Rhian!

Let's celebrate the new year, shall we? Help yourself! It's healthy, because fruit. 😀

Happy New Year, Laura! Yum! "It's healthy, because fruit". Yes! *grabs some chocolate-y, strawberry-y goodness*

Just dropping a star, Laura, and hoping this reading year is better than last.

>3 lauralkeet: I'll be setting up the LT thread for These Truths tomorrow. Can't wait!! Happy new thread. : )

Happy New Year, Laura! I like your attitude to keep reading fun, which is what it is supposed to be.

Happy New Year Laura!

Hello, Laura. I'm not organised at all and I've just started by finishing a 2019 book - Ten Days of Christmas - in 2018!

Happy reading in 2019, Laura!

Mmmmm.....strawberries! I helped my mother devour a rather large brownie a la mode at lunchtime, but I think I can manage a couple of those now...

Thanks to Joe, Gail, Kim, Ellen, Rachel, Kerry, Anita, and Linda for coming to my little party. I guess you enjoyed the goodies because they are all gone now. Oh well, it's time for a New Year's day brunch:



Plenty of mimosas for everyone! I for one just need more coffee. Well, and croissants. One can never have too many croissants.

Happy New Year to all!

Happy New Year, Laura and Happy New Thread. Looking forward to sharing another year of books with you! I hope you can spark something with your birding interests too. I am sure there are some nice locations near you to visit. I need to grab the audio of These Truths, so I can start it this month.

Yum - what a spread. Reminds me of our meet-up last year - you sure know how to host!!! Wishing you all the best for a happy and healthy new year. I'm starting it off with My Year of Rest and Relaxation but I feel sure that this year won't be one of rest for me!

>3 lauralkeet: It wasn't so much that I didn't like Pachinko Laura but I thought it was overwritten and just wouldn't end lol. I think I'm in the minority really. I did like learning about the culture though.

I managed to get sucked into the GR of These Truths because a. I love history and b. I like how Kim divided it into one part per month making a dreadfully long read into a very manageable one. Guess I'll have to shell out for it as library won't work for this timetable.

Happy New Year my friend!

I know you throw a great nosh, Laura, so thanks for replenishing the goodies!

I have downloaded These Truths and need to read at least the introduction....

Happy 2019
A year full of books
A year full of friends
A year full of all your wishes realised

I look forward to keeping up with you, Laura, this year.

Dropping a star and wishing you a Happy New Year, Laura.I will definitely be reading Pachinko this winter. I bought it a year ago at the Denver meetup at The Tattered Cover. Not sure why my feet are dragging on this one.

>3 lauralkeet: Pachinko has me a little nervous
Hmm, I've had this sitting around for awhile, will be curious to see what you think.

Happy 2019!

Hi there Mark, Vivian, Bonnie, Ellen, Paul, Donna, and Katherine. It's great to see all of you. I'm glad you enjoyed my little brunch spread and thank you for cleaning up after yourselves. 😀

>24 brenzi: Bonnie, on the topic of Pachinko, I now have about 80 pages to go and can understand your point about it going on a bit. I think Vivian had a similar opinion? The other thing I find jarring is the way the author handles significant, dramatic, events like unexpected deaths. They get very short treatment in the narrative. This was particularly bothersome with Noa's death. There was no foreshadowing of this, Noa seemed to be fine, and then he's not. Min Jin Lee gave his suicide one sentence and ended the chapter. The next chapter opens a few years later. Noa's brother makes a random reference to Noa being dead, just in case we hadn't figured it out before, and that's it.

Despite that, I'm really enjoying the book.

Happy New Year, Laura! I look forward to seeing what you read, and especially what you cook, in 2019.

>30 kidzdoc: and especially what you cook
Uh oh, the pressure is on! You mean I can't keep posting food photos I find on the web? 😀

>31 lauralkeet: 😂 No! I expect at least one new enticing recipe per month. I promise to do the same.

>32 kidzdoc: Whew, okay then. That sounds doable!

>33 lauralkeet: Sounds good. I'm sure that I'll try at least twice that many, but I thought that one new recipe per month was reasonable. 😀

1. Pachinko ()
Source: Recent acquisition
Why I read this now: January book club selection

This sweeping family saga tells the story of 4 generations of a Korean family, from 1910 to 1989. Hoonie was born with physical disabilities and marries Yangjin in an arranged marriage benefiting both families. Yangjin bore several children, but only her daughter Sunja survived. As a teenager, Sunja was seduced by Hansu, a prosperous businessman, and became pregnant, only to discover he was already married with three children of his own. Sunja rejected Hansu’s proposal that she continue to be his mistress and receive his financial support. A young clergyman, passing through Korea on his way to Japan, offered to marry Sunja and provide for her and her child. They left Korea for Japan, and lived with Isak’s brother and his wife. Sunja and Isak’s marriage was a happy one. In addition to Sunja’s first-born son, Noa, the couple had another son, Masuzo. Sunja and her sister-in-law developed a profitable business selling kimchi and sweets in their village. But the family also had a benefactor: Hansu, who eventually found Sunja and took a particular interest in Noa’s upbringing and education. Without Hansu’s intervention, the family would not have survived the World War II & Korean War periods, but his actions also had far-reaching consequences for Noa, Masuzo, and the generation that followed them.

Pachinko’s portrayal of Korean immigrants in Japan was very interesting. Subject to extreme prejudice, their employment opportunities were severely limited. They were unable to become Japanese citizens, but political events in Korea made it impossible for them to return home. Some Koreans were able to pass as Japanese and improve their socioeconomic status, but most lived out their lives within the Korean community in Japan.

The last third of the book extends the family saga one generation beyond Noa and Masuzo, and here, it tries to do too much. New characters are insufficiently developed. Major life events are dealt with far too hastily, and the characters respond in predictable, shallow ways. Min Jin Lee throws in everything but the kitchen sink to make it clear we are now in the 1980s -- drugs, prostitutes, AIDS, pop music stars -- and it’s all just too much. Pachinko was great when it focused on Sunja, her children, and her husband’s family, and would have been more powerful had the story remained centered on those central characters.

This morning I requested My Name is Asher Lev as an eBook from my library. It was checked out, so I thought I'd better get my name in since I want to read it for the American Author Challenge. And wouldn't you know, this afternoon it became available. I was planning to start reading Becoming next, but I asked Mrs. Obama to wait a bit and she graciously agreed.

I need to get back to These Truths as well, so I'll probably read some of that tonight and start the Potok tomorrow.

>35 lauralkeet: Heh, we ended up rating it the same Laura. You were much better at describing what didn’t work though.. Excellent review.

Happy New Year, Laura. I hope to get to Pachinko this year. Great comments.

Good review of Pachinko. The biggest problem with epic family novels is what you so perfectly stated: start out slowly, getting to know characters and their motivations. Then, the last generation and it's like a snowball rolling downhill - getting bigger and out of control faster. My overall memory of the story was positive, but it was happening too fast at the end and wasn't as strong of an ending. The overall history of Koreans in Japan is what finally lingers as my memory, not any of the particular people.

>36 lauralkeet: I have tix to see Michelle soon and so I am trying to get most of Becoming read before then. But I am sure she will understand about the AAC coming first. ; )

>37 brenzi: Well I'm not surprised our ratings were the same, Bonnie. That happens to us a lot!

>38 BLBera: Thanks Beth. I put this one off for a long time, and only readi it because it was a book group selection, but now I'm glad I did. Despite its flaws, it was a good read.

>39 raidergirl3: I like your snowball rolling down hill analogy, Elizabeth. I agree it all happened way too fast at the end, but like you I found the history of Koreans in Japan fascinating.

>40 Berly: lucky you, Kim, getting to see Michelle! She came to Philadelphia in November; the venue was an enormous stadium normally used for 76ers basketball games. Although I'm sure that would have been fun in its own way, it's not the ambiance I look for in author interviews ha ha. She made a surprise appearance at a girls' school -- what an experience that must have been.

My book club chose it for this year, Laura, so I will be reading it.

Happy Sunday, Laura! And congrats to your Eagles for knocking us out of the playoffs. I think we under-performed ,and our place-kicker stinks but the Eagles played tough and hung in there. I wish them the best against the Saints. It is going to be another tough game.

Good review of Pachinko. i have seen some mixed reviews on this one and I think that is what has kept me from finally giving it a shot.

FYI- I am loving both Becoming & Asher Lev.

>42 BLBera: Beth, I look forward to seeing your thoughts on Pachinko on your thread.

>43 msf59: Thanks Mark. I'm really not much of an NFL football fan but when the hometown team is in the playoffs, I get interested. And I like Nick Foles. I don't expect them to get past the Saints though.

I am loving Asher Lev, too, and can't wait to start reading Becoming.

2. My Name is Asher Lev ()
Source: My local library
Why I read this now: American Author Challenge

Asher Lev is obsessed with drawing from an early age, and his gift is obvious to all around him. But Asher’s gift is in conflict with the acceptable norms of his Hasidic Brooklyn community. Asher’s father is active in the Hasidic movement, traveling all over Europe to build schools and help Jewish people in need. Asher’s mother supports the family and pursues her own goals to help the community, but has also paid a high price in terms of her overall health and well-being. Asher’s commitment to his art is so strong that he feels compelled to stand up to his parents when they try to suppress it. Tensions are high in the Lev household, to say the least. The leader of their Hasidic community, known as the Rebbe, takes note of the family conflict and acts to mitigate the situation as best he can, providing Asher with a mentor, Jacob Kahn, who develops Asher’s talent as he grows up. He becomes quite successful, but the conflict -- especially with his father -- only worsens over time, leading to an intense climax and resolution.

This novel offered an interesting glimpse into the Hasidic community through its rich cast of characters. But after finishing this book, I am primarily left with some pretty powerful emotions. I wanted Asher to succeed, but also deeply felt his mother’s pain as she tried to navigate the ongoing conflict between her husband and son. I won’t soon forget Asher’s story.

Great comments, Laura! I haven't read it in years but remember it very well. I also loved The Chosen, probably even more.

I’m planning to read The Chosen this month but it looks like I should also plan to read My Name is Asher Lev Laura. Excellent review.

>46 vivians: Vivian, I read The Chosen forever ago, and probably should read it again but that's not going to happen this month.

>47 brenzi: yes you should Bonnie!

>45 lauralkeet: Good review of Asher Lev. I should finish it tomorrow. It could end up being a 5 star read. It is that impressive. And speaking of 5 star reads, I finished Becoming. B.A.G.

Sweet Thursday, Laura.

>45 lauralkeet: I'm waiting for the sequel, The Gift of Asher Lev to land on the mat Laura. I too found this an outstanding read.

>35 lauralkeet: I think I will pass on that one. Thank you for the excellent review, Laura!

>45 lauralkeet: Although I love The Chosen more, My Name is Asher Lev runs a close second. I am glad to see that you enjoyed it, Laura.

>49 msf59: Mark, I guess we're doing a bit of a bookish do-si-do. I just started Becoming last night. I'm reading it on Kindle, but I can hear her voice.

>50 Caroline_McElwee: I'll be interested to hear more about the sequel, Caro.

>51 alcottacre: Hi Stasia! Happy new year and welcome back!

Oh yes! I read My Name is Asher Lev in my late teens and I still remember it vividly. Loved your review too -- it brought it all back to mind.

Interesting that being retired has reduced your reading time. Mine fluctuates but mysteriously!

Happy new year to you, Laura! I hope it is a great one for you.

Between you and Caroline you have sold me on My name is Asher Lev. My ex in-laws would be proud.

>53 sibylline: Thank you Lucy!

>54 Sakerfalcon: Ha ha Claire! I hope you enjoy reading it.

Hi, Laura! Happy New Year.

I started reading Pachinko for one of my book clubs, but as I wasn't going to be able to attend that session, I didn't have the push to finish it. So it was a DNF for me. I'm not much into family sagas, but I agree the cultural situation of the Korean among the Japanese is very interesting to learn about.

>56 ffortsa: Hi Judy, thanks for visiting. I can understand not having the push to finish a book like Pachinko. There are just too many other books waiting to be read, right?

Nice review of My Name Is Asher Lev, Laura. I own a copy of it, so I'll try to get to it soon.

BTW, how many books in Karl Ove Knausgaard's My Struggle series has your husband read? I think I'll read Books Three through Six, one a quarter, in 2019 and finish the series by the end of the year.

>45 lauralkeet: I read that in... remembering the library... must've been 1984 or 1985. The sequel was published in 1990 and, skimming reviews, doesn't seem at all familiar. The author challenge is tempting a revisit...

>58 kidzdoc: Hi Darryl, Chris has read books 1-5. For some reason he hasn't been tempted by Book 6. I'm not sure if there's a reason for that, or if he's just dealing with TBR issues as we all are.

>59 qebo: Well Katherine, it sounds like the AAC is doing exactly what it's supposed to do! I wouldn't have gotten around to reading Potok myself, if it weren't for the challenge prompting me to do so.

>45 lauralkeet: I didn't realize there was a sequel to Asher Lev. On to Mt. tbr it goes!

You are really stirring up interest in Potok over here, Laura! I should deputize you. I will, if you don't mind, just stick a couple links here for the AAC, for any of your victims who haven't found it yet.

the Potok thread.

The General Discussion thread for 2019

Carry on!

Great review of Pachinko from earlier in the year, Laura (grins). I have that on my kindle and have been thinking I'll read it this year.

My Name is Asher Lev is one of my all-time favorite novels. I hadn't been thinking about rereading it but I have to say that your comments are tempting me.

>60 lauralkeet: Dwight Garner wrote a chilling review of My Struggle: Book Six in the NYT last year:

At the Close of Karl Ove Knausgaard’s ‘My Struggle,’ a Magician Loses His Touch

I read that review just now, as I switched my subscription from 7 days/week to Sunday only delivery last year. I'll wait to read others' reviews of Book Six before I purchase it.

>61 markon: I'm happy to add to your TBR pile, Ardene. Thanks for stopping by!

>62 laytonwoman3rd: No problem, Linda, I'm happy to promote the American Author Challenge on my lil ole thread.

>63 EBT1002: Ellen, your strong reaction to Asher Lev stuck with me and came immediately to mind when thinking about which Potok novel to read. So thanks for the inspiration!

>64 kidzdoc:. YES, that was it: the NYT review. I remember Chris mentioning it and I think it was enough to ward him off, at least for the time being.

>65 lauralkeet: Yep. I am equally wary of reading it now. It's nearly 1200 pages long, including the 400 page middle "Hitler segment", as Dwight Garner refers to it. That's nearly twice as long as Book Five (624 pp), and as Garner said it probably should have been made into three separate books

I attended Knausgaard's talk at the Edinburgh International Book Festival this past August, and there was no mention of that segment. He read from, I think, the first segment of the book, which was published shortly after Book One came out, and in it his Uncle Gunnar, who I'm pretty sure is his father's brother, called him to task for revealing family secrets and portraying the mean drunkard Karl Ove's father was. That segment made me eager to get to the book ASAP, and that talk was one of the main reasons I wanted to finish Books Three, Four and Five this year. He is an engaging, funny and self-deprecating speaker (I also saw him speak during the 2017 Edinburgh International Book Festival), and I'm still inclined to buy Book Six, although I may choose to skip the "Hitler segment". I also plan to reread the series in the not too distant future; it's just that good.

Hopefully I can meet up with you and Chris later this year in Philadelphia so that he and I can chat about these books!

>66 kidzdoc: I hope so, too, Darryl. To tempt you further, I suggest we have lunch at Suraya, a Lebanese restaurant just a few blocks from our place, which was one of Bon Appetit's 50 Nominees for America’s Best New Restaurants 2018, and PhillyMag's choice for Best Restaurant. You'd love it.

>67 lauralkeet: Gasp! *faints* *checks today's flights from ATL to PHL*

I love Lebanese food!!! Count me in.

I thought you might feel that way, Darryl!

These Truths | Becoming

This week I finished Part 3 of These Truths, which spans 1866-1945. This is such an interesting book. The 75ers Group Read began this month; we are currently discussing Part 1. Lepore provides so much more context than the basics we were taught in school, and helps to show how seemingly disparate events build on one another or are connected in some way. I have until February 21 to finish the book, so I'm going to set it aside for a week or two.

I also started reading Becoming, and although Kindle says I'm at only 33%, I can say unequivocally this is a 5-star read. Why? Because I've already choked up and gotten teary-eyed three times. I'm lucky if a book does that to me once, and then it's usually at the end. But when Michelle finally admitted she had fallen hook, line, and sinker for Barack, I just about lost it. So good.

>60 lauralkeet: >66 kidzdoc: When I was starting Book Six I had similair thoughts on skipping that part. But Karl Ove is a great writer and when I came there I read straight through.

>71 FAMeulstee: good to know, Anita. I'm glad you've enjoyed reading Knaussgard's opus.

>52 lauralkeet: Thanks, Laura. It is so good to be back!

I tried a new recipe today: Slow Cooker Pork Puttanesca Ragù from New York Times Cooking, one of my favorite recipe sources. It takes 10 hours in the slow cooker and some preparation beforehand, so one needs to plan ahead. But then you just set it and forget it, and the results are delish. I served the ragù over pappardelle, although the recipe also suggests polenta. It was very tasty, with plenty of leftovers which are now in meal-sized portions in the freezer. This is a spicy dish and even though we love spicy food, we decided next time to cut back a bit on the red pepper flakes for more subtlety.

Slow Cooker Pork Puttanesca Ragù
by SARAH DIGREGORIO

Time: 10 1/2 hours
Yield: 6 to 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

3 to 3 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless pork shoulder
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more as needed
8 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
4 anchovy fillets, finely chopped, or 1 tablespoon anchovy paste
2 (6-ounce) cans tomato paste
1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives
1/4 cup drained capers
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons red-pepper flakes, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Freshly ground black pepper
1 (14.5-ounce) can whole or crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, lightly packed
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, for serving

Full recipe here.

>70 lauralkeet: Oh, yay for Becoming!! Isn't it just wonderful? I lost count of the times I cried, to be honest.

>75 scaifea: it really is, Amber. I'm going to be recommending it to everyone now.

Hi Laura - I'm 142 on the library queue for the audio of Becoming and can't wait! I really admire Chris and Darryl for the Knausgaard determination. I really want to begin...but keep thinking of the opportunity cost of all the other books I'll be passing up!

>74 lauralkeet: - Oooh, that looks super yum. Will definitely give it a go this winter...

>77 vivians: I understand, Vivian. I've not been tempted by Knaussgard but there are other books I never get around to for similar reasons.

>78 katiekrug: It was really tasty, Katie. Hope you enjoy!

I’m 2,542 on 191 copies for Becoming so I won’t be reading it anytime soon Laura but I’m looking forward to it.

Holy cow that's a long hold list, Bonnie. I'm sure you have plenty of reading to keep you busy while you wait, but wow.

>70 lauralkeet: I am looking forward to reading both of those - one of these days. . .

>81 lauralkeet: that’s on the NYPL list. It may come in a bit faster from the Buffalo list

>82 alcottacre: Hi Stasia! So many books, right? Happy reading.

>83 brenzi: It's nice you have two to choose from, Bonnie.

>70 lauralkeet: Yep, we are definitely in the same biblio-orbit, Laura. I am early into Part 2 of These Truths. I am taking a breather, for about a week and then I will continue.

I am really enjoying Asymmetry. I am still in the first section of that one. Yes, it is offbeat, but it is working for me.

>85 msf59: I'm glad to hear you're enjoying Asymmetry, Mark. That bodes well for me.å

Obviously, I hope it works for you, but I can understand the mixed reviews. Many readers can not handle "offbeat".

Excellent review of My Name is Asher Lev, Laura. Another thumb from me. I loved that book.

Just checking in, Laura, after my trip to Dallas...

>87 msf59: My copy of Asymmetry arrived yesterday, Mark, so I'm all ready to go.

>88 jnwelch: Thanks Joe.

>89 katiekrug: Funny thing Katie, I was just doing the same over on your thread. Snap!

Arts Roundup

My husband Chris and I seem to have filled our calendar with a number of cultural activities from literature to music to art. This seems like something LTers might be interested in, so here’s what we got up to this week.

Wednesday was the launch of this year’s One Book, One Philadelphia program organized by the Free Library of Philadelphia. This year’s book is the fabulous Sing Unburied Sing by Jesmyn Ward. I went to the kickoff along with others from my “social” book group. I went to Ward’s library appearance last year as part of her book tour, and looked forward to seeing her again. The program began with her reading from her book, delivered brilliantly in an accent that sounded just like the character Jojo would speak. The reading was followed by an interview, with open-ended questions that allowed Ward to speak at length about her work. I enjoyed hearing about how she approaches her writing; counter to what she’d been taught in school, she doesn’t work from an outline. She begins with ideas of what the story will be, but allows the creative process to shape the plot and the characters. As someone who lives by lists and outlines, I found this fascinating. After a short Q&A, the program ended with a performance of a classical piece commissioned for the event.

On Thursday, Chris and I attended an event at The Rosenbach, a museum and library housing nearly 400,000 rare books, manuscripts, and fine and decorative art objects. They offer a variety of literary programs, which as members we can attend at a reduced rate or sometimes free of charge. Thursday’s program was a performance of TS Eliot’s Four Quartets, a poetry cycle described as “a complex, deeply moving meditation on time, memory, and human striving toward the divine.” John Farrell, an actor, performed the entire 1000-line work from memory with amazing expression. Before beginning his recitation, Farrell indicated it might be difficult for us to maintain the level of concentration necessary to understand the meaning of the work from beginning to end and if that were the case, we should just let the words wash over us like music. I have to admit my knowledge and understanding of poetry is very basic, so I was in the “wash over us” camp. It was pretty amazing all the same, and inspired me to do a bit of digging into secondary sources on the internet to further my understanding.

Next week’s arts roundup will be more musical in nature -- stay tuned!

And for some reason I still haven’t read Sing Unburied Sing. It sounds like you had a wonderful week of art appreciation Laura.

>67 lauralkeet: That makes me want to come back to Philly, too!

I'm reading These Truths slowly with Kim's group read. I wholly agree about how well done it is. I have my copy of Michelle Obama's book but didn't want to carry it with me. It will be one of my February reads.

>91 lauralkeet: indeed we are interested! Both events sound lovely. I look forward to retiring nearer a metro area where such things are accessible. Keep sharing, please. I love reading about them.

>92 brenzi: Well Bonnie, I'm sure you'll get around to it one of these days.

>93 EBT1002: thanks for the encouragement, Ellen! And you can come back to Philly any time!

>91 lauralkeet: - I always like hearing what LTers are doing in terms of bookish and other "arty" stuff, Laura.

>91 lauralkeet: I love to read about the cultural activities of others in this group, Laura, so thank you!
The poetry performance sounds great.

>95 katiekrug:, >96 FAMeulstee: Great, I'm glad to hear it. I'll keep posting then!

3. Becoming ()
Source: On my Kindle

I have admired Michelle Obama from the moment she entered the national spotlight, so I was eager to read her life story. In Becoming, she tells that story with grace, insight, and humor, and I absolutely loved it. I enjoyed reading about her childhood, education, and early career, and her quest to find meaning as a professional woman. I equally enjoyed learning more about her relationships with family & friends, and her continuous efforts to maintain those relationships and foster a healthy environment for her children, even as her husband’s political trajectory took their lives in directions few can imagine.

Obama is refreshingly candid, especially when sharing her initial feelings about her husband’s political aspirations, and the media backlash during the presidential campaign and their time in the White House. With a few notable yet extremely tactful exceptions, she refrains from negative comment on the opposing party and the current administration. She is consistently purposeful yet human; there were several times I choked up and got teary-eyed. I’m sure we haven’t seen the last of the Obamas, and am confident they will continue having a positive impact on the country, and perhaps beyond.

I agree Laura, i really enjoyed this book. I liked Michelle before, but have a better sense of her through reading this.

I think they are both public servers for life. I think she will focus on education, especially for girls and young women, and I suspect the environment will be one of his main focuses.

I think if he isn't already part of it, he will join other ex-world leaders and other high profile wise folk in the diplomatic group they created (I can't find the name of it now, but it keeps itself reasonably quiet), who will provide support, advice and diplomacy internationally. I think it was through this group that Bill Clinton worked to help with the Northern Irish situation, supporting Mo Mowlam.

>98 lauralkeet: Yes! Great comments, Laura. I felt more optimistic than I had in a long time after reading this.

>99 Caroline_McElwee: Caro, it is traditional for presidents to continue some form of public service. I'd forgotten about that diplomatic group, which is quite likely. They also usually have some sort of initiative they drive personally. Jimmy Carter is one of the most visible; his work with Habitat for Humanity has led to him being viewed mich more positively today than when he was in office.

I could definitely see Michelle continuing to focus on children. It was clear in the book that she was energized any time she was involved with young people.

>100 BLBera: i agree, Beth. Maybe I should keep it on my nightstand and read excerpts anytime I need a pick-me-up. Which, with the current administration, is like always.

>98 lauralkeet: can’t wait for it😊

>98 lauralkeet: I enjoyed your comments, Laura. I plan to listen any time I need a lift out of the depression the current administration throws me toward.

>91 lauralkeet: The events sound wonderful, Laura. I will be waiting for your next report!

>92 brenzi: I have not read it yet either, Bonnie, so you are not the only one.

>98 lauralkeet: I already have that one in the BlackHole or I would be adding it due to your review.

Trust that you have had a great weekend, Laura.

>92 brenzi: I haven't got to Sing, Unburied, Sing either, Bonnie. It's sitting here looking at me, though.

Happy Sunday, Laura. Great review of Becoming. I could not have expressed it better.

>91 lauralkeet: Wow, your Arts Roundup sounds excellent. I am envious. : )

Greetings Bonnie, Colleen, Stasia, Paul (!!), Linda, Mark, and Kim. There's a lot of love for Michelle Obama and her book, that's for sure. Linda, I hope you find time to read Sing, Unburied, Sing one of these days.

Kim, one of the main reasons we moved from the hinterlands to the city was to have more/easier access to arts & cultural activities. We found a few things we liked and bought subscriptions for this year. There's more to explore but it's also working out pretty well.

>98 lauralkeet: Great review, Laura! I'm so glad you liked it, but then again, how could you not?

>110 scaifea: I know, right? Many times while reading it I also thought of how Charlie has been listening to the book and how accessible it is even for a much younger person.

Glad you are enjoying your cultural activities so much! We had many years of wonderful music, theatre and dance -- as well as sculpture, books . . .

>112 sibylline: Thanks Lucy. We're pretty happy here!

>109 lauralkeet: - Dallas is one of the top 10 most populous US cities, and I still feel like I just moved from the hinterlands :) I took advantage of what Dallas had to offer (and to be fair, its cultural scene has been steadily improving) but it just can't compare to where we are now. And I can't imagine ever moving anywhere without similar opportunities - even if it's a bit overwhelming at times!

It was super cold yesterday, and today is even colder; such weather demands comfort food. Enter Garlic Braised Short Ribs with Red Wine, which we had for dinner last night. Like last week's dish, it's one of those where you cook a cut of meat for hours until it's super tender. After a bit of stove-top prep, it goes into the oven at a relatively low temperature for a few hours. By that point the meat is practically falling off the bone. This would be a good dish to serve to guests. We had ours with some roasted potatoes and green beans. Sorry for the crappy photo, but we were hungry! I actually forgot to add the chives, parsley and lemon zest at the end, oops.

Garlic Braised Short Ribs with Red Wine
by ALISON ROMAN

Time: About 4½ hours
Yield: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
5 pounds bone-in short ribs, at least 1 1/2 inches thick
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 large heads garlic, halved crosswise
1 medium onion (about 10 ounces), chopped
4 ribs celery (about 8 ounces, chopped
2 medium carrots (about 6 ounces), chopped
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups dry red wine (about half a bottle)
2 cups beef stock or bone broth (use beef bouillon dissolved in water if unavailable; chicken stock will work in a pinch), plus more as needed
4 sprigs thyme
1 cup parsley, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped chives
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

Full recipe here.

>111 lauralkeet: I *love* that Charlie's enjoying the Obama book, and it has sparked so many great conversations with him so far. We listen to it on the way to ballet class and back, so I'm happy that I get to listen to it a second time, too!

>115 lauralkeet: - Sending this one to The Wayne to make for me ;-)

>116 scaifea: that's so cool, Amber.

>117 katiekrug: the recipe is very similar to some kick-a** lamb shanks I made for Christmas dinner. Just giving you The Wayne some options. 😀

4. Asymmetry ()
Source: Recent purchase
Why I read this now: February book group selection

I'm not at all sure what to make of this book, so this isn't really a review. Asymmetry consists of three sections: the first tells the story of an unusual romantic relationship between a 25-year-old woman and a much, much older distinguished author. The second is about an Iraqi-American man detained at a London airport while en route to visit family in the middle east. The book description reads, "These two seemingly disparate stories gain resonance as their perspectives interact and overlap, with yet new implications for their relationship revealed in an unexpected coda." This "coda" features the distinguished author in an unusual narrative format.

The theme of power -- who has it, and how they use it -- runs throughout these stories, and the title seems to refer to the massive imbalance of power in all the relationships explored in the novel. That's about as far as I got. I kept waiting for the stories to "gain resonance," and after reading the coda, I'm no wiser about the "new implications for their relationship." That said, I zipped through this book in just three days; something about it kept calling to me.

My book club meets February 4 to discuss this book. I'm curious to see what others thought and if the discussion helps me appreciate this novel more.

I was very conflicted about Asymmetry, and was surprised at how positively my fellow book group members reacted to it. I have to admit to having been annoyed with the author in an interview I listened to prior to reading it. I'll let my intolerant nature show here....the author was born and raised in Massachusetts and went to college here. She now lives in Milan with her family. She affected the most ridiculous British-tinged accent in the interview, and I was totally turned off. The second annoying factor was that she freely talked about her affair with Philip Roth when she was a young editor and nascent writer, and yet she completely denied that there was anything autobiographical about the first section of the book. That just struck me as totally ridiculous.

I felt that the link between sections 1 and 2 was tenuous, other than the imbalance of power as you suggested. It was almost as if she needed the association with the great writer to give credence to her worth as a novelist (which he does somewhat obscurely in the third part).

There was a lot of praise for the writing itself, especially from the NYTBR which raved about it. I just didn't agree with that either.

It was a great book to discuss, though, and I'll be curious to hear what everyone thinks.

>120 vivians: You don't sound very conflicted to me, Vivian. HA!

Seriously thought, your insight to the semi-autobiographical nature of the novel is very interesting. I don't see how she could deny that influence. And the affected accent, well, just UGH. Thanks for weighing in -- these will be fun facts for me to bring to the book group.

My friend that I met through book group just asked for suggestions for next month, and I'm tempted to throw Asymmetry out there...

>122 katiekrug: You rabble-rouser, you.

>119 lauralkeet: >120 vivians: hmm, I have this book in the tbr mountain. I'm not sure whether I'm curious enough to nudge it up, or leave it be for now Laura, Vivian.

>123 lauralkeet: - *grin*

>119 lauralkeet: >120 vivians:. This is why I’d rather get my recommendations from LT members than those Best of lists which can be so hit or miss. This one will be a big miss for me. Too many other books to read.

>1 lauralkeet: disappearing act Laura!

>126 brenzi: you are so right, Bonnie!

>127 Caroline_McElwee: I don't know what happened there, Caro, I can still see the image at its original source. One of my book cover images has disappeared too. Oh well, no matter -- I found a new photo of City Hall and updated my thread-topper.

Morning, Laura. I enjoyed your thoughts on Asymmetry. We had similar feelings. While, I did not completely piece it together, I found it satisfying.

I sure wish I was retired. I do not want to go into work. Wah!!

Sorry you have to work today, Mark. Hopefully you'll log some good audiobook time on your route!

5. Sapphira and the Slave Girl ()
Source: My Virago Modern Classics collection
Why I read this now: Virago Group theme read

This was Willa Cather’s last published novel, and not her best. In it, she returned to her Virginia roots and attempted to write a novel about slavery. Sort of. Set in 1856, the eponymous Sapphira is the wife of a mill owner, and rationalizes her black “servants” by not actually buying or selling them. Just, you know, enslaving and demeaning them over generations. Oh, okay. No problem.

Sapphira’s husband, Henry, is a spineless character who has essentially moved his residence to the mill he operates. He seems vaguely opposed to slavery but relies on the family’s “servants” to care for his needs. Sapphira’s widowed daughter Rachel is opposed to slavery and keeps her distance, living several miles away with her two daughters. The “servants” are all stereotypically happy in their work, taking pride in making the silver shine and all that. When Henry’s nephew comes to visit and begins to prey upon Nancy, a mixed-race slave of questionable parentage, it seems the only solution is to whisk her away to Canada via the Underground Railroad.

Meh. This novel plods along from one event to another, with no dramatic tension whatsoever. Conflicts and relationship issues are hinted at but left unresolved. Anti-slavery sentiment is expressed, but only half-heartedly, and the narrative is littered with pejoratives that come across as part of Cather’s vocabulary rather than “just” the voice of her characters. Why did I persist to the end? Who knows.

>131 lauralkeet: - Oof. Hard pass. I own a copy but sounds like I can safely move it out of the house unread...

>131 lauralkeet: I wasn't fond of this one either. It was clear that Sapphira wasn't meant to be likeable and I believe Cather meant us to be uncomfortable with her attitudes to slavery, and treatment of Nancy, but it still didn't sit well with me.

>131 lauralkeet: I never read this Cather and think I'll skip it now....thanks for the review.

I started Becoming this am - terrific so far.

>132 katiekrug:, >134 vivians: Linda & Vivian, I live to serve. 😀 And Vivian, I'm glad you're enjoying Becoming.

>133 Sakerfalcon: Claire, I agree Cather meant for Sapphira to be unlikeable, and in that respect she succeeded. But like you, so much just didn't sit well with me. I almost DNF'd it early on but then there was some sort of plot development that I thought might be interesting, so I kept going, but after a while I lost interest again. Oh well, moving on!

>131 lauralkeet: Thanks for that review, Laura. I feel you have told me all I need to know about Sapphira and the Slave Girl, and I will have no guilt whatsoever about not reading it. I intend to print your review and stick in the Library of America volume of Cather that includes that novel, so if I'm ever tempted, I'll be reminded of why it's not necessary for me to read it!

Yikes! Good review of Sapphira and the Slave Girl, Laura. I didn't know that one even existed! Too bad. I loved two of Willa Cather's books (My Antonia and O Pioneers) and enjoyed and admired others (e.g. Death Comes for the Archbishop). But this one sounds awful in multiple ways, and seems to diminish her stature. Sometimes last books need to be tossed on the fire, I guess. It makes me think of Kent Haruf's last book, Our Souls at Night, written while he knew he was dying. The book is beautiful and only adds to his reputation. Anyway, thank you for taking the hit for the rest of us for this one. I sure won't be reading it.

Just catching up, Laura - and now I have two tabs open hunting for Becoming in our school e-library and the Wellington one! I will just go and buy it... I am sure I'm going to love it.

Such a shame about the Willa Cather book. Like Joe, I loved O Pioneers and My Antonia and read Alexander's Bridge and gave it 3 stars. I'll avoid this one if I see it in a secondhand bookshop.

Oh boy. Another one to skip. Disappointing as I’ve loved the three other Cather books I’ve read Laura.

Just shuffling through. I have been dithering about rambling through all the 75er threads. My first visit here. I apologize for not having stopped by sooner.

I read both The Chosen and My Name Is Asher Lev, having never read Potok before. I admire Potok's skillful writing and storytelling, but neither book really gave me any pleasure. The Hasidic life seems claustrophobic.

I just fetched These Truths out of my mailbox today and I expect to start reading this weekend.

>136 laytonwoman3rd: Linda, that's a good idea, and I'm honored to have my review preserved in your copy of the book. 😀

>137 jnwelch: Hi Joe, I've read several other Cather novels, including the ones you mentioned, and liked them quite a lot. So I saw no reason not to read this one. But hoo-boy. And I agree with you, Haruf's final work is a thing of beauty.

>138 cushlareads: Cushla, I hope you're able to get your hands on Becoming. In my travels around LT I've seen nothing but love for it.

>139 brenzi: I was disappointed, Bonnie. I expected more from Cather. Especially since the book was published long after the Civil War. I expected a stronger anti-slavery viewpoint; instead it seemed almost nostalgic especially in its portrayal of the slaves themselves.

>140 weird_O: Hi Bill, thanks for visiting! I'm sorry Potok didn't work for you, but predict you'll enjoy These Truths. I'll see ya over on the group read thread.

Arts Roundup

Philadelphia is home to the renowned Curtis Institute of Music, which holds free recitals three times a week each semester. It’s a great opportunity to see incredibly talented young musicians, who will undoubtedly go on to successful artistic careers. Curtis kicked off this semester’s recitals with a performance by their new quartet in residence, the Vera String Quartet. Vera performed classical string quartets by Haydn and Ravel, as well as pieces by 16th century Spanish composer Tomas Luis de Victoria and present-day Israeli composer Atar Arad. It was an interesting mix of musical styles. I’m currently taking a Coursera course on the string quartet (also produced by Curtis), and I enjoyed seeing some of the concepts from the course come to life.

The Philadelphia Chamber Music Society presents an amazing number of concerts each year. We subscribed to a collection of nine performances from September through May, and attended two events this week. Mark Padmore, an English tenor, performed song cycles by Brahms, Mahler, and Schumann. It was sublime, and this is coming from someone who has not really enjoyed German Lieder in the past. I do love the tenor voice, and Padmore brought so much expression to the songs that I stopped even trying to follow the translation printed in the program. Accompanist Paul Lewis was also very fine, and the piano parts felt like they were on equal footing with the vocals. Really beautiful.

The second concert featured double bassist Xavier Foley. We first heard Xavier about a year ago, when our local public radio station did a live studio broadcast to promote an upcoming concert. We went to the concert, and were just blown away. We were excited to see he would be appearing in PCMS’ lineup this year. And oh my, what a performance. Xavier was joined by Sejoon Park on piano and Eunice Kim on violin. In the first part of the program, they performed traditional works by Bach, Mozart, and Schubert, adapted for double bass. Xavier coaxes the most beautiful sound out of his instrument, you forget he’s playing parts typically assigned to a violin or cello. In the second half, he performed an interesting original composition inspired by Native American spirituals. The program ended with Giovanni Bottesini’s Grand Due Concertante for Violin, Double Bass, and Piano, which really showed off the double bass and concluded with a complex technical passage that brought down the house. After all this, if you’re wondering what a solo double bass sounds like, watch this recent NYCArts profile of Xavier Foley. The clip begins with some background on the artist; the music starts at about 2:10. I just find him so amazing, and hope we have many more opportunities to see him perform.

>142 lauralkeet: Thanks for the round up. I hadn't heard of Xavier Foley before; the performance the link provided was quite impressive. I'll be on the lookout for him in NYC.

We haven't been going to concerts much, except for a series right near us. Theater seems to have taken precedence over the years, but I'm ready to balance that out.

>143 ffortsa: Judy, Xavier is quite young and just beginning to get national exposure. He received a 2018 Avery Fisher Career Grant which I imagine could lead to more exposure in NY. I hope you get to see him sometime.

>142 lauralkeet: Sigh. It all sounds lovely. I am so pleased by how much you and Chris are enjoying your retirement in Philly (I know, he's not retired yet, right?). I enjoy reading about it. I know we will retire to a location closer to an urban center (we're fantasizing about McMinnville, not to far away from Portland) and I will enjoy the time and ability to take advantage of arts of all kinds.

>131 lauralkeet: I'll avoid that one. I am a fan of Death Comes for the Archbishop and My Antonia but that one sounds pretty bad.

I answered your question about subcutaneous fluids on my thread. I hope my comments are helpful. If you need to discuss on the phone, shoot me a text and we'll connect!

>145 EBT1002: Hi Ellen! Nice to see you, and thanks for your kind comments about our retired lifestyle. Yes, Chris is also retired. He has dabbled in furniture making but it's always been more of a hobby than a going concern. He's also starting to find other things to do with his time.

I'll pop over to your thread now to talk cat care LOL.

>142 lauralkeet: I love hearing about what you are getting up to in Philly! It really is a culturally rich city. Mark Padmore is one of my favourite singers; I'm so glad you enjoyed his recital.

>131 lauralkeet: I agree with your assessment of that one. Definitely not Cather's best and, unfortunately, her last published book. Not the way she would want to be remembered, I am sure. Thankfully she left us a lot of other great books to read.

>142 lauralkeet: The concerts sound wonderful! I am so jealous.

>147 Sakerfalcon: Hi Claire, I'm delighted to find another Padmore fan.

>148 alcottacre: Stasia, it really is a shame that was Cather's last book. It's also curious that Virago would choose to publish it. I'm not sure this one needed to be reissued.

Um, and I hear there is an amazing European trip on the horizon, yes???

By the way, I got a call from our vet today. She said we are "kicking butt" with the "subcue" fluids. Kidney disease is progressive and cannot be cured or reversed. BUT - Abby's numbers are much better than they were in June or September of 2018! Much better! I told her that I've just been pretty compulsive about it -- even if we get home late in the evening, when I'm thinking to myself "oh, we can just skip the fluids tonight," my better(?) self almost always wins out and I say to P "we have to do the cat." Dr. Merry came up with "we have to water the cat." I like that.
SO, while I haven't yet done the actual shot shot -- I chickened out before we had to drive to Spokane in the fog last night -- I'm proud of the success with the subcue fluids. A vet tech is coming to the house tomorrow and Friday, since I'm here in Columbus, to do the fluids and one shot since P really just can't do the needle thing.

It's all worth it.

>151 EBT1002: Hi Ellen! I'm glad it's going so well for you. Our little Midnight gets subcutaneous fluids every other day and a shot once a week. We go back for a checkup in about 3 weeks. I'm still relearning the technique. In fact, I'm going to PM you a question since you seem to have mastered it.

>150 EBT1002: I hear there is an amazing Europe trip on the horizon

Indeed! Sometimes I forget that I've shared something on another person's thread and not on my own. In May we are returning to the Languedoc region of France for two weeks. We've visited twice, and love the Mediterranean climate, the landscapes, the wine, and the relatively low number of tourists. Friends of ours run a B&B near Narbonne, and this year they are hosting a 5-day "Wine Walk Weekend." It's organized around a public wine walk (6km walk with stations serving wine & food), and then Jon & Mel will provide other activities for their guests, including a canal boat trip and a walk to a pretty village for lunch. The week before the Wine Walk we'll be staying on our own in a rented house/cottage. I can't wait!

>152 lauralkeet: It sounds wonderful!!!! The Languedoc is on my bucket list. Perhaps I'll be pinging you about your friends' B&B.....

>153 EBT1002: your friends' B&B
Here's a link, for you or anyone else interested: La Souqueto
Highly recommended!

Morning, Laura. Happy Friday. It looks like we are back to normal in Chicagoland, despite more school closings. The mail is going to be pretty heavy, as we catch up but that is the price we pay. Have a great weekend.

Your trip sounds wonderful! It's so nice that you're getting back to an area you know and love. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a possible trip this summer: my daughter-in-law's close friend is getting married in Paris in July and I've offered to go along to provide babysitting for baby Rafa! Not sure if they'll take me up on it but hoping. What a win-win situation it would be!

>154 lauralkeet: That looks lovely - just the sort of place that we like to stay in ourselves. We used to go to France regularly, but we haven’t been since 2011 and it’s about time we revisited.

>155 msf59: I hope you survive the heavy mail delivery today, Mark. But at least you had a couple of days off!

>156 vivians: Vivian, I hope you get to visit Paris. I think your offer is a wonderful idea. I envision you taking the baby out in a stroller along the Seine, stopping at Shakespeare & Co., and then perhaps sitting outdoors in a cafe for a while. Ahhhh.

>157 SandDune: Rhian, you'd love staying at La Souqueto. The owners used to live in Elmdon, a village near Saffron Walden -- our kids went to primary school together. And Jon is Welsh! So you really must visit them.

>158 lauralkeet: It’s a small world, isn’t it? I’d never heard of Elmdon so I looked it up, and we used to have friends in the next village.

>159 SandDune: interesting! which "next village"? The kids went to school in Chrishall, which was right between Elmdon and Heydon (where we lived). But perhaps your friends lived in the other direction, going towards Saffron Walden?

>160 lauralkeet: It was Chrishall! As I said, quite a while ago. And I know Heydon as that’s where we’ve got our cats from! No more cats for us at the moment, unfortunately, as we don’t want one that would bully Daisy like our last cat did!

>161 SandDune: wow, this is a small world indeed. We knew quite a few families in Chrishall whose children also went to the primary school, but then this was in 2000-2004 and we might not have overlapped with your friends.

6. These Truths ()
Source: On my Kindle
Why I read this now: 75ers group read and RL book club pick

These Truths is a comprehensive history of the United States from a political perspective, focused largely on who was in power and how they shaped the nation. But rather than idolizing these figures, Jill Lepore shows the far-reaching and sometimes unintended consequences of their actions. The essential questions Lepore aims to answer are these:

Can a political society really be governed by reflection and election, by reason and truth, rather than by accident and violence, by prejudice and deceit? Is there any arrangement of government—any constitution—by which it’s possible for a people to rule themselves, justly and fairly, and as equals, through the exercise of judgment and care? Or are their efforts, no matter their constitutions, fated to be corrupted, their judgment muddled by demagoguery, their reason abandoned for fury?

The book is organized in four parts covering major time periods: 1492-1799, 1800-1865, 1866-1945, and 1946-2016. While each part covers the major events that make up any American history textbook, where Lepore really shines is in making connections that put these events in greater context. She also candidly describes the flaws, mistakes, and sometimes corruption of the country’s leaders and systems of government, again providing a broader and more balanced view.

I came to These Truths in a time of despair for the future of the United States. The first three parts helped me understand that this country has always had its issues, from errors, omissions and incompetence to bigotry and hatred, in some respects not much different from today. But Part Four was more difficult to read, because Lepore’s analysis of “how we got here” during my lifetime was jarring, especially to the extent I was a participant. But that very discomfort is what makes this book required reading.

>163 lauralkeet: This is on the pile Laura, maybe for the Spring. I'm glad it came up to expectations.

I always find it more difficult reading what is perceived as history now, when it has been in my own life time. Was the jarring due to that, or due to having contradictory thoughts about some of her analysis Laura?

>164 Caroline_McElwee: Caro, it's not so much contradictory thoughts as thinking about things in new ways. Lepore spends a lot of time on the rise of the internet and its influence on society. And even if it was due to ignorance or not making the connections she is able to make today, I went merrily along with some of these developments, not realizing their impact, and in that sense feel somewhat complicit.

Interesting Laura. I'm sure we all have. My current feeling is that the negative impact of the internet slightly outweighs the positive, but there have been some real positives. However, we have to take control of the dark net, and other aspects of the internet that lead us to be manipulated and defrauded.

>163 lauralkeet: great review, Laura. I started reading These Truths but only made it through the intro and part of the first section before having to return it to the library. I'm considering purchasing it so I can take my time with it.

As I began, though, I will admit to questioning whether I really needed to invest the time in it. I'm pretty well-versed in American history and it seemed like most of the content would already be familiar to me. I'm glad to hear that there are overarching connections made and that makes me want to spend the time on it.

>163 lauralkeet: I am still reading These Truths: A History of the United States (working through Part 1) but wanted to mention I absolutely love how the author draws connections between events and actions that seem to be un-related at the first glance. Last year I read The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism and it was striking to see that our country always had issues to work through.

>165 lauralkeet: As someone who has been fighting the blithe acceptance of some aspects of the internet (should legal communications, for instance, EVER be conducted through e-mail? I thought not when I was working, and it still bothers me a lot), while making grand use of it for many many purposes (genealogical research, immediate answers to burning questions about old TV series, yesyes the shopping...) I'm sure These Truths is a book I ought to read. Not sure I am up to it right now, though.

>163 lauralkeet: I really have to get to These Truths soon. It sounds like such a timely book.

>166 Caroline_McElwee: I tend to agree with you, Caroline.

>167 japaul22: Hi Jennifer. I'm glad I bought the book; I wanted to pace myself over a few months, and would never have finished it in time to return to the library. I don't consider myself especially well-versed in American history, with most of my learning happening during school, supplemented by random bits and pieces through my own reading as an adult. I was repeatedly struck by how over-simplified these topics are for the K-12 set. I understand you need to teach kids what they can understand, but by high school they are ready to unpack some of the mythology and it's a shame we don't do more of that.

>168 annushka: Hello @annushka, I think this might be your first time posting on my humble thread, so thank you! I, too, really appreciated all the connections Lepore made between events I never realized were related before. Fascinating.

>169 laytonwoman3rd: Linda, I share your somewhat conflicted feelings about the internet. I mean, what would we all do without LT, and how great is it to be able to connect with so many other readers? But at the same time, there's a lot of thought manipulation happening, not to mention government interference. And this is due mostly to the belief, early on, that regulating the internet was a bad thing.

>170 alcottacre: It's so good, Stasia, I hope you can find time to fit it in. Pacing is key.

Arts Roundup
Time for this week's artsy things, which began with another concert, followed by a couple of art exhibits.

First, the music. Astral Artists focuses on developing the careers of young emerging classical music talent. Each season they put on concerts and other events featuring their artists, who are selected through an annual audition process. Sunday’s concert featured Danbi Um, a violinist. Her execution was flawless and she is clearly talented, but the program was quite heavy. And, unlike most artists we’ve seen, she did not interact with the audience at all, not even to introduce the pieces. So it was okay, but not as inspiring as other performances we’ve seen.

We attended the opening reception of an exhibit to benefit DesignPhiladelphia, an annual design festival reportedly the oldest of its kind in the country. The exhibit showcased a photographer we met while our house was being built. She has a new venture with a colleague, developing images into wallpaper-sized prints, which were on display at the reception.

Finally, we enjoyed a tour at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, of an exhibit by German designer Dieter Rams. Rams leding the design team at Braun and established Principles of Design which have been adopted by many in the industry, including Apple. He was described as one of the most signficant designers of the 20th century, with far-reaching impact on the design of consumer and industrial products. You might recognize two of his iconic designs:



Did anyone else have one of these 1984 Braun coffee makers? This model set the design standard for years to come. And remember travel alarm clocks? This was a really cool exhibit highlighting everything from audio equipment to furniture, clocks to razors.

>171 lauralkeet: Thank for welcoming me! I enjoy reading your book reviews and arts roundups.

We still have a travel alarm clock much like that one, Laura! We don't USE it any more, but it's still here. The one I wish I still had was one my grandmother used. It was attached to a folding leather case, and the whole thing just closed up with the clock inside when not in use, like a small wallet. It was classy.
ETA: Oh, my...I just Googled travel alarms, and found you can still buy one very much like my grandmother's from the Vermont Country Store. (Of COURSE you can!)

>173 annushka: thank you!

>174 laytonwoman3rd: OMG Linda, my dad had that very same travel alarm clock! I, too, thought it was really nice.

Happy Sunday, Laura. Great review of These Truths. Your thoughts are spot-on. I am taking a short break from it but I only have Part 4 left, but now you have me a bit nervous about our complicity, to the current state of affairs. Shudders...

>176 msf59: Maybe we can start a support group, Mark. 😀 Enjoy the rest of your weekend

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks to the NYTimes book review section, I just discovered that C.J. Sansom's latest Matthew Shardlake mystery, Tombland, is now available in the US. Hurray! Last I checked, the release date wasn't until April. It received favorable coverage in Marilyn Stasio’s Crime Column. My library is still acquiring copies but I added my name to the list.

>163 lauralkeet: I'm enjoying this book too Laura and I don't think I would've read it without the way Kim set up the GR with one part per month. I stay away from lengthy books for the most part but that could change. I actually thought I was pretty well versed in American history but I've already learned things I didn't know and I've only completed Part One. I don't think it's really astonishing to blame the internet for our current state of affairs. The internet gives and takes away. The long lasting impact of it in our lives will just continue to grow.

I also appreciated your review of These Truths, Laura. Ive been enjoying it and learning a lot, despite also being well-versed in American history. I think what Lepore is doing so well is not just introducing different parts of the history but weaving it together and drawing the connections you mention. So while, yes, I may know about the American Revolution, the way she connects it to the early history of slavery and what is to come, is fascinating. It's not so much about being well-versed but seeing the arc of history, as it were.

And I enjoyed your arts round-up. I answered you on my thread, but it's worth reinforcing - go see 'They Shall Not Grow Old'!!

>178 brenzi: Bonnie, like you I would have been intimidated by the size of this book were it not for the group read. My book group spaced it out over a couple of meetings as well (that's the only reason I've finished it already -- I started in November and needed to finish for this month's meeting).

>179 katiekrug: Katie, I like that phrase, "seeing the arc of history." And thanks for the movie rec!

>179 katiekrug: Thanks for this insight, Katie! I see myself purchasing These Truths in the near future.

>177 lauralkeet: Yay for more of the Shardlake mysteries! I'll look for that immediately!

>181 japaul22: yeah I was pretty psyched to see the Shardlake coverage in the NYT. I'm asking for trouble with my library holds, because I fear an avalanche, but I'll muddle through. 😉

Love Shardlake - I think I'll use an audible credit for this one! Steven Crossley did a great job narrating the others.

>172 lauralkeet: Philadelphia Museum of Art, of an exhibit by German designer Dieter Rams
Hmm, that looks interesting. I may trek into Philadelphia for the flower show, and I see this exhibit is on through mid April...

>184 qebo: excellent! It's in the Perelman building, across the parkway from the main building.

7. Kristin Lavransdatter: The Wreath ()
Source: On my Kindle
Why I read this now: Over the years, I’ve heard great things about this epic saga, and decided it was time to dive in.

Kristin Lavransdatter is a 3-volume Norwegian epic set in the 14th century. The eponymous heroine is born to an influential and prosperous farmer, Lavrans, and his wife Ragnfrid. She is their seventh, but first surviving, child, and understandably the apple of Lavrans’ eye. The first volume, The Wreath, chronicles Kristin’s life from early childhood to marriage. Her protected childhood is shattered by a traumatic incident and she is sent to a convent for a one-year period of emotional recovery. When she enters the convent, Kristin is already betrothed to Simon, a perfectly acceptable but ordinary man. But this arranged marriage is threatened when she meets the passionate but rakish Erlend.

Well, we’ve seen this storyline before, haven’t we? What sets Kristin Lavransdatter apart, and enhances the traditional plot, are the medieval setting, Norwegian customs and rituals, and a very strong female protagonist. Kristin takes control of her future and refuses to be pigeonholed into traditional roles. I’m looking forward to reading the next two volumes of this work.

>154 lauralkeet: Sent the link to P. After we do Palau this May, we'll be looking for our next adventure.....

>186 lauralkeet: Hmm, that sounds good.

>177 lauralkeet: I have only read the first in the Shardlake series. I have Dark Fire on the shelves and keep looking at it.... It sounds like you would say that I have much reading pleasure in front of me.

>152 lauralkeet: That trip sounds awesome!!

>163 lauralkeet: Glad to see you thought so highly of These Truths all the way to the end. I am loving the more global perspective of American History as well as the links that LePore makes between various historical events and trends. Looking forward to reading some of the Supreme Court stuff in Part Two. And if anyone wants to join in, the group read thread is here:

Part One: https://www.librarything.com/topic/301417

Happy Friday!!

>187 EBT1002: Ellen, I like the "historical fiction" aspect of the Shardlake series. It makes for a unique setting and I think I've actually learned a bit about the Tudor period along the way.

>188 Berly: Yeah, we're looking forward to our trip. And thanks for posting a link to the group read, I should have thought of that!

Hi - I just started listening to Tombland this morning and now realize it's a 36 hour audiobook! I love the narrator and have really enjoyed all the Shardlake novels, but I'm not sure I can last that long!

Seconding you on admiration of Kristin Lavransdatter although my memory of the plot is pretty dim.

Have a good weekend!

Hi, Laura. I’m listening to Tombland now too, thanks to you. I didn’t realize it had been released. So far so good. It’s long, but I have lots of knitting to do. :-)

>186 lauralkeet: I’m so glad you are enjoying Kristin Lavrandsdatter. Of the three books, I think that the first was my favorite. They each had wonderful moments, though, and the historical detail is really so well done.

>190 vivians: 36 hours? Wow. I'm not an audiobook person but that would definitely take some stamina.

>191 NanaCC: Colleen, I guess we're even. Your enthusiasm for Kristin Lavransdatter was the tipping point to get me to buy it, and I started reading it pretty soon after.

Vivian and Colleen, I hope you both enjoy the new Shardlake. I've seen some negative comments about its length but also appreciation for Sansom's history-rich storytelling.

My book group discussed Asymmetry this week (see my comments in >118 lauralkeet:). Most members appreciated the writing but found it challenging and difficult to interpret, so I was not alone. I was most interested in understanding the supposed connections between the three parts, as that eluded me. A couple of members made connections and found breadcrumbs along the way, so that was interesting to learn but spoilery to reveal here. I'm still left feeling this was an okay book, but not the "masterpiece" it's being touted as.

Moving on! I had THREE library books drop into my lap today. I really want to read them all, but why all at once?!!

>186 lauralkeet: I'm glad to see you liked this one Laura. I've had the three books on my shelf for a long time and actually picked up The Wreath earlier this year and read a bit of it but it wasn't the right time. Hopefully later this year.

Don't you have the ability to suspend your library requests so they don't all come in at once? I don't think I could operate without that function.

>194 brenzi: Bonnie, when we lived in Chester County PA I was able to suspend hold requests, but the Philadelphia library system doesn't have that feature. It's quite disappointing.

ETA: I've updated my Currently Reading post (>3 lauralkeet:) with the new crop of library books.

I was sure I had read the first volume of Kristin Lavransdatter long long ago, but now I'm don't think I did. As I review my catalog, I see that what I have read by Unset is Gunnar's Daughter. I own volume I and II--I guess I have a treat in store.

>196 laytonwoman3rd: Linda, while I haven't read anything else by Sigrid Undset, she won the Nobel Prize which I take that as a good sign.

8. An American Marriage ()
Source: My local library
Why I read this now: Book club pick

Celestial and Roy, a young, upwardly mobile black couple, are one and a half years into their marriage and working through significant challenges with career ambition, whether and when to have children, and establishing more adult relationships with their parents. While visiting his parents in a small Louisiana town, Roy is accused of a crime he didn’t commit, and ultimately sentenced to twelve years in prison. Not surprisingly, this puts considerable strain on their marriage. At first Celestial regularly visits Roy in prison, but over time the disparity between their lives becomes a source of tension, and the couple grows apart. Celestial has become a successful artist, and her platonic relationship with childhood friend Andre has blossomed into something more. When Roy’s conviction is overturned and he is released after just 5 years, all three have to face reality and make important decisions about their futures.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I was completely caught up in the story, finishing the book in just a day and a half. The characters’ moral dilemmas were believable. But the characters all lacked a certain complexity, especially Celestial, whose motives and decision-making processes remain a mystery to me. Roy’s character developed the most over the life of the novel, bringing emotional depth to the story and credibility to the ending. That said, this book offers up plenty for discussion, about both mass incarceration and relationships, and should make for an interesting book club meeting.

>198 lauralkeet: Well, that was quick. And Ghost Wall, one of my other library loans, is pretty short, so maybe this book avalanche won't be so bad after all.

>198 lauralkeet: - Nice review, Laura. My book group had a really good discussion of An American Marriage last year. I think I felt similarly about it as you did. A very compelling story but a little more complexity would have been welcomed.

>200 katiekrug: Okay, this is hilarious. I just posted something similar over on your thread!

*cue The Twilight Zone music*

No significant artsy events for us this week. However, I sing with the ANNA Crusis Women's Choir (the country's longest-running feminist choir), and we did a joint concert this afternoon with the Philadelphia Gay Men's Chorus. We had a great turnout and it was a lot of fun. Afterwards the hubs and I went to Shake Shack for dinner, because it just happened to be around the corner from the concert venue. Yum, I love their burgers.

9. Ghost Wall ()
Source: Library loan

17-year-old Silvie and her parents are spending the summer living like Iron Age Britons, her father having talked his way into joining a professor and his three students on an “experiential archaeology” course. Silvie’s father is obsessed with ancient Britain, and under his tutelage Silvie has acquired considerable knowledge of outdoor survival techniques, like foraging for food. Although socially awkward, Silvie’s knowledge earns her credibility with the students, who routinely escape the camp to buy modern conveniences in a nearby village. Silvie doesn’t dare cross her father; her mother is also cowed by his strict enforcement of Iron Age practices.

Ugliness lies just beneath the surface. When Silvie’s father reveals his true nature, she tries desperately to cover up his behavior. Her mother looks on helplessly but Molly, the lone female student, knows something is not right. And as the men bond together, the focus of their conversation and activity turns toward Iron Age fighting methods and violent rituals. Suddenly, a somewhat offbeat summer holiday has turned into something frightening. The suspense in this short novelis palpable, and the ending just right, leaving much to think about.

>204 lauralkeet: I thought Ghost wall was excellent when I read it last year. I've enjoyed everything I've read by Sarah Moss, most especially The tidal zone.

>205 Sakerfalcon: Hi Claire! I think Ghost Wall may have only recently been released in the US. The NYTimes Book Review wrote about it in early January, and I added it to my library queue straight away. They didn't even have copies in stock yet! Somehow Sarah Moss fell off my radar, because prior to Ghost Wall I'd only read Cold Earth, and that was years ago. But it was similarly unputdownable.

>204 lauralkeet: Adding that one to the list because it sounds amazing.

>207 scaifea: it's also short! 130 pages. You could easily read it in one sitting. I forced myself to slow down to make sure I didn't miss any subtleties.

>208 lauralkeet: Nice!

>186 lauralkeet: I have owned that trilogy for years now and am not sure I have ever read it. Thank you for the reminder, Laura. I need to get it read!

>198 lauralkeet: That one is in the BlackHole. I think I will put it off for a bit longer.

>204 lauralkeet: Adding that one, though. Sounds very good!

Adding Ghost Wall to my list....

I just picked up Ghost Wall from the library, so very pleased to read your comments!

>204 lauralkeet: I enjoyed Ghost Wall as well. For such a short book, it packs a punch. I really like that cover that you've got too.

>213 SandDune: I really like that cover that you've got too
Well, you made me go have a look and yes, if this is the UK cover I have to agree the one I have is better:


I mean, there's nothing like a creepy ritually-sacrificed bog body to pique one's curiosity. 😀 And no, that is not a spoiler!

>204 lauralkeet: Ghost Wall
Didn't know about this on. Onto the WL.

>204 lauralkeet: I added this to my Overdrive list. Thanks Laura.

>210 alcottacre:, >211 katiekrug:, >212 vivians:, >215 qebo:, >216 brenzi:
Hi Stasia, Katie, Vivian, Katherine, & Bonnie. Look at all that list-adding! I love it when this happens.

I hope everyone had a nice Valentine's Day! Funny story chez moi: Yesterday Chris noticed a recipe I had printed out and asked when I was planning to make it. Well, tonight of course, for Valentine's Day. Cue "deer in the headlights" look, and "that's tomorrow, right?" No dear, it's today. "Oh." We have never made a big deal of this particular holiday, mostly because my birthday is in just a few days, but I decided to have a little fun with him over this. Later in the day I had to run out and pick up a dessert I'd ordered and I kept it all secret and hidden, which led to massive expressions of guilt at having his dates mixed up. Ha.

Here's the dessert:


This is the "box of chocolates" from Weckerly's, a little ice cream shop around the corner that makes the most delicious and interesting flavors. Each piece is 1" square, maybe a little larger. The box came with a description of each piece with diagrams of what was inside (a crust or cookie base, flavored ice cream, maybe a little sauce, and then a coating of milk, dark, or white chocolate). They are sooo good.

Morning, Laura. Happy Friday. I hope life is treating you well. I am fine but I am sick of winter. I also had mixed feelings about An American Marriage. You are not alone.

>217 lauralkeet: Yum Laura, who got the extra one?

>218 msf59: good to know, Mark! I'm looking forward to our book discussion (first Monday in March).

>219 Caroline_McElwee: To be determined, Caro! We each had two last night. But my guess is we will split it between us.

>214 lauralkeet: Yes that's the cover I've got. Boring isn't it?

>217 lauralkeet: Those ice creams look delicious!

>217 lauralkeet: they certainly are delicious. The two I had last night were: Love Stout (center), love stout ice cream on a molasses base with toffee, covered in dark chocolate; and Cinnamon Toast (center left), cinnamon toast ice cream on a cinnamon cookie, covered in milk chocolate.

Chris had the Chocolate Caramel (lower right) and the Rocher (center top), which are maybe more self-explanatory?

This could become an annual tradition.

>220 lauralkeet: VERY egalitarian I must say Laura, not to mention restrained :-)

The ice cream treats are mouth-watering...I'd have wrestled Chris for the Rocher.

>224 laytonwoman3rd: Oh I know. I love those ferrero rocher chocolates. But I have to say, the cinnamon toast one was really good and I knew it was one I'd like more than he would. We finished up the box last night. Julia stopped by and had the tie-breaking 9th one so there were no fistfights.

>225 lauralkeet: Hehe...

Over on Bonnie's thread, I learned that Julia Spencer-Fleming, author of the Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne mysteries, has finished writing the ninth book in the series, Hid From Our Eyes. Publication is expected in winter 2020. Her last book was published in 2013, and then life intervened in several significant ways. Here's a short blog post from the author about the new book.

This is the series that turned me on to reading series. I have LT and, specifically, Linda (@laytonwoman3rd) to thank for this. I'd read a few series that I found formulaic, and decided they weren't my thing. Then at a meetup Linda said hey, I know a series that's intelligent and very well-written, and suddenly there I stood holding a book.

I'm excited!

10. Washington Black ()
Source: Library Kindle loan

In 1830, George Washington Black is young boy, and a field slave on a Barbados sugar plantation.One evening he is asked to help with dinner in the slave owner’s house. There he captures the attention of Christopher “Titch” Wilde, brother of the slave owner. Titch sees something in Wash (as he is called), and convinces his brother to allow Wash to help him with a project. This turns out to be a pivotal moment in Wash’s life, ultimately leading him out of Barbados and slavery to begin a journey of finding himself.

This book reads like an adventure tale, with plenty of excitement and a writing style that kept me turning the pages. Some of Wash’s life experiences seemed a bit unrealistic for a young boy, requiring suspension of disbelief, but the adventures aren’t really the point. This tale is much more about identity and family, and the many ways they can be found.

Arts Roundup

This week we went to a Philadelphia Chamber Music Society concert by Imani Winds, a quintet based in New York. They played flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, and bassoon and performed a variety of works both classical and modern, including one composed by a member of the quartet, and a premier of a piece with the composer in the audience. I'm not sure I've ever heard anything like this before, and we really enjoyed it.

Here's a clip of the group in a studio performance at our local NPR station: Imani Winds at WRTI

>228 lauralkeet: bit unrealistic for a young boy
I gather intentional, someone from one world navigating another world that existed simultaneously. I just read this for a RL book group, and on the basis of this interview describing the backstory and process, I am even more inclined to seek other books by the author.

>228 lauralkeet: I really must get to this in the next couple of months Laura. Glad it was good for you, I don't know anyone who hasn't liked it.

>230 qebo: thank you for sharing that interview, Katherine. Very interesting!

>231 Caroline_McElwee: I finally got to it myself, Caro, after a lot of nudging here on LT.

>227 lauralkeet: Well, aren't you sweet!! I think someone else at that meet-up might have put ME on to that series originally. Hmmm....who could it have been?

>233 laytonwoman3rd: you may be right, Linda, as I know there were a few fans present. For whatever reason I feel like it was you who pulled a book out of a box someone brought, and said "here, try this."

I'm adding In the Bleak Midwinter to my wish list, first in the series by Julia Spencer-Fleming. Thanks for the tip (and thanks to Linda, too!).

We just "watered" the cat and I found myself thinking about you, Laura, and wondering how it is going with your treatments of your feline family member.

>235 EBT1002: I hope you like the Clare/Russ series, Ellen! And we also use the term "watering the cat", so that made me laugh. I'm doing better administering Midnight's fluids, we're in a groove now. I found a place to hang the bag that allows gravity to do its thing. Your advice about wiggling the needle has helped me more than once. Midnight accepts all this with some resignation, although I've had to chase her down once or twice. I'm taking her in for a blood test tomorrow, so we will see how she's doing. The vet took her off her thyroid meds in order to get a better look at kidney function, but she seems to have lost a bit of weight in the past month so I'm pretty sure I'll be giving her those meds again. Fortunately that's just a syringe of liquid at mealtimes.

Arts Roundup

We went to a stellar Philadelphia Chamber Music Society performance last night: Lawrence Brownlee, tenor, and Eric Owens, bass-baritone. In the first part of the program, they sang works from operas by Donizetti, Verdi, Gounod, and Bizet. After the intermission, they performed spirituals and American popular song. Throughout the concert, some works were performed solo and others, together. The chemistry between the two singers and their accompanist was really great, you could tell they enjoyed every minute. The show ended with a rousing set of gospel favorites that brought down the house.

ETA: the Philadelphia arts critic loved it.

>237 lauralkeet: - Oooh, that sounds excellent.

So, this happened yesterday:



My daughter Kate is an entertainment writer for Refinery29, a digital media company focused on young women. She was invited to appear on CNN International to discuss the Oscars. This came about because of a piece she wrote about the ceremony: Why This Is The Messiest Oscars In Award Show History. Funny though, the interviewer only touched briefly on the topics covered in the article and instead asked for her picks for the awards and some questions about Oscars advertising and viewership. Chris and I were able to watch the full ~5-min interview live. She did really well, and didn't seem the least bit nervous. Proud parents!

You can watch a short clip from the interview on Kate's Instagram, here.

^Go Kate!! Go Kate!! How cool is this? You both must be glowing!

Happy Sunday, Laura. I hope all is well. I am glad you enjoyed Washington Black. I am a big fan of that one too.

>239 lauralkeet: That's wonderful! Way to go, Kate!!

Yay for Kate but more importantly yay for the proud parents🤗

>239 lauralkeet: Cool!

That is so cool about Kate, Laura! What fun for her, and what a joy for her proud parents.

Very exciting! So great to see the kids "launched" - congrats to Kate!

Well done, Kate!

Hi there Mark, Amber, Bonnie, Katherine, Joe, Vivian, and Katie! Thanks for the nice comments about Kate's "15 minutes of fame." It was really exciting for all of us.

Very cool for Katie!

That's terrific about Kate appearing on TV and doing so well! Congratulations on your talented daughter!

My friend Susan was at the Owens/Brownlee recital and loved it too. PCMS put on such great concerts; I do miss it.

>248 drneutron:, >249 Sakerfalcon: thanks Jim and Claire!

PCMS' 2019-2020 season is to be announced in the next week or so. I'm sure we'll be subscribing again.

11. A Fine of 200 Francs ()
Source: My Virago Modern Classics Collection

The connected stories in this novel all deal with French resistance during World War II, and its impact on the characters' lives and relationships. Unfortunately I didn't really connect with any of the characters and I found myself skimming by the end. It was disappointing; I had high hopes for this one.

12. A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Source: On my Kindle

I read this for a course that begins this weekend, so will comment on it later.

13. If Beale Street Could Talk ()
Source: On my shelves

Tish and Fonny are young, in love, and expecting a baby. They’d like to get married, but Fonny was recently sent to prison for a crime he did not commit. Tish visits him twice a day to keep his spirits up, while their families try everything in their power to free Fonny. The narrative frequently shifts to the past to show Tish and Fonny growing from childhood friends into a couple, and then becoming embroiled in a series of events that led to Fonny’s arrest. Tish’s family rallies around the young couple and are the force behind the multi-faceted plan to free him. Fonny’s family has more difficulty coming to grips with and providing support for the situation.

I loved James Baldwin’s writing, which was scathing in its indictment of the societal forces acting on Tish and Fonny, and at the same time, gentle and loving in its depiction of their relationship. Baldwin is also unconventional in his storytelling, ending this novel in a way that is far from cut and dry. I highly recommend this novel.

And with that, follow me to my new thread!

I really want to read that Baldwin. And see the movie!

I've never read any Baldwin and all the talk about him on LT this year is making me want to try.

>254 katiekrug: I'd like to see the movie now, too. I've intentionally avoided it because I really like to read the book first whenever possible.

>255 japaul22: My husband is a big Baldwin fan, and I read Go Tell it On the Mountain last year on his recommendation. I received Beale Street from him as a Christmas gift. Since he hasn't read it himself yet, I can now foist it upon him. 😀

>252 lauralkeet: >256 lauralkeet: it is many years since I read this novel Laura, but I recently saw the film, which I felt respected the book, if offering a little more uplift at the end.

>252 lauralkeet: I want to get to that one very soon. I'm sort of overwhelmed with things I want to READ. RIGHT. NOW. right now.

>258 laytonwoman3rd: I KNOW that feeling Linda.

>258 laytonwoman3rd: yeah, I get that Linda. But I tend to move more quickly on books I received as a gift. Especially when I live with the gift-giver. 😀

>260 lauralkeet: Wise woman.

>261 laytonwoman3rd: * takes a deep bow *