Paul C Back to Basics in 2019 Part 3

I am reading Petersburg this month by Andrei Bely for my 120 years of books challenge and my Around the World in 80 Books Challenge (Russia). I have a colleague working with me in Malaysia who is from St. Petersburg and I am enjoying this novel so far.

The novel is set around the 1905 Russian Revolution

I am Paul Cranswick, sometime group statistician, Malaysian correspondent - construction project manager and avid book accumulator.

Father of three - Yasmyne, Kyran and Belle - the first two already studying in university in the UK and hopeful of a return to the UK in the none too distant future.

Had a tough few years and this affected badly my reading last year which was the first that I have failed to reach 100 books. This year - hope springs eternal so let's see.

019 Books

January

1. Findings by Kathleen Jamie BIAC
2. Black Robe by Brian Moore
3. Love on the Dole by Walter Greenwood
4. Football in Sun and Shadow by Eduardo Galeano
5. The Rider by Tim Krabbe

February

6. Exercises in Style by Raymond Queneau
7. My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok
8. The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker
9. A Thief in the Village by James Berry
10. The House of Arden by E. Nesbit

March

11. The Hanging Garden by Ian Rankin

The Good Companions by J.B. Preistley & Petersburg by Andrei Bely

BRITISH ISLES AUTHOR THEME CHALLENGE 2019



January 2019 - The Natural World https://www.librarything.com/topic/296824#6632759
February 2019 - Pat Barker and Peter F. Hamilton
March 2019 - The Murderous Scots https://www.librarything.com/topic/296824#6637458
April 2019 - Rosamond Lehmann and John Boyne
May 2019 - The Edwardians https://www.librarything.com/topic/299559#6656870
June 2019 - Nicola Barker and Wilkie Collins
July 2019 - YA Fantasy Series https://www.librarything.com/topic/299559#6660927
August 2019 - Anita Brookner and Jim Crace
September 2019 - Biography and Memoir https://www.librarything.com/topic/299559#6674204
October 2019 - Rose Tremain and Louis de Bernieres
November 2019 -The Jewish Contribution https://www.librarything.com/topic/301575#6688724
December 2019 - Zadie Smith and Michael Morpurgo
WILDCARD - Back to the Beginning - LIVELY and ISHIGURO

Here is a link to the thread:
https://www.librarything.com/topic/301916

American Author Challenge



American Author Challenge 2019

I will be joining Linda's challenge where I can this year and have started:

January 2019 - Chaim Potok - My Name is Asher Lev
February 2019 - Louisa M Alcott

CHALLENGE - A BOOK A YEAR SINCE 1900

120 books in this challenge so I am going to have to do much better than last year!

To date : 11/120

1908 - The House of Arden
1933 - Love on the Dole
1947 - Exercises in Style
1972 - My Name is Asher Lev
1978 - The Rider
1985 - Black Robe
1987 - Thief in the Village
1995 - Football in Sun and Shadow
1998 - The Hanging Garden
2005 - Findings
2018 - The Silence of the Girls

AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 BOOKS

Third attempt at this tough challenge which I have failed miserably at twice.


Create Your Own Visited Countries Map

1. United Kingdom Kathleen Jamie
2. Canada Brian Moore
3. Uruguay Eduardo Galeano
4. Netherlands Tim Krabbe
5. France Raymond Queneau
6. USA Chaim Potok
7. Jamaica James Berry

Reading plans for February

Next is yours

Almost posted too early. Yea new thread. Hope all is well!

Happy new thread, Paul

Your praise of The Silence of Girls on the last thread caused a definite BB for me. Never heard of it but it's going on the WL

>11 mahsdad: All is good Jeff, other than Hani has some health concerns at the moment. She went for a check-up last week and will have another one on Friday. Depending upon the check-up either she'll come straight home or I'll go back to the UK for a few days to be with her. We do have our own little place rented there now in Sheffield anyway.

>12 figsfromthistle: Thank you Anita. xx

>13 mahsdad: Deservedly so buddy too. I am not often so hyperbolic about new novels but this one really hit my sweetspot.

Happy New Thread, Paul!

Hello, Paul! Happy new thread to you. I had a hard time reading in 2018. 2019 is not starting auspiciously for quantity, though I have started with some terrific books. Happy reading to you also, Paul.

>16 ronincats: Thank you dear Roni. I am almost back up to speed at the moment. I hope to be soon myself and whizzing across the threads again. STATS are also pretty imminent.

>17 AMQS: Well Anne 2018 was my annus horribilis in reading terms being the first time as an adult I failed to read 100 books in a year.

I aim to make up for it in 2019 but so far the aim and the realisation are still not quite in sync!

Happy new thread, Paul!

Happy new thread, Paul C! I intend to look into the Andrei Belye.

>19 PaulCranswick: Thank you Harry.

>20 harrygbutler: Nabokov rated it amongst the best novels of the 20th C, Lynda. Whether that is good or not, I shall find out!

Very rare for me to find a place in the very early stages of one of your thread, Paul, so settling in and wishing you a Happy New Thread and a wonderful week. I am happily ensconced in a winter wonderland that my fellow residents do not find amusing, but I find falling snow, coupled with soft classical tunes, a lovely book and a glass of red wine very relaxing. ;-)

I'm happy to be here even once, Paul. Hope you fill this thread with lots of good reading and conversation! I'd love to make it back.

>14 PaulCranswick: Sorry to hear about Hani, my best to her. Hope it turns out well. On the brightside, that's very cool that you found a place in Sheffield.

Evening Paul, just popping out of my cave, rarely found your thread just in its early stages ..... not too cold in UK I hope

Happy new thread Paul. Hope everything turns out well for Hani.

Paul, happy new thread!

Happy New Thread, Paul!!

>23 lkernagh: lovely to see you here, Lori. I must admit that I always feel more snug curled up by the fire with the snow a blanket covering the fields outside.

>24 LizzieD: I treasure all your visits, Peggy.

>25 mahsdad: She is a bit worried but brightened up when I predicted the possibility of a visit!

>26 roundballnz: ALEX! I dare say it is cold in the UK but since I'm still in Malaysia I don't mind overly!

>27 fairywings: Thank you, Adrienne

>28 quondame: Thanks Susan.

>29 msf59: Cheers Mark, for stopping by.

Checking in on the new thread, Paul. You will have to let me know how Petersburg is. It sounds like one I would enjoy.

Some additions today.

I wanted to read more YA classics, especially as I wanted to read something for Linda's AAC and to help both with my 120 years of books challenge (1900-2019) and my Around the World in 80 Books challenges.

34. The House of Arden by E. Nesbit (1908) 242 pp
35. Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren (1950) 160 pp
36. The Whispering Mountain by Joan Aiken (1968) 368 pp
37. A Thief in the Village by James Berry (1987) 150 pp (Jamaica)
38. A Traveller in Time by Alison Uttley (1939) 392 pp
39. No Turning Back by Beverley Naidoo (1995) 187 pp (South Africa)
40. The Kingdom by the Sea by Robert Westall (1990) 235 pp
41. The Room on the Roof by Ruskin Bond (1957) 191 pp (India)
42. Eight Cousins by Louis May Alcott (1875) 299 pp

>33 alcottacre: So far so good, Stasia, although the writing style is a little bit unusual.

>34 PaulCranswick: I hope you'll enjoy those. Pippi Longstocking was great fun as a child!

Happy new thread Paul!

I'm sorry to hear about Hani's health concerns and hope that things turn out well. Yay to hear that she brightened up at the possibility of a visit.

And that's way cool about having a place rented in Sheffield.

Happy new thread, Paul! Hoping for the best regarding Hani’s health.

>36 thornton37814: I wanted to mix up my reading a little bit, Lori, to be honest.

>37 karenmarie: She was definitely enthused about her "lambchop" paying her a call.

>38 foggidawn: Thanks Foggy

Happy new thread - hoping and praying things turn out fine for Hani.

Happy new one, Paul!

Happy New Thread, Paul.

Like Lori, I loved Pippi Longstocking as a child.

Happy newish thread, Paul. I love the photo in your topper. Petersburg sounds interesting. I recently read Zuleikha, an historical novel set in Stalinist Russia and really enjoyed it.

Ahh, Saint Petersburg - the scene of many novels by Tolstoy and Dostoevsky. I really want to go there, but my normal travel-partner have been, so I might go there alone one day and try to find some literary hotspots.

Yes, Pippi is great and would be a nice fun read. My favourite Lindgren is The Brothers Lionheart.

Happy new thread!

>41 drneutron: Thank you, Jim

>42 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie

>43 jnwelch: I am rather surprised that I haven't read or owned it yet, Joe

>44 BLBera: Another one for me to look out for then, Beth

Checking in, just to assure you I am alive.

>34 PaulCranswick: I'm filling my YA/kids gaps too. There are loads that have surprised me by being brilliant. And of course some which haven't - or don't really stand up these days (Dr Doolittle I'm thinking about you here!).

Happy new thread Paul.

Happy new thread, Paul!
I hope it turns out well for Hani. And rented a place, preparing for your return to the UK?

>1 PaulCranswick: Petersburg sounds good, adding to my library list.
>45 ctpress: Completely agree with Carsten, Pippi is fun, The Brothers Lionheart is my favorite by Lindgren too.

Happy new thread, Paul. Thinking about Hani, and hoping for good news Friday.

>45 ctpress: & >51 FAMeulstee: The Brothers Lionheart is used a lot in Sweden to talk to children about death and what happens when we die. It's been used that was since it was first published.

Happy new thread, Paul. It is almost like old times trying to keep up with you!

>30 PaulCranswick: I am not finding the snow restful at all. We don't do snow here and I am getting tired of unburying my car and shoveling. I wouldn't mind it so much if we actually had snow removal in the complex of our parking lot! Sorry, not sure where that rant came from.

Still haven't bought all my thingaversary books and the date was a few days ago. The urge to buy books has abated, somewhat. i think it has something to do with the stacks that keep growing. Maybe that will happen to you too, Paul. (Who am I kidding. As if!)

I hope Hani feels better soon.

Happy new thread, Paul--these Cranswickian parts are buzzing! Hope Hani feels better and is enjoying Sheffield. Is she near the city center?

>31 PaulCranswick: Oooops sorry thought You were in UK .... see how out of touch I have got myself !!!! ....

Heya Paul, hope all with Hani turns out well - though of course a visit sounds lovely. And I'm with Meg on the snow - there's been enough that I just keep having to shovel; but the main problem has been the days and days of -25°C or -30°C ot colder. All of this "frostbite within minutes" nonsense, and now my van won't start, and my pantry is bare.

>45 ctpress: I am also getting a little bit of wanderlust, Carsten, and I think my Around the World in 80 Books Challenge is pretty much guaranteed to make me feel that way.

>46 amanda4242: My thread wouldn't feel the same without a visit from you, Amanda.

>49 BekkaJo: Lovely to see you Bekka. Dr. Doolittle almost made it onto the shelves yesterday.

>50 johnsimpson: Thanks John.

>51 FAMeulstee: Yes Anita. We want to have a small place to start back there hassle free. Sheffield is close enough to my mum but not close enough that SWMBO will become the daily help and babysitter that seems my sister's intention.

>52 swynn: Thanks Steve. Trying to keep her positive. Since she is busy buying small things for the house it should be good.

>53 PawsforThought: Paws that one has had so plugs in the last 24 hours that The Brothers Lionheart is now well and truly on my hitlist. Lovely to see you here.

>54 Familyhistorian: Thanks Meg. Yes, to be honest, I am not normally faced with much of a feeling that I don't want to add more books!

>55 kac522: I think close to the law courts, Kathy. Pretty central.

>56 roundballnz: No problem, Alex - I probably should be there!

>57 evilmoose: Shovelling snow is a chore that I cannot envisage here in Malaysia and not one I miss much, Megan, in truth.

>62 PaulCranswick: Is this the right time to tell you that around this time last year we had a snow depth (collective, not in one snowfall, obv.) of 165 cm?

Hi Paul! Hope you are having a good...what time is it there? Frankly, I'm generally confused about where in the world you are at any given time, anyway. Lol. So...uh.....hope you're having a good day?

>34 PaulCranswick: Nice mini-haul! I get lost so easily these days, but found your new home.

>63 PawsforThought: Wowzer!! I am happy to be in the tropics occasionally!

>64 The_Hibernator: I am about 12 hours ahead of you Rachel if that makes any sense. I am having a decent time of it at the moment.

>65 richardderus: I am just as disorientated as you are RD. I am hoping for a splendid LT filled weekend.

Spare a thought or two for SWMBO who will have a further check-up tomorrow on some health issues.

Happy Valentine's Day!! ❤️💚💗💙

Hi Paul - just waiting to hear that all has turned out well on Friday.

For my 75th Birthday yesterday, my daughter had collected -

from The Dollar Tree,
garage sales,
St. Vincent de Paul,
Half-price Books and other book store front sales,
library book sales,
her own collection,
and
the back rooms of library sales (the $1.00 a bag, 1 to 4 PM, ones) =

75 BOOKS!

>67 PaulCranswick: All the best to Hani...

>67 PaulCranswick: Good health *whammy*s for the Good Lady of the House Cranswick!

I missed the Hani health bulletin. I hope that she's improving every day. Take care fo both of you.
>69 m.belljackson: LOVE IT! I turn 75 in October. Maybe I can start hinting!

Hi Paul! Happy new thread; love seeing you around here again and all the books and challenges bursting out everywhere. Sending best wishes to Hani.

>68 ChelleBearss: Thank you Chelle. A pretty miserable day actually missing my Valentine.

>69 m.belljackson: Happy 75th, Marianne!
I've done something with the PM you sent me - hope the vagaries of the Malaysian postal system don't let us down too badly.

>70 laytonwoman3rd: Thank you, Linda. I just bought Eight Cousins by the way!

>71 richardderus: Thanks RD. Good wishes passed on.

>72 LizzieD: One hint well published already!!
Thanks for the best wishes, Peggy.

>73 Berly: I love being here too, Kimmers.

Wishing you and Hani the best with regards to the health issues. Pass on my best to Hani. My Valentine gave me some yummy artisanal caramels, and a chocolate heart. It's a small chocolatier a couple of miles away from us that we discovered over Christmas. Dave is finally going back to work tomorrow - his first day back to work after his fractures back in mid December. I'm going to miss him, as is our dog. Poppy the dog dotes on Dave.

>78 PaulCranswick: Hani had the follow up check yesterday. It would appear that she has some fibroid issues but the treatment she has received to date looks to have at least improved the situation. She was quite chipper yesterday after the hospital visit which was pleasing to hear from such a remove. She has 3 days more medication before it is determined whether she will need a minor procedure.

All the best to Dave on his return to work - I am sure that he will feel ten feet tall getting back into the thick of things. I'm sure that you (and Poppy) got used to his company throughout the day but it augurs very nicely for the golden years that that would be so. xx

>78 PaulCranswick:

Glad to hear Good News!

I was given handkerchiefs for Valentine's Day which I am not sure is the most romantic present possible but I guess Belle's budget is somewhat limited.

I also received a lovely surprise from Tennessee as I got delivered Jefferson Bass - Carved in Bone. I know who sent it winging my way and I thank her profusely.

>79 m.belljackson: :D

Hi Paul!

I'm glad to hear Hani's chipper. Medication and the possibility of a minor surgical procedure are great news.

>82 karenmarie: It was good news, Karen.
Looking forward to a restful weekend and to finish a few books.

>82 karenmarie: ^^^What she said. Always a relief to know there's nothing to cause deep concern.

Glad to read the news was good from Hani. Hope your weekend is going well. I admire you taking on all the challenges - looks like that's going well. I'd never heard of Petersburg, look forward to your comments (the penguin classics cover means I'm already half sold).

>78 PaulCranswick: glad to hear that Hani is chipper after her hospital visit, and that treatment is straightforward Paul. Send her my best wishes.

>80 PaulCranswick: ha, seems things aren't so different nowadays, my dad received plenty of handkerchiefs and socks when I was a teenager too. Books as well.

>84 richardderus: Hani is a bit of a hypochondriac so when she is occasionally proven right she feels more vindicated than worried!

>85 charl08: It is a strangely told tale but at times when it catches me it is weirdly enticing.

>86 Caroline_McElwee: If she had bought me a book too it would have given me less to wipe my sweated brow for, Caroline!
At least she was thinking of me.

>78 PaulCranswick: That's good news about Hani's health, Paul. Are you still intending to go and visit her soon?

So glad that Hani is better! Hope your weekend is good.

Happy to hear better news from Hani! Love to her!
Handkerchiefs from Belle - ♥
Headed back upstream to see what I missed about Petersburg!
Hope your weekend is going swimmingly with some good reading!

Just dropping in - glad Hani's diagnosis is no worse. Love to you all.

Happy new thread Paul! You sneaked one past me.

Good to know Hani's checkup had a decent outcome.

>69 m.belljackson: Happy birthday!

I like that idea. Hmm; I'll be hitting my half century I mean, my 21st this year. Maybe I should drop some hints around the house ...

>89 Familyhistorian: I think she'll be back first, Meg.

>90 banjo123: Relaxing so far and do more planning for reading than reading.

>91 LizzieD: All is good-ish Peggy until the wind and rain intervened and blew off my in-laws roof. Certainly not insured so I am going to have to dig deep at a time when I thought I had a chance to get ahead. Oh well, I can't see them without a roof over their heads.

>92 BekkaJo: Thanks Bekka - very same to you!

>93 humouress: Buy a book for every year you've been born - great idea, I'm sure!

Nice to see you neighbour.

Glad to read Hani's checkup looks to be a treatable problem, Paul.
Sorry about your in-laws roof, can't imagine to live without a roof above my head.

>95 PaulCranswick: Oh rats! A new roof can't be cheap even in Malaysia. Sorry about the hit, Paul.

>95 PaulCranswick: Ouch. Why does it have to be three steps forward two steps back Paul? Good son-in-law though. I hope being in the business you'll at least get some decent discount.

Glad to hear that Hani got good medical news. Sorry that your Vday was miserable. :(

>93 humouress:

So much fun - and - books are each wrapped separately and tied with hand-decorated tags!

They may last for a year.

Hi Paul, sorry to read that Hani has been having some health problems mate, I hope that the fibroid issue is nothing major and that she is sorted out quickly. It seems such a length of time since we met up to chew that fat and put the world to rights mate.

I hope that you have had a good weekend mate and that your week ahead is a good one for you, sending love and hugs mate from both of us.

>101 m.belljackson: *swoons* (they'd last more than a year for me, I'm sure)

>95 PaulCranswick: Sorry to hear about the roof, Paul. Good thing you're in construction. My apologies - it may have been my fault. We haven't had rain for a while down here, and I was worrying about my plants, commenting several times that they needed a good soaking. Well, yesterday it bucketed down for hours - so they got their good soaking and more.

Sending sunny greetings from Davos.

>97 FAMeulstee: The roof was a bit of a disaster to be honest and flooded the house. It is a kampung house and the roof is a little bit of a Heath-Robinson affair but nevertheless it was still something of a shock.

This is not the exact property but it is similar and in the same village on the Singapore border

>98 richardderus: I am not entirely sure, RD, on the cost as it is a type of construction - the old village houses - that I am entirely unfamiliar with. I sent them some dosh to be going on with and I hope that it is close to being enough.

>99 Caroline_McElwee: I know I do seem to be making a habit of going around in circles, Caroline. Being in the trade won't help me too much with this peculiar type of roof covering but I don't think it will be overly expensive. Malaysian's never insure their properties for such eventualities either which doesn't help.

>100 ChelleBearss: Not easy to enjoy with half the celebrants missing, Chelle!

>101 m.belljackson: Wow each one individually wrapped is a wonderful thing!

>102 johnsimpson: She is in good form mate at the minute to be fair - or she was until her mother's roof flew away!

>103 humouress: It was one heck of a storm, Nina, for sure. Must have had some remnant of it at least in Singapore?

>104 Ameise1: Davos looks so enticing from your thread, Barbara. Enjoy the place for all of us.

>103 humouress:

Whisper has today listed several good ones she found at the Dollar Store - might work into a "50" budget!

Hello Paul - just checking in and wishing you and your family very well.

Hi Paul! What a disaster for your in-laws! It is good you are able to help them. Sorry about Hani's health problem, hoping it will turn out ok soon.

Love your Petersburg topper picture! Not an easily available book here, I will wait for your review.

Please give our best to Hani, Paul. I’m glad to hear it’s fibroids; I know other possibilities can be scary.

>109 m.belljackson: Linda is a past master at adding hugely to her collection for a reasonable sum.

>110 AMQS: Thanks Anne. xx

>111 EllaTim: Yes, Ella, it wasn't fantastic news to be honest. They are quite stoic though to be honest.

>112 jnwelch: Yes it could have been much much worse.

Sorry to hear about your in-laws' roof, Paul. Hope they are able to get it fixed in a timely manner.

I hope so too, Meg, and that the cost is mostly covered.

Happy midweek, Paul. I hope Hani is doing fine.

Hi Paul!

I'm sorry to hear about your in-laws roof. It's good that you're able to help out.

Will in-laws accept you buying house insurance for them?

Sorry to hear about the roof. Good thing it's just the roof :) Enjoy your weekend!

>95 PaulCranswick: keeping a roof over ones' inlaws' heads is imperative! Literally and figuratively.

I wish you a blessed weekend - soaring like this jackdaw

>117 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara. She is a coper, so Im sure she'll be ok. Latest check-up positive too I'm pleased to report.

>118 karenmarie: It was a bit of a struggle to help to be honest, Karen, but I guess I didn't really have much choice and didn't even think about it in the circumstances.

>119 m.belljackson: I'm not sure that the house is insurable to be honest, Marianne. The old kampung houses would have to undergo so many changes to get insurance here that it probably isn't worth it.

>120 figsfromthistle: Believe me if you saw the house, Anita, you could imagine it all being blown away!

>121 LovingLit: The fact that my younger sister in law and her husband and one small child live there as well as my brother-in-law, his wife and their four children (all small - the eldest is 7), makes it even more imperative.

>122 paulstalder: Not intending to soar, Paul, a nice bit of relaxed wallowing will do!!

Some new additions to report:

44. An American Marriage by Tayari Jones (2018) 318 pp
45. The Freedom Artist by Ben Okri (2019) 347 pp
46. The Gray House by Mariam Petrosyan (2009) 721 pp
47. Patient X by David Peace (2018) 299 pp

>126 PaulCranswick: The Gray House rings a bell. I think I might've gotten an ARC of it some time ago, but darned if I know where it might be.

Nice modest haul. Happy low-stress new week ahead.

Hmmm, some good ones in that haul!

>128 drneutron: Thanks RD. Fairly pleasant, if largely uneventful weekend. Went grocery shopping with Belle and realised how much like her mother she is! Shopping with the spouse is not the thing I miss the most!

>129 PaulCranswick: Thanks Jim. A bit of a mixed bag, I think.

>126 PaulCranswick: Such a small haul. Are you sure Hani isn't home? or does she have a spy preventing your usual size haul?

Book # 9 in 2019



Thief in the Village by James Berry

Date of Publication : 1987 (9 of 120)
Origin : Jamaica (7 of 80)
Pages : 150 (2,300 total)

Nine YA tales of rural Jamaica from poet James Berry. Tales of poverty and family and tempestuous climate.

We have a girl who wanted a bicycle to play with the boys, a boy who wanted a mouth organ to be one of the boys, a horse carrying a boy to see, a son seeking his absent father, a boy protecting his roots quite literally in the middle of a hurricane.

The spitefulness of children and the basic dignity of families make the tales universal and - whilst this won't ever be high literature - it was affecting and charming for all that.

>130 thornton37814: Hahaha Lori - she does still very much have her spies in attendance.

I have done reasonably well so far this year in adding "only" 47 books. Still not able to read anywhere near as much as I am buying.

Since there is a possibility of relocation in the not too distant future I am thinking twice about my purchasing. xx

>131 PaulCranswick: How charming that cover is! Sounds like a pleasant way to keep your reading muscles flexed.

>133 richardderus: Being a devotee of such threads as Kerry's (avatiakh) thread, where the virtues of good YA fiction is often extolled, I have come to the view that there is as much merit and often more enjoyment in reading things intended for my younger self.

Stopping by to wish you and all your loved ones better health, better luck, a good inexpensive roof, wonderful reading, and some relaxation.
Xoxo

>135 Matke: Does seem rather a lot to wish for, doesn't it, Gail? Still I am so blessed by my friends here to help me look on the bright side. xx

>134 PaulCranswick: Good goddesses, I've lost track of Kerry! Off to the threadbook, thank you for that Paul.

>137 richardderus: On e of my favourite places to go to get book bulleted.

Paul--so much going on here. Glad Hani is doing well and you get tons of great SIL points. Hope the roof can be repaired easily. May liife get easier for you SOOOOON! Glad to see book buying is still happening. Hugs.

*looks up from current book* Oh, dear. Your life has been eventful lately. Wishing you and yours all the best.

>131 PaulCranswick: Hey, a rare sighting of a children's book on your thread! I haven't read that one, but it sounds more like juvenile than YA from your description.

Sorry to hear about the storm damage to your in-laws' property, Paul. We're having high winds in many places in the Eastern US today (and Canada as well, I think), so I hope there isn't an LT epidemic of such things brewing. I'm glad you found a copy of Eight Cousins...it might be a bit more palatable than some of Alcott's novels, by the reports I'm getting.

>139 Berly: I hope so too, Kimmers. I have had several missteps in the last few years, some of which are self-inflicted, but I do hope that 2019 will see me back on track.

>140 amanda4242: Thanks Amanda. You must have finished another book whilst waiting my reply!

>141 foggidawn: I think it will become less a rarity, Foggi. I think it just about made YA to be honest but then again I am not all that clear on the distinction between juvenile and YA in terms of writing.

>142 laytonwoman3rd: I enjoyed Little Women a few years ago, Linda, but didn't really want to read the next part in the young ladies' lives just yet. I thought this one interesting enough to get me going.
Hope you all see out the storms without much ado.

The only good thing about being behind on threads is when there is a health concern, I don’t have to wait days to find everything is going well, I can just read quickly and get quick relief. Glad to hear Hani is well!

Of course, the roof is still an issue...

Hope you are well, Paul!

>145 Copperskye: I'm ok thanks, Joanne. I hope March is a good month for me and mine in so many respects.

Added 1 more:

48. The Late Monsieur Gallet by Georges Simenon (1931) 155pp

>144 PaulCranswick: Typically, juvenile books are geared towards children, and YA towards teenagers. YA tends to be much more oriented towards coming-of-age stories, with the protagonists learning how to function as individuals, forming their own opinions and ideologies, etc. Juvenile books tend to focus more on friendships, family relationships, and elementary or middle-school issues, and romance in juvenile books usually doesn't go past the first crush stage. Juvenile books tend to be about pre-adolescents or young teens, whereas YA books tend to be about older teens (since most young readers tend to want to read about protagonists slightly older than they are themselves). It's a fuzzy line, to be sure, as juvenile books have recently started to tackle some of the heavier themes that would normally be within the purview of YA (grief, abuse or other violent situations, etc.), and of course YA books include plot elements focused on friendships, family relationships, and school, which I mentioned above as being the focus of many middle-grade plots. And occasionally a YA book will have a younger protagonist (or start the story when the protagonist is younger, if the story covers several years of their life), or a juvenile book will have an older teen protagonist (for instance, the Nancy Drew books are generally considered juvenile, but Nancy and her friends are 16).

It's an "I know it when I see it" distinction for me -- but of course, it is literally my job to do so. In my opinion, the terms "juvenile" and "young adult" are jargon-y, and I feel that libraries and publishers haven't done readers any favors by embracing them, but we are stuck with them now.

Thank you all for attending my TED Talk... :-D

Good to see you posting more regularly than last year, Paul. I had to go check my acquisitions for this year when I read about your mere 47 book purchases this year. My numbers are also down and are about half yours. My problem is lack of shelf spaces and being tired of looking at the book piles!

Hi Paul, nothing intelligent to say...just trundling about doing stuff. Y'know, life.

>148 foggidawn: I enjoyed the tutorial Foggi! I am still not really much the wiser with regards ti Berry's book but I quite enjoyed it anyhow.

>149 Familyhistorian: I've stopped caring too much about shelf space, Meg and have sort of just let the books start to take over.

>150 richardderus: As Lennon sang and unfortunately quite presciently, "life is what happens to you when you're busy making other plans".
I'm a bit maudlin today as I had a TT for about $1,500 not go through because of SWMBO's habit of naming people after where they are from or what they do. Her landlord in Sheffield is called J. Bingham but I sent the money to James Fulwood not realising that Fulwood is the suburb of Sheffield he hails from. Fortunately he saw the funny side but it left me out of pocket as my original expenditure is yet to be recredited and I have had to disperse again.

>152 PaulCranswick: The vagaries of sharing a pocketbook are one HUGE reason I am glad to be 1) poor and b) unmarried.

>153 richardderus: Most of the time I wouldn't swap her for a golden pig, RD, but only most of the time!

>152 PaulCranswick: Oh dear, Paul. I'd feel rather maudlin too. Oh, Hani. My grandma used to call people things like " George's Margaret, " or " Bill's Lillian " according to the first name of the married spouse. Fortunately she confined that to less well known family members and friend and thus I never became " Dave's Deborah." And she considered herself fairly independent as a woman, since she purchased my grandparent's first home when my grandpa was abroad fighting WW11. So, I'm not sure how women " belonged " to their husbands as per the way she spoke. I did not bother to bring it up. She was a lovely lady, but could be quite cantankerous if she was crossed.

>155 vancouverdeb: Lovely, Deb.

West Yorkshire people have a habit of referring to family, even fairly distant family sometimes, as "Our -----" so Hani would be "Our Hani" to my sibling and aunts and uncles, parents, cousins and etc.

Book #10 in 2019



The House of Arden by E. Nesbit

Date of Publication : 1908 (10 of 120)
Origin of Author : UK
No. of Pages : 242 (2,542 total)

Harmless fantasy stuff very much in the Nesbit style.
Brother and sister are orphaned after their father is orphaned. It becomes clear that the son is a lost heir to the Lordship of Arden.

With the help of a white mole (called a Mouldiwarp), the children go off to find lost treasure and travel through time to share in adventures with their ancestors. They eventually find that treasure is more than gold and silver.

Good fun.

>157 PaulCranswick: I loved The Railway Children Paul, and I really ought to read some of her other books. I'm just not big on reading children's books, beyond a few classics. I'm rereading Little Women at the moment for the AAC.

>157 PaulCranswick: Ooh, I love Nesbit, but I haven't read that one.

>158 Caroline_McElwee: It isn't as good as The Railway Children, Caroline, but written in an age when children were educated to the joys of reading.

>159 foggidawn: She was the Rowling of her day in some ways I suppose, Foggi! I liked this one more than The Phoenix and the Carpet, I think.

Sweet Thursday, Paul.

>157 PaulCranswick: Ah! I love Edith Nesbit!

Hi, Paul. Using your thread for a bulletin board---The March thread for the AAC is up and running.

>161 Ameise1: Thank you Barbara. I am now moving into close of business on Friday and so far so good!

>162 The_Hibernator: She was a wonderful teller of tales, Rachel.

>163 laytonwoman3rd: Jon Clinch is an author whose work is not readily available in Malaysia for some reason Linda. I have ordered one of his books via Book Depository and hopefully will receive it in time for reading in March.

March Reading Plans

I am behind as usual but want to make March a month of attainment!

I have a number of books part finished which will hopefully be gotten over the line this month.

I want to look at my 120 years of reading challenge and catch up a bit

I want to look at my Around the World in 80 books and make some inroads there too.

I have the British Isles Author Challenge to do for March which is Scottish murder mysteries

I have ordered a book by Jon Clinch for the AAC to support dear Linda and I still have my February one to finish off.

To get back on track I need to read 20 books this month!

Some tentative titles:

The Hanging Garden by Ian Rankin (BIAC)
Shatter the Bones by Stuart MacBride (BIAC)
The Necessary Death Of Lewis Winter by Malcolm McKay (BIAC)

Eight Cousins AAC (February)
The Thief of Auschwitz if it arrives

Naomi by Junichiro Tanizaki
Petersburg by Andrei Bely
Good Companions by JB Priestley
In a Free State by VS Naipaul

Happy new month of reading, Paul! I hope you have a wildly successful reading month.

Yikes about paying the wrong person. And of course credits take much longer than debits.

>165 PaulCranswick: I suspected Clinch might not be readily available outside the US, Paul. That's unfortunate, but isn't it great that we have Book Depository and other international sources for our reading material now? I'll be reading The Thief of Auschwitz this month too, as it's here, and I've already enjoyed three of his novels.

>167 karenmarie: Happy to report it was credited back into my account today but minus about $125 in charges. Still better than nothing!

>168 laytonwoman3rd: He looks an author I would really enjoy anyway, Linda. There is a similar problem coming up too with Jay Parini.

I'll definitely try to fit in a Scottish mystery this month since I love mysteries! I've had Stuart MacBride's A Dark So Deadly on my wish list. It's a stand-alone of his. It was available to download through the library so I just did that. I'll get to it in the next 21 days!

>169 PaulCranswick: I am never more ardent a socialist than when I read about bank charges. I am a full-throated Mau Mau when I receive them.

>170 thornton37814: I do like Stuart MacBride, Lori. I am looking forward to getting reacquainted with DS Logan McRae later in the month. I have started on a Rebus this morning - The Hanging Garden and had almost forgotten how compelling they are.

>171 richardderus: Me too RD but I was just glad to get back what I did in a time of need!

>172 PaulCranswick: I haven't read any of the Logan McRae series. I think the stand alone will be a good introduction to the author. I may move on to McRae after that. With so many in the series, it will keep me busy for awhile!

I am up to book five in the DS Logan McRae series and love the gritty story lines set around Aberdeen.

Hi Paul - I've been quiet on LT for a while as I've been away from home. Happy that you are picking up the occasional children's and YA book. Nowadays you have to tread fairly carefully with your selections as identity politics has become a thing and in some ways has let down the YA community.
Two debut YA novels have been pulled from publication recently in the US due to negative reviews from Advanced Reading Copy reviewers (ARC) and other writers. I don't know much about either novel.

An up-and-coming young adult author has cancelled the publication of her highly anticipated debut novel, following a flood of online criticism from readers over her depiction of race and slavery.
Amélie Wen Zhao’s novel, Blood Heir, was sold to publishers for a high six-figure sum last January. A fantastical retelling of the Anastasia story involving “a princess hiding a dark secret and the conman she must trust to clear her name for her father’s murder”, it was scheduled to be published in June.
But in a statement on Wednesday, Zhao said that negative feedback from the young adult community had led to her asking her publisher, Delacorte Press, not to release the book “at this time”.' https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/feb/01/young-adult-author-cancels-own-nov...

'February has been a scandal-filled month for the literary world, and it’s not over yet. The drama continued today as author Kosoko Jackson announced that his forthcoming debut YA novel, A Place for Wolves, will be withdrawn from publication after the author faced backlash for centering a story about the Kosovo War around two non-Muslim Americans.'
https://www.vulture.com/2019/02/kosoko-jackson-a-place-for-wolves.html

>173 thornton37814: I am sure that you will enjoy his books, Lori.

>174 johnsimpson: Yes the locale is off the beaten path so to speak, John. The Granite City is a good setting, I think.

>175 avatiakh: Nice to see you, Kerry.

Your reportage is a little sad. I think that political correctness is going to create an insipid world if we are not careful. I don't think I could be described as racist, sexist, ageist or many other ists, but quite often, and without having read any of the "offending" books, I think that people can make up their own mind. Stifling opinion, just because we don't agree with it, is not the best way oftentimes - I think if the work incites racism, hatred of minority communities, genders, sexualities or so on, then we need to take a close look, but some of the greatest works in literature have been censored and censured in the past for what were then perceived of abnormalities or abominations. Could Lolita or Tom Sawyer get published today? Some of the work of Hemingway is clearly rascist - see the dialogue in To Have and Have Not but should they be repressed? I don't think so.

Stifling opinion, just because we don't agree with it, is not the best way oftentimes - I think if the work incites racism, hatred of minority communities, genders, sexualities or so on, then we need to take a close look, but some of the greatest works in literature have been censored and censured in the past for what were then perceived of abnormalities or abominations.
+1

We're still allowing Mein Kampf to be published...and that is genuine, unadulterated hate speech. Censoring voices is always wrong...censoring screaming screeds less so, but it should always be uncomfortable and difficult to bring oneself to do.

>178 richardderus: I had in mind works of fiction RD - although there is little factual about Hitler's spewings - certainly works such as that and other hate filled opinion pieces should struggle to find publication.

It's scary that publication of the works is being halted before it has taken place, especially the ones that are based on ARCs. My suspicious mind thinks of the potential of campaigns against certain types of works which can be insidious.

Thanks for the reminder that this month's BAC is for Scottish murder mysteries, Paul. I might have one or two of those in my TBR stacks.

Hello, Paul and happy reading! I am going to be interested to see how you like Naomi; as I did not like it myself, but I LOVED The Makioka Sisters

And I am against censorship; but book publishing IS a business, and I can see why a company would be reluctant to publish a book if they thought sales would be impacted by negative response to some of these topics. & I myself am reluctant to buy books if I know that the author has been thought to be blatantly racist/sexist/anti-semitic. So there is also a bit of censorship by the wallet, which one cannot totally avoid.

>180 Familyhistorian: Banned before they're out is a sign of the times isn't it?
I am enjoying Inspector Rebus at the moment.

>181 banjo123: Censorship of the wallet is an idea, I like, Rhonda. I have no intention to ever own or read Hitler's book or say Henry Ford's diatribe against Jewry but I do often like reading opposing views to my own on a sort of Devil's Advocate basis. I have read a few books by politicians, economists and thinkers of the right largely to confirm my own views which are opposite! Ideas are always good - hatred is bad.

Naomi is ok but I am not exactly inspired by it either.

If an individual publisher decides not to publish a work, or an author decides to withdraw it, that does not rise to the level of censorship. An author should always have the right to make that decision, and one publisher rejecting a work does not prevent it from being published or distributed by other means. The exception, of course is when a company buys a story and then buries it without publishing it, holding onto the rights so no one else can do so. But that's not censorship either--that term should be reserved to refer to official acts of suppression.

Interesting topic, I am not sure where the line is between not publishing and (self-)censoring. Times are always changing, and what could be published in one time, would not be published in an other time. I do think "political correctness" can lead to indirect censorship, if a publisher thinks it may harm his buisness it won't be published. Only what is "political corect" also changes through time.
Lolita and Tom Sawyer might not be publishable today, some recent books would not have been published some decades or centuries ago.

>183 laytonwoman3rd: Granted Linda, but an author pulling his or her book because he or she already got a shit storm of abuse because it raises difficult issues or places an issue of political correctness in its historical context is suppression of a sort.

>184 FAMeulstee: You're right Anita. Some work would not have gotten published decades ago because there were less forums available to publish and also because literary and literacy values were probably higher too!

Wondered if you had seen this, Paul?

>186 charl08: KL is going to be famous! Kinokuniya is my territory and I have the distinction of being its biggest private customer (retail) for 2015, 2016 & 2017.

>187 PaulCranswick: Now there's a surprise Paul :-)

>188 Caroline_McElwee: Last year I let my money woes get in the way of my book buying - desperate straits indeed, but Kino have survived the drought!

SWMBO is back.

4 months in the UK looking after my mum and Florence Nightingale is home!

>190 PaulCranswick:. Great picture!

>190 PaulCranswick: And just in time for her birthday! Congratulations on your happy reunion.

>190 PaulCranswick: I'm glad Hani is back. She's a wonderful daughter-in-law...not sure I'd have it in me to do what she's just done.

>185 PaulCranswick: You're quite right--that is a regrettable form of suppression as well. I'm just picky about distinguishing the officially sanctioned forms from those we impose on ourselves or others without the stamp of authority. We should object to all of it, but we should recognize the difference.

>190 PaulCranswick: aww. Good to see you both together, plus the lovely location. 4 months is a long time to be separated, so enjoy catching up.

Awesome! Glad you two are back together!

What Caroline and Jim said, Paul. Great to see you both back together, and what a beautiful location.

>191 banjo123: Thanks Rhonda.

>192 richardderus: My idea RD. I thought that she would appreciate the fact of a return on her birthday but she scolded me for having spent most of her big day 30,000 feet up in the air.

>193 laytonwoman3rd: She is a splendid daughter-in-law, I have to concede, Linda. She even took the time to call my mother on our way back from the airport to let her know that she had arrived safely.
I understand your need to distinguish between suppression of various kinds and sanctioned censorship.

>194 Caroline_McElwee: The lovely location is New Zealand, Caroline, Lake Tekapo if I'm not much mistaken. She will have jet lag for a goodly while now!

>195 drneutron: Thanks Jim - great to have you stop by.

>196 jnwelch: Four months (interrupted by 2 weeks at Christmas, of course) is an awfully long time to be apart.

>190 PaulCranswick: - Lovely picture! Glad to see Hani is home with you. It must have been hard having so much distance between the two of you.

(Hmph; my post disappeared)

>187 PaulCranswick: Gosh Paul, really? Did they send you a certificate (or better yet, a gift card)? My younger son would quite happily emulate you at Books K on this side of the Strait if I let him - but he's not the one who has to foot the bill.

>190 PaulCranswick: Very happy that Hani is back with you.

I certainly couldn't have done what she did.

>200 lkernagh: Indeed it was, Lori and most members of the group will never realise just how much strain the distance over a few years has placed upon us.

>201 humouress: I maintain a Kino card and they must be able to track it somehow from there. I am a regular there and one of the staff would tell me of a January that I had "romped home" the previous year. This year I didn't bother to consult her!

Hi, Paul! Yay for Hanni getting home! You must be over the moon, friend.

Glad Hani made it back.

Hi Paul so glad Hani is home. There is a vote going on over on my thread. Happy Reading!

Hooray for Hani's return home!

Glad to see that you and Hani are finally in the same place, Paul.

>182 PaulCranswick: My Scottish mystery read is the last book in Peter May's Lewis trilogy The Chessmen. Somehow you came to mind with one of my recent reads, Paul. It was King Arthur: The Making of the Legend. It was more of a scholarly work than I anticipated but interesting nonetheless.

>203 scaifea: Like the cat with the cream, AMber.

>204 thornton37814: Thanks Lori. It does seem such a long time.

>205 BBGirl55: Been over to your place and done my duty, Bryony!

>206 kidzdoc: She told me that you'll do her some alligator tails at the first opportunity, Darryl.

>207 Familyhistorian: I think the only thing Arthur and I have in common, Meg, is that we are both proud owners of a round table!

Book #11 in 2019



The Hanging Garden by Ian Rankin

Date of Publication : 1998 (11 of 120)
Origin of Author : UK
Pages : 411 (2,953 total)
BIAC Challenge March 2019 - Scottish Murder and Mayhem (Inspector Rebus Book 9)

I had almost forgotten how compelling this series is.

Rebus faces down war criminals, gang wars, hit and runs and more importantly his own personal demons. One of the best in the series surely.

I also just about recall why I took a break from the series which is because they do reveal a slice of life that is a little too real and a little too visceral.

Recommended.

>190 PaulCranswick: So glad to see this!!

>213 SuziQoregon: Thanks Juli. We were laying in bed last night talking and talking and talking as if by doing so we could make up for all the time apart. I didn't know jet lag could be quite so contagious!

Hi Paul!

>177 PaulCranswick: I agree with you totally.

When I was in my 20s in Los Angeles, I had the opportunity to go to previews of movies. We were able to push 'yes' or 'no' buttons during the movie to indicate something we liked or disliked, then were given a written form to fill in at the end. Directors used the input to tweak movies. I guess ARCs do the same. I don't remember if any movies I saw were never released or not, and of course these days the entire movie/theater/online dynamic is completely different than what it was in the 1970s. I wonder how often ARC feedback has caused a book to not be published?

So glad that Hani is back home with you.

>215 karenmarie: I am not a big fan of censorship as can be seen, Karen, but I do believe that incitement to hatred needs to somehow be prevented.

I agree with that, too, Paul. It's so much easier for people to find like-minded people than it was pre-Internet, and in addition to us all finding book lovers here on LT who enrich our lives there are of course those who find concentrations of like-minded people who believe in racism, hatred of minority communities, genders, sexualities or so on.

I don't pretend to know what balance of censorship/free speech is good for society overall, but at least here in the US I greatly fear far-right conservatism, especially as we're in the ludicrous presidency of the idiot in chief.

>217 karenmarie: Well yes, I don't see myself ever aligning myself with the right (directionally not qualitatively) in politics. Possibly explains my failure to enrich myself after 30 years of working my butt off and employing quite a number of people.

So, it's a beagle for the family when you eventually get back to the UK, I read on another thread , Paul. Enjoy! We've always had dogs since our youngest was four years old. I figured by then I could handle a dog , once all of the diapers and such were done with. Our first dog, which we chose from a breeder, was a Border Terrier. He was a such a mellow cutie and fit in with boys perfectly . We had him until he passed at the age of 15. Then we got - of all things - a bichon frisee from our local SPCA. I thought I was really a terrier person, but I feel in love with that little white dog. and so did Dave. When she passed, I looked online and rescue puppy was available from a residence about 1 mile away from us, so we got a puppy of unknown parentage. We think she is a mix of poodle and Maltese terrier. At any rate, she is t years old now and keeps us on the hop. Sixteen pounds of never ending energy - she loves to run, walk, dig, do tricks. We walk / let her off leash at the beach 3 times a day. 30 minutes in the am, 1 - 2 hours in the afternoon and another hour or more in the evening. She is very energetic and definitely rules the roost. You'll love your beagle. They help fill the nest when the kids move on. Poppy is the " daughter we never had" :-)

I'm so glad that Hani is back. Great news, Paul.

>219 vancouverdeb: My choice Deb - left to my own devices - would be a Springer Spaniel, but Hani is not in favour due to "excessive grooming" requirements. I guess she realises that Belle and I are most likely to volunteer her for such a role.

I too grew up with dogs ever present in the family. We had German Shephards, Labradors, Golden Retrievers and a Springer Spaniel all at various times during my childhood and adolesence. Dogs are not much cared for in muslim countries as muslims tend to believe that the animal is dirty and shouldn't be let inside the home. Belle though adores dogs and will get her way.

My husband was somewhat horrified by the little white dogs that came to roost in our home. Initially he said they were too " girly " for him to walk - but then he told that our little white dogs were " chick magnets." Oh I chuckle! I am still very partial to terriers - in particular Border Terriers, but they are very expensive. Like you, I grew up with dogs, in particular terriers. A Westie, a rat terrier, two cairn terriers, and two Irish Terriers. Yes, grooming is an issue. We take Poppy into a groomer for puppy cuts and Dave brushes her most days. She tends to have very tangle prone hair and she feels free to express her displeasure at being brushed.

I do understand about the different attitudes towards dogs . My DIL is quite turned off by the fact that we have a dog. She too believes they are dirty creatures and I think she is surprised that we have a dog in our home. Thus my grand daughter has so far not been able to visit our place. I just roll with it. What can you do?

>219 vancouverdeb: >220 PaulCranswick: The only dogs my parents had since I was around were beagles and dachshunds, the latter being my fault. All in all, we had better, not to say good, results with the dachshunds. One beagle ran away, one bit people, one survived distemper to be constantly suffering from rashes, bad tempered, and pretty dim. Of the dachshunds, 15 total, 2 were the best sort of lap dog companions, most were unremarkable, and about 4 real losers and my dog Gertie, who is a cross between best ever and real loser. My mom was much better at training them than my dad or I, but she always started with puppies which I've only done once.

>187 PaulCranswick: It does not surprise me that you hold the #1 spot for retail buyer at your local bookstore. At all!

>190 PaulCranswick: Hurray for the return of Hanni!! I am sure you have so much catching up to do. : )

>211 PaulCranswick: World Book Day!!!

Wishing you a lovely weekend, Paul.

>221 vancouverdeb: Hani used to be terrified of dogs, Deb. She has gotten used to them having spent several months in the UK and is enthusiastic now about the idea of the companionship they obviously provide.

My auntie had a West Highland White Terrier and loved "Whisky" to bits but I remember him being a spoilt and crabby little fellow.

>222 quondame: Oh dear Susan, that worries me already! I have read such things about beagles and I think we'll give one a try and hope not to share your less than stellar experiences. Thanks for the warning though!

>223 Berly: Did hold, Kimmers. Past tense unfortunately.

Lovely to see you back, my dear friend.

>225 PaulCranswick: You can reclaim your title this year! It's not too late!

>224 PaulCranswick: Beagles are high maintenance, in that they are hunters and some are quite energetic. Dachshunds are all different, except they are stubborn and hard to train, with the (very) occasional smart one, and they bark a lot. I can't recommend Dachshunds and think my current batch, should I survive them, will be my last. Nowadays what I want is a small sleek bolster that wags it's tail occasionally.

>226 Berly: Hahaha when I am financially sound again I can make an effort towards that, Kimmers!

>227 quondame: It's funny Susan because Belle did mention dachshunds and Hani said they look like a bolster with legs and a tail!

>228 PaulCranswick: They can. I keep mine pretty thin because an extra pound can cut their life span in half. I was thinking a Pug, but I'm sure they have a different set of issues.

>229 quondame: Susan that is a lot of life for one pound! I will still pester for a springer spaniel if I get the chance. xx

Border Collies!

Highly intelligent, fun, energetic, loyal, intuitive guardians...and, yes, long-haired, but so beautiful!

>231 m.belljackson: I like 'em too!

Any postcard descended on your place yet?

>190 PaulCranswick: Great picture! Glad she's back. Sometimes it's nice to have a quiet house for a while, but 4 months is a long time!

>233 The_Hibernator: Indeed Rachel. Quiet no more!

Happy Sunday, Paul, and much good reading in the week to come.

HI, Paul! I'm too far behind on threads to properly catch up, but I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

>235 richardderus: Thanks RD. I have a number of books on the go at the moment and I reckon to have one or two of 'em done this weekend.

>236 tymfos: Lovely to see you Terri.

It is always fun to visit over here on your busy thread and of course I'm getting lots of good book ideas! I'm a big dog lover too! Our standard poodle is approaching 14 years old and fragile. She has been the best dog ever and came to us as a pup because of Hurricane Katrina. She is a Mississipi girl!

>238 mdoris: I had almost forgotten, Mary, that Hurricane Katrina was so long ago. Lovely to see you here. xx

Hi Paul! I'll be interested to see what you think about Eight Cousins if you decide to read it.

I'm struggling with it a bit right now. Rose is so darn good she sets my teeth on edge. :)

I just read the Wikipedia entry on the book and am encouraged by the parts that were pointed out as being quite feminist when this was written, and so I will continue onward.

Jo was always my favorite character in Little Women since I first read it in 5th grade. What can I say - I'm a rebel at heart ....

>232 PaulCranswick:

Every afternoon, Monday - Saturday, I put on my Yax-Traxed shoes. make it safely over the cobblestone and wood chip path to my truck,
then back the truck (only a third of the driveway gets plowed; otherwise it's $100!) slowly down to the rural mailbox on Portage Road.

Carefully maneuvering over the ice (driveway now has 2 full inches everywhere), I get the local newspaper (NYT and Washington Post online)
and the mail only to discover that > alas, Hedwig has not yet delivered a card!

Happy weekend, Paul, and good luck with the puppy search.

>220 PaulCranswick: We had springers when I was growing up, and my parents have one now. Though I love my current terrier mix dearly, springers are still my favorites. I never thought of them as taking a lot of upkeep, just some brushing and occasional trips to the groomer.

>240 streamsong: I will read it this year, Janet. I was hoping it would be a quick read but I guess it may be a quickie later in the year!

>241 m.belljackson: And your journey to discover so was so fraught with adventure! Soon, hopefully, Marianne.

>242 banjo123: Puppy search will only start when we make it back to the UK, Rhonda.

>243 foggidawn: Our springer took a bit of house training but afterwards he was great fun.

I haven't done this for a while:

Posting League.

All those with more than 100 posts:

1 msf59 1634
2 jnwelch 1399
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5 scaifea 1199
6 crazymamie 1155
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8 PaulCranswick 813
9 Berly 790
10 Charl08 790
11 EBT1002 740
12 harrygbutler 658
13 FAMeulstee 598
14 BBLBera 597
15 FamilyHistorian 586
16 alcottacre 576
17 ronincats 536
18 SusanJ67 513
19 mstrust 448
20 ChelleBearss 446
21 Whisper1 442
22 The_Hibernator 436
23 thornton37814 407
24 drneutron 371
25 jessibud2 363
26 kidzdoc 349
27 lyzard 347
28 johnsimpson 327
29 Carmenere 308
30 Caroline_McElwee 307
31 SandDune 303
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34 lkernagh 286
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38 vancouverdeb 249
39 Ameise1 236
40 rebarelishesreading 229
41 laytonwoman3rd 225
42 donna 222
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45 PaulStalder 201
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49 Chatterbox 181
50 figsfromthistle 174
51 Weird_O 172
52 rretzler 159
53 sibyx 159
54 cbl_tn 158
55 Humouress 157
56 LizzieD 147
57 EllaTim 145
58 ffortsa 145
59 loving-lit 143
60 SqueakyChu 134
61 souloftherose 131
62 Banjo 129
63 coppers 126
64 bohemima 125
65 SuziQOregon 124
66 vivians 124
67 fuzzi 123
68 avatiakh 114
69 Cait86 114
70 aktakukac 110
71 Deern 110
72 norabelle414 105
73 BBGirl55 104
74 Aunt Clio 103
75 nittnut 103
76 Rbeffa 103

>245 PaulCranswick: Any idea when you will get back to the UK, Paul?

>246 PaulCranswick: Ooh, stats. We have been a chatty bunch, haven't we. No wonder I can't keep up.

Of the 76 threads:

63 are ladies
13 are gentlemen

51 are resident in the USA
25 are resident elsewhere.

>247 Familyhistorian: & >238 mdoris: I reckon mide Summer, Meg.

Posting numbers are well down actually but still impressive.

Of the same 76 threads......book reading league

1 FAMeulstee 88
2 Chatterbox 86
3 quondame 64
4 Charl08 62
5 alcottacre 57
6 thornton37814 48
7 The_Hibernator 44
8 FamilyHistorian 40
9 ChelleBearss 38
10 scaifea 37
11 harrygbutler 36
12 fuzzi 35
13 SusanJ67 32
14 MickyFine 32
15 swynn 32
16 souloftherose 32
17 msf59 31
18 foggidawn 31
19 rretzler 31
20 BBLBera 30
21 figsfromthistle 30
22 vivians 30
23 jnwelch 29
24 ronincats 29
25 lyzard 29
26 avatiakh 29
27 PaulStalder 27
28 sibyx 26
29 karenmarie 24
30 lkernagh 23
31 Whisper1 22
32 drneutron 22
33 mahsdad 22
34 Weird_O 22
35 KatieKrug 21
36 richardderus 21
37 crazymamie 21
38 mstrust 21
39 bell7 21
40 rebarelishesreading 21
41 Cait86 21
42 Berly 20
43 jessibud2 20
44 Caroline_McElwee 20
45 Streamsong 18
46 EBT1002 17
47 johnsimpson 17
48 ffortsa 17
49 coppers 17
50 brenzi 16
51 cbl_tn 16
52 laytonwoman3rd 15
53 donna 15
54 bohemima 15
55 aktakukac 15
56 nittnut 15
57 Carmenere 14
58 Ameise1 14
59 SandDune 13
60 laurelkeet 13
61 SqueakyChu 13
62 SuziQOregon 13
63 Deern 13
64 mdoris 12
65 Banjo 12
66 BBGirl55 12
67 Rbeffa 12
68 PaulCranswick 11
69 loving-lit 11
70 vancouverdeb 10
71 LizzieD 10
72 Aunt Clio 10
73 kidzdoc 7
74 EllaTim 6
75 Humouress 5
76 norabelle414 2

Huzzah! The stat master is back!

Hey Paul, hope you're having a great weekend!

>252 mahsdad: Thanks Jeff.

I am very much under the weather. Fever, aching bones, the whole nine yards.

Hooray for the stat master!! Thanks for doing that, Paul. It looks like Joe, Katie & RD are all neck to neck. I am glad to see I am in the top 20, in the reading category. Those are some heavy hitters.

I hope you had a great weekend.

Thanks for the stats mate, long time since these were up BUT you have been very busy mate. 28th in the posting league is not too bad for me after last years poor showing and i'll take 47th in the reading league after last years Chunksters challenge.

Hope the weekend has been good mate and have a good week ahead, love and hugs to the Cranswick Clan from both of us mate.

Dogs- check out if anyone in your family is allergic to dog hair- if so, there are number of breeds that don't shed( but do need haircutting appointments )
I have had a mutt,( 49 different varieties in one but the smartest dog) a sheltie,( beautiful but stand-offish) and a miniature schnauzer( also very smart)
They are great companions and good watch dogs.
I am without a dog now as they also need care so that it is hard to leave them for trips or long days away from home. The cost of one of the dog baby sitting centres cost as much as a ticket would have been to take the dog with me on my travels.

>251 PaulCranswick: Damn, I knew I should have kept up my reviews with the books I read.

We've missed your posting and reading leagues. I'm trying to get through threads now so I can take a quick nap and read a bit before heading back to church for EXALT rehearsal. (That's the youth choir with which I work.) Evening service follows, and I'm on praise team for that. Hopefully I can read a bit this evening. I wish I had a way to insert another week between tonight and tomorrow. I don't want to go back to work yet. Our "spring break" hasn't offered a lot of relaxation with flooding, more rain, an earthquake, and snow on the nature end and the problems with a genealogy institute registration which took a huge chunk out of two days of my spring break.

Oh boy! Stats are back. I'm sorry they come at the cost of your fevered and aching self. Recover soon.

Paul--Yay for the Stat Master begin back!! I have missed you (and them). And I'm doing all right this year with posts and books this year -- I'll take it! Hope you feel better soon. Sending get-well wishes. And hugs. : )

>254 msf59: The reading numbers are particularly impressive Mark. 2 already beyond 75 by early March is amazing really.

>255 johnsimpson: Last year you were 23rd John with over 1,500 posts so not exactly too bad either.

>256 torontoc: Cyrel, I do think dogs can be quite smart and I would like to find one who'll get me into the fields and pathways towards better health.

>257 Familyhistorian: The problem with the books read league is that I am dependent upon what is posted on your threads! For example, it could well be that Nora has read more than 2 books but that is all that I can glean from studying her thread and book cataloguing.

>258 thornton37814: You are back to reading with a vengeance this year, Lori, which pleases me no end.

>259 richardderus: Slept and shivered most of the day RD and now at 4.44 a.m. I cannot sleep.

>260 Berly: Thanks Kimmers. You are steadily ensconced in the top ten threads in terms of posts whilst I am at my lowest position ever but comfortable with the pace at least!

Thanks for the stats! I seem to have climbed in the posting league, but I wonder if that’s because I’m talking more, or others are talking less?

It is probably a bit of both Foggi.

In 2013 and 2014 you broke 1,000 posts with 1,053 being your best tally in 2013.

Normally place just within or just without the top 50 so this year is an improvement in position.

>261 PaulCranswick:, Wow, 23rd last year and I thought it was a poor year for me on the posting front mate.

>267 johnsimpson: 2014 remains your best posting year, John with 1,968 posts.

Stats are back! *does little dance.

>269 BBGirl55: My bones are aching, Bryony, or else I would join you!

Ooo....Paul's doing stats again! That's a very good sign. Not quite as good as the first robin of spring...but still.

Cool! Stats are back!

Sorry to see you are sick but yeah for stats! Apparently I read a lot more than I chat. I should work on that :)
Hope you feel better!

Up-thread (post >175 avatiakh: and following) there was some discussion of a couple of recent YA books being pulled because of negative (non-professional) reviews and Twitter mobs. There's a recent New York Times opinion piece on the subject that I thought those involved in the conversation might find interesting: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/08/opinion/teen-fiction-and-the-perils-of-cancel...

Hi Paul, hope you feel better soon!

>274 foggidawn: Interesting article there. Criticism and discussion should be possible and are useful to make people think, but this seems more like the writer being shamed into dropping his book.

>275 EllaTim: Yes, I agree. I'm also curious to know what role the publisher has in the two recent cases of YA authors "choosing" to pull their books after public criticism. We'll probably never know the answers, but I do wonder if the decision was entirely with the authors, or if the publishers encouraged them in some way to stop publication -- or the opposite. Both books were close enough to their publication dates that I'd assume printing was already underway, though of course I don't know for sure. If so, it's an expensive proposition for the publishers to pulp all of those books, I'd think.

Stats!!! I didn't mind not seeing them because I know you are a busy, busy guy but I'm thrilled that they've returned! Thanks for taking the time, Paul!

Your comments on Petersburg have made me a bit skeptical so, although, I was about to purchase I'll hold off. For the mean time, I picked up The 900 Days: The Siege of Leningrad by Harrison E. Salisbury from my library. I'm finding if fairly readable but a hefty 600 pages.

Glad you and Hani are reunited and she's feeling a bit better. Your mom must be doing well since Hani is back home, yes?

So happy to see the stats returned, Paul!
I am at my lucky number with the posts :-)

>271 laytonwoman3rd: Hahaha I never could compete with those pesky robins!

>272 drneutron: Thanks Jim

>273 ChelleBearss: You don't do half bad at either, Chelle, especially as a working mum.

>274 foggidawn: Thanks for that Foggi, I'll go off and read it after this.

>275 EllaTim: Diversity and differences of opinion and how writers portray wrong doing and situations from different times should be, in my opinion up to the writer. What I don't like is when someone portrays something as fact when it is indeed false and spreads hatred or rank prejudice at the same time.

>276 foggidawn: Seems entirely regrettable, Foggi, and my guess would be that it was the publishers who spooked the would-be authors. Sad.

>277 Carmenere: It is a strange book, Lynda, Petersburg and written in a most unusual style that is not for everyone's taste I'm sure. I am plodding along with it in bits and bobs and am about a third of the way through it.

My mum is doing reasonably ok all considered, she is pretty much like the Bionic Woman already.

>278 FAMeulstee: I am in awe at those of you that read more than a book a day, Anita - I really don't know how you do that!

>274 foggidawn: Read the article and there is obviously a bitter-sourish irony of this particular author being hoist by his own petard. His comments pigeon-holing who should write about what were distasteful to me to be honest as I believe a story can be told from so many perspectives.

The wider issue though is that the wider reading public can decide whether a book such as that one deserves a 2nd edition/printing but having passed original muster it should have gone to the stores. The twitterati are becoming a menace.

>251 PaulCranswick: Gosh, have I only read 5 books for the year? January is usually one of my best months with more than double that.

Feel better soon, neighbour.

Wheee, stats!! Sorry to hear you have the flu though, and glad Hani is there to take care of you.

>284 humouress: Am I wrong, Nina? I followed only what you've posted up but I am certainly not infallible.

>285 ronincats: Feeling much better, Roni, as I had a 12 hour sleep yesterday for the first time I can remember. Also one court case I was acting as a court appointed expert was resolved this morning which eases my tension a bit.

>282 PaulCranswick: I have no work to keep me from reading, Paul, so I can dedicate a lot of time to my books.

>286 PaulCranswick: Glad you had a good long sleep, you obviousely needed it!

So glad that Hani is back with you, Paul. My DH and I lived in separate locations for almost a year back in the ‘90’s. Never again. He took a job in CO and I stayed in MO so our youngest son could graduate with his class. Lots of trips back and forth but still hard on all of us.

Loving the dog talk here. We lost our Lucky last October and have a real void in our lives. I’m not sure it makes sense to get another dog at our advanced ages. It is quite a commitment. Right now we are enjoying our four granddogs in their various locations.

I am purposely moving down in the stats. Spending less time on LT was another tough decision. I went for having more balance in my life. My other choice was less sleep!

Hi Paul!

>246 PaulCranswick: and >251 PaulCranswick: Thanks for the stats. They're lots of fun to read, lots of work to prepare, I'm sure. Let’s see… 7th with 1044. Ah. 7 = (4+4) – 1. 7 was Mom’s lucky number. 29th with 24. Nothing comes to mind. If it was 29th with 25, then the difference would be half of my lucky number, but alas.

>253 PaulCranswick: I’m sorry you’re sick but >286 PaulCranswick: glad you’re feeling better.

>287 FAMeulstee: Felt like a new man after all that sleep, Anita - I am seriously not used to it!
Not working or not, still WOW!

>288 Donna828: I sometimes miss the hectic buzz of the threads but I really struggle for time now with work as it is.
I do worry about the gradual dwindling of our group membership number. 2013 we were at 1000 members but now we cant make 20% of that figure.

>289 karenmarie: I had forgotten your love of finding good numbers Karen :D

I am now fighting fit but hoping steadfastly to avoid any fighting

>286 PaulCranswick: *sigh* No, you’re not wrong Paul. I’m in a reading slump at the moment; but I feel it may change soon.

>292 humouress: Fingers and toes crossed for you dear neighbour.

>283 PaulCranswick: I agree that pigeon-holing who can write what is ridiculous. That's like saying a novel about a heterosexual, white male can only be written by a heterosexual, white male. If that was the case there would be no Three Pines or Comoran Strike. I think anyone can write about anything if they have done their research.

>294 ChelleBearss: Exactly, Chelle. Agatha Christie created Poirot, Thomas Hardy came up with Tess of the D'Urbervilles. To say that only black people can write about black people and that the LGBT community are the only ones who have the right to write on sexuality is both insulting as well as hugely wrong-headed.

Thanks for the stats, Paul

>274 foggidawn: >283 PaulCranswick: Thanks for posting this article link. Can't believe it has gotten to this, both YA manuscripts would have passed muster with the publisher initially and gone through several rewrites with editorial input.

It reminds me of the shock and outrage Lionel Shriver faced at the Brisbane Writers Festival a couple of years ago when she insisted that a writer be allowed to write about whatever they felt important to explore and needed to ignore identity politics & claims of cultural appropriation. Activist & tv personality, Yassmin Abdel-Magied created a big stir by walking out and so Shriver became persona non grata over her defense of writing freedom. Abdel-Magied had a big platform to opinionate on but eventually faced severe pushback for being so outspoken on Australian identity politics and ended up leaving Australia, now lives in the UK.
https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/festival-outrage-why-the-shaming-of-lionel-...

The Brisbane Writers Festival went on two years later in 2018 to ban two more writers, one was Germaine Greer and Richard Flanagan wrote a response
'A writer, if they are doing their work properly, rubs against the grain of conventional thinking. Writers are often outcasts, heretics and marginalised. Once upon a time writers’ festivals celebrated them, and with them the values of intellectual freedom and freedom of debate. Writing that mattered wasn’t seen as being about being reassured, comforted, deceived and cosseted in our own opinions. Rather it was, as Kafka put it, the axe that smashes the frozen sea within.

But the Brisbane Writers festival, with its decision to drop Germaine Greer and Bob Carr as invited guests, appears to be a cryogenic chamber where the sea can stay perennially frozen, prejudices perfectly preserved forever, unchallenged, unquestioned, uninformed and unformed.'
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2018/jul/29/i-didnt-want-to-write-this-but-t...

>296 paulstalder: You're welcome Paul

>297 avatiakh: It is a ridiculous position to take that you have to have a certain ethnicity or proclivity to write about certain subjects. Attempts to place limits on the imagination belong to a Big Brother state.

>298 avatiakh: Well said Mr. Flanagan.

>297 avatiakh: & >298 avatiakh: Those were some very interesting links. Thanks for posting them. I certainly appreciated Richard Flanagan's thoughts at the end of his piece.

" For what can be sensed also vanishing is our courage to listen to others other than our tribe. And that loss is larger than I dare to ponder.".

>301 mdoris: Sensible fellow Richard Flanagan

Hi, Paul! Thanks for sharing stats once again. And I'm glad that you've recovered and seem to be doing well.

>303 harrygbutler: I am much better than before, Harry, but it is all relative after all, isn't it?

Good to see that you are doing better health-wise and that some of stress abated with the resolution of the court case.

Lovely to see the stats are back, Paul. Wishing you a wonderful weekend.

>305 Familyhistorian: Health is ok now, Meg, touch wood.

>306 lkernagh: Thank you Lori. We will go to JB this weekend to see the in-laws

*waving across the causeway*

I assume your in-laws roof issue is all sorted out? I'm sure they'll be thrilled to see Hani back.

Now on the way, Nina.

Hi Paul! Hope your visit is good. I was thinking of you and your family, when reading the news from New Zealand. (hugs)

Happy weekend!

>310 banjo123: Of course our thoughts go out to those innocents involved in the tragedy simply because they wanted to say their prayers in the communality of islam. My own thoughts wandered to my Christchurch friend, Megan and her lovely family.
It couldn't have happened in a place less likely to tend towards such violence New Zealand is my absolute favourite place that I have visited and I found its people uniformly polite, peaceful and welcoming of strangers.

I was also proud of the New Zealand PM whose dignity and whose willingness to decry this as terrorism and to say that she rejects the ideology of those who perpetrate these things and that they are not welcome in NZ. Bravo for her and for the New Zealand people generally.

>311 amanda4242: And to you, Amanda.