klobrien2 Karen O's Book-a-Rama 2020 Page Two

Welcome to page two of my 2020 reading thread!

I've been with the 75-bookers for several years now, and I enjoy so much the camaraderie and book talk that happens here. I'm very glad to join with you all again!

The year 2019 has been another terrific year for reading. I find myself reading pretty much as the spirit leads. I participated in the American Author Challenge, and plan to continue with them. A long-term project of mine is to accomplish reads from the "1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die" book, so that may guide my reading a little. Current 1001 Books count: 214.

What directs my reading more are my friends here on LT, so keep those recommendations coming!

This is my eleventh year participating in the 75 Books Challenge. In 2009, I read 94 books; in 2010, I made it to 148!; 153 in 2011; 160 in 2012; 114 in 2013; 92 in 2014; 109 in 2015; 145 in 2016, 210 in 2017, 200 in 2018, 180 in 2019. I hope to be reading even more in the new year.

Here's a ticker to keep track of my 2020 reads :




Here's where I'll list the books I read, starting with (the number at the end of each line represents the post number where I placed my "review" for the book):

The books I've read in the first half of 2020 (115 of them) are here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/314888

The books I read in July:

116. The Higgs Boson and Beyond (Great Courses DVD) by Sean Carroll - 6
117. The Green Mill Murder (Phryne Fisher #5) by Kerry Greenwood - 8
118. What Becomes of the Broken-Hearted by E. Lynn Harris - 15
119. How to Babysit a Grandma by Jean Reagan - 16
120. A Children's Bible: A Novel by Lydia Millet - 20
121. I Can Make This Promise by Christine Day - 21
122. The biblical book of Ecclesiastes (Qoholet) - 22
123. Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg - 24
124. The biblical book of Song of Songs (aka Song of Solomon) - 25
125. English in America: A Linguistic History (Great Courses DVD) by Natalie Schilling - 28
126. Five Red Herrings (Lord Peter Wimsey #7) by Dorothy L. Sayers - 29
127. Classical Mythology (Great Courses DVD) by Elizabeth Vandiver - 31
128. World's Greatest Paintings (Great Courses DVD) by William Kloss - 32
129. Blood and Circuses (Phryne Fisher #6) by Kerry Greenwood - 33
130. The Art of Her Deal: The Untold Story of Melania Trump by Mary Jordan - 35
131. Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man by Mary Trump - 36
132. Winslow Homer by Nicolai Cikovsky - 37

The books I read in August:

133. Experiencing Hubble: Understanding the Greatest Images of the Universe (Great Courses) by David M. Meyer - 39
134. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card - 40
135. Everyday Gourmet: Essential Secrets of Spices in Cooking (Great Courses) by Bill Briwa - 41
136. Snow White: A Tale from the Brothers Grimm by Jakob Grimm, ill. Charles Santore - 42
137. Dumpty: The Age of Trump in Verse by John Lithgow - 43
138. The Life and Death of Stars (Great Courses) by Kaivan G. Stassum - 48
139. Wow, No Thank You: Essays by Samantha Irby - 49
140. Hubble: A Journey Through Space and Time by Edward Weiler - 50
141. Ancient Civilizations of North America (Great Courses) by Edwin Barnhart - 51
142. Deep Space: Beyond the Solar System to the Edge of the Universe and the Beginning of Time by Govert Schilling - 52
143. New Collected Poems by Wendell Berry - 53
144. Antiracist Baby by Ibram X. Kendi - 55
145. Ruddy Gore (Phryne Fisher #7) by Kerry Greenwood - 56
146. Understanding the Old Testament (Great Courses) DVD by Robert D. Miller - 57
147. Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton - 58
148. Have His Carcase (Lord Peter Mimsey #8) by Dorothy L. Sayers - 63
149. The Geometry of Holding Hands (Isabel Dalhousie #13) by Alexander McCall Smith - 64

The books I read in September:

150. The Book of Eels: Our Enduring Fascination with the Most Mysterious Creature in the Natural World by Patrik Svensson - 67
151. American Gods Volume 1: Shadows (Graphic Novel) by Neil Gaiman - 68
152. Catherine House: A Novel by Elisabeth Thomas - 69
153. American Gods Volume 2: My Ainsel (Graphic Novel) by Neil Gaiman - 73
154. American Gods Volume 3: The Moment of the Storm (Graphic Novel) by Neil Gaiman - 74
155. Urn Burial (Phryne Fisher #8) by Kerry Greenwood - 75
156. The Great Tours: Experiencing Medieval Europe (Great Courses) DVD by Kenneth Bartlett - 76
157. Gilgamesh: The Life of a Poem by Michael Schmidt - 78
158. The Lantern Men: A Ruth Galloway Mystery by Elly Griffiths - 79
159. The National Geographic Guide to Birding in North America (Great Courses) by James Currie - 80
160. Hangman's Holiday (Lord Peter Wimsey) by Dorothy L. Sayers - 81
161. Raisins and Almonds (Phryne Fisher #9) by Kerry Greenwood - 83
162. Becoming Duchess Goldblatt: A Memoir by Anonymous - 84
163. The biblical book of Isaiah - 89
164. The Last Wish (The Witcher) by Andrzej Sapkowski - 90
165. Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson - 91

The books I read in October:

166. If It Bleeds by Stephen King - 93
167. Yes, I Can Say That: When They Come For the Comedians, We Are All in Trouble by Judy Gold - 94
168. #Sad!: Doonesbury in the Time of Trump by G. B. Trudeau - 95
169. Murder Must Advertise (Lord Peter Wimsey) (1001 Books #214) by Dorothy L. Sayers - 99
170. The biblical book of Jeremiah - 101
171. The biblical book of Lamentations - 103
172. A Very Punchable Face: A Memoir by Colin Jost - 104
173. Myth in Human History (Great Courses DVD) by Grant L. Voth - 107
174. The Soup & Bread Cookbook: More Than 100 Seasonal Pairings for Simple, Satisfying Meals by Beatrice Ojakangas - 110

The books I read in November:

175. Edna St. Vincent Millay: Selected Poems ed. J. D. McClatchy - 111
176. Doctor Who: The Highlanders (audiobook) by Edward J. Mason - 112
177. Trickster: Native American Tales, a Graphic Collection by Matt Dembicki - 113
178. Rag Rugs by Ann Davies - 116
179. Nine Tailors (Lord Peter Wimsey) by Dorothy L. Sayers - 117
180. The Writer's Library: The Authors You Love on the Books That Changed Their Lives by Nancy Pearl and Jeff Schwager - 118
181. Asterix Omnibus 1 by Rene Goscinny - 120
182. Doctor Who: Galaxy Four by William Emms - 121
183. Doctor Who: The Myth Makers - 122
184. Asterix Omnibus 3 by Rene Goscinny - 123
185. Death Before Wicket (Phryne Fisher #10) by Kerry Greenwood - 127
186. Wild Symphony by Dan Brown - 129
187. Asterix Omnibus 4 by Rene Goscinny - 130
188. Asterix Omnibus 5 by Rene Goscinny - 131
189. Doctor Who: The Dalek's Master Plan by Terry Nation - 132
190. Doctor Who: The Massacre by John Lucarotti - 133
191. Asterix Omnibus 8 by Rene Goscinny - 134
192. Doctor Who: The Savages by Ian Stuart Black - 136
193. William Shakespeare: The Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies (Great Courses) by Peter Saccio - 137
194. Corduroy by Don Freeman - 138
195. American Crisis: Leadership Lessons for the Cofid-19 Pandemic by Andrew Cuomo - 139
196. Doctor Who: The Smugglers by Brian Hayles - 140
197. The Moment of Tenderness by Madeleine L'Engle - 141
198. Asterix Omnibus 2 by Rene Goscinny - 144
199. Asterix Omnibus 9 by Albert Uderzo - 149
200. The Hidden Lives of Owls: The Science and Spirit of Nature's Most Elusive Birds by Leigh Calvez - 149
201. Asterix Omnibus 11 by Albert Uderzo - 152

The books I read in December:

202. Humans by Brandon Stanton - 153
203. The biblical book of Ezekiel - 154
204. Disloyal: A Memoir: The True Story of the Former Personal Attorney to President Donald J. Trump - 160
205. Doctor Who and the Abominable Snowmen (audio transcript) by Terrence Dicks - 161
206. The biblical book of Daniel - 164
207. Doctor Who and the Ice Warriors (audio transcript) by Brian Hayles - 165
208. Gaudy Night (Lord Peter Wimsey #12) by Dorothy L Sayers - 166
209. Doctor Who: Fury from the Deep (audio transcript) by Victor Pemberton - 167
210. Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad by Ann L. Petry - 168
211. Doctor Who: The Wheel in Space (audio transcript) by David Whitaker - 170
212. Doctor Who: The Space Pirates (audio transcript) by Robert Holmes - 171
213. Mueller Report Graphic Novel, Volume 1 by Barbara Slate - 172
214. Wolf Island: Discovering the Secrets of a Mythic Animal - 173
215. Lewser!: More Doonesbury in the Time of Trump by G. B. Trudeau - 174
216. Asterix Omnibus 6 by Rene Goscinny - 175
217. Asterix Omnibus 10 by Albert Uderzo - 176
218. The Atlas of Holy Places and Sacred Sites by Colin Wilson - 180
219. A Thief of Time by Tony Hillerman - 181
220. The biblical books known as the Minor Prophets - 184
221. An Uncommon Reader: A Novella by Alan Bennett - 185
222. Midwinter Murder: Fireside Tales from the Queen of Mystery by Agatha Christie - 191
223. Hercule Poirot's Christmas by Agatha Christie - 192
224. Busman's Honeymoon: A Love Story with Detective Interruptions (Lord Peter Wimsey #13) by Dorothy L. Sayers - 193
225. How to Raise an Elephant (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #21) by Alexander McCall Smith - 196

Here is where I'll list the authors selected for the 2020 American Authors Challenge, the books I will read, and if I complete them (here's hoping!)

2020 AAC

January: Charles Frazier: Nightwoods - Completed
February: Grace Paley: Again - Completed
March: David McCullough:
April: Francine Prose:
May: E. Lynn Harris: What Becomes of the Broken-Hearted - Completed
June: Jean Stafford:
July: Wendell Berry: New Collected Poems - Completed
August: Robert Penn Warren - All the King's Men - not finished
September: Dawn Powell - My Home is Far Away - not finished
October: Ward Just - will not read this month
November: Ann Petry - Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad - Completed
December: Tony Hillerman - A Thief of Time - Completed

Great Courses (24) I have done:

The Celtic World by Jennifer Paxton -- 24 lectures, 12 hours
History of the Ancient World: A Global Perspective by Gregory S. Aldrete -- 36 lectures, 18 hours
Art Across the Ages by Ori Z. Soltes -- 48 lectures, 24 hours
King Arthur: History and Legend by Dorsey Armstrong -- 24 llectures, 12 hours
Meteorology: Introduction to the Wonders of the Weather by Robert G. Fovell -- 24 lectures, 12 hours
The Medieval World by Dorsey Armstrong -- 36 lectures, 18 hours
Museum Masterpieces: The Louvre by Richard Brettell -- 12 lectures, 6 hours
Big History: The Big Bang, Life on Earth, and the Rise of Humanity by David Christian -- 48 lectures, 24 hours
30 Masterpieces of the Ancient World by Diana K. McDonald -- 36 lectures, 18 hours
History's Greatest Voyages of Exploration by Vejas Gabriel Liulievicius -- 24 lectures, 12 hours
A Field Guide to the Planets by Sabine Stanley -- 24 lectures, 12 hours
The Higgs Boson and Beyond by Sean Carroll -- 12 lectures, 6 hours
English in America: A Linguistic History by Natalie Schilling - 12 lectures, 6 hours
Classical Mythology by Elizabeth Vandiver -- 24 lectures, 12 hours
World's Greatest Paintings by William Kloss -- 24 lectures, 12 hours
Experiencing Hubble: Understanding the Greatest Images of the Universe by David M. Meyer -- 12 lectures, 6 hours
Everyday Gourmet: Essential Secrets of Spices in Cooking by Bill Briwa -- 6 lectures, 3 hours
The Life and Death of Stars by Keivan G. Stassun -- 24 lectures, 12 hours
Ancient Civilizations of North America by Edwin Barnhart -- 24 lectures, 12 hours
Understanding the Old Testament by Robert D. Miller II -- 24 lectures, 12 hours
The Great Tours: Experiencing Medieval Europe by Kenneth Bartlett -- 24 lectures, 12 hours
The National Geographic Guide to Birding in North America by James Currie -- 24 lectures, 12 hours
Myth in Human History by Grant L. Voth -- 36 lectures, 18 hours
William Shakespeare: The Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies by Peter Saccio -- 36 lectures, 18 hours

My 2003 "Books Read" list (casually kept, and probably incomplete): http://librata.blogspot.com/2012/04/karens-2003-reading-list.html
My 2004 "Books Read" list (see above caveats: things get better!):
http://librata.blogspot.com/2012/04/karens-2004-reading-list.html
My 2005 "Books Read" list (most pathetic list yet): http://librata.blogspot.com/2012/04/karens-2005-reading-list.html
My 2006 "Books Read" list : http://librata.blogspot.com/2012/04/karens-2006-reading-list.htm
My 2007 "Books Read" list : http://librata.blogspot.com/2012/04/karens-2007-reading-list.html
My 2008 "Books Read" list : http://librata.blogspot.com/2012/04/karens-2008-reading-list.html
My 2009 "Books Read" list : http://librata.blogspot.com/2012/04/karens-2009-reading-list.html
My 2010 "Books Read" list : http://librata.blogspot.com/2012/04/karens-2010-reading-list.html

Here is a link to my last thread from 2011: http://www.librarything.com/topic/122919

Here is a link to my last thread from 2012: http://www.librarything.com/topic/138897

Here is a link to my last thread from 2013:
http://www.librarything.com/topic/156012

Here is a link to my thread from 2014: http://www.librarything.com/topic/163564

Here is a link to my thread from 2015: https://www.librarything.com/topic/186139

Here is a link to my thread from 2016: http://www.librarything.com/topic/211096

Here is a link to my last thread from 2017: http://www.librarything.com/topic/268142#

Here is a link to my last thread from 2018: https://www.librarything.com/topic/298557

Here is a link to my one-and-only thread from 2019 (it's a long one!): https://www.librarything.com/topic/301738

Good reading to you!

I do a weekly "reading roundup," and here is last week's issue. I'll have a new one tomorrow.

Thursday Reading Roundup!

Why I do this "Round Up": Because I rely on libraries so much for my reading (yay, libraries!), what I'm reading at any given time changes often, and changes quickly (even more so now with Covid19 running the game)! NEWS: My library is taking another step towards normality, and using the three-week checkout again. No more basically open-ended checkouts!

Karen's current reading (6/25/2020):

Actively reading:

Murder at the Victoria Docks (Miss Fisher #3) by Kerry Greenwood
Where the Animals Go: Tracking Wildlife with Technology in 50 Maps and Graphics by James Cheshire
Gilgamesh: The Life of a Poem by Michael Schmidt (bought this one for myself)
The Sacrament by Olafur Johann Olafsson
The Talented Mr. Varg by Alexander McCall Smith
Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton (reread because I loved it so much!)
The Room Where It Happened by John Bolton (a love/hate thing)

For May AAC (E. Lynn Harris) (!), I am finishing up What Becomes of the Broken-Hearted (a memoir)

My current Great Course(s): I am cycling through four courses, reading/watching three lectures per day. I love the variation in topics! Others are waiting for the "Planets" so I'll concentrate on finishing that one first, then go back to cycling through.

***"A Field Guide to the Planets" -- 9 of 24 completed
"The Higgs Boson and Beyond" -- 9 of 12 completed
"Classical Mythology" -- 9 of 24 completed
"The World's Greatest Paintings" -- 9 of 24 completed

Reading through the Hebrew Bible: Finished Proverbs, on to Ecclesiastes (Qoholet) and Song of Solomon.

Not-So-Time-Sensitive-But-Still (so, these are readily available to me although I might not be reading them quite yet; these are library books):

Children's Bible: A Novel by Lydia Millet
Primal Myths: Creation Myths Around the World by Barbara C. Sproul
Thinking Inside the Box: Adventures With Crosswords and the Puzzling People Who Can't Live Without Them by Adrienne Raphel
Canticle for Liebowitz by Walter M. Miller
Earthrise: How Man First Saw the Earth by Robert K. Poole
Five Red Herrings by Dorothy L. Sayers (for July)
Swede Hollow: A Novel by Ola Larsmo: book type exceptionally small and cramped; got my own ebook, so I can adjust it and make it readable
We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry
Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear
Divine and Human and Other Stories by Leo Tolstoy
Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate: Discoveries from A Secret World by Peter Hohlleben
If It Bleeds by Stephen King

Books that I need to wait for again (other people waiting for, so giving up my turn):

This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
Simon the Fiddler by Paulette Jiles
The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich

Happy new thread!

>3 Dejah_Thoris: Thanks! I squeaked through with one thread last year (it was very large!) but my old one was getting a little clunky. I'll catch up with you on my journey through the threads later on...

Thanks for visiting!

>4 klobrien2: You're welcome! I broke down and started a new thread two days ago, so I definitely understand.

116. The Higgs Boson and Beyond (Great Courses DVD) by Sean M. Carroll



Great introduction to particle physics and the world of the Higgs Boson. I am not by any means a scientist yet I was able to understand a majority of what Prof. Carroll presented (I think!). The course presented the science, but also the history behind the development of particle physics, and it was done with great graphics and humor.

I will continue on at some point with the science courses, but now I get to treat myself with my other two current courses, dealing with classical mythology and great paintings. Phew!

Happy new thread, Karen!

117. The Green Mill Murder (Phryne Fisher #5) by Kerry Greenwood



Fun, compelling story featuring both a Melbourne jazz club and the Australian bush--the "Australian Alps." Miss Fisher is once again adventurous and heroic. And these books are small and concise.

>8 klobrien2: I am very fond of all the Phryne books - it's always nice to find someone else enjoying them!

Happy new thread! Sean Carroll is definitely good at explaining physics. I have several of his works on general relativity - really good stuff, though one needs a bit more of a math background than I have to really get it.

>9 Dejah_Thoris: Hi, Dejah! This last one, Green Mill Murder, was especially fun as it got into a little more of Australia-ana (?), especially with Phryne flying her little plane over the mountains to a remote part of the Outback. She is such a hero!

They're definitely not a difficult read, but so cozy and fun!

>10 drneutron: Hi, Doc! I'm not surprised to hear that you think Sean Carroll is good at explaining physics--I was pleased at how much I could --kinda-- grasp, at least in the big picture. As far as the math, he commented a couple of times that one could leave the complex math calculations to one's TA!

I took courage from doing this course, and have a few other science Great Courses on their way to me. My library doesn't have Carroll's Dark Matter course, unfortunately.

Thanks for stopping by to chat!

Thursday Reading Roundup!

Why I do this "Round Up": Because I rely on libraries so much for my reading (yay, libraries!), what I'm reading at any given time changes often, and changes quickly (even more so now with Covid19 running the game)!

Karen's current reading (7/2/2020):

Actively reading:

Children's Bible: A Novel by Lydia Millet
Blood and Circuses (Miss Fisher #6) by Kerry Greenwood
Five Red Herrings by Dorothy L. Sayers
Gilgamesh: The Life of a Poem by Michael Schmidt (bought this one for myself)
The Sacrament by Olafur Johann Olafsson
Divine and Human and Other Stories by Leo Tolstoy
Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton (reread because I loved it so much!)
The Room Where It Happened by John Bolton (a love/hate thing)

For July AAC (Wendell Berry), I am reading New Collected Poems by Wendell Berry

My current Great Course(s): I am cycling through two courses, reading/watching three lectures per day. I love the variation in topics!

"Classical Mythology" -- 12 of 24 completed
"The World's Greatest Paintings" -- 9 of 24 completed

Reading through the Hebrew Bible: Finished Proverbs, on to Ecclesiastes (Qoholet) and Song of Solomon.

Not-So-Time-Sensitive-But-Still (so, these are readily available to me although I might not be reading them quite yet; mostly library books, some are my own):

Simon the Fiddler by Paulette Jiles
Primal Myths: Creation Myths Around the World by Barbara C. Sproul
Thinking Inside the Box: Adventures With Crosswords and the Puzzling People Who Can't Live Without Them by Adrienne Raphel
Canticle for Liebowitz by Walter M. Miller
Earthrise: How Man First Saw the Earth by Robert K. Poole
Swede Hollow: A Novel by Ola Larsmo: book type exceptionally small and cramped; got my own ebook, so I can adjust it and make it readable
We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry
Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear
Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate: Discoveries from A Secret World by Peter Hohlleben
If It Bleeds by Stephen King

Books that I need to wait for again (other people waiting for, so giving up my turn):

This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich

Happy new thread, Karen.

I hope that the second half of the year is globally kinder to all of us.

118. What Becomes of the Broken-Hearted: A Memoir by E. Lynn Harris



I read this for the May? American Author Challenge. I'd never even heard of the author, let alone read anything by him. I'm glad I read this book, and hope to read some of Harris's fiction in the future.

Harris has a very nice writing style, and I really admire his truthfulness and his ability to share the more painful episodes of his growing up and self-discovery.

Another reason I'm glad to have finished this book is that every time I'd see the cover, I'd start singing the song (Jimmy Ruffin). Ha! Great song, but such an earworm!

119. How to Babysit a Grandma by Jean Reagan



Lovely entry in this lovely series!

In this difficult year with an unprecedented pandemic and where the ills of the past intrude sadly upon the present there must still be room for positivity. Be rightly proud of your country. To all my American friends, enjoy your 4th of July weekend.

Hi Karen and happy new thread!

From your previous thread I can understand the appreciation of synchronicity - the Megatherium Trust mentioned in Sayers and Phryne Fisher.

>13 klobrien2: Lots of good reads going. I really need to buy Hollow Kingdom and re-read it. I borrowed it from the library and loved it so much I gave it to a friend, also named Karen, for Christmas.

Hi, Paul and Karen! Thanks for stopping by to chat!

120. A Children's Bible: A Novel by Lydia Millet



Loved this book, which reads like a parable or a warning. It also reads to me like a future classic of the post-apocalyptic coming of age novel with a lot of generational conflict thrown in. Many heroes, many villains, and sometimes it's not so clear-cut.

This isn't a lengthy novel; every incident, every word is needed and there is no fluff. Finalist for the Pulitzer, and I understand why.

I highly recommend!

121. I Can Make This Promise by Christine Day



I scoot forward in my seat and ask, "Where exactly is Indianola?"

"Suquamish territory," Mom answers. "Across the water from here."

"What's 'Suquamish'?"

Who we are. Where we're from.

These two sentences steal my breath.

122. The biblical book of Ecclesiastes (Qoholet)

Using Robert Alter's multi-volume The Hebrew Bible: A Translation with Commentary.

Alter calls Ecclesiastes "in some ways the most peculiar book of the Hebrew Bible." Qoholet is a "literary persona of a radical philosopher articulating...a powerful dissent from the mainline wisdom outlook."

"Ephemerality of life, flimsiness of human value, and the ineluctable fate of death" "Subversive skepticism throughout."

The author has a an interest in weighing antithetical propositions--"movement of Qoholet's thought is freewheeling and associative."

Beginning of the book, a prose-poem about the cyclical futility of all things.

Then, autobiographical section.

Then, pronouncements on life.

Finally, a haunting poem on mortality.

Common phrase - "herding the wind."

Chapter 3 is the classic "everything has a season."

Thursday Reading Roundup!

Why I do this "Round Up": Because I rely on libraries so much for my reading (yay, libraries!), what I'm reading at any given time changes often, and changes quickly (even more so now with Covid19 running the game)!

Karen's current reading (7/9/2020):

Actively reading:

Five Red Herrings by Dorothy L. Sayers
Gilgamesh: The Life of a Poem by Michael Schmidt (bought this one for myself)
The Sacrament by Olafur Johann Olafsson
Divine and Human and Other Stories by Leo Tolstoy
Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton (reread because I loved it so much!)
The Room Where It Happened by John Bolton (a love/hate thing)

For July AAC (Wendell Berry), I am reading New Collected Poems by Wendell Berry

My current Great Course(s): I am cycling through four courses, reading/watching three lectures per day. I love the variation in topics!

"Classical Mythology" -- 15 of 24 completed
"The World's Greatest Paintings" -- 15 of 24 completed
"The Life and Death of Stars" -- 3 of 24 completed
"English in America: A Linguistic History -- 3 of 12 completed

Reading through the Hebrew Bible: Finished Ecclesiastes (Qoholet), on to Song of Solomon and then Isaiah.

Not-So-Time-Sensitive-But-Still (so, these are readily available to me although I might not be reading them quite yet; mostly library books, some are my own):

Blood and Circuses (Miss Fisher #6) by Kerry Greenwood
Simon the Fiddler by Paulette Jiles
The End of October by Lawrence Wright
The Book of Barely Imagined Beings: A 21st Century Bestiary by Caspar Henderson
Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey
The Art of Her Deal: The Untold Story of Melania Trump by Mary Jordan
Thinking Inside the Box: Adventures With Crosswords and the Puzzling People Who Can't Live Without Them by Adrienne Raphel
Earthrise: How Man First Saw the Earth by Robert K. Poole
We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry
Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear
Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate: Discoveries from A Secret World by Peter Hohlleben
If It Bleeds by Stephen King

Books that I need to wait for again (other people waiting for, so giving up my turn):

This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich
Canticle for Liebowitz by Walter M. Miller

123. Jumanji 30th Anniversary Edition by Chris Van Allsburg

124. The biblical book of Song of Songs (aka Song of Solomon)

Using Robert Alter's multi-volume The Hebrew Bible: A Translation with Commentary.

According to Alter, this book "stands out in its striking distinctiveness" to other books of the Bible. Delicate yet frank sensuality of the celebration of young love without reference to God or covenant or Torah.

Its erotic nature was a challenge to the framers of the canon. Early on, they tried to read the book as an allegory of the relationship between God and Israel.

Possibly written 4th century BCE.

Uses the biblical poetry convention of parallelism, but looser. Metaphors drawn from animal kingdom and architecture.

Revels in the pleasures of all five senses.

A real treat to read!

Hi Karen!

>24 klobrien2: We loved the Jumanji movie with Robin Williams.

Congrats on your continued read of The Hebrew Bible.

>26 karenmarie: Hi Karen!

I liked the Robin Williams movie; the book includes an audio CD of him reading the book! It was great to hear his voice again.

I also like the new movies, not much related to the original book (!) but a lot of fun.

Thanks for stopping by!

125. English in America: A Linguistic History by Natalie Schilling



An interesting topic, and the course was quite informative. It was enlightening for me to understand different "flavors" of American English as their own languages and dialects.

126. Five Red Herrings by Dorothy L. Sayers



Overall, I liked this book just fine (once I was finished with it). While I was reading though, is another story. Some very maddening features--overmuch use of train timetables as a plot device, Scots dialect dialogue (Och, ay!), and a cast of seemingly thousands made this one kind of a problematic read. I wouldn't recommend it, unless you are someone who wants to read all of the books.

Thursday (well, Friday) Reading Roundup!

Why I do this "Round Up": Because I rely on libraries so much for my reading (yay, libraries!), what I'm reading at any given time changes often, and changes quickly (even more so now with Covid19 running the game)!

Karen's current reading (7/17/2020):

Actively reading:

Wow, No Thank You (Samantha Irby)
Too much and Never Enough (Mary Trump)
Gilgamesh: The Life of a Poem by Michael Schmidt (bought this one for myself)
Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton (reread because I loved it so much!)
The Room Where It Happened by John Bolton (a love/hate thing)
The Art of Her Deal: The Untold Story of Melania Trump by Mary Jordan

For July AAC (Wendell Berry), I am reading New Collected Poems by Wendell Berry

My current Great Course(s): I am cycling through five courses, reading/watching three lectures per day. I love the variation in topics! I will concentrate on the first two right now, as I'm so near to completing them.

"Classical Mythology" -- 18 of 24 completed
"The World's Greatest Paintings" -- 18 of 24 completed
"The Life and Death of Stars" -- 9 of 24 completed
"Ancient Civilizations of North America" -- 0 of 24 completed
"Experiencing Hubble: Understanding the Greatest Images of the Universe" -- 0 of 12

Reading through the Hebrew Bible: Finished Song of Songs; now on to Isaiah (a kind of hefty book).

Not-So-Time-Sensitive-But-Still (so, these are readily available to me although I might not be reading them quite yet; mostly library books, some are my own):

The Oresteia by Aeschylus
The Sacrament by Olafur Johann Olafsson
Divine and Human and Other Stories by Leo Tolstoy
Blood and Circuses (Miss Fisher #6) by Kerry Greenwood
The Book of Barely Imagined Beings: A 21st Century Bestiary by Caspar Henderson
Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey
Thinking Inside the Box: Adventures With Crosswords and the Puzzling People Who Can't Live Without Them by Adrienne Raphel
Earthrise: How Man First Saw the Earth by Robert K. Poole
We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry
Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear
Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate: Discoveries from A Secret World by Peter Hohlleben
If It Bleeds by Stephen King

Books that I need to wait for again (other people waiting for, so giving up my turn):

This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich
Canticle for Liebowitz by Walter M. Miller
Simon the Fiddler by Paulette Jiles
The End of October by Lawrence Wright

127. Great Courses: Classical Mythology by Elizabeth Vandiver



Definitely my "cuppa"! Prof. Vandiver is an excellent speaker, and the whirlwind tour through Greek, and then Roman mythology is so interesting to me. I collected a few other books along the way (supplementary reading): Apollodorus's Library of Greek Mythology, Hesiod's Theogony, and I've got Oresteia by Aeschylus home from the library. Great fun!

128. Great Courses: World's Greatest Paintings by William Kloss



A plethora of wonderful paintings, taught (for the most part) three at a time. Usually there was some theme or style to link the three paintings in the subset. Very enjoyable; learned a lot!

I am following up on Winslow Homer: pretty much new to me, and I really like his style.

129. Blood and Circuses (Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries Book 6) by Kerry Greenwood



Fun thriller set in an Australian circus!

Thursday Reading Roundup!

Why I do this "Round Up": Because I rely on libraries so much for my reading (yay, libraries!), what I'm reading at any given time changes often, and changes quickly (even more so now with Covid19 running the game)!

Karen's current reading (7/23/2020):

Actively reading:

Wow, No Thank You (Samantha Irby)
Too much and Never Enough (Mary Trump)
Gilgamesh: The Life of a Poem by Michael Schmidt (bought this one for myself)
Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton (reread because I loved it so much!)
The Room Where It Happened by John Bolton (a love/hate thing)
The Art of Her Deal: The Untold Story of Melania Trump by Mary Jordan
Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas

For July AAC (Wendell Berry), I am reading New Collected Poems by Wendell Berry
For August AAC (Robert Penn Werren), I will read All the King's Men

My current Great Course(s): I am cycling through multiple courses, reading/watching three lectures per day. I love the variation in topics!

"The Life and Death of Stars" -- 12 of 24 completed
"Ancient Civilizations of North America" -- 3 of 24 completed
"Experiencing Hubble: Understanding the Greatest Images of the Universe" -- 3 of 12

Reading through the Hebrew Bible: Finished Song of Songs; now on to Isaiah (a kind of hefty book).

Not-So-Time-Sensitive-But-Still-Want-to-Get-to-Them (so, these are readily available to me although I might not be reading them quite yet; mostly library books, some are my own):

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
The Oresteia by Aeschylus
The Sacrament by Olafur Johann Olafsson
Divine and Human and Other Stories by Leo Tolstoy
The Book of Barely Imagined Beings: A 21st Century Bestiary by Caspar Henderson
Earthrise: How Man First Saw the Earth by Robert K. Poole
Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear
Have His Carcase by Dorothy L. Sayers
If It Bleeds by Stephen King

Books that I need to wait for again (other people waiting for, so giving up my turn):

This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich
Canticle for Liebowitz by Walter M. Miller
Simon the Fiddler by Paulette Jiles
The End of October by Lawrence Wright
Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey

130. The Art of Her Deal: The Untold Story of Melania Trump by Mary Jordan



Well-written, though a little patchy in spots (Donald and Melania were broken up and then, all of a sudden, they're getting married!). It seems that the two Trumps are like two peas in a pod.

I seem to be reading a few Trump-related books right now. I'm also working on Too Much and Never Enough and The Room Where It Happened. I think I just want to know and understand this hot mess that is our current government.

131. Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man by Mary L. Trump



No wonder Trump is the way he is. What a dysfunctional family from hell, especially the paterfamilias, Fred.

Although such a dark topic, Mary Trump is a good writer, and the book chronicles a family's history, and a part of American history. Worth reading.

132. Winslow Homer by Nicolai Cikovsky

Thursday Reading Roundup!

Why I do this "Round Up": Because I rely on libraries so much for my reading (yay, libraries!), what I'm reading at any given time changes often, and changes quickly (even more so now with Covid19 running the game)!

Karen's current reading (7/30/2020):

Actively reading:

Wow, No Thank You (Samantha Irby)
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
Gilgamesh: The Life of a Poem by Michael Schmidt
Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton (reread)
Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas
The End of October by Lawrence Wright

For July AAC (Wendell Berry), I am reading New Collected Poems by Wendell Berry
For August AAC (Robert Penn Werren), I will read All the King's Men

My current Great Course(s): I am cycling through multiple courses, reading/watching three lectures per day. I love the variation in topics!

"The Life and Death of Stars" -- 15 of 24 completed
"Ancient Civilizations of North America" -- 9 of 24 completed
"Experiencing Hubble: Understanding the Greatest Images of the Universe" -- 9 of 12
"Everyday Cooking: Essential Secrets of Spices in Cooking" (mmm!) -- 3 of 6

Reading through the Hebrew Bible: Finished Song of Songs; now on to Isaiah (a kind of hefty book).

Not-So-Time-Sensitive-But-Still-Want-to-Get-to-Them (so, these are readily available to me although I might not be reading them quite yet; mostly library books, some are my own):

The Sacrament by Olafur Johann Olafsson
Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear
Have His Carcase by Dorothy L. Sayers
If It Bleeds by Stephen King
The Room Where It Happened by John Bolton (can only stand to read a few pages at one time!)

Books that I need to wait for again (other people waiting for, so giving up my turn):

This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich
Canticle for Liebowitz by Walter M. Miller
Simon the Fiddler by Paulette Jiles
Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey

133. Experiencing Hubble: Understanding the Greatest Images of the Universe by David M. Meyer



Totally enjoyable Great Course; lots of great images and excellent tutelage by David Meyer. Meyer has such great knowledge of the subject area and is quite adept at explaining difficult concepts. He's also shows a strong love of science and scientific principles as well as a great sense of humor. I really liked his Chicago-area accent!

134. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card



We'd recently watched the movie version of Ender's Game, so I decided to give the book a go. Very glad that I did, because the book is richer and more involved (of course). Looks like I'm hooked on another series!

135. The Everyday Gourmet: Essential Secrets of Spices in Cooking by Bill Briwa



Don't know what I was expecting with this Great Course, but I was quite pleased with it. Great introduction to some spices and how different world cultures use them in cooking, AND a great bit of cooking demonstration by a top-notch chef and teacher. Lots of fun!

136. Snow White: A Tale from the Grimm Brothers by Jakob Grimm, ill. Charles Santore



Lovely illustrations, tale sweetly told.

137. Dumpty: The Age of Trump in Verse by John Lithgow



Wonderful little book of poems and excellent drawings by Lithgow. This reads like the first history book to sum up the four-year reign of 45. Lithgow is really funny, uses words so well, and is an excellent artist. Highly recommend this one!

Here's one of my favorites:

A Liberal's Complaint

Sean Hannity,
Sean Hannity,
You tidal wave of vanity!

You media profanity!
Purveying rank inanity
That verges on insanity!

You gross albino manatee!
With zero class, urbanity,
Bearing, nay humanity!

Your head is full of granity!
Your brain is mashed bananity!
You're such a horse's fannity!

Grow up! And be a mannity!
Or find another planet-y!
Sean Hannity.

Hi Karen!

>29 klobrien2: I read The Five Red Herrings last year only because I had a personal goal to read all of Sayers’ detective fiction again- I’d read all her novels and most of the short stories at least once. So, I had to include TFRH for completeness’ sake. I agree with all your criticisms and even though I plan on reading her novels again at some point, never again TFRH.

I read Mary Trump’s book, really see no reason to read Melania’s, and saw John Lithgow read a couple of his Trump Poems on Stephen Colbert, I think. Thanks for sharing A Liberal’s Complaint.

I hope you’re doing well during the profanity, inanity, and insanity that have become 2020.

Happy Newish Thread, Karen!

Like you, I've enjoyed those Phryne Fisher mysteries, which I started reading after liking the Australian tv series.

Kudos to you for having the stomach to read about Trump; I can't read the serious books - the thought alone gets me angry. :-)

But humor is another thing - I love that Lithgow Sean Hannity poem, and now I have to check out his whole "Age of Trump" book. Thanks for reading and reviewing it.

>44 karenmarie: Hi, Karen! Yeah, the Melania book is pretty sad; she and Donald are quite a pair. The book I'm struggling to get read (can't read more than a few pages at a time) is the John Bolton book. He is not a likable character, and he's writing about other unlikable characters.

>45 jnwelch: Hi, Joe! The John Lithgow book is great. Hope you like it!

Thanks to both of you for stopping by to chat!

Thursday Reading Roundup!

Why I do this "Round Up": Because I rely on libraries so much for my reading (yay, libraries!), what I'm reading at any given time changes often, and changes quickly (even more so now with Covid19 running the game)!

Karen's current reading (8/6/2020):

Actively reading:

Wow, No Thank You (Samantha Irby) Almost finished!
Gilgamesh: The Life of a Poem by Michael Schmidt
Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton (reread) Almost finished with this one, too!
Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas
Have His Carcase by Dorothy L. Sayers
The End of October by Lawrence Wright

For July AAC (Wendell Berry), I am reading New Collected Poems by Wendell Berry
For August AAC (Robert Penn Warren), I will read All the King's Men

My current Great Course(s): I am cycling through multiple courses, reading/watching three lectures per day. I love the variation in topics!

"The Life and Death of Stars" -- 21 of 24 completed
"Ancient Civilizations of North America" -- 15 of 24 completed
“Great Tours: Experiencing Medieval Europe” – 0 of 24 completed
“The Real History of Secret Societies” – 0 of 24 completed
“Understanding the Old Testament” – 0 of 24 completed

Reading through the Hebrew Bible: Reading Isaiah (a kind of hefty book in more than one way). Had neglected this for a while; now, I’m several chapters in.

Not-So-Time-Sensitive-But-Still-Want-to-Get-to-Them (so, these are readily available to me although I might not be reading them quite yet; mostly library books, some are my own):

The Sacrament by Olafur Johann Olafsson
Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear
If It Bleeds by Stephen King
The Room Where It Happened by John Bolton (can only stand to read a few pages at one time!)
Canticle for Liebowitz by Walter M. Miller
Simon the Fiddler by Paulette Jiles

Books that I need to wait for again (other people waiting for, so giving up my turn):

This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey

138. The Life and Death of Stars (Great Courses) by Keivan G. Stassun



Interesting and informative look at the life cycle of stars.

139. Wow, No Thank You: Essays by Samantha Irby



Very funny, very smart, very well-written! Irby is so down-to-earth, hilariously funny. She is quite outspoken, not afraid to use a few rough terms, so be aware, and stay away if you're squeamish.

I've read her third book, We Are Never Meeting in Real Life and loved it; now I have her FIRST book, Meaty: Essays and I'm ready to cue that up.

140. Hubble: A Journey Through Space and Time by Edward Weiler



Wonderful photographs of the best of Hubble! It was great to recapitulate my introduction to Hubble and the stellar lifecycle that I've had through my recent Great Courses. A real treat for the eyes and the heart.

"Equipped with his five senses, man explores the universe around him and calls the adventure Science." (Edwin P. Hubble)

141. Ancient Civilizations of North America (Great Courses DVD) by Edwin Barnhart



Really interesting topic, pretty much new to me. Barnhart is a fine lecturer, with lots of hands-on experience and a nice sense of humor as well as sensitivity to the topic. His Texas accent is really pretty charming (he sounds a lot like Sheldon on Big Bang Theory (ha!)) DVD has closed captioning! Yay!

He's got other Great Courses at my library that sound interesting, so I will probably be seeing more of him.

142. Deep Space: Beyond the Solar System to the Edge of the Universe and the Beginning of Time by Govert Schilling



Okay, I think I've had enough space and astronomy reading now to last me for a bit. I enjoy it so much--blows my mind and expands my imagination and so pretty to look at!

This large book is chock full of beautiful images of stars and space-related phenomena. Just gorgeous!

143. New Collected Poems by Wendell Berry (touchstone not working)



I really enjoyed this collection of poems by Wendell Berry. He writes a lot of the natural world, but more from a farmer's viewpoint than Mary Oliver or the like. In fact, there is a character named "Mad Farmer" whose poems appear in various collections.

There is humor, there are poems of sadness, poems of love, and generations, and growing old. There are, also, especially in the older collections, poems of a crotchety old man, and those poems left me cold. But they are easily skimmed over!

Here are a few of my favorites (the first is why I read this collection in the first place):

The Peace of Wild Things

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children's lives might be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

Three Elegiac Poems (this is "III")

He goes free of the earth.
The sun of his last day sets
clear in the sweetness of his liberty.

The earth recovers from his dying,
the hallow of his life remaining
in all his death leaves.

Radiances know him. Grown lighter
than breath, he is set free
in our remembering. Grown brighter

than vision, he goes dark
into the life of the hill
that holds his peace.

He is hidden among all that is,
and cannot be lost

A Warning to My Readers

Do not think me gentle
because I speak in praise
of gentleness, or elegant
because I honor the grace
that keeps this world. I am
a man crude as any,
gross of speech, intolerant,
stubborn, angry, full
of fists and furies. That I
may have spoken well
at times, is not natural.
A wonder is what it is.

(me: Perfect!)

Thursday Reading Roundup!

Why I do this "Round Up": Because I rely on libraries so much for my reading (yay, libraries!), what I'm reading at any given time changes often, and changes quickly (even more so now with Covid19 running the game)!

Karen's current reading (8/13/2020):

Actively reading:

Gilgamesh: The Life of a Poem by Michael Schmidt
Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton (reread) Almost finished with this one, too!
Have His Carcase by Dorothy L. Sayers
The End of October by Lawrence Wright
The Geometry of Holding Hands by Alexander McCall Smith
Ruddy Gore (Miss Fisher) by Kerry Greenwood
Simon the Fiddler by Paulette Jiles

For August AAC (Robert Penn Warren), I will read All the King's Men

My current Great Course(s): I am cycling through multiple courses, reading/watching three lectures per day. I love the variation in topics! Starting three all-new-to-me courses this week.

“Great Tours: Experiencing Medieval Europe” – 3 of 24 completed
“Understanding the Old Testament” – 3 of 24 completed
"Guide to Birding in North America" - 3 of 24 completed

Reading through the Hebrew Bible: Reading Isaiah (a kind of hefty book in more than one way). Had neglected this for a while; now, I’m several chapters in.

Not-So-Time-Sensitive-But-Still-Want-to-Get-to-Them (so, these are readily available to me although I might not be reading them quite yet; mostly library books, some are my own):

The Sacrament by Olafur Johann Olafsson
Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear
If It Bleeds by Stephen King
The Room Where It Happened by John Bolton (can only stand to read a few pages at one time!)
Canticle for Liebowitz by Walter M. Miller
Meaty by Samantha Irby
Hidden Lives of Owls by Leigh Calvez
Gaia by James Lovelock
Pathfinders by Filipe Fernandez-Armesto
Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen
Me, Cheetah: My Life in Hollywood by Cheetah (as told to James Lever)
A Very Stable Genius by Philip Rucker
Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan

Books that I need to wait for again (other people waiting for, so giving up my turn):
This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey
Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas

144. Antiracist Baby by Ibram X. Kendi



Well-written book with lovely, fun illustrations. Very timely and educational message.

145. Ruddy Gore (Phryne Fisher #7) by Kerry Greenwood



Really nice Phryne Fisher mystery: this time, a production of Gilbert and Sullivan "Ruddigore" is being staged, and there are murders (including a thirty-year old one) and Phryne, of course, is thick in the middle of it. Some description of the Chinese immigrant experience in Australia--Greenwood doesn't hesitate to show the dark side of Australian history.

146. Understanding the Old Testament (Great Courses (Great Courses DVD) by Robert D. Miller II



Excellent presentation of the topic. The instructor is amazing: clear, witty, well-spoken, so fun to listen to. An amazing amount of information, and it fit in so well with the thru-the-Hebrew-Bible reading that i am doing. I had to power through this one (I had to have it back to the library), but it really wasn't too hard to do. Captions! Lovely little black and white reproductions of biblical scenes in the book; color in the DVD. Top-notch!

147. Hollow Kingdom: A Novel by Kira Jean Buxton



A reread for me and I love this book as much this time as the first time. So ingenious, so funny, so heart-breaking and powerful in warning.

I was so hoping that Buxton was writing again, but I haven't seen anything yet. I won't give up hope!

Thursday (well, Friday) Reading Roundup!

Why I do this "Round Up": Because I rely on libraries so much for my reading (yay, libraries!), what I'm reading at any given time changes often, and changes quickly (even more so now with Covid19 running the game)!

Karen's current reading (8/21/2020):

Actively reading:

Gilgamesh: The Life of a Poem by Michael Schmidt
Have His Carcase by Dorothy L. Sayers
The End of October by Lawrence Wright
The Geometry of Holding Hands by Alexander McCall Smith
Simon the Fiddler by Paulette Jiles

For August AAC (Robert Penn Warren), I will read All the King's Men

My current Great Course(s): I am cycling through multiple courses, reading/watching three lectures per day. I love the variation in topics! Here's what I've got right now:

“Great Tours: Experiencing Medieval Europe” – 6 of 24 completed
"Guide to Birding in North America" - 6 of 24 completed

Reading through the Hebrew Bible: Reading Isaiah (a kind of hefty book in more than one way). Had neglected this for a while; now, I’m several chapters in.

Not-So-Time-Sensitive-But-Still-Want-to-Get-to-Them (so, these are readily available to me although I might not be reading them quite yet; mostly library books, some are my own):

Book of Eels by Patrick Svensson
Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas
The Sacrament by Olafur Johann Olafsson
Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear
If It Bleeds by Stephen King
The Room Where It Happened by John Bolton (can only stand to read a few pages at one time!)
Meaty by Samantha Irby
Hidden Lives of Owls by Leigh Calvez
Gaia by James Lovelock
Pathfinders by Filipe Fernandez-Armesto
Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen
Me, Cheetah: My Life in Hollywood by Cheetah (as told to James Lever)
A Very Stable Genius by Philip Rucker
Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan

Books that I need to wait for again (other people waiting for, so giving up my turn):
This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey
Canticle for Liebowitz by Walter M. Miller

>41 klobrien2: - Oh, I am taking a BB for that one! My other half and I have been using this pandemic to do as much scratch cooking as possible. This looks like a lovely book to get acquainted with spices we don't typically use and would love to incorporate into our meals.

>60 lkernagh: The Everyday Gourmet Great Course was wonderful! You can get as involved as you want with it -- just read and watch (like I did) or go shopping for the spices, and even cook the wonderful recipes. And it's like a global tour of cuisines. I hope you get a chance to take it in, and that you like it as much as I did, if you do!

Thanks for stopping by to chat!

Thursday Reading Roundup!

Why I do this "Round Up": Because I rely on libraries so much for my reading (yay, libraries!), what I'm reading at any given time changes often, and changes quickly (even more so now with Covid19 running the game)! I'm so embarrassed to not have completed any reading this week, but I sure have been reading! I should be actually finishing some up tout-de-suite...

Karen's current reading (8/27/2020):

Actively reading:

The Geometry of Holding Hands by Alexander McCall Smith -- at p 102 of 223
Gilgamesh: The Life of a Poem by Michael Schmidt -- at p. 57 of 171
Have His Carcase by Dorothy L. Sayers -- at p. 241 of 437
Book of Eels by Patrick Svensson -- at p. 83 of 235
Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas -- at p. 101 of 232
The End of October by Lawrence Wright -- at p. 41 of 380
Simon the Fiddler by Paulette Jiles -- at p. 41 of 294
Urn Burial by Kerry Greenwood -- at p. 19 of 171
The Room Where It Happened by John Bolton (can only stand to read a few pages at one time!) -- at p. 37 of 620 (at this rate, I'll still be reading this when T-rump is long gone)
A Very Stable Genius by Philip Rucker -- at p. 45 of 453 (see above)

For August AAC (Robert Penn Warren), I will read All the King's Men -- at p. 18 of 436

My current Great Course(s): I am cycling through multiple courses, reading/watching three lectures per day. I love the variation in topics! Here's what I've got right now:

“Great Tours: Experiencing Medieval Europe” – 9 of 24 completed
"Guide to Birding in North America" - 9 of 24 completed

Reading through the Hebrew Bible: Reading Isaiah (a kind of hefty book in more than one way). On chapter 11.

Not-So-Time-Sensitive-But-Still-Want-to-Get-to-Them (so, these are readily available to me although I might not be reading them quite yet; mostly library books, some are my own):

The Sacrament by Olafur Johann Olafsson
Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear
If It Bleeds by Stephen King
Meaty by Samantha Irby
Hidden Lives of Owls by Leigh Calvez
Gaia by James Lovelock
Pathfinders by Filipe Fernandez-Armesto
Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen
Me, Cheetah: My Life in Hollywood by Cheetah (as told to James Lever)
A For Andromeda: A Novel of the Future by Fred Hoyle
The Last Wish (The Witcher) by Andrzeg Sapkowski
The Moment of Tenderness by Madeline L'Engle
New Cthulhu: The Recent Weird

Books that I need to wait for again (other people waiting for, so giving up my turn):
This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey
Canticle for Liebowitz by Walter M. Miller
Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan

148. Have His Carcase (Lord Peter Wimsey) by Dorothy L. Sayers



Really liked this one, with its host of sleazy characters and the wonderful Lord Peter and Harriet Vane.

149. The Geometry of Holding Hands by Alexander McCall Smith



One of my favorite "Isabel" books, and I really like the "Isabel" books!

The author is so good at the still, small voice showing us true love and friendship. Here's an example:

In a few weeks' time the solstice would be with them, that perfect moment between what had been and what was to come. it would barely get dark then at these northern latitudes, even at midnight; now the sun was still painting the roofs golden at eight o'clock, a gentle presence, a visitor to a Scotland that was more accustomed to short days and wind and drifting, omnipresent rain. And yet was so beautiful, thought Isabel; so beautiful as to break the heart.

Hi Karen!

>57 klobrien2: I'd love to watch this but our Library doesn't have it.

>62 klobrien2: Our Library does have The Book of Eels, and I'm going to order it for curbside service pickup. It sounds fascinating.

>65 karenmarie: Hi, Karen!

I'm finishing up The Book of Eels} right now, and it is fascinating. The author mixes chapters of personal experience with eels (mostly eeling tripes with his father) and more scholarly history/literature/whatever. I still get the creepy-crawlies when reading about them, though! (not a rare response, I guess).

Thanks for stopping by!

150. The Book of Eels: Our Enduring Fascination with the Most Mysterious Creature in the Natural World by Patrik Svensson



One of my favorite sorts of book: a mixture of natural science, history of science, personal observations, and a theme that ties everything together.

The author alternates chapters with the scientific bits in with chapters of more personal history, the history of his father and him, in search of the elusive eels in the Swedish countryside.

Although the topic of "eels" is well-covered, Svensson discusses so much more, as illustrated by one of my favorite passages:

From this we can learn that time is unreliable company and that no matter how slowly the seconds tick by, life is over in the blink of an eye: we are born with a home and heritage and we do everything we can to free ourselves from this fate, and maybe we even succeed, but soon enough, we realize we have no choice but to travel back to where we came from, and if we can't get there, we're never really finished, and there we are, in the light of our sudden epiphany, feeling like we've lived our whole lives at the bottom of a dark well, with no idea who we really are, and then suddenly, one day, it's too late.

151. American Gods Volume 1: Shadows (Graphic Novel) by Neil Gaiman



This was a reread for me; I wanted to read it before going on to the second and third books in the series. I loved the book then, and it has kept its reading joy for me. So well done, and the story is magnificent in the first place. Terrific reading enjoyment!

152. Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas



Such an eerie and discombobulating book. Is this real? Is it fantasy? Very much a gothic setting, but there is much reminiscent of "college days" and university life. Definitely recommended.

Thursday Reading Roundup!

Why I do this "Round Up": Because I rely on libraries so much for my reading (yay, libraries!), what I'm reading at any given time changes often, and changes quickly.

Karen's current reading (9/3/2020):

Actively reading:

Lantern Men by Elly Griffiths -- at p. 30 of 355
Gilgamesh: The Life of a Poem by Michael Schmidt -- at p. 57 of 171
The End of October by Lawrence Wright -- at p. 41 of 380
Simon the Fiddler by Paulette Jiles -- at p. 41 of 294
Urn Burial by Kerry Greenwood -- at p. 19 of 171
Me, Cheetah: My Life in Hollywood by Cheetah (as told to James Lever)
The Room Where It Happened by John Bolton (can only stand to read a few pages at one time!) -- at p. 37 of 620 (at this rate, I'll still be reading this when T-rump is long gone)
A Very Stable Genius by Philip Rucker -- at p. 45 of 453 (see above)

For August AAC (Robert Penn Warren), I will read All the King's Men -- at p. 18 of 436
For September AAC (Dawn Powell), I will read ??

My current Great Course(s): I am cycling through multiple courses, reading/watching three lectures per day. I love the variation in topics! Here's what I've got right now:
“Great Tours: Experiencing Medieval Europe” – 16 of 24 completed
"Guide to Birding in North America" - 9 of 24 completed
"Understanding the Quantum World" - 0 of 24 completed

Reading through the Hebrew Bible: Reading Isaiah (a kind of hefty book in more than one way). Through chapter 20.

Not-So-Time-Sensitive-But-Still-Want-to-Get-to-Them (so, these are readily available to me although I might not be reading them quite yet; mostly library books, some are my own):
The Sacrament by Olafur Johann Olafsson
Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear
If It Bleeds by Stephen King
Hidden Lives of Owls by Leigh Calvez
Gaia by James Lovelock
Pathfinders by Filipe Fernandez-Armesto
Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen
A For Andromeda: A Novel of the Future by Fred Hoyle
The Last Wish (The Witcher) by Andrzeg Sapkowski
The Moment of Tenderness by Madeline L'Engle
New Cthulhu: The Recent Weird

Books that I need to wait for again (other people waiting for, so giving up my turn):
This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
Canticle for Liebowitz by Walter M. Miller

>67 klobrien2: Congratulations on reaching 2 x 75, Karen!

>71 FAMeulstee: Thanks!

153. American Gods Volume 2: My Ainsel (Graphic Novel) by Neil Gaiman



Just as good as the first book. The watercolor issue covers are breathtaking.

154. American Gods Volume 3: The Moment of the Storm (Graphic Novel) by Neil Gaiman



Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. Consistently good illustration and, of course, the story is terrific. Reading them as a set was definitely the way to go.

155. Urn Burial (Phryne Fisher #8) by Kerry Greenwood



Another great Phryne Fisher. One of my favorite things about reading these books is learning more about Australia--its physical settings, its history, its peoples.

This book was set near the Buchan Caves, and the Snowy River (one of the few natural features that I've heard of, see "Man From Showy River.")

The plot was a little weak, especially near the end, but the emphasis on the sometimes harsh Australian countryside was vivid.

156.The Great Tours: Experiencing Medieval Europe (Great Courses DVD) by Kenneth Bartlett



Excellent course of European cities with special emphasis on Medieval aspects of architecture and history. Such a treat, to feel like I was traveling to all of these beautiful cities, at a time when any travel at all is difficult if not impossible. The instructor is personable and knowledgeable, and he has a nice sense of humor to boot.

Thursday Reading Roundup!

Why I do this "Round Up": Because I rely on libraries so much for my reading (yay, libraries!), what I'm reading at any given time changes often, and changes quickly.

Karen's current reading (9/10/2020):

Actively reading:

Lantern Men by Elly Griffiths -- at p. 65 of 355
Gilgamesh: The Life of a Poem by Michael Schmidt -- at p. 87 of 171
The End of October by Lawrence Wright -- at p. 41 of 380
Simon the Fiddler by Paulette Jiles -- at p. 41 of 294
Me, Cheetah: My Life in Hollywood by Cheetah (as told to James Lever)
The Room Where It Happened by John Bolton (can only stand to read a few pages at one time!) -- at p. 37 of 620 (at this rate, I'll still be reading this when T-rump is long gone)
A Very Stable Genius by Philip Rucker -- at p. 57 of 453 (see above)
Hangman's Holiday by Dorothy L. Sayers -- (pp 250 to 420 in the collection I'm reading, I've read 25 of 170)
Becoming Duchess Goldblatt by Anonymous -- at p. 17 of 221
Raisins and Almonds by Kerry Greenwood -- at p. 0 of 191
The Last Wish (The Witcher) by Andrzeg Sapkowski -- at p. 62 of 247

For August AAC (Robert Penn Warren), I will read All the King's Men -- at p. 41 of 436
For September AAC (Dawn Powell), I will read My Home is Far Away (waiting for the library)

My current Great Course(s): I am cycling through multiple courses, reading/watching three lectures per day. I love the variation in topics! Here's what I've got right now:
"Guide to Birding in North America" - 18 of 24 completed
"Understanding the Quantum World" - 0 of 24 completed
New Course!: William Shakespeare: Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies - 0 of 36 completed

Reading through the Hebrew Bible: Reading Isaiah (a kind of hefty book in more than one way). Through chapter 20.

Not-So-Time-Sensitive-But-Still-Want-to-Get-to-Them (so, these are readily available to me although I might not be reading them quite yet; mostly library books, some are my own):
The Sacrament by Olafur Johann Olafsson
If It Bleeds by Stephen King
Hidden Lives of Owls by Leigh Calvez
Gaia by James Lovelock
Pathfinders by Filipe Fernandez-Armesto
Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen
A For Andromeda: A Novel of the Future by Fred Hoyle
New Cthulhu: The Recent Weird

Books that I need to wait for again (other people waiting for, so giving up my turn):
This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
Canticle for Liebowitz by Walter M. Miller
The Moment of Tenderness by Madeline L'Engle

157. Gilgamesh: The Life of a Poem by Michael Schmidt



I'd read Gilgamesh before, but this little book is a wonderful introduction to the history of its discovery, its translation, and its meaning in so many different contexts. The story comes alive when one comes at it from different directions, and from different points of view.

I originally got this book because the Oriental Institute was sponsoring a group read. I wasn't able to participate in that, but I did get to read the book!

158. The Lantern Men: A Ruth Galloway Mystery by Elly Griffiths



Quality Griffiths, again! This is the 12th book in the series, and this is one of my favorites. Elly's daughter is growing up, and is a delight. Great to read about the beloved characters, and to encounter some not-so-lovely characters.

159. The National Geographic Guide to Birding in North America (DVD Great Courses) by James Currie



Excellent course in birding! This will be a great place to start, if I proceed any further with the vague notion of "I should start birding!" Helpful sections on gear (scopes, binoculars, cameras). The instructor was great, had a lovely South African accent, but captions were provided (yay!) if there was any doubt as to what he was saying.

This course has sparked an interest for me; we've watched "The Big Year," I've got the book it was based on from the library, and I have a few other bird books waiting to be read. Just read my first "Audobon" magazine, as well. Fun!

160. Hangman's Holiday (Lord Peter Wimsey) by Dorothy L. Sayers



Sweet little collection of short stories: Lord Peter Wimsey, Montagu Egg, and a few miscellaneous stories. Nice change of pace from the longer novel versions!

Thursday Reading Roundup!

Why I do this "Round Up": Because I rely on libraries so much for my reading (yay, libraries!), what I'm reading at any given time changes often, and changes quickly.

Karen's current reading (9/17/2020):

Actively reading:

If It Bleeds by Stephen King -- at p. 70 of 339
The End of October by Lawrence Wright -- at p. 41 of 380
Simon the Fiddler by Paulette Jiles -- at p. 41 of 294
Me, Cheetah: My Life in Hollywood by Cheetah (as told to James Lever)
The Room Where It Happened by John Bolton -- at p. 39 of 620
A Very Stable Genius by Philip Rucker -- at p. 85 of 453
Becoming Duchess Goldblatt by Anonymous -- at p. 26 of 221
Raisins and Almonds by Kerry Greenwood -- at p. 26 of 191
The Last Wish (The Witcher) by Andrzeg Sapkowski -- at p. 74 of 247
The Highest Tide by Jim Lynch
The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession by Mark Obmascik

For August AAC (Robert Penn Warren), I will read All the King's Men -- at p. 41 of 436
For September AAC (Dawn Powell), I will read My Home is Far Away -- at p. 13 of 313

My current Great Course(s):
New Course!: William Shakespeare: Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies - 3 of 36 completed

Reading through the Hebrew Bible: Reading Isaiah (a kind of hefty book in more than one way). Through chapter 40.

Not-So-Time-Sensitive-But-Still-Want-to-Get-to-Them (so, these are readily available to me although I might not be reading them quite yet; mostly library books, some are my own):
The Sacrament by Olafur Johann Olafsson
Hidden Lives of Owls by Leigh Calvez
Gaia by James Lovelock
Pathfinders by Filipe Fernandez-Armesto
Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen
A For Andromeda: A Novel of the Future by Fred Hoyle
New Cthulhu: The Recent Weird

Books that I need to wait for again (other people waiting for, so giving up my turn):
This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
Canticle for Liebowitz by Walter M. Miller
The Moment of Tenderness by Madeline L'Engle

161. Raisins and Almonds (Phryne Fisher #9) by Kerry Greenwood



This Phryne Fisher stuck to Melbourne for its locale, but dealt with another of the more exotic ethnicities represented here--the Jewish diaspora to Australia. Topics of Zionism, Kabbalah, Jewish life in general, and of course, a new love interest for Phryne.

162. Becoming Duchess Goldblatt by Anonymous



From the book cover: Part memoir and part joyful romp through the fields of imagination, the story behind a beloved pseudonymous Twitter personality reveals how a woman deep in grief rebuilt a life worth living.

I hadn't heard of Duchess Goldblatt prior to catching a review in a magazine. Now, I fell like I've known her forever.

Here's one of my favorite passages: But in truth, I had only been asking people to play along with me to try to fill up my empty hours. Duchess would always find some way to get people to respond to her, usually at times that were hardest for me: the middle of the night, big holidays, Sundays, dates that had special meaning to me. Duchess cam to life to save me, and I wasn't writing her for anybody but myself.

The author is an excellent writer, and it seems that having to conform to the 140-character format of Twitter has made her a succinct and lovely writer. This need for no wasted words is seen clearly in the book.

Hi Karen!

>67 klobrien2: I liked your review and was intrigued enough to get the Book of Eels from the Library. I finished it two days ago and loved it.

>85 karenmarie: that's great! I thought it was such a nice mixture of science and personal reminiscence. So glad you liked it!

Thanks for stopping by!

I've discovered a new passion--getting magazines from the library! I subscribe to a few here at home: "The Week," "Martha Stewart Living," "Christianity Today" (after the previous editor published exactly what he thought about tRump), and the AARP magazine. But my library has hundreds of magazines! All ready for me to check out!

So here's my current list, subject to change:

Audobon
Bon Appetit
Mad
Lake Superior
Archeology
Wired
Fons and Porter's Love of Quilting
McCall's Quilting
Minnesota Monthly
Vanity Fair
Smithsonian

Just loving the variety and flexibility of reading magazines from the library (and the lack of expense!)

Thursday Reading Roundup Time!

Why I do this "Round Up": Because I rely on libraries so much for my reading (yay, libraries!), what I'm reading at any given time changes often, and changes quickly.

Karen's current reading (9/24/2020):

Actively reading:

If It Bleeds by Stephen King -- at p. 70 of 339
The End of October by Lawrence Wright -- at p. 41 of 380
Simon the Fiddler by Paulette Jiles -- at p. 41 of 294
Me, Cheetah: My Life in Hollywood by Cheetah (as told to James Lever) --
The Room Where It Happened by John Bolton -- at p. 39 of 620
A Very Stable Genius by Philip Rucker -- at p. 85 of 453
The Last Wish (The Witcher) by Andrzeg Sapkowski -- at p. 110 of 247
The Highest Tide by Jim Lynch
The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession by Mark Obmascik
The Sacrament by Olafur Johann Olafsson
Hidden Lives of Owls by Leigh Calvez
Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell
Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson
Dreyer's English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style by Benjamin Dreyer

For August AAC (Robert Penn Warren), I will read All the King's Men -- at p. 41 of 436
For September AAC (Dawn Powell), I will read My Home is Far Away -- at p. 13 of 313

My current Great Course(s):
William Shakespeare: Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies - 6 of 36 completed
Myth in Human History - 6 of 36 completed

Reading through the Hebrew Bible: Finally finished Isaiah!! Now on to Jeremiah.

Not-So-Time-Sensitive-But-Still-Want-to-Get-to-Them (so, these are readily available to me although I might not be reading them quite yet; mostly library books, some are my own):
Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen
A For Andromeda: A Novel of the Future by Fred Hoyle
New Cthulhu: The Recent Weird
The Highest Tide by Jim Lynch
The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession by Mark Obmascik
Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep by H. G. Parry
We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry
The Great Influenza by John M. Barry
Murder Must Advertise by Dorothy L. Sayers
Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
Death Before Wicket by Kerry Greenwood

Books that I need to wait for again (other people waiting for, so giving up my turn):
This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
Canticle for Liebowitz by Walter M. Miller
The Moment of Tenderness by Madeline L'Engle

163. The biblical book of Isaiah

Using Robert Alter's multi-volume The Hebrew Bible: A Translation with Commentary.

Alter says that the book of Isaiah presents a challenge to modern readers. The book is apparently written by a number of authors and editors, and scholars have identified three "Isaiah"s.

First Isaiah (son of Amoz) wrote his part in the 730s BCE to 701 BCE. "Vehement castigations of social and economic injustices in Judahite society and of a corrupt and drunken ruling class, as well as the excoriation of paganizing practices." (wow!) What's bewildering with First Isaiah is that his prophecies are mingled with a lot of other prophecies by other hands, from later periods.

Chs. 1-39 is mostly Isaiah, son of Amoz (First Isaiah)
Chs. 40-55 is a prophet of the Babylonian exile (Second Isaiah)
Chs. 56-66 is a post-exilic (5th century BCE) prophet (Third Isaiah)

The book of Isaiah is mostly poetry. The theological reason for the form of poetry is that it is elevated speech. The pragmatic reason for using poetry is that poetry is memorable (easily memorized).

164. The Last Wish: Introducing the Witcher (The Witcher #1) by Andrzej Sapkowski



Great new-to-me series, one which I am involved with, both watching the TV show and now, reading the books.

I found this book imaginative, funny, and heart-breakingly sad in parts. Such great characters!

165. Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson



Beautiful prose "realistic fiction" about a boy and his father. Father is a famous and talented football player, towards the end of his career suffering the effects of CTE brain damage, and disappearing from the lives of family and friends.

Here's one of my favorite passages:

"Dreams"

You ever had a dream that shook you awake?
And even then you still believed it was true?

Last night I dreamed I was a quarterback
running behind my dad
and he was there on the field, pushing players
out of my way.

I had the ball and was running like if I wanted to
I could lift off
and fly.

And in front of me, my dad just kept taking the hits,
keeping me safe
making sure I touched that ball down.

I wake up still hugging the ball, only my arms were
empty, pressed against my chest.

In the dream, my dad's helmet had cracked in two.

And I kept saying to him Be safe, Daddy. Daddy, be safe.

But he just kept on running.
Kept on tackling.
Kept on going.

For me.

For me.

For me.

Thursday Reading Roundup Time!

Why I do this "Round Up": Because I rely on libraries so much for my reading (yay, libraries!), what I'm reading at any given time changes often, and changes quickly.

Karen's current reading (10/01/2020):

Actively reading:

Hidden Lives of Owls by Leigh Calvez -- p. 25 of 202
Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell -- p. 26 of 305
Yes, I Can Say That by Judy Gold -- p. 40 of 212
If It Bleeds by Stephen King -- at p. 87 of 339
Murder Must Advertise by Dorothy L. Sayers -- 25 of 319
Death Before Wicket by Kerry Greenwood -- p. 18 of 208

For August AAC (Robert Penn Warren), I will read All the King's Men -- at p. 41 of 436
For September AAC (Dawn Powell), I will read My Home is Far Away -- at p. 13 of 313

My current Great Course(s):
William Shakespeare: Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies - 8 of 36 completed
Myth in Human History - 6 of 36 completed

Reading through the Hebrew Bible: Through Jeremiah 6.

Not-So-Time-Sensitive-But-Still-Want-to-Get-to-Them (so, these are readily available to me although I might not be reading them quite yet; mostly library books, some are my own):

The End of October by Lawrence Wright -- at p. 41 of 380
Simon the Fiddler by Paulette Jiles -- at p. 41 of 294
Me, Cheetah: My Life in Hollywood by Cheetah (as told to James Lever) --
The Room Where It Happened by John Bolton -- at p. 39 of 620
A Very Stable Genius by Philip Rucker -- at p. 85 of 453
The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession by Mark Obmascik
The Sacrament by Olafur Johann Olafsson
Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen
A For Andromeda: A Novel of the Future by Fred Hoyle
New Cthulhu: The Recent Weird
The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession by Mark Obmascik
We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry
Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Books that I need to wait for again (other people waiting for, so giving up my turn):
This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
Canticle for Liebowitz by Walter M. Miller
The Moment of Tenderness by Madeline L'Engle
The Great Influenza by John M. Barry

166. If It Bleeds by Stephen King



Tasty Stephen King set of four novellas (they're longer in length than short stories, but my husband reminds me that Stephen King is known for his lengthy tomes, especially early in his career.

Really liked them all, especially the eponymous "If It Bleeds," which features Holly Gibney from the Mr Mercedes trilogy. I really, really hope there are more Gibney's on the way.

167. Yes, I Can Say That: When They Come for the Comedians, We Are All in Trouble by Judy Gold



Freedom of speech, especially as relates to comedians. Excellent, compelling essay, very timely in our current political miasma. Gold is a great writer, organized and effective.

168. #SAD!: Doonesbury in the Time of Trump by G. B. Trudeau



Almost too sad to laugh about, but these comic masterpieces do help me to keep a balance, especially as the election nears.

Thursday Reading Roundup Time!

Why I do this "Round Up": Because I rely on libraries so much for my reading (yay, libraries!), what I'm reading at any given time changes often, and changes quickly.

Karen's current reading (10/08/2020):

Actively reading:

Hidden Lives of Owls by Leigh Calvez -- p. 48 of 202
Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell -- p. 26 of 305
Murder Must Advertise by Dorothy L. Sayers -- 95 of 319
Death Before Wicket by Kerry Greenwood -- p. 18 of 208
A Very Punchable Face by Colin Jost -- p.0 of 309

For August AAC (Robert Penn Warren), I will read All the King's Men -- at p. 41 of 436
For September AAC (Dawn Powell), I will read My Home is Far Away -- at p. 13 of 313

My current Great Course(s):
William Shakespeare: Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies - 12 of 36 completed
Myth in Human History - 12 of 36 completed

Reading through the Hebrew Bible: Through Jeremiah 21.

Not-So-Time-Sensitive-But-Still-Want-to-Get-to-Them (so, these are readily available to me although I might not be reading them quite yet; mostly library books, some are my own):

The End of October by Lawrence Wright -- at p. 41 of 380
Simon the Fiddler by Paulette Jiles -- at p. 41 of 294
Me, Cheetah: My Life in Hollywood by Cheetah (as told to James Lever) --
The Room Where It Happened by John Bolton -- at p. 39 of 620
A Very Stable Genius by Philip Rucker -- at p. 85 of 453
The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession by Mark Obmascik
The Sacrament by Olafur Johann Olafsson
Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen
A For Andromeda: A Novel of the Future by Fred Hoyle
New Cthulhu: The Recent Weird
The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession by Mark Obmascik
We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry
Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michelle Richardson -- at p. 0 of 290
Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan -- at p. 0 of 304
Anxious to Please
Tevye's Daughters
The Return of Hyman Kaplan

Books that I need to wait for again (other people waiting for, so giving up my turn):
This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
Canticle for Liebowitz by Walter M. Miller
The Moment of Tenderness by Madeline L'Engle
The Great Influenza by John M. Barry

Hi Karen! I hope this finds you well and staying safe.

>93 klobrien2: Intriguing. I’ve become more interested in novellas lately, love Stephen King, and especially love Holly Gibney. I’ll keep an eye out for it.

>95 klobrien2: I have read all three Trudeau Trump books this year. Sad but chuckle-worthy.

>96 klobrien2: The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession by Mark Obmascik is a wonderful read. I’ve read it twice now and even seen the movie, which ended up being quite tolerable.

>97 karenmarie: Hi Karen!

I hope you get a chance at If It Bleeds--I really liked it.

I'm sure I saw that you had read the Trudeau Trump books, and that's what is prompting me. Thanks for the heads-up!

Itching to get at The Big Year--but I have so many books ahead of it right now (I'm NOT complaining!) I saw the movie, too, and thought it was okay. Great cast, even the supporting characters.

Thanks for visiting! I always look forward to your posts!

169. Murder Must Advertise by Dorothy L. Sayers



Another lovely entry in the Lord Peter Wimsey series. Wimsey plays an advertising copywriter in disguise to discover the truth behind a murder. Sayers was a copywriter herself, and certainly evokes the office environment and culture here. The film version was pretty good, too!

p.s. And this book is on the list of 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die! I haven't been keeping up with this project, so it's been years since I've added to my list. I'm at 214 now! (2006 list).

Thursday Reading Roundup Time!

Why I do this "Round Up": Because I rely on libraries so much for my reading (yay, libraries!), what I'm reading at any given time changes often, and changes quickly.

Karen's current reading (10/15/2020):

Actively reading:

Hidden Lives of Owls by Leigh Calvez -- p. 48 of 202
Death Before Wicket by Kerry Greenwood -- p. 18 of 208
A Very Punchable Face by Colin Jost -- p. 26 of 309
The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession by Mark Obmascik
The Writer's Library by Nancy Pearl -- p. 26 of 286
Veritas -- p. 18 of 460
Selected Poems by Edna St. Vincent Millay

For August AAC (Robert Penn Warren), I will read All the King's Men -- at p. 41 of 436
For September AAC (Dawn Powell), I will read My Home is Far Away -- at p. 13 of 313

My current Great Course(s):
William Shakespeare: Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies - 18 of 36 completed
Myth in Human History - 18 of 36 completed

Reading through the Hebrew Bible: Through Jeremiah 33.

Not-So-Time-Sensitive-But-Still-Want-to-Get-to-Them (so, these are readily available to me although I might not be reading them quite yet; mostly library books, some are my own):

The End of October by Lawrence Wright -- at p. 41 of 380
Simon the Fiddler by Paulette Jiles -- at p. 41 of 294
Me, Cheetah: My Life in Hollywood by Cheetah (as told to James Lever) -- p. 10 of 302
The Sacrament by Olafur Johann Olafsson
A For Andromeda: A Novel of the Future by Fred Hoyle
We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry
Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michelle Richardson -- at p. 0 of 290
Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan -- at p. 0 of 304
Anxious to Please: 7 Revolutionary Practices for the Chronically Nice by James Rapson -- p. 0 of 226
Tevye's Daughters by Sholom Aleichem -- p.0 of 302
The Return of Hyman Kaplan by Leo Rosten -- p. 14 of 192
The Popol Vuh (tr. Michael Bazzeet)
The Prose Edda by Shori Stularson

170. The biblical book of Jeremiah

Using Robert Alter's multi-volume The Hebrew Bible: A Translation with Commentary.

Alter says that, of all the prophets, Jeremiah is the one who conveys to us the most vivid sense of the man behind the words. Jeremiah, a priest from Anathoth, was active from the 620s BCE until the destruction of Judah in 586 BCE.

His most repeated concern was Judah's whoring after strange gods and the devastation of the nation that this will bring about. Not a very popular figure; imprisoned more than once.

See origin of word "jeremiad" = "complaining tirade."

I really like the fellow: he's not afraid to speak what God told him to say.

Thursday Reading Roundup Time!

Why I do this "Round Up": Because I rely on libraries so much for my reading (yay, libraries!), what I'm reading at any given time changes often, and changes quickly.

Karen's current reading (10/22/2020):

Actively reading:

Hidden Lives of Owls by Leigh Calvez -- p. 48 of 202
Death Before Wicket by Kerry Greenwood -- p. 81 of 208
A Very Punchable Face by Colin Jost -- p. 158 of 309
The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession by Mark Obmascik -- p. 15 of 250
The Writer's Library: The Authors You Love on the Books That Changed Their Lives by Nancy Pearl and Jeff Schwager -- p. 26 of 286
Veritas: A Harvard Professor, a Con Man, and the Gospel of Jesus's Wife by Ariel Sabar -- p. 18 of 460
Selected Poems by Edna St. Vincent Millay

For August AAC (Robert Penn Warren), I will read All the King's Men -- at p. 41 of 436
For September AAC (Dawn Powell), I will read My Home is Far Away -- at p. 13 of 313

My current Great Course(s):
William Shakespeare: Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies - 18 of 36 completed
Myth in Human History - 24 of 36 completed

Reading through the Hebrew Bible: Finished Jeremiah; on to little Lamentations, then Ezekiel (one of my favorites).

Not-So-Time-Sensitive-But-Still-Want-to-Get-to-Them (so, these are readily available to me although I might not be reading them quite yet; mostly library books, some are my own):

The End of October by Lawrence Wright -- at p. 41 of 380
Simon the Fiddler by Paulette Jiles -- at p. 41 of 294
Me, Cheetah: My Life in Hollywood by Cheetah (as told to James Lever) -- p. 10 of 302
The Sacrament by Olafur Johann Olafsson
A For Andromeda: A Novel of the Future by Fred Hoyle
We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry
Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
Anxious to Please: 7 Revolutionary Practices for the Chronically Nice by James Rapson -- p. 0 of 226
Tevye's Daughters by Sholom Aleichem -- p.0 of 302
The Return of Hyman Kaplan by Leo Rosten -- p. 14 of 192
The Popol Vuh (tr. Michael Bazzeet)
The Prose Edda by Shori Stularson

171. The biblical book of Lamentations

Using Robert Alter's multi-volume The Hebrew Bible: A Translation with Commentary.

Safe to conclude that the book was composed in the immediate aftermath of the destruction of Judah in 586 BCE. The book's authorship has been attributed to Jeremiah, but that is not accepted by modern scholars. The book has a different style and form from the writing of Jeremiah.

Chapters 1-4 are alphabetic acrostics; chapter 3 is a triple acrostic; chapter 5 is NOT an acrostic, but has 22 lines (22 is the number of letters in the alphabet).

Why acrostics? Their format implies a listing of all the disasters that had befallen Judah? The elegist liked acrostics? It was a mnemonic to aid public recitation?

Alter calls Lamentations a "panorama of horror," but there is faith in the prospect of a restored order of justice.

172. A Very Punchable Face: A Memoir by Colin Jost



A very readable book, with humor and intelligence abounding. The author, besides being really funny, is quite a good writer, I think. Didn't want to put this one down.

What a great number of books you have read thus far this year. I want to add almost all. But, for now, I am so very happy to know that Jacqueline Woodson has a new book. I've read almost all of her books. She is incredible.
And, I've added What Becomes of the Brokenhearted to my tbr pile.

I will be back more often. For now, all good wishes.

Hi Karen!

I read Sacrament this year and gave it 4 stars.

173. Myth in Human History (Great Course DVD) by Grant L. Voth



Great course, great teacher. Units in the course: Myth Introduction, Creation Myths, Flood Myths, Myths of Cosmic Destruction, Greet and Norse Pantheons, The Goddess, Gods (Different Types), Hero Myths, Trickster Myths, Places of Myth. Lots of information, but teacher could only cover so much in the 36 lectures. He gave lots of references, and there is a nice bibliography.

>105 Whisper1: Nice to see you here! I too, really like Jacqueline Woodson! Hope you get a chance to read her newer book, and also the memoir from E. Lynn Harris.

>106 karenmarie: Yay for Sacrament! I will be focusing on this one very soon, and I'm glad to hear that you gave it four stars. As far as I have read (twenty pages or so) I am intrigued and compelled to keep going.

Thank you both for visiting and stopping to chat!

Thursday Reading Roundup Time!

Why I do this "Round Up": Because I rely on libraries so much for my reading (yay, libraries!), what I'm reading at any given time changes often, and changes quickly.

Karen's current reading (10/29/2020):

Actively reading:

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
Nine Tailors by Dorothy L. Sayers
Hidden Lives of Owls by Leigh Calvez -- p. 44 of 202
Death Before Wicket by Kerry Greenwood -- p. 81 of 208
The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession by Mark Obmascik -- p. 32 of 250
The Writer's Library: The Authors You Love on the Books That Changed Their Lives by Nancy Pearl and Jeff Schwager -- p. 26 of 286
Veritas: A Harvard Professor, a Con Man, and the Gospel of Jesus's Wife by Ariel Sabar -- p. 18 of 460
Selected Poems by Edna St. Vincent Millay

My current Great Course(s):
William Shakespeare: Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies - 18 of 36 completed
A History of European Art - 0 of 48 completed

Reading through the Hebrew Bible: Ezekiel (one of my favorites).

Not-So-Time-Sensitive-But-Still-Want-to-Get-to-Them (so, these are readily available to me although I might not be reading them quite yet; mostly library books, some are my own):

Simon the Fiddler by Paulette Jiles -- at p. 41 of 294
Me, Cheetah: My Life in Hollywood by Cheetah (as told to James Lever) -- p. 10 of 302
The Sacrament by Olafur Johann Olafsson
Anxious to Please: 7 Revolutionary Practices for the Chronically Nice by James Rapson -- p. 0 of 226
Tevye's Daughters by Sholom Aleichem -- p.0 of 302
The Return of Hyman Kaplan by Leo Rosten -- p. 14 of 192
The Popol Vuh (tr. Michael Bazzeet)
The Prose Edda by Shori Stularson
The Plague by Albert Camus
The Great Influenza by John M. Barry
Sword of Destiny by Andrzej Sapkowski
American Crisis by Andrew M. Cuomo
Final Draft: The Collected Work of David Carr

174. The Soup & Bread Cookbook: More Than 100 Seasonal Pairings for Simple, Satisfying Meals by Beatrice Ojakangas



Excellent read, wonderful basic instructions recipes for lots of good soups and breads! A true comfort read!

175. Edna St. Vincent Millay: Selected Poems ed. J. D. McClatchy



So, my favorite Millay poem was NOT in this collection, but here it is off of the Internet (poetryfoundation.org):

"Oh, oh, you will be sorry for that word!"
BY EDNA ST. VINCENT MILLAY

Oh, oh, you will be sorry for that word!
Give back my book and take my kiss instead.
Was it my enemy or my friend I heard,
“What a big book for such a little head!”
Come, I will show you now my newest hat,
And you may watch me purse my mouth and prink!
Oh, I shall love you still, and all of that.
I never again shall tell you what I think.
I shall be sweet and crafty, soft and sly;
You will not catch me reading any more:
I shall be called a wife to pattern by;
And some day when you knock and push the door,
Some sane day, not too bright and not too stormy,
I shall be gone, and you may whistle for me.

So, THIS collection...I liked it, but it seemed heavy to me, lots of poems about death and lost love. I just love Millay's writing, though, her love of language.

Here are two of my favorites, both from "Mine the Harvest":

From "Ragged Island":

The courage that my mother had
Went with her, and is with her still:
Rock from New England quarried;
Now granite in a granite hill.

The golden brooch my mother wore
She left behind for me to wear;
I have no thing I treasure more:
Yet, it is something I could spare.

Oh, if instead she'd left to me
The thing she took to the grave!--
That courage like a rock, which she
Has no more need of, and I have.

From "Sonnet in Dialectic":

It is the fashion now to wave aside
As tedious, obvious, vacuous, trivial, trite,
All things which do not tickle, tease, excite
To some subversion, or in verbiage hide
Intent, or mock, or with hot sauce provide
A dish to prick the thickened appetite;
Straightforwardness is wrong, evasion right;
It is correct, de rigueur, to deride.
What funny wits these modern wags expose,
For all their versatility: Voltaire,
Who wore to bed a night-cap, and would close,
In fear of drafts, all windows, could declare
In antique stuffiness, a phrase that blows
Still through men's smoky minds, and clears the air.

176. Doctor Who: The Highlanders by Gerry Davis



I am awaiting a bunch of audiobook transcriptions of classic Doctor Who video episodes which, unfortunately, fell victim to some overzealous archive cleaning back in the day.

I've decided to include my listens in my book totals: if they look like a duck or sound like a duck, right?

This was the first of the missing episodes for me, and it was a great one; I so wish the video was still available (Doctor Who (Patrick Traughton) in various disguises and speaking various accents, lots of action, Companion Polly getting to be a real action character). The audio was a great second, however.

177. Trickster: Native American Tales, a Graphic Collection ed. Matt Dembicki



Found this in following up to my Mythology Great Course. Wonderful stories about tricksters in the Native American mythology; lots of humor and wisdom. Real mixture of illustration and narrative styles within the stories. Beautiful book!

Hi Karen!

I started counting audiobooks quite a few years ago. Go for it. My RL book club (which hasn't met since March) always has 2-3 people who've listened to the book instead of read it and their knowledge of the book, thoughts, and opinions are just as good as paper-book reader knowledge, thoughts, and opinions.

Hi, Karen!

Audiobooks are a lot slower to get through, though. And I find my mind wandering sometimes with audio (well, I guess that can happen with paper books, too!:)

"Talk" to you later!

178. Rag Rugs (Contemporary Crafts) by Ann Davies



Interesting book of rag rug designs, methods, and examples.

179. Nine Tailors by Dorothy L. Sayers



Oh, I do love these Lord Peter Wimsey books! This must be number 11 in the series? No Harriet Vane in this one (boo!) but I think she will be back big time in the next one--Gaudy Night is basically her story.

With this read, I've matched my 2019 reading total! With two months to go! And this was a perfect book to hit this milestone. More later!



180. The Writer's Library: The Authors You Love on the Books That Changed Their Lives by Nancy Pearl and Jeff Schwager

A wonderful set of conversations between Pearl and Schwager and the authors they interview. Reading this book made me feel like I was listening in on the conversations, much as we do here at LT, but more orderly and deeper. Each author shares about their reading life, their writing journey, and each section is followed by a list of the books that were mentioned in the essay. Very easy to read this book a little at a time to more thoroughly digest the details. Highly recommend this one to any LT-er!

Thursday Reading Roundup Time!

Why I do this "Round Up": Because I rely on libraries so much for my reading (yay, libraries!), what I'm reading at any given time changes often, and changes quickly.

Karen's current reading (11/05/2020):

Actively reading:

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman -- p. 34 of 336
American Crisis by Andrew Cuomo -- p. 19 of 308
Hidden Lives of Owls by Leigh Calvez -- p. 44 of 202
Death Before Wicket by Kerry Greenwood -- p. 81 of 208
The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession by Mark Obmascik -- p. 32 of 250
The Plague by Albert Camus -- p. 32 of 266

My current Great Course(s):
William Shakespeare: Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies - 24 of 36 completed
A History of European Art - 0 of 48 completed

Reading through the Hebrew Bible: Ezekiel (one of my favorites).

Not-So-Time-Sensitive-But-Still-Want-to-Get-to-Them (so, these are readily available to me although I might not be reading them quite yet; mostly library books, some are my own):

Me, Cheetah: My Life in Hollywood by Cheetah (as told to James Lever) -- p. 10 of 302
The Sacrament by Olafur Johann Olafsson
Anxious to Please: 7 Revolutionary Practices for the Chronically Nice by James Rapson -- p. 0 of 226
Tevye's Daughters by Sholom Aleichem -- p.0 of 302
The Return of Hyman Kaplan by Leo Rosten -- p. 14 of 192
The Popol Vuh (tr. Michael Bazzeet)
The Prose Edda by Shori Stularson
Veritas: A Harvard Professor, a Con Man, and the Gospel of Jesus's Wife by Ariel Sabar -- p. 18 of 460
A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan

181. Asterix Omnibus 1 by Rene Goscinny



Time for some Asterix rereading! I love these graphic novels; they're funny and witty and historical (in a goofy way).

From Ffortsa's thread via Berly's thread:

POPSUGAR Bookclub. Great game for book lovers. The BBC believes most people will have read only 6 of the 100 books here.

Want to play? Copy this into your post. Look at the list and put an "👍" after those you have read.
80 for me!!

1 Pride and Prejudice- Jane Austen 👍
2 The Lord of the Rings -JRR Tolkien 👍
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte👍
4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling 👍
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee 👍
6 The Bible - The Torah 👍
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell 👍
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman 👍
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
11 Little Women - Louisa May Alcott👍
12 Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller 👍
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier 👍
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien 👍
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulkner
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger 👍
19 The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot👍
21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell 👍
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald👍
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25 The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams 👍
27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck👍
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll👍
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame 👍
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
34 Emma - Jane Austen👍
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38 Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne 👍
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell 👍
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown 👍
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez 👍
44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney👍
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins 👍
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy👍
48 The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood 👍
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding 👍
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel 👍
52 Dune - Frank Herbert 👍
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon👍
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens 👍
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley 👍
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime - Mark Haddon👍
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez 👍
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck 👍
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold 👍
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas 👍
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac 👍
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones's Diary - Helen Fielding 👍
69 Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville 👍
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens 👍
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker 👍
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses - James Joyce
76 The Inferno - Dante
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78 Germinal - Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80 Possession - AS Byatt
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens👍
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker 👍
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro👍
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert 👍
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte's Web - EB White 👍
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid BLYTON
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad 👍
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Eupery 👍
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks 👍
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams 👍
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole👍
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute 👍
97 The Three Musketeers - Aleandre Dumas 👍
98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare 👍
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl 👍
100 Gaudy Night - Dorothy Sayers👍

60 for me! I am woefully lacking in Dickens and Tolstoy.

182. Doctor Who: Galaxy Four by William Emms



I've decided to include my audiobook transcriptions of classic Doctor Who video episodes in my book totals: if they look like a duck or sound like a duck, right?

Galaxy Four featured the First Doctor, William Hartnell. I could hardly stand Hartnell in the video episodes, and the purely audio format highlights his whiney voicings even more so. However, it was an interesting plot, and not a difficult listen.

If you're not a completist, don't bother with this one.

183. Doctor Who: The Myth Makers by Donald Cotton



A Hartnell series, beginning of the third year. At the siege of Troy by the Greeks. Unending violence (surprising for Doctor Who). There are comic moments, but mostly battle and hollering (on the "con" side for audiobooks).

184. Asterix Omnibus 3 by Rene Goscinny



Fun read, as always.

Hi Karen!

>121 klobrien2: 49 for me, but I think there are a few flaws with it - The first Narnia AND the whole series, Hamlet And all of Shakespeare? I've also read 5 different books by authors in this list but not the one on the list. However, lists are fun so thank you for a lovely 10 minutes or so.

>125 karenmarie: Yes, I know about the limitations of the "test." These things make the rounds every once in while. Kind of fun to do, I guess.

Nice to see you here, as always!

185. Death Before Wicket (Phryne Fisher #10) by Kerry Greenwood



This was a sort strange mixture of woo-woo magic, pretty risque cavorting on the part of Phryne, cricket (!), and a new setting of Sydney. Not my favorite, but there might be a continuing role for a very nice archeology professor.

Thursday Reading Roundup Time!

Why I do this "Round Up": Because I rely on libraries so much for my reading (yay, libraries!), what I'm reading at any given time changes often, and changes quickly.

Karen's current reading (11/12/2020):

Actively reading:

American Crisis by Andrew Cuomo -- p. 49 of 308
Hidden Lives of Owls by Leigh Calvez -- p. 54 of 202
The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession by Mark Obmascik -- p. 32 of 250
The Plague by Albert Camus -- p. 32 of 266
Zoom for Dummies by Phil Simon
Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad by Ann L. Petry (November AAC)

My current Great Course(s):
William Shakespeare: Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies - 24 of 36 completed
A History of European Art - 6 of 48 completed

Reading through the Hebrew Bible: Ezekiel (one of my favorites).

Not-So-Time-Sensitive-But-Still-Want-to-Get-to-Them (so, these are readily available to me although I might not be reading them quite yet; mostly library books, some are my own):

The Moment of Tenderness by Madeleine L'Engle
The Lives of Edie Pritchard by Larry Watson
The Atlas of Holy Places and Sacred Sites by Colin Wilson
Me, Cheetah: My Life in Hollywood by Cheetah (as told to James Lever) -- p. 10 of 302
The Sacrament by Olafur Johann Olafsson
The Return of Hyman Kaplan by Leo Rosten -- p. 14 of 192
The Popol Vuh (tr. Michael Bazzeet)
The Prose Edda by Shori Stularson
Veritas: A Harvard Professor, a Con Man, and the Gospel of Jesus's Wife by Ariel Sabar -- p. 18 of 460
A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
Trickster Makes This World by Lewis Hyde
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers (Lord Peter Wimsey #12)
The Moviegoer by Walker Percy

186. Wild Symphony by Dan Brown



Fun, beautifully illustrated picture book about a symphony of both music and different types of critters. There is an app that goes along with the book, but I really didn't want to fuss with it (doesn't have a very high rating at the app store). Good read, fun concept, and nice writing from the author of Da Vinci Code, etc.

187. Asterix Omnibus 4 by Rene Goscinny

188. Asterix Omnibus 5 by Rene Goscinny

189. Doctor Who: The Daleks' Master Plan by Terry Nation

191. Asterix Omnibus 8

Thursday Reading Roundup Time!

Why I do this "Round Up": Because I rely on libraries so much for my reading (yay, libraries!), what I'm reading at any given time changes often, and changes quickly.

Karen's current reading (11/19/2020):

Actively reading:

American Crisis by Andrew Cuomo -- p. 156 of 308
Humans by Brandon Stanton -- p. 106 of 437
Hidden Lives of Owls by Leigh Calvez -- p. 86 of 202
The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession by Mark Obmascik -- p. 32 of 250
The Plague by Albert Camus -- p. 32 of 266
Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers (Lord Peter Wimsey #12) -- p. 77 of 461
Zoom for Dummies by Phil Simon
Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad by Ann L. Petry (November AAC) -- p. 39 of 252
The Moment of Tenderness by Madeleine L'Engle -- p. 69 of 215
The Lives of Edie Pritchard by Larry Watson -- p. 27 of 169
The Atlas of Holy Places and Sacred Sites by Colin Wilson -- p. 24 of 185

My current Great Course(s):
William Shakespeare: Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies - 30 of 36 completed
A History of European Art - 6 of 48 completed

Reading through the Hebrew Bible: Ezekiel (one of my favorites). Through chapter 4. Must get moving on this!

Not-So-Time-Sensitive-But-Still-Want-to-Get-to-Them (so, these are readily available to me although I might not be reading them quite yet; mostly library books, some are my own):

Me, Cheetah: My Life in Hollywood by Cheetah (as told to James Lever) -- p. 10 of 302
The Sacrament by Olafur Johann Olafsson
The Return of Hyman Kaplan by Leo Rosten -- p. 14 of 192
The Popol Vuh (tr. Michael Bazzeet)
The Prose Edda by Shori Stularson
Veritas: A Harvard Professor, a Con Man, and the Gospel of Jesus's Wife by Ariel Sabar -- p. 18 of 460
A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan -- p. 18 of 298
Trickster Makes This World by Lewis Hyde
The Secret History by Donna Tartt -- p. 16 of 481
The Memory of Skin by Russell Banks
The Moviegoer by Walker Percy
Between Them by Richard Ford

192. Doctor Who: The Savages by Ian Stuart Black

193. William Shakespeare: Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies (Great Courses) by Peter Saccio

194. Corduroy by Don Freeman



Classic children's book about identity and individual worth. And a cute little corduroy bear!

195. American Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the Covid-19 Pandemic by Andrew Cuomo



Excellent journal-format depiction of the first days of the Covid-19 crisis in New York State (and a bit of memoir writing from the governor). Clear and informational. Cuomo is a great writer, and what a compelling topic.

Here's a passage that stuck with me:

I said from day one that I couldn't do anything but what the people can do for themselves. I could give them facts, and I could be empowered by them, but I'm only their instrument. They are the ones who decided to listen to their better angels. They are the ones who decided to come together and support one another. They are the ones who decided to wear masks. They are the ones who decided to close down. They are the ones who agreed to socially distance. They are the ones who agreed to the phased reopening.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone. I plan to take a look at Cuomo's other books.

196. Doctor Who: The Smugglers by Brian Hayles

197. The Moment of Tenderness by Madeleine L'Engle

Hi, Karen.

I'm so glad to see you enjoyed the American Gods graphic adaptations. Me, too! And I don't know anyone else who has read them. I hope more people find these.

I've also enjoyed the Phryne Fisher mysteries (books and tv). There's a fun Australian follow-up tv series with her niece Peregrine, called something like "The Modern Miss Fisher's Mysteries".

You're another LTer inspiring to re-read some of the Lord Peter mysteries.

Witcher: can't wait for the second season. There's a graphic version of that I liked: The Witcher Omnibus. It captures some of the deadpan humor of the tv series.

>141 klobrien2: Hi, Joe! Hope you're having a nice Thanksgiving!

We have seen "The Modern Miss Fisher," and really enjoyed that one, too.

Really enjoying the Wimsey reads. I've seen both strands of Wimsey on TV, too. Have you seen them?

And thanks for the tip on Witcher Omnibus--I've got it requested at one of my libraries.

Thanks for stopping by to chat!

198. Asterix Omnibus #2 by Rene Goscinny

Thursday Reading Roundup Time!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Why I do this "Round Up": Because I rely on libraries so much for my reading (yay, libraries!), what I'm reading at any given time changes often, and changes quickly.

Karen's current reading (11/26/2020):

Actively reading:

Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell
Hoax: Donald Trump, Fox News, and the Dangerous Distortion of Truth by Brian Stelter
Humans by Brandon Stanton -- p. 106 of 437
Disloyal: A Memoir by Michael Cohen
Hidden Lives of Owls by Leigh Calvez -- p. 123 of 202
The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession by Mark Obmascik -- p. 32 of 250
The Plague by Albert Camus -- p. 32 of 266
Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers (Lord Peter Wimsey #12) -- p. 136 of 461
Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad by Ann L. Petry (November AAC) -- p. 39 of 252

My current Great Course(s):
A History of European Art - 12 of 48 completed

Reading through the Hebrew Bible: Ezekiel (one of my favorites). Through chapter 17.

Not-So-Time-Sensitive-But-Still-Want-to-Get-to-Them (so, these are readily available to me although I might not be reading them quite yet; mostly library books, some are my own):

Zoom for Dummies by Phil Simon
Kindred by Octavia E. Butler
The Lives of Edie Pritchard by Larry Watson -- p. 27 of 169
The Atlas of Holy Places and Sacred Sites by Colin Wilson -- p. 24 of 185
New Poets of Native Nations (ed. Heid E. Erdrich) -- 0 of 279
Wolf Island: Discovering the Secrets of a Mythic Animal by L. David Mech -- 0 of 178
Me, Cheetah: My Life in Hollywood by Cheetah (as told to James Lever) -- p. 10 of 302
The Sacrament by Olafur Johann Olafsson
The Return of Hyman Kaplan by Leo Rosten -- p. 14 of 192
The Popol Vuh (tr. Michael Bazzeet)
The Prose Edda by Shori Stularson
Veritas: A Harvard Professor, a Con Man, and the Gospel of Jesus's Wife by Ariel Sabar -- p. 18 of 460
A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan -- p. 18 of 298
Trickster Makes This World by Lewis Hyde
Between Them by Richard Ford
License to Quill by Jacopo Della Quercia -- p. 0 of 375

This Brit wishes to express his thanks for the warmth and friendship that has helped sustain him in this group, Karen.

>146 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul! Although Covid meant we couldn't be together physically, we were together in spirit.

Thanks for visiting!

199. Asterix Omnibus #9 by Albert Uderzo

200. The Hidden Lives of Owls: The Science and Spirit of Nature's Most Elusive Birds by Leigh Calvez



Compelling read about these wonderful birds. Book is broken into chapters, each featuring a different owl. Lovely drawings, very personable writing.

I love this addendum:

Notes from the Field (Insights From An Owl)

Keep only what is useful. Regurgitate the rest.
Be patient. Eventually something will move.
Learn through play.
Only one out of four or five tries yields a mouse. Never give up.
Accept help when it is offered.
Adapt to stay resilient.
Travel every four to six months.
Take time to sit and observe.
Death is a necessary ingredient in life. Accept the transformation.
Never foul your own nest.
Parenthood is temporary.
The Great Gray Owl does not see what the Great Horned Owl
sees. Perspective is everything.
Withhold judgment. Nature does not take sides.
Where you live is not nearly as important as where you are alive.

Hi Karen!

>145 klobrien2: I’m expecting Hamnet as a Christmas present from one of our cousins. We always exchange lists and about 10 years ago or so I finally decided to ask for specific books.

>149 klobrien2: I love the addendum! And the book is a BB.

Hi Karen!

I'm sure you'll love both of these! (I've only just started "Hamnet," but I'm sure it will be a goodie!)

Thanks for stopping by!

201. Asterix Omnibus #11 by Albert Uderzo

202. Humans by Brandon Stanton



But even in the world's most dangerous places, 95 percent of the life being lived has nothing to do with violence. It's much less exciting than that. It's about falling in love. And raising a family. And making friends. And struggling to provide. And battling addictions. And fighting cancer These are the stories that are really happening all over the world. They're the stories that you'll hear when you aren't searching for violent conflict. These are the stories you'll hear if you stop random people on the street, and invite them to share a bit about their lives.

203. The biblical book of Ezekiel

Using Robert Alter's multi-volume The Hebrew Bible: A Translation with Commentary.

Alter calls Ezekiel "surely the strangest of all the prophets"!

Ezekiel was a Jerusalem priest, probably a part of the exiled elite deported to Babylonia in 597 BCE. His activity as a prophet took place in Babylonia. "What most distinguishes Ezekiel is that so much of the prophesying is conducted in a condition that looks like God-intoxicated derangement." NOT a master of literary crafts; weakness for repetition. Power as a prophet is in hallucinatory vividness and utter originality of his visions.

"Glory of the Lord" a full and detailed vision of the divine apparatus. Chapter 1--"wheel within a wheel"--very science fiction-ey.

Chapter 37--vision of exiled Israel's national restoration in the Valley of the Dry Bones.

Most striking expression of neurosis is his troubled relation to the female body (explicitness and vehemence).

48:35 (last verse): "And the name of the city from that day shall be 'The Lord is There'." "This concluding flourish underscores the grand eschatological character of this vision of the restored city and land; in the rebuilt, carefully demarcated, symmetrical Jerusalem, with the sanctuary at its center, the very name of the city will express God's constant presence in the place where he has chosen to dwell."

>153 klobrien2: I haven't seen this one in person yet, but I'm sure it's beautiful.

>155 The_Hibernator: Hi, Rachel!

Humans is very good. (Touchstone is not working correctly--Grr!)

Stanton posts to Facebook, and his little pearls are a real treat there. I get such a feeling of we're-all-in-this-together from his books, a real optimism, in the long run.

I hope you get a chance to read it. It's got the added benefit of weighing about ten pounds, so you get a little exercise with your reading!

Thanks for stopping by! It's great to have you here!

Thursday Reading Roundup Time!

Why I do this "Round Up": Because I rely on libraries so much for my reading (yay, libraries!), what I'm reading at any given time changes often, and changes quickly.

Karen's current reading (12/03/2020):

Actively reading:

==> Disloyal: A Memoir by Michael Cohen -- 156 of 308
==> Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers (Lord Peter Wimsey #12) -- p. 292 of 461
==> Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad by Ann L. Petry (November AAC) -- p. 59 of 252
==> Wolf Island: Discovering the Secrets of a Mythic Animal by L. David Mech -- 7 of 178

My current Great Course(s):
A History of European Art - 18 of 48 completed
The Symphonies of Beethoven - 2 of 32 completed (lectures are 45 minutes long)

Reading through the Hebrew Bible: Finished Ezekiel. On to Daniel and Hosea

Not-So-Time-Sensitive-But-Still-Want-to-Get-to-Them (so, these are readily available to me although I might not be reading them quite yet; mostly library books, some are my own):

Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell -- p. 20 of 268
Hoax: Donald Trump, Fox News, and the Dangerous Distortion of Truth by Brian Stelter
The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession by Mark Obmascik -- p. 32 of 250
Thief of Time by Tony Hillerman (December AAC) --
Veritas: A Harvard Professor, a Con Man, and the Gospel of Jesus's Wife by Ariel Sabar -- p. 18 of 460
The Plague by Albert Camus -- p. 32 of 266
Zoom for Dummies by Phil Simon
The Lives of Edie Pritchard by Larry Watson -- p. 27 of 169
The Atlas of Holy Places and Sacred Sites by Colin Wilson -- p. 24 of 185
New Poets of Native Nations (ed. Heid E. Erdrich) -- 0 of 279
Me, Cheetah: My Life in Hollywood by Cheetah (as told to James Lever) -- p. 10 of 302
The Sacrament by Olafur Johann Olafsson
The Return of Hyman Kaplan by Leo Rosten -- p. 14 of 192
The Popol Vuh (tr. Michael Bazzeet)
The Prose Edda by Shori Stularson
Trickster Makes This World by Lewis Hyde
Between Them by Richard Ford
License to Quill by Jacopo Della Quercia -- p. 0 of 375
Melania and Me by Stephanie Winston Wolkoff -- p. 8 of 302

Wow Karen you have a lot of the reading on the go!

Have a glorious weekend.

Hi, Paul! The weekend was pretty nice, here in Minnesota (northern USA).

I've just weeded out a lot of the books I had on my list; I'll change them to TBR, and get them back to the library so that others can have a chance at them. I feel a little less angst-sy about all the reading I want to do!

Making my way through the threads, so I'll catch up with you a bit later. Thanks for stopping by!

204. Disloyal: A Memoir: The True Story of the Former Personal Attorney to President Donald J. Trump by Michael Cohen

205. Doctor Who and the Abominable Snowmen (audio transcript) by Terrance Dicks

Karen, you have accomplished quite a bit of reading during the years you were in this group! I think one of the wonderful things about this group is sharing recommendations of books. I never would have heard of these books if not for LT recommendations.

Happy Holiday!

You are so right! Thanks for stopping by!

206. The biblical book of Daniel

Using Robert Alter's multi-volume The Hebrew Bible: A Translation with Commentary.

Alter calls Daniel "surely the most peculiar book in the Hebrew Bible." It's also (probably) the latest book (167-165 BCE).

Resembles apocalyptic texts of the Apocrypha and the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Narrative sections in the first seven chapters, but Daniel and his three friends "are little more than exemplary figures of piety."

Daniel is "less an interpreter of dreams than a decipherer of divine codes."

1:1-2:4 in Hebrew
2:5-7:28 in Aramaic (lingua franca)
8:1-12:13 in Hebrew

According to Alter, Daniel is an imperfect composition; its Hebrew section are severely flawed. But it is "a book fraught with religious importance." It is the latest text of the Hebrew canon, and serves as a "hinge work."

I remember Daniel from my Sunday School days, with the great and scary adventures of the three friends in the fiery furnace and Daniel in the lion's den, all enacted on flannelboard!

207. Doctor Who and the Ice Warriors (audio transcript) by Brian Hayles



Probably my least favorite of the Doctor Who audios so far. Incidental music is horrible; the Ice Warriors voices are harsh, whispering, with sibilant "sss"es up the wazoo, and Victoria (current Doctor Who companion) is scream queen and hurts my ears!

208. Gaudy Night (Lord Peter Wimsey #12) by Dorothy L Sayers



Well, I've finished Gaudy Night and want to give it a rave review! There's so much here, from the location (Oxford), the characters, the deepening relationship between Peter and Harriet, and Harriet's thinking through her past and future. I'm sure I'll be rereading this one, but for now, I've searched out a copy of the next in the series, Busman's Honeymoon. I'll be sad when I've read them all; but then, I can start them all over again, eh?!

209. Doctor Who: Fury From the Deep (audio transcript) by Victor Pemberton



First appearance of the sonic screwdriver! Victoria's scream used as a weapon against the evil seaweed monster (I'm not kidding). Nicely paced and peopled story. Last appearance of Victoria (

Thursday Reading Roundup Time!

Why I do this "Round Up": Because I rely on libraries so much for my reading (yay, libraries!), what I'm reading at any given time changes often, and changes quickly.

Karen's current reading (12/10/2020):

Actively reading:

Wolf Island: Discovering the Secrets of a Mythic Animal by L. David Mech -- 30 of 178
Midwinter Murder: Fireside Tales from the Queen of Mystery by Agatha Christie
Thief of Time by Tony Hillerman (December AAC) --
Veritas: A Harvard Professor, a Con Man, and the Gospel of Jesus's Wife by Ariel Sabar -- p. 18 of 460
Busman's Honeymoon: A Love Story with Detective Interruptions by Dorothy L Sayers

My current Great Course(s):
A History of European Art - 24 of 48 completed
The Symphonies of Beethoven - 6 of 32 completed (lectures are 45 minutes long)

Reading through the Hebrew Bible: Just have the Minor Prophets ("The Dozen") left to finish!

Not-So-Time-Sensitive-But-Still-Want-to-Get-to-Them (so, these are readily available to me although I might not be reading them quite yet; mostly library books:

Hoax: Donald Trump, Fox News, and the Dangerous Distortion of Truth by Brian Stelter
The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession by Mark Obmascik -- p. 32 of 250
Zoom for Dummies by Phil Simon
The Lives of Edie Pritchard by Larry Watson -- p. 27 of 169
The Atlas of Holy Places and Sacred Sites by Colin Wilson -- p. 24 of 185
New Poets of Native Nations (ed. Heid E. Erdrich) -- 0 of 279
Me, Cheetah: My Life in Hollywood by Cheetah (as told to James Lever) -- p. 10 of 302
The Sacrament by Olafur Johann Olafsson
The Return of Hyman Kaplan by Leo Rosten -- p. 14 of 192
License to Quill by Jacopo Della Quercia -- p. 0 of 375
Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld

211. Doctor Who: The Wheel in Space (audio transcript) by David Whitaker



Okay production, with a fancy space station and...Cybermen!

212. Doctor Who: The Space Pirates (audio transcript) by Peter Bryant



Pretty bad production, with a Brit trying to do an American Old West accent, and that horrible incidental music that is so distracting and ill-fitting to the story.

But! I am done with these audio transcriptions of the classic Doctor Who shows that were trashed. I've really liked filling in the holes in my Doctor Who catalog.

213. Mueller Report Graphic Novel, Volume 1 by Barbara Slate



Interesting phenomena for this library book reader: it appears that people are finally giving up on reading about Trump, his minions, America in crisis, because a lot of my holds are finally being filled!

This little graphic book is a fine little representation of the Mueller Report, provoking the same shock, dismay, and irritation at censored information that the original did (yeah, I slogged through it at the time).

214. Wolf Island: Discovering the Secrets of a Mythic Animal by L. David Mech with Greg Breining



When Dr. Allen set up the Isle Royale project, he imagined it might last ten years. But when ten years had passed, he realized the value in continuing to watch, to ask questions, and to learn.

As a result, his students and successors have seen and learned things they might never have imagined or witnessed had they just packed up their equipment and headed back to their offices for good. They might have left with the erroneous belief that they had learned enough. They might have left with the arrogance that they knew how things worked, rather than the humility that comes from realizing that nature is always capable of pulling off something unexpected. Rather than being confident that we can predict nature and thus control it, we are left with an appreciation of how little we can predict and how much we have to learn.

216. Asterix Omnibus #6 by Rene Goscinny

217. Asterix Omnibus #10 by Albert Uderzo

I had a couple of those Doctor Whos in the old Target editions - I remember reading the Abominable Snowmen twice at least.

Cheering you on towards 3x75.

Thursday Reading Roundup Time!

Why I do this "Round Up": Because I rely on libraries so much for my reading (yay, libraries!), what I'm reading at any given time changes often, and changes quickly.

Karen's current reading (12/17/2020):

Actively reading:

Midwinter Murder: Fireside Tales from the Queen of Mystery by Agatha Christie -- p. 12 of 297
Thief of Time by Tony Hillerman (December AAC) -- 53 of 216
Veritas: A Harvard Professor, a Con Man, and the Gospel of Jesus's Wife by Ariel Sabar -- p. 35 of 460
Busman's Honeymoon: A Love Story with Detective Interruptions by Dorothy L Sayers -- p. 107 of 383
A Promise of Ankles by Alexander McCall Smith -- 297
How to Raise an Elephant by Alexander McCall Smith -- 377 (LT)
Alice's Farm: A Rabbit's Tale by Maryrose Wood -- 355

My current Great Course(s):
A History of European Art - 30 of 48 completed
The Symphonies of Beethoven - 8 of 32 completed (lectures are 45 minutes long)

Reading through the Hebrew Bible: Minor Prophets: 4 of "The Dozen" completed.

Not-So-Time-Sensitive-But-Still-Want-to-Get-to-Them (so, these are readily available to me although I might not be reading them quite yet; mostly library books:

Hoax: Donald Trump, Fox News, and the Dangerous Distortion of Truth by Brian Stelter -- p. 27 of 308
The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession by Mark Obmascik -- p. 32 of 250
Zoom for Dummies by Phil Simon
The Lives of Edie Pritchard by Larry Watson -- p. 27 of 169
The Atlas of Holy Places and Sacred Sites by Colin Wilson -- p. 24 of 185
New Poets of Native Nations (ed. Heid E. Erdrich) -- 0 of 279
Me, Cheetah: My Life in Hollywood by Cheetah (as told to James Lever) -- p. 10 of 302
The Sacrament by Olafur Johann Olafsson
The Return of Hyman Kaplan by Leo Rosten -- p. 14 of 192
License to Quill by Jacopo Della Quercia -- p. 0 of 375
Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld -- p. 10 of 332
Rage by Bob Woodward -- p. 16 of 427
Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner by Alan Sillitoe -- 176
Florida Roadkill by Time Dorsey -- 273
Beethoven by Maynard Solomon -- 485

>177 PaulCranswick: Paul said, "Cheering you on to 3x75"

That's my goal! I'm pretty sure I'll make it, and having a lot of fun along the way. I've loved revisiting Doctor Who and Asterix, and now I have some lovely new books and classics to claim my attention until the end of the year.

Thanks for stopping by, Paul!

218. The Atlas of Holy Places and Sacred Sites by Colin Wilson

219. A Thief of Time by Tony Hillerman

Hi Karen!

I am impressed that you'll get to 3 x 75 before year end.


... and here's to a better 2021!

>182 karenmarie: Thank you, Karen! Best wishes to you, also!

220. The biblical books of the Minor Prophets ("The Dozen"): i.e., Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi.

Using Robert Alter's multi-volume The Hebrew Bible: A Translation with Commentary.

The twelve Minor Prophets are minor only because we don't have much from them. In Hebrew, these books are called "The Dozen."

Hosea and Amos are the first of the "literary prophets."

Each book works on a small scale; many of the texts tend to be fragmentary; most are stripped of any enhancing sense of historical context. "But despite all this, these little books incorporate moments of soaring poetry and visionary illumination that still speak to the heart and to the religious imagination."

221. An Uncommon Reader: A Novella by Alan Bennett



A reread for me, but it has been several years. What a gem of a book! Real solace for the soul. I kept picturing characters from "The Crown" playing the different personages in the book.

Lots of really great passages, but here's one of my favorites:

It happened, though, that at a reception for Canadian cultural notables the Queen got talking to Alice Munro and, learning that she was a novelist and a short-story writer, requested one of her books, which she greatly enjoyed. Even better, it turned out there were many more where that came from and which Ms Munro readily supplied.

'Can there be any greater pleasure,' she confided in her neighbour, the Canadian minister for overseas trade, 'than to come across an author one enjoys and then to find they have written not just one book or two, but at least a dozen.'

And all, though she did not say this, in paperback so handbag-size.

Thursday Reading Roundup Time!

Why I do this "Round Up": Because I rely on libraries so much for my reading (yay, libraries!), what I'm reading at any given time changes often, and changes quickly.

Karen's current reading (12/24/2020) Merry Christmas!:

Actively reading:

Midwinter Murder: Fireside Tales from the Queen of Mystery by Agatha Christie -- p. 148 of 297
Busman's Honeymoon: A Love Story with Detective Interruptions by Dorothy L Sayers -- p. 140 of 383
A Promise of Ankles by Alexander McCall Smith -- 297
How to Raise an Elephant by Alexander McCall Smith -- p. 30 of 377 (LT)
Hercule Poirot's Christmas by Agatha Christie --

My current Great Course(s):
A History of European Art - 30 of 48 completed
The Symphonies of Beethoven - 12 of 32 completed (lectures are 45 minutes long)

Reading through the Hebrew Bible: Finished! Only took me three years (didn't do much reading for a couple of years there!)

Not-So-Time-Sensitive-But-Still-Want-to-Get-to-Them (so, these are readily available to me although I might not be reading them quite yet; mostly library books:

Hoax: Donald Trump, Fox News, and the Dangerous Distortion of Truth by Brian Stelter -- p. 27 of 308
The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession by Mark Obmascik -- p. 32 of 250
The Lives of Edie Pritchard by Larry Watson -- p. 27 of 169
New Poets of Native Nations (ed. Heid E. Erdrich) -- 0 of 279
Me, Cheetah: My Life in Hollywood by Cheetah (as told to James Lever) -- p. 10 of 302
The Sacrament by Olafur Johann Olafsson
The Return of Hyman Kaplan by Leo Rosten -- p. 14 of 192
License to Quill by Jacopo Della Quercia -- p. 0 of 375
Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld -- p. 10 of 332
Rage by Bob Woodward -- p. 16 of 427
Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner by Alan Sillitoe -- 176
Beethoven by Maynard Solomon -- 485
Veritas: A Harvard Professor, a Con Man, and the Gospel of Jesus's Wife by Ariel Sabar -- p. 35 of 460
Alice's Farm: A Rabbit's Tale by Maryrose Wood -- 355
Goodnight Sweet Prince by David Dickinson
It Was All a Lie by Stuart Stevens

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
May 2021 bring you less need for masks, loads of peace and joy, good health and, of course, books!

I hope you get some of those at least, Karen, as we all look forward to a better 2021.

Thank you all for the lovely Christmas cards!

222. Midwinter Murder: Fireside Tales from the Queen of Mystery by Agatha Christie



Wonderful, tasty collection of classic Christie stories which happened to be set in the wintertime. Some I had read before; others were new to me; all were a treat!

223. Hercule Poirot's Christmas by Agatha Christie



Lovely cozy set at Christmas, featuring Hercule Poirot and a large cast of family, police, and servants. Whodunit?? I confess I had recently watched the TV version of the story so I knew who had "dunit" but the book was a great read in any case.

224. Busman's Honeymoon: A Love Story with Detective Interruptions (Lord Peter Wimsey #13) by Dorothy L. Sayers



Loved this volume of the Lord Peter Wimsey books, although the star of the book is the relationship between Peter and Harriet, who are now married. There is a murder to be solved, of course, but events really bring out the back story of Peter (and Bunter).

My one complaint about the book is amount of French dialogue between the couple; my personal introductory knowledge of French left a lot to be desired in my understanding. C'est la vie!

Finishing one last book for the year, and I then I'll have made my goal of 225 (3 x 75) for the year! Quite happy about that! Need to catch up on my thread-reading, so I can start the new year with a clean slate.

Hi Karen!

Wow. 3 x 75. Impressive, so early congrats.

Thanks, Karen!

And, (drum roll) here it is:



225. How to Raise an Elephant (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #21)(WOW!) by Alexander McCall Smith



Lovely read! I have been so blessed with my reading all year, but my Christmas reading has been especially comforting and interesting. This book is pretty typical for the series, with gentle wisdom and humor, and insights into life in Botswana. In this installment, there is talk of the impact of global warming and development on the country and its wildlife (including a charming orphan baby elephant). Reading books like this is good for my soul!

Here's one of my favorite passages:

She was not sure where or who God was, but she was sure that he was probably not far from Botswana. Beyond some cloud, perhaps, that kept us from seeing him; some place where there was no weeping and no separation from those we loved; where there would be none without a friend to hold their hand, or a brother or a sister; a place of sweet-smelling cattle and gentle, life-giving rain. That was her theology, and it was enough; it had sustained her this far, and it would see her out. That was all that anybody needed, surely.

Congrats on the triple!

>196 klobrien2: Congratulations on reaching 3 x 75, Karen!

Karen

As the year turns, friendship continues

Thanks, Anita! Thanks, Paul!

Three hours to midnight here. Woohoo!

Thursday Reading Roundup Time!

Why I do this "Round Up": Because I rely on libraries so much for my reading (yay, libraries!), what I'm reading at any given time changes often, and changes quickly.

Karen's current reading (12/31/2020) Happy New Year!:

Actively reading:

Vesper Flights by Helen Macdonald
The Silence by Don DeLillo
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
Virgil Wander by Leif Enger
A Promise of Ankles by Alexander McCall Smith -- 297
It Was All a Lie by Stuart Stevens
Away with the Fairies by Kerry Greenwood
Me, Cheetah: My Life in Hollywood by Cheetah (as told to James Lever) -- p. 10 of 302
The Sacrament by Olafur Johann Olafsson

My current Great Course(s):
A History of European Art - 32 of 48 completed
The Symphonies of Beethoven - 12 of 32 completed (lectures are 45 minutes long)

Not-So-Time-Sensitive-But-Still-Want-to-Get-to-Them (so, these are readily available to me although I might not be reading them quite yet; mostly library books:

Hoax: Donald Trump, Fox News, and the Dangerous Distortion of Truth by Brian Stelter -- p. 27 of 308
The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession by Mark Obmascik -- p. 32 of 250
The Lives of Edie Pritchard by Larry Watson -- p. 27 of 169
New Poets of Native Nations (ed. Heid E. Erdrich) -- 0 of 279
The Return of Hyman Kaplan by Leo Rosten -- p. 14 of 192
License to Quill by Jacopo Della Quercia -- p. 0 of 375
Rage by Bob Woodward -- p. 16 of 427
Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner by Alan Sillitoe -- 176
Beethoven by Maynard Solomon -- 485
Goodnight Sweet Prince by David Dickinson