PAUL C'S SECOND HOME - PART 9

SCENES FROM MY BOOKS

Cranford

Poem

Ted Hughes is as many know one of my favourite poems. He writes of the malevolence of the natural world so strikingly. Here is a famous short poem - "Pike".

Reading Record

JANUARY

1. Plague 99 by Jean Ure (1989) 218 pp
2. Tom Brown's Schooldays by Thomas Hughes (1857) 309 pp
3. A Lear of the Steppes by Ivan Turgenev (1870) 117 pp
4. A Fall from the Sky by Ian Serraillier (1966) 78 pp
5. The Overnight Kidnapper by Andrea Camilleri (2015) 262 pp
6. Dove on the Waters by Maurice Shadbolt (1996) 198 pp
7. A Portable Paradise by Roger Robinson (2019) 81 pp
8. The Other End of the Line by Andrea Camilleri (2016) 293 pp
9. The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead (2019) 208 pp
10. Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome (1930) 501 pp
11. Carrie's War by Nina Bawden (1973) 211 pp
12. Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart (2020) 430 pp
13. Judge Savage by Tim Parks (2003) 442 pp
14. The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side by Agatha Christie (1962) 280 pp
15. Charlotte Sometimes by Penelope Farmer (1969) 227 pp
16. Jazz by Toni Morrison (1992) 229 pp
17. A Question of Upbringing by Anthony Powell (1951) 230 pp

FEBRUARY

18. Junk by Melvyn Burgess (1996) 278 pp
19. The Great Fire by Monica Dickens (1970) 64 pp
20. At Bertram's Hotel by Agatha Christie (1965) 265 pp
21. A Room of Own's Own by Virginia Woolf (1929) 153 pp
22. Bury the Dead by Peter Carter (1987) 374 pp
23. Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch (2011) 390 pp
24. Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne (1873) 242 pp
25. Woods, etc. by Alice Oswald (2005) 56 pp
26. Did You Ever Have a Family by Bill Clegg (2015) 293 pp
27. A Burning by Megha Majumdar (2020) 289 pp
28. Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch (2011) 373 pp
29. What is History? by Edward Hallett Carr (1961) 156 pp
30. A Buyer's Market by Anthony Powell (1951) 278 pp

MARCH

31. The Return : Fathers, Sons and the Land in Between by Hisham Matar (2016) 239 pp
32. The Hammer of the Scots by Jean Plaidy (1978) 417 pp
33. Bright Dead Things by Ada Limon (2015) 101 pp
34. Some Experiences of an Irish RM by Somerville & Ross (1899) 223 pp
35. The Age of Improvement 1783-1867 by Asa Briggs (1959) 523 pp
36. Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell (1853) 203 pp

Currently Reading

READING PLAN

1 British Author Challenge - set this year by Amanda in the 75er Group

2 1001 Book First Edition - Ongoing

3 Booker Challenge - Read all the Booker winners; I may get close to completing that in 2021

4 Nobel Winners - Read all the Nobel Winners

5 Pulitzer Winners - Read all the Pulitzer fiction winners

6 Around the World Challenge - Read a book from an author born in or with parents from all countries - I reset this challenge in October 2020.

7 Queen Victoria Challenge - Read a book from every year of Queen Victoria's reign (1837-1901) with no repeat authors. Started December 2020

8 Queen Betty Challenge - Read a book from every year of Queen Elizabeth II reign (1952-2021) - British authors only and no repeats.

9 Dance to the Music of Time - One a month all year.

10. The 52 Book Club Challenge - A book a week from these selected categories https://www.the52book.club/challenges/2021-reading-challenge/

11. A Dent in the TBR - I have approaching 5,000 books in my TBR so I must read some of the 250 books I have bought in 2020 that end the current year unread.

12. Poetry - My first love in many ways and I am still something of a scribbler of lines to this day.

13. American Author Challenge - Linda came up trumps.

14. Series Pairs - I will choose one favourite series and read the next two books in that particular series I have slightly fallen behind with.

15 Great British History Writers - One classic work per month from a great British historian.

16 New Fantasy Series - I may take a couple of months over each so six may be the most I manage this year.

BAC



January: Children's Classics https://www.librarything.com/topic/326122#7317610

February: LGBT+ History Month https://www.librarything.com/topic/326122#7317871

March: Vaseem Khan & Eleanor Hibbert https://www.librarything.com/topic/326122#7318561

April: Love is in the Air https://www.librarything.com/topic/326122#7319432

May: V. S. Naipaul & Na'ima B. Robert https://www.librarything.com/topic/326122#7320231

June: The Victorian Era (1837-1901) https://www.librarything.com/topic/326122#7320541

July: Don't judge a book by its movie https://www.librarything.com/topic/326122#7321220

August: Bernard Cornwell & Helen Oyeyemi https://www.librarything.com/topic/326122#7321374

September: She Blinded Me with Science https://www.librarything.com/topic/326122#7321899

October: Narrative Poetry https://www.librarything.com/topic/326122#7322840

November: Tade Thompson & Elizabeth Taylor https://www.librarything.com/topic/326122#7323772

December: Awards & Honors https://www.librarything.com/topic/326122#7325017

Wildcard: Books off your shelves https://www.librarything.com/topic/326122#7325595

AMERICAN AUTHOR CHALLENGE



Please see:
https://www.librarything.com/topic/327669#7354831

January : Keep it in the Family : F. Scott Fitzgerald
February : Ethan Canin

BOOKERS
Personal Reading Challenge: Every winner of the Booker Prize since its inception in 1969

1969: P. H. Newby, Something to Answer For - READ
1970: Bernice Rubens, The Elected Member
1970: J. G. Farrell, Troubles (awarded in 2010 as the Lost Man Booker Prize) - READ
1971: V. S. Naipaul, In a Free State
1972: John Berger, G.
1973: J. G. Farrell, The Siege of Krishnapur - READ
1974: Nadine Gordimer, The Conservationist ... and Stanley Middleton, Holiday - READ
1975: Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, Heat and Dust - READ
1976: David Storey, Saville - READ
1977: Paul Scott, Staying On - READ
1978: Iris Murdoch, The Sea, The Sea
1979: Penelope Fitzgerald, Offshore - READ
1980: William Golding, Rites of Passage - READ
1981: Salman Rushdie, Midnight's Children - READ
1982: Thomas Keneally, Schindler's Ark - READ
1983: J. M. Coetzee, Life & Times of Michael K
1984: Anita Brookner, Hotel du Lac - READ
1985: Keri Hulme, The Bone People
1986: Kingsley Amis, The Old Devils - READ
1987: Penelope Lively, Moon Tiger - READ
1988: Peter Carey, Oscar and Lucinda
1989: Kazuo Ishiguro, The Remains of the Day
1990: A. S. Byatt, Possession: A Romance - READ
1991: Ben Okri, The Famished Road
1992: Michael Ondaatje, The English Patient ... and Barry Unsworth, Sacred Hunger - READ
1993: Roddy Doyle, Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha
1994: James Kelman, How late it was, how late
1995: Pat Barker, The Ghost Road
1996: Graham Swift, Last Orders - READ
1997: Arundhati Roy, The God of Small Things READ
1998: Ian McEwan, Amsterdam - READ
1999: J. M. Coetzee, Disgrace - READ
2000: Margaret Atwood, The Blind Assassin
2001: Peter Carey, True History of the Kelly Gang - READ
2002: Yann Martel, Life of Pi
2003: DBC Pierre, Vernon God Little
2004: Alan Hollinghurst, The Line of Beauty
2005: John Banville, The Sea - READ
2006: Kiran Desai, The Inheritance of Loss
2007: Anne Enright, The Gathering - READ
2008: Aravind Adiga, The White Tiger - READ
2009: Hilary Mantel, Wolf Hall - READ
2010: Howard Jacobson, The Finkler Question
2011: Julian Barnes, The Sense of an Ending - READ
2012: Hilary Mantel, Bring Up the Bodies - READ
2013: Eleanor Catton, The Luminaries
2014: Richard Flanagan, The Narrow Road to the Deep North - READ
2015: Marlon James, A Brief History of Seven Killings - READ
2016: Paul Beatty, The Sellout - READ
2017: George Saunders, Lincoln in the Bardo
2018: Anna Burns, Milkman
2019: Margaret Atwood, The Testaments, and Bernardine Evaristo, Girl, Woman, Other
2020: Douglas Stuart, Shuggie Bain READ JAN 21

READ 32 of 56 WINNERS

Pulitzer Winners

As with the Bookers, I want to eventually read all the Pulitzer winners (for fiction at least) and have most of the recent ones on the shelves at least. Current status.

Fiction

1918 HIS FAMILY - Ernest Poole
1919 THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS - Booth Tarkington
1921 THE AGE OF INNOCENCE - Edith Wharton
1922 ALICE ADAMS - Booth Tarkington
1923 ONE OF OURS - Willa Cather
1924 THE ABLE MCLAUGHLINS - Margaret Wilson
1925 SO BIG - Edna Ferber
1926 ARROWSMITH - Sinclair Lewis (Declined)
1927 EARLY AUTUMN - Louis Bromfield
1928 THE BRIDGE OF SAN LUIS REY - Thornton Wilder
1929 SCARLET SISTER MARY - Julia Peterkin
1930 LAUGHING BOY - Oliver Lafarge ON SHELVES
1931 YEARS OF GRACE - Margaret Ayer Barnes
1932 THE GOOD EARTH - Pearl Buck
1933 THE STORE - Thomas Sigismund Stribling
1934 LAMB IN HIS BOSOM - Caroline Miller
1935 NOW IN NOVEMBER - Josephine Winslow Johnson
1936 HONEY IN THE HORN - Harold L Davis
1937 GONE WITH THE WIND - Margaret Mitchell ON SHELVES
1938 THE LATE GEORGE APLEY - John Phillips Marquand
1939 THE YEARLING - Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
1940 THE GRAPES OF WRATH - John Steinbeck
1942 IN THIS OUR LIFE - Ellen Glasgow
1943 DRAGON'S TEETH - Upton Sinclair
1944 JOURNEY IN THE DARK - Martin Flavin
1945 A BELL FOR ADANO - John Hersey ON SHELVES
1947 ALL THE KING'S MEN - Robert Penn Warren ON SHELVES
1948 TALES OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC - James Michener
1949 GUARD OF HONOR - James Gould Cozzens
1950 THE WAY WEST - A.B. Guthrie
1951 THE TOWN - Conrad Richter
1952 THE CAINE MUTINY - Herman Wouk
1953 THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA - Ernest Hemingway
1955 A FABLE - William Faulkner
1956 ANDERSONVILLE - McKinlay Kantor
1958 A DEATH IN THE FAMILY - James Agee ON SHELVES
1959 THE TRAVELS OF JAIMIE McPHEETERS - Robert Lewis Taylor
1960 ADVISE AND CONSENT - Allen Drury
1961 TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD - Harper Lee
1962 THE EDGE OF SADNESS - Edwin O'Connor
1963 THE REIVERS - William Faulkner
1965 THE KEEPERS OF THE HOUSE - Shirley Ann Grau
1966 THE COLLECTED STORIES OF KATHERINE ANNE PORTER - Katherine Anne Porter
1967 THE FIXER - Bernard Malamud
1968 THE CONFESSIONS OF NAT TURNER - William Styron
1969 HOUSE MADE OF DAWN - N Scott Momaday ON SHELVES
1970 THE COLLECTED STORIES OF JEAN STAFFORD - Jean Stafford
1972 ANGLE OF REPOSE - Wallace Stegner ON SHELVES
1973 THE OPTIMIST'S DAUGHTER - Eudora Welty ON SHELVES
1975 THE KILLER ANGELS - Jeff Shaara ON SHELVES
1976 HUMBOLDT'S GIFT - Saul Bellow
1978 ELBOW ROOM - James Alan McPherson
1979 THE STORIES OF JOHN CHEEVER - John Cheever ON SHELVES
1980 THE EXECUTIONER'S SONG - Norman Mailer ON SHELVES
1981 A CONFEDERACY OF DUNCES - John Kennedy Toole ON SHELVES
1982 RABBIT IS RICH - John Updike
1983 THE COLOR PURPLE - Alice Walker ON SHELVES
1984 IRONWEED - William Kennedy ON SHELVES
1985 FOREIGN AFFAIRS - Alison Lurie ON SHELVES
1986 LONESOME DOVE - Larry McMurtry ON SHELVES
1987 A SUMMONS TO MEMPHIS - Peter Taylor
1988 BELOVED - Toni Morrison - ON SHELVES
1989 BREATHING LESSONS - Anne Tyler
1990 THE MAMBO KINGS PLAY SONGS OF LOVE - Oscar Hijuelos
1991 RABBIT AT REST - John Updike
1992 A THOUSAND ACRES - Jane Smiley
1993 A GOOD SCENT FROM A STRANGE MOUNTAIN - Robert Olen Butler
1994 THE SHIPPING NEWS - E Annie Proulx
1995 THE STONE DIARIES - Carol Shields ON SHELVES
1996 INDEPENDENCE DAY - Richard Ford ON SHELVES
1997 MARTIN DRESSLER - Steven Millhauser ON SHELVES
1998 AMERICAN PASTORAL - Philip Roth ON SHELVES
1999 THE HOURS - Michael Cunningham ON SHELVES
2000 INTERPRETER OF MALADIES - Jumpha Lahiri
2001 THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF KAVALIER & CLAY - Michael Chabon ON SHELVES
2002 EMPIRE FALLS - Richard Russo ON SHELVES
2003 MIDDLESEX - Jeffrey Eugenides ON SHELVES
2004 THE KNOWN WORLD - Edward P. Jones ON SHELVES
2005 GILEAD - Marilynne Robinson ON SHELVES
2006 MARCH - Geraldine Brooks
2007 THE ROAD - Cormac McCarthy
2008 THE BRIEF WONDROUS LIFE OF OSCAR WAO - Junot Diaz ON SHELVES
2009 OLIVE KITTERIDGE - Elizabeth Strout ON SHELVES
2010 TINKERS - Paul Harding
2011 A VISIT FROM THE GOOD SQUAD - Jennifer Egan ON SHELVES
2013 ORPHAN MASTER'S SON - Adam Johnson ON SHELVES
2014 THE GOLDFINCH - Donna Tartt ON SHELVES
2015 ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE - Anthony Doerr ON SHELVES
2016 THE SYMPATHIZER - Viet Thanh Nguyen ON SHELVES
2017 THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD - Colson Whitehead ON SHELVES
2018 LESS - Andrew Sean Greer ON SHELVES
2019 THE OVERSTORY - Richard Powers ON SHELVES
2020 THE NICKEL BOYS - Colson Whitehead


17 READ
37 ON SHELVES
39 NOT OWNED OR READ

93 TOTAL

NOBELS

Update on my Nobel Prize Winning Reading:
1901 Sully Prudhomme
1902 Theodor Mommsen
1903 Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson
1904 Frédéric Mistral and José Echegaray y Eizaquirre
1905 Henryk Sienkiewicz
1906 Giosuè Carducci
1907 Rudyard Kipling - READ
1908 Rudolf Christoph Eucken
1909 Selma Lagerlöf
1910 Paul Heyse --
1911 Count Maurice Maeterlinck
1912 Gerhart Hauptmann
1913 Rabindranath Tagore - READ
1915 Romain Rolland
1916 Verner von Heidenstam
1917 Karl Adolph Gjellerup and Henrik Pontoppidan
1919 Carl Spitteler
1920 Knut Hamsun - READ
1921 Anatole France - READ
1922 Jacinto Benavente
1923 William Butler Yeats - READ
1924 Wladyslaw Reymont
1925 George Bernard Shaw - READ
1926 Grazia Deledda - READ
1927 Henri Bergson
1928 Sigrid Undset
1929 Thomas Mann - READ
1930 Sinclair Lewis - READ
1931 Erik Axel Karlfeldt
1932 John Galsworthy - READ
1933 Ivan Alekseyevich Bunin - READ
1934 Luigi Pirandello - READ
1936 Eugene O'Neill - READ
1937 Roger Martin du Gard
1938 Pearl S. Buck - READ
1939 Frans Eemil Sillanpää
1944 Johannes Vilhelm Jensen
1945 Gabriela Mistral
1946 Hermann Hesse - READ
1947 André Gide - READ
1948 T.S. Elliot - READ
1949 William Faulkner - READ
1950 Bertrand Russell - READ
1951 Pär Lagerkvist - READ
1952 François Mauriac - READ
1953 Sir Winston Churchill - READ
1954 Ernest Hemingway - READ
1955 Halldór Laxness - READ
1956 Juan Ramón Jiménez
1957 Albert Camus - READ
1958 Boris Pasternak (declined the prize) - READ
1959 Salvatore Quasimodo
1960 Saint-John Perse
1961 Ivo Andric - READ
1962 John Steinbeck - READ
1963 Giorgos Seferis
1964 Jean-Paul Sartre (declined the prize) - READ
1965 Michail Sholokhov
1966 Shmuel Yosef Agnon and Nelly Sachs - READ
1967 Miguel Ángel Asturias
1968 Yasunari Kawabata - READ
1969 Samuel Beckett - READ
1970 Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn - READ
1971 Pablo Neruda - READ
1972 Heinrich Böll - READ
1973 Patrick White
1974 Eyvind Johnson and Harry Martinson
1975 Eugenio Montale
1976 Saul Bellow - READ
1977 Vincente Aleixandre
1978 Isaac Bashevis Singer - READ
1979 Odysseas Elytis - READ
1980 Czeslaw Milosz
1981 Elias Canetti
1982 Gabriel Garciá Márquez - READ
1983 William Golding - READ
1984 Jaroslav Seifert - READ
1985 Claude Simon - READ
1986 Akinwande Ouwoe Soyinka
1987 Joseph Brodsky - READ
1988 Naguib Mahfouz - READ
1989 Camilo José Cela - READ
1990 Octavio Paz
1991 Nadine Gordimer - READ
1992 Derek Walcott - READ
1993 Toni Morrison - READ
1994 Kenzaburo Oe - READ
1995 Seamus Heaney - READ
1996 Wislawa Szymborska - READ
1997 Dario Fo - READ
1998 José Saramago - READ
1999 Günter Grass
2000 Gao Xingjian
2001 Vidiadhar Surjprasad Naipaul - READ
2002 Imre Kertész - READ
2003 John Maxwell Coetzee - READ
2004 Elfriede Jelinek - READ
2005 Harold Pinter - READ
2006 Orhan Pamuk - READ
2007 Doris Lessing - READ
2008 J.M.G. Le Clézio
2009 Herta Müller - READ
2010 Mario Vargas Llosa - READ
2011 Tomas Tranströmer - READ
2012 Mo Yan
2013 Alice Munro - READ
2014 Patrick Modiano - READ
2015 Svetlana Alexievich - READ
2016 Bob Dylan - READ
2017 Kazuo Ishiguro - READ
2018 Olga Tokarczuk - READ
2019 Peter Handke - READ
2020 Louise Gluck - READ

READ 71 OF
117 LAUREATES

AROUND THE WORLD CHALLENGE

Around the world in books challenge. I want to see how many countries I can cover without limiting myself to a specific deadline.

From 1 October 2020

1. United Kingdom - The Ways of the World by Robert Goddard EUROPE
2. Ireland - The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde EUROPE
3. Lithuania - Selected and Last Poems by Czeslaw Milosz EUROPE
4. Netherlands - The Ditch by Herman Koch EUROPE
5. Armenia - The Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian ASIA PACIFIC
6. Zimbabwe - This Mournable Body by Tsitsi Dangarembga AFRICA
7. United States - Averno by Louise Gluck AMERICA
8. Australia - Taller When Prone by Les Murray ASIA PACIFIC
9. France - Class Trip by Emmanuel Carrere EUROPE
10. Russia - The Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov EUROPE
11. Denmark - Fear and Trembling by Soren Kierkegaard EUROPE
12. Democratic Republic of Congo - Tram 83 by Fiston Mwanze Mujila AFRICA
13. Canada - I Heard the Owl Call My Name by Margaret Craven AMERICA
14. Italy - The Overnight Kidnapper by Andrea Camilleri EUROPE
15. New Zealand - Dove on the Waters by Maurice Shadbolt ASIA PACIFIC
16. India - A Burning by Megha Majumdar ASIA PACIFIC
17. Libya - The Return by Hisham Matar AFRICA


Create Your Own Visited Countries Map

QUEEN VIC CHALLENGE
Regarding my Victorian Era Challenge which I started this month with the aim of completing it by the end of 2021. 64 years. 64 books. 64 authors.

From Dec 2020

1843 FEAR AND TREMBLING by Kierkegaard
1850 PENDENNIS by Thackeray
1853 CRANFORD by GASKELL
1857 TOM BROWN'S SCHOOLDAYS by Hughes
1870 A LEAR OF THE STEPPES by Turgenev
1873 AROUND THE WORLD IN EIGHTY DAYS by Verne
1881 PRINCE AND THE PAUPER by Twain
1899 SOME EXPERIENCES OF AN IRISH RM by Somerville & Ross
1900 THREE SISTERS by Chekhov

9/64

QUEEN BETTY CHALLENGE

From December 2020 70 Years 70 Books 70 Different British Authors

1952 A Buyer's Market by Anthony Powell
1959 The Age of Improvement by Asa Briggs
1961 What is History? by EH Carr
1962 The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side by Agatha Christie
1966 A Fall from the Sky by Ian Serraillier
1969 Charlotte Sometimes by Penelope Framer
1970 The Great Fire by Monica Dickens
1973 Carrie's War by Nina Bawden
1978 The Hammer of the Scots by Jean Plaidy
1987 Bury the Dead by Peter Carter
1989 Plague 99 by Jean Ure
1996 Junk by Melvyn Burgess
2003 Judge Savage by Tim Parks
2005 Woods, etc. by Alice Oswald
2011 Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch
2013 A Delicate Truth by John Le Carre
2019 A Portable Paradise by Roger Robinson
2020 Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart

18/70

52 BOOK CLUB CHALLENGE

Based on this challenge suggested by Katie & Chelle

https://www.the52book.club/challenges/2021-reading-challenge/

January
Week 1 : Set in a school : Tom Brown's Schooldays by Hughes Read 2 Jan 2021
Week 2 : Legal profession : Judge Savage by Tim Parks Read 28 Jan 2021
Week 3 : Dual timeline : Charlotte Sometimes by Penelope Farmer Read 29 Jan 2021
Week 4 : Deceased author : Jazz by Toni Morrison READ 30 Jan 2021
Week 5 : Published by Penguin : Junk by Melvyn Burgess READ 3 Feb 2021
Week 6 : Male Family Member : Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch READ 12 Feb 2021
Week 7 : 1 Published Work : A Burning by Megha Majumdar READ 19 Feb 2021
Week 8 : Dewey 900 Class : What is History? by EH Carr READ 28 February
Week 9 : Set in a Mediterranean Country : The Return by Hisham Matar READ 5 MAR 2021
Week 10 : Book with discussion questions :
Week 11 : Relating to fire :
Week 12 : Title Starting with D :
Week 13 : Includes an Exotic Animal :

SERIES PAIR CHALLENGE

January First Half : Andrea Camilleri - MONTALBANO DONE
January Second Half : Agatha Christie - MISS MARPLE DONE
February First Half : Ben Aaronovitch - PETER GRANT DONE

FANTASY SERIES CHALLENGE
Ten New (for me) Fantasy Series to go at:

I will concentrate on one series every two months

N.K. JEMISIN - The Inheritance Trilogy

TAD WILLIAMS - Memory, Sorrow and Thorn

C.J. CHERRYH - Chanur Saga

GENE WOLFE - The Book of the New Sun

DAVID EDDINGS - The Belgariad

DIANA GABALDON - Outlander

BRITISH HISTORIANS

As if I don't have enough challenges! I want to polish up on my reading and re-reading of the British historians who either inspired me as a student or who I have since come to greatly admire

The French Revolution by Thomas CARLYLE 1837
The Age of Improvement by Asa BRIGGS 1959 READ MAR 21
The History of England by Thomas Babington MACAULAY 1848
The Making of the English Working Class by EP THOMPSON 1963
Fifteen Decisive Battles by EDWARD CREASEY 1851
What is History? by EH CARR 1961 READ FEB 21
The Course of German History by AJP TAYLOR 1945
The American Future by Simon SCHAMA 2009
The Face of Battle by John KEEGAN 1976
The King's Peace by CV WEDGWOOD 1955
The Age of Revolution by ERIC HOBSBAWM 1962

READ MORE THAN ACQUIRED

Last year I added 300 books but read 50 of them. In addition I have another 4,500 plus on the TBR.
The challenge is not to make the situation of my TBR worse.
So I must read or remove from my wider TBR more than I acquire this year and I will gauge this against last years "new" TBR and any future incomings. Therefore the older TBRs don't count against this challenge.

The figure at the start of the year is 250 books and this number must be smaller by December 31. These are the 250 books:

1 Stay with Me Adebayo
2 American War Akkad
3 The Catholic School Albinati
4 The Unwomanly Face of War Alexievich
5 Saltwater Andrews
6 Big Sky Atkinson
7 At the Jerusalem Bailey
8 The Body Lies Baker
9 The Lost Memory of Skin Banks
10 Remembered Battle-Felton
11 Springtime in a Broken Mirror Benedetti
12 A Crime in the Neighborhood Berne
13 Stand By Me Berry
14 Love Story, With Murders Bingham
15 This Thing of Darkness Bingham
16 The Sandcastle Girls Bohjalian
17 The Ascent of Rum Doodle Bowman
18 Clade Bradley
19 The Snow Ball Brophy
20 Paladin of Souls Bujold
21 Parable of the Sower Butler
22 The Adventures of China Iron Camara
23 The Overnight Kidnapper Camilleri READ JAN 21
24 The Other End of the Line Camilleri READ JAN 21
25 Lord of all the Dead Cercas
26 Uncle Vanya Checkov
27 The Cherry Orchard Checkov
28 Blue Moon Child
29 Trust Exercise Choi
30 The Night Tiger Choo
31 The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side Christie READ JAN 21
32 At Bertram's Hotel Christie READ FEB 21
33 The Water Dancer Coates
34 The New Wilderness Cook
35 Hopscotch Cortazar
36 The Illumination of Ursula Flight Crowhurst
37 Deviation D'Eramo
38 Boy Swallows Universe Dalton
39 The Girl with the Louding Voice Dare
40 The Rose of Tibet Davidson
41 Dhalgren Delany
42 The Butterfly Girl Denfeld
43 Vernon Subutex 1 Despentes
44 Postcolonial Love Poem Diaz
45 Childhood Ditlevsen
46 Youth Ditlevsen
47 Dependency Ditlevsen
48 Burnt Sugar Doshi
49 Frenchman's Creek Du Maurier D
50 Trilby Du Maurier G
51 Sincerity Duffy
52 Sumarine Dunthorne
53 The Narrow Land Dwyer-Hickey
54 Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race Eddo-Lodge
55 Axiom's End Ellis
56 Figures in a Landscape England
57 kaddish.com Englander
58 Shadow Tag Erdrich
59 The Carpet Makers Eschbach
60 The Emperor's Babe Evaristo
61 Small Country Faye
62 To Rise Again at a Decent Hour Ferris
63 At Freddie's Fitzgerald
64 The Guest List Foley
65 Man's Search for Meaning Frankel
66 Love in No Man's Land Ga
67 Norse Mythology Gaiman
68 The Spare Room Garner
69 The Kites Gary
70 Gun Island Ghosh
71 Vita Nova Gluck
72 Trafalgar Gorodischer
73 Potiki Grace
74 Killers of the Flower Moon Grann
75 The Last Banquet Grimwood
76 Guapa Haddad
77 The Porpoise Haddon
78 Late in the Day Hadley
79 The Final Bet Hamdouchi
80 The Parisian Hammad
81 Nightingale Hannah
82 Coastliners Harris J
83 The Truths We Hold Harris K
84 Conclave Harris R
85 The Second Sleep Harris R
86 Tales of the Tikongs Hau'ofa
87 A Thousand Ships Haynes
88 The River Heller
89 Dead Lions Herron
90 Real Tigers Herron
91 War and Turpentine Hertmans
92 A Political History of the World Holslag
93 Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine Honeyman
94 The Light Years Howard
95 Promise Me You'll Shoot Yourself Huber
96 A High Wind in Jamaica Hughes
97 Ape and Essence Huxley
98 Me John
99 Nightblind Jonasson
100 Black Out Jonasson
101 How to be an Anti-Rascist Kendi
102 Death is Hard Work Khalifa
103 Darius the Great is Not Okay Khorram
104 Himself Kidd
105 Diary of a Murderer Kim
106 Dance of the Jacakranda Kimani
107 The Bridge Konigsberg
108 Who They Was Krauze
109 The Mars Room Kushner
110 The Princesse de Cleves La Fayette
111 The Other Americans Lalami
112 The Curious Case of Dassoukine's Trousers Laroui
113 Fish Can Sing Laxness
114 Agent Running in the Field Le Carre
115 Pachinko Lee
116 The Turncoat Lenz
117 The Topeka School Lerner
118 Caging Skies Leunens
119 The Fifth Risk Lewis
120 The Three-Body Problem Liu
121 Lost Children Archive Luiselli
122 Black Moses Mabanckou
123 Blue Ticket Mackintosh
124 A Burning Majumdar READ FEB 21
125 The Mirror and the Light Mantel
126 Original Spin Marks
127 Deep River Marlantes
128 The Return Matar READ MAR 21
129 The Island Matute
130 Hame McAfee
131 Apeirogon McCann
132 Underland McFarlane
133 Hurricane Season Melchor
134 The Shadow King Mengiste
135 The Human Swarm Moffett
136 She Would Be King Moore
137 The Starless Sea Morgenstern
138 Poetry by Heart Motion
139 A Fairly Honourable Defeat Murdoch
140 The Stories of Vladimir Nabokov Nabokov
141 The Warlow Experiment Nathan
142 The Left-Handed Booksellers of London Nix
143 Born a Crime Noah
144 The Private Joys of Nnenna Maloney Nzelu
145 Girl O'Brien
146 After You'd Gone O'Farrell
147 Henry, Himself O'Nan
148 Inland Obreht
149 Weather Offill
150 Dept. of Speculation Offill
151 Stag's Leap Olds
152 Blue Horses Oliver
153 Felicity Oliver
154 Will Olyslaegers
155 Woods, etc Oswald READ FEB 21
156 Night Theatre Paralkar
157 The Damascus Road Parini
158 Empress of the East Peirce
159 The Street Petry
160 Disappearing Earth Phillips
161 Arid Dreams Pimwana
162 Peterloo : Witness to a Massacre Polyp
163 Lanny Porter
164 The Women at Hitler's Table Postorino
165 A Question of Upbringing Powell A READ JAN 21
166 A Buyer's Market Powell A READ FEB 21
167 The Acceptance World Powell A
168 The Interrogative Mood Powell P
169 Rough Magic Prior-Palmer
170 The Alice Network Quinn
171 Where the Red Fern Grows Rawls
172 Such a Fun Age Reid
173 Selected Poems 1950-2012 Rich
174 The Discomfort of Evening Rijneveld
175 Jack Robinson
176 The Years of Rice and Salt Robinson K
177 A Portable Paradise Robinson R READ JAN 21
178 The Fall of the Ottomans Rogan
179 Normal People Rooney
180 Conversations with Friends Rooney
181 Alone Time Rosenbloom
182 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Rowling
183 The Watch Roy-Bhattacharya
184 The Five Rubenhold
185 Contact Sagan
186 The Hunters Salter
187 The Seventh Cross Seghers
188 Will Self
189 Moses Ascending Selvon
190 The Dove on the Water Shadbolt READ JAN 21
191 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World Shafak
192 In Arabian Nights Shah
193 The Caliph's House Shah
194 Mrs Warren's Profession Shaw
195 Arms and the Man Shaw
196 Candida Shaw
197 Man and Superman Shaw
198 Dimension of Miracles Sheckley
199 The Last Man Shelley
200 Temple of a Thousand Faces Shors
201 Year of the Monkey Smith P
202 Eternity Smith T
203 Crossing Statovci
204 Lucy Church, Amiably Stein
205 Rosencrantz and Guilderstern are Dead Stoppard
206 Blood Cruise Strandberg
207 Shuggie Bain Stuart READ JAN 21
208 Three Poems Sullivan
209 Rules for Perfect Murders Swanson
210 Cane River Tademy
211 Real Life Taylor
212 The Queen's Gambit Tevis
213 Far North Therous
214 Walden Thoreau
215 Civil Disobedience Thoreau
216 Survivor Song Tremblay
217 The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee Treuer
218 The Small House at Allingham Trollope
219 A Nest of Gentlefolk Turgenev
220 A Quiet Backwater Turgenev
221 A Lear of the Steppes Turgenev READ JAN 21
222 The Queen of Attolia Turner
223 The King of Attolia Turner
224 Redhead by the Side of the Road Tyler
225 Outlaw Ocean Urbina
226 Plague 99 Ure READ JAN 2021
227 The Age of Miracles Walker
228 The Uninhabitable Earth Wallace-Wells
229 Judith Paris Walpole
230 Love and Other Thought Experiments Ward
231 The Death of Mrs. Westaway Ware
232 Lolly Willows Warner
233 Second Life Watson
234 Final Cut Watson
235 Letters to Alice on First Reading Jane Austen Weldon
236 Before the War Weldon
237 Lazarus West
238 Educated Westover
239 The Nickel Boys Whitehead READ JAN 21
240 The Death of Murat Idrissi Wieringa
241 Salome Wilde
242 An Ideal Husband Wilde
243 Lady Windemere's Fan Wilde
244 A Woman of No Importance Wilde
245 The Salt Path Winn
246 The Natural Way of Things Wood C
247 East Lynne Wood E
248 A Room of One's Own Woolf READ FEB 21
249 Interior Chinatown Yu
250 How Much of These Hills is Gold Zhang

BEGIN : 250
READ : 16
ADDED : 71 (Nett after deducting those already read)
CULLED : 0 (AGED TBR)

PRESENT TOTAL : 305

THIS YEAR'S ACQUISITIONS

1. Some Experiences of an Irish R.M. by Somerville & Ross READ MAR 21
2. Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome READ JAN 21
3. The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
4. The French Revolution by Thomas Carlyle
5. The Black Corsair by Emilio Salgari
6. The Prime Ministers : Reflections on Leadership from Wilson to Johnson by Steve Richards
7. The God Child by Nana Oforiatta Ayim
8. Arturo's Island by Elsa Morante
9. Coningsby by Benjamin Disraeli
10. The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott
11. The Light in Hidden Places by Sharon Cameron
12. Death's Mistress by Terry Goodkind
13. The Mermaid of Black Conch by Monique Roffey
14. Small Days and Nights by Tishani Doshi
15. Clear Light of Day by Anita Desai
16. Desert by JMG Le Clezio
17. For the Record by David Cameron
18. The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
19. The Guardians of the West by David Eddings
20. Boy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyeyemi
21. The Council of Egypt by Leonardo Sciascia
22. Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
23. The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by NK Jemisin
24. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
25. Rupture by Ragnar Jonasson
26. White Out by Ragnar Jonasson
27. The Age of Capital by Eric Hobsbawm
28. The World Turned Upside Down by Christopher Hill
29. The Wretched of the Earth by Frantz Fanon
30. Modern Times by Paul Johnson
31. The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers by Paul Kennedy
32. The Warehouse by Rob Hart
33. On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
34. Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings
35. Queen of Sorcery by David Eddings
36. Magician's Gambit by David Eddings
37. Midnight Never Come by Marie Brennan
38. In Ashes Lie by Marie Brennan
39. The Broken Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin
40. The Flight Attendant by Chris Bohjalian
41. Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon
42. At Lady Molly's by Anthony Powell
43. Casanova's Chinese Restaurant by Anthony Powell
44. The Kindly Ones by Anthony Powell
45. The Financier by Theodore Dreiser
46. Still Waters by Viveca Sten
47. Toilers of the Sea by Victor Hugo
48. The Europeans by Henry James
49. Vice Versa by F. Anstey
50. A Thousand Moons by Sebastian Barry
51. The Scarred Woman by Jussi Adler Olsen
52. Closed for Winter Jorn Lier Horst
53. News of the World by Juliette Jiles
54. Bright Dead Things by Ada Limon READ MAR 21
55. A Teaspoon of Earth and Sea by Dina Nayeri
56. Death in the Tuscan Hills by Marco Vichi
57. American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
58. Good Morning Midnight by Lily Brooks-Dalton
59. Love After Love by Ingrid Persaud
60. The Enchanted by Rene Denefeld
61. The Friend by Sigrid Nunez
62. The Posthumous Memoirs of Bras Cubas by Machado de Assis
63. The Innocents by Michael Crummey
64. Night Waking by Sarah Moss
65. Idaho by Emily Ruskovich
66. Throw me to the Wolves by Patrick McGuinness
67. Consent by Annabel Lyon
68. Selling Manhattan by Carole Ann Duffy
69. Rendang by Will Harris
70. The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty
71. No One is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood
72. Amnesty by Aravind Adiga
73. The Awkward Squad by Sophie Henaff
74. The Perplexing Theft of the Jewel in the Crown by Vaseem Khan
75. Afternoon Raag by Amit Chaudhuri
76. The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut
77. The Gap of Time by Jeanette Winterson
78. The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher
79. Bricks and Mortar by Clemens Meyer
80. The Eastern Shore by Ward Just
81. The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson
82. The Wild Iris by Louise Gluck
83. Vertigo& Ghost by Fiona Benson
84. Salt Slow by Julia Armfield
85. Soot by Dan Vyleta
86. Deacon King Kong by James McBride
87. Abigail by Magda Szabo
88. Baba Yaga Laid an Egg by Dubravka Ugresic
89. Coming Up for Air by Sarah Leipciger
90. Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson

90 added
3 read
87 nett additions

RESOLUTIONS

BOOKS OF THE MONTH

January : The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
February : Did You Ever Have a Family by Bill Clegg

READING INFLUENCE WINNERS

A book for the book bullet that made the biggest mark on me that month. Only one win per person each year.

January 2021 MARK (msf59) for THE ONLY GOOD INDIANS by Stephen Graham Jones
February 2021 ADRIENNE (fairywings) for THE BELGARIAD by David Eddings

BOOK STATS :

Books Read : 36
Books Added : 85
Nett TBR Addition : 49

Number of Pages in completed books : 9,221
Avergae per day : 102.46
Projected Page Total : 37,396

Number of days per book : 2.50
Projected Number : 146
LT Best : 157

Longest Book read : 523 pages
Shortest Book read : 64 pages
Mean Average Book Length : 256.14 pages

Male Authors : 22
Female Authors : 14

UK Authors : 25
Italy : 2
USA : 4
NZ : 1
Russia : 1
France : 1
India : 1
Libya : 1

1001 Books First Edition : 5 (309)
New Nobel Winners :
Pulitzer Fiction Winners : 1 (17)
Booker Winners : 1 (32)
Around the World Challenge : New countries : 4 (17)
BAC Books : 12
AAC Books :
Queen Vic Books : 6 (9/64)
Queen Betty Books : 17 (18/70)
52 Book Challenge : 9 (9/52)
British Historians : 2 (2/12)

Next is yours

Happy new thread!

That was quick Amanda. xx

>26 PaulCranswick: I often catch you starting a new thread as I'm checking messages before starting dinner.

Perhaps this thread will see a few more Queen Vic titles down? Like, say, maybe The Count of Monte Cristo? (Yes, it's ginormous, but it flies by.)

>27 amanda4242: I have a few to complete. Some Experiences of an Irish RM, The Europeans, Vice Versa and Cranford this month.

Happy new thread!

Happy New Thread! I knew it was eminent. So close. :)

>30 mahsdad: I am happy with eminent, Jeff, but I guess you meant imminent!

>28 PaulCranswick: Cranford is a lovely book I've been meaning to revisit.

>30 mahsdad: Thanks Susan. Almost missed your post because it didn't appear until I refreshed the page.

>32 amanda4242: Of a chewable size too, Amanda, which I need to get myself going a little.

Happy new thread, Paul. I haven't read Cranford but did see a British film of it. I thought I recognized those ladies at the top!

Happy new one!

Happy New Thread Paul. I need to get to a few more English classics such as Cranford.

Happy New Thread! Nine threads thus far! Perhaps you set a record?

>35 Oregonreader: Thanks Jan. Some big hitters up there including Judi Dench and Julia McKenzie.

Marks for the other two ladies?

>36 figsfromthistle: Thank you Anita.

>37 avatiakh: Thank you Kerry. I am in something of a reading slump so I am trying to mix up things and start new books to see what sticks. I started Cranford this morning.

>38 Whisper1: Thanks Linda. Note even close! Amber is already on thread #10 having her thread go ballistic over the last few weeks.

The two other ladies in the Cranford picture are Imelda Staunton and Deborah Findlay. Fine actors all in a fine costume drama.

Happy new one, Paul.

>42 jessibud2: Thanks Shelley. Always wonderful to have you visit.

Happy new thread, Paul!

>44 false-knight: Thank you so much, Emery.

Looks like a good time to be visiting!

I've also got spreadsheets for Nobel, Pulitzer and Booker winners. Like everything else, my progress on those took a hit last year. But it's nice to see how you're getting along with them!

>31 PaulCranswick:. Aaahhhh, spellcheck failed me. At least you knew what I meant. 🤘

Just checking in :)

Happy ninth thread, Paul!

>46 ursula: Lovely to see you, Ursula. I do need to do a bit better this year with my reading in all those categories. The will is there but the wherewithal has been lacking.

>47 mahsdad: I hate those automatic spell check things Jeff. Had one on the phone before until I figured how to fix it and the results could occasionally be quite embarrassing.

>48 BekkaJo: Always pleased to see my absolute favourite Channel Islander!

>49 FAMeulstee: Thank you, Anita. xx

We were talking on my last thread about the difficulty in apportioning blame for the COVID-19 pandemic but it seems some lunatics find it easier to do than others.

Saddened to see the killing in shootings in Atlanta which appeared to target Asian-Americans in some form of crazy reprisal for the origin of COVID-19. The human race can often be so badly twisted.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56424616

Happy new thread, Paul!

>52 PaulCranswick: I'm sadden by this too - and along with you, sadly amazed at how twisted some can be.

>52 PaulCranswick: Unfortunately, there are many people who look for simple answers to complicated issues and are then easily seduced.
There are also examples of this in German history.
I wish you a happy new thread anyway, Paul

>53 drneutron: Lovely to see you, Jim. There is sadly so much ignorance and hatred still in the world no matter how much we "progress".

>54 SirThomas: Yes Thomas and in your nation's case an entire generation were saddled with a share of the blame for Hitler's reprehensible regime and heinous misdeeds whether they deserved it or not. Always a pleasure to have you stop by.

>52 PaulCranswick: The news I was watching this morning said motives were undetermined but the theory was something not covid at all which I will leave unsaid!

Happy new thread, Paul! You're making me want to reread Cranford, which I enjoyed very much several years ago even though at some point I realized the "old" ladies were... maybe about my age? (Probably younger than me now.) I didn't realize Imelda Staunton was in the film, and can't remember if I watched it (I'm more familiar with her as Professor Umbrage in Harry Potter #5).

>56 RBeffa: Yes, Ron, I have been reading the updates and it looks like the motive could be "sexual" instead of racial not that that will help the victims any.

>57 bell7: Made me smile because I always believe myself younger than my years, Mary! It is getting slightly harder to convince myself these days though!

Happy new thread Paul.

>57 bell7: Imelda Staunton is lovely as the mother in the 2005 tv film, My family and other animals.

>59 johnsimpson: Thanks John. Back to winning ways in the T20s. It is really difficult to understand how Bairstow can't get a single run in two test innings but is able to knock India all over the same park.

>60 avatiakh: She is a favourite actress of mine, Kerry. Francesca Annis is also in Cranford although not in my title shot and she was one of my very first crushes coming into manhood.

Happy New Thread, Paul. How are you coming a long with History of Wolves? The novel fell short for me but I am still glad I read it and I appreciate you sending it my way.

Hi Paul, and happy new thread.

I have a lovely copy of Cranford, published by the Dodge Publishing Company, some time in the early 1900s. It’s a marvelous book, and the 2007 TV series was well done.

>19 PaulCranswick: I’m a bit ahead of you on acquisitions with 70. I’ve read 8 of them and am starting the 9th. I have 3 of your acquisitions.

>40 PaulCranswick: I do hope you like Cranford and that it kick-starts your reading again. I read it in 2010 and in re-reading my review am reminded once again about how much I liked it and appreciated it.

Happy almost weekend, Paul!

>63 msf59: I am chugging through it slowly, Mark. Not great but not bad either. I wouldn't have said it was Booker worthy though.

>64 karenmarie: It is a charming novel, Karen. I am enjoying my reading the last couple of days and I will hopefully have news on books finished shortly.

I am no longer the leader of reckless additions, Karen, but with a TBR of 5,000 books in the house I really did need to slow down!

>65 leperdbunny: Thank you Tamara. Lovely to see you here as always.

Here's the next readthon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/330677

>62 PaulCranswick:, Hi Paul, another thing we have in common mate, i also had a crush on Francesca Annis although my first crush and still going is Sophia Loren, ever since i saw her in El Cid when i was eight or nine.

>68 SilverWolf28: Thanks Silver. I hope to do better than last week.

>69 johnsimpson: I certainly get the Sophia Loren crush, John, but Francesca Annis had a refined elegance.

Happy new thread, Paul! Ah, Cranford. I enjoyed both the book and the miniseries:)

>71 AMQS: Yes, Anne, it is quite delightful.

Some Friday additions:

68. Selling Manhattan by Carole Ann Duffy
69. Rendang by Will Harris
70. The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty
71. No One is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood
72. Amnesty by Aravind Adiga
73. The Awkward Squad by Sophie Henaff

Carol Ann Duffy is a poet I always enjoy. Harris' collection was an award winner in the UK last year. I will admit that I bought the books by Chakraborty and Henaff for their stunning covers and synopses. Lockwood is on the Women's Prize longlist with this one and Adiga is a Booker winner who usually provokes the reader.

Happy New Thread, Paul.

>1 PaulCranswick: LOL! What is that from?

Hey Paul, hope your Friday has been stellar. Happy New thread! Loving your book haul! I think I'll be able to leisurely peruse my local bookstore and library soon. With one dose of vaccine taken and another in mid-april, I'll feel more relaxed to wander around a bit.
Have a lovely weekend!

>75 jnwelch: It is from the TV adaptation of Cranford, Joe. Nice to see you buddy. Bought a couple of poetry collections today - British poets as is ever so slightly my preference - and apparently the one by Will Harris is a ripper.

I am currently reading Bright Dead Things by Ada Limon and enjoying it more than a little.

>76 Carmenere: It has been fine so far, Lynda:

a) mother out of hospital
b) decent day at work; accounts agreed on the KLCC project
c) took a call from my brother and chatted about our beloved Leeds United
d) had lunch in a French hotel bistro that has just reopened
e) bought six new books

No idea though when I will get a dose of vaccine.

Feeling nostalgic and wistful for England today. It is my father's birthday and although we are estranged I always think about him and wish him health and long life.

I thought particularly of this song "Run for Home" by British band Lindisfarne both because of homesickness as well as the memory of listening to it on Sunday tea time radio and singing along to it so many times.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOIxRkdzjCA

Also spoke to Yasmyne this evening and was left happy/sad. Always a joy to talk to my firstborn who is so full of life and vigour. Sad to think though that, because of this fucking pandemic, I haven't seen my lovely daughter since September 2019!!! That sucks.

Paul--Sounds like your Friday is going well. I am feeling far less guilty about my book 2021 acquisitions after seeing you have already broken 60. Thanks for that!

Happy birthday to your Dad and glad your Mum is out of the hospital. Sorry you haven't seen Yasmyne in so long. COVID sucks. I am hoping I can get my vaccine in April sometime. I think one of my health conditions will finally qualify me. : )

>80 Berly: Lovely to see you dear Kimmers. I hope that you get your jab soonest but that the health crud disappears irrespective. xx

>81 PaulCranswick: : )

>82 Berly: I smiled today too when I saw you posting x

>78 PaulCranswick: Good news for you today I see, except for the vaccine need. I just got my 2nd shot and had a common reaction for about 24 hours but feel much better now.

I got the "Fog On the Tyne" album back in my college days and enjoyed it a lot. Always have fond memories of that group. I had a solo album by Alan Hull as well.

Take care.

Love that City of Brass cover! Looks as if your weekend is looking up. Hope it is a good one, Paul.

>78 PaulCranswick: Overall, it sounds like a good day. I clicked on the link and I got the feeling I'd heard that song before. So, I googled and sure enough it made it to #33 on the US charts in 1978. #10 in the UK, btw ;0). Good song. It amazes me how music touches us in so many ways and for all time. xo

Happy new thread, Paul!

Oh my, another new thread! Have a good weekend, Paul.

>84 RBeffa: Pleased to see you managed to get your jabs, Ron. Lindisfarne were always good value and their music was much more serious and worthy than they were ever given credit for.

>85 Fourpawz2: It looks even better in RL, Charlotte. Like you I am a sucker for a good cover.

>86 Carmenere: They were from Newcastle, Lynda like Bryan Ferry, Sting, Dire Straits and The Animals.

All of those tell us something about the city. Wonderful vibrant place.

>87 humouress: Thank you, neighbour.

>88 connie53: Thank you, Connie. I have perceptively slowed down in recent weeks with the weight of RL dragging me down a bit.

Happy newish thread, Paul. I haven't noticed your threads slowing down any but then I'm so far behind on threads I haven't really been keeping track. Good to hear that your mum is out of hospital again.

>91 PaulCranswick: I hope RL live gets better soon, Paul!

>78 PaulCranswick: I get that feeling of nostalgia, Paul. Yesterday it was 53 years ago the my mother died. And I always have to think of her even more than I do on regular days.

>92 Familyhistorian: Thanks Meg. She really is a tough old girl. Apparently she was directing Peter (my brother) as to what needed to be readied in time for her return.

>93 connie53: I don't want to be too much of a mope, Connie - RL isn't too bad in all fairness other than I miss being able to go back to the UK and especially I miss my daughter.

I can understand your feelings. My grandmother died in 1994 and I still honour her birthday of 7 May every year (she would be 115 this year!) and my mum knows well that I will call her on that day wherever I am. It is a little bit sad that after me nobody will remember the wonderful woman she was or be affected by her passing.

>77 PaulCranswick:. Oh, I’m so glad you’re reading Bright Dead Things, Paul. Isn’t she something? Now I have to look for Will Harris.

>95 jnwelch: I'm really impressed by the collection, Joe. I had read a few mixed reviews of it but it is up there with the best of modern American poetry IMHO. Rendang which is the name of Harris' collection is the name of possibly the most famous of Indo-Malay dishes usually slow cooked with beef. Missing something if you have never tried it.

>94 PaulCranswick: I do understand that you miss your family. At least I can occasionally see them but with the distance and 'the not allowed to fly' things it must be very hard on you. I will keep you in my thoughts, Paul. I hope things will get back to some kind of normal too and you can see your mum and daughter soon.

And the sad thing you feel about your grandmother is known to me too. Non of the kids of me and my siblings have known my father or my mother. They died before on of us even left the house.

A good representation of beef rendang. One of the most satisfying of foods when the beef almost melts in your mouth.

>97 connie53: Your message was lovely and really touched me, Connie. I am so thankful that finding this group enabled me to get to know such wonderful people as you and so many of our peers who are invariably of thinking of others and wishing them well. I am sure that all the positive vibes here in the group has spread a little bit of good in the world. xx

>98 PaulCranswick: Must. Have!

>100 drneutron: If the opportunity ever arises, Jim, I will ensure that SWMBO makes the two of us a huge bowl of the stuff and we can work our way through it slowly lubricated with best ale.

Hi Paul, for St. Patrick's Day, my daughter and I took turns wearing the beautiful green and white vest
that my Grandmother Bell crocheted around 65 years ago - we keep the photo I took of her
in Oak Park, Illinois, up in the kitchen to watch over us.

So great that you continue to get Good News about your Mum! Has Yasmyne qualified for shots in Norway?

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

If you are still curious about why the U.S. hasn't zeroed in on relations with China
(aside from being in debt for about a gazillion dollars, U.S.).
here are our true priorities:

"The State Assembly on Wednesday passed bipartisan bills that would allow people
to braid hair without a barber or cosmetology license
and
allow Wisconsin bars and restaurants to sell glasses of wine or alcoholic cocktails to go."

>102 m.belljackson: I think she does qualify for the jabs in Norway, Marianne, but she hasn't had it yet.

I love St. Pat's day- it is so much a sheer enjoyment of life day.

Hahaha it is nice to see that Wisconsin is addressing its priorities sensibly.

Hi, Paul. Looks like I checked in on quite a good day! (American meaning of "quite" = "better than very!") I'm happy to hear that your mother is out of the hospital. I do wish her smooth sailing for a good long time. She deserves some.
You remind me that I put City of Brass on my Kindle when it was a daily deal, and I haven't gotten to it yet. At the rate I'm going, I'm not surprised, but I do look forward to the book.
Good wishes for a happy weekend!

>77 PaulCranswick: A good list of thing to improve the day!

Best luck for getting a vaccine.

>98 PaulCranswick: Sent me searching for beef rendang locally - and yes, this might be part of our Friday feast as both Mike and Becky have expressed no preference already. A food bullet.

>93 connie53:, >94 PaulCranswick:, On Monday the Monumental Mason called to say that he had put a new base down and reset the gravestone for Mum and Dad, i went to see what he had done on Tuesday morning and placed some Daffodils in the pot. Yesterday was the 26th anniversary since i lost mum, she would be 92 if she was still with us. Sadly both my mum and Dad didn't really get to see Rob and Amy grow up become lovely adults, i still miss them both.

>104 LizzieD: A good day made even better both by you visiting, Peggy, and my team, Leeds United, finally breaking their hoodoo of not winning in London by beating Fulham 2-1 and pretty much guaranteeing top flight soccer next seasons for the fans to enjoy.

>105 quondame: It would be a joy for your palate if cooked well, Susan. I hope you can track some down or that you are able to reproduce a recipe.

>106 johnsimpson: Wistful old day with so many of us thinking of lost loved ones, John.

>98 PaulCranswick: >105 quondame: >107 PaulCranswick: Yum. It was very tasty as were the other dishes we ordered. Mike and Becky were quite happy with the meal too. (Background music "I love LA").

>79 PaulCranswick: oh I so relate. I saw Jacob in January 2020, but I haven’t seen Emily since December 2018. I had plans to go out to see her before leaving the US but....

I turned my back and you started a new thread with 100 plus posts already. Happy new thread belatedly.

I'm glad to see your mother is out of the hospital, and sorry you've been missing your daughter. I'm lucky that my grown up kids live nearby (half a mile, very near). Although the pandemic has restricted how we interact with them, we do get to see them.

Perhaps I'll try to watch that Cranford adaptation.

I'll admit I got the Lockwood book too on the strength of a tweet she made in 2013:

".@parisreview So is Paris any good or not"

I hope you can see your daughter before too much longer!

>109 quondame: Hahaha to the background music, Susan. I am so pleased that you enjoyed the food bullet!

>110 ursula: Most of the time, Ursula, it is not much on my mind but occasionally and especially during anniversaries I will remember that I haven't seen my girl for so, so long and it is painful remembering. Hope that circumstances will allow you to see Emily soon. xx

>111 AnneDC: Show is recommended, Anne. I keep telling myself that this pandemic nightmare is almost over.

>112 false-knight: That is a brave tweet, Emery!

I almost added the book last week and couldn't resist this one. Women's Prize longlist number three on the shelves now.

I really hope that this weekend sees me unearth again my reading mojo.

I have so many books on the go at the moment as I yearn to find one that clicks me back into gear:

Cranford
The Age of Improvement
Love Story, With Murders
Some Experiences of an Irish RM
Bright Dead Things
History of Wolves

I may get one finished, I may dust them all off - let's see!

>94 PaulCranswick: - How weird, Paul. My maternal grandmother was also born in 1906 (February) and died in 1994 (September).

>98 PaulCranswick: Whoa, that looks pretty amazing, Paul. Is it spicy?

>116 Fourpawz2: That is some coincidence, Charlotte. May and March in my Gran's case but still quite interesting.

>117 scaifea: In the case of having much flavour yes, Amber, but not in a hot sense of spicy.

>118 PaulCranswick: That's good to hear! I like flavory but definitely not hot.

>119 scaifea: Then rendang is for you, Amber, especially the Malaysian version of the dish which is pictured.

>115 PaulCranswick: Gosh, Paul, only 32 books read. That's not much. ;0)

Myself, I've managed to claw my way up to 16 books read this year. If I can manage another 3 in the next week and a half, I'll finally be on track for this year (assuming I can keep going).

>121 humouress: Ah but only 2 finished in March so far, Nina, puts it into perspective. I was hoping to reach 200 books this year.

Glad to see that your mother is out of hospital! That must be a relief!

>123 ChelleBearss: A huge relief. She has spent the last year and a half confounding the medical experts and disproving our earlier belief that she was a soft touch. x

>115 PaulCranswick: You might like Starship Sakira by Bob Blanton. It's very interesting but not heavy. At least for me it was a very easy read.

>125 SilverWolf28: Thanks for that Silver. I will keep a look out for it.

BOOK #33



Bright Dead Things by Ada Limon
Date of Publication : 2015
Origin of Author : USA
Pages : 101 pp

Challenges
Poetry : 3/12

When I get into a reading funk there is nothing like a profound poetry collection to re-set my reading palate and get me going again. This fine collection did just that.

It's concerns are race, sex, sexuality, belonging and place and, more curiously perhaps most things canine! Her use of metaphor is very striking and original. Her passions are fully realised but there is an excellent balance between subtlety and bluntness that makes the points when they hit you more effective.

Here is a poem from the collection "Before"

No shoes and a glossy
red helmet, I rode
on the back of my dad’s
Harley at seven years old.
Before the divorce.
Before the new apartment.
Before the new marriage.
Before the apple tree.
Before the ceramics in the garbage.
Before the dog’s chain.
Before the koi were all eaten
by the crane. Before the road
between us, there was the road
beneath us, and I was just
big enough not to let go:
Henno Road, creek just below,
rough wind, chicken legs,
and I never knew survival
was like that. If you live,
you look back and beg
for it again, the hazardous
bliss before you know
what you would miss.

A few in the group have read and appreciated this. Add me to the list.

Sad to see that yet another of my football team's great players has passed away. Peter Lorimer, born in Dundee but Leeds through-and-through had probably the hardest shot in football in the 1970s. He was the all-time highest scorer for Leeds United and a regular part of our greatest team in the decade from 1965 to 1975. His unjustly disallowed goal in the European Cup Final of 1975 is why our support still sing Champions of Europe. Died at 74 and I met him at the ground on numerous occasions. A lovely, loyal and passionate man.



Peter Lorimer is on the left. Another of our great team that fell in the last year - Norman Hunter - is on the right. What a team we will have in heaven.

>128 PaulCranswick: Mr SandDune was also very upset about Peter Lorimer’s death. His absolute childhood hero apparently.

>125 SilverWolf28: >126 PaulCranswick: I forgot to mention that it's on Kindle Unlimited.

>129 SandDune: Mine was Billy Bremner, Rhian, possibly because I shared his stature. He (Lorimer) scored the first goals I ever saw in a live game on 1 March 1975 and in fact he scored both goals when we drew with Manchester City 2-2.

>130 SilverWolf28: I am not on Kindle unlimited, Silver, but I can ask Kyran to download it for me.

More additions today in a discount bookstore:

74. The Perplexing Theft of the Jewel in the Crown by Vaseem Khan
75. Afternoon Raag by Amit Chaudhuri
76. The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut
77. The Gap of Time by Jeanette Winterson
78. The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher
79. Bricks and Mortar by Clemens Meyer
80. The Eastern Shore by Ward Just

Khan was a BAC pick by Amanda. Chaudhuri is a writer who has always intrigued me. I have read much of Vonnegut but not this one. Winterson is good value and Pilcher's book is on the Guardian 1000 books list. Clemens Meyer's book is a modernist classic and Ward Just was an AAC pick last year who I couldn't find then.

BOOK #34



Some Experiences of an Irish RM by Somerville & Ross
Date of Publication : 1899
Origin of Author : UK (Ireland pre independence)
Pages : 223 pp

Challenges :
Queen Vic : 5 (8/64)
1001 Books : 4 (308)
BAC : (LGBT Feb) 12th

At times delightful but awfully dated.

Major Yeates is sent to deepest Cork to be a Resident Magistrate and is lead a merry dance by his Landlord, Flurry Knox.

Cannot see this one being in the 1001 books in many more editions.

Looks like your reads are getting back on track, Paul. There are still ten days left in the month so looks like you will get back on track to your 200 for the year.

>135 Familyhistorian: I have a couple more almost finished too, Meg, which will help the stats a little.

Just received news that my Father in law has passed away in Johor Bahru. Poor Hani is devastated. We are driving down country for the funeral. I won't be active for the rest of the day at least.

>137 PaulCranswick: I'm so sorry, Paul. {{hugs}}

>137 PaulCranswick: I'm sorry to hear that. My condolences to Hani.

Deepest sympathies to Hani and your family.

I'm very sorry to hear that, Paul. All the best to all of you.

So sorry to hear this Paul. My condolences to Hani.

>137 PaulCranswick: So sorry Paul. Send my love to Hani.

>138 amanda4242: Thank you, Amanda

>139Thanks Susan.

He passed away àt 9.45 am and I was already in Johor Bahru by 3 pm. Pretty good going considering I needed to obtain police approval to travel interstate and then go to the bank. All after leaving work and going home to collect Hani, Kyran and Belle. It is 220 miles to Johor Bahru so you can imagine how fast I was travelling.

>140 humouress: Thanks neighbour. We are just onthe doorstep but visiting is still on on the cards.

>141Thank you Ursula. We are so fortunate in our friends here.

>142 SandDune: Thank you, Rhian. Tomorrow is our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary but I would have wished happier circumstances for my dear wife.

>143 BekkaJo: Thanks Bekka, I will. xx

It is a key feature of Islam that the dead are laid to rest in an expeditious (I couldn't think of a better word) manner. By the time we arrived in Johor Bahru the funeral service was just completing in the cemetery. Barely 5 hours after his last breath. I was a little upset for Hani because she so much wanted to see him.

Oh, I'm so sorry, Paul. Please give Hani a hug for me, and I'll be keeping you all in my thoughts.

>148 scaifea: Thank you dear Amber. Poor girl is devastated.

I'm sorry to hear this news, Paul, and send my love and sympathy to you and your family.

So sorry to hear about the death of Hani's father, Paul. My condolences for her, you and the family.

My condolences to Hani, you, and your family.

>150 CDVicarage: Thank you Kerry. I am blessed by my dear friends here.

>151 connie53: Thank you so much, Joanne

>152 karenmarie: Thank you dear Karen

Deep condolences Paul, to you, Hani and your family.

Thank you Shelley. We are all very tired

My condolences Paul. My thoughts are with Hani, you and the family.

So sorry this happened. Please pass my condolences and prayers to Hani. And to you and the kids as well.

I am sorry to hear this Paul. My condolences to all of you.

Very sorry to hear of the death of your father-in-law. My sympathies to the family.

Paul - Sad to learn of this - sending comforting wishes to Hani, You, and Your Family.

I’m sorry to hear of the loss, and that Hani was unable to say goodbye. You’re both in my thoughts.

Very sad, please give Hani my sympathies. I will be holding you all in my thoughts Paul.

Sorry to hear your news- please pass on my condolences to your family.

Condolences to you and your family, Paul.

I am sorry for your loss, Paul.

My deepest condolences to you and Hani! You are in all our thoughts, Paul.

>157 mahsdad: Thank you Jeff
>158 drneutron: Thanks, Jim. Our 25th wedding anniversary has just dawned but we, of course, are in no mood to celebrate

>159 EllaTim: Thank you Ella.

>160 Fourpawz2: Thanks Charlotte. I saw the pictures yesterday as he wàs being prepared for funeral and the poor little chap was skin and bone.
I always used to joke that we bought his clothes from Mothercare but he really had become a shadow of himself.

>161 m.belljackson: Thank you Marianne.

>162 lunacat: Nice to see you, Jenny, but I wish that the circumstances were more joyful. Thank you x

>163 Caroline_McElwee: Thank you dear Caroline.

>164 torontoc: Thanks Cyrel, I will do.

Am facing a long drive back today to be at work on Wednesday. I will take Belle with me as she needs to do her classes and I will leave Hani and Kyran here. I will drive back down on Saturday and bring them both home on Sunday.

Just read on Richard's thread about Hani's dad, Paul, and send love and hugs to the both of you! May the fact that you are together comforting each other be ample celebration of the 25th anniversary.

>165 kac522: Thank you Kathy

>166 figsfromthistle: Thanks Anita.

My mother in laws future plans will be interesting. She is Singaporean and has never frankly liked the Johorean village life her otherwise happy marriage imposed. A return to Singapore to her 4 sisters would be complicated by where she would live. My money is on an eventual move to Kuala Lumpur.

>167 msf59: Thanks Mark. I think that today is going to be filled with prayers and visitors.

>172 ronincats: Thank you for stopping by, Roni and for your kind words.

I will add my condolences and sympathy to you and your family Paul. I'm sorry that Hani was unable to see her father.

>175 RBeffa: Thank you, Ron.
Apparently they were working to a tight timetable but when we reached the cemetery nothing was happening.

I'm so sorry to hear about Hani's father's passing, Paul. My thoughts are with you and your family.

Thank you, Mary. xx

>137 PaulCranswick: I am so sorry that Hanni has lost her father. Thoughts and prayers to both of you.

Thank you Kimmers.

I'm so sorry to hear about Hani's father, Paul. Thinking of you all!

Sorry to hear about Hani's father. My condolences to you both.

Paul and Hanni, I'm sorry to hear the awful news. Your, and her, family appear so tight and supportive of each other. It's hard to say anything other than I'm sorry for you both, and that I am thinking of you.

My condolences to you and Hani, Paul.
You are in our thoughts.

It's not a very good time right now, but I wish you a wonderful wedding anniversary!

>147 PaulCranswick: That seems so fast - and something I didn't know about Islam. Still thinking about you both. He had looked very frail when she last posted pictures.

I hope you get to have some time together - to just be together, if maybe not celebrate, your wedding anniversary.

Happy Anniversary to you and Hanni and best wishes for many many many more!

>181 curioussquared: Thank you Natalie - the love and best wishes of our friends has been a real succour to us both.

>182 fairywings: Thanks Adrienne.

We arrived in Johor at the cemetery just as the service had ended. To watch SWMBO seated under a parasol held by her sister reciting "yassin" prayers for her father at his graveside with tears streaming down her face was profoundly moving. Im my own heart looking at her with pride I could only say..."What a woman!".

>183 LovingLit: Thank you dear Megan. We were just speaking about another trip to NZ when this COVID nightmare is done and dusted.

>184 SirThomas: Thanks Thomas. The mosque at the end of my father-in-law's street will say prayers for him for the next seven days ("talil"). It is traditional to provide food for those engaged in the prayers (50 pax) and it was amazing that five different parties came forward wanting to "sponsor" one of the days. Hani and I will pay for one day each and the rest will be paid for my by FIL's close friends and one of our close friends. People are so kind.

>185 SirThomas: Thank you. We did say that we would celebrate our not inconsiderable milestone at a more appropriate juncture.

>186 BekkaJo: It is meant to be within 24 hours of passing but I did feel the rush to put him in the ground a little unseemly especially as we were racing south to try to see him before hand. Hani was upset but has accepted it. It was a decision not made by the family but by the authorities.

He was frail, Bekka.

>187 Carmenere: Thank you dear Lynda.

I am back in Kuala Lumpur already after a slightly less stressful drive back up. Belle and Kyran came with me - Belle has classes tomorrow and Kyran brought no clothes with him (I surmise because he was determined not to stay). My mother in law's place is always welcoming but has no aircon and five small children running riot most of the time. I went out of the house and sat with the engine running in my airconditioned car this afternoon because I could stand it no longer.

Saying hello before you start a new thread! And sending best wishes for some peace and quiet!

Hi Paul, so sorry to hear about the loss of your FIL mate, we saw the message on FB and Karen immediately sent Hanni a message from both of us. I would have thought that the Authorities would have shown a little care to wait a short while so that Hanni could have seen her father before he was laid to rest.

We send deepest condolences to you all mate and you are all in our thoughts and prayers at this sad time.

>192 witchyrichy: Thank you, Karen. I think I shall get some peace and quiet these few days with SWMBO in Johor Bahru.

>193 johnsimpson: Thanks John - I did see Karen's message from both of you. I was a little annoyed with them because it was ostensibly because they has a full schedule but when we arrived at the cemetery there was no activity there at all.

Oh dear Paul I am so sorry to hear about your FIL's passing. Deepest condolences.

>195 brenzi: Thank you my Queen of Reviews. x

Hi Paul. Just thinking of you and Hani. Love & Hugs.

>197 connie53: Thank you dear Connie. SWMBO is overwhelmed by the many messages and lovely words she has received for her father.

Paul, Yesterday, I saw the very sad news on Hanni's fb post. You have my deepest sympathy and my heart goes out to you and your family. xo

>132 PaulCranswick: I see you are still regularly adding to your book collection! Looks like you had a good haul. I guess I am surprised you didn't own a few of those already.

>137 PaulCranswick: I'm sorry about Hani's father's death. Thinking of you both.

>199 Carmenere: She is bearing up well and, typical of her, thinking of making sure her mum is ok and taken care of rather than dwelling on her ow sadness. Sometimes I look at the force of nature she is and wonder what on earth I did to deserve such a marvellous person as my soulmate.

>200 thornton37814: I added some more today too, Lori, and will list them shortly.

Thank you for your kind words.xx

Paul, I'm so sorry to hear about Hani's father. Thinking of you and your family.

>201 PaulCranswick: Well, Paul, after seeing your astonishing Birthday Cake,
someone (aside from The Baker) must think you are deserving!

So sorry to see your family's loss. Hope you all are doing ok!

>202 aktakukac: Thank you, Rachel. Lovely to have you drop by.

>203 m.belljackson: Even when we are fighting which we do like Frazier & Ali she will stop mid sentence and thank me for all the small kindnesses I have done for her and her parents - takes me completely out of my stride! I am a lucky guy, Marianne.

>204 ChelleBearss: Thanks Chelle. We are all as well as could be expected, I think. xx

Today's additions:

81. The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson
82. The Wild Iris by Louise Gluck
83. Vertigo& Ghost by Fiona Benson
84. Salt Slow by Julia Armfield
85. Soot by Dan Vyleta

Larson's book has been hotly reviewed in the group. I want to collect all the Gluck collections and this one won the Pulitzer. Fiona Benson's collection won the Forward Poetry Prize and has been acclaimed in England. Armfield's short story collection is a likely winner and Dan Vyleta's book could not be ignored!

>79 PaulCranswick: Ouch. Have a virtual hug, guaranteed 100% covid-free.

>80 Berly: At least locally, being qualified for the vaccine is only half that battle. The other half is finding a place that actually has doses to give you ;-(

But on the good side, one of my sisters (3000+ miles away from me, in another country) got her jab fairly recently, and it's a 1 dose jab, so she's done.

>137 PaulCranswick: Sorry to hear that. All the best to you and to Hani.

Paul, I'm sorry to hear about your family's loss. It must be very hard on Hanni, as well as the rest of you. I hope your mourning doesn't take away too much from your anniversary joys.

Our Jewish tradition also requires a rapid burial, but in my experience it has always been the next day. Still, with families so spread out, there are many times when people cannot be present, and it is rather dislocating.

This makes me think of the people I know who live alone, and not close to family, like my sister. We are of an age where making sure your plans are known is an important consideration.

>209 ArlieS: There doesn't seem to be much in the way of news of vaccine roll-out over here, although the politicians all seem to have had theirs and are already travelling here and there. Selfish vultures that they are.

Virtual hug gratefully received!

>210 ArlieS: Thank you, Arlie.xx

>211 ffortsa: Thank you for the kind words, Judy.

On the rush to burial, it is generally in the same day but apparently was hastened by a scheduled burial of a covid patient at which - so sadly - no relatives are allowed to be present. That just seems unreasonably cruel.

Times like these do emphasise the advantages of having loved ones near to us.

SWMBO and I will celebrate our anniversary quietly next week sometime. x

One thing that I found out that beggars belief a little bit is how my FIL used to experiment with his oxygen. Hani and I bought him the oxygen equipment so that he could be at home and he was supposed to take it for up to 12 hours daily. I found out over the last few days that he used to infiltrate sugar into the system as he found it pleasurable and he also added cough mixture into the same as he felt it was good for him. Don't know if it had any bearing on his passing but it cannot have helped him much.

BOOK # 35



The Age of Improvement 1783-1867 by Asa Briggs
Date of Publication : 1959
Origin of Author : UK
Number of Pages : 523 pp

Challenges
British Historians (2/12)
Queen Betty Challenge (18/70)

One of my treasured possessions from history studies as a boy and young adult. I read it many years ago and some of it definitely stuck but I feel I appreciated the breadth and scope of Briggs' accomplishment more this time around.

The period which started with the advent of Pitt the Younger and ended in the Great Reform Act of 1867 (which greatly expanded male suffrage - JS Mill's amendment to seek the vote for ladies was roundly defeated) was a period of great tumult in Europe as a whole and Britain in particular. It was a period of great economic achievement coupled with growing social strife and awareness. It was a period that saw the emergence and defeat of Napoleon and the Charge of the Light Brigade in that most unnecessary of wars in Crimea. Britain was at its zenith in many ways during the period - undisputed workshop of the world and introducers of the Industrial Revolution that spread throughout Western Europe and North America subsequently. Britain had complete mastery of the seas and were unrivalled in terms of finance and commerce.

It was a period whose figures were and have remained in some measure giants - Pitt, Fox, Peel, Liverpool, Canning, Castlereagh, Wellington, Derby, Russell, Melbourne, Cobden, Bright and most strikingly Palmerston were the great political figures of the era with Disraeli and Gladstone stepping out of the shadows as the book concluded with the Great Reform Act.

It was a period of four monarchs - George III alternately able and mad, his wastrel son George IV, William IV a steadying stop-gap and Victoria whose essence of duty didn't preclude interference for her favourites especially when supported by her Consort, Albert (who died in 1861).

It was a period of unrest as the working class became more aware of themselves and their rights, particularly given the horror of factory conditions. Britain wasn't great for everybody. We had the Peterloo massacre and the Chartist Movement, the Anti-Corn Law League, the Tolpuddle Martyrs, the Luddites and the nascent Trade Union Movement all playing a role in advancing the cause of working people. We had the troubles in Ireland well ventilated by O'Connell and the tragedy of famine. We had mass emigration and the expansion of Empire.

We also had Wilberforce and then Palmerston forcing through an anti-slavery policy that effectively ended the slave trade. It was interesting how difficult it was for Palmerston (in some ways a conservative man) to force through the blockades preventing the slave trade and the fact that supposedly enlightened people like Cobden and Bright were very much against his policy.

It was an age of reason with Austen, Scott, Dickens, Thackeray, Eliot, Gaskell and Trollope in letters, Bentham, Mill, Spencer and Darwin awash with ideas. Wordsworth, Tennyson, Byron and the Brontes. Britain has never been so productive and never again expanded so successfully whilst at the same time achieving such noticeable social change.

A long but very rewarding read.

I love that you added 80 books to your collection thus far this year. I am also keeping track. I haven't added my recent acquisitions, but I hope to do so this weekend.

I'm sorry it is difficult to get a Covid injection. I had the first round of the Maderna vaccine, and will have the second in a few weeks.

Sending all good wishes to you. How sad that you haven't seen you daughter sinced 2019. Ouch.

>216 Whisper1: I am happy and sad at the addition, Linda. Always happy to be getting books but I had so hoped to read more than I added this year and I am fifty behind already!

No sign of the COVID injections here. :(

I did speak to Yasmyne for a good while yesterday and hope to get her home for a good spell soon.

Hi Paul, my condolences to your family for your loss.

>218 avatiakh: Thank you, Kerry.

Just checking in on you X

>207 PaulCranswick: That's reminded me I haven't logged my latest batch of cheap reads!

>220 BekkaJo: I'm doing fine, Bekka. SWMBO less so.

>214 PaulCranswick: That’s just bizarre. I guess no one could stop him?

>222 karenmarie: We didn't realise until much later, Karen.

>214 PaulCranswick: Hmm, doesn't sound like good practice Paul.

Glad you and Hani can get some celebration time in next week.

Paul, I want to add my sympathies: very sorry to hear about your father-in-law's passing. My thoughts are with you & Hani & family.

My condolences to Hani and the whole family, Paul. Losses are so much harder to handle these days, it seems, with added difficulties piled onto the grief and sorrow.

Glad you are using book therapy. It's appropriate right now--don't worry about the buy/read ratio right now. (And don't tell Hani I said that!). Sending more hugs to you both.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/330896

My prayers are with you and your family.

>224 Caroline_McElwee: I'm pretty certain it wasn't, Caroline

>225 swynn: Thank you, Steve.

>226 laytonwoman3rd: Thank you, Linda. Impacted by COVID in making the haste of burial, I think, quite unseemly.

>227 Berly: My book therapy would have the opposite effect on the good lady which is why I got it done quickly!

>228 SilverWolf28: I will try to join Silver though I have to go back down country and bring SWMBO home.

>229 SilverWolf28: Thank you. xx

My condolences to you and your family. That's awful, especially at a time like this.

Thank you, Emery. I will drive back down tomorrow to bring my wife home.

Paul, please tell Hani I am sorry for her loss. And, prayers and good wishes to the entire family.

>235 Whisper1: Thank you, Linda. I will tell her just that when I see her later today.

Best wishes and love to Hanni and you and all of the family, Paul.

>237 AMQS: Thanks Anne. About to set off back down there with the kids and my SIL.

The Age of Improvement looks pretty good, Paul. I think I have to add it to one of my insane lists.

>12 PaulCranswick: As a Victorianist, I'm intrigued! A Queen Vic challenge - what good fun.

>79 PaulCranswick: This is one of the hardest things the pandemic has imposed - the distance from loved ones. I'm glad you're able to speak to your daughter, and I'm sorry you're still missing her. >137 PaulCranswick: I'm sorry, to, to hear of your FIL's passing. I saw some of the concerns on RD's thread, and I wish you a peaceful resolution to your family.

Did I see a note, though, that you and Hani are celebrating an anniversary?

>137 PaulCranswick: My condolences to Hani and you, Paul.

So sorry about the loss of your father-in-law.

Sorry guys I am in johor bahru and I cannot get Internet on my laptop. My responses therefore will be a tad truncated, but as heartfelt as ever!

>239 Fourpawz2: I think you would enjoy it, Charlotte. Erudite and very informative.

>240 London_StJ: Lovely to see you here LSJ!

It has been a tough year for all of us hasn't it?
I will be bringing SWBO home later today and we will celebrate our silver anniversary sometime soon though it fell on the 23rd.

>241 FAMeulstee: Thank you dear Anita

Hani's good friend who lives near Rotterdam has organised talil prayers for my FIL on 3 and 4 April.

>242 banjo123: Thank you Rhonda. We are so indebted to our friends for the many kindnesses during the last week. Every kind thought and wish is a blessing indeed.

Already back to Kuala Lumpur but incredibly sleepy. See y'all in a few hours time. x

>246 PaulCranswick: Glad to hear you made it home safe.

>247 amanda4242: Thanks Amanda, but with so much driving (it rained torrentially almost all the way down and part of the back) I got little reading done.

Just dropping in to say hello and offer condolences on the passing of your father-in-law.

We are missing you over at the Category Challenge group.

>249 VivienneR: Thank you so much for not forgetting me, Vivienne!

I will be over this week to the Category Group to catch up and repay long overdue visits. xx

>250 PaulCranswick: Glad to hear it!

>251 VivienneR: :D

Hope you got some sleep - be careful with tired driving on rainy roads please!

>253 BekkaJo: I did make it home safely, Bekka. SWMBO called me at work in floods of tears yesterday because her mum had been on the phone upset and missing her husband.

>254 PaulCranswick: Good to read you came home safely, Paul.
Give Hani some (((hugs))) from me.

>255 FAMeulstee: I will do Anita. xx

The Booker International Prize longlist is out :

Live in the Slums by Can Xue, translated from Chinese by Karen Gernant and Chen Zeping (Yale University Press)

At Night All Blood is Black by David Diop, translated from French by Anna Moschovakis (Pushkin Press)

The Pear Field by Nana Ekvtimishvili, translated from Georgian by Elizabeth Heighway (Peirene Press)

The Dangers of Smoking in Bed by Mariana Enríquez, translated from Spanish by Megan McDowell (Granta Books)

When We Cease to Understand the World by Benjamín Labatut, translated from Spanish by Adrian Nathan West (Pushkin Press)

The Perfect Nine: The Epic of Gikuyu and Mumbi by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, translated from Gikuyu by the author (Harvill Secker)

The Employees by Olga Ravn, translated from Danish by Martin Aitken (Lolli Editions)

Summer Brother by Jaap Robben, translated from Dutch by David Doherty (World Editions)

An Inventory of Losses by Judith Schalansky, translated from German by Jackie Smith (Quercus)

Minor Detail by Adania Shibli, translated from Arabic by Elisabeth Jaquette (Fitzcarraldo Editions)

In Memory of Memory by Maria Stepanova, translated from Russian by Sasha Dugdale (Fitzcarraldo Editions)

Wretchedness by Andrzej Tichý, translated from Swedish by Nichola Smalley (And Other Stories)

The War of the Poor by Éric Vuillard, translated from French by Mark Polizzotti (Pan Macmillan)

The two I am familiar with are Ngugi wa Thiongo and Judith Schalansky.

>257 PaulCranswick: I've only read The Perfect Nine; it was a bit dry, but still an enjoyable read.

I haven't read any of them yet, Amanda, but I will see if any of them are in the bookstores here at the weekend.

>257 PaulCranswick: I have read two of them. I recommend At Night All Blood is Black, I thought it was a very good story. Summer Brother was not my kind of book, others may like it better.
An Inventory of Losses is on the shelves, I will move it towards the top of mount TBR.

>260 FAMeulstee: I am impressed that you have already read two of them, Anita.

That was a short trip, Paul. Is Hanni still there? This is such a difficult time for all of you. I'm sure Hanni's grief and that of her mother are overwhelming and I am sending all of you love.

>257 PaulCranswick: Thanks for posting the list, not that I have read any of them...yet. : )

>254 PaulCranswick: More hugs to you and Hanni.

>262 AMQS: No Anne, I left her for a week with her mum and then brought her home on Sunday. Not really long enough but all her siblings are there too.

>263 Berly: Yeah and at my rate of un-reading I won't be getting far into the list anytime soon, Kimmers.

Hugs right back at yer!

>254 PaulCranswick: So hard for Hani, having to support her mum at a distance, but something you understand well Paul, so you will be the best of help to her.

>160 Fourpawz2: I have just ordered At Night All Blood is Black.

>265 Caroline_McElwee: I am there to help her, Caroline, but she needs a bit of private time too at the moment, I think.

Just a quick pass through, Paul, to say once again how sorry I am about your FiL's death. Poor Hani. Today is the 15th anniversary of my father's death and although my sadness is a bit muted with time, I can well remember the disorientation and staggering feeling of loss.

>267 karenmarie: I don't think that I shall ever forget the lift door opening on my bereft and despairing lady. The drive of almost 200 miles in about 2 and a half hours to the cemetery is one effort I would not like to repeat either. It does of course also make you appreciate each other just a little bit more. x

BOOK #36



Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell
Date of Publication : 1853
Origin of Author
Pages : 203 pp

Challenges
BAC June - will include in BAC total in June
Queen Vic Challenge - 6 (9/64)

Enjoyable episodic novel about the lives of a number of shabbily genteel ladies of a certain age in provincial England.

>269 PaulCranswick:

The Cranford cover echoes the Scotswomen now weaving willow baskets
in the latest "Men in Kilts' video on STARZ.

>270 m.belljackson: I haven't seen that show, Marianne, but the title is certainly very suggestive!

>271 PaulCranswick:

It's a bit of a stretch, but "Men in Kilts" has its moments, notably in the "Sports" and "Dance" episodes.

>272 m.belljackson: I will go and look it up, Marianne, rather than look up it!

>269 PaulCranswick: I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this one when I read it last year. I'm glad you liked it, too!

>274 scaifea: Much lighter than North and South but will hopefully kick start my reading again, Amber.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/331069

My condolences to you all on the passing of your father in law, Paul. Somehow the present times make family crisis so much worse.

>276 SilverWolf28: Thank you, Silver

>277 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg. The difficulties presented by present times were manifested by the haste in which my FIL was buried to ensure that the cemetery was cleared for the burial of a Covid-19 casualty. For that poor being even though his family couldn't be there to comfort his/her death, the authorities here didn't even allow the family to attend the funeral.

More additions to round off March.

86. Deacon King Kong by James McBride
87. Abigail by Magda Szabo
88. Baba Yaga Laid an Egg by Dubravka Ugresic
89. Coming Up for Air by Sarah Leipciger
90. Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson

Woodson was tipped for the Pulitzer for that one and missed out, McBride is now tipped this year for the one I added. Szabo and Ugresic are stars of European Literature and Leipciger is a well reviewed Canadian author.

90 days 90 books added

>279 PaulCranswick: I've had Baba Yaga Laid an Egg on my tbr list for a while now...perhaps it's time to move it up a bit.

>281 amanda4242: I'd suggest a shared read, Amanda, but you'd probably get it finished while I was still admiring the cover!

>282 PaulCranswick: Possibly. :)

I just discovered that it's leaving the ebook service I use, so I may have to get via ILL.

>283 amanda4242: I could pretend to be smart, Amanda, but I don't know what ILL is.

>284 PaulCranswick: Inter library loan. It's a way to request books from outside your local system.

Paul, very sorry to hear about your father-in-law, and how sad that Hani wasn't able to see him. So many opportunities for hearbreak these days.

On a bookish note, it's April, and I'm wondering if you're still up for The Street? No hurry, I have plenty to read, but I didn't want to forget.

>285 amanda4242: How I miss the library system in the UK, Amanda. 90 books this year and all permanent additions!

>286 AnneDC: Nice to see you, Anne. Sadness has enveloped much of the world in these days of pandemic. You mean The Street by Ann Petry, Anne right? I would be fine to read along with you!

My Sapura Tower has been officially completed and handed over with the final figures agreed by the Employer. Consequently I have been assigned to another new project in Kuala Lumpur in addition to my existing duties at PNB118 tower. I will be assisting KLCC Lot L&M Podium project. It is a podium intended to eventually accommodate a 144 storey tower and run Burj Khalifa in Dubai very closely height wise.

This is what the Podium will look like:

This is what the site looks like now:

This is the location map. Lot 91 is the just completed Sapura Tower just across KLCC park so as you see, I am not moving far!

>288 PaulCranswick: >289 PaulCranswick: Looks impressive, Paul. How long will your involvment take?

Wow, this is going to be amazing.
I wish you all the best!

I can't keep up, Paul, but I can say how sorry I am for your loss. Sending condolences in particular to Hani.

On a more positive note the new project sounds like it will be keeping you very busy! I look forward to seeing the before and *after* pictures together! (How long will it take, do you think?)

I loved Deacon King Kong and found Abigail very readable.

As far as the international Booker. I would definitely recommend The Pear Field - I tuned in to hear the author as part of a launch event organised by the publisher Peirene. She was very compelling on the autobiographical links between the story, set in a near abandoned children's home in post soviet Georgia. Minor Detail was also read in the same group, and worth reading, but one of those books with more questions than answers!

I was sorry to see your sad news about Hani's dad. Hugs to you both.

>17 PaulCranswick: An all male list of British historians?

How about Sheila Rowbotham?
Two books on 19th century history I really want to reread are
One Hand Tied Behind Us by Jill Liddington and Jill Norris
Eve and the New Jerusalem by Barbara Taylor - technically she's Canadian but lives and works here and I think this is a classic

And my want to read list includes books by Selina Todd, and for Black British history, David Olusoga.

>292 FAMeulstee: The project has another two and a half years to run, Anita. Cannot confirm that I will still be in the country then!

>293 SirThomas: Thank you, Thomas.

>294 charl08: Lovely to see you, Charlotte! Thank you for the kind words.
The project is presently in a bit of trouble. It is badly delayed in its commencement mainly as a result of the fact that the MRT station to be situated inside the building is still incomplete which has delayed foundation and piling works. Additionally we were a little heavy handed in our dealings with the Employer which culminated in the removal of our Project Manager (whom they felt was being obstructive) and his replacement with the Construction Manager from my Sapura project. One of my key roles as dictated by the head of the Architectural/Civils Construction division is to ensure that the new PM is safeguarded and bridges are built with the Employer.

>295 elkiedee: Thank you, Luci.

>296 elkiedee: Not quite, Luci. Dame C.V. Wedgwood is on my list but undoubtedly the British Historians that had influenced my reading were invariably male. Mary Beard is another who may be on my list at some stage.

>299 PaulCranswick: Thank you for the correction there. I didn't recognise the name and, while there are other women who have used their initials rather than their first names, I guess I assumed!

>300 elkiedee: And Dame Cicely was my absolute favourite history writer back in the day, Luci. Loved reading her stuff on the Civil War - the English Civil War that is!

I’m sorry for the loss of your father-in-law. The effects of COVID make families meeting up even more difficult at the moment, and I hope your family are coping as best they can.

The new podium looks fantastic! Fingers crossed you help to realise or exceed this vision. KL used to be my stopping point when travelling from Sydney to the U.K. (or vice versa). These developments help to encourage me to return soon!

>302 DMulvee: Thank you!

I don't know how long since you were last in Malaysia but it's skyline is undergoing a fairly constant transformation.

Hello Paul just swinging by to see how you are. You have added some good books this year. I am hoping to get to Cramford this year.

>304 BBGirl55: Nice to see you posting, Bryony.

>287 PaulCranswick: *cough* Overdrive *cough* ;0)

>288 PaulCranswick: Congratulations!

>289 PaulCranswick: That looks pretty.

>306 humouress: One book per day isn't that bad for me, Nina.

The L&M Project is going to be tough. The site team seem a little bit under the cosh too. They were a little worried about a Sub-Contractor claim of about $800,000 that I have managed to reduce by simple analysis of documents to barely $12,000 - not a bad start!

>303 PaulCranswick: I think I visited KL 5 or 6 times from 2009-2013. I haven’t been back since (but did visit Langkawi in 2017).
It’s probably time I revisited!

>307 PaulCranswick: It was the 'permanent additions' part that I was addressing.

>308 DMulvee: You would be most welcome!

>309 humouress: :D