Kristel's Reading 75+ in 2022

This topic was continued by Kristel's Reading 75+ in 2022, ACT II.

Talk75 Books Challenge for 2022

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Kristel's Reading 75+ in 2022

1Kristelh
Edited: Jan 3, 2022, 1:13 pm

Hi, I am Kristel. I've been increasing my reading and participation this past year. I retired to take care of my husband who was diagnosed with glioblastoma. The cancer is aggressive and he passed away after a very courageous battle of 11 months.

I plan to participate as able in the Asian, American, and the British challenge. I also am working on lists; Pulitzers, Booker, NPR horror, NPR SFF, 21st Century Cannon, and 1001.

monaco

2Kristelh
Edited: Jan 3, 2022, 12:58 pm

January

1001
BOTM
The History of the Siege of Lisbon
The Year of the Death of Ricardo Reis
Billy Bathgate
Anniversaries: From a year in the life of Gesine Crespahl Uwe Johnson

F2F
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah, completed 1/3/22
The Brothers K

British:
Prince Caspian

Asian:
Turkey: My Name is Red Orhan Pamuk

American: graphic/comic

Booker

Pulitzer
A Thousand Acres Jane Smiley
The Night Watchman Louise Erdrich

21st Century

3Kristelh
Edited: Apr 2, 2022, 6:45 am

February1001
BOTM
The House by the Medlar Tree by Verga
Michael Kohlhaas von Kleist
Baltasar and Blimunda (TBR)
Anniversaries: From a year in the life of Gesine Crespahl Uwe Johnson

F2F
The Brothers K
A Head Full of Ghosts

SFF
Ubik

Horror
A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay

British:

Asian:
Amos Oz Israel
Black Box
My Michael
The Same Sea
David Grossman Israel
To The End of the Land
Edgar Keret
The Seven Good Years
A.B.Yehoshua Israel
A Journey to the End of the Millennium
Yochi Brandes
The Orchard

American:

Booker

Pulitzer

21st Century

4Kristelh
Edited: Apr 2, 2022, 6:49 am

March

5Kristelh
Edited: Oct 22, 2022, 8:46 am

April
1001
L'Assomoir by Emile Zola
Agnes Grey

F2F
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

British
Wee Free Men - Terry Pratchett
After Me Comes the Flood
Something Rotten - Jasper Fforde
Richard the II Shakespeare

Asian
Reza Aslan, Iranian author God: A Human History
The Republic of Imagination Azar Nafisi
Of Beetles and Angels Mawi Asgedom

American
Radioactive: Marie and Pierre Curie, A Tale of Love and Fallout
My Heart is a Chainsaw
Such a Fun Age Kiley Reid

Booker

Pulitzer

European Capitals

21st Century

6Kristelh
Dec 23, 2021, 11:55 am

May

7Kristelh
Edited: Jun 13, 2022, 1:27 pm

June1001
1001
BOTM: At Swim-Two-Birds Flann O'Brien (Irish Author, born in Dublin) COMPLETED
Life is a Caravanserai Emine Sevgi Özdamar (Turkey)
TBR: The Wings of the Dove Henry James (US) COMPLETEDAnniversaries: From a year in the life of Gesine Crespahl Uwe Johnson (German)
2nd Q: Underworld by Don DeLillo COMPLETED

F2F
The Shack, William P. Young

British
Jackie Kay
E. F. Benson,

Asian
Sub Continent: Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai COMPLETED

American

Booker
2006 The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai

Pulitzer

European Capitals
Dublin:
James Joyce: Dubliners COMPLETED
Paddy Clarke, Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha
Elizabeth Bowen Eva Trout or A World of Love.
Anne Enright Actress
Samuel Beckett: Malloy though probably not as Samuel Beckett I think lived in France more than he did in Dublin.
Emma Donaghue, Pull of the Stars
Flann O’Brien, At Swim-Two-Birds

21st Century

8Kristelh
Edited: Jun 7, 2022, 12:22 pm

July
1001

F2F

British

Asian

American

Booker

Pulitzer

European Capitals

21st Century

9Kristelh
Edited: Jun 7, 2022, 12:22 pm

August
1001

F2F

British

Asian

American

Booker

Pulitzer

European Capitals

21st Century

10Kristelh
Edited: Jun 7, 2022, 12:22 pm

September
1001

F2F

British

Asian

American

Booker

Pulitzer

European Capitals

21st Century

11Kristelh
Edited: Jun 7, 2022, 12:23 pm

October
1001

F2F

British

Asian

American

Booker

Pulitzer

European Capitals

21st Century

12Kristelh
Edited: Jun 7, 2022, 12:23 pm

November
1001

F2F

British

Asian

American

Booker

Pulitzer

European Capitals

21st Century

13Kristelh
Edited: Jun 7, 2022, 12:23 pm

December
1001

F2F

British

Asian

American

Booker

Pulitzer

European Capitals

21st Century

14drneutron
Dec 23, 2021, 12:02 pm

Welcome back for another year!

15ursula
Dec 30, 2021, 1:33 am

Hello, looks like we may have some reading interests in common. I'll be keeping an eye out!

16ffortsa
Dec 30, 2021, 2:41 pm

>15 ursula: Me too! I'll have to keep tabs on you both.

17PaulCranswick
Dec 31, 2021, 8:34 am



This group always helps me to read; welcome back, Kristel.

18Kristelh
Dec 31, 2021, 3:47 pm

>14 drneutron:, thank you, Jim, I am looking forward to all the reading possibilities of 2022.

>15 ursula:, >16 ffortsa:, I look forward to reading and sharing with you in 2022.

19FAMeulstee
Dec 31, 2021, 6:16 pm

Happy reading in 2022, Kristel!

20thornton37814
Dec 31, 2021, 11:02 pm

Happy 2022 reading!

21Kristelh
Jan 3, 2022, 1:01 pm

1.
Book The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2021
Acquisition date/place: 1/1/22, Libby audio book
Decimal/ Star rating: 4 stars
Book description/summary: Woman warrior of dust bowl
Challenge(s): read this for f2f, also alpha (H)
American:
British:
List book:

22Kristelh
Jan 4, 2022, 1:49 pm

2.
Book The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2020
Acquisition date/place: Hoopla, 2022
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.7 stars
Book description/summary: historical fiction of 1953.
Challenge(s):
American:
British:
List book: Pulitzer, 2021

Thomas Wazhashk, a night watchman at a jewel bearing plant and an Ojibwe Councilor, works to comprehend the consequences of a new termination bill drafted by Arthur Vivian Watkins heading to the floor of the United States Congress in 1953.

23Kristelh
Edited: Jan 4, 2022, 1:51 pm

3.
Book The Year of the Death of Ricardo Reis by Jose Saramago
Format: audio
Original publication date: 1984
Acquisition date/place: 2013, K, audio 2021
Decimal/ Star rating: 4 stars
Book description/summary: Pessoa visits with his heteronym, Reis, in political unrest
Challenge(s): Reading 1001 BOTM, alpha R, ROOT
American:
British:
List book: 1001 Books

24Kristelh
Jan 8, 2022, 8:51 pm

4.
Book Billy Bathgate by E. L. Doctorow
Format: book/audio
Original publication date: 1989
Acquisition date/place: not sure, 2018, book, audio through libby
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.5 stars
Book description/summary: Billy makes good in the end
Challenge(s): TBR takedown, Reading 1001, ROOT
American: yes
British:
List book: 1001 Books

25Kristelh
Jan 10, 2022, 4:03 am

5. Book
The Woman In Black by Susan Hill
Format: audio
Original publication date: 1983
Acquisition date/place: 1/1/2022
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.5
Book description/summary: lawyer tells his ghost story
Challenge(s): Haunted houses, alpha H
American:
British: yes
List book: NPR 100 best horror stories

26Kristelh
Edited: Jan 10, 2022, 4:11 am

6.
Book Prince Caspian by C. S. Lewis
Format: audio
Original publication date: 1951
Acquisition date/place: 1/9/22
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars
Book description/summary: children return to Narnia to help
Challenge(s): BAC, children's lit
British: Yes
List book:

27Kristelh
Jan 12, 2022, 1:11 pm

7.
Book My Name is Red by Orhan Pamuk
Format: audio
Original publication date: 1998
Acquisition date/place: 1/11/2022
Decimal/ Star rating: 4.1 stars
Book description/summary: art kills/who's the murderer?
Challenge(s): Read for Asian Author challenge.
American:
British:
List book: received many awards

28Kristelh
Jan 16, 2022, 8:53 am

8.
Book A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley
Format: Kindle
Original publication date: 1991
Acquisition date/place: 4/20/21
Decimal/ Star rating: 4.2 stars
Book description/summary: father and daughters fall apart
Challenge(s): Shakespeare retelling, Pulitzer, ROOT
American: yes
British:
List book: Pulitzer

29Kristelh
Edited: Jan 16, 2022, 9:06 am

9.
Book King Lear
Format: Norton Shakespeare
Original publication date:
Acquisition date/place: 2015-10-24 Abe book
Decimal/ Star rating: 4.5 stars
Book description/summary: daughters at odds
Challenge(s): shakespeare challenge CAT, ROOT
American:
British: yes
List book:

30Kristelh
Jan 16, 2022, 9:06 am

10.
Book The Girl With All the Gifts by M. R. Carey
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2014
Acquisition date/place: Jan 2022, Libby
Decimal/ Star rating: 4 stars
Book description/summary: virus reset
Challenge(s): SFFkit, morally grey character, NPR best horror
American:
British: British author (male)
List book: NPR best horror

31Kristelh
Jan 17, 2022, 2:47 pm

11.
Book The History of the Siege of Lisbon by José Saramago
Format: audio/kindle
Original publication date: 1989
Acquisition date/place: 2013, kindle edition, audio 2022
Decimal/ Star rating: 2.8
Book description/summary: history is "not"
Challenge(s): reading 1001 botm, ROOT
American:
British:
List book: 1001 Books

32PaulCranswick
Jan 17, 2022, 2:54 pm

Some hugely impressive reads so far this year Kristel. Saramago is a rewarding but generally difficult author so I must give some respect that you managed two of his in a month!

33Kristelh
Jan 17, 2022, 2:56 pm

>32 PaulCranswick: thank you, but it might be a mistake as it will be harder to keep them straight in my memory. I read them by audio which makes his lack of punctuation and sentence structure a whole lot easier.

34PaulCranswick
Jan 17, 2022, 3:00 pm

>33 Kristelh: That is a good point. It would benefit not having to concentrate on those difficult sentences quite so much, but he does give you plenty to ponder. Especially as you also dealt with the rambunctious My Name is Red this month as well.

35Kristelh
Jan 17, 2022, 3:01 pm

>34 PaulCranswick:, I thoroughly enjoyed My Name is Red. He did a splendid job on that one.

36Kristelh
Jan 22, 2022, 8:39 am

12.
Book The Bronte Plot by Katherine Reay
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2015
Acquisition date/place: 6/18/20, Audio File Summer program
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars
Book description/summary: life of stories visits London
Challenge(s): Alpha, ROOT
American: yes
British:
List book:

37PaulCranswick
Jan 22, 2022, 1:55 pm

Wishing you a great weekend, Kristel.

38Kristelh
Jan 22, 2022, 4:29 pm

>37 PaulCranswick: Thank you, so far it is going well but not much reading time.

39ursula
Jan 23, 2022, 4:43 am

Some good reads here! I liked The Year of the Death of Ricardo Reis, The Woman in Black, My Name Is Red, and The Girl with All the Gifts. I read the sequel to that last one but didn't like it nearly as much.

40Kristelh
Edited: Jan 23, 2022, 6:07 am

>39 ursula: January has jump started my reading for 2022.

41Kristelh
Jan 26, 2022, 2:54 pm

13.
Book Royal Assassin
Format: audio
Original publication date: 1996
Acquisition date/place: 1/2022, Libby
Decimal/ Star rating: 4 stars
Book description/summary: regal treachery, skill and wit
Challenge(s): RH alpha
American: yes
British:
List book: NPR 100 best SFF

42Kristelh
Feb 2, 2022, 12:14 pm

14.
Book The Brothers K by David James Duncan
Format: Kindle/audio
Original publication date: 1992
Acquisition date/place: 10/5/2015
Decimal/ Star rating:
Book description/summary: American twist of Russian brothers K
Challenge(s): f2f bookclub
American: yes
British:
List book: Nancy Pearl recommendation

43Kristelh
Feb 2, 2022, 1:46 pm


Book The Same Sea - Amos Oz
Format: audio
Original publication date: 1999
Acquisition date/place: 2/2/22, Hoopla
Decimal/ Star rating: 2.75, just a bit too much erotica for me
Book description/summary: Father, son, woman
Challenge(s): Asian/Holy Land
American:
British:
List book:

44Kristelh
Feb 3, 2022, 2:17 pm

16.
Book The House by the Medlar Tree by Giovanni Verga
Format: audio
Original publication date: 1881
Acquisition date/place: 2/2/22, Hoopla
Decimal/ Star rating: 4 stars
Book description/summary: The berries lost the anchovies
Challenge(s): Reading 1001 botm
American:
British:
List book: 1001 Books

45PaulCranswick
Feb 5, 2022, 11:42 am

Reading continues apace here, Kristel.

I am not familiar with the Amos Oz book you read. Any good?

Have a great weekend.

46Kristelh
Edited: Feb 5, 2022, 2:56 pm

>45 PaulCranswick: you might like it because it is on the poetry type of prose. I didn't like it very much but I've read his A Tale of Love and Darkness which I liked. I have Black Box but not sure I will get it read in February. Thanks, you have a good weekend too.

47Kristelh
Feb 6, 2022, 8:52 pm

17.
Book Michael Kohlhaas by Heinrich von Kleist
Format: kindle e book
Original publication date: 1810
Acquisition date/place: 12/20/21
Decimal/ Star rating: 4 stars
Book description/summary: eat paper and die
Challenge(s): Reading 1001 BOTM, ROOT
American:
British:
List book: 1001 books

48PaulCranswick
Feb 6, 2022, 9:01 pm

>47 Kristelh: Not familiar with that one, Kristel but it does look an interesting and exciting read.

49Kristelh
Edited: Feb 7, 2022, 6:02 am

>48 PaulCranswick: It’s a book about politics and justice. But also written in a time of “cancel” culture so author had to use deception to get his point across.

50Kristelh
Feb 8, 2022, 7:05 pm

18.
Book Baltasar & Blimunda by Jose Saramago
Format: kindle/audio
Original publication date: 1982
Acquisition date/place: 2/10/2013
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.6 stars
Book description/summary: build a convent, get a son
Challenge(s): Reading 1001, TBR takedown
American:
British:
List book: 1001 books

51Kristelh
Feb 11, 2022, 6:04 am

19.
Book Ubik by Philip K. Dick
Format: Audio
Original publication date: 1969
Acquisition date/place: 6/24/17
Decimal/ Star rating: 4.5 stars
Book description/summary: the half life of humans
Challenge(s): SFF, time travel & ROOT
American: yes
British:
List

52Kristelh
Feb 11, 2022, 5:15 pm

20.
Book Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare
Format: book/audio
Original publication date: 1598
Acquisition date/place: 2015
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars
Book description/summary: Much ado about nothing, sums it up
Challenge(s): Shakespeare CAT, ROOT
American:
British: yes
List book:

53Kristelh
Feb 13, 2022, 3:27 pm

21.
Book The Seven Good Years by Etgar Keret
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2015
Acquisition date/place: 2/2022 Libby
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars
Book description/summary: 7 years Israeli author, husband, parent
Challenge(s): Asian author, Holy land
List book:

54m.belljackson
Feb 13, 2022, 3:33 pm

Hello Kristel -

Opened your thread for the first time and am so sorry to hear about your Husband.

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

The Brothers K is on my Save Shelf.

55Kristelh
Feb 13, 2022, 4:48 pm

>54 m.belljackson:, thank you.

56Kristelh
Feb 19, 2022, 6:14 pm

22.
Book To the End of the Land by David Grossman
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2010
Acquisition date/place: 2/13/2022
Decimal/ Star rating: 4 stars
Book description/summary: walking to protect the son
Challenge(s): Asian author; Holy land, Bingo (year I joined LT
American:
British:
List book:

57Kristelh
Feb 20, 2022, 7:17 pm

23.
Book Black Box by Amos Oz
Format: print book
Original publication date: 1987
Acquisition date/place: 1/25/22 ABE books
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.5 stars
Book description/summary: write family dysfunction away
Challenge(s): Asian author, 1001 books
American:
British:
List book: 1001

58Kristelh
Feb 21, 2022, 8:56 pm

24.
Book Journey to the End of the Millennium - A.B. Yehoshua
Format: audio
Original publication date: 1997
Acquisition date/place: 2/19/22, Hoopla
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars
Book description/summary: Two wives right or wrong
Challenge(s): Asian/Holy Land, Israeli author
American:
British:
List book:

59Kristelh
Feb 22, 2022, 5:47 am

I did catch the wordless bug.

Wordle 248 3/6

⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨
⬜🟨⬜🟩🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

My best so far.

60EdwardJMcNeil
Feb 22, 2022, 6:14 am

This user has been removed as spam.

61Kristelh
Feb 24, 2022, 5:40 am

Wordle 250 5/6

⬜🟨⬜⬜🟩
⬜⬜🟩⬜⬜
⬜⬜🟩🟨🟩
⬜🟩🟩⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

62HugoDarwin
Feb 24, 2022, 6:16 am

This user has been removed as spam.

63Kristelh
Edited: Feb 24, 2022, 1:01 pm

25.
Book A Head Full Of Ghost by Paul Tremblay
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2015
Acquisition date/place: 2022/February
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.7
Book description/summary: Don't eat the spaghetti
Challenge(s): f2f book club
American: yes
British:
List book: Bram Stoker Award 2015

64Kristelh
Feb 28, 2022, 5:29 am

Wordle 254 3/6

⬜⬜⬜⬜🟩
🟩⬜🟩⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

65Kristelh
Feb 28, 2022, 2:48 pm

26.
Book The Orchard by Yochi Brandes
Format: Book
Original publication date: 2011
Acquisition date/place: 3/7/2018, Early Reviewers
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.2 stars
Book description/summary: the sage sees the future
Challenge(s): Asian authors/Holy Land, ROOT, women in translation
American:
British:
List book:

66Kristelh
Mar 1, 2022, 5:40 am

Wordle 255 4/6

⬜⬜⬜⬜🟩
⬜🟨⬜⬜🟩
⬜⬜🟨🟩🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

67PaulCranswick
Mar 1, 2022, 5:56 am

Immensely impressed by your Asian Book Challenge reads this month, Kristel.

I had planned to read something by Yehoshua too but just couldn't seem to get it done. I will be more focused in March! x

68Kristelh
Edited: Mar 1, 2022, 6:55 am

>67 PaulCranswick: February was a tough month for you. I hope March brings you some relief. And I actually have one more to add as I finished My Michael before the end of February.

69Kristelh
Mar 1, 2022, 7:02 am

27.
Book My Michael by Amos Oz
Format: audio
Original publication date: 1968
Acquisition date/place: February 27, 2022
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars
Book description/summary: distrust and madness in Jerusalem
Challenge(s): Asian authors/Holy land, TIOLI 4th book by author
American:
British:
List book:

70Kristelh
Edited: Mar 20, 2022, 5:39 am

Planned reads for March
1001
The Gathering COMPLETED
Professor Martens’ Departure COMPLETED
Maybe Hothouse READING
Metamorphoses Ovid COMPLETED

F2F
Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart READING

Asian authors. Arab authors
Frankenstein in Baghdad by Ahmed Saadawi
No Knives in the Kitchen of this City by Khalid Khalifah

Group Read
Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson COMPLETED

And More
Things in Jars by Jess Kidd

71Kristelh
Mar 3, 2022, 4:34 am

28.
Book Metamorphoses by Ovid
Format: audio
Original publication date: 8 AD
Acquisition date/place: 2005?
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars
Book description/summary: poetry, mythology, legend
Challenge(s): Reading 1001 Qrt
American:
British:
List book: 1001 Books

72Kristelh
Edited: Mar 6, 2022, 7:31 am

29.
Book The Gathering by Anne Enright
Format: kindle/audio
Original publication date: 2007
Acquisition date/place: 2015
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.6
Book description/summary: don't always like people we love
Challenge(s): TBR takedown, ROOT, 75er, Bookspin
American:
British:
List book: Pulitzer, 1001 Books,

73PaulCranswick
Mar 5, 2022, 10:12 am

Hope you have a great weekend, Kristen.

What did you think of The Gathering? It wasn't one of my favourite Booker winners but not exactly lousy either in retrospect.

74Kristelh
Mar 5, 2022, 10:24 am

>73 PaulCranswick:, I am not sure it added anything new to literature especially Irish literature with its themes of death, wakes, abuse and though I gave it 3.6 stars part of that was for it’s achievement in winning the Booker. I generally like reading books that have themes of death but there was little in this book that made it better than some of the others I’ve read.

75PaulCranswick
Mar 5, 2022, 10:35 am

>74 Kristelh: Very fair assessment, I think. I could not in all honesty have chosen it as an award winner.

It is amazing that it won the Booker in the same year that three excellent contenders went unrewarded :

Mister Pip
The Gift of Rain
and
Half of a Yellow Sun

The latter was clearly the best book of the year and wasn't even long listed! It did win the Orange Prize though.

76Kristelh
Mar 6, 2022, 5:24 am

Wordle 260 3/6

🟨⬜⬜⬜⬜
⬜🟨🟩⬜⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩, pretty happy that this worked out.

77Kristelh
Mar 6, 2022, 5:26 am

>75 PaulCranswick:, I liked Half of a Yellow Sun a lot. I don’t think I’ve read Mister Pip but it was recommended to me after I finished The Gathering. I have not read The Gift of Rain either.

78BellaCatt
Mar 6, 2022, 5:35 am

This user has been removed as spam.

79Kristelh
Edited: Mar 6, 2022, 7:35 am

30.
Book Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson
Format: kindle/audio
Original publication date: 1919
Acquisition date/place: Libby
Decimal/ Star rating: 4 stars
Book description/summary: can't find love
Challenge(s): group read (75)
American: yes
British:
List book: Modern library top 100

80Kristelh
Edited: Mar 9, 2022, 1:44 pm

31.
Book The Fixer by Bernard Malamud
Format: audio
Original publication date: 1966
Acquisition date/place: 3/6/22, audible play
Decimal/ Star rating: 4.5 stars
Book description/summary: The Fixer takes on Russia
Challenge(s): American Author, 75 Group, Pulitzer Prize Winner
American: yes
British:
List book: Pulitzer

81Kristelh
Mar 17, 2022, 1:35 pm

32.
Book Hag-Seed by Margaret Atwood
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2017
Acquisition date/place: 3/9/22
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.9 stars rounded to 4.
Book description/summary: a tempest of playing at play & revenge
Challenge(s): read a retelling of Shakespeare, category challenge
American:
British:
Other Canadian
List book:

82Kristelh
Mar 18, 2022, 6:14 pm

33.
Book Time and Again - Jack Finney
Format: audio
Original publication date: 1970
Acquisition date/place: 3/15/2022 Hoopla Digital
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars
Book description/summary: Love the one you're with, even if she is dead
Challenge(s): Historical SFF, TIOLI, book with Time on cover
American: yes
British:
List book: no
Awards Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire (1994)

83Kristelh
Mar 19, 2022, 7:49 pm

34.
Book Professor Martens' Departure by Jaan Kross
Format: book
Original publication date: 1984
Acquisition date/place: February 2022, Daisey
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.4 stars
Book description/summary: too much compliance gets you no where
Challenge(s): Reading 1001 BOTM, 75, TIOLI, EU country, Estonia
American:
British:
List book: 1001 Books

84Kristelh
Mar 20, 2022, 9:41 am

Weekly Forecast

85PaulCranswick
Mar 20, 2022, 10:30 am

>80 Kristelh: Pleased to see that The Fixer got a good mark here, Kristel. I loved it back in the day.

86Kristelh
Mar 25, 2022, 6:04 am

35.

Book Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2020
Acquisition date/place: 4/9/21, Audible
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.6 Children raising parents
Challenge(s): f2f bookclub, Booker winners
American:
British: Glasgow, UK
List book: Booker

87Kristelh
Mar 27, 2022, 10:14 am

36.
Book No Knives in the Kitchens of this City by Khālid Khalīfah
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2013
Acquisition date/place: 3/2022 Audible Play
Decimal/ Star rating: 1 star
Book description/summary: violent, sexualized Arab literature
Challenge(s): Asian authors/Arab
American:
British:
Other Syrian
List book:

88PaulCranswick
Mar 27, 2022, 10:52 am

>87 Kristelh: I read his book In Praise of Hatred and could find nothing to recommend it either. It could be that it doesn't translate well?

89Kristelh
Mar 29, 2022, 9:09 pm

>88 PaulCranswick: Have you read The Blind Owl? I was unable to enjoy that one either so it may be not only doesn’t translate but a difference in culture?

90PaulCranswick
Mar 29, 2022, 10:52 pm

>89 Kristelh: I did and had the same reaction as you in that I hated it. I think when we are told a story it will work but when the author becomes all metaphysical or tries to be avant-garde, it simply doesn't translate. I am a simple fellow and just want to be told a ripping yarn!

91Kristelh
Edited: Mar 30, 2022, 2:23 pm

37.
Book The Hothouse by Wolfgang Koeppen
Format: book
Original publication date: 1953
Acquisition date/place: used book, not sure where I bought it
Decimal/ Star rating: hmm, I probably will give it 3 stars
Book description/summary: in the hothouse of politics
Challenge(s): Reading 1001 botm
American:
British:
List book: 1001 Books

92Kristelh
Mar 30, 2022, 2:24 pm

38.

Book The Raven's Tale by Cat Winters
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2019
Acquisition date/place: 6/24/21
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars
Book description/summary: the hardship of man and muse
Challenge(s): TIOLI, ROOT
American: yes
British:
List book:

93Kristelh
Mar 31, 2022, 10:02 pm

I read 11 books in March.
1001 books - 4
Group read of Winesburg,Ohio
Pulitzer 1
Booker 1
Asian: Arab (Syria) 1
Roots: 5

Favorite book of the month: The Fixer

94PaulCranswick
Mar 31, 2022, 10:06 pm

>93 Kristelh: Really pleased to see the appreciation for The Fixer, Kristel. I thought it a powerful work.
Happy April!

95Kristelh
Mar 31, 2022, 10:12 pm

>94 PaulCranswick:, Thank you Paul.

96Kristelh
Apr 2, 2022, 6:01 am

April plansWeekly Forecast

Radioactive
L'assommoir

97PaulCranswick
Apr 2, 2022, 6:55 am

>96 Kristelh: I love Zola! I plan to read/re-read the whole of the Rougon-Macquart books in publication order from September. L'Assommoir is amongst his best.

98Kristelh
Apr 3, 2022, 8:16 pm

39.
Book L'Assommoir by Emile Zola
Format: audio book, narrated by Leighton Pugh
Original publication date: 1876
Acquisition date/place: March 2022
Decimal/ Star rating: 4 stars
Book description/summary: drinking den numbs the pain
Challenge(s): Reading 1001 botm, doublespin
American:
British:
List book: 1001 books

99PaulCranswick
Apr 3, 2022, 8:21 pm

Glad you liked it, Kristel. I am a big, big Zola fan.
Have a great week ahead.

100Kristelh
Apr 4, 2022, 5:34 am

>99 PaulCranswick:, yes it was very engaging. I probably still like Germinal best but this is a close second. I only have one Zola left from the Reading 1001 list. La Bete Humaine.

101PaulCranswick
Apr 4, 2022, 5:46 am

>100 Kristelh: La Bete Humaine was my very first Zola and I'm not sure whether it is that sentimentality that makes me always consider it along with Germinal and Earth as my three favourites of his.

Nana, L'Assommoir and La Debacle would make up the six if I was to do my author reassessment on Zola by picking a six book shortlist as I have with others.

102Kristelh
Edited: Apr 4, 2022, 5:53 am

>101 PaulCranswick: well that makes me look forward to reading La Bete Humaine sooner than later. I could see why reading the six close together would add to their enjoyment. (Earth and La Debacle) not being on the list.

103Kristelh
Apr 4, 2022, 2:03 pm

40.
Book God: A Human History by Reza Aslan
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2017
Acquisition date/place: 4/3/22
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars
Book description/summary: Man is God, everything is God
Challenge(s): Asian authors; Iran
American:
British:
List book:

104Kristelh
Apr 4, 2022, 2:11 pm

41.

Book Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte
Format: nook/audio
Original publication date: 1847
Acquisition date/place: 1/2/2012
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.5
Book description/summary: independent woman takes on spoiled children
Challenge(s): TBR take down, 1001 Books, ROOT
American:
British: yes
List book: 1001

105Kristelh
Edited: Apr 7, 2022, 12:48 pm

42
Book The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2003
Acquisition date/place: 4/2022
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars
Book description/summary: Nac Mac Feegle, Toad, Tiffany go on a quest
Challenge(s): Read for SFF, LIfespans
American:
British: yes
List book:

106Kristelh
Apr 7, 2022, 12:53 pm

43.
Book Radioactive Marie & Pierre Curie A Tale of Love and Fallout
Format: Graphic Nonfiction
Original publication date: 2011 (according to the book)
Acquisition date/place: 3/17/22, Lee County Library
Decimal/ Star rating: 4.4 stars
Book description/summary: Love and Fallout sums it up
Challenge(s): no reason, was intrigued
American: yes
British:
List book:

107Kristelh
Apr 9, 2022, 6:09 am

Wordle 294 3/6

⬜🟨🟩⬜⬜
⬜⬜🟩🟩🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Antiwordle #62
3 guesses

⬛🟨⬛⬛⬛
⬛🟨⬛⬛⬛
🟥🟥🟥🟥🟥

108Kristelh
Apr 9, 2022, 8:42 pm

44.

Book My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2021
Acquisition date/place: 4/7/2022
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.5 stars
Book description/summary: Final girls finish
Challenge(s): Horror, TIOLI (closed compound noun)
American: Native American
British:
List book:

109Kristelh
Apr 11, 2022, 11:15 am

45.
Book After Me Comes the Flood by Sarah Perry
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2014
Acquisition date/place: 4/2022, Hoopla
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.3 stars
Book description/summary: Deluge sets man free
Challenge(s): Category challenge: debut, random (rain).
American:
British: yes
List book: no

110Kristelh
Apr 14, 2022, 4:00 pm


Book Republic of Imagination: America in Three Books by Azar Nafisi
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2014
Acquisition date/place: 4/2022, Libby
Decimal/ Star rating: 5 star
Book description/summary: Reading is freedom
Challenge(s): Iranian author; Asian author challenge
American:
British:
List book:

111Kristelh
Apr 16, 2022, 12:33 pm

47.

Book Something Rotten by Jasper Fforde
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2004
Acquisition date/place: 4/14/2022
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars
Book description/summary: where ever you go there you are
Challenge(s): Shakespeare; Hamlet
American:
British: yes
List book:

112Kristelh
Apr 19, 2022, 6:12 am

48.
Book Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2021
Acquisition date/place: 4/2022
Decimal/ Star rating: 4 stars
Book description/summary: Grace and Rocky's suicide mission
Challenge(s): f2f
American: yes
British:
List book: no

113Kristelh
Apr 27, 2022, 9:58 am

49.
Book Such a Fun Age
Format: audio
Original publication date: 12/13/2019 reprint in 2021
Acquisition date/place: 4/2022, Libby
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.5 stars
Book description/summary: young black lady meets white privilege woman
Challenge(s): women authors of color
American: yes
British:
List book: long listed for Booker

114Kristelh
May 3, 2022, 11:40 am

50.

Book Main Street by Sinclair Lewis
Format: Book, audio
Original publication date: 1920
Acquisition date/place: my shelf and also Libby
Decimal/ Star rating: I think it will be around a 3, it was okay
Book description/summary: Dissatisfaction follows you wherever you go
Challenge(s): Reading 1001 BOTM, Reading a book set in your country
American: yes
British:
List book: Sinclair Lewis, Nobel Prize winner

115Kristelh
May 4, 2022, 6:38 pm

51.
Book Jack Maggs by Peter Carey
Format: audio and book
Original publication date: 1997
Acquisition date/place: library sales, 5/2017
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.5 stars
Book description/summary: orphan survives tough life
Challenge(s): TBR takedown, Reading 1001
American:
British:
List book: 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die

116Kristelh
May 5, 2022, 3:48 pm

52.
Book King Richard II by William Shakespeare
Format: audio and book
Original publication date: 1597
Acquisition date/place: purchased complete Shakespeare, listened to audio by Blackstone, various readers
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars
Book description/summary: poor king, ends badly, begins King Henry
Challenge(s): Shakespeare CAT
American:
British: yes
List book:

117Kristelh
Edited: May 6, 2022, 2:31 pm

My book haul, 5/6/2022, used book sale

The Forsyte Saga by John Galesworthy (free) 1001
Giles Goat-Boy by John Barth (free) 1001
Shosha by Isaac Bashevis Singer (Nobel)
Seize the Day by Saul Bellow 1001
Willard and his Bowling Trophies by Richard Brautigan (1001)
Look Homeward, Angel by Thomas Wolfe (1001)
Empire Falls by Richard Russo (Pulitzer)
The Assistant by Bernard Malamud
Dubin's Lives by Bernard Malamud

Total $8.00

118Kristelh
May 6, 2022, 2:40 pm

53.
Book Of Beetles and Angels by Mawi Asgedom
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2002
Acquisition date/place: Summer AudioFileSync Program (Sora)
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars
Book description/summary: immigrants story of coming to America
Challenge(s): ROOT, something that flies
American: yes, immigrant Ethiopian
British:
List book:

119PaulCranswick
May 7, 2022, 10:51 pm

>117 Kristelh: That is a very high quality list, Kristel.

Have all of them bar the Barth, the Singer, the Brautigan and the last named Malamud.

120Kristelh
May 7, 2022, 10:54 pm

>119 PaulCranswick: The Singer one is the one published the year he got his Nobel. Brautigan one and Barth are of course 1001 books and I really fell in love with Malamud's writing so thought I was lucky to find them.

121PaulCranswick
May 7, 2022, 11:39 pm

>120 Kristelh: I agree with you about Malamud - a wonderful writer but extremely difficult to find in the stores here.

122Kristelh
May 8, 2022, 9:26 pm

54.
Book How to get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia by Mohsin Hamid
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2014
Acquisition date/place: 5/6/22, Libby
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.2 stars
Book description/summary: boy makes good, but life is brief
Challenge(s): Asian authors "stans"
American:
British:
List book:

123Kristelh
May 11, 2022, 9:03 am

55.
Book Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
Format: audio
Original publication date: 1945
Acquisition date/place: 5/6/2022 Audio, Libby
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars
Book description/summary: fearless girl takes care of self
Challenge(s): Reading 1001, botm May
American:
British:
List book: 1001 Books

124Kristelh
Edited: May 12, 2022, 2:28 pm

My favorite non-fiction reads by alpha order

1. The Road to Oxiana by Robert Byron
2. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking - Susan Cain
3. Wild Swans by Jung Chang
4. The Five Love Languages Gary Chapman
5. The Dark Child by Laye Camara
6. The Year of Magical Thinking - Joan Didion
7. The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire that Saved America by Timothy Egan
8. The Worst Hard Times by Timothy Egan
9. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures by Anne Fadiman
10. The Etymologicon Mark Forsyth
11. How to Read Literature Like a Professor Thomas Foster
12. Being Mortal - Atul Gawande
13. Team of Rivals by Doris Goodwin
14. The Coldest Winter by David Halberstam
15. Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand
16. King Leopold's Ghost Adam Hochschild
17. On Writing by Stephen King
18. The Perfect Storm Junger Sebastian
19. Into Thin Air Jon Krakauer
20. Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer
21. The River of Doubt by Candice Millard
22. The Republic of Imagination by Azar Nafisi
22. The Unwinding George Packer
23. The Omnivore's Dilemma - Michael Pollan
24. Survival in Auschwitz by Primo Levi
25. The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and other Clinical Tales by Oliver Sacks
26. Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War by Steve Sheinkin
27. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
28. The Devil's Highway Luis Alberto Urrea
29. Hillbilly Elegy by Vance
29. Two Old Women: An Alaskan Legend of Betrayal, Courage, and Survival Velma Wallis
30. A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf

Honorable Mention (Good but I didn't star them high)
Notes from a Small Island (has to be my favorite Bill Bryson cause it makes me want to walk and to visit England.
Killers of the Flower Moon
Thomas Becket: Warrior slow to read but I am glad I read it.

What I've learned. I don't do a good job of cataloguing my books and I must devote some time to cleaning things up.

What I want to read
Desert Solitaire
The Rape of Nanking
Guns, Germs, and Steel
Barrow's Boys
Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything
Praying for Sheetrock

favorite graphic nonfiction.
Radioactive: Marie & Pierre Curie: A Tale of Love and Fallout by Lauren Redniss
Persepolis vol 1 and 2
Maus the Complete

125Kristelh
Edited: May 13, 2022, 8:12 am

My travel books
The Road to Oxiana by Robert Byron
The River of Doubt
Sixty Degrees North Around the World in Search of Home - Malachi Tallack
Travels with Charley I love everything by Steinbeck
Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific - J. Maarten Troost
Places in Between Rory Stewart
A Walk in the Woods Bill Bryson
Into the Wild Jon Krakauer
Wild by Nature: one Woman, one Trek, one thousand nights - Sarah Marquis
Journey to Alcarria - Camilo Jose Cela (1001)
Country Driving: a Chinese Road Trip by Peter Hessler
The Windows of Brimnes: An American in Iceland By Bill Holm
Notes from a Small Planet - Bill Bryson
Great Railway Bazaar Paul Theroux.

And I have so many others I wish to read.

126Kristelh
May 13, 2022, 12:36 pm

56.
Book Rook by Sharon Cameron
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2015
Acquisition date/place: Sora, Free 6/3/21
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars
Genre young adult, adventure, fantasy
Book description/summary: Rook makes Right in Paris
Challenge(s): TIOLI, flying animal
American: yes, Nashville, TN
British:
List book:
Awards YALSA best fiction for young adults 2016

127Kristelh
May 13, 2022, 12:52 pm

57.
Book The Patience Stone by Atiq Rahini
Format: Audio
Original publication date: 2008
Acquisition date/place: Hoopla 5/2022
Decimal/ Star rating: 4
Book description/summary: husband finally listens
Challenge(s): Asian authors, the 'stans'
Genre: fiction, speculative
American:
British:
List book:
Awards Prix Goncourt

Read this for the Asian author Challenge, Atiq Rahini is a Afganistan writer and film maker. He has taken asylum and is now in France. Rahimi won France's most prestigious literary prize, the 105-year-old Prix Goncourt for Syngué Sabour. Translated to English as The Patience Stone. He has directed a film of Syngue Sabour. In this story, the unnamed woman discusses the husband, the war and a woman's life in Afghanistan. In the introduction to the story, it mentions how brave it was for the author to write this book. It is based on a legend of a stone that you can tell all your life dreams and troubles to and that the stone will never tell.

128Kristelh
Edited: May 16, 2022, 8:12 pm

58.
Book The Android's Dream by John Scalzi
Format: audible
Original publication date: 2007
Acquisition date/place: audible, 8/31/2017
Decimal/ Star rating: 2.4 stars, reason, humor, language and sexual content
Book description/summary: the sheep goes to war
Challenge(s): SFF invasion
American: yes
British:
List book: no
genre: SFF
Likes: humor
Dislikes language/sexual content

129PaulCranswick
May 16, 2022, 9:19 pm

>124 Kristelh: That is a good list, Kristel.

Three of them that you included that I read but which didn't quite make my own list were:

Seabiscuit - I do like horse racing but we do it on turf almost exclusively in Europe! I did enjoy this one though.

Hillbilly Elegy - I will be interested to see how he performs in the senate race; kudos to him from coming up from where he started from but I am not sure whether that endorsement helps or hinders him in Ohio. That is a genuine question and not a political or rhetorical one!

Henrietta Lacks - I think I read this one too quickly and will reread it I think to more try to appreciate its obvious importance.

130Kristelh
May 17, 2022, 6:33 am

>129 PaulCranswick: Paul, thanks for the visit.

I agree on whether he can make in senate race. Now days it seems that if you don't have money and lots of it, you can't make it in politics

I do think there is a part of Henrietta Lacks that is also very overrated. Still, she writes well.

131Kristelh
May 18, 2022, 5:17 pm

59.
Book The Whisper Man by Alex North
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2018
Acquisition date/place: 5/16/2022
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.5 stars
Book description/summary: victims raising victims
Challenge(s): f2f bookclub read 5/2022
American:
British: yes
List book:
Genre mystery, thriller, psychological thriller

Liked: it was engaging, last half better than first half
Disliked: hard to not get lost in the jumping around in time and place. Sometimes it felt implausible.

132PaulCranswick
May 18, 2022, 5:32 pm

>130 Kristelh: It is a shame that personal wealth or the ability to raise funds is of such importance in what should be public service. It helps to explain the difficulty of new voices of the middle ground in getting recognition. People on the extremes of both sides who spout for "causes" that provide funding are helping to further polarise whilst the majority of people in the middle don't get a voice.

133Kristelh
May 18, 2022, 9:19 pm

>132 PaulCranswick:, yes the political process got ruined along the way.

134Kristelh
May 19, 2022, 10:16 am


Book The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Format: book, hardback
Original publication date: 1969
Acquisition date/place: 2005 to 2008 ???
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars, 5 stars for art, 4 stars for final
Book description/summary: from egg to flight
Challenge(s): TIOLI, author died in 2021
American: yes
British:
List book: 1001 Children's books
genre children's book age 0-3.
Like: the art work, done with collage and bright colors
Disliked: story is okay, but not that engaging, my grands were never drawn to it.

135Kristelh
May 23, 2022, 10:51 pm

61.
Book The Art of Dying: Living fully into the Life to Come by Rob Moll
Format: book
Original publication date: 2010
Acquisition date/place: Amazon
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars
Book description/summary: facing death/preparing for it
Challenge(s): Random; May Flowers
American: yes
British:
List book: no
genre nonfiction, death
What I liked: "you showed your family how to live, now I am going to show them how to die"
What I didn't like: Chapter 4

136PaulCranswick
May 23, 2022, 11:22 pm

>135 Kristelh: I am taking some solace (fairly quietly) from the book of common prayer and Being Mortal by Atul Gawande these days as there are parts that I underlined in my copy. I am also reading a fair amount of poetry (Hardy for some reasons always speaks to me in times of crisis) with my MIL's situation weighing on us.

137Kristelh
May 24, 2022, 3:39 pm

>136 PaulCranswick:, I am happy that you are fiding solace in reading and those books including poetry are great ways to find it.

138Kristelh
May 30, 2022, 8:52 am

62. Book Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2017
Acquisition date/place: Libby, 5/2022
Decimal/ Star rating: 4 stars
Book description/summary: Immigrant, Muslim experience in a world of terror
Challenge(s): Asian author, 'stans'
American:
British: British/Pakistani
List book: Women's Prize for Fiction
genre literature, fiction
Liked: perspective of non terrorist, immigrant
Disliked: some sexual content

139Kristelh
May 30, 2022, 12:58 pm

63. Book Tyll by Daniel Kehlmann
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2017
Acquisition date/place: Audible, 1/1/2022
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.7
Book description/summary: Trickster through 30 years of war.
Challenge(s): Randomizer, Reading 1001
American:
British:
List book: 1001, German
Genre historical fiction with magic
Like: learned a bit about 30 year war, trickster mythology, retelling of Antigone
Dislike: hard to engage

140Kristelh
Edited: Jun 1, 2022, 9:32 pm

64.
Book At Swim-Two-Birds by Flann O'Brien
Format: book (K), audio (hoopla)
Original publication date: 1939
Acquisition date/place: 1/20/20
Decimal/ Star rating: 4 stars
Book description/summary: characters turn on writer
Challenge(s): Reading 1001, June BOTM
American:
British: UK, Irish author
List book: 1001, Guardian
genre modernism/fiction
Liked: humor, folklore, Anglo/Gaelic sentences
Disliked: lose, disconnected structure

141Kristelh
Edited: Jun 3, 2022, 9:34 pm

65.

Book Underworld by Don DeLillo
Format:book/audio
Original publication date: 1997
Acquisition date/place: 10/19/2018
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.9 stars
Book description/summary: follow the ball
Challenge(s): Reading 1001, 2nd Q read 2022.
American: yes
British:
List book: 1001 books
genre postmodern, historical fiction
Liked: liked the historical setting of 50s,60s, liked the use of baseball to connect the sprawling story
Disliked: Sprawling story. Some unsavory language

142PaulCranswick
Jun 3, 2022, 9:34 pm

>141 Kristelh: I think you liked Underworld more than I did, Kristel. I found the book a real slog to be honest.

143Kristelh
Jun 4, 2022, 9:54 am

66.
Book The Wild Keeps Her Holy - Tiffany Aurora
Format: book
Original publication date: 2018
Acquisition date/place: 2019
Decimal/ Star rating: 2 stars
Book description/summary: poetry, most read like some kind of borderline with occasional use of the "f" word which I really detest
Challenge(s): Bookspin Bingo (used books with Wild titles.
American: yes
British:
List book: no, only 4 people on LT have listed this book.
genre poetry
Liked: liked the drawings, liked this "Yes, there are many fish in the sea. Just be certain you are swimming in the right ocean--before you cast, your nets."
Disliked: the subject not my choice and dislike the use of the f word.

144Kristelh
Edited: Jun 4, 2022, 10:00 am

>142 PaulCranswick:, that is the fault of the book. But I liked it when it was all said and done because it is a pretty good picture of life here in the US during that time period. I appreciated it more when I was done. And I would even consider a reread. By DeLillo is not a favorite of mine.

ETA, and did you remember that it also mentioned Kazakhstan which is interesting fact because I just bought Soveitistan by Erika Fatland which covers all the 'stans'. It mentions that nuclear testing occurred here. And it mentions that people die young and die of cancer.

145OscarHinder
Jun 4, 2022, 10:02 am

This user has been removed as spam.

146Kristelh
Edited: Jun 13, 2022, 1:25 pm

June plans and hopes
1001
BOTM: At Swim-Two-Birds Flann O'Brien (Irish Author, born in Dublin) COMPLETED
Life is a Caravanserai Emine Sevgi Özdamar (Turkey)
TBR: The Wings of the Dove Henry James (US) COMPLETED
Anniversaries: From a year in the life of Gesine Crespahl Uwe Johnson (German)
2nd Q: Underworld by Don DeLillo COMPLETED

F2F
The Shack, William P. Young

British
Jackie Kay
Wish I was Here
Trumpet

E. F. Benson
Queen Lucia
Miss Mapp
Caterpillars

Asian
Sub Continent:
Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai COMPLETED
The Shadow Lines Amitav Ghosh
A Disobedient Girl by Ru Freeman (Sri Lanka
Suncatcher by Romesh Gunesekera

American

Booker 2002, The Inheritance of Loss

Pulitzer

European Capitals
Dublin:
James Joyce: Dubliners
Paddy Clarke, Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha
Elizabeth Bowen Eva Trout or A World of Love
Anne Enright Actress
Samuel Beckett: Malloy though probably not as Samuel Beckett I think lived in France more than he did in Dublin.
Emma Donaghue, Pull of the Stars
Flann O’Brien, At Swim-Two-Birds

21st Century

147Kristelh
Jun 9, 2022, 10:16 pm

67.
Book The Wings of the Dove - Henry James
Format: book/audio
Original publication date: 1902
Acquisition date/place: 1/20/2016
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.5
Book description/summary: what a tangled web we weave, when we practice to deceive.
Challenge(s): TBR takedown, 1001, ROOT
American: yes
British:
List book: 1001, Guardian, etc
Genre literary fiction, classic
Liked: I liked the ending, good job with that, like the symbol of a dove
Disliked: author is too wordy

148Kristelh
Jun 9, 2022, 10:35 pm

68.
Book Julius Caesar by Shakespeare
Format: audio
Original publication date: 1623
Acquisition date/place: 8/29/14
Decimal/ Star rating: 4 stars
Book description/summary: beware the ides of March
Challenge(s): Shakespeare cat challenge
American:
British: yes
List book:
genre play, history

149Kristelh
Edited: Jun 11, 2022, 5:35 pm



Book Dubliners by James Joyce
Format: book/audio
Original publication date: 1914
Acquisition date/place: 2016
Decimal/ Star rating: 4 stars
Book description/summary: birth of characters
Challenge(s): books set in European Capitals (Dublin). ROOT
American:
British:
List book: no
genre short stories
European Capitals Dublin
Liked: Irish characters that show up in his later work
Dislike: stories are short

150Kristelh
Jun 13, 2022, 1:16 pm

70.
Book The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai
Format: book/audio
Original publication date: 2006
Acquisition date/place: 11/16/2013
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.6
Book description/summary: New York to India, life is hard
Challenge(s): Asian Author (India), ROOT, 1001, Booker-2006.
American:
British:
List book: 1001, Booker, National Book Critics Circle Award, etc

151Kristelh
Edited: Jun 16, 2022, 9:33 pm

71.
Book Miss Mapp by E.F. Benson
Format: audio
Original publication date: 1922
Acquisition date/place: 6/13/22
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars, 5 for good fun
Book description/summary: golf,bridge, and duels
Challenge(s): BAC
American:
British: yes
List book: no
Genre,fiction, comedy of manners
Liked: just good, clean fun
Disliked: can't think of anything to dislike

152Kristelh
Jun 20, 2022, 10:55 pm

72.
Book Stiff by Mary Roach
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2003
Acquisition date/place: 6/13/14
Decimal/ Star rating: 4 stars
Book description/summary: to compost or not
Challenge(s): nonfiction book by woman
American: yes
British:
List book:
genre nonfiction
liked: I learned about "green movements" in death and what to do with bodies
disliked: it was informative but some of it was not pleasant

153Kristelh
Jun 22, 2022, 10:05 pm

73.
Book Crescendo: The Story of a Musical Genius Who Forever Changed a Southern TownFormat: audio
Original publication date: 2019
Acquisition date/place: 6/10/2021
Decimal/ Star rating: 4 stars
Book description/summary: resiliency and friendships join for good
Challenge(s): alphaCAT, ROOT
American: yes
British:
List book:
genre biography
Liked: good example of resiliency
Disliked: ?

154Kristelh
Jun 29, 2022, 9:26 pm

74.
Book Cleopatra: a life by Stacy Schiff
Format: audio/book
Original publication date: 2010
Acquisition date/place: 9/28/2014
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars
Book description/summary: Strong woman Rules shrewdly
Challenge(s): nonfiction, women author, alpha C
American: yes
British:
List book:
Genre nonfiction
Liked: learned things I did not know, did Shakespeare get it right? How about the movie?
Disliked: it was a bit dry

155Kristelh
Edited: Jun 29, 2022, 9:43 pm

75. WooHoo!!!

Book Life is a Caravanserai: Has Two Doors I Came in One I Went Out the Other - Emine Sevgi Özdamar
Format: book
Original publication date: 1993
Acquisition date/place: 5/10/2022
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.8 stars
Book description/summary: from foetus to young adult via Istanbul, Bursa, Ankara and back to Istanbul.
Challenge(s): Reading 1001, alpha C,
American:
British:
List book: 1001
genre memoir/fiction
Liked: a story of a woman's life, I liked to dialogue of death on page 239 and I love the description of the food which I know as being yummy!
Dislike: it's a bit crude and gotta wonder if it is culturally true, but it might be.

156FAMeulstee
Jun 30, 2022, 5:04 am

>155 Kristelh: Congratulations on reaching 75, Kristel!

157Kristelh
Jun 30, 2022, 8:27 am

>156 FAMeulstee:, thank you Anita

158drneutron
Jun 30, 2022, 2:19 pm

Congrats!

159Kristelh
Jun 30, 2022, 9:31 pm

>158 drneutron:, Thank you doc

160Kristelh
Jun 30, 2022, 9:31 pm

76.
Book A Wild Winter Swan by Gregory Maguire
Format: book/audio
Original publication date: 2020
Acquisition date/place: 6/12/20 Early Reviewers copy
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars
Book description/summary: Girl meets Swan Boy
Challenge(s): ROOT, Doublespin
American: yes
British:
List book: no
genre fantasy, retelling
Liked: the Christmas theme
Disliked: not engaging

161Kristelh
Jul 1, 2022, 8:25 pm

June Summary
1001
At Swim-Two-Birds
Underworld
Wings of the Dove
The Inheritance of Loss
Life is a Caravanserai

F2F
none

British
Miss Mapp

Asian
The Inheritance of Loss - India

American
Dos Passos none

Booker
The Inheritance of Loss

Pulitzer none

European Capitals
Dublin: Dubliners
Ankara: LIfe is a Caravanserai

21st Century none

TIOLIChallenges #1-6

2. Read a book first published in the 1990s OR set in East Anglia, Texas, Nottingham or London - msg #5 Life is a Caravanserai - 1993
3. Read a book set in (or about) Madrid, Barcelona, Lisbon, Paris, London, Dublin, Amsterdam, or Munich - msg #6 Dubliners - Dublin

5. Read a nonfiction book with a one-word title - msg #8 Crescendo

Challenges #7-12
8. Read a book in which something currently impossible or miraculous happens - msg #20 The Wild Winter Swan

Challenges #13-16 - msg #
13. Read a book that has a person (human) on the cover - msg #34 - Wings of the Dove
16. Read a book by an author who has the same initials for first and last names - msg #43 Cleopatra: A Life, Stacy Schiff
17. - msg # Read a book where at least one title word includes a double letter msg # Miss Mapps

162Kristelh
Jul 1, 2022, 8:26 pm

77.
Book The Life of Lazarillo de Tormes by anonymous
Format: audio
Original publication date: 1554
Acquisition date/place: Hoopla 7/1/22
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.8
Book description/summary: history of a pheasant
Challenge(s): 1001, TBR takedown
American:
British:
List book: 1001 books
genre classic, picaresque
Liked: it was humorous, it was short
Disliked: the accent of narrator was so strong it was hard to follow

163Kristelh
Jul 2, 2022, 9:27 pm

78.
Book The Rape of Nanking
Format: Iris Chang
Original publication date: 1997
Acquisition date/place: 6/3/2016
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.8 stars
Book description/summary: Unknown history of Sino-Japan War
Challenge(s): ROOT
American: yes
British:
List book: no
genre nonfiction
Liked: learned something and reinforced that you can't trust history
Disliked: some repetition I think

164PaulCranswick
Jul 4, 2022, 7:21 pm

Well done for whizzing past 75, Kristel.

>78 BellaCatt: That is on my longlist for this month too.

165Kristelh
Jul 4, 2022, 8:13 pm

>164 PaulCranswick:, Thank you Paul

166Kristelh
Edited: Jul 5, 2022, 5:30 pm

79.
Book The Love Wife by
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2005
Acquisition date/place: 7/2/22
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars
Book description/summary: funny, sad story of kinship, family
Challenge(s): American Author Challenge
American: yes
British:
List book: no
genre fiction
Liked; it was easy to engage
Disliked: my liking of characters changed as book progressed, it was funny but also so sad

167Kristelh
Edited: Jul 6, 2022, 9:50 pm

80.
Book The Dog Stars by Peter Heller
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2012
Acquisition date/place: 9/20/18
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.4 stars
Book description/summary: Jasper spurs man on
Challenge(s): ROOT, RandomCAT, Bingo
American: yes
British:
List book: no
Genre post apocalyptic
Liked: the nature, the Cessna
Disliked: the sex scenes

168Kristelh
Edited: Jul 11, 2022, 8:52 pm

81.
Book Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler
Format: book/audio
Original publication date: 2016
Acquisition date/place: 2/17/2016
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars
Book description/summary: mice bring them together
Challenge(s): ShakespeareCAT, ROOT
American: yes
British:
List book: no
Genre retelling Shakespeare
Liked: Kate does grow
Disliked: characters weren't quite believable

169Kristelh
Jul 11, 2022, 10:57 pm

82.
Book Pavel's Letters by Manika Maron
Format: Kindle book
Original publication date: 1999
Acquisition date/place: 6/14/22
Decimal/ Star rating: 4 stars
Book description/summary: identity in family
Challenge(s): Reading 1001
American:
British:
List book: 1001
European Capitals Berlin
Genre nonfiction, biography, history, political

170Kristelh
Jul 12, 2022, 11:05 am

83.
Book Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Siji.
Format: book/audio
Original publication date: 2000
Acquisition date/place: 10/21/2018
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.8 stars
Book description/summary: dangers of reading
Challenge(s): Asian author, ROOT
American:
British:
List book: no
Genre semi autobiographical fiction
Liked: interesting story about reeducation/communism, China
Disliked: sad to burn books

171Kristelh
Jul 15, 2022, 11:05 pm

84.
Book Salem's Lot by Stephen King
Format:audio
Original publication date: 1975
Acquisition date/place: 7/12/22
Decimal/ Star rating: 4 stars
Book description/summary: vampires should be like viruses and not destroy their food.
Challenge(s): Scaredykit
American: yes
British:
List book:
genre horror
Liked: dracula retelling
Disliked: sexual content

172Kristelh
Jul 19, 2022, 12:58 pm

85.
Book The Lincoln Highway byk Amor Towles
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2021
Acquisition date/place: July 2022
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.9 stars
Book description/summary: Presidential joy ride quest.
Challenge(s): f2f bookclub July 2022
American: yes
British:
List book: lots of best lists
genre adventure fiction
Liked: the Lincoln Highway
Disliked: jumped around, disorganized, too much detail.

173Kristelh
Jul 23, 2022, 11:32 am

86.
BookReading Dangerously: The Subversive Power of Literature in Troubled Times- Azar Nafisi
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2022
Acquisition date/place: audible, 4/10/22
Decimal/ Star rating: 2.5 stars
Book description/summary: more politics than book about books
Challenge(s): read a book you meant to read earlier
American:
British:
Other Asian (Iran)
List book:
genre nonfiction
Liked: the review of Grossman's To The End of the Land
Disliked: hostile, angry discourse of US politics

174Kristelh
Jul 23, 2022, 11:38 am

87. Sputnik's Guide to Life on Earth by Frank Cottrell BoyceBook
Format: Audio
Original publication date: 2019
Acquisition date/place: 7/22/22
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars
Book description/summary: alien comes as man's best friend
Challenge(s): Category: read a book that features a dog
American:
British: yes
List book: no
Genre children's book
Liked: light hearted
Disliked: nothing

175Kristelh
Jul 23, 2022, 11:40 am

87.
Book Sputnik's Guide to Life on Earth by Frank Cottrell BoyceFormat: Audio
Original publication date: 2019
Acquisition date/place: 7/22/22
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars
Book description/summary: alien comes as man's best friend
Challenge(s): Category: read a book that features a dog
American:
British: yes
List book: no
Genre children's book
Liked: light hearted
Disliked: nothing

176Kristelh
Jul 26, 2022, 2:20 pm

88.
Book Winter Solstice
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2000
Acquisition date/place: July 2022, Hoopla
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars
Book description/summary: all ends well
Challenge(s): TIOLI, also recommended to me by Church book group
American:
British: yes
List book:

177Kristelh
Jul 26, 2022, 2:28 pm

89.
Book Her Private's We
Format: e-book
Original publication date: 1929
Acquisition date/place: 5/25/22
Decimal/ Star rating: 4 stars
Book description/summary: war's a strumpet
Challenge(s): Reading 1001, botm July 2022, TIOLI pronoun
American:
British: yes
List book: 1001 books
genre memoir
Liked: the character development
Disliked: the violence and language fit the book.

178Kristelh
Edited: Jul 31, 2022, 7:24 pm

90.
Book Milkman - Anna Burns
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2018
Acquisition date/place: 7/26/22, Hoopla
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.6 stars
Book description/summary: Young girl takes on The Trouble
Challenge(s): Booker Prize
American:
British:
other Northern Ireland
List book: Booker
Booker Prize (2018)
Awards
Women's Prize for Fiction Shortlist (2019)
National Book Critics Circle Award (Fiction, 2018)
Orwell Prize (Political Fiction, 2019)
Booker 2018
The Morning News Tournament of Books (Quarterfinalist, 2019)
International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award Winner (2020)
genre literature, political, feminist
Liked: enjoyed this story middle sister and also of The Trouble
Disliked: sometimes it was a bit vague on who these people were. Very paranoid which probably fits the situation.

179Kristelh
Jul 31, 2022, 10:11 pm

91.
Book The Book Thief - Markus Zusak
Format: audio/book
Original publication date: 2007
Acquisition date/place: own, Libby audio
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.4 stars
Book description/summary: girl steals books
Challenge(s): real life bookclub
American:
British:
List book:
genre young adult, fiction
Liked: I like the picture of a German family trying to survive the war
Disliked: a lot of swearing

180Kristelh
Edited: Aug 2, 2022, 5:13 pm


Book Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2021
Acquisition date/place: Libby, 7/31/22
Decimal/ Star rating: 4 stars
Book description/summary: returning a favor, at odds with the church
Challenge(s): none
American:
British:
List book: longlisted for the Booker
genre novella
Liked: I like the man
Disliked: it leaves you hanging

Reading Review of July 2022

Books Completed : 15
Year to date : 92

Favorite this month; Pavel's Letters - Monika Maron.

181Kristelh
Aug 2, 2022, 10:00 am

Reading Plan for August
Reading 1001
BOTM Saturday Night and Sunday Morning - Alan Sillitoe
BOTM The Rings of Saturn - W. G. Sebald
TBR takedown: Oscar & Lucinda by Peter Carey

Book Clubs
Only Plane in the Sky - Garrett M. Graff
Blue Castle L. M. Montgomery

Others
Bookspin - The Testaments - Margaret Atwood
Double Spin - Norwegian Wood Haruki Murakami

Territory of Light Yuko Tsushima
13 Little Blue Envelopes - Maureen Johnson
Gap of Time - Jeanette Winterson
Light in August - William Faulkner
A Pale View of Hills - Kazuo Ishiguro
Sound of Waves - Yukio Mishima
Breast & Eggs - Mieko Kawakami
Henry Louis Gates
Klara and the Sun Kazuo Ishiguro
An Artist of the Floating World Kazuo Ishiguro
The Great Passage Shion Miura
Amateur Marriage Anne Tyler
Shelter by Sarah Stonich

Currently Reading


182Kristelh
Aug 8, 2022, 1:13 pm

93.
Book Oscar & Lucinda - Peter Carey
Format: book/audio
Original publication date: 1988
Acquisition date/place: 10/29/2016
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.8 stars
Book description/summary: life is a gamble in the lucky land
Challenge(s): TBR takedown
American:
British:
List book: 1001 Books, Booker Winner
Genre literary fiction
Liked: enjoyed the story of two young people in Australia
Disliked: a lot of details that wasn't necessary

183Kristelh
Edited: Aug 9, 2022, 4:41 pm

94.

Book The Testaments - Margaret Atwood
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2020
Acquisition date/place: August 2022
Decimal/ Star rating: 4 stars
Book description/summary: sisters unite
Challenge(s): Booker, Canadian Literature
American:
British:
List book: Booker (2019)
Genre Dystopia
Liked: the characters
Disliked: Makes Puritans bad people

184Kristelh
Aug 9, 2022, 4:38 pm

95.
Book The Amateur Marriage - Anne Tyler
Format: book, audio
Original publication date: 2004
Acquisition date/place: 2014, 9, 14
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.6
Book description/summary: flawed people with no insight
Challenge(s): ROOT, TIOLI
American: yes
British:
List book: no
genre fiction
Liked: flawed characters
Disliked: never any insight

185Kristelh
Aug 14, 2022, 8:42 pm

96.
Book Norwegian Wood - Haruki Murakami
Format: book/audio
Original publication date: 2000
Acquisition date/place: 9/27/2014
Decimal/ Star rating: 2 stars
Book description/summary: Sex does not erase isolation
Challenge(s): Asian author challenge, ROOT, Doublespin (Litsy challenge)
American:
British:
List book:
Genre Fiction, Translated fiction
Liked: I like the music, cat, themes that are often found in Murakami books
Disliked: I prefer not to read details of sexual acts.

186Kristelh
Edited: Aug 19, 2022, 4:51 pm

97.
Book The Only Plane in the Sky: an oral history of 9/11
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2019
Acquisition date/place: 8/2022, Libby
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.8 stars
Book description/summary: what are your memories?
Challenge(s): f2f book club read
American: yes
British:
List book:
genre nonfiction
Liked: I actually enjoyed hearing these stories more than I thought
Disliked: there is a lot of hard truths

187Kristelh
Aug 19, 2022, 4:45 pm

98.
Book Saturday Night and Sunday Morning by Alan Sillitoe
Format: Kindle
Original publication date: 1958
Acquisition date/place: 4/28/18
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.8
Book description/summary: sooner or later you get caught
Challenge(s): Reading 1001, ROOT
American:
British: yes
List book: Reading 1001
Genre literature
Liked: the setting, 50s, working class
Disliked: poor picture of married women

188Kristelh
Aug 23, 2022, 3:58 pm

99.
Book Dark Sky Rising: Reconstruction and the Dawn of Jim Crow
Format: audio book
Original publication date: 2019
Acquisition date/place: 8/2022 Hoopla
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars
Book description/summary: it's what it says it is
Challenge(s): American author challenge
American: yes
British:
List book: no
Genre nonfiction, history
Liked: it seemed to be a fair depiction written at middle school level
Disliked: nothing in particular

189Kristelh
Aug 23, 2022, 4:10 pm

100.

Book Light in August by William Faulkner
Format: audio
Original publication date: 1932
Acquisition date/place: 8/31/2017, audible
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.9 stars
Book description/summary: a cast of outcasts
Challenge(s): alpha, ROOT
American: yes
British:
List book: many lists, modern library for one
genre southern gothic lit
Liked: a good representation of problems set in 1932 still relevant today
Disliked: it was hard to follow because of flashbacks and changing narration

190Kristelh
Aug 23, 2022, 4:19 pm

101.

Book 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson
Format: nook/audio
Original publication date: 2005
Acquisition date/place: 2011, nook book
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars
Book description/summary: a quest in search of the deceased
Challenge(s): TIOLI, ROOT
American: yes
British:
List book:
genre young adult
Liked: it was a good book with good morals/character
Disliked: a bit unbelievable but a feel good book

191Kristelh
Aug 23, 2022, 4:33 pm

102.

Book The Sound of Waves by Yukio Mishima
Format: audio
Original publication date: 1954
Acquisition date/place: July 15, 2022
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars
Book description/summary: young fisher falls for diving girl
Challenge(s): Asian author, Reading 1001
American:
British:
List book: 1001

192Kristelh
Aug 25, 2022, 1:13 pm

103.
Book Territory of Light by Yūko Tsushima
Format: book/audio
Original publication date: originally written in serial monthly submissions in 1978, Published as a hardcover in 2019.
Acquisition date/place: 2018, Indiespensible
Decimal/ Star rating: 4 stars
Book description/summary: can't stay in the light
Challenge(s): Asian author challenge, ROOT
American:
British:
List book:
genre literature, Japanese, feminism, translated
Liked: I liked the use of light
Disliked: it is hard to like the unnamed narrator

193Kristelh
Aug 28, 2022, 9:29 pm

104.

Book The Gap of Time by Jeanette Winterson
Format: book/audio
Original publication date: 2015
Acquisition date/place: 4/25/2016
Decimal/ Star rating: 2.9 stars
Book description/summary: Paranoid personality makes a poor friend, husband, father
Challenge(s): ROOT, ShakespeareCat
American:
British: yes
List book:
Genre fiction, literary, retelling
Liked: I enjoyed learning about The Winter's Tale
Disliked: did not like the crass use of sexual words

194Kristelh
Edited: Aug 31, 2022, 7:50 am

105.
Book The Jumbies
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: 2016
Acquisition date/place: 8/30/22
Decimal/ Star rating: 4 stars
Book description/summary: learn to live in your world
Challenge(s): children's horror
American:
British:
List book: NPR best horror
Genre children's, horror
Liked: this was an entertaining tale of folklore
Disliked: It was good, not much to dislike

195Kristelh
Edited: Sep 2, 2022, 1:09 pm

Summary of August

Reading 1001, completed
1. BOTM Saturday Night and Sunday Morning - Alan Sillitoe
BOTM The Rings of Saturn - W. G. Sebald DNF in August
2. TBR takedown: Oscar & Lucinda by Peter Carey
3. The Sound of Waves Asian Challenge

Book Clubs
4. Only Plane in the Sky - Garrett M. Graff
5. The Blue Castle L. M. Montgomery

Others
6. Bookspin - The Testaments - Margaret Atwood
7. Double Spin - Norwegian Wood Haruki Murakami

8. Territory of Light Yuko Tsushima
9. 13 Little Blue Envelopes - Maureen Johnson
10. The Gap of Time - Jeanette Winterson
11. Light in August - William Faulkner
12. A Pale View of Hills - Kazuo Ishiguro
13. Henry Louis Gates, Dark Sky Rising
14. Amateur Marriage Anne Tyler
15. Small Things Like These Claire Keegan, Booker Longlist
16. Appleseeds - Betty Huizenga
17. The Jumbies
18. Light in August by Faulkner

Currently Reading
The Rings of Saturn W. G. Sebald, COMPLETED 9/2
News From Nowhere by William Morris


196Kristelh
Sep 2, 2022, 12:47 pm

106.
Book The Rings of Saturn
Format: Kindle
Original publication date: 1995
Acquisition date/place: 7/11/2017
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars but probably should be rated higher. Literary device used "the walk" to explore issues of destruction and decay
Book description/summary: walk among the ruins
Challenge(s): ROOT, Reading 1001
American:
British:
List book: 1001, Guardian
Genre fiction written as travelogue
Liked: I liked that it was written like a travelogue and appreciated the exploration of decay and covered a lot of history.
Disliked: it is like a person would think while walking, a bit disjointed but it fits the books goal.

197Kristelh
Sep 2, 2022, 8:10 pm

107.
Book News From Nowhere - William Morris
Format: audio book
Original publication date: 1890
Acquisition date/place: 7/23/22 Audible
Decimal/ Star rating: 2.2 stars
Book description/summary: Utopia if we can get rid of the capitalists
Challenge(s): reading 1001
American:
British: yes
List book:
Guardian 1000 (Science Fiction & Fantasy)
1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die (2006/2008/2010/2012 Edition)
Western World's Greatest Books - Project Gutenberg
1898 C.K. Shorter List of Best 100 Novels
Newark Public Library's 1904 List of a Thousand of the Best Novels
Genre fantasy, communist propaganda
Liked: it's over and I don't need to read it again
Disliked: the whole thing

198Kristelh
Sep 3, 2022, 9:31 pm

108.
Book Empire of the Sun - J.G. Ballard
Format: book/audio
Original publication date: 1984
Acquisition date/place: 9/2/2020
Decimal/ Star rating: 5 stars
Book description/summary: Boy survives horror
Challenge(s): TBR, ROOT, Reading 1001
American:
British: yes
List book: 1001
Genre fiction, autobiography, historical
Liked: depiction of Japan China during WWII
Disliked: the horrors were realistic so it was ok much better than Ballard usual

199Kristelh
Sep 7, 2022, 4:24 pm

109.
Book Venus and Adonis by Shakespeare
Format: book/audio
Original publication date: 1593
Acquisition date/place: 2014, July 31
Decimal/ Star rating: 4 stars
Book description/summary: love story, narrative poem
Challenges Shakespeare, poems, sonnets
American:
British: yes
List book:
Genre narrative poem, classic
Liked: I liked that it was a narrative poem but it wasn't about Greek gods
Disliked: poetry is not my favorite thing but glad to have read it.

200Kristelh
Edited: Sep 7, 2022, 7:56 pm

110.
Book The Rape of Lucrece - Shakespeare
Format: book/audio
Original publication date: 1594
Acquisition date/place: 2014, July 31
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars
Book description/summary: rape in Rome
Challenge(s): Shakespeare challenge
American:
British: yes
List book:
genre narrative poem
Liked:
Disliked: that the solution of revenge is to kill self

201Kristelh
Edited: Sep 7, 2022, 8:09 pm

111.
Book A Gate at the Stairs - Lorrie Moore
Format: book/audio
Original publication date: 2009
Acquisition date/place:
Decimal/ Star rating: 4/29/2017
Book description/summary: racism, war, and clueless
Challenge(s): reading 1001, ROOT
American: yes
British:
List book: 1001 Books
genre fiction, post 9/11 literature
Liked: I liked the descriptions of birds, I liked the humor. descriptions of self righteous liberal idealogy.
Disliked: can anyone be that clueless, yes, fraid so

202Kristelh
Sep 7, 2022, 8:38 pm

112.
Book The Perfect Golden Circle - Benjamin Myers
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2022
Acquisition date/place: September 2022
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars
Book description/summary: male bonding over crop circles
Challenge(s): f2f bookclub, September 2022
American:
British: yes
List book:
Genre fiction
Liked: good character study
Disliked: a bit hard to engage

203Kristelh
Sep 16, 2022, 8:09 pm

113.
Book Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by unknown
Format: pdf and audio
Original publication date: 1380
Acquisition date/place: 9/8/22
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars
Book description/summary: Middle English epic poetry, Arthurian
Challenge(s): fantasy, quest
American:
British: yes
List book:
Genre epic poetry
Liked: was interesting to read a book about chivalry and values
Disliked: a bit boring, I thought

204Kristelh
Sep 16, 2022, 8:18 pm

114.

Book Beowulf by unknown
Format: audio, pdf
Original publication date: 700 - 1000 AD
Acquisition date/place: 9/8/22, on-line
Decimal/ Star rating: 4 stars
Book description/summary: clash of pagans and Christians
Challenge(s): quest/fantasy
American:
British: Anglo-Saxon, Old English
List book:
Genre epic poetry
Liked: interesting to read a book of a clash between Pagan and Christian and see the foundation of The Hobbit
Disliked: I disliked the last translation (the cover posted) because it was modernized using swearing, Latino and black in a Anglo-Saxon, Scandinavian epic poetry.

205Kristelh
Sep 16, 2022, 8:23 pm

115.
Book My Brilliant Life by Kim Ae-ran
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2022
Acquisition date/place: 9/2022
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars
Book description/summary: "my dad is so young"
Challenge(s): Korean lit (AAC)
American:
British:
List book:
Genre fiction, novel, Asian lit
Liked: learned a lot about a rare illness
Disliked: it was hard to remember that this book was Korean, it was so "western" in its translation

206PaulCranswick
Sep 16, 2022, 9:02 pm

>205 Kristelh: I have read that one this month too, Kristel and I am not sure that I got a hugely Western feel from it. I guess that I have been away from the West for too long already.

Have a great weekend.

207Kristelh
Sep 17, 2022, 7:13 am

>206 PaulCranswick:, Thank you Paul. I just finished A River of Darkness which was set in North Korea and definitely did not have a western feel.

208Kristelh
Sep 17, 2022, 7:19 am

116.
Book A River in Darkness: One Man's Escape from North Korea - Masaji Ishikawa
Format: Kindle
Original publication date: 2017
Acquisition date/place: 4/24/2018
Decimal/ Star rating: 4 stars
Book description/summary: No matter where you go, life is hard but at least you can eat
Challenge(s): ROOT, Asian Author Challenge - Korea
American:
British:
List book:
Genre Autobiography, memoir
Liked: like is not a word you can use with this book but I appreciated reading about the hardship of being 1/2 Korean, 1/2 Japanese and of migrating to North Korea.
Disliked: I did not like knowing that he had to leave his family behind to starve

209Kristelh
Sep 19, 2022, 4:17 pm

117.

Book Artist of the Floating World - Kazuo Ishiguro
Format: audio and book
Original publication date: 1986
Acquisition date/place: 3/15/17
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.4 stars
Book description/summary: old man faces his past
Challenge(s): alpha KI, ROOT, 1001
American:
British:
List book: 1001
Genre fiction/literature
Liked: I like stories of old people and also the generational look at family/Japan, post WWII
Disliked: its not much plot, character study and that gets a bit slim as well

210Kristelh
Edited: Sep 24, 2022, 9:54 pm

118.
Book The City & the City by China Miéville
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2009
Acquisition date/place: 2022, Libby
Decimal/ Star rating: 4 stars
Book description/summary: police procedural made weird by not seeing, seeing
Challenge(s): TIOLI, Best Science Fiction
American:
British: yes
List book:
genre weird police procedural
Liked: I liked the whole idea of overlapping cities. I feel that it is a commentary on a lot of things we experience in our current lives.
Disliked: over all liked this book and can't think what I disliked.

211Kristelh
Sep 24, 2022, 9:58 pm


Book Everything Sad is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2020
Acquisition date/place: 9/2022, Libby
Decimal/ Star rating: 4 stars
Book description/summary: its all about food and poop
Challenge(s): CBC group
American:
British:
List book:
Genre Autobiographical novel
Liked: I liked that it shows how we so often misjudge what we don't know
Disliked: that adults allow bullying

212Kristelh
Sep 25, 2022, 8:19 am

Wordle 463 4/6

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213Kristelh
Sep 26, 2022, 10:34 pm

120.
Book Quiet Strength - Tony Dungy
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2008
Acquisition date/place: 9/2022
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars, barely
Book description/summary: what it says
Challenge(s): TIOLI, autobiography of someone born in my decade (50s)
American: yes
British:
List book:
Genre autobiography, Christian living
Liked: interesting connection with Minnesota
Disliked: its barely interesting

214Kristelh
Sep 27, 2022, 9:30 am

121.
Book Redeemer: The Life of Jimmy Carter - Randall Balmer
Format: audio
Original publication date: May, 2014
Acquisition date/place: 2014
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.3 stars
Book description/summary: Progressive Evangelical; is it possible?
Challenge(s): TIOLI, ROOT
American: yes
British:
List book:
Genre nonfiction, politics, religion
Liked: I learned something
Disliked: biased presentation???

215Kristelh
Sep 28, 2022, 7:11 am

Wordle 466 4/6

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216Kristelh
Sep 30, 2022, 1:23 pm

122.
Book The Known World - Edward P. Jones
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2003
Acquisition date/place: 9/2022
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.5 stars
Book description/summary: what is and who knows.
Challenge(s): read the Pulitzers 2004
American: yes
British:
List book: Pulitzer
Genre historical fiction
Liked: liked that this was a story of slavery and free
Disliked: it was hard to stay engaged once you set it down.

217Kristelh
Oct 1, 2022, 7:03 am

Wordle 469 5/6

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🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩Went down too many rabbit trails today

218Kristelh
Oct 1, 2022, 11:07 am

Summary for September

Reading 1001, completed
1. BOTM News From Nowhere by Wm Morris
BOTM radomizer pic: The Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore (ROOT)
2. TBR takedown: Empire of the Sun by Ballard (ROOT)
3. Other: An Artist of the Floating World by Ishiguro (alpha KI, ROOT)

Book Clubs
4. The Perfect Golden Circle Benjamin Myers
5. Everything Sad is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri (Iran)

Others
6. Bookspin - News From Nowhere
7. Double Spin - The Perfect Golden Circle
Bookspin Bingos: 2 bingos

8. The Rape of Lucrece Shakespeare
9. Venus and Adonis Shakespeare
10. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
11. Beowulf
12. My Brilliant Life Kin Aeran (Asian, Korea)
13. A River in Darkness Rennie Airth (Asian, Korea)
14. The City & the City by China Mieville SF, TIOLI challenge
15. Redeemer: The Life of Jimmy Carter Randall Balmer, TIOLI, ROOT
16. Quiet Strength: the principles, Practices & priorities of a winning life - Tony Dungy, TIOLI
17. The Known World by Edward P. Jones

Books read: 16

Currently reading
Anniversaries by Uwe Johnson
The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad
Fools of Fortune

Plans:
Happiness or another by Aminatta Forna
Assembling California by John McPhee
Thirty-Three Teeth
The Mirror & the Light
Our Lady of the Assassins
The Vor Game
Bangkok Wakes to Rain
The Daughter of Doctor Moreau
The Mountains Sing
Klara and the Sun SFF-AI

219Kristelh
Oct 2, 2022, 7:20 am

Wordle 470 4/6

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220Kristelh
Oct 3, 2022, 10:49 pm


Book The Secret Agent - Joseph Conrad
Format: Book/audio
Original publication date:1907
Acquisition date/place: 2018/Bookmooch
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.4 stars
Book description/summary: puppets of forces beyond their control
Challenge(s): 1001, TBR takedown, ROOT
American:
British:
List book: 1001
Genre Espionage lit
Liked: I liked that it points out the real victims are innocents
Disliked: it was a bit easy to get lost with the back and forth time frames

221Kristelh
Oct 4, 2022, 7:37 am

Wordle 472 4/6

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222Kristelh
Oct 9, 2022, 7:35 am

Wordle 477 6/6

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223Kristelh
Edited: Oct 10, 2022, 9:06 pm

124.

Book Crossing the Craton - John McPhee
Format: audio
Original publication date:
Acquisition date/place: Hoopla, 2022
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars
Book description/summary: inspecting the basement
Challenge(s): AAC
American: yes
British:
List book:
Genre nonfiction
Liked: It's an interesting look at geology
Disliked, basically so so

224Kristelh
Edited: Oct 10, 2022, 9:10 pm

125.
Book Macbeth by Jo Nesbo
Format: audio
Original publication date: 2018
Acquisition date/place: 2022/Libby
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars
Book description/summary: corruption is everywhere
Challenge(s): read Macbeth/Shakespeare
American:
British:
List book:
Genre Fiction, Crime Fiction, Retelling
Liked: it was entertaining
Disliked: unbelievable

225PaulCranswick
Oct 10, 2022, 9:31 pm

>224 Kristelh: Your like and dislike portions of your reading summaries rarely fail to make me smile, Kristel.

226Kristelh
Oct 11, 2022, 7:55 am

>225 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul, thanks for stopping by. My personal challenge to sum up a book in a few words as possible and likes/dislikes gives me opportunity to think about what I just read but also seems to be amusing. Probably my tendency to dry humor.

227Kristelh
Oct 13, 2022, 6:43 am

Wordle 481 3/6

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228Kristelh
Oct 14, 2022, 3:34 pm

126.
Book Bangkok Wakes To Rain by Pitchaya Sudbanthad
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: 2019
Acquisition date/place: Oct/2022
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars leaning toward 4.
Book description/summary: interconnected stories set in Bangkok and specifically a certain house. Referred to as ecofiction but it also has an element of science fiction.
Challenge(s): Read for Asian Author Challenge/Thai. Author was born in Bangkok and he splits his time between Brooklyn and Bangkok.
American:
British:
List book:
Genre fiction, debut, interconnected stories
Liked: interesting tales
Disliked: sometimes difficult to keep things straight

229Kristelh
Oct 14, 2022, 3:57 pm

127.
Book Thirty-Three Teeth by Colin Cotterill
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: 2005
Acquisition date/place: Oct 2022
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.5 stars
Book description/summary: Hot isn't it?
Challenge(s): Thailand, Asian author focus (he's British but lives in Thailand)
American:
British: yes
List book:
Genre mystery
Liked: I enjoyed the twists and turns of solving crime in the spirit world of communist Laos.
Disliked: very little to dislike unless you don't like paranormal but I thought it was more a lesson in Laotian culture amid communism.

230Kristelh
Oct 15, 2022, 7:20 am

Wordle 483 3/6

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231Kristelh
Oct 17, 2022, 6:50 am

Wordle 485 4/6

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232Kristelh
Oct 17, 2022, 7:47 pm

128.
Book Fools of Fortune - William Trevor
Format: book
Original publication date: 1983
Acquisition date/place: 9/4/22
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.6
Book description/summary: destruction casts shadow
Challenge(s): reading 1001, Oct botm
American:
British:
List book: 1001
Genre historical fiction
Liked: I liked that it compared two houses and I liked the secondary characters
Disliked: it was hard to engage and at times it was confusing

233Kristelh
Oct 20, 2022, 7:13 am

Wordle 488 3/6

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234Kristelh
Oct 20, 2022, 9:43 pm

129.
Book The Daughter of Doctor Moreau
Format: book/Audio
Original publication date: 2022
Acquisition date/place: 10/18/22 Target/audible
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.4
Book description/summary: Hybrid meets colonialism
Challenge(s): f2f book club read Oct 2022
American:
British:
List book:
Genre Fantasy/horro
Liked: it was okay, unfortunately
Disliked: nothing new here

235Kristelh
Oct 21, 2022, 7:23 am

Wordle 489 6/6

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Antiwordle #257
9 guesses

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Daily Quordle 270
4️⃣5️⃣
7️⃣6️⃣
quordle.com
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🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛

236Kristelh
Oct 22, 2022, 8:47 am

Can anyone tell me how to start a continuation of my thread?

237FAMeulstee
Oct 23, 2022, 8:00 am

>236 Kristelh: Click on the link below Add A Message, Kristel, that says 'Continue this topic in another topic'

238Kristelh
Oct 23, 2022, 8:05 am

>237 FAMeulstee:, Thank you so much. Kind of feel a bit silly for never seeing that.

239FAMeulstee
Oct 23, 2022, 8:09 am

>238 Kristelh: You are very welcome, Kristel.
Not asking would be silly, it is only obvious when you see it. Or use it regular :-)
This topic was continued by Kristel's Reading 75+ in 2022, ACT II.