Alcott Acre's Home

My name is Stasia and I have been a member of the 75ers since the group's inception in 2008, although my participation has been limited in some years. I retired in July 2021 and have jumped back into the group in full force. I cannot imagine a better group of people with which to hang around!

Without further adieu, grab a cuppa and come on in!

Books I Rated 4.25 Stars or Higher in 2021

5 Stars

Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (specifically in audio form)

Four Hundred Souls edited by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain

Notes on Grief by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Death to Dust by Kenneth V. Iserson

The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker

Seeds of Freedom by Hester Bass

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

A Terrible, Horrible, No Good Year edited by Larry Smith

Good Talk by Mira Jacob

4.5 Stars

The Fox Hunt: A Refugee's Memoir of Coming to America by Mohammed Al Samawi

The Way Back by Gavriel Savit

The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin

Anatomy of a Genocide by Omer Bartov

Apeirogon by Colum McCann

Rescue Board by Rebecca Erbelding

Simeon's Story by Simeon Wright

I'd Rather Be Reading by Anne Bogel

The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys

If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin

Autumn by Ali Smith

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

Jews in Nazi Berlin: From Kristallnacht to Liberation edited by Beate Meyer, Hermann Simon, and Chana Schutz

Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart

The City Beautiful by Aden Polydoros

Peace Like a River by Leif Enger

Stones for Ibarra by Harriet Doerr

The Promise by Damon Galgut

Remember: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting by Lisa Genova

4.25 Stars

The Ape Who Guards the Balance by Elizabeth Peters

The Defender: How the Legendary Black Newspaper Changed America by Ethan Michaeli

All That Remains by Professor Sue Black

The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles

The Highest Tide by Jim Lynch

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn

The Blackbird Girls by Anne Blankman

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

Blackbird: A Childhood Lost and Found by Jennifer Lauck

Absolutely on Music by Haruki Murakami

The Guncle by Steven Rowley

Border Songs by Jim Lynch

Island of the Lost by Joan Druett

The Good People by Hannah Kent

Between Two Kingdoms by Suleika Jaouad

2022 Goals - I am going to record the titles as I finish them

Reading (or rereading as they case may be) all of Jane Austen’s novels this year, starting with Sense and Sensibility

The St. Mary’s books

The In Death series - started in 2021
- Vengeance in Death - Completed January 9, 2022

The Decker/Lazarus series - started in 2021

The Outlander series

The Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series - started in 2021 - The Murder of Mary Russell

The Murderbot series - started in 2021

The Three Pines series

The Maisie Dobbs series

Classics - at least one a month; could be children's classics, modern classics, scifi/fantasy classics
1. Kim by Rudyard Kipling - Completed January 7, 2022

Continuing my Civil Rights/ African & African American experience reading (at least one book per month)

Continuing my Holocaust/Jewish experience reading (at least one book per month)

Books on Berly’s Indie List

Monthly Nonfiction Challenge:
January - The Feather Thief by Kirk Johnson Wallace

Pick a Shelf Challenge - Goal is 2 a month - I literally just chose a shelf in my library and emptied it of books. I will mark them as I complete them - and then pick another shelf!

The Art of War in the Western World by Archer Jones
The Nautical Chart by Arturo Perez-Reverte
The Yard by Alex Grecian
Killing Mister Watson by Peter Matthiessen
Hard Evidence by David Fisher
The Italian Boy by Sarah Wise - Completed January 27, 2022
Day After Night by Anita Diamant
Cloudsplitter by Russell Banks - Completed January 9, 2022
Witness to a Century by George Seldas
Scoop by Evelyn Waugh
The Maker of Heavenly Trousers by Daniele Vare
Lullabies for Little Criminals by Heather O’Neill
The Promise of Jenny Jones by Maggie Osborne
Nursery Crimes by Ayelet Waldman
Gillespie and I by Jane Harris
Invitation to a Beheading by Vladimir Nabokov
A Room on Lorelei Street by Mary E. Pearson

TIOLI Challenges - For January, I am reading:

Challenge #1: Read a book in which the title’s first word and last word have the same number of letters - started by SqueakyChu
Beasts of No Nation by Uzodinma Iweala
The Fortune Men by Nadifa Mohamed - Completed January 8, 2022
The Italian Boy by Sarah Wise

Challenge #2: Read a book first published in my birth year (1972), your birth year or the last year (2021 or 2022) - started by helenliz
The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas Kuhn - Completed January 3, 2022

Challenge #3: Read a book with pictures (photos or illustrations) - started by wandering_star
The Feather Thief by Kirk Wallace Johnson
The Writing of the Gods by Edward Dolnick - Completed January 2, 2022

Challenge #4: Read a book that's on some Best of 2021 list - started by Citizenjoyce
How the Word is Passed by Clint Smith

Challenge #5: Read a book by an author who is new to you - started by lindapanzo
Cloudsplitter by Russell Banks - Completed January 9, 2022
The Fall of Light by Niall Williams - Completed January 10, 2022

Challenge #6: Read a book you acquired in December 2021 (state how you obtained it) - started by susanna.fraser
Fire on the Mountain by John Maclean - (One of my Christmas books)
These Precious Days by Ann Patchett - (Library Book) - Completed January 5, 2022

Challenge #7: Read a book by an author whose name has 2 initials or has written at least 22 books - started by Morphidae
Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston
The Singapore Grip by J.G. Farrell
Vengeance in Death by J.D.Robb - Completed January 9, 2022

Challenge #8: Read a book set in one of the top seven countries from the United Nations 2021 Happiness Report - started by DeltaQueen
The Summer Book by Tove Jansson

Challenge #9: Read a book written by a Turkish or Turkish born author - started by PaulCranswick
10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World by Elif Shafak
My Name is Red by Orhan Pamuk - Completed January 7, 2022

Challenge #10: Read a book whose cover shows women in period costume facing away - started by countrylife
The Book Borrower by Alice Mattison - DNF
We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter

Challenge #11: Read a children's book published in the UK/by a UK author before 1980 - started by Chatterbox
Kim by Rudyard Kipling - Completed January 7, 2022

Challenge #12: Read a book with a specific woman in its title - started by lyzard
Sala’s Gift by Ann Kirschner
Madonna in a Fur Coat by Sabahattin Ali

Challenge #13: Read a book without an article in the title - started by FAMeulstee
Homeland Elegies by Ayad Akhtar - Completed January 12, 2022
Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor
Red Clocks by Leni Zumas - DNF
Square Haunting by Francesca Wade

Challenge # 14: Read a book with the word “Lark” in the title - started by AlcottAcre
The Housing Lark by Sam Selvon
The Lark and the Wren by Mercedes Lackey
The Lark’s Lament by Alan Gordon
Lark Rise to Candleford by Flora Thompson
An Exaltation of Larks by Robert Reed

Challenge #15: Read a book with a "state" in the title - started by bell7
97 Orchard: An Edible History of Five Immigrant Families in One New York Tenement by Jane Ziegler

Challenge #16: Tidying Up,,,finish a book you started before the New Year - started by avatiakh
Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots - Completed January 8, 2022

Challenge #17: Read a book which includes at least one list - started by elkiedee
The World Between Two Covers by Ann Morgan

Challenge #18: Read a book of adventure, fiction or non-fiction - started by dallenbaugh
The World's Strongest Librarian: A Book Lover's Adventures by Josh Hanagarne

Challenge #19: Rolling Challenge: Read a Book Starting with the letters from "Two Faced" in honor of Janus - Started by quondame
Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams

My biggest challenge this year is for the Asian Authors Challenge. I am so stoked for this one. I want to try and read at least 3 books per month toward this challenge.

January's proposed reads are:

10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World - Elif Shafak
My Name is Red - Orhan Pamuk - Completed January 7
Madonna in a Fur Coat - Sabahattin Ali

Shared Reads:

A Sword Named Truth by Sherwood Smith - shared read with Nina
Homeland Elegies by Ayad Akhtar - shared read with Paul
Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings - shared read with Paul and Nina
Pleasure of Ruins by Rose Macaulay - shared read with Peggy
Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots - shared read with Karen O - Completed January 8, 2022
The Fall of Light by Niall Williams - shared read with Mary - Completed January 10, 2022

On hold currently:
Lady Cop Makes Trouble by Amy Stewart Postponed at Karen’s request
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Zafon Ruiz Postponed at Karen’s request
Moonglow by Michael Chabon - Shared read with Kim and Mark - FEBRUARY
Night Haunts by Sukhdev Sandhu or Redemption Ground by Lorna Goodison - shared read with Caroline and Paul - FEBRUARY
Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson - shared read with Lynda and Kim - MARCH
Here I Am by Jonathan Safron Foer - shared read with Kim - Moved to MARCH
An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine - shared read with Mark - MARCH
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - shared read with Mamie - MARCH
Taft by Ann Patchett - shared read with Mark - JUNE

This group always helps me to read; welcome back to the group, Stasia. Thank you for helping give me my mojo back. xx

>8 PaulCranswick: Hey, we have to keep each other's mojo up, right? Else, who would we talk to about books? It is a win/win situation!

Happy new thread and new year, Stasia!

>10 jessibud2: Thank you, Shelley, I appreciate it!

Glad to see you here!

Happy New Year! and to a better year in 2022 and of course, great reading!

Happy New Year and new thread, Stasia. Here's to many more shared TIOLI reads in 2022.

Hope you have a great year of reading in 2022!

Wow, Stasia, so great to view your top reads in 2021 (>2 alcottacre:) and to see your plans for 2022, another big wow for that! Great reading will happen!

>12 cyderry: >13 torontoc: >14 quondame: >15 AnneDC: >16 thornton37814: >17 mdoris: Thanks, Cheli, Cyrel, Susan, Anne, Lori, and Mary!

>17 mdoris: I hope lots of great reading will happen, Mary. It will be interesting to see if I can be disciplined enough to carry it off.

Good heavens! A week into 2022 and you finally decide to wander in! Still, better late than never, eh what?

*smooch*

>19 richardderus: I could just have stayed in 2021, you know. It just would have been week 53 and so on.

>20 alcottacre: There's no rule against it. Just, y'know, social pressure and convenience and proximity to the cool kids.

My hope for 2022:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLiWFUDJ95I

>21 richardderus: Yeah, I am really worried about social pressure. Convenience, I have no problems with. I have never been cool in my life, so why worry about it now? lol

>7 alcottacre: Lots of reading to be getting on with!



Happy New Year! Wishing you and your family the very best in joy, friendship, health, happiness and lots of good books for 2022.

Happy New Year, Stasia! Your plans for 2022 look great - I look forward to your thoughts on what you read. Especially Scoop, which I really liked when I read it.

Happy reading in 2022, Stasia!
Looking forward to find some good additions to mount TBR on your threads :-)

Happy new year!

Happy New Year, Stasia. It has been so nice having you back in the fold these past months. I sure love swapping book love with you. I admire all your challenges, especially your Pick a Shelf Challenge. I don't have any of those current titles, but I will keep checking back. Reading OTS is always a major goal of mine.

Happy New Year and happy first thread of 2022, Stasia!

>3 alcottacre: Ambitious goals, but as I’ve gotten to know you better, I know you’ll attain them.

>4 alcottacre: Your shelf looks a bit like my shelves – nonfiction and fiction and all sorts of genres all together.

>7 alcottacre: Keep reminding me! I do want to read at least one of them in January.

Hi Stasia, it's nice to see you have a thread again. :)

Happy New Year Stasia!

Hiyah, Stasia! Looks like the board games thread is off to a good start.

Happy New Year, Stasia! You and Linda (whisper) welcomed and befriended by on LT 13 years ago. What a great ride it's been and I look forward to what you've got in the black hole this year.

Happy New Year, Stasia! Love your reading goals, and looking forward to hearing about some good board games (I love playing and don't get a chance to as much as I'd like).

Happy new year, Stasia!

Hey, Stasia! I like the "Pick a Shelf" challenge. I won't take a whole shelf at a time, but there are some tucked into places I don't get to a lot (like my husband's radio shack/work table/computer room downstairs), and I should just go there and pick a book from time to time.

Happy New Year's Day, Stasia.

Happy New Year from me n Miss Po!



Enjoyed reading your 'best of' list from last year and love your reading goals!

Happy New Year, Stasia! I hope your year is filled with great reading!

Happy new year, Stasia. Looking forward to swapping BBs and board game recs.

>3 alcottacre: I have a catchup on the Maisie Dobbs series schedule for 2022 too!

I see several of my favorite series on your list!

Happy New Year, Stasia. Great list of best of for 2021.

>24 humouress: Thank you, Nina. I wish the same for you and yours!

>25 PawsforThought: Thanks, Paws! I will move Scoop up the stack thanks to your recommendation.

>26 FAMeulstee: Well, I hope I can contribute to your mount TBR this year, Anita!

>27 figsfromthistle: Thank you, Anita!

>28 msf59: Thanks, Mark. I cannot tell you how good it has been to be back! Reading OTS is a major goal of mine these days and the TIOLI challenges help with me that, not to mention the Pick a Shelf challenge.

>29 karenmarie: I will keep reminding you, Karen, since you asked me to. Happy New Year!

>30 kgodey: Kriti! It is so good to see you here!

>31 SandDune: Thanks, Rhian! Same to you!

>32 drneutron: Yeah, it does, Jim. I have spent some time there already.

>33 Carmenere: 13 years? Really? My, how time flies!

>34 bell7: Happy New Years, Mary! If you want to talk board games, I can talk about them probably about as long as I can talk about books.

Wandered by to see what the fuss was about.

*smooch*

>35 London_StJ: Happy New Year to you too, London!

>36 laytonwoman3rd: I hope you do well with your own version of the "Pick a Shelf" challenge, Linda. Happy New Year!

>37 PaulCranswick: Thank you so much, Paul!

>38 sibylline: Happy New Year to you (and Miss Po, of course)! I hope you have a great reading year, Lucy.

>39 cbl_tn: Thanks, Carrie. Happy New Year to you too!

>40 MickyFine: We can certainly do that, Micky! BBs of both varieties will probably be flying fast this year.

>41 cyderry: Hooray for Maisie Dobbs, Cheli! That is such a great series and I really need to catch up with it. It was one of several that went by the wayside when I was in school.

>42 BLBera: Thanks, Beth! I hope you have a wonderful 2022!

>45 richardderus: No fuss here, RD. Just a bunch of welcome well-wishers. ((Hugs))

Happy new year, Stasia! Looking forward to seeing what you're reading and playing this year.

Well, I have my first DNF for 2022: The Book Borrower by Alice Mattison. I am 50 pages in and not liking it at all. I do not understand, for example, why one of the main characters is called by her last name when every other character is called either by their first name ("Deborah") or a nickname ("Squirrel"). That makes no sense to me. I also fail to see how the 2 storylines have anything to do with each other. This information may come later in the book, but for now, I am done with it. Yuck.

Now, I have to find a book to fill in that TIOLI challenge. . .

>48 curioussquared: Thanks, Natalie. Happy New Year to you, too!

Love all your book plans up top and that we share some of them!

>49 alcottacre: And good way to start off the year -- toss them aside if they are no good!!

>51 Berly: Yeah, I just could not face reading any more. If I am 50+ pages in and the book is not doing it for me, off it goes. I do not have the time or the patience to do so any more. I used to stick until the end, but not any more. Thank you, Nancy Pearl!

>49 alcottacre: Good for you in using the Pearl rule! Life is too short to waste it on books you aren't enjoying/getting anything out of.

Happy New Year, Stasia, and thank you for the warm welcome on my thread. Yes, it's good to be back where I belong. One of my achievements last year was getting caught up with Maisie Dobbs. I will be working on the same with Ruth Galloway this year. As soon as my computer needs to go back on the charger, I'll get back to reading. My first book is No. 1 in a very long series recommended to me by a good friend. Care to make a guess?

>53 cbl_tn: Yeah, the older I get, the more I realize that. Hopefully I can find a better read to replace that one.

>54 Donna828: It would not be the In Death series, would it, Donna? I hope so! Be prepared to be pulled in, although I would not say that the first book is the strongest in the series. I am so glad you are back!!

>49 alcottacre: We've both had Pearl-Rule reads today! Life's too short.

>57 richardderus: Well, aren't we starting out the new year with a bang! It can only get better from here, right?

>56 alcottacre: Bingo!

>59 Donna828: I hope you enjoy the book when you read it, Donna. You can always blame me if you do not.

Hi, Stasia - Happy New Year and Thread!

Love all your challenges, makes me feel right at home here. :)

Hi Stasis! Happy 2022 and all that. I'm in awe of your reading plans.

>61 lyzard: Well, I am glad you feel right at home here, Liz!! Happy New Year to you too.

>62 ffortsa: Happy New Year, Judy! We shall see if my plans come to fruition.

Happy New Year Stasia!

>3 alcottacre: you have some massive series lined up for 2022!

>64 LovingLit: Oh, I will not get them all read, Megan. I am just trying to keep track of the ones that I do get read!

Happy New Year to you too!

Happy New Year, Stasia. I like your reading goals for the year

Happy New Year, Stasia, although eww, sorry about your reading start. I'm getting better about abandoning books - like is too short to slog through books you don't enjoy.

Wasn't Between the World and Me just wonderful? I listened to it this year.

Happy New Year, Stasia! You were such a wonderful presence on my threads last year, but I did not do a very good job of keeping up with you - the threads kind of got away from me last year. I'm hoping to fix that this year.

>49 alcottacre: - I am interested that this book was a DNF for you, Stasia. I also abandoned it when I attempted to read it some years ago. I figured with a title like that, it was meant for me but I was wrong. Win some, lose some. This one was a loser for me.
;-p

My own personal rule is one week or 50 pages and if I am not drawn in by whichever comes first, I'm done. I don't even think I made it to 50 pages in that one.

Happy New Year Stasia, I love your reading the shelf challenge, I need to do something similar.
I've decided to dip my toes into the 'In Death' world this year. Haven't read any as yet.

>66 jayde1599: Happy New Year, Jess! Thanks.

>67 AMQS: Yes, it was wonderful, Anne - and it gave me a lot more books to look for to read, some of which I will be getting to this year. Happy New Year!

>68 Crazymamie: No worries about the threads, Mamie. No one could possibly keep up with this group! It is not like the good old days when I read every thread every day, lol.

>69 jessibud2: I debated to go on with it, Shelley, since it was for one of the TIOLI challenges, but I just could not bring myself to do it. I will let someone else have it - maybe they will get more out of it than I did.

>70 avatiakh: I consider the first book in the 'In Death' series one of the weakest - there are others in the group who do not - but in any case, I hope you enjoy it when you get to it, Kerry!

From Lark Rise to Candleford by Flora Thompson:

". . .there came a day when, quite suddenly, as it seemed to her, the printed characters took on meaning. There were still many words, even in the first pages of that simple primer she could not decipher, but she could skip those and yet make sense of the whole. 'I'm reading! I'm reading' she cried aloud."

Happy New Year, Stasia!

>73 swynn: Thanks, Steve! Same to you.

Hi, Stasia! You've got some great plans for your reading this year--hats off to you!

If you have time to squeeze in Hench this month, crazymamie just added it to challenge #16 of TIOLI, and I've joined her there. I'm finding that the reading goes fast. Unfortunately, the author uses really gigantic chapters, so I'm in the middle of Chapter One, if that helps.

Have a great week!

Karen O.

>75 klobrien2: I will add Hench to the list, Karen. I started reading it yesterday and got up to page 51, so a good start. It began differently than I was expecting, but I am enjoying it.

I hope you have a great week too!

New books in-house today:

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen - I bought myself a good copy with decent size print so I can actually read it!

The Collapsing Empire, The Consuming Fire, and The Last Emperox by John Scalzi

Finished this afternoon:

1 - The Writing of the Gods by Edward Dolnick - Nonfiction; this was a book bullet that I took from Suzanne last year and boy, am I glad I did because this is my first 5 star read of the year; Dolnick details not only the race between Young and Champollion to be the first to decipher the Egyptian hieroglyphs, but he also goes into some of the curiosities of language, such as alphabetical order. I learned that in the Biblical phrase "Give us this day our daily bread," scholars are not even sure that the word daily is translated correctly because it does not appear anywhere else in the Bible or in Greek literature!; I found this book absolutely fascinating; Highly Recommended (5 stars) Mine

>78 alcottacre: Oh, cool! How wonderful that they made the subject vibrant and alive.

*smooch*

Happy New Year, Stasia!

>77 alcottacre: I've read the first two in the Scalzi trilogy and enjoyed them but haven't gotten around to The Last Emperox yet.

>78 alcottacre: I came over to your thread after reading in Richard's thread that you read your first 5-star book. Sounds really good and like something I'd enjoy. Thanks for the reccie!

>79 richardderus: ((Hugs)) and **smooches** back at you, RD

>80 Storeetllr: Happy New Year, Mary! I hope you enjoy The Writing of the Gods if and when you get to it.

Yes, there are too many good books in our collective book piles to read. Not finishing a bad book is something I had to learn! ( although I did finish a mystery that my online book club was reading- it was meh!) Here is to good reading in 2022!

>82 torontoc: I had to learn it too, Cyrel. I think it is so ingrained in us to find out what happens next - even if we really do not care, lol.

>83 alcottacre: I always hope a book might get better later on... and of cours curiosity...
I have abandoned 6 books since 2008, two in 2021, so there is progress ;-)

>78 alcottacre: Oh that sounds really interesting, Stasia. Glad to see you swung quickly from a Pearl-ruled book to 5 stars!

>84 FAMeulstee: I understand, Anita. It is just in our natures to try and continue on, isn't it? I am getting better at abandoning books too, but I do not think I will ever get to 100%.

>85 bell7: Yeah, it was nice to go from DNF to 5 stars! I hope you get around to reading the Dolnick book, Mary. I think you would enjoy it.

Another DNF for this very young year: Red Clocks by Leni Zumas. I do not get this book at all. I read 50+ pages and still do not get it. I do not want to waste any more time on it either.

Happy New Year, Stasia! Wishing you a great year of reading in 2022.

Hi Stasia--I'm always amazed at how fast you read, and how eclectically. The writing of the Gods looks like one for the WL. I'm sorry The Book Borrower didn't work for you--especially because I have it on my Kindle.

Stasia, I think it's a really good sign that your first read of the year is also a 5-star read!

Happy 2022, Stasia!

Wishing you a great year of reading (and it looks like you’re off to a fast start)!

>52 alcottacre: Hear hear! This sounds like a healthy policy to me. I'm sorry it was a dud, but glad it's not wasting more of your time. And following it with a five-star read is even better!

Happy New Year Stasia! How great is it that you've already had a five star read on Jan. 2. You continue to amaze.

>78 alcottacre: Ooh, language and religion ... Got me

>78 alcottacre: Hit with the first book bullet of 2022! I will start a wishlist for them this year and see how many I can track down.

>87 alcottacre: I was agonising about ditching it too, but I made the schoolboy error of bringing it with me to the office today instead of My Name is Red so I am stuck with it for the time being.

Happy new year, Stasia!!

>95 PaulCranswick: Only two posts ago I was talking about soldiering on with Red Clocks. I wasted my lunch break on it and so I have followed you and Mamie and Pearl Ruled it.

>78 alcottacre: Hello Dear Friend. Your review of The Writing of the Gods by Edward Dolnick is excellent. The book is on the TBR pile.

All good wishes for a healthy year filled with light, love and laughter.

>88 harrygbutler: Happy New Year, Harry. It is great to see you here. I wish you great reading in 2022 as well.

>89 arubabookwoman: Deborah, I sincerely hope that you enjoy The Book Borrower more than I did. I hope that you enjoy The Writing of the Gods if and when you can get to it.

>90 AMQS: I hope so, Anne, especially since I already have 2 books on the DNF pile!

>91 Copperskye: Thanks, Joanne!

>92 London_StJ: Yes, it is, isn't it, London? I hope to have a lot more 5-star reads than DNFs before the year is out.

>93 brenzi: Hey, Bonnie! Thanks for stopping by the Acre.

>94 swynn: Yay, Steve! I love when I get people with BBs, since I so often get hit myself.

>95 PaulCranswick: Glad I got you too, Paul. I hope you can track down a copy. I think it is one that will interest you. Oof about Red Clocks.

>96 banjo123: Thanks, Rhonda!

>97 PaulCranswick: Yeah, that one seems to be a real dud with us, lol.

>98 Whisper1: I wish "for a healthy year filled with light, love and laughter" for you as well, lovey.

Stasia--I heard a rumor you might start a "Healthy 2022" thread? Let me know if you do! I am in!

And I haven't given up on Red Clocks--I'll let you know what I think after I finish. About 2/3 of the way in.

Happy New Year and happy new thread!

>100 Berly: A 'Healthy 2022 thread'? I should sign up too.

>100 Berly: >102 humouress: The thread is here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/338329

>101 foggidawn: Thanks, foggi!

New books in-house today:

From the public library -
Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston - a recent recommendation from Anne
The Beatryce Prophecy by Kate DiCamillo - Mary recommended this one late last year

For my personal library -
The Sentence by Louise Erdrich - I have seen several recommendations of this one
Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell - this one has been in the BlackHole far too long!

I also received a copy of the Paper Brigade, Volume 1 (I am trying to catch up on the bak catalog) with articles and interviews by and with Gavriel Savit, Lois Lowry, Markus Zusak, Jonathan Safran Foer among a bunch of others.

Dropping in to say hi and Happy New Year! Fingers crossed for 2022!

>105 mstrust: Thanks, Jennifer!

Happy week-ahead's reads, Stasia! You're surely not hurtin' for choice, are you.

The Sentence sounds good and I like Erdrich. Can't wait to see what you think of it.

>107 richardderus: Nope and I just picked up 2 more books at the library, Richard: Lenny's Book of Everything and Cordelia Underwood. I am going to have to check because I think I may have already read the latter book.

>108 Carmenere: Not sure when I will get to it, Lynda, but I will keep you posted.

>104 alcottacre: Hamnet was my top book the year I read it.

>1 alcottacre: Good to see you Stasia! Happy New Year!

>111 leperdbunny: Happy New Year to you too, Tamara!

Hi just going to go sit in my corner quietly.

Finished tonight:

2 - The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas S. Kuhn - Nonfiction; I think that the audience for this book is very narrow - and I am not in it. There is a lot of interesting stuff in this book, which introduced the term 'paradigm shift' to the vernacular, but there is also a lot here that went over my head. Kuhn, who was a philosopher specifically in science, introduces the notion that when science changes, the old theories are dismissed making way for a whole new paradigm: "Since new paradigms are born from old ones, they ordinarily incorporate much of the vocabulary and apparatus, both conceptual and manipulative, that the previous paradigm had previously employed. But they seldom employ these borrowed elements in quite the traditional way." Some of the examples that Kuhn uses in the book include changes from geocentrism to heliocentrism, from phlogiston to oxygen, from corpuscles to waves. I cannot recommend this one unless you are really interested in the philosophy of science. I am not sorry I read it though!; Not Recommended (3 stars) Mine

Sorry to see you had two disappointing reads so early on Stasia

>115 fairywings: Yeah, but I got a 5-star read in too, which certainly helps make up for it! Thanks for coming by the Acre, Adrienne!

>114 alcottacre: Well, I’m probably in the target audience. I really got into it when I first read it way back in grad school days.

>114 alcottacre: That was required reading in an Introduction to Information course I took for my library degree. I remember liking it quite a lot.

>117 drneutron: >118 swynn: The edition that I read was the second and I know that there are at least 5. I am wondering how much changed between the edition I read and the most current one.

Never been to grad school, Jim, which is probably one of the reasons that I am not the target audience, lol. I do not have a library degree either, Steve.

Happy Tuesday late evening, Stasia. x

>120 PaulCranswick: Still Monday here, Paul, but it is night time and I am off to bed - I only slept an hour last night and it is taking its toll. It does not care that I still have a stack of books to dive into yet today!

Have a wonderful Tuesday? Wednesday? whatever!

Well, I am having a terrible day thus far. We had a new WiFi fiber optic network set up at our house yesterday and now I find myself unable to print on our wireless printer. After 90 minutes of reinstalling software, trying to get the new network set up on the printer, and chatting with Brother, I was told to install the Brother app on my phone. So, I did that - and now it is telling me to contact the support department at EERO. Ugh!

I have not even gotten started on my daily goal of 16,000 steps today, which makes the situation all the more frustrating.

>122 alcottacre: Stasia, I am sorry about your terrible day. I hate when technology doesn't work - it is crazy making. Hoping you can get the printer thing figured out quickly.

Good luck with the stepping - I need to get back to that.

>104 alcottacre: Ooh, lots of good reading! I know you’ll enjoy them!

Hope your week is going well!

Karen O

>122 alcottacre: Oh how frustrating. Bah humbug on technology.

Hi Stasia my dear, i have just starred you my dear friend.

ugh I feel your frustration, Stasia. Wifi, computers and cars should all start up when you turn them on. No ands, ifs or buts about it.
Good luck!

>122 alcottacre: I hope you're better off now, Stasia.

Hi, Stasia. Hamnet was one of my top reads in 2020. I hope you love it too. I see you are planning on joining Kim and I for Moonglow. I am sure looking forward to these shared reads.

>114 alcottacre: This book was a big hit back when I was in college, and made a bit of an impression on me then, but I suspect that if I were reading it now the ideas would mostly seem like old hat. Also, the replication crisis would provide extra context that would probably make Kuhn seem naive, to anyone who didn't check the publication date.

Sorry about when technology goes wrong. Grrr! Go walk off some of that angst!! : )

Well, I was finally able to print - by using my phone. It only took a mere 6 hours of uninstalling, reinstalling (5 times!), talking to eero (I was on the phone with them for over an hour), chatting twice with Brother, who finally decided it is not the printer and it is not the network, it is my desktop computer. I am not a happy camper because after all of that, I still cannot print from my computer!

>126 johnsimpson: Thank you so much, John!

>129 msf59: I am too, Mark. I love doing the shared reads where you get multiple perspectives.

>130 ArlieS: Yeah, the book being 60 years old is a drawback which is why I wondered what the later editions added (or subtracted as the case may be).

OK, I am off to get something constructive done for today - like reading.

ETA: A huge thank you to everyone who dropped by to lend moral support. It is much appreciated!

Ha! Stasia, I had the same problem with my wireless printer when I got this new computer. I didn't want to mess around with it so I just send what I need printed to DH and he does it for me. He even provides delivery service from the Man Cave!

Hey, I just finished Naked in Death. I had a few issues, but I liked it pretty well. I read enough series to know that one needs to give them a while to settle in. I'll definitely read a few more, but I want to get caught up in the Ruth Galloway and Cork O'Connor series first.

>135 Donna828: Unfortunately, your solution will not work for me. I wish it would!

Glad you finished Naked in Death, Donna. As far as Ruth Galloway goes, I have only read the first one and I am not sure I have ever read any of the Cork O'Connor series. Who is the author on that one?

I hate printers with a passion and I always have trouble with them!

Hope yours are largely sorted now. How are you doing with My Name is Red?

Sorry about your printer hassles.

I had some trouble with a program on my computer just recently, I had to go to the dell website and look for system updates. maybe something needs updating to accept the printer.

I thought that Hamnet was a terrific read!
Printers-ugh! when I got a new laptop I also bought a cheap( from Costco) new printer. No problems until I did an computer software update and then my printer wouldn't scan for me but would for my brother's laptop-go figure!

>1335, >136 alcottacre: Hmmm...I hadn't heard of the Cork O'Connor series either, and there seem to be a lot of them. How does something like that happen!? Sounds like I need to add that batch to my wishlist.

How do, smoochling, may this be a read-only day. (See what I did there?)

>137 PaulCranswick: Paul, I am thoroughly enjoying My Name Is Red, which has got to be one of the oddest novels I have ever read. I did not get much reading done yesterday and am behind, but I think I will be finishing the book over the weekend.

>138 fairywings: I do not know about updates, Adrienne, but I reinstalled the software 5 times yesterday to no avail. I am going to try starting from scratch in the next couple of days to see if that resolves the issue. It will not be today - I am behind on my volunteer work and need to hit it hard today to catch up.

>139 torontoc: I think that everyone thought Hamnet a terrific read, Cyrel. I do not think I have seen one bad review from the group. I am beyond trying to figure out technology!

>140 laytonwoman3rd: You and me both, Linda!

>141 richardderus: I wish it could be, but no such luck, RD. ((Hugs)) and **smooches**

Glad to hear you're enjoying My Name Is Red, Stasia. I read it in my first uni English course (a course on book history) and I remember it being a really lovely experience (although none of the plot has stuck in my brain).

Sorry about your network/printing problems, Stasia. Good thing you happened to have 6 hours to spare and nothing to do, right? Ugh.

>143 MickyFine: Maybe time for a revisit, Micky?

>144 AMQS: Yeah, even though I am retired, I never feel like I have 6 hours to spare, Anne :)

New book in-house today from the local library:

Square Haunting by Francesca Wade - I wish I could recall who recommended this one to me, but it looks right up my alley

Finished tonight:

3 - These Precious Days: Essays by Ann Patchett - Nonfiction; this is a terrific book of essays by novelist Patchett, who also owns Parnassus Books in Nashville. My favorite essay in the book is "Reading Kate DiCamillo," whose books I have read, but not until I was on LT. I discovered that I like middle grade and young adult books, even though I am well past the years for them - just like Patchett does about Kate DiCamillo's books. All of the essays in this book are good. There was not a clunker in the bunch for me; Highly Recommended (4.5 stars) Library Book

Hi Stasia, Glad you liked the new essays by A. Patchett. I did too! i just started The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo on her recommendation. Haven't read any of her books and I'm really enjoying it!

>148 mdoris: I have read several of DiCamillo's books and quite by accident, have another of them home from the library now because of Mary's (bell7's) recent review, The Beatryce Prophecy. I hope you enjoy Edward Tulane, Mary! I think that was the first Kate DiCamillo book I ever read.

Happy Thursday, Stasia!

>147 alcottacre: A direct hit! Onto The List it goes.

>150 Crazymamie: I hope you like it if and when you get to These Precious Days, Mamie!

>147 alcottacre: She writes essays, too?! Patchett really is a threat to one's budget.

*smooch*

>152 richardderus: Yes, she does write essays too. She has written nonfiction before - the first book of hers that I ever read was Truth & Beauty. She is certainly a threat to my wallet!

New book in-house today thanks to a BB from Mamie:

In Search of Lost Time: Swann's Way A Graphic Novel by Marcel Proust and Stephane Heuet

>149 alcottacre: I'd love to take credit for The Beatryce Prophecy, but I haven't read it. Perhaps you got the BB from someone else around when I read Three Times Lucky?

I have These Precious Days on the list already, but will definitely have to make it one of the next holds after I return some library books.

>155 bell7: OK, well I thought it was you, Mary. I will have to see if I can figure out who it was, lol.

I think that you will like These Precious Days when you get around to it. At least, I hope you do!

>5 alcottacre: Good luck with all the reading challenges!!

Hooray for These Precious Days: Essays, Stasia. I am also loving the audio. I am still on "Flight Plan", the one with Carl and his planes. Now, I need to go back and read a couple of her earlier books that I have missed.

>157 ocgreg34: Thanks, Greg!

>158 msf59: I still need to read Taft and Commonwealth, which I have not yet gotten to. I also need to read her latest, The Dutch House. Bel Canto remains my favorite of hers to this point.

>159 alcottacre: - I really loved Taft when I read it a few years ago, Stasia. I read somewhere that Patchett has said it's the book of hers she wishes more people had read.

I also have not yet read Commonwealth or The Dutch House. Or a few of her earlier ones. I'll get to them all eventually :)

Too bad about your printer problem! I always had issues with any printer I would buy. After printing three items, it would refuse to print. Now I just go and print stuff elsewhere but it's a pain.

>147 alcottacre: I have to get to that one. Patchett's essays were recommended to me last year after I read Dutch house.

Hi Stasia!

>122 alcottacre: Sorry about the printer woes. We have a Brother printer, wireless, that works great with our network and my laptop. Bill had trouble printing to it for a while and could only print off his phone, but for some reason recently he’s had success printing from his laptop. Seriously spooky magic at play, I think.

>132 alcottacre: 6 hours. Yuck.

>142 alcottacre: Glad to hear you’re enjoying My Name is Red. My copy arrived yesterday, so I hope to start it today – after all, it’s only 24 days until the end of January and I don’t read as quickly as you do.

Happy Friday, Stasia.

>114 alcottacre:. Wow. I read The Structure of Scientific Revolutions in school, and as much as I like challenging nonfiction, I can’t imagine reading that one in not-school. Kudos to you. I don’t know many that would read through to the end on their own.

>160 katiekrug: I remember that you loved Taft, Katie. I am hoping to get to it later this year. I am pretty sure I will get to all of Patchett's books eventually too.

>161 figsfromthistle: Thanks for the commiseration, Anita. I am sorry to hear of your printer problems. I do hope you like the book of essays when you get to it!

>162 karenmarie: Technology defies all logic, Karen - at least to me. I should be finishing up My Name Is Red tonight. I have thoroughly enjoyed my read of it, so I hope you do too!

>163 jnwelch: I have a feeling that a lot of The Structure of Scientific Revolutions went over my head, Joe. If it had not been for one of the TIOLI challenges this month, I am fairly sure it would still be sitting, unread, on my shelf. I am not sorry I read it and I can now pass my copy along.

Finished this afternoon:

4 - Kim by Rudyard Kipling - I had never read this book until now - I am not sure how I got out of childhood without reading this classic children's adventure. I loved the beginning of the book as Kim and his lama begin their relationship. The middle of the book in which Kim is supposed to be turned into a proper Englishman definitely slowed the book down for me. I think the joy of this book is in the characters of both Kim and the lama. Is there mild racism? Yes, but there is also the celebration of the many cultures from which India is made. I think that Kipling had a genuine love of the country and its peoples. Not even the Englishmen in this book are all "good."; Recommended (3.75 stars) Mine

This is one of the books that my grandmother left to me on her death. I am finally glad to have read it - all thanks to one of this month's TIOLI challenges.

New books in-house today:

Cove by Cynan Jones - a recent recommendation from Richard
Last Man Off by Matt Lewis - I love survival stories and I love tales of Antartica, so this one piqued my interest

>166 alcottacre: You've got it! Yay!!

>167 richardderus: Yes, I got it and I already have it pencilled in to read later in the year.

I think I may have to take the month of January out of the calendar, given how the past several have gone and this years is no exception. Beth texted us to let us know that her partner, Shaquille, has COVID. I suspect Beth does as well given the complaints she has had over the past several days. Hopefully she will go get tested tomorrow so we can find out for sure.

>166 alcottacre: We will keep it to a whisper but Richard does have very sound reading taste (if we forget Chuckles and Poultry) and Cynan Jones is a very unique writer.

Have a lovely book filled and healthy weekend. xx

>169 alcottacre: So sorry to hear that, Stasia 🙁

I loved These Precious Days!

>170 PaulCranswick: Oh, I would never let him know that I think he has sound reading taste! Lol

I hope you have the same, Paul.

>171 bell7: I am so extremely frustrated with Beth. I have been urging both her and Catey to get vaccinated, but neither one of them has!

>172 torontoc: Yay, Cyrel!

>169 alcottacre: I hope Beth's partner and Beth both recover quickly!

Finished tonight:

5 - My Name Is Red by Orhan Pamuk - This is the first book I have completed for the Asian Authors Challenge this year and the rest of them are going to have to work hard to measure up. I have no idea how to really describe this book. We start out with a corpse talking to us, telling us that he is dead. From there we encounter a vast array of characters, some of them people, some of them not, who help propel the story forward. As readers, we are never sure whether the murderer is ever going to be revealed as we see the illuminators working on the ordered book, the women going on with their lives and seeing to their business (in the case of Esther) or to their children (in the case of Shekure). I love the fact that Pamuk gave us real books throughout the course of the novel and dearly wish that I could see all of these illustrations! My favorite line in the book is actually the last one, "For the sake of a delightful and convincing story, there isn't a lie Orhan wouldn't deign to tell." The author, of course, being named Orhan - as is one of the characters in the book; Highly Recommended (4.5 stars) Library Book

>174 quondame: Thanks, Susan!

Stasia, sorry to hear about Beth and her partner. Hoping they recover quickly.

Last Man Off sounds good! I collect cold reads, so I am adding that one to The List.

Your thoughts on Kim ring tru for me, too. I am in chapter ten so right in the part that slogs a bit. I loved the beginning - does it pick back up?

You make me want to read My Name is Red right now. Lovely review!

>177 Crazymamie: Mamie, Kim never measures up to the beginning again, but do not give up on it because it is worth reading to the end.

Thanks for the sympathy about Beth. I hope she and Shaquille get off lightly. I am so worried about them!

Go pick up My Name Is Red. I do not think you will regret it!

I'm not planning on gloving up, I was just curious.

Noted about My Name is Red - I need to at least finish up Snow first. Heh.

Adding my well wishes for Beth and her partner.

>169 alcottacre: I somehow missed that post earlier, Stasia and am sorry both for your bad news but especially for your daughter and her partner catching COVID. Hopefully they will be ok.

>178 alcottacre: I agree with you that the ending is very cleverly done! I am also at a loss as to how the rest of my challenge can possibly match up!

Oh Stasia, I'm sorry. I hope everyone will be okay. Take care. Lots of mama worries.

>179 Crazymamie: OK, Mamie. Glad to hear it.

>180 MickyFine: >181 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Micky and Paul!

>182 PaulCranswick: I know, right? Everything else I read is going to have to work very hard to top this one.

>183 AMQS: Thanks, Anne!

>184 alcottacre: And it would be the first one we've read!

>185 PaulCranswick: Well, of course!

>169 alcottacre: Sorry to hear about your daughter and her partner’s woes Stasia.

Wishing your daughter and her partner a speedy recovery!

>169 alcottacre: Sorry to read about Beth and Shaquille having COVID, Stasia, that is worrysome.
I hope with you it is a mild case, and they recover soon.
(((hugs)))

Oh, I am sorry to hear about Beth and her partner! I wish them a speedy recovery. This Covid business is defintely not going away.

In regard to Patchett- I highly recommend Commonwealth. One of my favorite novels of that year. I don't have a copy of Taft but if you would like to do a shared read of it, later in the year, I would gladly join you.

>187 SandDune: >188 figsfromthistle: >189 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Rhian, Anita, and Anita!

>190 msf59: Mark, I would definitely love to read Taft with you later in the year. How does June sound?

Hope for a speedy recovery for your daughter and her partner'

Ann Patchett is a big favorite of mine---I definitely need to get my hands on a copy of her latest.

Fingers crossed for a speedy recovery and mild symptoms for your daughter and partner, Stasia.

I see that Pukey McSnotterton has had her way with what we shall henceforth refer to as "J-Month." Ugh!

I'm so so pleased that My Name is Red made a hit, Stasia. I'd've had to clutch my pearls had you not enjoyed it, because who could read the story being told from the well by a dead guy without falling instantly and utterly in love.

I wonder who this "Richard" is whose taste y'all're praising...can't be *me* since none of y'all ever pay me the slightest heed.

I hope your daughter and her partner recover quickly Stasia.

Stasia, I am reading My Name is Red and listening to Kim. Small world, eh? I was having concentration problems so thought an audiobook was in order. Since I fell in love with Ralph Cosham’s narrative voice, I chose one of the few I could get online through Hoopla. Like you, I can’t believe I’ve missed out on the Kim experience.

Keep us posted on Beth and her SO. I am slowly getting over Breakthrough Covid. It laid me low for 5 days, but I think I turned the corner today. I finally got up the energy to take the Christmas tree down.

I have My Name Is Red waiting at the library!

Sending more positive vibes for Beth and Shaquille, and for YOU, as I know the anxiety levels must be waaay up there.

>192 banjo123: I hope you enjoy These Precious Days when you get to it, Rhonda! Thank you for the good wishes for Beth and Shaquille.

>193 jessibud2: Thanks, Shelley!

>194 richardderus: Uh, hmm, Richard. Let's see, I recently bought Cove on your suggestion and going back into 2021, I also bought A Terrible, Horrible, No Good Year. Those are but 2 of your recommendations that I not paid the slightest heed to.

>195 fairywings: Thank you so much, Adrienne!

>196 Donna828: It is a small world, Donna! I did not realize that you had been ill. I am glad you have turned the corner.

>197 drneutron: I hope you like it, Jim! I thought it was terrific.

>198 laytonwoman3rd: Yeah, the anxiety levels here are sky high - especially since she is in Arizona and I am in Texas. Thanks for the positive vibes, Linda!

>194 richardderus: Ooops you weren't meant to see that, RD!

Happy Sunday(ish) Stasia.

I hope the news from Arizona is improving.

Just sneaking in with my star before you get too far into the 200s with posts!

Your comments and those of Paul have me wanting to read My Name is Red. I had been thinking I would skip the January installment of the Asian Author Challenge, but....

So sorry about Beth and Shaquille! Too many cases (but at least they seem to be omicron which is No. Fun. but less deadly than Delta was).

>200 PaulCranswick: Not improving, Paul, but not getting any worse either.

>201 EBT1002: Thanks for dropping by, Ellen. Please do try My Name Is Red!

>202 EBT1002: Thanks again, Ellen. I appreciate it.

New books in-house today:

Children of the Dust by Louise Lawrence
The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman - since I liked the first one in the series so much
The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams - I liked this one well enough when I recently read it to get a copy for my personal library. I can see myself re-reading this one.

>204 alcottacre: I will continue to keep them in my prayers, Stasia.

>205 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul. Much appreciated!

Finished tonight:

6 - The Fortune Men by Nadifa Mohamed - This book, which was based on a true story, was shortlisted for the Booker Prize last year and I can see why. Mohamed tells the story of Mohamed Mattan, a former seaman and current petty criminal, who is accused of a murder that he did not commit. We get a look into both Mattan's past and his present, separated from his wife and 3 little boys. We can feel his desperation as he begins to understand that the police are not fooling around when they accuse him of murder. We can understand that because he is who he is, attempting to lie himself out of a murder charge is natural to him. We can see why he believes that the police would rather convict an innocent black man rather than a potential white murderer. We can see his despair when he finally realizes that he never had a chance to be declared innocent. My one quibble to the book, and I know this is particular to me, is the courtroom scenes. I just hate them, no matter what book; Highly Recommended (4.25 stars) Mine

7 - Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots - What if the world had a system in place where you were tested to be either a superhero or a supervillain? That is the premise of Hench as we peer into Anna's world. She is neither a hero or a villain - she is a henchman, who takes temporary assignments catering to one or the other sides. Unfortunately for her, her job almost gets her killed by a superhero and she begins to calculate how much damage these so-called heroes actually do and figuring out a way to bring them down. The book is good fun, but I could wish for more depth here. Still, I would read a sequel if one comes out; Recommended (4 stars) Mine

Good morning (is it afternoon for you?), Stasia. Interesting that you hate courtroom scenes no matter the book. I'm curious about why.

P had a tough night but seems to be coughing less this morning. She is craving fried rice for breakfast so I'll be warming that up for her.

How are Beth and Shaquille doing?

>208 EBT1002: The reason I hate courtroom scenes is simple - court systems are adversarial in nature and I hate confrontation. That stems from my childhood and it is unlikely that it will ever change.

I am glad to hear that P is coughing less. I hope that clears up soon! Beth and Shaquille seem to be doing OK. Kerry spoke with her earlier this morning.

I'm glad you liked Hench enough to read another one!

Sunday *smooch*

>209 alcottacre: Makes total sense. And I'm glad to hear that the Arizonians are hanging in there.

>199 alcottacre: My daughter is many states away from me, and her husband is doctor in the hospital environment every day. I could make myself crazy, but so far they are both healthy. Of course they are both taking ALL the precautions, and right on top of new developments. (They each may have had COVID at the very beginning of the pandemic, when he came home sick from a medical conference, and testing was barely even a thing yet.)

>207 alcottacre: Excellent reviews, Stasia! You would have got me with Fortune Men, but it's already on The List from last year.

Hench Looks interesting, I'll add that to the pile.

>210 richardderus: Thanks, RD! ((Hugs)) and **smooches** for today

>211 EBT1002: Yep. I spoke with Beth via text and she is doing OK. Shaquille seems to have the worse symptoms and even his are not too bad at this point.

>212 laytonwoman3rd: Unfortunately, neither Beth or Shaquille ever got vaccinated despite my nagging. I just hope the consequences are not too severe.

>213 Crazymamie: Yeah, I can see why it was shortlisted for the Booker, Mamie. I hope you like the book when you get to it.

>214 fairywings: I hope you enjoy it if and when you get to Hench, Adrienne!

Finished tonight:

8 - Cloudsplitter by Russell Banks - This is a mammoth, well-written tome about Owen Brown, some of John Brown, he of Harper's Ferry fame. In the novel, Owen Brown is narrating his history to a Miss Mayo, who is an assistant to a college professor. Brown begins at his beginning and goes all the way through Harper's Ferry. The book looks more at his father and Owen's relationship with his father than I feel like it ever looks at him directly. I have no idea how much of the book is fact and how much fiction, but I felt like it all read like fact. Owen, as portrayed in the novel, thinks of his father as a great man and realizes that he will never match the greatness of his father. The book could definitely have used some judicious editing - I felt that there were parts that were extraneous and could have been left out, but overall the book was worth the read and I am glad I finally got it read!; Recommended (4 stars) Mine

9 - Vengeance in Death by J.D. Robb - The sixth installment of the In Death series finds someone is trying to frame Summerset and Roarke is the target that they are working toward - so what is the crime that they think Roarke is guilty of? Eve has to find out before they get to Roarke; Recommended (4 stars) Mine

>165 alcottacre: I've started reading Kim half a dozen times and never get past the first couple of chapters. It's one I feel I *ought* to read so I'll probably try again someday ...

>175 alcottacre: Got me! Swamp'd.

>176 alcottacre: Got me with The Fortune Men, but you couldn't get me with Hench because Richard got there first.

>216 alcottacre: Cloudsplitter has been in the Swamp for a while, but every time I think of fishing it out it looks really long. Your comments make me think it's really really long.

>216 alcottacre: When Mark read it a few years ago, I hauled this tome out and relived some passages. I'm really reminded of this one today, for some reason:

Father argued that society as a whole must come to be organized on a different basis than greed, for while material interests gained somewhat by the institutionalized deification of pure selfishness, ordinary men and women lost everything by it.

>217 swynn: It helped me when reading Kim, Steve, to listen to the audio book as well as read the print one. There are several audio versions available. I listened to the one that had Ralph Cosham as the narrator.

Well, if I did not hit you with Cloudsplitter, which although good is long, at least I got you with My Name Is Red!

>218 richardderus: There are a lot of quotable passages in the book, RD, I found. That is a good one!

((Hugs)) and **smooches** for today.

Kim is on my list of books I'd like to get to this year, Stasia. My library has the Ralph Cosham audio version available -- maybe I'll give it a try that way!

Sorry to hear about the COVID cases in your family, and best wishes for quick recoveries!

>221 curioussquared: I hope you enjoy Kim when you get to it, Natalie. Thanks for the good wishes for Beth and Shaquille!

^We were able to find not one, but 4 long-eared owls yesterday, roosting together in deep foliage. We were able to photograph them and moved quietly away, without chasing them off. Yep, I was in my glory.

You are on a nice roll. I also really enjoyed The Fortune Men, Hench & Cloudsplitter. I agree with you that the latter could have been trimmed.

>223 msf59: Oh, lovely. I am so happy that you found the owls!

Unfortunately the roll is going to come to an end soon, I fear, but it has been nice while it lasted!

Finished tonight:

10 - The Fall of Light by Niall Williams - This is an author that I have not read before, but I will certainly be reading more of his books if this one is any indication of how good they are. This was a shared read with Mary (mdoris) who has been on something of a Williams tear recently. The book is historical fiction, but there is a definite air of mysticism about it, especially in the character of Teige. The book is set in Ireland during the famine years and covers such topics as family separation and immigration. Williams' prose is simply beautiful in places; Highly Recommended (4.25 stars) Mine

The second Thursday Murder Club was a fun read that went by too quickly, Stasia. I enjoyed Square Haunting when I read it last year. Sorry to see that your daughter and partner have the dreaded plague, hope they are mildest of the mild cases.

>226 Familyhistorian: I have seen a couple of good reviews of Square Haunting here in the group, Meg, and thus far - about 100 pages in - I am liking it.

Thanks for the hopes for Beth and Shaquille!

Happy Tuesday, Stasia. Hope you're having a good week!

Happy Tuesday, Stasia. Hope all's well in your corner of the world.

>223 msf59: Fantastic!

Morning, Stasia! Happy Tuesday.

Hi Stasia!

>169 alcottacre: I’m so sorry to hear about Beth and Shaquille.

>173 alcottacre: I’d be frustrated, too. Frankly, I do not understand people without a medical contraindication NOT getting vaccinated. My sister's husband is another one.

>175 alcottacre: I almost never read reviews of books I intend to read or are reading, but your review has no spoilers in it that I can see and it encourages me to continue reading it. Thank you.

>203 alcottacre: 🤞for improvement soon.

>204 alcottacre: Yay for The Man Who Died Twice. I liked it even better than the first one.

Found and starred, and surfed through to catch up Stasia.

Sorry to hear about the Covid cases, hope they are mild.

Sheesh, books read into double figures already. I'm a turtle this year, with several on the go. I may finish another tonight, but it will be the weekend before others are finished. Lots on the January list though.

>147 alcottacre: Loved These Precious Days as well as her earlier volume of essays This is a Story of a Happy Marriage.

>165 alcottacre: Kim is on my RL book group list this year. I think I may have read it years ago.

>166 alcottacre: Yup, I got hit by RDs book bullet too.

>228 bell7: >229 Carmenere: >231 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mary, Lynda, and Mamie.

>232 karenmarie: I try and stay away from spoilers if I can, Karen. I do hope you enjoy My Name Is Red as much - if not more - than I did.

>233 Caroline_McElwee: Thanks for finding me, Caroline! I have not read This is a Story of a Happy Marriage and unfortunately my local library does not have a copy. RD's BBs get pretty much everyone, I think.

New books in-house from the public library today:

Crazy Brave by Joy Harjo - this is a recent BB from Mac (blackdogbooks) - he gave it 5 bones!
Dare to Disappoint: Growing Up in Turkey by Ozge Samanci - Lisa mentioned this one on one of Mark's threads, so I thought I would see about it since my local library had a copy.

I've heard good things about The Man Who Died Twice - I'm looking forward to it myself eventually:) The audio of the first one was so good I think I'll go the same route.

Hoping for good news from AZ.

*innocent eye-batting* Hello? Did someone ask for some book recommendations? Why, I just read this marvelous...
...
...why are you pointing a pistol at me, Stasia?

>236 AMQS: The news from AZ is cautiously optimistic, Anne. Thus far, they both seem to have relatively minor cases. Yeah, I am not sure when I will get to The Man Who Died Twice. Hopefully before a third book comes out!

>237 richardderus: No one and I mean no one believes your innocent eye-batting, RD!

>219 alcottacre: That is the one I'm listening to, Stasia. Unfortunately, Cosham's mellow voice is lulling me to sleep. I wish I had a print copy to read in tandem.

>225 alcottacre: Loved this one. Niall Williams makes Ireland come alive for me. I'd love to visit someday.

That is good news about Beth and Shaquille. I hope they both recover quickly. Ah, to be young...

>239 Donna828: Surely your local library has a copy of Kim? I did not have the problem of being lulled to sleep. I wish I did!

If you go to Ireland, could you pack me in your suitcase? Ireland is one of my bucket list places to go.

Thanks for the good wishes for the Arizona pair!

>235 alcottacre: ...so I thought I would see about it since my local library had a copy.
Of course! What else could one do? :)

>241 LovingLit: I always try and see if my local library has a copy, but I so often fail to find the book that I want there. Ah, well. Thanks for dropping by, Megan!

Hi, Stasia. So, your book roll came to a grinding halt? Mine continues. I loved The Unseen and I am getting ready to start The Lincoln Highway. Of course, my audio joy is still being delivered by Ms. Patchett.

>243 msf59: I am putting it off. I do not feel like reading it tonight, so I am not. I am going for something completely different. I will finish reading the other tomorrow, lol.

I think I accidentally typed on your thread that I was listening to the audiobook of These Precious Days, but I read the print version. Not that it matters all that much - it is a terrific book - but thought I better set the record straight.

Hi Stasia! It looks like your reading year is off to an excellent start! You got me with The Writing of the Gods. I've seen the Rosetta Stone in the British Museum, so I really should learn more about it!

Hi Stasia--you've done some great reading already this year. My year is off to a very slow start, although I've enjoyed the books I've been able to complete. These Precious Days sounds like it's worth elevating on the list. I'm planning to start My Name is Red this weekend.

Morning, Stasia! I just picked up These Precious Days on my last library run.

>245 cbl_tn: I hope you enjoy The Writing of the Gods when you get to it, Carrie!

>246 AnneDC: Some great reading there in These Precious Days and My Name is Red, Anne!

>247 Crazymamie: I think you will like These Precious Days a lot, Mamie. At least I hope you do!

New books in-house today:

From the local library
How the Word Is Passed by Clint Smith - Several people in the group have recommended this one

For my personal library
The Pity of It All by Amos Elon
Census by Jesse Ball - from Kim's Indie list
The Feather Thief by Kirk Wallace Johnson - for the nonfiction challenge this month
All My Puny Sorrows by Miriam Toews - from Kim's Indie list
Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton
Night of Fire by Colin Thubron - from Kim's Indie list
A Ladder to the Sky by John Boyne - from Kim's Indie list

Hi Stasia, I am a BIG fan of your recent acquisition of the Boyne and Toews books. Some favs of mine! Where is this Indie list?

>249 alcottacre: - The Elon book is a BB. Looks like a good one

>250 mdoris: I am not sure if it has been moved over to the 2022 group or not, but here is the link in the 2020 group, Mary: https://www.librarything.com/topic/336987#

>251 jessibud2: Yeah, I am really hoping it turns out to be, Shelley!

Finished today:

11 - Homeland Elegies by Ayad Akhtar - This was a shared read with Paul and while I am not sorry that I read the book, I did not like it all that much. That Akhtar can write is beyond question. What I do question is his need to write a memoir and disguise it as fiction. As Paul said in his review, "When it is discernibly fiction it works, where it falls into memoir it can confuse and conflate but where it is blatant polemic it is artistically dishonest." There is not much more that I can add to that; Not Recommended (3 stars) Mine

>253 alcottacre: HATED it. Just flat refused to speak of it. Sorry you had to suffer through that.

>249 alcottacre: Is this your first time reading about S.T.? If so, I am sooo jealous! I love that crow.

All good eye-wise, and lemme tell ya I am so glad to hear it. I don't go back until 2023.

>254 richardderus: Yes, it is my first time reading about S.T., RD. I kept waiting for my local library to get the book, but it never did so I finally broke down and bought it.

I am glad to know that I am not the only one who disliked Homeland Elegies. I am getting it out of the house post haste thanks to PaperbackSwap.

We were cross-posting. I just posted "Yays" on your thread for the good eye exam!

>255 alcottacre: I do not blame you one tiny scrap.

And OH BOY OH JOY about S.T.!! What a great read that one was.

>255 alcottacre: I wish I could have swapped it too.

Happy Wednesday evening / Thursday very early morning.

>252 alcottacre: Thank you Stasia!

Happy Wednesday, Stasia. Sorry, Homeland Elegies didn't work for you. I loved that book, despite it's fiction/NF approach. I hope you love Hollow Kingdom as much as I did. I always really liked the Boyne novel.

More owl news on my thread. Just sayin'...

Here I am, Stasia. Just checking in quick before you launch your next thread. Weird, huh? I'll pick up the next thread from Post Number One and hang on every word. I think. . .

Oooh, I've heard good things about How the Word Is Passed. I'll look forward to your thoughts on it.

>256 richardderus: I am looking forward to reading it, Richard.

>257 PaulCranswick: Happy whatever to you too, Paul!

>258 mdoris: No problem, Mary.

>259 msf59: I will have to check out the owl news! Thanks, Mark.

>260 weird_O: Hanging on every word might be a bit much of an ask, Bill. Thanks for stopping by the Acre!

>261 bell7: I will be getting to it soon, Mary. I have seen several good reviews of it.