Donna Begins A New Chapter in 2022

Hey, I’m back to join in the fun. I missed all my book friends during my year off! I may not have been posting here, but I’ve been reading. I concentrated on my own books, and I’m happy to say I surpassed my goal of reading 52 books off my shelves. Of the 101 books I read in 2021, 57 were mine. My kids have claimed some of them, but most will be donated to the library for their next book sale.

Donna’s Dozen

One of the joys of beginning a new year is looking back and reflecting on the books I read in the previous year. We all know how difficult it is to choose favorites. Here goes…

❤️The Eighth Life (for Brilka) - Nino Haratischwili❤️
Project Hail Mary - Andy Weir
Bewilderment - Richard Powers
Once There Were Wolves- Charlotte McConaghy
Watership Down - Richard Adams
Cloudstreet - Tim Winton
A Town Called Solace - Mary Lawson
Lightning Strike - William Kent Krueger
The Lost Garden - Helen Humphreys
Shuggie Bain - Douglas Stuart
West With Giraffes - Lynda Rutledge
The Midnight Library - Matt Haig

2022 Rating Scale:
5 stars - Superb
4.5 * - -- Outstanding
4 Stars - Admirable
3.5* ---- Good
3 Stars - Mediocre
2.5 * ---- Fair
2 Stars - Poor

Books Read in January
1.❤️A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Always 5 stars!
2. Naked in Death by J.D. Robb. 3.5 stars.
3. The Biggest Bluff by Maria Konnikova. 3.5*
4. The Sentence by Louise Erdrich. 3.8*
5. My Name Is Red by Orhan Pamuk. 3.5*
6. Secrets of Happiness by Joan Silber. 3.5*
7. Henry, Himself by Stewart O'Nan. 3.5*
8. ❤️Emily, Alone by Stewart O'Nan. 4.5*
9. Kim by Rudyard Kipling; audio by Ralph Cosham. 3*
10.❤️These Precious Days by Ann Patchett. 4.5*
Total pages read in January: 3,153
2 Mine
2 NF
2 Classics

Books Read in February
11. Damnation Spring by Ash Davidson. 3.8*
12. The Good Doctor by Damon Galgut. 4*
13. Bibliophile: Diverse Spines by Jamise Harper and Jane Mount. 4*
14. Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith. 3.2*
15. An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good by Helene Tursten. 3.5*
16. ❤️The Memory of Love by Aminatta Forna. 4.5* (Reread)
17. Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa. 3.5*
18. My Promised Land by Ari Shavit. 4.2*
19. Fight Night by Miriam Toews. 4*
Total pages read in February: 3,371
3 mine
3NF

Books Read in March
20. ❤️Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr. 5*
21. The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran.
22. The Wrong End of the Telescope by Rabih Alameddine. 4*
23. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer. 4* (reread)
24. The Siege of Krishnapur by J. G. Farrell. 4.2*
25. The Fell by Sarah Moss. 3.5*
26. The Dark Angel by Elly Griffiths. 3.5*
27. Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan. 4*
28. Learning to Walk in the Dark by Barbara Brown Taylor. 4*

Why I Read...literature helps me understand myself and others. Immersion into the stories of other people, places, and experiences make me think about my own actions and reactions. These stories move through my life becoming part of my history.

I really like this quote: "I was put on this earth to read a certain number of books. Right now I'm so far behind that I'll never die." I'm not sure about the source, but it makes me smile.

I don't make New Year's Resolutions anymore and this topic should be labeled INTENTIONS rather than GOALS...but as a long-time Scrabble player, I loved this header. By the way, I now play an online game called Word Chums that is quicker and more fun than Scrabble. I am addicted to it!

So...some of my reading intentions for 2022 are:

* Lighten up! I think I got stressed out and had to take a year off because I was trying to do too much on LT. I plan to keep it fairly simple on my thread and my interactions here. We'll see how that goes...

* On the reading front I plan to read more nonfiction. I won't set a number; however, I will make a conscious effort to seek out quality narrative NF. Suggestions welcome.

* I plan to take part in Paul's Asian Challenge. I own a copy of My Name is Red which is earmarked for January's Turkish Author.

* I will continue to read my own books. One a month seems reasonable as I know I will have a long list of shiny new recommendations from this group as a priority. Last year I read 57 of my own. See the stacks in my opening post. I kept the 4-star books and will release the others.

That's it for starters. Now on to visit those who left a welcoming message!

We missed you too! Welcome back! I'm hanging my star. Have a great year of reading!

So nice to see you back! I can't wait to see what you've been reading and will read. Happy New Year!

Woot! Glad to see you back where you belong, Donna! Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

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

What a lovely surprise to see you back. xx

Happy reading in 2022, Donna, so nice you are back with us.

Welcome back, Donna, and happy new year!

Welcome back for a great 2022 reading year!

Happy New Year, Donna. I missed your great comments and recommendations last year.

Happy New Year, Donna and welcome back. You have been missed!

Welcome back! Looking forward to following your 2022 reads, Donna.

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

Nice to see you back, and congrats on 101 books last year.

Welcome back, Donna, and congratulations on the epic clear your tbr year's reading!

Happy New Year, Donna! SO great to se you back among us!

Happy New Year, Donna! It's so good to see you back!

Welcome Back!!

It's been raining ever since I got up at the crack of 7:20 this morning. I was on LT until close to 1:30...can't believe how slow I am setting up a thread. The clouds are breaking up now so after walking Miss Penny, I plan to read my first book of the year. I picked a short book to get back in the groove.

I appreciate the warm welcome back from Lori, Anne, Stasia, Rachel, Paul, Anita, Laura, Jim, Beth, Lynda, Mary, Karen, Roni, Mamie, Carrie, and Kim. I hope I didn't leave anyone out. It's awesome to be back amongst book friends.

Hi Donna--Welcome back! You were missed.
Of your favorites I've read and liked Project Hail Mary, Bewilderment and Shuggie Bain. I have The Eighth Life and A Town Called Solace on the TBR pile.

>2 Donna828: Love the book list. I have made notes of the titles as I have only read one of them, Shuggie Bain, which also made my best of 2021 list.

Happy New Year, Donna. We are really looking forward to having you back in the fold. You were missed. I love your Donna's Dozen: Great seeing Once There Were Wolves on there. It also made my list. Shuggie Bain was on my list for 2020. Bewilderment missed the mark for me, though.

Yay, Donna is back! I love your best of list - I already have many hits from the list, and it's great to see more endorsements!

Hi Donna, so great to see you back. I checked up on your periodically throughout the year to see what you were reading. Great to see your "best of" list in >2 Donna828:. Welcome back!

Happy new Year! It is nice to see you back!

Happy New Year, Donna. I like your intentions - maybe I can steer toward a few of them myself!

I can’t resist having fun with book titles as a way to wrap up a year of reading…

2021 Reading Meme:
Describe yourself: The Searcher
Describe how you feel: The Untethered Soul
Describe where you currently live: Rush Home Road
If you could go anywhere, where would you go: Hotel du Lac
Your favorite form of transportation is: Walking: One Step At A Time
Your favorite food is: Traveling With Pomegranates
Your favorite time of day is: Mountain Time
Your best friend is: The Woman in Blue
You and your friends are: The Survivors
What’s the weather like: The Four Winds
You fear: Depth of Winter
What is the best advice you have to give: Love Is the Way
Thought for the day: If Not Now, When?
What is life for you: Bewilderment
How you would like to die: In the Grip of Grace
Your soul’s present condition: Still Waters
What was 2021 like for you? On the Bright Side
What do you want from 2022? The Year of Yes

>23 arubabookwoman: Hi Deborah. I hope you like The Eighth Life as much as I did. It is a big time commitment but A Town Called Solace will make up for it. I would love to be in Florida today!

>24 alcottacre: Stasia, I almost left Shuggie off the list. It’s one of the most depressing books I’ve read. It’s also one I will never forget so it earned it’s place.

>31 Donna828: I agree with your assessment of Shuggie Bain, Donna. It is one of those books that I find I can appreciate rather than enjoy. It is also a book that I will likely never read again despite how good it is.

>25 msf59: Hi Mark, I’m so glad to be back here. Thanks for your welcoming words and for checking up on me last year. I had a few issues with Bewilderment but Powers is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. I read Flowers for Algernon afterward to compare the two books. Interesting juxtaposition. I’ll drop by to see you soon.

>26 AMQS: Anne, so good to see you. I borrowed your meme without permission. Sorry. I loved the last two prompts. I’ll be back to your thread to say hello.

>27 mdoris: Thanks for following my books last year, Mary. I had some good ones mixed in with some forgettable ones. I will be more judicious with my book purchases from now on. I will look for your thread.

>28 figsfromthistle: Hi, Anita. Thanks for visiting. I will be checking in with you soon.

>29 ffortsa: Welcome, Judy. Good luck with your intentions. I plan to keep mine simple so I don’t get overwhelmed. Happy Reading this year!

>32 alcottacre: I see you sneaked in there, Stasia. You nailed it. I’m glad I read it but don’t feel the need to revisit Shuggie’s world.

>33 Donna828: Richard Powers is one of my favorite authors too Donna. I have read all of his books, except for his first Three Farmers on their Way to a Dance, which I have on my shelf waiting.
If you haven't read it, I recommend The TIme of Our Singing which rakes on themes of racism and music.

>30 Donna828: Great meme answers! It's always fun to complete it.

Good to see you're back, Donna! I'm looking forward to a lot of BB's from your direction again this year -- which I hope will be a good one for you.

>36 arubabookwoman: I have that one, Deborah. I was so tempted to read it last year, but I wanted to read the books I knew I wouldn't keep. I'm looking forward to it! My goal is to own all his books for my permanent library. Maybe I know what to do with my Amazon gift card...

>37 thornton37814: Thanks, Lori. I couldn't resist.

>38 RebaRelishesReading: Hi Reba. Thanks for that welcome back. I'm looking forward to another good year of reading and talking about books. I'm off to find your new thread now.

>33 Donna828: LOL Donna, it's definitely not "my" meme, but I do enjoy it every year. This year I admit I was thinking that Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard would need to be a meme answer even when I was reading it in March! I think I copied mine this year from Carrie.

Yay You're back! Happy New Year Donna! It was so shocking to me to see Mary Lawson on the Booker longlist. I loved the book but didn't think it was her best, not in my opinion anyway. But then I've loved all her books. So good to see you.

Book No. 1: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Hoopla Audio by Ralph Cosham. I also read my copy which is the beautiful illustrated by P.J. Lynch edition. 160 pp.

I reread this every year but don't always include it in my numbers. This is the first year I listened to it.

I definitely need practice with the coding and my newish computer. I don't think I need to summarize the story as everyone is overly familiar with it. It makes Christmas more real for me and calms me down during the frenzy of the season.

>41 AMQS: Anne, I thought maybe you added those last two categories. I started doing the book meme in 2012 when Ape (Stephen) posted it on his thread. It has changed a bit over the years. In 2020 there was a line that got dropped: "What I would like for my birthday next year"...my answer to that one would be The Northern Lights as I've always wanted to see them.

Donna’s back! I missed you! Hope all is well and happy 2022 to you!

>43 Donna828: I’ll have to remember this for next year. I loved Cosham’s narrative voice. I don’t think I could have gotten through the first few Three Pines books without him. And his narration of Watership Down brought me to tears a number of times.

>42 brenzi: Hi there, Bonnie. It's good to be back. And, yes, A Town Called Solace is definitely not the usual Booker (snobbish) fare. Crow Lake is my favorite Mary Lawson book. Now, I really am off to find yours and Reba's threads...

>44 Donna828: Donna, you may be right that they're new. But it wasn't me who added them!

>45 Copperskye: Hi Joanne. Thanks for the correction of the narrator's last name. It was either a typo or maybe a brain freeze. He did an excellent job. I didn't listen to many books last year because we didn't do as many road trips. That's my favorite time to listen. I had to quit doing it at night because I kept falling asleep!

Hi Donna! Happy New Year!

Happy New Year, Donna, it's great to see you back on LT! Some of my 2021 favorites overlapped with yours and I'm looking forward to following your 2022 picks!

Happy New Year, Donna!

>35 Donna828: There is only one other book that I can recall reacting to in that way, Blindness by Jose Saramago. Glad I read it, but I do not ever want to go back to it.

>43 Donna828: Still one of my favorites. I read it just before Christmas last year. When the kids were small, we used to read and/or listen to it every year, but I had not done it in a while. It was great to revisit that classic.

>30 Donna828: Great meme answers!

>43 Donna828: Ralph Cosham was such a good narrator. I haven't listened to that one, but I've listened to others that he read.

>49 Whisper1: Hi Linda. Thanks for stopping by. I will make a trip over to your thread to see how things are going. I hope 2022 will be a good year for you.

>50 vivians: Vivian, I admire your taste in books and will happily follow your reading once again. So good to “see” you.

>51 jnwelch: Joe, I will be stopping by the cafe soon to see the artwork you have hopefully posted and to get some updated on your adorable grandchildren. I might even be interested in what you’ve been reading. I lurked enough last year to know you had a stroke and made a complete recovery. My husband had a mild stroke last summer and then got Covid. The triple whammy is a pinched nerve in his back that is painful but not debilitating. He’s like the energizer bunny, though, and keeps on ticking along.

>52 alcottacre: I agree, Stasia. Life is too short to get mired down in those dark stories, yet I still keep reading them. They help me appreciate the happier things in life. ‘Balance’ is going to be one of my buzz words this year.

Sadly I couldn’t get to Scrooge’s tale until after Christmas because I was too busy with family. It is almost too quiet at my house.

>53 cbl_tn: Thanks, Carrie. I enjoyed searching through my book titles for the meme. It’s a fun way to review a year of reading.

I don’t listen to as many audio books as I used to, but I know Mr. Cosham recorded many classics before he died, and I will try to fit at least one more in sometime this year.

Donna, I imagine your grandchildren are still so lovely. It is good to see you back here!

Happy Reading in 2022!

>43 Donna828: I listen to A Christmas Carol audiobook every year. Mine is narrated by Tim Curry. It is excellent. I'm intrigued by a Ralph Cosham version because he's such a great narrator, tho I wonder if it wouldn't make me think I'm in Three Pines. Also, I don't need two.

Here's my print version, which I used to read aloud when my kids were younger. Then we started listening to the audiobook in the car on the way to Connecticut.

>48 Donna828: Hmm, I didn’t notice an error in the name... was it the m/n? I always had to look up the spelling - was it Cosham or Coshan? Now I just think that he was a real “ham” (but in a good way) to remember the spelling. Lol.

Happy New Year, Donna! And happy new thread. So great to connect again! (But where are the pics of the grands?)

>2 Donna828: Project Hail Mary was on my favorites list too, and Watership Down as read by Cosham is a perennial favorite. (I listen to it at least once a year or so and occasionally listen to bits of it when I'm unable to fall asleep. It is so comforting it usually puts me right out, though as Joanne said parts of it make me cry.) (I don't listen to those parts when I'm trying to sleep.) I tried to listen to the Peter Capaldi audio of it but couldn't get past the first chapter - it's Cosham or no one!

Book No. 2. Naked in Death by J.D. Robb. Library, 313 pp., 3.5 stars.

"Senator, I never knew your granddaughter and have no personal tie to her, but I'm personally offended by murder. I'm going after him. That's all I can tell you."

Love Eve, like Roarke. This is a fast-paced book with a breezy writing style set in NYC in the not-too-distant future. It's a decent mystery, with disturbing crimes and descriptive sex.

I usually don't read romantic mystery thrillers, but I have enough interest in the two main characters (and Galahad the cat) to read the next few in the series this year to see if Robb can hook me.

Thank you, Stasia, for the recommendation.

>58 Whisper1: Linda, the grands are growing up too fast. Sadie, the oldest, will be 20 next month. She is a sophomore at Kansas State. Thank you for coming by to see me.

>59 banjo123: Hi Rhonda. It's good to have visitors. You are most welcome here.

>60 AnneDC: Anne, I am glad to not be the only one so passionate about reading A Christmas Carol every year. I usually have time to read A Christmas Memory as well, but we were too busy feeding everyone and playing with the younger kids. I am still in recovery.

>61 Copperskye: You know what, Joanne? I can't remember how I spelled it but it was definitely not correct. I love your memory device and will borrow it.

>62 Storeetllr: Hi Mary. It's good to see more Cosham love. I think I will listen to him read Kim by Rudyard Kipling sometime this year.

I wasn't going to put a lot of pictures on my thread. But if you insist...


Back row: The Kansas City crew...Griffin (14), Audrey (17), Sadie (20 in Feb.)
Front row: Haley (11), Hope (8) and Molly (8). Haley and Molly are sisters and live about 20 minutes away from us here in Springfield, MO. Hope and her parents were here from Colorado for a full week...and I do mean full!

Great photo, Donna. Isn't it amazing how fast the grandkids grow, and we don't age at all?

>63 Donna828: Galahad gets to be a hero again later on in the series :) I hope you continue to give the series a chance because I think it will hook you in the end but if not, you and I can no longer be friends.

Yeah, right.

>66 Donna828: What a great photo, Donna!

Donna, I appreciate seeing your thoughts on Naked in Death. I have pretty much ignored this series, but it's so popular I've wondered if I would like it. LTers who know my reading taste have offered guarded opinions. Your review has just bumped this further down my reading queue. It will be interesting/helpful to see how you get on with the next couple of books.

>66 Donna828: I LOVE the photo with the grandkids, Donna. Gosh, I remember when Haley was born. Now, look at her.

How are those current reads treating you?

What a wonderful photo of the grands! I had the same reaction as Mark - wow, I remember when Haley was born, and how grown up are she and Molly and Hope now?

Donna! You're back!

I'm another who was skeptical of the In Death series, but after the first 2 or 3, I was really hooked. They just get better as characters develop and Eve's world expands.

>66 Donna828: this is such a great picture! How wonderful to have the grandchildren all together. But wow, are you sure about their ages???

>66 Donna828: Beautiful photo of the grands! Thank you for posting it! Like others, I'm astonished at how big they all have gotten. I mean, I remember when Hope was born, like wasn't it just last year or something? And now she's eight? What the heck happened?

I'm an In Death fan and have been for years. The sex scenes get fewer as the series progresses (though they never quite go away and I still more or less skim past them). The series keeps introducing more (and more interesting) characters, and, unlike many murder mystery series (and other genre series, actually), Eve (and Roarke) continue to grow and change and become even more compelling characters.

I did not like the "In Death" book I tried, and I doubt I'll try another. It just wasn't for me.

Happy wonderful New Year!

I'm also glad to see you back! I've noticed your name on many of the books I've enjoyed this year under the "Your Friends" list on the bookpages. I know I'll get many more wonderful recs from you this year.

I am impressed with the number of books that you read off your shelves last year.

>66 Donna828: Wonderful photo.

>66 Donna828: Great photo Donna. What a lucky gramma you are!

Good to see you back, Donna. I had to laugh when I saw that you were able to read from your own personal library last year. The absence of BB's probably had something to do with that.
Sorry to read about your husbands health woes but good to know that he bounced back like the energizer bunny. Nice photo of the Kansas City crew.

I'm another "in death" fan and have started a reread from the beginning.

Happy Friday!

>66 Donna828: What a wonderful family photo!

Book No. 3: The Biggest Bluff: How I Learned To Pay Attention, Master Myself, and Win by Maria Konnikova. Library, 354 pp., 3.3 stars.

"Bird by Bird" (275). The title and concept behind Anne LaMott's well-known book on writing is the author's mantra.

Why on earth did I read a book about playing Texas Hold 'Em (which is a popular form of competetive poker for the uninitiated)? Two reasons: my son in CO is obsessed with the game and treks up to the mountain gambling spots at least 2 days a week to play. He was going to be here for a week and I thought he might be interested in reading it. Secondly, I like memoirs where the author is trying to achieve a goal, plus the subtitle totally grabbed me. I have been trying to learn the art of Duplicate Bridge playing far too long now and am not achieving my goal of getting better. The author has a PhD in Psychology from Columbia University and has a specialty in decision-making which is the most difficult part of the bridge process for me.

Bottom line: I learned that there are no short cuts to success. I need to keep on putting in the time playing bridge and practice everyday. Gag. I also read about far too many poker hands. My son liked her experiences the best while I liked her story of perseverance. The book was well-written and entertaining.

On a personal note, I have been off LT for two days now -- not because I am tired of it but because I tested positive for Covid on Wednesday. I am mostly exhausted and congested. The sore throat and headaches that made me suspect Covid were bad on Monday and Tuesday. They have subsided, but the Crud lingers on... My sleep has been disrupted by coughing and having to blow my nose. I'm just glad the crushing headaches are gone so I can read again.

I hope everyone out there is healthy and doesn't get this virus. I have received two doses of the Pfizer vaccine and the Pfizer booster shot. I also lived with my husband while he had Covid in August and I didn't get it then. I think my resistance was low because I overdid myself over the holidays. Next year I want to rent a secluded cabin in the woods and celebrate quietly.

Oh, Donna! I am so sorry. Hoping you feel much better very soon.

>82 Donna828: Oh Donna, I'm so sorry to hear you caught the crud!! Also worried since I'm 2xPfizer+booster myself and starting to feel a bit vulnerable. I hope your recovery is quick and glad your headaches are at least gone. Get well soon!!

>67 BLBera: You have a great point there, Beth!

>68 alcottacre: Stasia, we've been friends too long to let one book (or a series of 50+) come between us. Besides, I do plan to read a few more and will probably continue with the In Death books. I just hope I live long enough to complete the series.

>69 Copperskye: Thanks, Joanne.

>70 lauralkeet: Laura, one of my buzz phrases for 2022 is "Lighten Up". Taking a chance on a new series is one way to practice this. And I do like strong and interesting female protagonists. I will be posting my honest impressions as always.

>71 msf59: My year is off to an interesting start, Mark, with the Covid brain fog. I will try to get back to My Name is Red this afternoon. So far, I love what I've read.

Wait and see how fast Jackson grows up. There are so many changes in that amazing first year. And, yes, Haley is 11 going on 16. She has always been mature for her age.

>72 bell7: Mary, I sure miss those baby and toddler days with the grandkids, but I must say, they are all good kids and fun to be around.

>73 katiekrug: Hi Katie! I've been lurking on your fast-moving thread. I'll say hello next time I drop by. Thanks for the In Death encouragement.

>74 AMQS: Haha, Anne. It's hard for me to realize that the grands are growing up so fast. Sadie is almost 20. How did that happen?

>75 Storeetllr: You will experience those time-machine effects with Ruby and Rowan. Take lots of pictures! You make me want to dive right into the second book in the In Death series, Mary. I do want to space them out a bit, however. This old lady can only take small amounts of hot sex reading at a time. Lol.

>76 thornton37814: Yeah, Lori. I get it. I was surprised but like Mary suggested in >75 Storeetllr: I can always skim past the more risqué stuff. The horrific murders aren't as easy to ignore.

>77 streamsong: Welcome, Janet, and Happy New Year to you! Thanks for following my reading. I was happy to read so many of my own books. Now I'm back here trying to dodge book bullets. I'll be over to see you soon.

>78 mdoris: We are both lucky with our beautiful grandkids, Mary. I'm so glad I had them all here at the same time despite the exhaustion factor.

>79 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg, it's so good to see you. I've been dodging book bullets right and left already. This is such a dangerous group but so much fun. It's good to be back. I think rereading a series is the best recommendation ever. It's a good thing that the Eve Dallas books read quickly as there are so many of them.

>80 figsfromthistle: Happy Friday to you, Anita. Thanks for the kind words.

>83 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie. I will be happy if my symptoms recede as quickly as they came on. I was fine when I went to bed on Sunday night and woke up feeling awful.

>84 RebaRelishesReading: Those headaches were my worst symptom, Reba. Imagine no reading for 2-3 days. Just terrible! I hope you stay well.

So sorry to hear about the Covid diagnosis. Hope you'll be feeling back up to par very soon!

>77 streamsong: I'm feeling hopeful, Janet. I slept better last night which was a blessing.

Sorry to hear you have Covid, Donna! Hope you're feeling better soon.

Boo to COVID - I hope you feel better soon.

Donna, I hope you feel better soon. Thank goodness for the vaccine!

I am so sorry to hear this, Donna. I hope you are feeling better now. Sue also recently tested positive, after getting the first two shots, and felt pretty cruddy for over a week. She is better now and getting tested again today. I hope the books are at least treating you good.

Oh no, that is rotten luck. Hope you are feeling much better very soon!

>82 Donna828: I'm sorry you tested positive. It's running around church right now, so I'm not quite sure whether or not I'm going to attend in person on Sunday or not. Like you, I am fully vaccinated, but I don't really want to take a chance. I may watch the service on television again.

Oh, no, sorry to hear you have COVID (and symptoms--boo). It is everywhere here in Washington right now. I'm back to never leaving the house. Hope you feel better soon.

I'm sorry to hear you're down with the virus, Donna, but glad your symptoms are lessening. Take care of yourself and get well soon!

Dropping in to send fast healing vibes your way!

>82 Donna828: Ugh, I’m so sorry, Donna. I’m glad your headache is gone, though, and I hope you’re soon feeling 100%! Rest!!

I'm sorry, Donna. I hope you are feeling better soon. From what I understand, its a mater of when, not if. I am back at school and fully expecting to get it (not that I'm trying). Ugh. And not being able to read. That's awful.

I am feeling a bit stronger today after a decent night’s sleep with a little help from Tylenol PM. I may even tackle taking down the Christmas tree…after responding to my very welcome visitors.

>94 bell7: Thanks, Mary. I’m so glad your Covid test was negative. I checked in on you earlier.

>95 SandDune: Boo is spot on, Rhian. Covid is one visitor I don’t welcome. Thanks for the support.

>96 BLBera: Beth, I am grateful to have a “mild” case because of my precautions. I will accept every booster that is available this year.

>97 msf59: Hi Mark. I hope Sue is truly over her bout. It’s probably a good idea to get the second test. My first three books were on the easy reading scale. I am slowly working through My Name is Red which I need to read more closely.

>98 mdoris: Thanks, Mary. I’m thankful for more energy today.

>99 thornton37814: Most of my church-going has been online, Lori. I have been attending my BSF study in person at my church with a mask and social distancing. I had to do it on Zoom last year.

>100 AnneDC: Anne, I live an almost hermit-like life. I’m pretty sure I got Covid from my dear son-in-law at our family Christmas celebration. It was totally worth it to have the 14 members of my immediate family together. So far we are the only two who are sick.

>101 lauralkeet: Thank you for those those good wishes, Laura.

>102 figsfromthistle: I’m grateful for all the healing vibes I can get. Thanks, Anita.

>103 Copperskye: The headache was my worst symptom, Joanne. I couldn’t read for 2 days. Horrible!

>104 AMQS: Anne, the schools here are in a quandary. They made a debatable decision to make masks optional after the holidays. Poor timing in my opinion. Stay safe!

Yikes! So sorry to hear Covid's got you down. Hope the worst of it's over and your recovery is quick and complete!

I know it's a matter of when, not if, but I'm still hunkering down and not going anywhere that isn't absolutely positively necessary. It doesn't help that my son-in-law is a teacher in the Bronx, where many of the students are not yet vaccinated, but he's wearing a mask at home because of the two kids who are too young to be vaccinated.

He and my daughter gave me a gift certificate to a posh hair salon in town for Christmas, and made an appointment for me for yesterday, but, even though I'm fully vaxxed and boostered, I rescheduled it to February because the Omicron variation is running rampant in this area. Yes, I hate my long, messy hair but I'll deal until this calms down.

Sorry to be so late in checking on you, Donna. I hope the COVID symptoms are mostly gone!

Hi Donna!

>30 Donna828: Love the meme, especially what you want from 2022.

>63 Donna828: I’m glad to see that you’ve started the Eve Dallas series. I hope you continue to like it. I’ve read the first 51, just ordered 52 and 53, and will wait a while before ordering 54. *smile*

>66 Donna828: What a sweet pic of the grands. Thanks for sharing.

>70 lauralkeet: Laura – Robb tackles some very serious subjects in this series. I like it for the strong and assertive Eve and the interesting mysteries.

>75 Storeetllr: I skim them now, too, Mary.

>81 Donna828: And onto the wish list it goes!

>82 Donna828: Oh no! I hope you recover quickly. I had two doses of Pfizer and the Pfizer booster, too, and your experience confirms that I need to keep up my isolation as much as I can. However, I’m in cardio rehab 3x a week. We all wear masks all the time and the therapists are always wiping down equipment, chairs, telemetry monitors, etc. Keeping my fingers crossed.

>105 Donna828: I will accept every booster that is available this year. Amen, sister!

>106 Donna828: Another My Name is Red reader in January! I just started it yesterday. Definitely needs to be read closely.

Oh, Donna. I'm sorry that you're having to put up with Covid while being relieved that "put up with" is the extent of your bout. Keep it that way! I stay in except for doc's visits. I might have been more ready to go out before Omicron if it were not for my mother, who is now 100.
I'm another *In Death* convert, thanks to Stasia and Karen. I have #11 off the shelf but not started yet. I look forward to a bit less sex as the series progresses.
Count me as another sort-of Pamuk fan. I read *Name/Red* and liked it better than *Snow*. I think I read one more before I left him, but I look forward to living long enough with enough brain to go back to him.
Those growing grands!!!! They are lovely.
Happy 2022, Donna!

Have a wonderful week, Donna! I hope you are feeling better.

HI Donna, I just finished reading your excellent review of Niall William's The Fall of LIght from March 2020 and yes, I am smitten too! You made an excellent point of saying the rain almost was like a character in the book. Had to read it with a blanket on! i loved it! Will for sure read more of his books.

Oh yes, sure hope you are feeling better very soon.

It is comforting to find all these get well messages. I am better today, but I really have to pace myself in getting back to normal. My energy level is low and I have a nagging cough. I especially miss my long walks with Dave and Penny. Warmer temps are in the forecast so will try to get 2 short walks in tomorrow.

>109 Storeetllr: Thank you, Mary. Your SIL is a saint. I wear masks to shop for groceries and other essentials, but my outings are few and fast.

I need a haircut badly. It will have to wait until I lose this persistent cough. I may not be contagious anymore, but I don’t want to scare people.

>110 alcottacre: They are receding, Stasia. Congestion remains a problem, especially at night. I will be glad to start my new year over when I am completely over this.
Thanks for checking in.

>111 karenmarie: I think you read my thread more thoroughly than I did, Karen. I’m glad to get another nudge for Eve Dallas. She is definitely an interesting character.

My niece works as an office manager in one of our local hospitals and tells me how thorough the cleaning staff is. I will have to do a complete disinfecting of my hangouts before I let my family come over.I tend to stay in my snuggery most of the day. It’s comfortable, warm, and private. Plus, that’s where most of my books live!

I am at the half-way point in My Name Is Red. The more I read, the easier going it is. I’m not sure if the reader is meant to know who killed Elegant Effendi, but I’m intrigued by the intrigue. Thank you for stopping by.

>112 LizzieD: Peggy! I have missed you and will look for your thread. I understand how careful you have to be as your sweet mother’s caretaker. How lucky you are to have each other.

I appreciate your honest thoughts on Pamuk. It grabbed me from the beginning, although I had to do some rereading to keep the characters straight. I enjoy learning about the miniaturists’ art. I also own a copy of Snow. So many books so little time, or in my current situation, so little energy and too much brain fog from the congestion.

Happy New Year to you! Stay well.

>113 alcottacre: Hi again, Stasia. I have big hopes for a better week ahead.

>114 mdoris: Those are such kind words, Mary. I am a little better today.

I think we are both smitten by Powers’ writing. I got some new bookends for Christmas. They are on a small desk in the living room and contain my small collection of books by Richard Powers. Things like that make me very happy. The Time of Our Singing will be the next Powers for me. It may have to wait until February, though, as my library holds are trickling in. Have you read that one yet?

Have a great week, Donna! I hope the upswing continues.

>118 Donna828: Hello Donna, No I haven't read any of Richard Powers books but do know his books get glowing reports here on LT. Maybe I'll have to correct that!

Hope you continue to feel better, Donna!

Take care, Donna. I'm happy to know that you are feeling better.

>120 mdoris: Big Ooops! I was clearly suffering from Covid Fog last night, Mary. You wrote Niall Williams and in my mind I "heard" Richard Powers. I love both of these relatively new-to-me authors and discovered them about the same time. They are not to be confused except for their excellent writing. Williams makes me feel and Powers makes me think! That is an oversimplification but that's what comes out of my addled brain these days. *embarrassed blushing* Thanks for bearing with me...

Thank you for checking on me, Stasia, Mary, and Beth. Today is going to be a better day!

I am feeling stronger this morning and went for the normal walk with Penny and DH. My only problem was being cold. The sun is out and it is warming quickly. The cough is still with me but am definitely on the mend.

>124 Donna828: Really glad to hear you're mending and hope it doesn't take long before you're completely mended and back to your usual self.

Donna glad that you are feeling better.

Hi, Donna. Glad you are feeling better. Very Cold here, keeping me indoors. I may try to venture out tomorrow. How are those current reads?

>125 RebaRelishesReading: I am getting closer to recovery, Reba. The cough may become a permanent part of “my usual self”.

>126 mdoris: Thank you, Mary.

>127 msf59: The current reads are treating me fine, Mark. I finished Erdrich’s latest last night but my thoughts needed to settle down. She gives her readers much to think about.

Book No. 4: The Sentence by Louise Erdrich. Library, 387 pp., 3.8*

A laugh-out-loud line: "I wish I could write a sentence like that." (one needs to read it in context)

I am an Erdrich fan, but some of her more recent books haven't quite connected with me. This one had its ups and downs. I felt she tried to do too much. It would have been more satisfying if she had focused on Tookie's story and the bookstore. The beginnings of Covid and the Minneapolis riots are permanently ingrained in me, and I am not ready to "look back" on an ongoing catastrophe. Still, it's Erdrich, so I caved and gave 4 stars.

>129 Donna828: Yours is the worst review of The Sentence that I have seen, Donna, and yet you still gave it 3.8 stars, so I will definitely be reading it! I received a copy of it last week.

Happy Thursday! Continue the upswing!!

I stopped reading Erdrich for the exact reasons you stated Donna. I loved her early books and Love Medicine is an old favorite. I might've read it in the 80s (is that possible?). At any rate I doubt I'll read this new one.

I have to agree with you Donna and Bonnie although I haven't read her most recent books to really confirm. I really loved The Round House and her early books and tried a few after TRH but they didn't work well for me so not sure if I will read this most recent one.

I agree that Erdrich's early work is her best work, and the last few have been OK at best, but I really loved The Sentence; it's one of the few set in the Twin Cities, and I loved the bookstore setting. I think she captured the feeling about COVID pretty well. It will be interesting to see how different writers address the pandemic. I imagine we'll start to see more books about it.

This post of my Reading Record of Louise Erdrich books will be of little interest to anyone except me:

Tracks (1988) 3.5*
Four Souls (2004) 4* Top Ten 2005
Love Medicine (1984) 4*
The Beet Queen (1986) 3.5* Read in 2004
The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse 4* Top Ten 2001
The Bingo Palace (1994) 4*
Tales of Burning Love (1997) 4* Top Ten 2004
The Antelope Wife (1998) 2.5* Read in 2005 “too much magic realism”
The Master Butchers Singing Club (2003) 4* Top Ten 2003
The Painted Drum (2005) 4* Top Ten 2005
The Plague of Doves (2008) 4* Top Ten 2008
Shadow Tag (2010) 3* Read in 2010
The Round House (2012) 4.5* Read in 2012
LaRose (2016) 4* Read in 2016
This ends the list of suggested reading order copied from a blog…

Other titles I’ve read:
Books and Islands in Ojibwe Country 4* Read in 2004 and 2015
The Red Convertible 4* Read in 2009
The Birchbark House 4* Read in 2010
Future Home of the Living God (Dystopian) 4.5* Read in 2017
The Night Watchman (Pulitzer Prize) 4* Read in 2020
The Sentence 4* Read in 2022

My biggest surprise is my rating of Future Home of the Living God. It is one of the few that I don’t own. I need to reread it to see what the big attraction was (although I do tend to love dystopian literature).

I think Erdrich has achieved Favorite Author status from me because of my respect for her body of work. I will continue to read her new books because I love her poetic writing and her Native American background and themes.

I am contemplating some rereads this year and may tweak my ratings for more consistency. My lower ratings of the early books are because they were read before I started LT and my arbitrary rating system. Many books entered from “memory” are likewise underrated.

>130 alcottacre: Hi Stasia. I try to give my fair and balanced opinions in reviews. Just because I don't care to read about the pandemic when I am still coughing from Covid doesn't mean she wrote poorly about it. Haha.

Louise started as a poet and it shows in her lyrical writing. If I didn't have a longtime commitment to Erdrich, I might have rated her latest 3.5 which is "Good" on my rating scale. I consider 4* "Admirable"...and I do admire her talent. Ratings are difficult for me.

I posted my full rating scale in Message #3.

>131 brenzi: Bonnie, I do love the older books and, since Love Medicine was published in 1984, you probably read it about then when I did. I was blown away and wanted more. I think her first 8 or possibly 9 novels center around the people I was infatuated with. I agree with the reading order of the first four books in Msg. 134 but after that my preferred order differs a little from the blog author I copied years ago. I wish I knew who he/she was.

>132 mdoris: It's such a personal choice, Mary, but I'm never totally disappointed when I read something well written. My quibble isn't with Erdrich's writing. I just prefer the stories about the fictional indigenous characters of Argus, ND and the nearby Ojibwe reservation. Sadly, I think she's done with them.

>134 Donna828: On the contrary, I find that post very interesting! I especially am noting that although you said that Erdrich's recent books hadn't quite connected with you, you nonetheless rated them pretty high.

I will still read The Sentence but appreciate your comments--maybe I can be pleasantly surprised. Now I feel the need to look for Future Home of the Living God which I seem to have overlooked entirely.

Oh, and on my consideration of an author to focus on this year, one thing I've determined is that what I'd really like to do is reread the collection of Erdrich books featuring the fictional reservation.

>66 Donna828: Donna, I was so happy to see a photo of your grandchildren. I remember some of them when they were little. My how time goes by so quickly!

>134 Donna828: I haven't read any books written by Louise Erdrich, but perhaps 2022 will be the year to do so.

>137 AnneDC: Anne, I think it’s very exciting that you will be focus reading the early Erdrich books. I wouldn’t mind reading those again so I can check my memory and upgrade the stars as needed. I read them a long time ago. I also understand there is a revised version of The Antelope Wife that I should probably read.

You are so right about my ratings on the newer ones. Apparently I liked them better than I am reporting!

>138 Whisper1: My grands grew up quickly, Linda. At least it seems that way to me.

The early Erdrich books are loosely connected but most of the more recent ones are stand alones and have more contemporary story lines. I hope you give them a trial run. She also has a children’s series which is quite interesting. The Birchbark House is Book No. 1. I gave it to Haley a few years ago and she liked it.

Donna, I'm so glad you are feeling better! I hope you have a great weekend.

I only recently discovered Erdrich and had no idea she's written so many books. It sounds like I should seek out some of her early works.

Oh my, Donna. So sorry you got covid. Our friend who got it also suffered crushing headaches. I’m glad you’re feeling better.

I need to read more Erdrich. A lot of LTers seem to particularly like Love Medicine. What’s your favorite?

I just read a 5 star YA that is Ojibwe-based: Firekeeper’s Daughter.

Hi, Donna. I love your Erdrich list and I am so impressed that you have read most of her work. I am a big fan but I doubt I have read 30% of her work. Since I recently loved Love Medicine, I will continue that series of books. I wil give The Sentence a try but I was underwhelmed by The Night Watchman.

>134 Donna828: I don't think you are right, Donna, as I am sure that there will be plenty of interest in your views on Erdrich - from me included.

I have read four of her novels and two have been wonderful - The Night Watchman and The Roundhouse whilst Shadow Tag was slightly above OK for me and The Antelope Wife didn't cut the mustard.

Have a lovely weekend.

>133 BLBera: Beth, I seem to have overlooked your comment. Sorry about that. I don't blame you for connecting with a book set in your own backyard so to speak. I visited Birchbark Books in 2009 and loved the bookstore and it's setting. We walked around the neighborhood as we were ready to continue our trip to Michigan's Upper Peninsula and needed a good stretch. What a lovely neighborhood of beautiful homes, small shops, schools, and a lake! DH was patient with my book shopping and I came away with authographed copies of The Red Convertible and Books and Islands in Ojibwe Country. I recommend both of them to readers who want to know Erdrich and her world better.

I thought she did a wonderful job describing the inner workings of a bookstore in difficult circumstances. Her coverage of the riots and Covid were spot on, just something I didn't want to revisit this soon. I enjoyed the characters of Tookie and her off-beat family and I LOVED the book mentions scattered thoughout the text and the actual lists at the end.

>140 AMQS: I'm feeling much better today, Anne. We have snow here, so I'm able to have a few more recovery days for my lingering cough. You have a good weekend as well.

>141 RebaRelishesReading: Hi Reba, I do hope you read some of Erdrich's early works. I have been a fan for well over 30 years now. I'm fired up to do some rereading.

>142 jnwelch: Yeah, those headaches were the worst part of Covid, Joe. They only lasted a few days, but this cough may be with me forever. It's annoying mostly at night when I wake up coughing.

Asking me to pick a favorite Erdrich book is like asking me to choose a favorite child. ;-) The one I remember the most is The Round House. There is a revised edition of Love Medicine that I want to read to see if it has changed much in the last 38 years. Haha.

I've seen your talk about Firekeeper's Daughter here and there and must admit that I'm intrigued. I don't usually read YA but I may make an exception. 5 stars is quite a recommendation for sure. Thanks.

Will be praying that your symptoms are not too bad, Donna, and will keep you in my prayers. x

>143 msf59: I was surprised when The Night Watchman won the Pulitzer Prize, Mark. She has written better books. I do think her earlier books are her strongest. I love how the characters pop in and out like old friends. You have some great reading ahead of you.

>144 PaulCranswick: Apparently, Louise didn't think much of The Antelope Wife either, Paul, as she made quite a few changes and put out a revised edition. I will get to it one of these days. I doubt I will revisit Shadow Tag, however. Ick. I don't like reading about destructive marriages especially when children are traumatized. I read where it is based on the breakup of her own marriage which makes it even more disturbing.

Enjoy your weekend...or what's left of it. We have snow here. I don't mind a bit since I don't have to get out in it.

I came here to write a short review of My Name is Red but I am tired so that will have to wait until tomorrow. I'm glad to be part of the Asian Author Challenge. I need to stretch my geographical "wings" occasionally.

>148 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. I was miserable the first week and now I'm just slightly annoyed that the cough is still with me. Thank goodness I had two shots and a booster.

>134 Donna828: Erdrich is one of my LT discoveries and I continue to read books of hers that are new to me. I recently went on an Erdrich buying spree. If you would like a reading partner for any of her books, just let me know :)

>150 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia. I have no immediate plans to reread the early Erdrich books. I do know I will begin with Tracks, maybe late winter, early spring?

Book No. 5: My Name is Red by Orhan Pamuk. Mine, 417 pp., 3.5 Stars.

"Painting is the silence of thought and the music of sight." (Pg. 59)

I read this for Paul's Asian Author Challenge. I've owned it and Snow by the same author for a number of years and finally got motivated to read it. The structure was unique and it took me awhile to get used to the vignettes by multiple narrators, some inanimate. The role of art in 16th Century Istanbul was evolving, much to the chagrin of the traditional miniaturists who practiced ornamentation rather than representation.

The first murder takes place on the first page. The artist lying dead at the bottom of a well gives the details capturing my attention from the beginning. It takes a cast of many to complete the complexity of living in a time of change with a controversial (and forbidden) book at the heart of the story. Patience and a love of historical fiction were my friends as I struggled to untangle the multiple story lines.

>152 Donna828: I had a similar reaction to My Name Is Red when I read it about 15 years ago, yet it's one of those books that has stuck with me. I've forgotten a lot more about most of the books I've read since then.

I love all the Erdrich discussion here, Donna. There are a couple of novels that I haven't read; most of her work I've read multiple times. I have both versions of The Antelope Wife on my shelves. One of these days I'll reread the original version and then the revised one to compare. Erdrich is funny in that she never wants to stop revising, even after things have been published.

>153 cbl_tn: Carrie, I took my time to do some close reading in My Name is Red. Like you, I think this one will be in my head for a long time. It was fascinating reading about the artists and the actual art of illuminating manuscripts. My favorite part was when Black and Master Osman were locked in the Sultan's treasury rooms for several days to study the ancient books.

>154 BLBera: "...she never wants to stop revising, even after things have been published." I sure admire that trait in an author. I can't think of anyone else who takes the time to revise their work like that. I know you taught some of her books to your students, Beth. Were they fans or just fulfilling requirements? Do you have a personal early Erdrich book favorite?

Hmmm, my numbers are messed up. I seem to have two #152 messages??
Never mind...it is fixed now.

>156 Donna828: I'm only seeing one. But I've had that happen before on one of my threads. Weird.

>152 Donna828: I just finished it this afternoon. I rated it a little lower than you did. I think it is one that will stick with me, but I think it will stick with me because of the unusual manner in which it was told.

Students loved The Round House, Donna. My favorite is Tracks, followed by The Last Report and Love Medicine.

>159 BLBera: I will read Tracks this year, Beth. Thanks for the tip.

Have a lovely weekend, Donna.

Book No. 6. Secrets of Happiness by Joan Silber. Library, 275 pp., 3.5 Stars.

“I didn’t think happiness could be a false memory, even if the particulars were all out of place.”

This labyrinth of connections between the six narrators related by family, friends, or coincidence was interesting reading while being puzzling. Fine with me as I kinda enjoy finding my own meaning in books.

I haven’t read anything else by this author but will seek out some of her other books. I particularly liked how many of her scenes were set in foreign countries. I learned a little about life in Thailand, Cambodia, and Nepal. According to the Buddhist theory of happiness, “whatever you ran after and clung to was destined to slip out of your hands, melt like snow, dissolve into thin air.”

There is much to think about in this book. Thanks to Beth for the recommendation.

Huh. It took me five days to read my last book. I wanted to take my time to keep all the connections straight. Perhaps my brain was more Covid-addled than I thought!

I managed to get through almost four hours of duplicate bridge yesterday without making too many mistakes so I am definitely making my comeback. I was pretty busy this past week catching up on chores around the house. I even made an Almond Poppyseed birthday cake for my daughter-in-law's birthday party tomorrow. I can't remember the last time I baked a cake so Yay for me!

Next up on the reading front are two from the library: Henry, Himself and Emily, Alone by the wonderful Stewart O'Nan. I really enjoyed reading about the Maxwell family in Wish You Were Here. O'Nan writes quiet stories with the emphasis on characters going about their daily lives. Perfect comfort reading for the cold week ahead.

>157 cbl_tn: Carrie, I think my typing was ahead of LT's numbering. Haha.

>158 thornton37814: It took me awhile to get into those short vignettes in My Name is Red, Lori. Unusual for sure, but it ended up working for me.

>159 BLBera: Thanks for naming your favorite Erdrich books, Beth. I consider you the expert here. I know you have to dig deep in order to teach a book. I'm looking forward to rereading the early books. I have Tracks pulled from the shelf and on my TBR pile.

>160 PaulCranswick: Paul, I envy you reading Tracks for the first time and will look for your opinion in a few days. You are such a fast reader, you may have even finished it by now. I read it way before I was on LT so it will seem almost new to me.

We were able to take Penny on a walk this morning for the first time in two days (due to the below zero wind chills), so it is shaping up to be a good weekend for me. College Women's Basketball is on tap for this afternoon.

>164 Donna828: I miss taking longer walks with Adrian. He doesn't like being out in the cold, so I don't try to walk him any longer than is necessary for his business. I am so looking forward to spring!

HI Donna, Dog walks are the best! We have a local park a block long that goes down to the ocean where I often see the heron. This morning Loki (now 2 1/2) got to play with 3 other dogs. Dog heaven! One was a Brittany Spaniel who could run like the wind.

Happy Saturday, Donna. I hope you are feeling better. I will also have to read Tracks. I also missed Henry, Himself but I loved Emily. Another O'Nan fan.

It sounds like you're feeling a bit better, Donna. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

I'm so glad you liked Secrets of Happiness, Donna. Enjoy your reread of Tracks!

>165 cbl_tn: Carrie, I'm the one who is reluctant to walk in the extreme cold. My Norwegian ancestors must be so disappointed in me. I wear at least 3 layers when the temperature is in the 20s and just stay home when it's colder than that. Like you and Adrian, I am looking forward to warmer spring days.

>166 mdoris: That sounds like a lovely place to walk, Mary. We have a neighborhood trail that wanders through a wooded area that we enjoy. Penny got to see our little herd of deer a few days ago. She would love to chase them and is hard to hold back. Our son and family came over today with their two dogs. Penny adores their newest addition, a Schnoodle named Cowboy. He's a Schnauzer/Poodle mix and they chase each other all over the house. Poor Maverick, their Golden Retriever just tries to stay out of their way.

>167 msf59: Mark, you would enjoy Henry. He is an interesting character. He would drive me crazy as he is a bit on the persnickety side, but as long as I don't have to live with him, I can enjoy him as an interesting old fellow. Haha, he is one year older than me! I'm glad I have a few unread O'Nan books left to read. They make me happy.

>168 AMQS: Thank you, Anne. I'm doing much better and looking forward to a relatively busy week next week. Right now I'm watching the Chiefs game and getting caught up on LT. I hope all is going well for you.

>169 BLBera: I am really looking forward to revisiting Tracks after a long absence, Beth. I plan to take good notes on the early Erdrich books so I can pin down the relationships and timelines. Did you do flow charts in your classes? I think a visual like that would be helpful, at least to me. I'm kind of afraid, though, that it would be so big that I would need to do it on poster board!

>151 Donna828: Works for me. Just remind me that I said that!

>152 Donna828: I loved that one.

>162 Donna828: I loved Emily Alone when I read it. I still need to read Henry Himself. I got a copy of it recently, so hopefully soon.

Have a wonderful week!

Glad you're feeling better, Donna! Hope you have a lovely week!

>172 alcottacre: I'm thinking about a month from now. Tracks is near the top of my TBR list.

If you are an O'Nan fan (hah, love the rhyme), I predict you will be a fan of Henry as well. I will finish it today and move right into where I left off in Emily Alone.

I hope your week goes well, too, Stasia. That will all depend on Kerry's recovery. I didn't get Covid when my husband had it so maybe you will be lucky there, although it's tough to see someone you love suffer. Get well soon, Kerry!

>173 Storeetllr: Hi Mary. Thanks for the well wishes. Things are pretty rosy in my world as I'm still feeling pretty amazed by the end of the Chiefs/Bills game last night. I must remember that much can be accomplished in Thirteen Seconds!

Hi Donna - I'm interested in your decision to read Henry, Himself before Emily, Alone. I am always torn about whether to read in publication order or chronological when they don't sync up....

Hi Katie. If I have the opportunity, I try to read books in chronological order. I don’t agonize about it, but It’s easier on my OCD. Haha. Sometimes it’s too much trouble to figure it out so I just go with publication dates or availability.

In the case of the Emily and Henry, I checked them out from the library at the same time and started reading Emily (pub. 2011) first. I read just enough to realize that Henry was deceased, so I switched to his story, published in 2019. It was an easy “fix”. I hope that makes sense to you.

> 177 - Thanks, Donna! It does make sense 🙂

I loved the three Maxwell family books by O'Nan. I read them in order of publication, so I read Emily's book before Henry's, but I think you're right to read Henry's first. Henry reminded me so much of my own husband.

>179 arubabookwoman: Deborah, I can see rereading the trilogy someday. I read Wish You Were Here a few years ago and knew then that I needed to know more about the Maxwell family. I was not disappointed. Henry is so kind and thoughtful. You are a very lucky woman to have a "henry" in your life.

Happy Friday, Donna. Have a great weekend. What are you enjoying at the moment? Inquiring minds and all that...

Book No. 7: Henry, Himself by Stewart O'Nan. Library, 371 pp., 3.5 Stars.

In this prequel set in Pittsburgh, PA in 1998, Henry Maxwell, a retired engineer, is 75-years-old and starting to feel his age. "Just contemplating the energy required to make small talk tired him." Yet, for an older man, he manages to stay busy with his many little projects around the house and even cooks a big Thanksgiving dinner for family members when his wife, Emily, is called out of town for an emergency. The book is a litany of the joys and struggles of everyday life. It is also a tribute to a long loving marriage and a life lived well.



Book No. 8: Emily, Alone by Stewart O'Nan. Kansas City Library loan, 255 pp., 4.2 Stars.

The story of Emily, almost seven years after her beloved Henry died, resonated with me. No, I'm not a widow, but I'm certainly aging and becoming set in my ways. Ha! I enjoyed seeing Emily's resilience as she meets the challenges of living alone. Well, I say alone, but she has the company of the equally old Rufus, the beloved family dog that was featured in the other two Maxwell books. I liked the honesty of the unsentimental look at the dailiness of a diminishing life and remembering better days. Bittersweet.

>181 msf59: Hi Mark, it's funny how much I've enjoyed my last two books about old people. I am learning to appreciate each day that I can continue to read, play bridge, walk the dog, and enjoy my family. Aren't you glad you asked? Hahaha. Seriously, it's a real pleasure being back in the fold and following old and new friends here on Library Thing. Thank you for stopping by.

>182 Donna828: I loved both Emily and Henry (and read them in the order they were written because I read them as soon as they were published). In fact, I loved all three books about the family. I’m so glad you enjoyed them, too!

Also very glad to hear that you're feeling better!

Delurking to say Hi!

Hi Donna!

>116 Donna828: I haven’t been able to get into My Name is Red, so there goes the first challenge busted for 2022. I only feel a little guilty over it.

I am now only 50 pages from the end of Faithless in Death. It’s quite wonderful and I’m glad I waited a while to continue with the series. However, I suspect that I’ll immediately jump into #53, Forgotten in Death.

>115 Donna828: I need a haircut badly. It will have to wait until I lose this persistent cough. I may not be contagious anymore, but I don’t want to scare people. I’ve opted for the pandemic ponytail, so named because I wore a 2-elastic band N95 mask out today and the pushed down sides then fluff was much more disturbing than a pulled-back ponytail. I think this is the longest my hair has ever been.

>149 Donna828: Thank goodness I had two shots and a booster. Amen to that!

>162 Donna828: I’m glad you were feeling well enough to bake a cake for your DiL’s birthday party and get through almost fours of duplicate bridge. I’m impressed.

>171 Donna828: Yay Chiefs!

Just dropping by to say "Thank you" for coming by the Acre while I have been sick. I took your advice and have been drinking tons of hot tea (although I do that anyway, lol).

Have a wonderful weekend, Donna!

Book No. 9: Kim by Rudyard Kipling, audio by Ralph Cosham, also on Kindle from Libby, 298 pp., 3 Stars.

Honestly, I was disappointed in this classic saga. I tend to love books about India and the tale of an orphaned Britlish boy living on the streets with his only true friend a Tibetan holy man appealed to me. The soothing voice of Ralph Cosham was wonderful, but the story itself started floundering for me when the adventure of traveling and searching for the mystical river of healing ended suddenly when they met up with the soldiers and the two friends got separated. The enchantment was over for me and the story became more of a chore than a quest.

It's so nice to have visitors...

>184 Copperskye: I don't think the order of the Maxwell trilogy matters much to us seasoned readers, Joanne. I just took advantage of the opportunity to read them in sequence (except for Wish You Were Here). I loved the family dynamics and thought O'Nan wrote knowledgably about the different generations and sexes...and even Rufus the dog. He is fast becoming a favorite author. I'm glad he has a lengthy backlog I can explore. Do you have a favorite or two?

>185 Berly: Hi Kim. I'm sorry you got Covid. I need to check back in with you and see how you are faring these days. Thanks for coming by.

>189 Donna828: You have sold me on the O'Nan books, Donna. I remember reading a book by him on the early days of Israel after the War. City of Secrets was a better than average read but these look on another level.

Have a lovely weekend.

>186 karenmarie: Karen, your rehab is much more important than keeping up with the challenges around here. Do what you can and keep on prioritizing your health. I think I read that you are becoming a Chiefs fan as the field narrows. Tomorrow's game should be a good one...no matter who wins. I don't make predictions anymore after last year's Super Bowl.

>187 alcottacre: The weekend has been productive, Stasia. I feel much more energetic these days and the warmer temps made it much more comfortable to be outside walking Penny. I hope you continue to feel better every day. Enjoy your tea!

HI Donna, I just finished the 4th N. Williams book in as many months (I'm smitten!) and have you to thank. I just gave his History of the Rain: A Novel 5 stars too! Do you think Williams has read all the books he referenced?

Hope you are having a wonderful weekend!

>190 PaulCranswick: You sneaked in there, Paul, while I was visiting with the ladies. I do enjoy O'Nan's writing about everyday life. He includes the ordinary details while showing the innermost thoughts and concerns of his characters. He might be the male counterpart to the quirky charm of Anne Tyler's books. That is just my off the cuff opinion.

I was over at your thread yesterday but didn't have much to say about the political talk. I hear enough of that from my husband. Hahaha... I'm looking forward to another month in the Asian Author Challenge. I'll be reading Mornings in Jenin which has been languishing on my kindle for years. It will be interesting to get the Palestinian viewpoint of the Six Day War.

>193 Donna828: Believe it or not, Donna, I didn't particularly want to discuss politics either as I was making a call for public respect and decency but politics unfortunately pervades most things as I unfortunately found out!

A male counterpoint to Anne Tyler appeals as I do like her work very much.

>192 mdoris: Mary, I'm so glad you love Niall Williams as much as I do. I've only read three of his books. Do you have some others by him lined up? I think he probably has read all that he mentions. He seems pretty thorough and brilliant to me.

I was notified today that Bibliophile: Diverse Spines is waiting for me. I'll pick it up on Monday. Life is good these days. I love running the cursor over the touchstone so I can see that colorful cover. Can't wait to feast my eyes on it in person.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

>194 PaulCranswick: Oh, I could definitely tell that from your remarks, Paul. And I totally agree that civility is imperative for public officials...and private ones as well. I see so many angry drivers on the road today that I don't mind staying home as much as I can. So many people today don't seem to have much consideration for others. Oh well. I'm glad that our group is pretty tolerant as a whole. It's a safe place. ;-)

>196 Donna828: Agreed Donna. I think we are blessed in this group that, usually, debate and disagreement are couched in less than disagreeable tenor most often and I don't shirk from debate as is well seen even when I am grossly out-gunned. I was a little disappointed with some of the sentiments that were being attributed to me that clearly wasn't in anything that I posted, but I have slept since then!

You had better not take to the roads of Kuala Lumpur, Donna, as it is literally whacky races!

Oh, Donna, I can't catch up. BUT If you are playing duplicate bridge and not coming across as an idiot, I have to say that your COVID fog is definitely lifting. GOOD for you!
I've read some Erdrich, but have many, many more to go. Lucky me! That's true for Niall Williams too.
I absolutely adore Richard Powers. If you haven't started The Time of Our Singing yet, do get to it. I think that you will find that it engages both emotion and reason. It may be my favorite, but I'd have to reread The Gold Bug Variations and The Echo Maker and Gain to be sure. I have Bewilderment on my Kindle and look forward to it soon!
I'm very happy to be in touch with you again. Be very well from here on, read, and let us know what you think!

>197 PaulCranswick: The diverging diamonds in my fair city are enough of a driving challenge for me, Paul. They are kind of like roundabouts on steroids! I see you have started another new thread. Go, Paul!

>198 LizzieD: Peggy, when I play duplicate bridge I mainly strive to look like I know what I'm doing. It is both my nemesis and a way to keep my brain flexible.

You are the second strong recommendation for The Time of Our Singing. I own both that one and The Gold Bug Variations. As for my thinking, I think I have some excellent reading in my future.

Up next on the reading front:
These Precious Days by Ann Patchett and
Damnation Spring by Ash Davidson. The latter was recommended to me by my niece in Colorado. She is an ex-High School English Teacher and is usually spot on with her nudges.

>199 Donna828: Keep on driving, Donna! It is great to have you back in the group and 200 plus posts in the first month shows clearly that I am not alone in having missed you a lot last year. x

Dropping in to say hello and wish you a wonderful start to the week.

>200 PaulCranswick: I love to drive, Paul, except when crazy people are around. I managed to buy a new car last year when the lots were almost bare. My son really really wanted my 6-year-old Hyundai Azera. It was such a good car, I hated to give it up, but wanted the extra safety features on the new vehicle. I'm happy enough with it except that it gets lost in parking lots with the plethora of silver SUVs.

>201 figsfromthistle: Hi Anita. Yesterday was a wonderful mild winter day here. I got my two walks in with no shivering involved. I hope you have a good week ahead of you. I'll stop in for a visit soon. I've been keeping up on threads, although mostly in lurk mode.

Happy February, Ya'll. I'm glad to turn the page on January and begin a fresh month. I finished my first month's reading with a good one...



Book No. 10: These Precious Days by Ann Patchett. Library, 323 pp., 4.5 Stars.

"Imagination can be killed but facts are indefinitely harder to snuff out...essays don't die."

Thank you, Ann Patchett, for sharing these deeply personal narratives about the people and circumstances that shaped your life. Essays are challenging for me to analyze because of the common interest factor. Case in point: Ann wrote about her love of knitting, a hobby that I found tedious so it didn't interest me all that much. However, we share interests in anything book related which was a major theme in her reflections.

I revered the Snoopy and book cover commentaries yet the most meaningful for me was the title essay, a unique chronicle of a selfless and unusual friendship. Loved this quote: "That essay was so meaningful to me that I wanted to build a shelter around it." Good call, Ann.

>203 Donna828: So glad that you liked These Precious Days Donna!

Hi Donna! It seems I haven't stopped here in a while and there are lots of books! I haven't read Stewart O'Nan but I'm sure I have Emily, Alone around here and you make me want to get to it sooner rather than later. How could I resist the male Anne Tyler?

I think my feelings about My Name is Red were similar to yours. I'm glad I read it, but it was hard going at times. (There was a point where I felt like I was supposed to be able to solve the mystery, and I contemplated going back and looking for clues by rereading some sections, and then I told myself that most likely the author would eventually make it clear, and there was no need for me to do any extra work.)

Like you I'll be reading Mornings in Jenin this month, and it has been residing on my Kindle for a very long time.

I have a hold on These Precious Days at the library but the list is long, and I'm betting I will just download the audiobook before the hold comes through.

Great review, Donna! It's already on my list. Happy February!

>203 Donna828: I have These Precious Days home from the library and I'm hoping to start it tonight. Glad to see you enjoyed it so much!

These Precious Days was a treat, wasn't it, Donna. I also loved the Snoopy essay.

Book No. 11: Damnation Spring by Ash Davidson. Library, 445 pp., 4.2 Stars.

Books about environmental distress are difficult to read. This one is told from the perspective of the loggers in a Northern California community. Not only are the redwood forests being obliterated, the springs and rivers that make up the local water supply are being polluted by herbicides. As the Wallace Stegner quote in the epigraph stated: "It's easier to die than to move..." The mix of corporate greed and hard-working families does not usually result in realizing the American Dream. The focus on one family in the broken community personalizes the hardships and brings this truth home in a heart-rending way.

Damnation Spring lives up to its name. It's a dark, gritty story...so read it at your own risk. However, if you persevere and look hard enough, you may see a glimmer of hope shining through the trees that remain. I found much to ponder in this debut novel and am looking forward to the next book by Miss Davidson.

>204 mdoris: Me too, Mary. I was hooked when I read The Magician's Assistant in 1998. I've really liked most of the nine Patchett books I've read.

>205 AnneDC: Anne, I do hope you like O'Nan when you get to him. He's a "slice of American Life' author. I don't mind challenging books, but I didn't want to jump into another book by Orhan Pamuk right away. I have Snow by him in my library.

I have started Mornings in Jenin and find it very readable. Now, if I can just remember that it's on my Kindle...books tend to get lost there.

I am also in some long queues at my library. If you decide to go the audio route for These Precious Days, you will be able to hear it read by the author. Bonus!

>206 AMQS: Hi, Anne in Colorado. Happy February to you. Enjoy the Patchett essays when you get to them. There are many gems in that collection.

>207 bell7: Hey there, Mary. I was going to savor the essay collection but could not delay gratification and ended up gobbling them like they were Valentine chocolates. Delicious!

>208 BLBera: Happiness is a warm puppy, right? Glad to hear that you are a fellow Snoopy fan, Beth.

Hi Donna!

>188 Donna828: Ah, sorry to hear about your disappointment. I have a lovely hard cover edition on my shelves, but won’t try to get to it any time soon.

>191 Donna828: Although the Panthers are my team, the Chiefs became my backup team three seasons ago when I really started enjoying watching Mahomes. I was sorry to see them lose to the Bengals, but will enjoy watching the Super Bowl regardless. I’ll probably cheer for the LA Rams, being from LA.

>196 Donna828: I agree that our group is pretty tolerant and a safe place. I've only blocked one member in almost 15 years and that wasn't for rudeness but for ghosting me.

>209 Donna828: a dark, gritty story Nope. The only dark and gritty stories I seem able to read these days are mysteries and thrillers.

>209 Donna828: You got me with that one, Donna.

Have a lovely weekend.

Hi Donna, I'm another one who still hasn't dived into Stewart O'Nan. But I have Wish You Were Here on my shelf and I bought it because it's set on Chautauqua Lake, right around the block from me. We'll practically.

Book No. 12: The Good Doctor by Damon Galgut. Given to me by Stasia--thank you Friend! 215 pp., 3.8 Stars.

"...it was a strange twilight place, halfway between nothing and somewhere." (34)

This little book packs a big punch. A young American doctor arrives in a South African village with high ideals and big plans. Laurence is assigned a room with Frank, the older more cynical doctor in the underequipped hospital. An uneasy friendship develops despite their differences.

One can feel the underlying tension in this slow-burning plot until the simmering political situation in post-apartheid times explodes. I was both captivated and flummoxed by the last few chapters. This is one I'll be thinking about for awhile.

>212 karenmarie: Hi Karen. I really wanted to like Kim. Perhaps the timing was off. Who knows?
Yes, the Chiefs fell pretty hard in that last game. It was tough to watch.
I read two dark books in a row. You might want to take a pass on my latest book as well. I seem to be in a rut.

>213 PaulCranswick: Yay! I got Paul with a book bullet. I tend to love environmental books. I love trees, but I also understand the need for people to make a living. Damnation Spring does a good job of pointing out the various pros and cons, although there are no solutions to the conundrum. I hope you enjoy it, Paul.

>214 brenzi: Bonnie, with your geographical connection, that might be a good starting place for O'Nan. His books are fairly lighthearted looks at daily life, but he can explore some heavy family issues at times. I thought he did a great job pointing out the "adventures" of aging for both men and women in the Maxwell Trilogy.

>203 Donna828: I loved that one too. Glad to see you did as well.

>209 Donna828: Adding that one to the BlackHole!

>215 Donna828: Glad to see that you enjoyed it.

>215 Donna828: He is a strong writer, Galgut, Donna. I have read four books of his and have enjoyed all of them.

>217 alcottacre: Hi Stasia.

>218 PaulCranswick: That's good to know, Paul. I am definitely going to read The Promise by Galgut. I can't argue with The Booker Prize.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I have been lurking on many threads and posting on others all morning. It seems that I don't always have something to say. Is it my imagination or is LT becoming more and more like Facebook? Just an observation...

Book No. 13: Bibliophile: Diverse Spines by Jamise Harper and Jane Mount. Library, 144 pp., 4 Stars.

I've enjoyed having this beautiful book in my home the past few weeks. The cover makes me happy just to look at it and it gets even better on the inside. More lovely book imagery and lots of excellent book suggestions.

Promoting the diversity in reading is one way to get out of our comfort zones and explore different ways of life. Books really can change our world. I suggest reading with pen and paper handy to jot down some suggested titles. Enjoy Jane Mount's detailed illustrations as you open your heart to new experiences.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend Donna!

Happy Saturday, Donna. I also loved the Patchett collection. She rocks! Good review of Damnation Spring. I agree with you, it is a solid debut. I am 100 pages into The Memory of Love and enjoying it.

Happy Monday!

Hope you have a great start to the week.

Happy Valentine's Day to my BFF!
I finally made it to your thread...better late than never! I'm glad you're back, Donna! Your thread has always been so enjoyable, entertaining, and informative!

>219 Donna828: I second Paul's recommendation of The Promise, Donna. I thought it was terrific!

>219 Donna828: Not your imagination Donna. Not at all.

>221 mdoris: Thanks, Mary. It was quiet just the way I like it.

>222 msf59: I started The Memory of Love, Mark. I think I read on your thread that it was slow. True, but I prefer to think of it as detailed and atmospheric. Lol.

>223 figsfromthistle: My week started with red roses, Anita. They are beautiful but I think the warmer temperatures had an even bigger influence on my mood improvement.

>224 Nancy618: Nancy! It is so good to have you visit. I know we talk about the books we're reading all the time but I also know that you don't enjoy posting on LT. I appreciate the 'coming out' and the kind words. You made my day!

>225 alcottacre: It will be coming my way soon, Stasia. I really enjoyed Galgut's writing style about a difficult subject.

>226 brenzi: Thank you for that confirmation, Bonnie. I may go minimalist along with you. Haha.

>219 Donna828: >226 brenzi: But we do, on occasion, talk about books!

>230 alcottacre: That is true, Stasia. I enjoy the kidding around chatter, but often feel like I'm listening in on private conversation. That's just me. No offense intended.

Book No. 14: Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith. Borrowed from a friend, 929 pp., 3.2 Stars.

I spent a long weekend with Cormoran Strike as he and his partner Robin took on a 40-year-old cold case to find out what happened to a missing woman. Not the most exciting crime. I seem to have lost the desire to read about sociopathic crime. The unforgettable graphic descriptions of extreme torture were too much for this genteel old lady.

I did think the ending was brilliant and I also enjoyed the romantic tension between Cormoran and Robin. But 929 pages? The opportunity cost is too high for me to continue down this bloody path. I'm saying that now. We will see how I feel when the new book comes out late this summer.

>232 Donna828: I just about fainted when I saw that page count! Surely it could have been edited down to a more reasonable length?

I gave up on Cormoran Strike early on, Donna. The books were long and getting longer, even then, and I just couldn't. I'm glad you're enjoying them, though!

"True, but I prefer to think of it as detailed and atmospheric." I also agree with that observation on The Memory of Love. I might finish it as early as tomorrow.

I read the first three Cormoran Strike books and enjoyed them but also felt that that was enough.

Ah, visitors. I've been having a fun basketball weekend. My beloved Lady Bears (Missouri State University) played Friday night and will play again tomorrow. And the Wanda Grey Smurfs, my granddaughter Molly's 3rd Grade team, played today. So much fun.

>233 cbl_tn: They could have taken out the descriptions of torture and made me a lot happier, Carrie. I just can't handle that anymore.

>234 lauralkeet: I think I'm done, too, Laura. There are just so many books out there that are more suitable for my delicate self. ;-)

>235 msf59: Enough is enough, right Mark? I am closing in on the end of The Memory of Love. I had forgotten how closely one needs to read to keep the different time frames straight. It's taking me longer than I planned on for a reread.

Book No. 15: An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good by Helene Tursten. Library, 173pp., 3.3 Stars.

So, how can a book about murder be fun? I had to look into it myself after Joanne wrote about the sequel to this first collection of stories. First, let me say that the book was a joy to handle because of its diminutive size. It was like reading a toy book! Yes, Maud was a nutcase who dealt with her problems in permanent fashion; however, her logic made perfect sense because she was in her late 80s and living on borrowed time. She didn't want to mess around with people who got in her way. Turns out, the book was the perfect antidote to my previous book.

>238 Donna828: I enjoyed that one on audio last year Donna. I'll need to find the next one.

>238 Donna828: Helene Tursten is not easily found in Malaysia for some reason. I don't understand why some Scandi seems very popular in the store here (Lackberg, Mankell, Nesser, Adler-Olsen) but some of the others cannot be found.

>189 Donna828: O’Nan’s books are all so varied but my favorites are probably the Maxwell books. Snow Angels was my first by him and I loved it, but I read it so long ago I hardly remember it. And oddly, since it’s probably his most popular, my least favorite is Last Night at the Lobster. I even tried a reread, thinking I’d missed something, to no avail. The Circus Fire is excellent NF.

>219 Donna828: Yup. And I hate to interrupt.

>220 Donna828: I also have Diverse Spines checked out from the library, for the second time. It’s lovely to look through!

>232 Donna828: I bought the first couple Cormoran Strike books and plan on starting one...soon. Have you seen the TV series, C.B. Strike? I thought it was excellent but, of course, I can’t compare it to the books. 900+ is just too long.

>238 Donna828: Yay for Maud! The second one is just as good. And I couldn’t agree more with the adorableness of the books themselves. Part of the reason I gifted myself An Elderly Lady Must Not Be Crossed for Christmas this year!

Hope you’re doing well, Donna!

>239 brenzi: I will be reading the next one soon, Bonnie. I have gotten away from audio books, but I would imagine that would be a good way to "read" it.

>240 PaulCranswick: Paul, I had never heard of these books until Joanne mentioned the latest one. It's a good thing you have your own extensive library to draw from. Maybe you can get the Tursten books when you return to England.

>241 Copperskye: Thank you for expanding on the O'Nan love, Joanne. I have yet to read Last Night at the Lobster. Katie reads it every year so I do want to get it and hopefully love it. It's funny how some books (even by favorite authors) just don't connect. Good to know about Circus Fire. I didn't realize O'Nan wrote nonfiction as well.

It looks like there is more snow in your forecast. My DH is flying through Denver today and coming home Wednesday from his trip to LA. It's the first time he's flown in almost two years. I hope he doesn't get delayed. At least he has an option of a decent room at the DIA AirBnB in our son's house in Brighton! A little free advertising here. ;-)

Book No. 16: The Memory of Love by Aminatta Forna. Mine, 446 pp., 4.3 Stars.

This was a reread for me. It brought back the brutality of the civil war in Sierra Leone and the effects it had on the residents. The trauma was mostly buried and slowly released in the emotional fictional accounts of a British professor, a native surgeon, and a British psychologist. The book itself requires some effort but the rewards at the end are more than worth it.

Thanks to Mark for setting up a group read. It is interesting to see the reactions from first-time readers.

I think O'Nan has only written two nonfiction - The Circus Fire (which I ended up finding kind of repetitive and boring) and a book with Stephen King about their love of the Red Sox (which, as a Yankees fan, I won't read on general principle) :)

>242 Donna828: I hope he gets through Denver ok today, Donna! Our winter weather is just arriving now - 25-30 mph wind gusts and the temp dropped 12° in the last half hour. Of course, the airport is up in the middle of nowhere but close to Brighton - kind of nice to have a friendly place to layover if necessary!

Hi, Donna. I am so glad you enjoyed your reread of The Memory of Love and joined the Group Read. I really liked the thoughts you provided. I think you and Linda liked the novel more than I did but I am definitely glad I finally read it.

I've loved the books by Forna that I've read, Donna, and must get to more of them. Thanks for the reminder.

>244 katiekrug: Well, I don't read much nonfiction, Katie, and there are some fiction books by O'Nan, including your favorite, which I haven't read yet so I'm pretty sure I can skip the baseball book and it will be awhile before I get to The Circus Fire. Thanks for stopping by.

>245 Copperskye: DH had a longish layover in Denver yesterday as his flight was canceled. He got on a later flight, though, and is home now. The yucky weather on both ends makes flying precarious. To be fair, LA weather was good. We should all be there!

>246 msf59: msf59: Thanks, Mark. I enjoyed being a part of the group read. I was more aware of the flaws in the flow of the story the second time around, but I left my initial rating the same.

>247 BLBera: Beth, I also liked Happiness by Forna but need to read more of her backlog. I recall some LT buzz about The Hired Man a few years ago. Have you read that one?

Book No. 17: Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa. Mine, Kindle, 352 pp., 3.5 Stars.

I had mixed feelings about this book. I read it for Paul's Asian Author Challenge and I'm glad that I did. It has been "lost' on my kindle far too long. Told mostly from the viewpoint of Amal, a Palestinian girl/woman who grew up in a refugee camp, we get the other side of the decades long conflict with Israel. War is hell and there are two sides to every story.

This book almost tore my heart out, but I had to keep in mind that it is a fictional account. The refugee camps were deplorable yet the overwrought and one-sided version of this double calamity made me question its authenticity. It bordered on propaganda and propelled me to seek out a nonfiction account of this very troubling period in Middle Eastern history that is ongoing. It did give me a better understanding of the Palestinian side of this tragedy. There are no winners here.

Book No. 18: My Promised Land: The Triumph and Tragedy of Israel by Ari Shavit. Library, 445 pp., 4.2 Stars.

"Every few years the conflict takes on a new form, ever more gruesome. Every few years, the mode of violence changes. The tragedy ends one chapter and begins another, but the tragedy never ends."

The journalist author was born and raised in Israel yet I thought he gave a balanced appraisal of both the history and the more modern aspects of the country. After conducting many interviews, he gives an insider's viewpoint of the complicated political situation. This is a thought provoking introduction to a country with a troubled past and an uncertain future.

I liked that he started from the beginning in 1897 with the twenty-one Zionist pilgrims that traveled from London to Israel led by Herbert Bentwich, the author's great-grandfather. They ignore the Palestinian population in their quest to return to their homeland to escape the twin threats of persecution and assimilation. As more Jews leave the conflict of life in Europe and pour into their Holy Land, the Arab population's concern for their future livelihood escalates from a few scattered incidents to more organized violence. Obviously, there is a lot of Jewish history in this book from the events leading up to the creation of the State of Israel in 1948 to the continued wars with the residents over the land. The author notes both sides of the destruction and cumulative effects of the past 70+ years that have turned Israel into a "political circus".

Book No. 19: Fight Night by Miriam Toews. Library, 252 pp., 4 Stars.

"Mom talked about fighting. She said if she wasn't fighting she was dying. And that she has to fight to feel alive and to balance things out. So she keeps fighting. She said we're all fighters, our whole family. Even the dead ones." (Pg. 65)

I picked this one off the new shelf at the local library because I've been wanting to read something by Miriam Toews...and why not start with her newest one? It grabbed me from the beginning because I loved Grandma Elvira from the minute she compared house arrest to the process of aging. I so get that!

Although I'm not crazy about child narrators, Swiv is wise beyond her years and knows how to tell a story. She enchanteded me with her details about daily life with her pregnant mother and happy-go-lucky grandmother in Toronto, Canada. The narration was actually a letter to her missing father to keep him informed of what he was missing by leaving his family. There was never a dull moment in this book, and I look forward to reading more of Toews' work.

>252 Donna828: Hi Donna, I am glad that you liked Fight Night. Miriam Toews is a favourite author of mine.

>252 Donna828: Hi Donna - coincidentally I just finsihsed Fight Night as well, and really enjoyed it. I'd still like to know where Swiv's dad ended up.

Hey Donna! Long time, no see. Sorry I haven't visited much.
I read Women Talking by Toews last year and I do enjoy her writing so I'll check out Fight Night.

*Bang!* You hit me with an author BB, Donna! I'll have to check out Toews.

>252 Donna828: Hi Donna, I keep meaning to read Miriam Toews, too. I’ve had All My Puny Sorrows on my kindle for a while now. I’m also not a big fan of child narrators and happy to hear this one worked for you.

>252 Donna828: Great review! I read Women talking and enjoyed it. I was not quite sure about fight night until now. BB for me!

I also enjoyed Fight Night, Donna. Great comments. What a family!

Sorry that I've been absent for awhile. We had a leak in an upstairs bathroom that came down the wall into the shelves of our family room which contained BOOKS. Oh No! I have been doing damage control and a little bit of mourning. I took almost 40 books that were saturated to the recycling center on Wednesday. So sad. I've been drying out and "pressing" some others that weren't as badly damaged and some escaped injury. The bulk of my library is in the...library... which wasn't affected. Still, it's been a rough few days around here.

It cheers me up immensely to have visitors.

>253 mdoris: I pay attention to your favorites, Mary, as we tend to like the same type of books. I will definitely be reading more by Toews.

>254 vivians: I agree about Swiv's father, Vivian. How funny that we were sharing a read and didn't even know it.

>255 Carmenere: Lynda, I haven't been visiting much around LT either, but I'm really glad you dropped by and will return the visit. I've heard good things about Women Talking. I think it's being made into a movie starring Frances McDormand. Or maybe it has already been released? I don't follow films much anymore because of Covid.

>256 Storeetllr: I'm glad my aim was on target, Mary. I have been wanting to read something by Toews and this book jumped out at me. I'm hooked.

>257 Copperskye: Hi Joanne. It's funny because I also have My Puny Sorrows on the Kindle. I think I was attracted by the title. That will be my next book by Toews.

>258 figsfromthistle: It's a quick read, Anita. It also provided some chuckles and a bit of an emotional punch.

>259 BLBera: "What a family" indeed, Beth. I think I know why the father was MIA. Lots of drama there but it made for a good story, right?

Book No. 20: Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr. Library, 620 pp., 5 Stars

Who couldn't love a book with this dedication? For the librarians then, now, and in the years to come.

This is a book set in different timelines and has characters facing their deaths or the end of the world as they know it. The connecting factor through the various sections is a mythological tale about a shepherd who becomes a donkey and then morphs into a fish and bird. It is many books in one.

You will find ancient history, science fiction, several different war stories, and even some romance woven through the highly original and captivating novel. I won't give away any of the mini-plot lines. Just keep an open mind as you read and, hopefully, you will be as enraptured as I was by Doerrs' fantastic journey through time.

>260 Donna828: Oh no, that is terrible news. BOOKS damaged. Not good. Glad that you were able to rescue some.

Cloud Cuckoo Land just landed home from the library today so I am grateful for your enthusiasm. I keep a close look on what you are reading as yes, it seems we seem to like the same books. Did you see In Memoriam that Shirley Hughes died very recently. Sad news as I love her kids books, her amazing art work and stories. I bet you do too!

Also I see on p. 63 of Bibliophile a definition of metafiction which is....."These stories remind you with a nod and wink that they are stories, not real life, often by nestling other stories within themselves. Examples Slaughterhouse-Five, The Blind Assassin and If on a Winter's Night A Traveler". Thought you might be interested!

So sorry to hear about your leak and your books, Donna.

>263 Donna828: I'm skimming your comments because I hope to read this soon. That is a great dedication. And five stars.

So sorry to hear about the leak and the affected books :( I imagine all the cleanup has been stressful.

>263 Donna828: I liked Cloud Cuckoo Land a little less than you did (I gave it four stars), but I agree about the lovely dedication.

>263 Donna828: I have been undecided about adding this one, Donna, but not any more!

Wishing you a lovely weekend.

Happy Saturday, Donna. I am so sorry about the water damage and the loss of your beloved books. What a bummer. I am so glad to hear that you loved Cloud Cuckoo Land. That is on my list to read, in the next couple of months.

I also have Women Talking on my TBR. If you would be interested in doing a shared read of it, especially before the film comes out, let me know. The film is supposed to be released this year but I don't see a date yet.

Hi, Donna.

I loved the first Bibliophile, and was encouraged by your review of the second. I added it to my WL.

Troubled Blood.: i’m a sucker for Cormoran and Robin and this series. I remember in my review I said I wished it was even longer! Can you imagine? I could’ve kept going with them and the story for much longer. I guess I’m just a crazy old coot. The TV adaptations are good, too.

>260 Donna828: Oh, no! Forty books lost! That hurts my book-hoarder's-lovers heart.

Thanks for stopping by my thread. I'm sorry you're still getting occasional headaches but am glad it didn't stop you from reading Cloud Cuckoo Land. Also glad to see you enjoyed it so much (5 stars!) because I've been thinking of trying it.

Sorry to read about that badly placed leak, Donna. I was very fortunate that the sewer back up in the basement of my townhouse didn't go further because that's where the majority of my books hang out. I hope they weren't the most precious ones in your collection.

>260 Donna828: OMG!! How awful!! So sorry.

>260 Donna828: Well that's awful Donna.

>263 Donna828: I have no idea why I haven't read this yet but five stars is hard to ignore.

I've read two other Toews books: All My Puny Sorrows and Women Talking and I enjoyed them both.

>268 msf59: That is interesting that there will be a film coming out. When I read it, a while ago I remember finding a video clip of the men doing time in a very basic prison based on this real life story Women Talking.

>263 Donna828: I don’t know why I’ve put off reading Cuckoo Cloud Land but I have - I even have an arc so there’s really no excuse. The size of it may have put me off. I only skimmed your review but I sure didn’t miss those 5 stars. They may be just the nudge I need.

I’m so sorry about your water damage! Poor books. That’s so sad.

>260 Donna828: That would have devastated me, Donna. I have a couple of water damaged books, but I haven't the heart to give them away or destroy them further.

You can freeze dry books. I've never done it, but I know who to call if I need to freeze dry one that would be difficult to replace.

>260 Donna828: Donna, I'm so sorry to hear about the water leak and the damaged books. That is heartbreaking.

Thank you friends for all the book love. None of the books I lost were particularly valuable and they can be replaced. I started the process with my well read copy of The Prophet. I’ve had it a long time and have turned to it for comfort many times. I am delighted with its shiny new replacement. It is printed in blue ink and the pages have iridescent blue edges. Fancy!

>264 mdoris: Mary, I hope I didn't oversell Cloud Cuckoo Land. It was just the kind of book I needed during the work of cleaning up after the mini-flood in the house. A totally immersive story that took me to many different places and times. I really had to focus on what was happening because of the way it was told in bits and pieces. Sorry to hear about Shirley Hughes.

Thank you for that definition of metafiction. Cloud Cuckoo Land definitely fits that profile. I'm interested to see what you think of it.

>265 BLBera: I rarely give the full five stars for books, Beth. It was the right book at the right time for me. Do give it a try. It won't be everybody's favorite as it is difficult to get into all the different scenarios.

>266 bell7: Thank you, Mary. Stressful for sure but it could have been much worse.

I remember reading your thoughts on Cloud Cuckoo Land and agree with you. I was in a very receptive mood when I read it and needed a fantasy place to go take me away. It just totally resonated with me.

I can see why you liked the dedication. Librarians are my heroes because of the way they handled Covid-19 and kept the book pick-up window open through the bad times. ;-)

>267 PaulCranswick: I hope you like your trip to Cuckoo Land, Paul. I just got back from my second dog walk of the day and missed a downpour by minutes. Timing is everything!

>268 msf59: Hi Mark. I think you will like Cloud Cuckoo Land because of the bird references. There were more owl scenes than cuckoo sightings! I will read My Puny Sorrows first because I have a copy but I am definitely interested in Women Talking. Maybe that will be the first movie I'll see after my 2+-year absence from the theatres.

>269 jnwelch: Joe, the second one was just as captivating to look at but had more of a focus on social justice books. Very interesting.
Not crazy at all. I love big books and I do enjoy the banter between Cormoran and Robin. I had more of a problem with the subject matter in this one. I may relent when the new one comes out late this summer. Thanks for the visit.

>270 Storeetllr: It was heart-rending, Mary. Not the way I had in mind when I said I wanted to downsize my library. I have the shelves rearranged to my liking and hope we never have another leak like that. It's the second one in the past few years but no books were involved the first time around. That was painful.

I hope you enjoy your venture into Cloud Cuckoo Land if you decide to give it a go. Lots of fantasy and sci-fi along with some historical fiction. Good stuff!

>271 Familyhistorian: It's good to see you, Meg. I remember that leak you had. I'm glad your books escaped the damage. I was very lucky that none of my Franklin Library editions or the few Heritage books in their "protective" cases were damaged. I lost all of my gardening books, but I'm not much of a gardener these days because of my old bones!

>272 RebaRelishesReading: Thank you, Reba. I'm pretty well recovered and looking forward to the library book sale in a couple of months. Haha.

>273 brenzi: Awful for sure, Bonnie.

I might not have read Cloud Cuckoo Land if my best friend and my sister-in-law hadn't urged me on. I have a real aversion to the title. It sounded too far out of my ballpark. It reminded me of Cloud Atlas if that helps you in your decision to read it.

I will be playing catch-up with you on the Toews books. I'm so glad I took a chance on Fight Night.

>274 mdoris: I will look for that video when I get around to reading Women Talking, Mary. Thanks for the heads up.

>275 Copperskye: Joanne, open the book and see all the white spaces... It went by quickly for me. That's a good thing because there were so many characters in different time periods I would have gotten lost if the book dragged on too long.

My poor books thank you for the sympathy...

Hi Donna!

>232 Donna828: I liked this one more than you did, and I’ve already pre-ordered the next one, The Ink Black Heart.

>238 Donna828: I’ve started this one and put it down… it should appeal to me more than it has so far.

>260 Donna828: Oh no! I’m sorry about the leak and loss of books. Losing books is definitely one of my nightmares.

>276 PaulCranswick: Well, Paul, I have been nursing about ten books that I will keep despite the wrinkled pages. They are dried out and under the heavy oak leaf for our kitchen table to help flatten them out a bit. I have some weights on top which should help the process. The waterlogged ones with damage to the covers were the ones that went to the recycling center. It was a sad trip to make.

>277 thornton37814: Lori, I remember that freeze-drying process from The Library Book. Now that was a real tragedy. Many thousands of books lost in the Los Angeles Library fire of 1986. If they weren't burned, they were soaked by the firemen's hoses. I read it with my book group in 2019. We were all devastated.

>278 lauralkeet: I'm glad my loss was minimal, Laura. Not everyone would understand all the hoopla over a few wet books. I sure do appreciate the support from my Library Thing friends.

>286 karenmarie: I almost missed you, Karen.

Re: Galbraith... I think it was the cold case and too much torture that did me in. I kept thinking that I could read 3 or 4 "In Death" books for the time I spent on Troubled Blood. Re: Elderly Lady...its short length made it a good "in between" book for me.

It was kind of a nightmare. Not only did we lose some books, but it was also a lot of work to mop up floors wipe down walls, and dry out area rugs. And now we have to find someone to do some drywall and ceiling repair. That is always a challenge. We liked the last person we had in to do remodeling; however, he is not in the business any longer due to health issues.

I'll be around the threads more in the next few days. I'm so glad you dropped in for a visit.

Book No. 21: The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran. Mine, 108 pp., unrated.

I can't rate a book that has been my guide and companion for many years. This little book contains wisdom and comfort that is accessible and relates to the human experience. It is poetic and easy to understand on a surface level yet deep reading can lead to some pretty philosophical thoughts.

Although it was written in 1923, the ruminations on multiple topics including love, joy and sorrow, freedom, pain, self-knowledge, friendship, and death are ageless and never go out of style.

I read this for Paul's Asian Challenge. I was glad to get the nudge to read it again.

>289 Donna828: I still have my mom's copy of The Prophet. Haven't read it for many years; perhaps this is a good time for a reread.

>289 Donna828: I think you and my daughter both consider it a guide and companion. I kept buying her copies at the Friends of the Library book sales, and she finally told me she had enough – 3 or 4, I think!

>289 Donna828: I had a copy of The Prophet when I was in college but it has disappeared somewhere in the many, many moves since then. I did love it and should buy myself another copy.

>288 Donna828: Good luck finding someone to do the repair work, Donna. Looks like you've made good progress on replacing the books that need replacing.

Book No. 22: The Wrong End of the Telescope by Rabih Alameddine. Library, 354 pp., 4 Stars.

"It was still an ungodly hour. I stood at the edge of the harbor, taking deep breaths, the water giving off a saline, fishy smell... Grayness, soft as amnesia, blanketed the sea. A grayer Turkey interrupted the line where sea met sky."

I read this one for Paul's Asian Challenge which features Arab authors in March. Since I enjoyed a previous book, An Unnecessary Woman by this Jordanian born author who grew up in Lebanon, it was a natural choice for me. It's also very topical as it deals with an influx of Syrian refugees displaced by the Civil War in Lebanon to the Greek island of Lesbos.

We get an overview of the refugee experience through the wide lens of NGOs (non-governmental organizations) and volunteers from all over the world. It's rather chaotic, especially when you factor in the sometimes inept interpreters, do-gooders taking selfies to put on social media, and lack of proper facilities. Through the narrower lens when you turn the telescope around, we get stories from people like Mina, a physician with a Lebanese background who focuses on one family in particular because the matriarch is in the final stages of liver cancer. Coincidentally, Mina is a transgender woman who has personal experience losing her identity and leaving behind a way of life.

That is a brief intro to the book. One of the most fascinating aspects was how the author identified so much with the refugees that he wrote a meta version of himself into the story. I did a little research and found this from a September 17, 2021 online interview he did with BOMB Magazine:

"I had to split myself in two...one character similar to me that's ensnared in the maelstrom, and another, Mira,...who is able to be dispassionate when needed. She could go where I couldnt."

Re: The Prophet

>290 Storeetllr: I had my old copy forever, Mary. I'm thinking it was originally my mother's book. I know she thought highly of it. It is definitely part of my history.

>291 karenmarie: I have two copies now, Karen. I can't quite get rid of the one that got ruined in our mini-flood. Too many memories. The book itself is either going to be a treasure to one or a head-scratcher for someone else. It is simple but deep...very philosophical.

>292 RebaRelishesReading: I love my fancy new copy, Reba. It has a great introduction by Indian/Canadian poet Rupi Kaur. She claims "It cracked my heart wide open".

>293 Familyhistorian: I've made a small start, Meg. I wasn't going to buy any new books for my upcoming Thingaversary. I have been working so hard to downsize my library that I don't want to go crazy, but I probably deserve a few new books, right? Those empty places look so empty.

Book No. 23: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer. Library, Reread, 288 pp., 4 Stars.

My Book Club met for the first time in TWO years on Tuesday night and we talked about this little gem. I remember reading it when it first came out and falling in like with it. One of my favorite book categories is 'Books About Books'. A group of islanders got together to eat a contraband roasted pig and got caught breaking curfew by the Germans occupying Guernsey. One of the quicker members came up with the excuse that they lost track of time because they were discussing Elizabeth and Her German Garden. The literary society was born that night!

The seven ladies who attended my very real and much missed book group enjoyed this jaunt down memory lane. We agreed that it had just the right amount of whimsy mixed in with the more serious events of WWII. Up next month is The Vanishing Half. I may be the only one on LT that hasn't read this one. The author will be visiting our main library later in April. I hope I can attend as we don't get many author events here in Southwest Missouri.

>296 Donna828: Yep, that's a good one alright, Donna.

I thought we would go to Powell's with our house guest (leaving today) but turns out she isn't "much of a reader" (her words) and had no interest. Other than that self definition I might give her a pass since she does live near the Strand but still....). Anyway I didn't really see any good reason to go to Powell's myself until you mentioned your Thingaversary...mine is coming up too...may cross the bridge and spend a couple of hours lost in Powell's then :)

>294 Donna828: This does sound good, Donna. Nice comments.

I think my book club read THe Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society some years back. I don't remember much about the discussion.

>231 Donna828: I took no offense, Donna, do not worry on that account.

I am over 60 messages behind and not even going to try and catch up. You can tell me all about what I missed in November in Joplin :)

>297 RebaRelishesReading: Reba, I can't imagine a worse scenario than being in Powell's with a nonreader. In fact, it is even difficult for me to imagine a nonreader in the first place. Lol. I have a few old friends and even some family members (not my kids and grandkids) that don't enjoy reading. It is perplexing. I really have to work at it to keep those relationships flourishing.
Enjoy your solo trip to Powell's and picking out some treasures for your Thingaversary.

>298 BLBera: I'm glad I had a reason to reread the Guernsey book, Beth. Not that I really need an excuse to visit books again as I usually find them rewarding.

>299 alcottacre: Stasia, I have a weird sense of humor that is sometimes misinterpreted on social media...and sometimes in real life. I try to contain it, but it's hard at my age. At the rate this year is flying by, it will be Joplin time before we know it!

Book No. 24: The Siege of Krishnapur by J. G. Farrell. Mine, 355 pp., 4.2 Stars.

This satire about the fall of the British Empire featured a cross-section of Victorian society in mid-19th century India. Based on historical events, this account showed how colonial rule and clinging to noble and outdated principles lead to a 5-month siege with disastrous results. The arrogance, ceremonies, possessions, and other things the Brits revered failed them. In the end, the survivors became aware that "India itself was now a different place; the fiction of happy natives being led forward along the road to civilization could no longer be sustained." (244)

I have mixed feelings about my rating. I really wanted to give it 4.5 stars, but not being a fan of "dramedy" held me back. How can one laugh out loud while the "good" guys are being held hostage and attacked without mercy by the "savages"? Well, I did and will have some of those scenes permanently embedded in my mind. Farrell is a brilliant author and deserves the Book Prize which he won in 1973 for this book.

Happy Saturday, Donna. I also enjoyed The Guernsey Literary. I also agree with your review of The Siege of Krishnapur, especially with "Farrell is a brilliant author". I may have liked it a smidge more than you. I am glad we could read it together. I plan on reading The Singapore Grip later in the year, if you are interested.

Hi! This was my first visit to your thread, and now I've picked up more interesting titles to put on my TBR list!

I was curious about The city of Mist, so I read your review. While I liked The Shadow of the Wind, I really disliked Angel's Game so I decided not to read any more of his books, but I may wind up taking a peek at this one.

I've been trying to find My Name is Red ever since the Turkish Reading challenge earlier in the year but it's never on the shelves at the library, so I just have to request a hold or buy one for myself!
Happy Reading!

>182 Donna828: Hi Donna. I hope you are feeling better! I liked your review of Emily Alone. I was going to add it to my tbr pile, but found that I already own this one. Now, where to find it is the mystery.

All good wishes,

>302 msf59: Hi Mark, I have The Singapore Grip in my short TBR stack. No hurry. I once owned the Empire Trilogy, but after a thorough search I can only think Troubles landed on the donate pile. Shame, because I like to keep my books together no matter how loosely related they are. The Siege book rating may be upgraded when it settles in better. There sure was a lot to like about it.

>303 kaida46: Hello Deb. I love it when I get new visitors. And "Happy Reading" right back to you. The 75ers group is a good place to get recommendations. Now if we could just find more time to read...
I agree with you that The Shadow of the Wind is a wonderful book. It would be hard to top it for sure. I am a big user of the hold feature at my library. I have to be careful, though, so I don't have too many coming in at one time. Thanks for stopping by. I will return the visit later today.

>304 Whisper1: Hi Linda, it's good to see you here. I think the bigger question is, "How are you feeling"? I can't begin to compare some post-Covid headaches to what you've been through. Good luck with finding Emily Alone. It was such a good book. I hope you are having a restful weekend. Tomorrow is the first day of spring. Hooray!

>296 Donna828: I heard a lot about this book and had it on my list and forgot about it. Thanks for the reminder. I think also that Netflix has a movie out based on the book as well.

Have a great weekend!

>306 figsfromthistle: Hi Anita. I'm glad to 'remind' you about the Guernsey book. I didn't see the movie but heard good things about it from members of my book group. I may watch it sometime just to see what the Guernsey Islands look like. It was such an interesting story about how they were invaded and held hostage by the Germans in WWII. It seemed like the biggest danger they were in was starvation. The Germans shared their plight so no one was happy with the situation. I hope you do read it.

Happy weekend to you!

>305 Donna828: Donna, Thank you for your lovely comment. Life presents health issues as we grow older. Reading Joe's post on his thread of what he went through, my heart went out to this mighty fine person! I could not get through my surgeries and recoveries without my family and friends, foremost those here in our group continue to be a very important part of my life!

Book No. 25: The Fell by Sarah Moss. Library, 184 pp., 3.5 Stars.

"...life won't go back to the way it was, it never does and rarely should. There will be holes in the children's education, a generation that's forgotten or never learnt how to go to a party, people of all ages who won't forget to be afraid to leave the house, to be afraid of other people, afraid to touch or dance or sing, to travel, to try on clothes...
(Pg. 60)

Sarah Moss has a direct way of telling a story. She relates a specific incident from the viewpoint of several characters who reveal their innermost thoughts in a stream-of-consciousness style. The tension builds gradually to a peak, then BAM, the quandary is solved, and the book is over. I'm really not trying to be critical, it's just that I want more than a quick story. I want to get to know the characters better and feel their pain. She is a good writer, but I like to have more details on the resolution to stories. I consider her books long stories or novellas and enjoy them for an afternoon of entertainment.

In The Fell, Moss clearly understood the perils of isolation and how easy it was to relax one's guard and make a bad decision. She did a good job of describing the anxiety and despair of the lockdown phase of the Covid pandemic and her atmospheric descriptions of the highland moors were excellent.

Side note: I think Europe as a whole took Covid more seriously than the midwest of the U.S. I don't recall any huge fines for those who bent the rules set up to keep Covid from spreading. Quarantines were difficult to enforce and mostly depended on public cooperation. There were small fines for those who refused to mask in public places. but prosecution was practically nonexistent.

>308 Whisper1: I agree, Linda. You, Joe, and some others have gone through major health issues with courage and fortitude. We all need our "village" of supporters, both in person and online.

>309 Donna828: Great comments, Donna. I am a Moss fan and enjoyed this one as well.

Beth, I’ve enjoyed each of the three books by Moss that I’ve read. I will definitely look for more by her, especially when I’m in the mood for a short book. ;-)

>301 Donna828: I just finished the last book in the trilogy, The Singapore Grip, a few weeks back and lamented that the trilogy was over and how sad it was that Farrell was only 44 when he died. I am sure he could have written so many more wonderful books!

>309 Donna828: I am hoping to have that one in my hot little hands soon as I have seen so many good reviews of it here in the group.

>313 alcottacre: It is a pity that Farrell died so young and under such strange circumstances. I believe he was fishing (or swimming) when he was swept out to sea. Tragic.

The Fell was a quick read and leaves a lasting impression. I quite like the Moss books, I just wish they were a little longer so I could have even more enjoyment.

I hope you are getting the sunny weather that we have savored this weekend. I was so over last week's rain and cold temperatures. Hooray for Spring!

Book No. 26: The Dark Angel by Elly Griffiths. Library, 345 pp., 3.5 Stars.

I believe this is No. 10 in the Ruth Galloway series. I have enjoyed these books over the past few years and am glad to have more in the lineup waiting for me. There is just enough science and mystery along with some colorful characters to make a fun reading experience. In this one, Ruth and her daughter Kate travel to Italy to help a colleague with his archeological discovery. These books are all about the bones...who they belong to and how they got there. A little different from the literary books I crave, but they make an interesting diversion.

Book No. 27: Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan. Library, 118 pp., 4 Stars.

This slight book has gotten lots of LT love recently, and I will gladly add to it. Set in an Irish village near the end of the 20th century, it is a timeless tale of conscience and doing the right thing, no matter what the cost is. I loved the warmth of the Furlong family led by the hardworking patriarch who made the most of his life after growing up without a father. It was set in the weeks before Christmas. I would love to add a copy to my permanent collection and put in in my rotation of Christmas books. It's not a big time commitment and the story would never get old.

I’m glad to see you enjoyed Small Things Like These, Donna (but I’m not surprised). It’s one of those quiet books that makes an impact.

Happy Sunday, Donna. How did we end up back in winter? Only in the 20s out there at the moment and I have birds to see. Glad you enjoyed Small Things Like These. I thought it was a gem.

>316 Donna828: I just got hit by your book bullet.

>314 Donna828: The Fell arrived yesterday, so I will be getting to it soon.

>316 Donna828: I am one of those who loved Small Things Like These.

Happy Tuesday, Donna!

I'm another one who liked Small Things Like These Donna. It forced me to download two more of her books Onto my Kindle🤷‍♀️

Welcome to my faithful visitors!

>317 Copperskye: Small Things was worth waiting for, Joanne, I love my quiet books and you are absolutely right about this one making an impact. Thank you for calling it to my attention.

>318 msf59: Winter is right, Mark. It is snowing outside as I am typing away in my little nest. Crazy! The birds in our neighborhood don't seem to mind, though, they were happily chirping away as we froze through our morning walk.

>319 thornton37814: Gotcha, Lori! You won't regret reading this little treasure.

>320 alcottacre: Enjoy The Fell, Stasia. I do enjoy Moss's magnified view of the world. She focuses on one topic at a time and takes the reader right into the situation. I admire that.

>321 brenzi: Another fan of Small Things Like These. I'm with you, Bonnie, and will look into her other books. It is always fun to explore a new author's offerings.

***********************************************

I haven't been keeping up here very well as I wanted to extend my initial thread to cover the first quarter. I will start a new thread soon. Maybe not until Saturday as I am playing duplicate bridge with a new partner tomorrow and I'm sure I will be wiped out. Last week's game was a complete washout so at least I can't do any worse...

Book No. 28: Learning to Walk in the Dark by Barbara Brown Taylor. Library, 200 pp., 4 stars.

I don't list all the spiritual books I read here but thought this one might appeal to a broader audience. This is the third book in a trilogy about the time the author left the Episcopal church where she had been a priest for over 20 years to explore a bigger picture of spirituality.

She treats the subject of darkness as both a metaphor and an adventure. The details of her journey into the bowels of a cave gave me goosebumps. There is much food for thought here in the form of more observations than answers. I'm tempted to read her earlier experiences with making such a radical life change.

>323 Donna828: Ah, Barbara Brown Taylor -- isn't she wonderful?!

>324 RebaRelishesReading: She certainly is, Reba. Our pastor is doing a Lenten series called Divinity in Darkness based on Learning to Walk in the Dark and Gifts of the Dark Wood. Pastor Karen is a big reader. I attended a popup book discussion led by her this summer on Love Is the Way by Bishop Michael Curry. I hope she does more of those in the future.

New thread time...