New Year, new book challenges! kaida46's Voyage round the world from my shelves!
Talk 75 Books Challenge for 2022
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1kaida46
Hi I live in the Rocky Mountains and have been a LibraryThing member for many years but have been sporadic about posting things. I enjoy a variety of genres, and both fiction and non-fiction. I enjoy browsing any kind of book store, new , used, thrift shop, etc. and have collected a nice variety, now I am challenging myself to read mostly from the books I already own with a 'read your shelves' challenge. This year I am combining it with a 'read around the world' challenge with specific areas of the world for each month and to find at least one book in the category from my own stash. For January the voyage around the world starts with the Arctic and Antarctic regions. I read Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World from my stash in one day because it is a YA book with 130 pages and was also quite riveting! Now I am almost done with The White Darkness since the Antarctic is fascinating me right now and have The Bear and the Nightingale waiting on the night stand. I'll have to refresh my memory about how to post pics here in the thread, since its been a long time since I did that.
2drneutron
Welcome! I’m glad you’re joining us this year.
Here’s a link to a thread on how to do cool things in your thread, including posting pics:
https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/Basic_HTML_/_How_to_do_Fancy_Things_in_Y...
Here’s a link to a thread on how to do cool things in your thread, including posting pics:
https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/Basic_HTML_/_How_to_do_Fancy_Things_in_Y...
3PaulCranswick
This group always helps me to read; welcome to the group, Deb.
4The_Hibernator
Welcome!
5FAMeulstee
Welcome, Deb, happy reading in 2022!
6leperdbunny
>1 kaida46: Ooh The Bear and the Nightingale has been on list for a long time. I bought a copy a couple of years ago for Christmastime. Happy New Year!
7thornton37814
Hope you have a great year of reading!
8kaida46
Thanks for the encouragement and welcomes! I'm hoping to post at least once a week with progress. I am lost with trying to add a ticker and pictures, so I guess that makes me a coding dropout unless I can get one of my children to assist me!
So far I have three books read for my January Arctic/Antarctic Challenge, one from my stash, two from the library. Brief reviews follow...
January- (Arctic/Antarctic):
1. Shipwreck at the Bottom of the Ocean by Jennifer Armstrong (132 pgs.)
Great Book! Five Stars! Billed as a YA read with about 135 pages, but incredibly interesting from this adult’s point of view. It does not bog you down with minute details yet tells the fascinating story of Ernest Shackleton’s 1906 Endeavor voyage to Antarctica, attempting to be the first people to traverse the continent. Instead, they ended up stranded, their ship crushed in route by a freezing ocean. Shackleton’s incredible leadership assured that everyone survived being stranded there for over 2 years. An amazing read which includes many good photographs from the journey as well. Highly recommended.
2. The White Darkness by David Grann (About British SAS officer, husband and father, and a man fascinated by Shackleton, Henry Worsley. NF) (146 pgs.)
This is a non-fiction book written by journalist David Grann about Henry Worsley, a highly trained and decorated British SAS Officer and a man who idolized Ernest Shackleton and the Antarctic adventures Shackleton had from the time of his youth.
In 2008, Worsley and 2 other descendants from members of Shackleton’s original Endeavor Party in 1906, set out to train for and make a trek across the Antarctic continent. The three were successful in their trek. That original adventure in 1906, failed in its objective to hike across the continent, but was successful in having all members survive and get rescued, because of the excellent leadership of Shackleton.
In 2015, Worsley, felt compelled to return to the continent and make a trek across it as the first man to do the feat alone as he raised funds for wounded military personnel.
Before the Endeavor expedition, Shackleton had previously been a member of an expedition with Antarctic explorer, Scott, who did not obtain his objective of being the first to the South Pole. After that, Shackleton led the Nimrod expedition which succeeded at getting men the closest ever to the South Pole, but ultimately fell short because he ordered a retreat only 97 nautical miles from the pole out of fear for the safety of his men. When he returned home to his wife, Shackleton reportedly never discussed the failure with her but said these infinitely meaningful words instead, “A live donkey is better than a dead lion, isn’t it?” And she promptly agreed. Worsley’s wife would agree with that sentiment as well. (4 stars, 146 pages)
3. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden (322 pgs.)
Billed by the publisher as “a magical debut novel from a gifted and gorgeous voice”, there was a lot of hype over this book with waiting lists about a year long just to check it out of a library. In a nutshell, it did have a gifted and gorgeous voice at the start but degenerated into an irredeemable mess at the end of the story. What a disappointment. It had so much potential based on the beginning of the story with an intriguing and somewhat exotic setting of winter in the Russian wood somewhere in the middle ages. That was the ‘plus’ part of the review. Now for the minuses… multiple names used for each character, confusing the reader, and making it hard to know who was being talked about in the story, a lot of side plots for minor characters that did not move the plot along, a supposed princely family (a boyar), who owns vast lands but whose family is always on the brink of starvation, and a plot that morphs into a cheesy teenager tale with talking horses and then zombies! Lots of plot holes which never get resolved as well as a romance that wasn’t, cliché bad guys, etc. I’ll take a hard pass on reading any more of this series of books. (3 stars, 322 pages)
75 book challenge: 3 down, 72 to go!
Read Around the world: Arctic/Antarctic visited
Read My Shelves: 1 of 12 done
So far I have three books read for my January Arctic/Antarctic Challenge, one from my stash, two from the library. Brief reviews follow...
January- (Arctic/Antarctic):
1. Shipwreck at the Bottom of the Ocean by Jennifer Armstrong (132 pgs.)
Great Book! Five Stars! Billed as a YA read with about 135 pages, but incredibly interesting from this adult’s point of view. It does not bog you down with minute details yet tells the fascinating story of Ernest Shackleton’s 1906 Endeavor voyage to Antarctica, attempting to be the first people to traverse the continent. Instead, they ended up stranded, their ship crushed in route by a freezing ocean. Shackleton’s incredible leadership assured that everyone survived being stranded there for over 2 years. An amazing read which includes many good photographs from the journey as well. Highly recommended.
2. The White Darkness by David Grann (About British SAS officer, husband and father, and a man fascinated by Shackleton, Henry Worsley. NF) (146 pgs.)
This is a non-fiction book written by journalist David Grann about Henry Worsley, a highly trained and decorated British SAS Officer and a man who idolized Ernest Shackleton and the Antarctic adventures Shackleton had from the time of his youth.
In 2008, Worsley and 2 other descendants from members of Shackleton’s original Endeavor Party in 1906, set out to train for and make a trek across the Antarctic continent. The three were successful in their trek. That original adventure in 1906, failed in its objective to hike across the continent, but was successful in having all members survive and get rescued, because of the excellent leadership of Shackleton.
In 2015, Worsley, felt compelled to return to the continent and make a trek across it as the first man to do the feat alone as he raised funds for wounded military personnel.
Before the Endeavor expedition, Shackleton had previously been a member of an expedition with Antarctic explorer, Scott, who did not obtain his objective of being the first to the South Pole. After that, Shackleton led the Nimrod expedition which succeeded at getting men the closest ever to the South Pole, but ultimately fell short because he ordered a retreat only 97 nautical miles from the pole out of fear for the safety of his men. When he returned home to his wife, Shackleton reportedly never discussed the failure with her but said these infinitely meaningful words instead, “A live donkey is better than a dead lion, isn’t it?” And she promptly agreed. Worsley’s wife would agree with that sentiment as well. (4 stars, 146 pages)
3. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden (322 pgs.)
Billed by the publisher as “a magical debut novel from a gifted and gorgeous voice”, there was a lot of hype over this book with waiting lists about a year long just to check it out of a library. In a nutshell, it did have a gifted and gorgeous voice at the start but degenerated into an irredeemable mess at the end of the story. What a disappointment. It had so much potential based on the beginning of the story with an intriguing and somewhat exotic setting of winter in the Russian wood somewhere in the middle ages. That was the ‘plus’ part of the review. Now for the minuses… multiple names used for each character, confusing the reader, and making it hard to know who was being talked about in the story, a lot of side plots for minor characters that did not move the plot along, a supposed princely family (a boyar), who owns vast lands but whose family is always on the brink of starvation, and a plot that morphs into a cheesy teenager tale with talking horses and then zombies! Lots of plot holes which never get resolved as well as a romance that wasn’t, cliché bad guys, etc. I’ll take a hard pass on reading any more of this series of books. (3 stars, 322 pages)
75 book challenge: 3 down, 72 to go!
Read Around the world: Arctic/Antarctic visited
Read My Shelves: 1 of 12 done
9PaulCranswick
>8 kaida46: I really like that style of summarising/reviewing your reading, Deb.
10kaida46
>9 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul!
11kaida46
Here's my weekly update...
Finished 3 more books; 1 for the read my shelves challenge, 1 for the voyage around the world challenge, and 1 randomly checked out from the library. I started another book anticipating the February world voyage (settings in Europe), but it turned out to be non-interesting drivel, so I will look for a substitute.
Summary: Finished Lucky Starr and the Moons of Jupiter old 50's super space cowboy stuff already on my shelves, but still entertaining in spite of the outdated science.
The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, interesting and very good! But I am saving my review of it for April's Voyage around the World Reading Challenge (Northern Asia) I just found it in the library, so I checked it out.
The Devil and Sherlock Holmes was a check out I also found at the library. (Review follows below.)
A Room with a View was on my list for reading settings in Europe, but the stilted style, the stuffy English point of view, and vapid characters just became cringe worthy and I couldn't take it anymore, so I scrapped it!
The Devil and Sherlock Holmes by David Grann
This is the third book I have read by this author. He does have an engaging way of story telling and his subjects are generally well researched. For the most part they are engaging, but there seems to be a lot of dwelling on the pointless violence of true crime in several of these stories, so it is really a mixed bag. You have everything from a man obsessed with Sherlock Holmes (the first and only story about this, so the title of the book is a bit misleading.), to a mixed up French man who likes to impersonate youth and gets more than he bargained for, to a man who may have been unjustly given the death penalty, to an expert bank robber holding up banks with a gang of senior citizens in their 70’s, to a man obsessed with finding giant squid, to horrifying murder and human depravity. Grann likes to turn the spotlight on people who are obsessed with a certain subject and then he tells their story.
This book is a compilation of 12 articles that have been previously published in the New Yorker magazine, the last article in the book was previously published in The Atlantic (take my advice and skip that one altogether). The story about the Father accused of arson was compelling, the squid guy was just plain bat-poo crazy but really dedicated to his cause, the old guy bank robber was a study in contrasts, etc. Some of the stories were not that interesting such as, Ricky Henderson just being an ego head, water tunnels under NYC, another corruption story about the mafia, and the story about the firefighter forgetting what he did during the rescue operation on 9/11 had no purpose or conclusion.
I read through all of the book until getting partly through the last story, by then I was done with what seemed like reveling in gory details. There is some value here according to the interests of the reader but don’t pick it up thinking it’s a book about Sherlock Holmes, and take my advice to just skip the article called True Crime it’s horrifyingly brutal, as is the one about the Aryan Brotherhood in prisons, and by the time I got to the last story about the Haitian ‘revolutionary’ (human butcher) living in New York as a real estate agent, I had no more taste for utter violence and put the book down. (3.5 stars 330 pages)
75 book challenge: 6 down, 69 to go
Read Around the world: Arctic/Antarctic & Northern Asia, visited, heading to Europe
Read My Shelves: 2 of 12 done
Finished 3 more books; 1 for the read my shelves challenge, 1 for the voyage around the world challenge, and 1 randomly checked out from the library. I started another book anticipating the February world voyage (settings in Europe), but it turned out to be non-interesting drivel, so I will look for a substitute.
Summary: Finished Lucky Starr and the Moons of Jupiter old 50's super space cowboy stuff already on my shelves, but still entertaining in spite of the outdated science.
The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, interesting and very good! But I am saving my review of it for April's Voyage around the World Reading Challenge (Northern Asia) I just found it in the library, so I checked it out.
The Devil and Sherlock Holmes was a check out I also found at the library. (Review follows below.)
A Room with a View was on my list for reading settings in Europe, but the stilted style, the stuffy English point of view, and vapid characters just became cringe worthy and I couldn't take it anymore, so I scrapped it!
The Devil and Sherlock Holmes by David Grann
This is the third book I have read by this author. He does have an engaging way of story telling and his subjects are generally well researched. For the most part they are engaging, but there seems to be a lot of dwelling on the pointless violence of true crime in several of these stories, so it is really a mixed bag. You have everything from a man obsessed with Sherlock Holmes (the first and only story about this, so the title of the book is a bit misleading.), to a mixed up French man who likes to impersonate youth and gets more than he bargained for, to a man who may have been unjustly given the death penalty, to an expert bank robber holding up banks with a gang of senior citizens in their 70’s, to a man obsessed with finding giant squid, to horrifying murder and human depravity. Grann likes to turn the spotlight on people who are obsessed with a certain subject and then he tells their story.
This book is a compilation of 12 articles that have been previously published in the New Yorker magazine, the last article in the book was previously published in The Atlantic (take my advice and skip that one altogether). The story about the Father accused of arson was compelling, the squid guy was just plain bat-poo crazy but really dedicated to his cause, the old guy bank robber was a study in contrasts, etc. Some of the stories were not that interesting such as, Ricky Henderson just being an ego head, water tunnels under NYC, another corruption story about the mafia, and the story about the firefighter forgetting what he did during the rescue operation on 9/11 had no purpose or conclusion.
I read through all of the book until getting partly through the last story, by then I was done with what seemed like reveling in gory details. There is some value here according to the interests of the reader but don’t pick it up thinking it’s a book about Sherlock Holmes, and take my advice to just skip the article called True Crime it’s horrifyingly brutal, as is the one about the Aryan Brotherhood in prisons, and by the time I got to the last story about the Haitian ‘revolutionary’ (human butcher) living in New York as a real estate agent, I had no more taste for utter violence and put the book down. (3.5 stars 330 pages)
75 book challenge: 6 down, 69 to go
Read Around the world: Arctic/Antarctic & Northern Asia, visited, heading to Europe
Read My Shelves: 2 of 12 done
12PaulCranswick
>11 kaida46: Interesting Deb, that A Room with a View fell so flat. I remember enjoying it many years ago but then again I am a bit old fashioned myself!
Have a lovely weekend.
Have a lovely weekend.
13drneutron
>11 kaida46: Looking back, I read the Grann book lower than other books he’s written for the same reasons you cite. It wasn’t his best!
14kaida46
I found substitute book for scrapping A Room with a View, which takes place in Europe (as per my February Read Around the World Challenge, Corduroy Mansions set in England. I have read several of his No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency novels which take place in Botswana, so I think it will be another one I like. Previously I have tried listening to Corduroy Mansions as an audio book but since I'm not commuting anymore my audio book consumption has gone way down, and I kept being interrupted at home trying to listen, so checked out the book from the library. Another European title I have waiting in the stack for the Europe area challenge is Christ Stopped at Eboli. It's a memoir written by the author when he was banished to a small rural town in Southern Italy by Mussolini for his anti-fascist views. There is a film based on the book but I haven't seen it.
15kaida46
A fun reading game found from laytonwoman3rd and RBeffa's (Ron Reads) threads; Answer the questions using titles from books you read in 2021.
Describe yourself: Daughter of Time
Describe how you feel: Child of the Mist
Describe where you currently live: Blue Labyrinth
If you could go anywhere, where would you go: The Ocean at the End of the Lane
Your favorite form of transportation is: The Red Pony
Your favorite food is: Tortilla Flat
Your favorite time of day is: Before I Go to Sleep
Your best friend is: The Thief Lord
You and your friends are: Red Sister(s)
What’s the weather like: Cold Wind
You fear: Vampires in the Lemon Grove
What is the best advice you have to give: Peace Talks
Thought for the day: The Last Lecture
What is life for you: State of Wonder
How you would like to die: A Bolt from the Blue
Your soul’s present condition: Angels Among Us
What was 2021 like for you? The Path to the Nest of Spiders
What do you want from 2022? One Crazy Summer
Describe yourself: Daughter of Time
Describe how you feel: Child of the Mist
Describe where you currently live: Blue Labyrinth
If you could go anywhere, where would you go: The Ocean at the End of the Lane
Your favorite form of transportation is: The Red Pony
Your favorite food is: Tortilla Flat
Your favorite time of day is: Before I Go to Sleep
Your best friend is: The Thief Lord
You and your friends are: Red Sister(s)
What’s the weather like: Cold Wind
You fear: Vampires in the Lemon Grove
What is the best advice you have to give: Peace Talks
Thought for the day: The Last Lecture
What is life for you: State of Wonder
How you would like to die: A Bolt from the Blue
Your soul’s present condition: Angels Among Us
What was 2021 like for you? The Path to the Nest of Spiders
What do you want from 2022? One Crazy Summer
16alcottacre
Adding both David Grann books to the BlackHole. Thanks for the recommendations!
17kaida46
>16 alcottacre: Another very good book by him that I have read is The Lost City of Z about British explorer Percy Fawcett, in the Amazon. He's written one other Killers of the Flower Moon but I have not read that one, just the blurb about it.
18kaida46
Finished with Corduroy Mansions for my foray into Europe, which is my February destination for reading around the world, and also continuing the January place of interest Arctic and Antarctic with How the Penguins Saved Veronica pretty cheeky and fun so far! Here's a quote from Corduroy Mansions.
"All this made her conscious that her decision to renounce her claim on him was the right one. And although Marsha did not know it, that very decision, in its unselfishness and realism, made her something of a great person too. She was unlikely ever to say anything profound; she would never change the way the world was; but she had taken a step in the direction of living rightly. That made Marsha great- in a tiny way."
"All this made her conscious that her decision to renounce her claim on him was the right one. And although Marsha did not know it, that very decision, in its unselfishness and realism, made her something of a great person too. She was unlikely ever to say anything profound; she would never change the way the world was; but she had taken a step in the direction of living rightly. That made Marsha great- in a tiny way."
19kaida46
I'm plugging away at my personal book reading voyage around the world, which I have combined with my 75 book goal. January's place of interest as the Arctic and the Antarctic. Just finished this one last night, and giving it 5 stars, How the Penguins Saved Veronica! It takes place in Scotland/England and a research station in Antarctica. Highly recommended as a ray of sunshine in a covid weary world. Maybe more for women than men? It's funny, heart tugging, informative and has a great story line! I have been getting into February's books (Western Europe area for me) since Jan. has flown by.
Another quote from Corduroy Mansions, this author is a good respite between heavier works and generally leaves me with a feeling of positivity after finishing one of his works:
“No more was said. Any further observation would have been unnecessary; possibly too much: delicate understandings are sometimes best left largely unspoken. And the same may be said of feelings, a refined brush works best there too. I am happy, thought William; that was all he needed to think.”
The Bookshop on the Corner, which takes place in England and Scotland. This one is also a good lighter work between heavier tomes and for escape in times of stress. I've been waking up a lot at night with my mind going a mile a minute and unable to get back to sleep so I needed some 'beach reads'!
10 read; 65 to go!
Another quote from Corduroy Mansions, this author is a good respite between heavier works and generally leaves me with a feeling of positivity after finishing one of his works:
“No more was said. Any further observation would have been unnecessary; possibly too much: delicate understandings are sometimes best left largely unspoken. And the same may be said of feelings, a refined brush works best there too. I am happy, thought William; that was all he needed to think.”
The Bookshop on the Corner, which takes place in England and Scotland. This one is also a good lighter work between heavier tomes and for escape in times of stress. I've been waking up a lot at night with my mind going a mile a minute and unable to get back to sleep so I needed some 'beach reads'!
10 read; 65 to go!
20kaida46
1. The White Darkness by David Grann (About British SAS officer, husband and father, and a man fascinated by Shackleton, Henry Worsley. NF) (146 pgs.)
2. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden (322 pgs.)
3. Lucky Starr and the Moons of Jupiter by Isaac Asimov (174 pgs.)
4. Where Wonders Prevail by Joan Wester Anderson (270 pages)
5. SFWA Grand Masters Vol 1. Edited by Frederick Pohl (367 pgs.)
6. The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See (370 pgs.)
7. The Devil and Sherlock Holmes by David Grann (330 pgs.)
8. Corduroy Mansions by Alexander McCall Smith ( pgs.)
9. How the Penguins Saved Veronica by Hazel Prior (348 pgs.)
10. The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan (332 pages)
11. Christ Stopped at Eboli by Carlo Levi (268 pages)
75 Book Challenge: 11 read, 64 to go!
Reading Around the World: 8
Arctic/Antarctic-4
Western Europe- 3
Asia- 1
2. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden (322 pgs.)
3. Lucky Starr and the Moons of Jupiter by Isaac Asimov (174 pgs.)
4. Where Wonders Prevail by Joan Wester Anderson (270 pages)
5. SFWA Grand Masters Vol 1. Edited by Frederick Pohl (367 pgs.)
6. The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See (370 pgs.)
7. The Devil and Sherlock Holmes by David Grann (330 pgs.)
8. Corduroy Mansions by Alexander McCall Smith ( pgs.)
9. How the Penguins Saved Veronica by Hazel Prior (348 pgs.)
10. The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan (332 pages)
11. Christ Stopped at Eboli by Carlo Levi (268 pages)
75 Book Challenge: 11 read, 64 to go!
Reading Around the World: 8
Arctic/Antarctic-4
Western Europe- 3
Asia- 1
21kaida46
Feb 1st and I've been buzzing along with my book voyage around the world to Belgium and Italy with:
Flawless Inside the Largest Diamond Heist in History, its pretty interesting and diamonds are an interesting subject, but sometimes the book gets bogged down in minute detail instead of moving the story along. The author Selby, evidently did his thesis on diamonds so he is well versed in the subject matter. The other author Campbell, wrote Blood Diamonds, which I might search out for when I start reading some titles for the Africa theme.
Up on deck for delving into this month:
The Ghost Map about the 1854 Cholera outbreak in London, timely while living in a pandemic world, and checks off multiple boxes for various reading challenges- Western Europe destination, from my shelves, and TIOLI challenge #1.
The Fountains of Silence for book traveling Spain (Western Europe).
I have also picked up two copies of books about the same subject: Molokai for TIOLI #2 and a newer version by a different author Moloka'i, for when I book travel to island realms, about the Hawaiian Island of Molokai where there was a leper colony.
Flawless Inside the Largest Diamond Heist in History, its pretty interesting and diamonds are an interesting subject, but sometimes the book gets bogged down in minute detail instead of moving the story along. The author Selby, evidently did his thesis on diamonds so he is well versed in the subject matter. The other author Campbell, wrote Blood Diamonds, which I might search out for when I start reading some titles for the Africa theme.
Up on deck for delving into this month:
The Ghost Map about the 1854 Cholera outbreak in London, timely while living in a pandemic world, and checks off multiple boxes for various reading challenges- Western Europe destination, from my shelves, and TIOLI challenge #1.
The Fountains of Silence for book traveling Spain (Western Europe).
I have also picked up two copies of books about the same subject: Molokai for TIOLI #2 and a newer version by a different author Moloka'i, for when I book travel to island realms, about the Hawaiian Island of Molokai where there was a leper colony.
22kaida46
Finished: Fountains of Silence, time period 1950-1980's in Franco's and post Franco Spain. Quite a good book, I realized I don't know much about what happened in Spain after the revolution, even though some of it has happened in my lifetime, I was just too young to understand what it meant. (Historical fiction)
75 Book Challenge: 14 read, 61 to go!
Reading Around the World: 9
Arctic/Antarctic-4
Western Europe- 4
Asia- 1
Current reads: The Ghost Map about the London Cholera epidemic and Pawn of Prophecy, a fantasy for variation from some more serious subjects, as was mentioned by Paul in one of his earlier threads.
On deck: the old and the new Molokai books and The Zhivago Affair.
Happy Reading everyone!
75 Book Challenge: 14 read, 61 to go!
Reading Around the World: 9
Arctic/Antarctic-4
Western Europe- 4
Asia- 1
Current reads: The Ghost Map about the London Cholera epidemic and Pawn of Prophecy, a fantasy for variation from some more serious subjects, as was mentioned by Paul in one of his earlier threads.
On deck: the old and the new Molokai books and The Zhivago Affair.
Happy Reading everyone!
23PaulCranswick
>15 kaida46: I enjoyed your MEME answers, Deb. I make it something of a tradition to do it every year and the answers can be fun.
2021 was The Path to the Nest of Spiders indeed!
Wishing you a great weekend.
2021 was The Path to the Nest of Spiders indeed!
Wishing you a great weekend.
24kaida46
>23 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul!
25kaida46
Reading to date:
1. The White Darkness by David Grann (About British SAS officer, husband and father, and a man fascinated by Shackleton, Henry Worsley. NF) (146 pgs.) (Antarctica)
2. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden (322 pgs.) (started out good but devolved) (Arctic)
3. Lucky Starr and the Moons of Jupiter by Isaac Asimov (174 pgs.) (good old fashioned 50’s sci fi)
4. Where Wonders Prevail by Joan Wester Anderson (270 pages) (inspiring stories-angels, etc.)
5. SFWA Grand Masters Vol 1. Edited by Frederick Pohl (367 pgs.) (a mixed bag of stories)
6. The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See (370 pgs.) (Asia) (good)
7. The Devil and Sherlock Holmes by David Grann (330 pgs.) (Some articles interesting but over the top violent in others)
8. Corduroy Mansions by Alexander McCall Smith ( ? pgs.) (England) (good)
9. How the Penguins Saved Veronica by Hazel Prior (348 pgs.) (Antarctica)(very good, yay!)
10. The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan (332 pages) (England and Scotland) Was pretty good until the predictable and improbable romance rushed though at the end that was pretty stupid and ruined the book.)
11. Christ Stopped at Eboli by Carlo Levi (268 pages) (Italy)(observational non-fiction)
12. Old Testament and Related Studies by Hugh Nibley (250 pgs.)(ancient history and religion)
13. Flawless: Inside the Largest Diamond Heist in History by Selby & Campbell (260 pgs.) (Belgium and Italy)(pretty interesting)
14. Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys (422 pages) (Spain)(Good story, engaging characters, learned about Spain. Very good-yay!)
15. Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings (262 pages) (Belgariad Trology #1)(Typical fantasy but still a pretty good story despite the tired portrayal of middle aged/ older females.)
16. The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson (100pgs.) (not good enough to finish, rather boring, stuck on minutiae that bogs it down and is not interesting, setting-England)
17. The Angel’s Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (530 pages) (Spain, rather a train wreck of a book. Heaps of graphic violence as well. Definitely not The Shadow of the Wind, skip it.)
18. The Order by Daniel Silva (444 pgs.) (An author I have enjoyed reading for his 19, yes 19 previous books about the larger-than-life spy Gabriel Allon. This was more like a hate filled anti-Catholic rant, a la Dan Brown conspiracies. So sad. Hardly a spy novel. Maybe covid affected his brain as this came out mid-2020.)
1. The White Darkness by David Grann (About British SAS officer, husband and father, and a man fascinated by Shackleton, Henry Worsley. NF) (146 pgs.) (Antarctica)
2. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden (322 pgs.) (started out good but devolved) (Arctic)
3. Lucky Starr and the Moons of Jupiter by Isaac Asimov (174 pgs.) (good old fashioned 50’s sci fi)
4. Where Wonders Prevail by Joan Wester Anderson (270 pages) (inspiring stories-angels, etc.)
5. SFWA Grand Masters Vol 1. Edited by Frederick Pohl (367 pgs.) (a mixed bag of stories)
6. The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See (370 pgs.) (Asia) (good)
7. The Devil and Sherlock Holmes by David Grann (330 pgs.) (Some articles interesting but over the top violent in others)
8. Corduroy Mansions by Alexander McCall Smith ( ? pgs.) (England) (good)
9. How the Penguins Saved Veronica by Hazel Prior (348 pgs.) (Antarctica)(very good, yay!)
10. The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan (332 pages) (England and Scotland) Was pretty good until the predictable and improbable romance rushed though at the end that was pretty stupid and ruined the book.)
11. Christ Stopped at Eboli by Carlo Levi (268 pages) (Italy)(observational non-fiction)
12. Old Testament and Related Studies by Hugh Nibley (250 pgs.)(ancient history and religion)
13. Flawless: Inside the Largest Diamond Heist in History by Selby & Campbell (260 pgs.) (Belgium and Italy)(pretty interesting)
14. Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys (422 pages) (Spain)(Good story, engaging characters, learned about Spain. Very good-yay!)
15. Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings (262 pages) (Belgariad Trology #1)(Typical fantasy but still a pretty good story despite the tired portrayal of middle aged/ older females.)
16. The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson (100pgs.) (not good enough to finish, rather boring, stuck on minutiae that bogs it down and is not interesting, setting-England)
17. The Angel’s Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (530 pages) (Spain, rather a train wreck of a book. Heaps of graphic violence as well. Definitely not The Shadow of the Wind, skip it.)
18. The Order by Daniel Silva (444 pgs.) (An author I have enjoyed reading for his 19, yes 19 previous books about the larger-than-life spy Gabriel Allon. This was more like a hate filled anti-Catholic rant, a la Dan Brown conspiracies. So sad. Hardly a spy novel. Maybe covid affected his brain as this came out mid-2020.)
26kaida46
Attempts to read:
The Last Mona Lisa by Johnathon Santlofer
I'm on page 49 and the author has used 'ochre' to describe the color of the buildings of Florence 5 times, so I think I've wasted enough time on this one. It also feels like the story is building up to an unbelievable case of love (or lust) at first sight, so I will move on to something else. (Attempted for the Western Europe category of my book voyage around the world)
Another dud: The Zhivago Affair- started but could not continue, interesting premise, boring execution, and the author of the famed Dr. Zhivago book is so unlikeable I had no interest whatever in anything that happened to him or about the book. (Attempted for the Eastern European category)
Recently finished: Hopefully I can write about Moloka'i in my next post. (It's good!)(for the Islands portion of voyage around the world reading)
The Last Mona Lisa by Johnathon Santlofer
I'm on page 49 and the author has used 'ochre' to describe the color of the buildings of Florence 5 times, so I think I've wasted enough time on this one. It also feels like the story is building up to an unbelievable case of love (or lust) at first sight, so I will move on to something else. (Attempted for the Western Europe category of my book voyage around the world)
Another dud: The Zhivago Affair- started but could not continue, interesting premise, boring execution, and the author of the famed Dr. Zhivago book is so unlikeable I had no interest whatever in anything that happened to him or about the book. (Attempted for the Eastern European category)
Recently finished: Hopefully I can write about Moloka'i in my next post. (It's good!)(for the Islands portion of voyage around the world reading)
27kaida46
Almost done with The People of the Book, I picked it up because it was touted as being about Bosnia and I wanted to learn something about the country. While some of the book does take place in Bosnia (the beginning of the book), most of it does not, action has been in Spain, England, Boston USA, and Australia. I am also put off by the really harsh hatred towards the main character and her mother, it doesn't add to the story, it detracts. Neither character is particularly likeable but I am continuing on...
28kaida46
Finished Moloka'i and found it interesting, entertaining and a good read.
This was a historical fiction read about the Leper colony established in Hawaii in the late 1800's and what it may have been like for people who were separated from their families and made to live there. While reading, you live life along with a young girl who is diagnosed with the disease and taken from her family to that island. The author based much of the narrative on the actual experiences of persons who actually lived there. He also intersperses the story with some traditional Hawaiian folklore and beliefs. A worthwhile read.
This was a historical fiction read about the Leper colony established in Hawaii in the late 1800's and what it may have been like for people who were separated from their families and made to live there. While reading, you live life along with a young girl who is diagnosed with the disease and taken from her family to that island. The author based much of the narrative on the actual experiences of persons who actually lived there. He also intersperses the story with some traditional Hawaiian folklore and beliefs. A worthwhile read.
29kaida46
Now reading The People of the Book, I picked it up because with my reading around the world challenge I was moving into eastern Europe. The book was represented as being about Bosnia. While the beginning segment takes place in Bosnia, the book setting has moved around to Spain, England, Boston, Austria, Venice, and Australia and most of it is not taking place in Bosnia. So a bit of a disappointment there. The part about the Venice Rabbi gambling away all the money for the poor is pretty bad, but I guess it was added in to show how the manuscript might have been able to survive the destruction of books by zealous Priests during that time period.
The story follows imaginary events that may have occurred in the history of a real illuminated manuscript the Sarajevo Haggadah, which is one of the oldest surviving Jewish texts. While the manuscript's history may have an interesting story to tell, the author has created a hate filled relationship between the main character Hanna (tasked with preserving the manuscript) and her mother which is really annoying and detracts from the story. Neither Hannah nor her mother are very likeable characters.
The story follows imaginary events that may have occurred in the history of a real illuminated manuscript the Sarajevo Haggadah, which is one of the oldest surviving Jewish texts. While the manuscript's history may have an interesting story to tell, the author has created a hate filled relationship between the main character Hanna (tasked with preserving the manuscript) and her mother which is really annoying and detracts from the story. Neither Hannah nor her mother are very likeable characters.
30PaulCranswick
>29 kaida46: I have a couple of versions of that book at home, Deb, as I was given it as a present by a work colleague even though I owned it already. Haven't read it yet.
Have a lovely weekend.
Have a lovely weekend.
32kaida46
I have my son to thank for helping to reteach me about adding pictures in! Yay!
I finished People of the Book, it's pretty good even if it was not quite what I was expecting. The story around the Sarahevo Haggadah was intriguing. But the main characters were kindof unlikeable. (3 stars)
33kaida46
This is my current read:
It's a bit quirky, the author has a very dry sense of humor and it's a bit like a travelogue around the different sites of historical Byzantium. Turkish author, who is a history buff, bibliophile and resident of Istanbul. It was supposed to be written as a parody of the Dan Brown religious mystery stuff, and there is also a mystery unfolding in the story, but I am enjoying it more for the immersion into the culture and sites described. One thing I have never seen before in a book is that the author includes himself as a character, here and there in the story. Odd but interesting.
34kaida46
Updates-Read this year:
19. Moloka’i by Alan Brennert (about 300 pages) Good story, engaging characters. 5 stars (Islands)
20. People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks (370 pages) Just ok 3 stars. Unlikeable main character and hate filled dialogue with her mother is tiresome. (Eastern Europe)
21. Queen of Prophecy by David Eddings (326 pgs.)(Belgariad #2) Continuation of a typical fantasy type of story. Pretty good, not stellar. More violence in this one, and lots of descriptions of it. (3 stars)
22. Are You there God? It’s Me Margaret. By Judy Blume (171 pgs.)(Banned)
23. The Sultan of Byzantium by Selcuk Altun (287 pgs.)* (Middle East-Turkey and Europe)
Library Books: 14
Books I owned: 8
TIOLI challenges: 1
Book Voyage Around the World: 15
Misc: Sci Fi-4
Banned Books-1
Non-fiction-4
(Some categories overlap)
5695 pages read
19. Moloka’i by Alan Brennert (about 300 pages) Good story, engaging characters. 5 stars (Islands)
20. People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks (370 pages) Just ok 3 stars. Unlikeable main character and hate filled dialogue with her mother is tiresome. (Eastern Europe)
21. Queen of Prophecy by David Eddings (326 pgs.)(Belgariad #2) Continuation of a typical fantasy type of story. Pretty good, not stellar. More violence in this one, and lots of descriptions of it. (3 stars)
22. Are You there God? It’s Me Margaret. By Judy Blume (171 pgs.)(Banned)
23. The Sultan of Byzantium by Selcuk Altun (287 pgs.)* (Middle East-Turkey and Europe)
Library Books: 14
Books I owned: 8
TIOLI challenges: 1
Book Voyage Around the World: 15
Misc: Sci Fi-4
Banned Books-1
Non-fiction-4
(Some categories overlap)
5695 pages read
36kaida46
Latest:
A collection of stories all related to a loss of some kind. A mixed bag, some quite good some not so good. Shearman wrote for the Dr. Who show.
37kaida46
We are still getting days of snow here and today its a drizzle. I enjoy the taste of home made cocoa when the days are cold and usually make this minty green cocoa around St.Patty's day, which is coming up this week. So here's a recipe if anyone is interested...
Mint Hot Cocoa
2 cups milk
2 cups half and half
½ bag white chocolate chips (1 cup)
1 tsp peppermint extract
Few drops green food color
In saucepan add milk, half & half, and heat over medium until warm but not boiling.
Add white choc chips and stir until melted.
Add peppermint extract and food color, stir.
Top with whipped cream if desired, serve warm.
38kaida46
Finished this week: 
This is a historical fiction account of a group of refugees fleeing Russian troops in Poland and Prussia during WWII and gaining passage on the Wilhelm Gustloff that was ultimately sunk by Soviet submarines. Its more a serious book even though its a novel and was a subject I did not know much about. Sepetys is a good story teller even though she generally tackles more serious subject matter and these are classified as YA because the characters are in their teens mostly but they are engaging historical fiction reads without being overwhelming.
(Is there a way to modify the title of your thread? I'm thinking mine is too wordy.)
39FAMeulstee
>38 kaida46: Yes it is possible to change the title of your thread, Deb.
Jim (@drneutron), is the admin of our group, he can do so if you ask. You can leave a PM on his profile page.
Jim (@drneutron), is the admin of our group, he can do so if you ask. You can leave a PM on his profile page.
40kaida46
Finished this week: Songsmith, this one takes place in Norton's famous Witch World, but is able to be read as a stand alone without reading other books that take place in the same fantasy world (I have not read any of the others). Generally it's a good fantasy story with a bit of a saccharine ending, but then I like happy endings. One thing I enjoyed was the rather archaic language of the characters, it added an authentic feeling to the setting.
Thanks for visiting my thread, you can continue following these reading adventures on my new thread "Kaida's Reading Adventures, Part 2".
41Donna828
Hi Deb. I found your thread and see that you have started a new one already. You have an eclectic taste in books. That's good...I tend to stick to literary fiction, but am hoping to read more nonfiction this year. I like that you have challenged yourself to read around the world. I am part of Paul's Asian Challenge, and I believe we have crossed paths there.
>28 kaida46: Moloka'i was one of my favorite reads in 2019. I may read the follow-up book about her daughter one of these days.
Now I will see you on your new thread...
>28 kaida46: Moloka'i was one of my favorite reads in 2019. I may read the follow-up book about her daughter one of these days.
Now I will see you on your new thread...
