Ffortsa is fancy free in 23

Hi again. I'm Judy. Maybe we haven't met. In 2022, I didn't make it past 60 books. Oh well.

As is true for most of us 75ers, I have too many unread books on my shelves, in my Kindle library, in my mind to read. I belong to two book groups, neither of which is actually CALLED a book group, so that slows down my free range browsing a bit. Still, that should only account for 24 titles a year. Lots of room for more.

This year has been quiet, with no big trips. A few days in Saratoga Springs with friends, a trip to Williamstown, Ma. ditto. And an unplanned trip to Orlando for family reasons. I'm still walking, with two groups: Everwalk (Saturday mornings) and Shorewalkers (sometimes). It's great to get outside.

Wishing everyone a healthy happy 2023.

Goals this year: Well, not a lot. Hence the title of this thread. I'd like to read more books I own, especially the physical books on my shelves so that I can pass them on. Or just pass them on, depending on how I feel about the prospects of reading them. I'd like to read a little more seriously, that is, with intention, following an author or theme, but I haven't picked anything yet. And it would be nice to participate in some of the group reads, regional challenges, etc. that I always seem to find too late.

I got immensely behind on reading threads last year, and I'm afraid that will happen again. Some of you have such splendid activity, I'll never keep up. So please don't be miffed if I miss your doings along the way. There's just not enough time, you know, with reading and all. And music. And exercise. And theater. And all the usual chores of life. I promise to read at least some posts as a reward for washing the kitchen floor.

Reserved for tickers, book titles as I read them, and technical explanations.



January
1. @Nobody's Fool by Richard Russo
2. @The Treacherous Net by Helene Tursten
3. @Bruno, Chief of Police by Martin Walker
4. @Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan
5. @The Locked Room by Elly Griffiths
6. @Semicolon by Cecelia Watson
7. Do Less: A Minimalist Guide to a Simplified, Organized, and Happy Life
8. @An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine
9. ♬The Silver Pig by Lindsey Davis
10. On Rereading by Patricia Myer Spacks
11. @Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead
12. @The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams
13. @The Dark Vineyard by Martin Walker
14. ✔The Tiger in the Smoke by Margery Allingham
15. @The Marx Sisters: A Brock and Kolla Mystery
16. @A Hero of Our Time by Michail Lermontov
17. @Shadows in Bronze by Lindsey Davis
18. @Professor Chandra Follows His Bliss by Rajeev Balasubramanyam
19. @Moonflower Murders by Anthony Horowitz
20. @The Sacred and Profane Love Machine by Iris Murdoch
21. @Bryant and May on the Loose by Christopher Fowler
22. @The White Hotel by D. M. Thomas
23. @The House Sitter by Peter Lovesy
24. @Home by Toni Morrison
25. @Jar City by Arnaldur Indradison
26. @Silence of the Grave by Arnaldur Indradison
27. The Last Remains by Elly Griffiths
28. Mess by Barry Yourgrau
29. @Bryant and May off the Rails by Christopher Fowler
30. @The Big Cat Nap by Rita Mae Brown
31. @Billy Liar by Keith Waterhouse
32. @The Cat Who Played Brahms by Lilian Jackson Braun

DNF
A Few Right Thinking Men by Sulari Gentill (DNF)

Deaccessioned



Icons modified from Bianca's list
♬ audiobook
✔ off the shelf
@ e-book
✿ TIOLI
↩ reread
✗ Never-ending.

Best wishes on your 2023 reading!

Happy New Year, Judy. I look forward to following your reading in 2023, and who knows, maybe joining in one of your Zoom discussions!

Wishing you a comfortable reading year in 2023, Judy.

I will be keeping up with you as always dear lady.

Hi Judy--Stopping by to wish you a great New Year. I will try to follow along this year better than I managed last year. I'm also hoping for a trip to NYC sometime in the spring. If not, we will be in NY in July for our big family reunion. Hope we can get together at some point.

Welcome back! Hoping to see you in NYC sometime this year...

Welcome back, Judy!

Happy stress free 2023!

Hey, Judy! I hope you have a wonderful, book-filled 2023!

Happy New Year, Judy! Dropping a star. I also have no reading plans for the year - I'm just going to read what calls to me in the moment.

Thanks for all your hellos. Mamie, I'm especially glad to hear from you.

happy new year, Judy!

Happy New Year, Judy. We are closing out another wonderful year of books and banter and I am looking forward to sharing another with you.

Hey Judy, happy new year and thread! Starring for future. I like the idea of being fancy free with reading

Hi Judy, I'm dropping my star and hope to do better following along this year.

Hi Judy! Happy New Year.

I like your alliteration - ffortsa is fancy free. Good luck with the clearing off of shelves either by reading or just passing - I'm doing the same and have already culled over 20 books.

Happy new year and new thread, Judy. Dropping a star though I don't post much. I do lurk and I am so with you on the need to cull. Probably the key to that (for me, anyhow) is to not bring more in than goes out. Easier said than done... Good luck to us both!

Happy new year and new thread! I hope your fancy free reading is full of delight!

My mother has been dead almost 8 years. Today she received a solicitation to join the National Rifle Association.

If she's a zombie, she hasn't come to visit.

I take a lot more pictures than I post, but here are some from the first weekend of the year. The weather, as you can see, has been strangely warm for the holiday.

Saturday, my walking group took in the northern end of Central Park.





Then on January 1st, it was bright sun for my own local walk. This is my favorite tree in the area, somehow graceful and defiant in front of First Presbyterian Church



It's continued 'unseasonably warm', damp, not my idea of a crisp winter day. Sigh.

Judy, I look forward to seeing your photos posted here on LT. You are a talented photographer, and I enjoy your beautiful photos.

It was a joy to meet you and Jim at two meet ups.

I send wishes for reading lots of books off your shelves, continuing on your journey of walking, and I long to learn of your impressions of plays that you and Jim attend.

>21 ffortsa: - I guess that's one way to try to boost membership?

>22 ffortsa: Linda, we must have been posting at the same time, just as I was putting up the year's first images. Jim and I were a little concerned when we didn't see you posting, so our minds are now eased.

I think Jim posted about the musical we saw last week. Check out his thread for the details. We've got another one coming up on Friday.

Thanks for the good wishes. I hope you have a joyful year!

Judy, I don't like to frequently post about my degenerative condition and the way in which it causes severe pain. This is, as you know, a very supportive group. Therefore, many, like you know that when I don't post, most likely I'm going through a rough patch. Mid January I will have my fifth infusion. While they don't help as much as I need, they do bring some relief.

I know you had some health issues in 2022, and hope you are fall free. As mentioned before, I am very glad that I had two opportunities to spend time with you and Jim during the New York and Philadelphia meet ups. It was such a joy to get to know both of you face to face!

I hope 2023 brings lots of walking, reading, attending plays and visiting museums.

All good wishes are sent your way!

I've been catching up on magazines (preliminary to tossing them), and the November/December issue of the Smithsonian is a real treasure. I've reviewed some of the items on my thread "ffortsa breezes through 2022" in "Magazines!!!!!...." if you would care to look. I'd give you the exact link, but my html memory has temporarily failed me.

>22 ffortsa: Great pics--we had dense fog yesterday in Chicago; glad it's gone, but sorry you got it. Temps are dropping today--it's almost feeling like winter.

Hi, Judy! - personally I can't function without a plan, but I admire those who can. :)

I'm enjoying your photographs very much so please continue to post. I have a favourite tree, too, which I might photograph and post when the weather clears (or if: our weather has reverted to rain being the norm, occasionally broken by a bit of sun, sigh).

Best wishes for a productive and enjoyable reading year!

>21 ffortsa: LOL

>22 ffortsa: Wonderful photos! Please keep sharing them with us. : )

Judy, your photos are full of fabulous! Hoping you continue to share them throughout the year.

Mamie, I will do my best. Usually I intend to post them, but then get distracted and time marches on. More photos on the way this year. And thanks for liking them!

I've now made a first round of all the named threads. Of course, people keep posting, so it's not like I've caught up to most of you. No one is starred yet - as my partner Jim would say, I'm choosing my rhymes. But I'll try to stop in everywhere from time to time, at least. Just going down the list once delivered more book bullets than I was prepared for!

eta: Aw come on Paul! A second thread already??? I'm doomed.

I love the foggy photos so much! It's been foggy recently here in Istanbul too, and unfortunately also unseasonably warm.

Starring your thread and hoping to be better at making myself present in other people's threads this year.

>32 ffortsa: Aw come on Paul! A second thread already??? I'm doomed. 🤣 Love it.

Great photos, Judy. I love the foggy ones.

>33 ursula: Ursula, it's been horribly warm here too. I tend to like the crispness of a (relatively) mild winter, sunny and a bit below freezing, but it's been so warm that I'm wearing shorts today! I may have to move north in my old age.

I've been scanning a bit through the threads again. What to do, read threads or read books? Hm.

And it's getting colder. Time to put the shorts away.

I tossed the New Yorkers from the second quarter of 2022 today, unread. I'll probably bite the bullet and do the same to the third quarter by the end of the week, and the rest by the end of the month, as I abide by my resolve not to pile up magazines this year.

A good walk this morning in the park, and some good talk with both new and old friends. I've been reading a Irene Huss mystery, with an unusual number of murders and a new and seemingly anti-Huss superintendent in place.

Dropping a star - I am looking forward to fine pictures and books.
Have a wonderful day, Judy!

Wishing you a simply wonderful weekend, Judy.

1. Nobody's Fool by Richard Russo

I've been thinking of reading this author for some time, and I'm so glad I finally did. The writing is delicious and accessible, and the characters in this story really stay with you. Sully is the 'fool' in the story, damaged by his childhood and a regrettable tendency to do exactly what he shouldn't, even when he knows his choices are wrong. But he has friends - his 80 year old landlady Beryl Persons, his on-again, off-again lover Ruth, his work partner Rub, his lawyer Wirf, his sometime employer Carl, his long-absent son Peter. He's nursing a bad knee, a broken family and a disability claim. But he is generous and even kind in his own way.

The town of North Bath in upstate New York is emblematic of the decline of small towns everywhere, when one inexplicable change can ruin an economy. But people stay, perhaps because their web of connections is strong.

I almost gave up on this book about 50 pages in, wondering why I should care about such a ne'er-do-well, self-destructive man, but my book group was reading it so I persevered, and not long after that became another of Sully's supportive friends.

There are two sequels - I'll be sure to read on.

DNF: A Few Right Thinking Men by Sulani Gentil.

Pedestrian mystery set in the rich and sometimes arty class in Australia during the Depression. Painfully Victorian plot. I didn't care. Live is too short.

>41 ffortsa: - I have loved everything by Russo I've read, and I'm hoarding the ones I haven't yet read :)

If you ever want something very funny, I recommend his Straight Man, a bit of a satire about academia.

2. The Treacherous Net by Helene Tursten

The 8th entry in the Irene Huss police procedurals, this story has several concurrent cases, one involving entrapment of young girls over the internet, another the discovery of a long-ago murdered man walled up in a chimney. Huss has a new boss, a manipulative woman who flirts with the men and doesn't seem to be able to see the only other woman on her staff. That trouble is bound to carry over to the next book.

>42 katiekrug: Part of the reason I wanted to read Russo was your constant praise. Thanks!

>41 ffortsa: My husband is now reading Russo's Everybody's Fool. He likes writing by this author.

It seems as though you've gotten a good start to your reading for 2023, Judy. Nobody's Fool sounds like one I'd like. I really enjoyed Empire Falls.

I've read Bridge of Sighs and Empire Falls by Russo. Since I enjoyed them, I better add Nobody's Fool to my WL, especially since it has the highest LT rating of the 3 and you really liked it!!

You asked in my thread for an English translation of Kaiserstuhl.
The author answered my request very quickly, unfortunately there is no translation.
I am sorry.

>48 SirThomas: Thanks for asking the question.

I was looking around for a ROOT today and decided to read Francine Prose's book Reading Like a Writer: A Guide for People Who Love Books (the touchstone wouldn't allow me to put in the whole title!), which has been sitting on my shelves so long it's definitely foxed. When she started quoting examples of good opening paragraphs, I immediately wanted to read each piece, which of course was her point - how to engage the reader by careful and sometimes unexpected word choices. I've decided to try to read each of the stories from which she has quoted, as I go along. I used to do a lot of close reading when I was in school (back in the dark ages), but I've gotten lazy, and I know I'll have more fun if I pay attention.

eta: short stories I'm reading in parallel with this text
1. "A Good Man Is Hard to Find"- Flannery O'Connor
2. "The Daughters of the Late Colonel" - Katherine Mansfield
3. "Dulse" - Alice Munro (not yet obtained - grump)

>41 ffortsa: I love this book! I need to do a reread and then read the sequels. Nice review, Judy. I also really enjoyed Empire Falls.

>50 ffortsa: This one sounds good. I look forward to following your journey through it.

I forgot to mention that I'm listening to a Great Courses recording on the Early Middle Ages, which is quite fine and a very good book for walking. It took me from the south end of Broadway to home on 14th St. today, and filled in a lot of gaps in my knowledge of, for instance, Justinian, and the curious survival of the Byzantine side of the Roman Empire for 1000 years after the actual fall of Rome.

Happy reading in 2023, Judy!

>41 ffortsa: I have not yet read any Richard Russo and unfortunately, my local library still does not have a copy of that one, which has been in the BlackHole for a while now. I really must track down a copy.

Sorry to hear about the Gentill book. I read The Woman in the Library by her last year and enjoyed it.

>43 ffortsa: Yeah, my local library does not have that series either. *sigh*

I hope you continue to post your photos throughout the year. They are lovely.

Have a terrific Tuesday, Judy!

I'm so glad you've read Russo. He is definitely one of my all-time favorite authors.

I loved the Prose book, Judy. Enjoy.

>47 Berly: The three "Fool" books are a trilogy so you might want to take them in order: Somebody's Fool, Everybody's Fool , Nobody's Fool. I love everything he's written.

>57 RebaRelishesReading: I thought they went in the opposite order. Am I off my rocker?

>58 Crazymamie: - Not off your rocker. NF was the first, followed by EF (which I still have to read). I hadn't heard of SF but see that it's being published this summer!

>58 Crazymamie: Nope -- I am. I couldn't remember the order, googled it and they were listed new to old. I didn't catch it. Sorry :(

We hosted a whirlwind visit from Suzanne (Chatterbox) this week, providing a place to crash for her quick here-and-back trip to NYC. Always nice to see fellow LT folks and catch up in person. Great resistance to photo proof, however.

I seem to be in a book funk. Started and put down a few books I thought would hold my interest, and they did for a while, but not long enough to finish. It's been coming on for a while, as if I'm avoiding reading the way I avoid practicing, washing the kitchen floor, etc. Really not sure why. I can listen to books if I'm doing something else, but I'm clearly craving something I can't identify. Sigh.

I did start reading Bruno, Chief of Police last night, thinking that a police procedural would be just what I needed, but there are so many descriptions and introductions that I was a bit turned off. Quite justifiable for a first in a series, and yet...

Judy, I am sorry about the book funk. I went through one of those last year, and it was not fun. Hoping yours is short lived.

I love Bruno, but I get what you are saying.

>59 katiekrug:, >60 RebaRelishesReading: No worries, I just could not remember. I have only read Nobody's Fool, and I was thinking, did I start at the end?

>62 ffortsa: We enjoy Bruno as entertainment on car trips -- always audio. We like it as much for the descriptions of life in Provence as for the actual police part. Maybe good for listening to when walking?

>64 RebaRelishesReading: Finished Bruno this afternoon, and it did grow on me after a while. I'll probably stop by the series again.

3. Bruno, Chief of Police by Martin Walker

The first in a modern police procedural series (cellphones exist!) that introduces Bruno and the town of St. Denis. There's lots of description and a good deal of food, and I gave in to the details of life in a small French town that doesn't necessarily want Paris or the EU cramping its style and traditions. I was also interested to read about the history of war in the 20th century as well as the Algerian colonial situation.

As it happened, tonight I was watching an old episode of 'Vera' in which the British participation in the war in Afghanistan is featured. There was a certain resonance of war and revenge between the two books.

Hi Judy! Hope the book funk doesn't last.

>65 ffortsa: Yay! You finished Bruno! Hope that means the book funk is over. : )

4. Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan

Read for my 'uptown' book group discussion scheduled for Monday.

I'll say more about it after we discuss, but will say I found it utterly beautiful, and painful.

>68 ffortsa: We read that for our book club in December (right before Christmas, appropriately) and we had a good discussion. After 2 months on the waiting list, Keegan's book Foster just came in for me at the library, so I'll be reading it in the next day or two.

>68 ffortsa: I read that one last year and loved it. I am so glad to see you enjoyed it.

Have a fantastic Friday, Judy!

>68 ffortsa: and on to the book wish list it went :)

>68 ffortsa: I loved that one, too, Judy.

Hoping that your weekend is full of fabulous!

5. The Locked Room by Elly Griffiths

I must have liked it because I read it cover to cover in one day! But there isn't much archaeology here. What was spooky to me is that it landed me right back in March 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic in New York, applauding the 'essential workers' and improvising masks. Amazing how it all came back in a great whoosh.

Sorry to say that I figured out the villain very early, and wanted to scream at the police to pay attention. Sheesh what an obvious clue. But maybe that's because I knew it was a mystery story and not real life, and clues are not to be ignored. The problem was I didn't really believe the modus operandi.

I hear this is to be the last book in this series. If so, the ending is fitting if tantalizing.

>73 ffortsa: Judy, there is one more book coming - The Last Remains is supposed to come out in April of this year.

*edited because there is no touchstone

Is it someone's birthday today???

Sorry I missed Kim's message yesterday. Hope you had a lovely day, whether it was your birthday or not :)

>74 Crazymamie: oh, that's a relief. I wouldn't like it to end on this cliff-hanger.

I enjoyed the first Bruno book; I need to return to the series. I love the setting and the food!

Small Things Like These was one of my favorites last year. I'll be interested in your book club discussion.

Happy birthday?

>78 BLBera: Thanks for the question mark. Happy will have to wait until next week, I think, but the event, by number, was yesterday.

Also yesterday, I found a book titled Semicolon on my Kindle. It's fascinating, and sometimes a hoot. Yes, my nerd friends, it is about the punctuation mark, how it came to be, what people thought its usage should be, and how our best writers use it today. At least that's as far as I got to date. So far, really, really good.

I will probably follow this with An Unnecessary Woman for my February 7th reading group meeting. Or maybe I can slip in something in between.

Semicolon sounds most entertaining!

>41 ffortsa: I've added Nobody's Fool to my TBR list. Thanks for you review!

So it was indeed your birthday; when do we get to sing to you? See how I used a semicolon there? LOL. Actually that book sounds really good. : )

6. Semicolon by Cecelia Watson

So this little book, which I was crowing about in >79 ffortsa: above, continued to delight. What I especially appreciated was her discussion of how various authors used the semicolon, including Raymond Chandler, Herman Melville, and Henry James. She also does a devastating takedown of David Foster Wallace concerning his teaching methods. Lots of footnotes, some of them very interesting, lots of bibliography if you like exploring further. It's about as un-nerdy as a book on punctuation could be, neither 'descriptive' nor 'prescriptive' in the linguistic sense, but more 'suggestive'; find out how a semicolon can serve you.

Well, tonight is the 'dress rehearsal' for my chamber music workshop recital on Sunday. I feel woefully underprepared, teetering on the edge of disaster. If I can hold it together until Sunday evening after the recital, I will be very grateful to the music gods. I just don't practice enough, or intensely enough, and then of course I'm racing to squeeze in a few more rounds of the hard parts.

That's not to say it would have been nice to have had an uninterrupted set of sessions with all in attendance. I was there, trained to never miss a rehearsal as I was.

We only have 10 minutes of playing to get through, and I think we are going first, which should allow us to sit in the audience and hear the other groups in our recital period. So any embarrassment should be short-lived. Still...

When this is over, I have to read An Unnecessary Woman for February 7th. And maybe I can squeeze in Charlotte's Web before the end of the month, for the January American Authors challenge.

I love chamber music and wish I could be there to hear you et al

>83 ffortsa: You got me with that one, Judy. Adding it to The List.

How did the dress rehearsal go?

>86 Crazymamie: The rehearsal went better than I had imagined, but when I listen to the recording the flute player made on her phone, I'm still out of tune too often. And in a trio sonata, there's no place to hide. So more practicing before Sunday. Reba, you'd be much better off listening to the pros!

Speaking of which, I did get tickets to hear a group play the Dvorak Piano Quintet and a piece by Chaussen (sp?) next Thursday at a nearby college venue. The Dvorak is one of my favorite pieces. Back when I was playing my best, I was in a class where we spent a whole semester on it. By then my own performance will be history and I will be able to enjoy someone else's playing.

7. I just got the Do Less: A Minimalist Guide to a Simplified, Organized, and Happy Life book (mentioned by JustChris on the decluttering thread), and skimmed it. Unfortunately, it's a little like a cross between Marie Kondo and Lear's older daughters. Why have an office? Can't you use your laptop on the dining room table? No bookshelves in the bedroom! Only three pots. One pair of jeans.

Some suggestions are what I would call 'classic', as in everyone says to do them. Turn your hangers around in your closet, and only turn them around after you've worn something; toss whatever you haven't worn at the end of the season. Only buy the food you will use in the next few days. Sure, anyone going to use an entire bunch of cilantro by Friday?

Some comments are reasonable. I have far too many plastic containers (yes, they all have covers), but no, I won't necessarily put the pot with the leftovers in the refrigerator to eat the next day for breakfast. I do have too many knives, because I inherited a set of Henkels from a friend of mine, thinking they would be better than the ones I had, but I didn't sharpen either of the sets, so now I have too many (dull) knives. Good catch. There are two of us, but does that mean we should only have two bowls? And how does keeping your cupboards and refrigerator bare, shopping for your meals each day, actually save time? and so forth.

In short, because I do need to get rid of stuff, the book is stimulating, but because it is a little draconian, or perhaps in the spirit of Thoreau in the cabin near Walden Pond, also a little too enthusiastic about minimalism, which raises my hackles.

All that said, the effort continues.

eta: Jonat also recommends excising those many hobbies and habits you don't want to continue, and then, paradoxically, looking through a course catalog to see what you might add. I've done that all my adult life. What I need now is what the book title promises: Do Less

Good luck with your recital. At least with the piano, there is no worrying about being out of tune! I sprained my wrist the week before our recital last fall, so I missed it. :)

I think Semicolon is one I would love. When Kurt Vonnegut was asked about writing advice, he said, "Never use a semicolon." That is the one thing I remember about his memoir.

All the best for your recital, Judy!

>88 ffortsa: Don't feel bad--even Marie Kondo has given up:

https://www.npr.org/2023/01/29/1152149068/marie-kondo-revealed-shes-kind-of-give...

Ah. As a person living with a partner in 720 square feet of space, her advice, while sometimes over the top, is resonant. I'm determined to get rid of at least some of the stuff we definitely do not need.

Brian Lehrer on WNYC was inviting people to call in, by 'cohort', to tell him what the most significant event in their lives was. I didn't listen much, but he was on Fresh Air today talking about it, and I realized that the most significant event for me was probably not something I was aware of at the time. The Salk vaccine, and later the Sabin, removed the threat of polio from the Baby Boom generation. Life would have been very different if that threat had continued.

>93 ffortsa: Good one, Judy. Made me think of all of the things my mother wouldn't let me do because I "might" get polio (like sit on bare concrete, no idea where she got that one from). Given the life-altering consequences of polio getting rid of that worry was indeed HUGE.

I need to read that book Semicolon, Judy. Years ago I got a job assignment to edit magazine columns written by the boss into a book. I was young and smug and really worked over his writings. My supervisor was so startled by the "manuscript" I produced that he had the entire thing retyped so the liberties I had taken would be less apparent. The boss's only comment to me, after having read the ms, was "I don't use semicolons." Spoken in a conversational tone, without further explanation. I was so oblivious it zipped right past me. At that time; way later it hit me.

Well, the recital is OVER. We did better than I had dared hope, but I was still sometimes out of tune. More work needed, of course. These days, when you can set up a phone to record a video, you can't really sugar-coat your memories.

Other combinations were of varying strength, but none substantially better than we were, I think. So I didn't feel too embarrassed.

On my magazine thread, I've just posted a comment on the contents of the October 3, 2022 issue of the New Yorker, which has a great article on 'The Wasteland' on its 100th birthday. If you are interested in the poem, you may be able to read the article here

>97 ffortsa: Thanks for that Judy, I was able to read it. The Waste Land was part of my A-Level syllabus in school and I readily admit that when I first read it, I understood very little of it. I have read it and re-read it (last time two years ago) and it is definitely one of the greatest works of the 20th Century.

>98 PaulCranswick: Glad it was available to you. I first read it in college, so I had a few notes from the professor, which I've now forgotten. I'm due for another round.

I've been reading the book On Rereading by Patricia Meyer Spacks, which Beth was kind enough to forward to me. Imagine, a hard-cover book! So far, Spacks has talked about rereading in general, rereading the Narnia books, and now rereading Jane Austen. When she indirectly quoted a letter Darcy sends to Elizabeth, I had to look it up, and spent the last hour agreeably drifting through the conclusion of Pride and Prejudice. So now I'm reading two books (the other one on writing by Francine Prose) that send me to other books along the way.

>96 ffortsa: Glad to read the recital went well, Judy.
You don't HAVE to watch the video, give memory a chance to fade ;-)

I'm glad you are enjoying On Rereading, Judy.

Judy, Kudos for a recital well done!

I admire your courage!

I am happy for you!

>100 ffortsa: I loved On Rereading, but then again I love to reread!

Did you know that Spacks did the annotations for Pride and Prejudice: An Annotated Edition? It's big and heavy, but gorgeous and so well done:

>96 ffortsa: Congratulations! I'm glad your recital went well and I think it's wonderful that you're in a group and doing recitals. I think making music with a group is one of life's great pleasures.

Thanks for the encouragement. The video is a good check on what I think I'm capable of, and what I need to work on. And I'll bring it to my teacher so she can draw her own plans of what I should work on.

>102 BLBera:, >105 kac522: On Rereading is not quite what I thought it would be, but it just may be better. I'm very impressed with how much Spacks finds in the Austen books; it looks like I will have to reread Emma again!

We actually went to the movie house and saw a movie yesterday: The Fabelmans. It's really terrific, and Michelle Williams is glorious in her part. Recommend it highly.

We don't go to the movie houses that often. The one we like the best, with reserved stadium seating, is only a block away from us, but we've heard that Regal is closing it as part of their strategic regrouping - i.e. trying not to go bankrupt. And I can see why. Of course it was a Wednesday night, but this is an Oscar nominated film and there were maybe a dozen people in a 91 seat theater. This Regal is also where we go to see the opera films, and the sound is amazing. So on the one hand, I wasn't worried about masking, but I did wish the theater could stay open.

>79 ffortsa: Semicolon sounds like it is a book I need to read. Thanks for the mention, Judy.

I loved An Unnecessary Woman when I read it last year. I hope you enjoy it too, Judy.

>83 ffortsa: Yes, I definitely need to read it!

>96 ffortsa: Yay for the recital being over - and you survived it, which I am sure is some relief to you :)

>100 ffortsa: Adding On Rereading to the BlackHole. I re-read pretty often, especially of the In Death series (shocking, I know) and will be curious to see what Spacks has to say.

>109 alcottacre: I'm about half-way through An Unnecessary Woman and liking it very much.

As for rereading, I've reread everything from mystery series to classics. Nothing wrong with that. When I was finally through with the Spencer books, I had read them at least twice, maybe three times, and gave them all away. Other series have gone as well, after thorough rereading. It's hard to let go of books until I've wrung them out! So reread away!

>50 ffortsa: I read and loved the Francine Prose book a few years ago, and I recall her saying she reads a Chekov story every day. So I bought a multi-volume set of Chekov stories (13 volumes I think) and started reading a story a day. I got through the first 3 volumes before the habit died. I should get back to it.

>100 ffortsa: I have On Rereading on my Kindle. I need to get to it.

Hear you're in for some brutally cold weather tonight. Stay warm!

>111 arubabookwoman: Thirteen volumes?? I didn't realize he was so prolific. I have quite a few collections of short stories (the complete stories of ...), but I don't often read them. One a day would be a good discipline, although discipline is not my strong point!

Yes, we are going down to single digits tonight and tomorrow, unusual for us even in February. With windchill, it will feel below zero, the weatherfolk say. I traveled to Brooklyn for my violin lesson today, and we may go to a concert in the neighborhood tomorrow evening if it isn't too arctic out there. It's only a few blocks, and I hate to have a fine pianist like Jeremy Denk play to an empty house, even if the organization is continuing to stream the concerts afterwards.

>112 ffortsa: I agree Judy. The Complete Stories of........ or The Collected Stories of......... look great on the shelves but rarely get enough attention and it is because one story after the other becomes a real slog.

I was thinking of choosing a few say four or five and then reading the stories in turn but over four or five months as it could be more chewable :

So maybe Alice Munro, John Cheever, V.S.Pritchett, Helen Simpson & Nadine Gordimer.

Several years ago I read 10 short story collections at the same time one story each from each collection in turn and it worked really well. Maybe......

Congrats on the recital!

>112 ffortsa:, >113 PaulCranswick: I have 40+ short story collections on my TBR and I never seem to be motivated to crack them open. So this year I am selecting 2 medium-sized collections per month, and reading one story per day. Most of these have 10-12 stories each, so it works well for one month. I like your "rotation" method, Paul. I might try that this month. Hopefully if I stick to my schedule I can make some headway in that department.

>113 PaulCranswick: That rotation is a good idea, Paul. I might put all the short story collections I have as physical books on one shelf so I can facilitate that discipline. Online, I already have them marked in a 'short story' collection here. And I might replace the 'collected stories..' volumes with electronic ones as they become affordable. Some of those books are really heavy.

But I have a collected stories edition of Somerset Maugham that I won't replace!

I'm slowly going through some of my physical books, seeing what I can let go of and what I might want to replace with ebooks. Somehow, I had Excuse Me, Your Life Is Waiting by Lynn Grabhom on my shelf. I'm not one of those that goes for this 'Secret' philosophy. Why do I have this??? Out, out, out.

It's hard to look at all the books on my shelf and realize how many of them I haven't read. Some are in the catalog at the library (at least for now), some I listed on my Amazon wish list for when they come on sale as e-books. I don't really care how many of those I stockpile, but the physical books are another matter. I'm tired of looking at them and then ordering an e-book from the library instead. So I'm going to try, one shelf at a time, to ROOT them, allowing myself to DNF them if warranted. Everyone is recommending such enticing titles. Sigh.

Oh, yes, movies. So far, of the movies mentioned for Oscar nominations in one category or another, we have seen 'Tar', The Fabelmans', and 'Everything Everywhere All At Once'. More to come, I hope. We are losing our lovely Regal multiplex on the corner, but not right away, so we will bid farewell a number of times, I suspect. Anyone have any opinions on the films we've seen so far?

>119 ffortsa: Hi Judy. Doing a return visit.

I liked those pictures you posted! And they help me picture where you live.

Minimalism: it’s so hard to declutter. What is clutter, anyway. I do remember my first years living on my own. Moving from room 1 to room 2 in my first year in Amsterdam all my belongings fitted in the back of a small car. Not anymore, and that’s mainly because of too many books. I like the advice of keeping the ones you love best.

>119 ffortsa: I am sorry you are losing your movie theater! We might be getting ours back, but we don’t go to the movies anymore, because none of the movie theaters have decent ventilation. (Covid)

>120 EllaTim: Have you ever visited New York City? I've posted the pictures that make me happy, but most of it is brick, concrete and glass, of course. Thanks for saying you like them!

>108 ffortsa: Too bad about the theatre closing. I hate when something good closes in my area for no reason. Hope you find a replacement theatre that is just as good as this one.

>122 figsfromthistle: Oh there are others around, even some with reserved seating, so we won't be bereft. It's just annoying when something that has become a habit has to change. We had a great little takeout sushi and poke bowl place in the building, and now it's a bubble tea shop.

An article that gives me great comfort about my forgetfulness of books I've read:
from the New Yorker 2013

8. An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine

I read this for one of our reading groups and it went over very well. I loved the main character's voice, her acerbic way of dealing with people, undercut by her deep sense of valuelessness. Each year, she translates a classic text using English and French translations from the original Russian or German, and by doing this and reading she has educated herself in philosophy, literature and music. In her monologue, we learn about her early life, her marriage, her neighbors, her dearest friend, and her city, Beirut, with its layers of history, presented almost like a palimpsest to the reader. Change comes with an astonishing rapprochement and a comic domestic accident, which may lead her to a newer, fuller appreciation of herself and life.

9. The Silver Pig by Lindsey Davis

I listened to this, and learned that listening to a good mystery story well read can make me forget to do anything else until it's finished. The first Didius Falco mystery, set in ancient Rome with excursions northward, is a gem, and if the street descriptions had been of New York instead, I could have followed them blindfolded. A great romp, a vivid depiction of life in Rome and Britain in the time of Vespasian, with a rom-com thrown in. I hope to read the next one, but the audio was so delicious, I might listen instead.

Last night we saw the film 'The Banshees of Inisherin', streaming with helpful closed captioning, although I don't think we would have needed it. We should have realized, after having seen several of Michael McDonagh's stage plays, that it wouldn't be a comedy, but somehow we weren't prepared for the deep despair, the entrapped emotions of this film. Brilliantly acted and photographed, heartbreaking.

Sometimes the light is perfect


and from today, near the highest point in Central Park

>127 ffortsa:. Great pictures!

Hi there! Trying to get caught up here, there and everywhere. LOL. Love the pictures just above. And wishing you luck and perseverance as you try to whittle down the book collections. I keep getting hit by all these great new books and apparently I don't read fast enough because the piles just keep growing!! : )

I'm reading Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead for my next book group, on Monday, but it's not grabbing me. According to Kindle, I have about another 4 1/2 hours to go, so it will get read in time. After that, it's The Dictionary of Lost Words for March 6th. I hope to get some time to read something else in between. Progress has been a little slow lately. It's not exactly a book funk; it's more like casting about for something else, as of yet unidentified.

>127 ffortsa: Amazing pictures!
>130 ffortsa: I think you might find some ideas here in the group ;-).

>127 ffortsa: Cool tree! Do you know what it is?

>132 qebo: No, alas, I don't know what kind of tree it is. If I get to go on a ranger walk in the area, or maybe do a search online, it would be interesting to find out.

>131 SirThomas: Thank you, Sir! And no doubt, I could find lots of suggestions among my friends here. Also on my neglected shelves, of course. And my bedside table.

Hi Judy. I think I had lost you in the transition to 2023 but I've found you now!

I love both photos in >127 ffortsa:.

>135 EBT1002: Thanks! Glad you found me.

>127 ffortsa: I love the photos, Judy. Although I am a Whitehead fan, Harlem Shuffle underwhelmed me.

>108 ffortsa: Hi Judy. I've heard all good things about the movie The Fabelmans. Will's cousin called to say that one of the main characters looks very much like Will. She said it made her smile, but maybe it would be difficult for me to see such a clear image of someone might make me feel sad.

I am going to see if there is a trailer of the movie on Netflixs.

Thanks again for the Lorenna McKennitt CD. I love her music!

I've been going through my non-fiction books, many of which relate to literary criticism, although I never really got an education in that while in college. Someone told me you don't get into the critic wars until grad school, so that might explain it. Some of them I will keep, especially the ones written by fine writers, but the ones that are mostly professorial lectures are going out, along with other books that I won't get to, or won't get to in paper form. Many I picked up during or just after college, when I pretended to be an intellectual. Not really my thing anymore, at least not in large, complicated doses.

11. Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead

This novel generated a lot of discussion in my book group. Although I didn't find it completely compelling, it does track with interesting detail the conditions in Harlem through the decades of the 1950s and 1960s, and how the best of intentions were rarely enough to move a family into the relative comforts of the middle class. The lead character, Carney, surmounts a difficult childhood, gets himself through college and into business, but cannot escape the routines of bribery and sidelines in fencing, or the violence that sometimes erupts. The story shows the various paths and dangers through other characters, as well.

I found the book slow to start, and probably would not have finished it if not for the planned discussion, but it was definitely worth finishing.

>140 ffortsa: Harlem Shuffle was one of my top ten reads from last year. I've read 3 novels by Whitehead now & they've all been excellent.

Whew. We had a couple over for dinner and a movie last night. That rarely happens here, and Jim was kind enough to cook the main dish, beef and broccoli, and brave enough to use a recipe we hadn't tried (not spicy enough, in the end). It went well, although 'Glass Onion' was not as delightful as advertised a movie. Nice to see Edward Norton in what I think was an unusual role for him, however.

And because we had guests, we got a lot of the stuff just standing around in the living room put away, which makes the place look a lot bigger and more orderly. Yay.

Next prescribed reading is The Dictionary of Lost Words, but between now and the first Tuesday in March, I should be able to pay attention to some of the half-read books on the nightstand, and/or pack up or get rid of more of the books that need to go. I'm determined to make space in the bedroom for something more creative, maybe some sewing or quilting or - something.

The purveyors of audiobooks are annoying me. They have constrained the New York Public Library, and I assume other libraries, to only provide their audio in streaming mode, not as downloads. This means, in a city like NYC, that a listener is cut off while on the subway in Manhattan and most of the other boroughs, since we can only access streaming at or near the stations. Complete bummer. I can understand why - the vendors have not figured out a way to 'retrieve' the file at the end of the borrowing time, although that should be able to be worked out with embedded software. Audible makes a point of stating that once you buy an audio from them it is yours forever, as you can just download it and keep it. Sigh. I really don't want to buy a lot of audiobooks, but I do take the subway a lot.

I also meant to report that Jim and I had walked down from Lincoln Center (at 63rd St) to 23rd St along 9th Avenue, for a distance of two miles plus any cross-town distance, a few days ago, between a play we saw and a dinner we attended. For almost the entire length of the walk, we saw restaurant after restaurant, from fast food to deli, to higher end. I had the same experience on a short street (about 8 blocks) near me just yesterday. Strangers must think New Yorkers don't have kitchens in their apartments. Secret answer: we do, although some of them are too tiny to be believed.

>143 ffortsa: - I get audio books from the NYPL and use the Libby app to download them to my phone so they are available whenever I want to listen.

>144 katiekrug: have you tried recently? That's what I was trying to do, but I was told by the techie that although the librarians protested, it was no longer an available feature.

>145 ffortsa: - I just tested, and it's weird because it says it's downloading, but then there is also a message (only visible when I click the little card with a check inside it) saying it will only be available when online. That said, when I turned my wifi off on my phone, it would still play, presumably through the cell signal, which I guess is why I hadn't noticed the issue (yet).

Too bad it's taking so long to get cell service in the subway tunnels...

>146 katiekrug: yeah. At first it was considered too much of an opportunity for terrorists. I don't know if that is still the rationale, or if it's just considered too expensive to implement.

>148 katiekrug: - According to the article I read, it's coming, but it will take a while because they are trying to do it without interrupting service.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/29/nyregion/mta-cellphone-service-subway-tunnels...

(Sorry for the long link, I'm too lazy to look up how to do embedded links right now...)

Hi Judy--That's annoying about the library audio books. Sorry. : ( And I read The Dictionary of Lost Words and actually enjoyed it. Hope it picks up for you.

>148 katiekrug: Thanks for the link. As long as I don't have t type it, I don't care how long it is! Nice to know that by the time I'm 83, I can listen to my books uninterrupted.

12. The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams

>151 ffortsa: How did you like it? I've had it on my TBR since last year.

>151 ffortsa: Verdict? : )

>152 kac522: and >153 Berly: Patience, grasshoppers. We discuss it at 7:30, and sometimes something said will change my mind.

Nope, mind not changed.

I found The Dictionary of Lost Words a sweet novel spanning the years of the development of the Oxford English Dictionary. That extraordinary effort also saw the rise of the Women's Suffrage Movement in Great Britain and ultimately the devastation of World War I, and it's a good gloss on the history of a time of great change. There are a lot of historic people presented in this story, but it centers on an imagined one, Esme, whose father is one of the editors of the Dictionary, and who, without a mother, grows up literally in the shadow of the effort. Her discovery that words used by or describing women were often left out of the work in progress is the source of the title.

Overall, it was an easy read, a cozy way to present the society of the age, but there is little tension, too much foreshadowing, and not enough action to hold my attention. It's a quiet, pleasant book, but not compelling.

While waiting for our dinner and our book discussion, I finished going through the modern first editions I had collected. You may recall I donated a lot of them a few months ago, but there were two short shelves left. Looking them up is always interesting.

5 were easily available from the library, and of no monetary value per online sources. One was misshelved and shouldn't have been kept anyway. So those six were offered to the masses via the laundryroom bookshelf.

6 were not readily available at the library or as ebooks from Amazon, so I stacked them up and may read through them before donating them somewhere. Again, no significant monetary value.

But three of them may have some value. Two first editions written by Bobbie Ann Mason may have some value, or I might donate them. And one, bu Hob Broun, is an interesting case. Most of his work is available in one form or another at the library or Amazon or on one of the more esoteric book sites, but Broun's Inner Tube did not show anywhere. I finally found a rare book shop that stated that while the book was out of stock, it usually turned up about twice a year. I think it's worth trying to sell for more than coffee money.

There are others on the shelf that are a bit more personal. Jim found me a few when I was more actively collecting first editions and they were titles he was sure I'd appreciate. A few were poetry books I might look at later. But at least I've created a little more space.

eta: I just looked at my mystery shelves, and I've got some Kate Atkinson that is definitely available at the library if I have a little patience. When I checked them out online, I discovered that When Will There Be Good News has been recorded three times, by three different readers. Has anyone compared and contrasted? If you listened to one or more, who read your version and did you like the reader?

13. The Dark Vineyard by Martin Walker

The second entry in the Bruno police procedurals, it picks up the pace considerably from the first of the line. The focus on food is still there (yum) but the crime and the circumstances are more interesting, centered around wine making and drinking, as home brew and big business. I'm looking forward to continuing the series.

We went to the theater last night and saw 'Leopoldstadt', the new Tom Stoppard play, which delineates the destruction of his Jewish family at the hands of the Nazis. Stoppard gave an interview in September that reveals some of what the play is about, which is, I think, acknowledging your history rather than denying or ignoring it. The play was pretty good, ending with a stand-in for Stoppard 'realizing' his family tragedy. Not his best, but still worth seeing.

here's the interview

>154 ffortsa: I enjoyed The Dictionary of Lost Words and agree with your synopsis. And glad you got a theatre night out. : ) Enjoy your Sunday.

I discovered last night that I hadn't added a book to my library here, one that I read in the last few months. So of course I took care of that, and then went back over my 2022 reads and found quite a number I hadn't added or hadn't reviewed or hadn't dated. Sigh. I think I've fixed most of them now. There must be others earlier in my LT life, but I know I've done some of this catch-up before, so I have to hope no profound reviews are missing.

I've got a couple of books out of the library which have nothing to do with my prescribed reading, so will have to buckle down to get everything read in time. One library book is a collection of Umberto Eco essays and short pieces, titled Inventing the Enemy. So far it's quite interesting, mainly because Eco writes so well and the translation is so clear. More anon.

I finally got up on the ladder and took down all my drama books. Glad to say I am able to toss and.or donate about half of them, whether because of excessive foxing, lack of interest, cracked spines, or, in a couple of cases, cheap kindle versions. 46 volumes in all. They won't lower my book count, because I'd never catalogued them. But that's more than a shelf worth of space freed up for something else!

>160 ffortsa: Hooray for shelf space!

14. The Tiger in the Smoke by Margery Allingham

Nothing like an old favorite to reignite the reading habit. I found this on my dusty old mystery shelf and couldn't resist. Something about Allingham's characters grabs me. I love that much of the story is told through the actions of the criminals, and that the settings, in the worst of the days of the London fogs, are so evocative.

Another donation of 46 books to my local charity, and a few others to a friend who needs them for her inpatient population.

>159 ffortsa:. That's happened to me a couple of times, and so annoying.

Hi Judy. I really enjoyed The Dictionary of Lost Words. I agree, it was an easy and pleasant read.

>159 ffortsa: Yep, been there, as well. It is quite annoying. I'm trying to be better about remembering to update my thread and the book page itself. Sometimes I forget one or the other.

Happy Monday, happy first day of spring!

The dictionary of lost words was a good read for me as well.

15. The Marx Sisters: A Brock and Kolla Mystery by Barry Maitland

I got sidetracked by mention of this series (was that you, Suzanne?) and did enjoy it. I guess it's the right level of complication and emotion for my brain just now.

First book of the Brock and Kolla mysteries, and a reasonable start.

I almost forgot! I had a mammoth walking day Saturday, 22,000 + steps, AND our Central Park walking group found Flaco! I'd upload some pictures, but he was too far away to get a really definitive shot. We were very quiet, but I think we probably woke him up anyway, as he began hooting.

Well, I gave away another 13 books today. It was going to be 12, but I found an old paperback of Graeham Greene's The End of the Affair and couldn't help leafing through it. Ended up reading about the last 40 pages, after which my eyes were so tired I was seeing double. Print too small, paper too brown, so out. Sigh. I've been contemplating the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series as well; I've got about 8 of them on the shelf, but they are not hard to find in the library.

The Greene, of course, was wonderful, even just the last 40 pages.

Whew. The apartment is now clean (of course I notice things left undone, but not much). I just have to take the newspapers and such out to the recycle bin.

I saw an ENT today to evaluate my tinnitus. He has sent me on to an audiologist, of course, but had some interesting things to say about protective gear for musicians. Not that I'm playing in front of the brass section or anything, of course. But it might help. New York is noisy at the best if times.

I'm partway through the second Falco mystery, but I need to read A Hero of Our Time for Monday. So far, I'm not really impressed, although the history is interesting and the location (Georgia - the country) is also interesting. It's where a friend of mine spent her Peace Corps days and beyond. I have a stack of hard-cover books that I think I might read before giving away, but I'm coming to terms with the idea that I can't and don't have to read every book that gets into this apartment. Growing up is hard.

>170 ffortsa: Letting go of books that I felt "obligated" to keep because I hadn't read them yet was a super freeing experience for me.

>171 ursula: yes! I feel lighter every time I do it.

All respect for your book clearing, Judy! I am sorry to say that I have the heart of a miser who grew up deprived (although I wasn't). I look at those shelves of mpb mysteries and am pleased to the core. *sigh* Among them, though, are at least a couple of Brock & Kollas. I have not read any of them, so I expect other treasures are waiting too.

I've complained to the NYTimes this week about developments in their game profile.

I knew that the NYT was eliminating the electronic presentation of the Acrostic puzzle, which is one of their rotating occasional ones. This kind of puzzle is so much better in the electronic version that I may never go back to pencil and paper. It certainly won't encourage me to buy the Times in paper (something their major investors are pushing - how out of touch are they?), although I already get the Sunday issue that way anyway. At least once a week I like to see the old layout and complete news.

Then I went to do the Spelling Bee, and look at yesterday's results, and they have taken away the checkmarks against the words found the day before. Ridiculous. Maybe this will cure me of spending all my time on puzzles.

>156 ffortsa: We enjoy the Bruno series as audio books when we travel. Haven't done a long road trip for a while so still have the last one sitting on my phone but they are fun and an interesting look at life in Provence.

>168 ffortsa: red letter day - congrats

That's weird about the checks next to yesterday's Spelling Bee words. Maybe just a glitch? They still appear on mine.

>176 katiekrug: I found my app icon in some other folder and returned it to its proper nest, and on that one, I get the check marks. Whew. On the times site itself, they haven't yet appeared. Weird. But I got my fix in this morning, and did the Sunday crossword, so my addiction is temporarily sated.

>175 RebaRelishesReading: I didn't realize the Bruno series was available as audio. That might be nice to walk to, although lately when I walk alone I've not been listening to anything. While I usually listen to non-fiction when I walk, I have been captivated by the Falco mysteries on audio, and I can get them from my public library.

Thanks for the congrats. I'm trying to walk more consistently, but what I really have to add is strength exercises, and maybe yoga. I'm getting rather stiff after my walks.

Hi Judy! Thanks for stopping my new thread. Best of luck walking more consistency. I walk about 4 times a week since we have have an energetic dog. Good for you letting go of books. It's not easy to do, I know.

Hi Judy - You are doing so well at culling your books! Will you come and help me? I did pretty well last year when I had to move out of my office at school but have stalled since.

I really liked the first Bruno and have been meaning to get back to the series. One of these days. And hooray for Margery Allingham; I love her Campion series. I keep meaning to go back and reread them in order. Notice a theme here? I need more hours in the day.

>180 BLBera: The deaccession continues. I've noted 7 more books going out the door this week. Our library is once again accepting physical donations, which they usually sell to fundraise, so I might bring this set there. Once again the institution is under financial attack.

As Jim says, it's pretty simple arithmetic - how many years we might have vs. how many books we are holding onto in case we want to read or reread them, not to mention the ones we don't own and havent' read. I generally check for availability elsewhere - Amazon, the aforementioned library - before I escort them out the door. It's getting easier for me, but I'd probably be rotten assisting you. If I hadn't read yours before, I'd end up sitting on the floor leafing through them! Good luck!

Bruno is engaging, but at the moment I'm in love with Didius Falco. The second audiobook ws 13+ hours, but I do love the narration, and if I get bored with a description, which sometimes happens, I can let my mind wander a bit. And now I'm reading Professor Chandra Follows His Bliss for a Tuesday discussion, so other delights are on hold anyway.

16. A Hero of Our Time by Michail Lermontov

After a dismal start that almost had me abandon the book, the story grabbed me when it turned to Peshorin, the hero in question. Or anti-hero in question. Determined to stay free of entanglements, he is not above playing with people, often to their pain and disadvantage. His voice is always reasonable, but you wouldn't want him as a friend.

It surprised me a little that the author actually wrote a second preface to the book, pointing out the irony to his readers.

17. Shadows in Bronze by Lindsey Davis

The second Didius Falco mystery set in Vespasian's Rome, and elsewhere in the Roman Empire. Sent on a mission that follows on the problems of the first installment, Falco is trying his best to serve the Emperor and stay alive amid a swarm of prior and current traitors, unravelling a plot in which his heart's desire appears to further complicate his life. Another excellent narration, although it is 13+ hours long.

I just walked to the library and handed in 7 more hardcover donations. Yippee!

18. Professor Chandra Follows His Bliss by Rajeev Balasubramanyam

Professor Chandra, an economist of the Chicago school, faces up to his choices and his family. It's often funny, and I felt for the main character, his ex-wife and their children, but the resolution is a little too easily come by.

Hi Judy. good for you for handing in 7 more hardcover donations. I cleaned a lot of books out of the large plastic containers in the basement. I gave away many, and it felt so darn good to do so. I hope you and Jim are well.

>183 ffortsa: You are doing well, Judy!

Your system for culling sounds like a good one, Judy. As my spring cleaning mood kicks in, I will give it a try. I'll let you know how it goes.

19. Moonflower Murders by Anthony Horowitz

This followup to Magpie Murders is just as complicated, but the inner Pund mystery feels like a big chunk of the book and I was frustrated wanting to get back to the present day story. Because of that, there was much less interaction (if any) between Susan Ryland and the fictional Pund. It went on a little too long for me.

Continuing the deaccessioning saga, I looked through the first shelf (alphabetically) of my novels and discovered two books by John Barth, printed in what now feels like tiny type, so they will go. I know I read Giles Goat-Boy ages ago, but Chimera was not familiar to me. I may pick it up from the library.

>188 ffortsa: I am looking for Giles Goat-Boy, Judy as it is on the 1001 First Edition list but tiny font these days is the biggest put-off for me imaginable.
Have a lovely weekend.

>189 PaulCranswick: It's always a delight to find out who is reading my thread. Thanks for dropping a comment!

I just took a look at my graphs page. My ratings have certainly inflated over the years. Either I'm reading better books or generosity has taken over.

>191 ffortsa:. I think that my ratings have increased also, and I attribute it to reading better quality books due to recommendations from my LT pals.

>192 banjo123: A very cheerful way to think about it. And thanks for stopping by!

I think it's becoming a frenzy. I picked out 9 more books to deaccession today. Actually 10, but one was falling apart as I opened it. Funny how some paperbacks from 1975 keep their binding and some just fall apart.

I'm reading The Sacred and Profane Love Machine for my uptown book circle. And then it will be The White Hotel for the downtown group. I'll probably squeeze something else in between or alongside, of course.

And I came across The Horse's Mouth by Joyce Carey yesterday. It would be such a fun book to read for a group. I may suggest it. We could use a laugh. And there's the Guinness movie!

>191 ffortsa: My ratings have gone up too, and I think with all my friends recommending books I am just reading better ones! Congrats on freeing up more book space. ; )

Hi Judy. Aack. Long time no visit.

Mostly skippety-skip, but

>21 ffortsa: Seriously? OMG. The NRA wants to solicit a dead woman? Well, you can at least be happy that they are willing to spend money to try to get her... I am usually happy to keep things going that awful people or groups waste postage on.

>37 ffortsa: Tossing unread magazines? My goodness.

>61 ffortsa: Ooh, an LT visitor. Sorry she’s photo proof, but gotta respect peoples wishes.

>125 ffortsa: I loved An Unnecessary Woman when I read it in May of 2021, giving it a rare 4.5 rating.

>143 ffortsa: Audio books are going the way of the dodo. Our Library still lets you download an audio book, fortunately.

>155 ffortsa: If you still haven’t sold Inner Tube, I have a connection with a rare book dealer in upstate NY through the Friends of the Library organization I’m President of, and I can send an email off to him just to see what he thinks.

>169 ffortsa: Print too small, paper too brown, so out. Yup.

>181 ffortsa: At our Friends Board meeting yesterday, Libraries Under Attack came up again. Our county is committed to our 3 public libraries, and our Librarians are committed to fighting against book banning. They said that there are always titles that go missing because people try to keep them out of the Library, but they always buy new copies. Unfortunately, we’re too small to have some of the security that would alert the staff when a not-checked-out book is trying to walk.

Congrats on all the deaccessioning.

>194 ffortsa: Gully Jimson. What a guy. I have my paperback copy from way back.

While you are coldly tossing books, I'm dragging tomes out of the furnace room to stock new shelves. We all have our eccentricities, right?

>196 karenmarie: Oh my. O hope audio books aren't joining that dodo. My audio 'reading' has been expanding lately, partly due to more walking, partly to what I can only characterize as eye strain. And then there's all the money actors make recording them!

I haven't sold any of the 10 or so possibly 'worth-something' hardcover firsts adorning my desk shelf. Sure, ask your friend about Inner Tube. If your friend is interested in a list, I would certainly provide that and get in touch.

The flowering plants in this city are going a little mad. Warm weather has accelerated the schedule for some of them, making the explosion more intense that usual, and the weather has been great for walks.

In Central Park


Magnolia and Cleopatra's Needle


In the community tulip garden on the Upper West Side

This weekend we sorted and boxed a large crate of comic books (the superhero kind) that Jim had collected in the closet. He has specially sized boxes with dividers he can label. Now he can move them to his storage locker, which gives us more space in the closet for things we use more immediately.

The problem is that these comic books come in mylar sleeves which disintegrate over time, and now we have little bits of plastic all over the floors. Sigh. I may actually have to take out the big vacuum and do some housework!

>198 ffortsa: If you have list of first editions, you can PM me with it. I know he'd want to know if it's original publisher or book club, if it has a dust jacket if hardcover, and general condition.

>199 ffortsa: Beautiful photos, gorgeous flowers.

Thank you for the wonderful pictures, Judy!

Gorgeous photos!! Wow!! : )

>201 karenmarie: Will do. No book club editions. All of these are firsts, and I think first printings (that's harder to tell, but I can send pictures of the copyright pages as well as the books themselves.That's where the secret codes are.) And thanks. It's probably easier than trying to sell them separately, depending on what your friend offers.

Thanks for the photo appreciation. It still blows my mind that I can take these shots with my cellphone.

Currently reading The Sacred and Profane Love Machine by Iris Murdoch. I should finish it today or tomorrow. So far, not one character I could see as a friend, but that's because Murdoch gets into their heads and shows us what they are thinking.

Hallelujah! The New York Public Library is a wonderful institution. I was struggling to find an academic paper on Murdoch and Derrida accessible to me, a lowly non-academic civilian who didn't want to pay $25 for the download. The library had it in the research section, so I walked up to 42nd St to the grand old building. At the research desk, the woman took the journal article name, found it online, downloaded it and emailed it to me! So easy! Our mayor is once again planning gross cuts to the library budget, which will reduce hours and staff. We who love the library are definitely up in arms (but no actual guns, of course - we are civilized.)

In the meantime, I'm able to get some auxiliary braincells working reading this paper. It's like holding onto a ledge with my fingernails, but so far I'm ok.

Wow, Murdoch and Derrida. I hope your head doesn't explode, Judy. I have several by Murdoch on my shelf, and since I have enjoyed everything I've read by her, I should dust them off.

>208 BLBera: right. It may sneak up on me.

In the meantime, I'm giving away another 7 books, mass-market sized paperbacks in the area of sociology, unread since my college days and seriously yellowed. I've listed them on my Amazon wish list just to keep them in mind. If they come up in the $1.99 bin I might buy the Kindle version, or just look for them in the library. None of them are that long. But another stack from the stacks gone.

>208 BLBera: No explosions. I think I just got a little manic about understanding the Murdoch novel. A little nostalgia for my English major days, which weren't sufficient anyway. But my friend the professor emerita did steer me to Terry Eagleton's books on criticism and reading; they are short and not meant to overwhelm with jargon, so I'm going to look into them.

I missed the group discussion on The Sacred and Profane Love Machine anyway, as I was waiting at the Port Authority Bus station for a young woman arriving from Boston for a conference at the UN. She is quite intrepid, but almost totally blind, so getting her out of that mess and across town was a priority.
She is a friend of a friend, and I had volunteered before I realized it conflicted with the group discussion.

Jim recorded the Zoom discussion, and to my disappointment, almost no one liked the book. I sent out some of the research I discovered (a very nice thesis on this particular book that I found online, for one), and we will see if anyone has extra thoughts next time we meet.

Giving more books away. I'll probably lose count. So much small print!

Too bad you missed your book club discussion; you may have changed some minds. I must admit that I do enjoy reading criticism but these days, I just read it if I chance upon it. I don't search it out.

I've taken a few books from my shelves, but not on the scale you have done. Still, it's a start.

And a few more into the give-away bags.

I'm reading The White Hotel for Tuesday's discussion group. Not sure if this one will go over well, but we shall see. The problem is how to get other members to suggest books and not rely on Jim (and sometimes me) to come up with titles. The group has been spoiled over its lifetime with leaders quite willing to take on the burden, but I'm sure others could come up with good reads.

In our more forthcoming book circle, our next book is Home by Toni Morrison. I'm sorely lacking in experience with Morrison's writing, and I look forward to this one.

I'm really glad I sandwiched (bookhorned) a Bryant and May mystery between the Murdoch and The White Hotel. More on the latter after tonight's discussion, although several people have dropped out of the meeting because of their reaction to the novel. It's not easy.

This is what happens when you forget about the sweet potatoes on top of the refrigerator

>214 ffortsa: oh, dear. You should plant those!

Have a great day!

Karen O

>214 ffortsa: - I use to do this on purpose, Judy. Stick 3 toothpick (or matches) into the bottom sides, and put that in a jar of water so just the end is in the water. I used to keep this on my kitchen counter next to the sink and trail the stems and leaves up and over the window. It was beautiful. I can't do it any more, thanks to the resident cats, who are into everything. All my previous cats were geriatric and past their jumping up days. But it's a lovely look especially if you have a window. I have a pic of mine somewhere in my LT gallery, from a long time ago (ie, pre-covid, pre- current cats days). Don't want to crowd your thread with a pic but I can upload it to my thread, if you want to see how it looks.

>214 ffortsa: Sprouting nicely, Judy, it almost looks like you left them there on purpose :-)

>216 jessibud2: Thanks, all. Actually, trailing the vine around the kitchen is a nice idea, and I do have a window, but not much of a sill, alas. Maybe I can figure out somewhere else in the apartment to put them. How big a planter do you think I would need? And do I have to plant the whole potato, or can I rescue some of it for dinner?

>218 ffortsa:- I have always just stuck it into water. I never tried planting it in soil. Usually, there will be roots coming out the bottom as the sprouts come out the top, though sometimes the roots take awhile longer to appear. Your post reminded me that I have 2 potatoes on my counter so I put them in water, and took a pic. I will post them on my thread for you to see. It might take me a bit of time.
You could also leave the jar just on the counter as I do.

Edited to add, ok, pics on my thread: https://www.librarything.com/topic/350449#n8133673

I just came across Felicia's Journey on my very own shelves. Amazing what you can find when you pack things up. Wasn't this a suggested read in one of the topical threads recently?

This will be a busy weekend. Tonight we are seeing 'Summer, 1976' with Laura Linney and Jessica Hecht, tomorrow we are attending a choral concert that a friend of ours participates in, and Sunday we are scheduled to see the Encore's production of 'Oliver', and have dinner with a friend. I'm likely to enjoy them all. Last week we skipped the Richard Goode concert at a nearby highschool (excellent series and acoustics) because since Covid the management has been recording them and we saw the recording last night. Wednesday we attempted to watch a lecture from the local library, but the production was awful. Tuesday we had a book group Zoom meeting to discuss The White Hotel (only one person logged in, but the discussion was very good), and Monday we watched a live-streamed interview with Michael Desmond, who wrote Evicted some years ago and now has a new book out Poverty, by America

Retirement can be exhausting!

>199 ffortsa: What beautiful blooms!

>221 ffortsa: Enjoy your packed but fun filled weekend!

>221 ffortsa: Sounds like a very busy and fun time!

22. The White Hotel by D. M. Thomas

This did not go down well with our reading group. In fact, only one member logged in to our regular meetup, so it was just Jim, me, and one more, but we had an excellent discussion.

This is a tough book. Partly, it is the 'post-modern' style of the narrative, wherein actual events and non-fictional material is interlaced within the writing. Partly, it is the intense sexual fantasy in the (supposed) sessions between the main character and Freud that might put people off, and the knowledge we have of the doom awaiting those who lived between the wars of the 20th century. Or it might have been the iterative views of what is portrayed, each one changing the one before like a psychological Rashamon. How can we trust the narrator? How can we trust the portrayal of Freud, just reaching his ideas about the connection between love and the death wish?

And all along there is love, in various forms, and death, natural and otherwise. Ultimately, we follow the main character all the way from trauma and pain and love to barbarous death, and something more.

An excellent novel for those open to its method and frankness.

Hope you enjoy the busy week! The White Hotel doesn't sound like it would be for me at this time. But glad you had good discussions.

Sometimes things that charmed me in my youth have the opposite effect today. We saw the Encores production of Lionel Bart's Oliver, the musical, yesterday. The acting and singing were very good in this partly staged reading, but every song, in spite of its vitality, made my stomach ache.

Dickens wrote a book in which children were starved, sold, beaten and turned into thieves to stay alive. Child abuse and domestic abuse were ever-present. Workhouses were full. This musical sprinkles fairy dust over everything, and the only reward at the end is that ONE boy is saved from this life. The show is a betrayal of the story. That these problems exist today, in one form or another, is shameful.

Wow, you've had some challenging reading and theater lately.

Current listening: Home by Toni Morrison. I thought I'd listen and get my steps in during this beautiful spring weather. Morrison narrates this herself, in her slow, deliberate pace. Very vivid so far.

I also seem to be in the middle of a lot of different books, one on reading Iris Murdoch, one on reading literature in general, one by Fran Lebowitz (best read in small bites!), and strangely enough, the Phaedo by Plato. Amazing what can catch my eye as I pack up books to donate. Oh, I also started a mystery story by Peter Lovesy, in case the Lebowitz isn't enough of an intellectual rest.

Allergies really hit this morning. A side effect of this beautiful weather. I won't complain.

23. The Knowledge Machine by Michael Strevens*

*Read but not reviewed

I just mentioned that I'd listened to this book on Arlie's thread, but I never mentioned it on my threads or logged it among my books. Bad me. Can't say I can review it now, but I did finish it during my walks.

23. The House Sitter by Peter Lovesy

I had a Peter Diamond mystery on my shelves but hadn't read the one before it, so I borrowed it from the library just for continuity. Of course, it turns out it wasn't the next in my list, because I didn't check my list, and now that I have, I'm astonished that I've continued to read the series. My first thoughts were NOT very complimentary, but I persisted and read the first 4. No review of the 3rd one, as it slipped between threads, but I did give it four stars. I have some filling in to do. That said -

The House Sitter is a clever puzzle with truly interesting characters, if an unlikely plot. I was swayed a few times by very good red herrings, and didn't catch on until the very end as to who the true murderer was. That is, I thought I knew about half-way through, discounted that thought, figured on someone else, did figure out the subplot, and was astonished at the end. Lovesy has definitely improved since the beginning of the series.

I haven't heard Morrison read any of her books; I should check to see if more are available. I imagine it would be a great experience.

>226 ffortsa:. It's interesting how reactions to things we used to enjoy can vary, isn't it? I haven't seen Oliver! since I was a kid, but that seems a fair assessment. Do you think that you would react the same to Annie?

>232 banjo123: I recently saw some scenes from Annie, and I didn't have much of a reaction. Maybe none of the kids seemed happy in the beginning, even though they were singing and dancing. Of course, Daddy Warbucks adopts more children, and the Depression is over, so a happy ending is implied for all. And it seems in keeping with the original story, as far as I know.

I'm also thinking now of 'Nicholas Nickleby', which I saw on stage many years ago. It was faithful to the book and terribly sad at the end. Even when the orphans are freed from the horrible institution, they have nowhere to go. Dickens wasn't fooling around with that one.

Oh, I hate losing track of my reading! I read The Knowledge Machine last year, forgot to put my dates in, didn't review it, and now Arlie has a sterling review on her thread, and I couldn't even mention that I had mentioned the book to her before! Sheesh. Finally found a few comments that more or less anchored my Audible read to last August-September. I think it's worth another listen, especially with Arlie's comments in mind. And a little more background reading as well. Not right this minute.

24. Home by Toni Morrison

Discussion tomorrow evening. Heartbreaking.

eta: We hadn't seen each other in the flesh for ages, and some not even then, so there was a lot of time spent on catch-up. Eventually we got around to the book, which I listened to. Some of the text is set in italic, which I wouldn't have known, but the intent was clear enough from Toni Morrison's classic, slow, deliberate reading.

Is this a book about the effects of the Korean war? Some. Is it about the effects of Jim Crow in the south? Some. Also a young man's trip through trauma to manhood, and the bonds of siblings, and the call of home. Listen to it if you can. I recommend it.

eta: This was the first time Jim and I hosted a Book Circle - we were 8, all told. Probably can seat 12 in a pinch. It went very well, everyone had time to speak and said smart things. Much wine was consumed. But it did last later than Jim and I have gotten accustomed to. Next time we'll post a time range, so people are prepared to decamp a little earlier.

25. Jar City by Arnaldur Indradison

Not the first, but what I think is the breakthrough mystery featuring Inspector Erlandur in Iceland. Iceland itself features large in this mystery, based on features of the population I've been aware of for some time. It's a pretty dark book, showing a part of society that must fester everywhere. Nevertheless, a good police procedural with a real sense of time and place.

26. Silence of the Grave by Arnaldur Indradison

Continuing the Erlandur series:

A human rib is found by children playing in construction sites, leading to the discovery of a skeleton buried years ago. Erlandur is determined to find out who the skeleton was, opening up a story of poverty, abuse, and desperation.

The device of alternating the investigation with the actual story of what happened is a little tedious, to the point that some of the suspense was undercut. But the denouement is satisfying.

In parallel with this, Indradison gives us the continuing story of Erlandur and his daughter Eva Lind, estranged for years, and his exploration of his own history.

Well, fancy that! I scored The Last Remains from the library today! I'm about a quarter into it, and have to rest my eyes and do something else for a while.

I also picked up a book of John Edgar Wideman short stories. All while delivering 50 books for donation. A very useful trip.

27. The Last Remains by Elly Griffiths

I would have eaten this all in one gulp, but my eyes got too tired.

This, as we know, is the last in the Ruth Galloway series, and the resolution of the romantic situation. A skeleton is found during renovations of a cafe, and of course Ruth and Nelson are entwined again. A young woman who was declared missing over 10 years ago is identified, and all our favorite characters are involved as in one way or another. The mystery is satisfying, lots of red herrings, and an ending that leaves open the possibility of more to come, if Griffiths so wishes.

28. Mess: One Man's Struggle to Clean Up His House and His Act by Barry Yourgrau

As the subtitle says, 'One man's struggle to clean up his house and his act'. An engaging and self-deprecating sojourn through Yourgrau's struggle to reverse his incipient hoarding and discover why he can't let go of things. The book is structured as an investigation of hoarding as well as a humorous domestic tale, and is quite engaging, if not entirely helpful to the seeker of advice. As I'm on something of the same quest to divest, it held my interest. In the process, the author reconnects with family and finds out more about his father than he knew to look for. Yourgrau's persona is funny, humble - definitely someone you would like to sit down and have a beer with.

My only Yourgrau reading so far is his fabulous set of short stories Wearing Dad's Head. He has also written and appeared in the film of The Sadness of Sex. I must look that up.

I also found THe Last Remains hard to put down, Judy. I thought it was a satisfying ending, and I would read more Ruth books if Griffiths ever decides to go back to them.

It sounds like you had a good discussion of Home.

>241 BLBera: There was probably a lot more to say about Home, but we did have a good talk. What I don't think I realized until I saw the last bit of italics in the paper book was that there is a listener, unnamed, to which the protagonist is telling, confessing, his story. The double level of the story, part third person narration, part intimate first person, is a device that, I think, deepens the reader's involvement.

29. Bryant and May off the Rails by Christopher Fowler

More brain candy, this one all about the London Underground, and I mean ALL about it. This is a follow-on to the last book, where the duo lost their murder suspect after arrest, so his capture is the initial goal of the story, but of course it ends up about other things as well, involving King's Cross station, flash mobs, and the usual assortment of British history. Why do I read these? No idea. But the mystery is always unraveled satisfactorily at the end.

Just because we go to the theater does not mean we are entertained. Three duds in a row this past week. "Straight Line Crazy" from NTLive is about Robert Moses, who left a huge mark on NYC. It didn't work in spite of Ralph Fienes in the title role. "Good Night, Oscar", about Oscar Levant and his devastating appearance on the Jack Paar show, also didn't work - the main character was denied nuance and was portrayed as a half-crazed drug addict and envious musician. And the rewritten revival of "Camelot" just didn't work; the music is lovely but the book read at times like an extension of "The West Wing" and the principals had no chemistry.

Other than that, the theater was fine.

We did hear, via streaming, Marylin Maye's birthday gig at 54 Below. 95 and she can still get it done. Terrific.

I've given up on the Understanding Iris Murdoch book from the library. It's clearly something I will dip into when reading Murdoch's books, or when I'm in the mood for some scholarly writing, so I ordered it from ABEbooks and will return my library copy. I just can't eat it all at once.

As I said on Joe's thread, I would really like to do something with some of the photos I've taken, and some of my father's excellent pictures as well. Maybe I could create note cards and sell them on Etsy. I'm not sure if they are good enough to put up on some stock photo service. And we are not inclined to fill up our own walls with individual photos. I'll have to investigate other avenues. Maybe.

30. The Big Cat Nap by Rita Mae Brown

Why do I do it? These books have gotten worse and worse, slower and slower. Great for ESL readers due to endless repetition. Sheesh. This one had so much political-cultural commentary that Brown felt the need to write an addendum stating that the view expressed by the characters are not necessarily those held by the author. More sheesh.

At last, a pleasure to go to the theater. Jessica Chastain heads a terrific cast in a new rendition of "A Doll's House", in a bare-bones, bare stage, rehearsal clothes style, in which the python suffocating Nora gets tighter and tighter until she finally sees the truth of herself and her marriage. Arian Moayed, (Stewy on Succession for those who watched), does a fine job as Torvald as he continues to infantilize his wife until she rises to her full self.

My only complaint was the lighting, and maybe the high proscenium arch that made the people seem so small.

>246 ffortsa: It's hard to remember Rita Mae Brown the woman whose Rubyfruit Jungle was such an important and exciting book about growing up Lesbian in America.

I suppose a gal has to make a living. But the Cat mysteries have really about run out of gas

31. Billy Liar by Keith Waterhouse

discussion tomorrow night

Sorry for the "sheesh" books lately. Hoping Billy Liar was a better one??? Glad the theatre was good. : )