PAUL C IN 23 (16)

PLACES I AM READING

This is Kerala, South India which is the setting for Abraham Verghese's long awaited new novel The Covenant of Water

The Opening Words

I am just starting The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese.



"She is twelve years old, and she will be married in the morning. Mother and daughter lie on the mat, their wet cheeks glued together.
'The saddest day of a girl's life is the day of her wedding,' her mother says. 'After that, God willing, it gets better'.

Interested......................?

BOOKS COMPLETED - Q1

January
1. The King's Fool by Mahi Binebine (2017) 125 pp Fiction / ANC / Morocco
2. The Golden Ass by Apuleius (c 170) 216 pp Fiction / ANC / Tunisia / 1001
3. Driftnet by Lin Anderson (2003) 262 pp Thriller / Rhona MacLeod 1
4. The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff (1954) 292 pp Fiction / BAC
5. Free : Coming of Age at the End of History by Lea Ypi (2021) 310 pp Non-Fiction / NF Challenge
6. The Bridges of Constantine by Ahlem Mosteghanemi (1993) 305 pp Fiction / ANC / Algeria
7. Bloodlines by Fred D'Aguiar (2000) 161 pp Poetry / BAC
8. Borstal Boy by Brendan Behan (1958) 372 pp Fiction / 1001
9. Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson (2008) 300 pp Fiction / AAC
10. U.A. Fanthorpe : Selected Poems by U.A. Fanthorpe (2013) 153 pp Poetry
11. In the Country of Men by Hisham Matar (2006) 245 pp Fiction / ANC / Libya
12. Foundation : The History of England Volume 1 by Peter Ackroyd (2011) 462 pp Non-Fiction
13. Closed Circles by Viveca Sten (2009) 451 pp Thriller / Sandhamn 2
14. The Albemarle Book of Modern Verse edited by FES Finn (1961) 181 pp Poetry
15. Brooklyn Heights by Miral al-Tahawy (2012) 220 pp Fiction / ANC / Egypt
16. The Midnight Bell by Patrick Hamilton (1929) 221 pp Fiction
17. The Siege of Pleasure by Patrick Hamilton (1932) 118 pp Fiction
18. The Plains of Cement by Patrick Hamilton (1934) 188 pp Fiction
19. The Stories of Vladimir Nabokov by Vladimir Nabokov (1995) 663 pp Fiction / Short Stories
20. The Madness of Crowds by Douglas Murray (2019) 267 pp Non-Fiction
21. The Death of Murat Idrissi by Tommy Wieringa (2017) 102 pp Fiction
22. Foster by Claire Keegan (2010) 88 pp Fiction

February
23. Torch by Lin Anderson (2004) 230 pp Thriller / Rhona MacLeod 2
24. Things I Don't Want to Know by Deborah Levy (2003) 163 pp Non-Fiction
25. The Book of Chameleons by Jose Eduardo Agualusa (2004) 180 pp Fiction / ANC / Angola
26. Dearly by Margaret Atwood (2020) 122 pp Poetry
27. The Days of Abandonment by Elena Ferrante (2002) 188 pp Fiction
28. The Cost of Living by Deborah Levy (2018) 187 pp Non-Fiction
29. The Lost Art of Sinking by Naomi Booth (2015) 86 pp Fiction / BAC
30. Poetry of the Thirties edited by Robin Skelton (1964) 287 pp Poetry
31. The Darkness Knows by Arnaldur Indridason (2017) 338 pp Thriller / Scandi
32. The Whistling Season by Ivan Doig (2006) 345 pp Fiction
33. The History of England Volume II : Tudors by Peter Ackroyd (2012) 471 pp Non-Fiction
34. Male Tears by Benjamin Myers (2021) 264 pp Fiction / Short Stories
35. Woman of the Ashes by Mia Couto (2015) 254 pp Fiction / ANC / Mozambique
36. Real Estate by Deborah Levy (2021) 297 pp Non-Fiction
37. Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner (1971) 569 pp Fiction / 1001 Books / Pulitzer

March
38. Deadly Code by Lin Anderson (2005) 261 pp Thriller / Rhona MacLeod 3
39. Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (2003) 307 pp Fiction / ANC / Nigeria
40. My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell (1956) 308 pp Non-Fiction / Memoirs
41. What Goes On : Selected and New Poems 1995-2009 by Stephen Dunn (2009) 195 pp Poetry / AAC
42. I'm a Fan by Sheena Patel (2022) 203 pp Fiction
43. Native Guard by Natasha Trethewey (2006) 46 pp Poetry / AAC

BOOKS COMPLETED - Q2

April
44. Anne Boleyn : 500 Years of Lies by Hayley Nolan (2019) 282 pp Non-Fiction / BAC
45. Hotel of the Saints by Ursula Hegi (2001) 170 pp Fiction / AAC
46. Dark Flight by Lin Anderson (2007) 392 pp Thiller
47. Boulder by Eva Baltasar (2020) 105 pp Fiction / Spain
48. Moscow by Nick Carter (1970) 155 pp Thriller
49. Thirteen Months of Sunrise by Rania Mamoun Short Stories / ANC / Sudan
50. The Waste Land by T.S. Eliot (1922) 32 pp Poetry
51. Felicity : Poems by Mary Oliver (2014) 81 pp Poetry
52. Wandering Souls by Cecile Pin (2023) 238 pp Fiction / Vietnam
53. Justice on Trial : Radical Solutions for a System at Breaking Point by Chris Daw (2020) 264 pp Non-Fiction
54. The Jewel in the Crown by Paul Scott (1966) 488 pp Fiction
55. Bullet Train by Kotaro Isaka (2010) 451 pp Thriller / Japan

May
56. Taste : My Life Through Food by Stanley Tucci (2021) 299 pp Non-Fiction
57. Tell Me the Truth About Life curated by Cerys Matthews (2019) 177 pp Poetry
58. Those Feet : An Intimate History of English Football by David Winner (2005) 268 pp Non-Fiction
59. The Arctic : Poems by Don Paterson (2022) 82 pp Poetry
60. Suffer the Little Children by Donna Leon (2007) 342 pp Thiller
61. The Missing Months by Lachlan MacKinnon (2022) 63 pp Poetry

June
62. Easy Kill by Lin Anderson (2008) 390 pp Thriller
63. Civil War : The History of England Volume III by Peter Ackroyd (2014) 470 pp Non-Fiction
64. Ruth Pitter : Collected Poems by Ruth Pitter (1996) 299 pp Poetry
65. Dance of the Jakaranda by Peter Kimani (2017) 350 pp Fiction / ANC / Kenya
66. England's Green by Zaffar Kunial (2022) 70 pp Poetry
67. Time Shelter by Georgi Gospodinov (2020) 302 pp Fiction / Bulgaria
68. The Illustrated Woman by Helen Mort (2022) 82 pp Poetry
69. Oxblood by Tom Benn (2022) 245 pp Fiction
70. The Swerve by Stephen Greenblatt (2011) 263 PP Non-Fiction
71. No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy (2005) 309 pp Fiction
72. The Breast by Philip Roth (1972) 74 pp Fiction 1001 Books
73. Heritage by Miguel Bonnefoy (2020) 149 pp Fiction / Venezuela
74. Doctor Who : The Androids of Tara (1978) 143 pp SF / BAC
75. Veronika Decides to Die by Paulo Coelho (1998) 210 pp Fiction /1001 books / Brazil
76. Collected Later Poems by Anthony Hecht (2003) 238 pp Poetry
77. Zazie in the Metro by Raymond Queneau (1959) 177 pp Fiction / France
78. Quiet by Victoria Adukwei Bulley (2022) 81 pp Poetry / ANC / Ghana
79. Bonsai by Alejandro Zambra (2006) 74 pp Fiction / Chile
80. Pyre by Perumal Murugam (2013) 194 pp Fiction / India
81. Small Country by Gael Faye (2016) 183 pp Fiction / ANC / Burundi
82. Fieldwork in Ukrainian Sex by Oksana Zabuzhko (1996) 161 pp Fiction / Ukraine

BOOKS COMPLETED - Q3

July
83. Lenin on the Train by Catherine Merridale (2016) 291 pp Non-Fiction / Reading through time
84. Selected Poems by W.H. Auden (1979) 319 pp Poetry
85. Paradais by Fernanda Melchior (2022) 118 pp Fiction / Mexico
86. Final Cut by Lin Anderson (2009) 344 pp Thriller
87. John Heath-Stubbs : Selected Poems by John Heath-Stubbs (1990) 144 pp Poetry
88. Kingdom of Characters by Jing Tsu (2022) 280 pp Non Fiction / Taiwan
89. Cemetery Lake by Paul Cleave (2008) 347 pp Thriller / New Zealand
90. Fly Away, Peter by David Malouf (1982) 142 pp Fiction / Australia
91. East of Eden by John Steinbeck (1952) 602 pp Fiction / 1001 Books
92. Profiles in Courage by John F. Kennedy (1955) 226 pp Non-Fiction / AAC

August
93. Trespasses by Louise Kennedy (2022) 309 pp Fiction
94. August 1914 by Bruno Cabanes (2014) 196 pp Non-Fiction
95. The Shameful State by Sony Labou Tansi (1981) 116 pp Fiction / ANC / DRC
96. Told by Starlight in Chad by Joseph Brahim Seid (2007) 71 pp Fiction / ANC / Chad
97. The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng (2023) 304 pp Fiction / Malaysia
98. Six Weeks in the Sioux Tepees by Sarah F Wakefield (1863) 87 pp Non-Fiction

African Reading Challenge 2023



Plans

January - NORTH AFRICA https://www.librarything.com/topic/347131 read 5
February - LUSOPHONE LIT https://www.librarything.com/topic/348039 read 2
March - ADICHIE or EMECHETA https://www.librarything.com/topic/348955#n8081025 read 1
April - THE HORN OF AFRICA https://www.librarything.com/topic/349799 read 1
May - AFRICAN NOBEL WINNERS https://www.librarything.com/topic/350564
June - EAST AFRICA - https://www.librarything.com/topic/351192 Read 2
July - ACHEBE or Okri https://www.librarything.com/topic/351931
August - FRANCOPHONE AFRICA Read 2
September - SOUTHERN AFRICA
October - MUKASONGA / NGUGI WA THIONG'O
November - AFRICAN THRILLERS / CRIME WRITERS
December - WEST AFRICA read 1

Total : 14

BRITISH AUTHOR CHALLENGE



January - Rosemary Sutcliff & Fred D'Aguiar Eagle of the Ninth by Sutcliff, Bloodlines by D'Aguiar
February - Novellas & Short Stories - The Lost Art of Sinking by Booth, Male Tears by Myers
March - Vita Sackville-West & Tariq Ali
April - British Queens - Anne Boleyn : 500 Years of Lies by Hayley Nolan
May - RF Delderfield & Jan Morris
June - Time Travel - Doctor Who : The Androids of Tara by David Fisher
July - Nadifa Mohamed & Tom Holt
August - Seafaring Stories

AMERICAN AUTHOR CHALLENGE



January - YA Books - Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
February - Richard Powers
March - Poetry - What Goes On : Selected and New Poems by Stephen Dunn
April - Ursula Hegi - Hotel of the Saints
May -
June - Wildcard - No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy
July - American Presidents - Profiles in Courage by John F Kennedy
August - Percival Everett -

AROUND THE WORLD IN BOOKS IN 2023

Countries : 40 (16 August 2023)


Create Your Own Visited Countries Map

BOOK STATS

Starting Stats of the Year :

Present TBR : 5,679 books
Pages to Read : 1,943,264
Average Book Length : 342.18

Books Read 92 (1 August 23)
Pages : 22,238
Pages per day : 104.89
Average Book Length : 241.72 pages
Female Authors : 37
Male Authors : 52
Various : 3
Countries Read : 37 (UK, Morocco, Tunisia, Albania, Algeria, Guyana, Ireland, USA. Libya, Sweden, Egypt, Russia, Netherlands, Angola, Canada, Italy, Iceland, Mozambique, Nigeria, Spain, Sudan, Vietnam, Japan, Kenya, Bulgaria, Venezuela, Brazil, France, Ghana, Chile, India, Burundi, Ukraine, Mexico, Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand)

Fiction : 39
Thriller : 12
Non-Fiction : 17
Sci-Fi/Fantasy : 1
Poetry : 19
Short Stories : 4

1001 Books First Edition
Read 6 (333)

Nobel Winners
Read : (75)

Booker Winners
Read : (38)

Pulitzer Fiction Prize
Read 1 : (21)

Women's Prize
Read : (7)

Books Added in 2023

280 (1 August 2023)

Books Read in 2023

92 (1 August 2023)

Books Culled in 2023

116 (29 June 2023)

Change in TBR +72 (5,829)

Pages Read : 22,238
Pages Culled : 47,507
Pages Added : 89,555

Change in TBR Pages : +19,810(1,963,074)

Welcome to my 16th thread of 2023

Happy New Thread!

>12 mahsdad: Thanks Jeff and well done for being first up, mate.

Most welcome. I should go play the lottery. My lucks running high if I get in first to a new Paul thread. Lol

>14 mahsdad: Ha! Perhaps we should share some numbers, Jeff!

Happy new thread Paul!

>16 quondame: Thank you, dear Susan.

Happy new thread, Paul!

>1 PaulCranswick: Beautiful place!

>2 PaulCranswick: sad to get married at twelve. I just finished watching a movie from Saudi Arabia:Wadjda. Also about a young girl (and her mother) living in a society that gives women so little freedom.
Do you like Verghese as a writer?

>18 EllaTim: Thanks Ella and lovely to see you.

It would indeed be sad to have to marry so young but it was the way of the world back in those days in much of the world.

I have had Cutting for Stone on the shelves for the longest time and not yet got round to reading it so I am not able to express a meaningful opinion on Verghese save to say that the first few chapters of The Covenant of Water are very good indeed.

>1 PaulCranswick: Wonderful picture Paul. I look forward to read The Covenant of Water. I greatly enjoyed my read of Cutting for Stone. i am so excited for you to become a grampa soon. Happy new thread!

>20 mdoris: Thanks Mary. Of course by my own reckoning I am nowhere near old enough to be a grampa!

Happy new thread!

>22 amanda4242: Thank you, dear Amanda.

I am going to read a couple of short Francophone books in the next couple of days following your recommendation of how to get my numbers up. It certainly isn't by reading door stoppers like Verghese as good as it is!

An update on the Busiest Threads :

Top 75 threads of the 75ers as of just now:

1 PaulCranswick 3,900
2 katiekrug 3,341
3 richardderus 3,287
4 msf59 2,724
5 scaifea 2,102
6 karenmarie 1,952
7 CrazyMamie 1,866
8 laurelkeet 1,731
9 bell7 1,672
10 alcottacre 1,624
11 FAMeulstee 1,374
12 Familyhistorian 1,344
13 jnwelch 1,245
14 figsfromthistle 1,198
15 MickyFine 1,153
16 curioussquared 1,071
17 jessibud2 1,036
18 klobrien2 1,024
19 Berly 977
20 EBT1002 941
21 RebaRelishesReading 906
22 BLBera 889
23 quondame 772
24 drneutron 715
25 Carmenere 714
26 LizzieD 712
27 vancouverdeb 687
28 Whisper1 669
29 lyzard 637
30 The_Hibernator 608
31 streamsong 603
32 foggidawn 580
33 SandyMacpherson 579
34 mahsdad 567
35 johnsimpson 544
36 SandDune 544
37 ursula 506
38 humouress 473
39 kristelh 473
40 SirThomas 469
41 Caroline_McElwee 458
42 laytonwoman3rd 458
43 thornton37814 431
44 Dreamweaver 424
45 mstrust 404
46 weird_O 401
47 norabelle414 398
48 storeettlr 391
49 ArlieS 387
50 PlatinumWarlock 387
51 atozgrl 370
52 Squeaky_Chu 354
53 mdoris 353
54 witchyrichy 351
55 copperskye 335
56 ffortsa 330
57 Donna828 298
58 Whiteraven.17 294
59 banjo123 285
60 avatiakh 262
61 swynn 260
62 cbl_tn 254
63 Ella Tim 251
64 Chatterbox 241
65 Ravenswoodwitch 235
66 ronincats 222
67 sibylline 202
68 AMQS 193
69 DianaNL 191
70 hredwards 185
71 CDVicarage 174
72 oberon 168
73 amanda4242 167
74 kac522 162
75 chelle 156

Happy new thread, Paul!

Happy new one!

>25 Kristelh: Thank you, Kristel.

>26 figsfromthistle: Thanks Anita.

Happy new thread Paul - I just spent a fair few minutes trawling through your last thread noting some of the music.
I stopped posting on threads as I've been on a reading go slow. Over on GRs I went from 20 books ahead of my goeal of reading 150 books this year and am now 1 book behind on my goal! I think this also happened to me last year.
Your weight loss journey is going to meet some us and downs. Make sure not to overstretch yourself. My son's friend went from 120kgs to 76kgs in 12 months and has managed to maintain this for the past six months or so. His exercise routine was quite obssessive but he got the results. He had a small home gym and also took long walks. He weighed himself relentlessly which I always thought wasn't a good thing to do.

Our government continues to crumble with our Justice Minister quitting after trying to avoid arrest after crashing her car when over the limit. Stupid decision as as a minister she had the rights to a driver at all hours. he story has become shrouded into mystery as details disappear into the ether. Now the PM has given the Police Minister the Justice portfolio as well which is usually not acceptable in a democracy, and she is already proven as a useless minister for Police. Election Day cannot come quickly enough.

My husband has been watching the Women's World Cup football which NZ and Australia are hosting. The US went out last night in the quarter final with Sweden. Apparently the Swedish goalkeeper is a hero.

Happy new week and new

Happy New Thread, Paul! I am shocked to still be in your stats after my lack of activity this year.

>23 PaulCranswick: I recommend Told By Starlight in Chad: seventy-one pages and available on Open Library.

https://openlibrary.org/works/OL7378546W/Told_by_Starlight_in_Chad?edition=key%3...

>28 avatiakh: I have missed one of my favourite LT people over the last weeks, Kerry so it is lovely to see you posting here.

I have taken my foot off the gas a bit with the weight loss and need to get back to it this week. I am currently nine pounds lighter than when I started which is ok but needs to be improved upon.

Interesting that your government seems to be suffering from a dose of karma!

The Women's World Cup is not well covered really in Malaysia but I am of course rooting for our ladies who, I believe, play later. End of an era for the USA team, I feel.

>29 richardderus: Thank you dear fellow, I will get out my sewing machine and make a few more posts!

>30 ronincats: Still handily in the top 75 threads, Roni. Lovely to see you here dear lady.

>31 amanda4242: I will add that to being 3 quick reads this week for the Francophone challenge.

Happy new thread, Paul

>34 ArlieS: Interestingly we cross posted, Arlie, as I was just over at your digs catching up. Lovely to see you here as always. xx

Happy New Thread , Paul !

>36 vancouverdeb: Thank you, Deb! I have added three of the Booker books so far but cannot find any of the others yet.

Happy new thread, Paul!
...and thank you for finding the time to do the stats - I'll never reach you, but in the TOP 40 it's also quite nice.
Have a wonderful week my friend.

>38 SirThomas: Thank you dear Thomas. You are 8th of 13 gentlemen in the top 75.

Happy new thread, Paul!

>24 PaulCranswick: Thank for the stats, I am still holding on at one of my favorite numbers.
Amazing you are at almost 4,000!

>40 FAMeulstee: Thank you, dear Anita.

Gone are the days when I can get close to 10,000 posts (Richard, Amber, Mark, Stasia, Kath, Joe and Stephen (Ape) have all gotten 8,000+ (or close to) posts in a year previously too - some of them severally.

Nevertheless I am still very gratified by every post anyone takes the trouble to put here and take each one as a blessing. xx

Happy new thread, and thanks for the stats!

>42 foggidawn: Very welcome, Foggi. Lovely to see you here dear lady.

Happy new one, Paul. I am enjoying your trip through the music of the years.

Happy New thread!!

>44 jessibud2: Thank you, Shelley. I am enjoying listening to the music and sharing too!

>45 hredwards: Thanks Harold.

Happy new thread, Paul.

Counting the days until you and Hani become grandparents. I hope all is still well xx

I just finished Cutting for Stone- it is a terrific novel in my opinion. I had it in one of my books piles for a long time!

Hi Paul, Happy New Thread mate. I always love your posts and books tables and cannot believe that i am still in the top 40 of posts but i will be really low down on books read. Although i am reading every day, i don't seem to be reading enough pages and therefore books seem to take longer to read, i must rectify this as the TBR pile i growing fast.

Sending love and hugs to you and all the Cranswick clan from both of us dear friend.

>47 DianaNL: Lovely to see you Diana. Yasmyne went for a medical check up yesterday (Monday so I guess for you it is still today!) and everything is ok. A few weeks away seemingly.

>48 torontoc: I never heard a bad word about it either, Cyrel, so I really don't know why I haven't read it yet! I am really enjoying The Covenant of Water.

>49 johnsimpson: Great to see you, John. Some of our peers are incredibly quick readers aren't they?!

>51 PaulCranswick:, they certainly are mate, i would be happy to get to between 75 and a 100 to be honest.

I like Joe's post about us setting up a book barn mate, it made me chuckle, not sure we would sell anything, lol.

>52 johnsimpson: We may have some shared books I suppose that could go but for the rest I don't see us letting any go!

August 1980 saw Paul Simon end a 5 year hiatus by releasing One Trick Pony



I remember it was one of the cassettes that I took with me to Egypt and I played it to death. "Late in the Evening" is a great track.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIwi6DTP7pw

Tattoo You was The Rolling Stones 16th British studio album and contained some of their best songs for a while.



This is "Start Me Up" which is a staple of their live act.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGyOaCXr8Lw

The disdain of Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman for the rest of the band is comical.

>54 PaulCranswick: - Paul Simon has a new one out now, called Seven Psalms. There is a documentary film about it, I think. If you are interested, I can find a link to a few interviews I heard. He is a man of many talents, not all of them have been successful but he's still my all-time favourite.

>56 jessibud2: Genius is a term bandied about too easily these days, Shelley, but Paul Simon is a genius songwriter - great lyrics and wonderful melody. He is not my absolute favourite as I am too British (!) but he is most definitely up there and I couldn't do without him in my music collection.

My absolute favourite song of his is "Kathy's Song".

Happy new thread, Juan!

>58 alcottacre: Thank you, dear lady.

Happy new thread! That topper looks like a great place!

>60 drneutron: Kerala is one of the places in India I really do want to visit, Jim.
Nice to see you as always Doc Roc.

Happy new thread, Paul!

BOOK #95



The Shameful State by Sony Labou Tansi
Date of Publication : 1981
Origin of Author : Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
Pages : 116 pp

At once an absurdist piece of writing that also happens to have an element of truth about it.

Our hero (and his hernia) have been ruler of the nation for 39 years and in his own mind has overseen the nation benevolently. Some of the scenes described can only leave the impression that without his benevolence thousands upon thousands would have lived longer and without the constant fear of the touch of his benevolent feeling.

It is the sort of skit that works in this novella form but another 50 pages would have been 50 pages too many.

>62 atozgrl: Thank you, Irene. Always a pleasure to have you stop by. xx

Happy new thread, Paul. Nice to see the stats. To me, it feels like I'm behind in my posting but the stats prove otherwise. I can't see most of the album covers in your musical posts for some reason.

>54 PaulCranswick: In my memory Paul's Graceland CD was the first disc I purchased after getting a cd player. For a time I only had a few cds so it got a lot of play. Have always enjoyed his music.

>65 Familyhistorian: Mm Meg, I am not sure why the album cover images are playing up today. They have never been a problem before.
Canada's leading poster this year no less!

>66 RBeffa: I played that one a lot too, Ron. Some great songs on the album.

Happy new thread Paul. >2 PaulCranswick: Definitely a beautiful cover for that book and I'll keep my eye out for your review. As always, appreciate seeing the stats posts.

>68 WhiteRaven.17: Thank you Kro.
It is a very striking cover isn't it?!

In August 1982 Dexy's Midnight Runners released Too Rye Ay



The album spawned the UK's biggest hit of the year "Come On Eileen"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BODDyZRF6A

Punch the Clock is my absolute favourite Elvis Costello record and was released in August 1983.



This is probably the most commercial song on the album : "Everyday I Write the Book"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1d4r9awjKE&list=PLmFE8JMdodQOJZ6gVGNl0J1crJ...

Happy new thread!

>24 PaulCranswick: I was pleasantly surprised to be in the list at all after a busy, mostly offline summer.

Loving the walk down musical memory lane. We share lots of them, its seems.

>72 witchyrichy: Thanks Karen.

Many of our pals are holding up fine in the stats but in reality the numbers are a little down on previous years. Still by far in a way the busiest group on LT.

I love music almost as much as I adore reading.

(From the last thread) Man, watching Clarence wailing away on that sax is almost as good as watching Bruce.

And is it me, or does that look like Keith Richards playing guitar on Bruce's left???

(From this thread) Happy new thread, Paul!

>74 PlatinumWarlock: That is a great music video isn't it, Lavinia?

Oh and by the way the guitarist in the video is Nils Lofgren although you are right to note the resemblance to Richards.

Thanks and great to see you xx

1> Lovely topper, Paul and
2> yes I am interested!!

>76 Carmenere: Good and even gooder, Lynda! xx

In August 1984 Depeche Mode released Some Great Reward.



Some of it is heavy going and a difficult listen but there are definite high points including the lead single "People are People"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzGnX-MbYE4

I didn't much like The Cure at the time but they are a band whose music has stood the test of time. The Head on the Door was possibly their breakthrough album.



"In Between Days" has made its way onto my regular playlist in recent years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scif2vfg1ug

Just realized how parochial my music choices are. Five of the last six albums selected are from the UK. I guess we will always gravitate to the more familiar and well-remembered.

>79 PaulCranswick: I also didn't much care for The Cure at the time but now have several of their songs on my regular play list. My daughter and I listened to their 'The Lovecats' a few times a while back and that made me go listen to some more of their work.

>81 avatiakh: I don't know what it is, Kerry! They had a very loyal core fan base but I found them distinctly weird at the time. Maybe it is the changing times or maybe my own changing tastes but I do really quite enjoy their music these days.

>79 PaulCranswick: what is that expression? Same Same. I thought the Cure were too weird and I heard them on the radio often enough but never had the slightest desire to buy some of their music. Then along comes 2005 a film called Just Like Heaven. I think it was Katie Melua who covered the title song. My daughter and I watched the film numerous times (much of my watching in those days was daughter driven). Anyway I finally woke up that the Cure produced some genuinely good pop music. So since then I've picked up a few of their cds and songs of theirs make regular appearances in my playlist. I still don't want to 'watch' them but I very much enjoy listening to many of their songs.

Sad to hear that Robbie Robertson passed on this morning. He was a staple in our 80s music listening.

eta: The song that got into my dna from The Head on the Door album was "A Night Like This" but I like your choice a lot also.

>70 PaulCranswick: Finally! A song that I have actually heard. I remember "Come On Eileen" quite well.

I have never been much of a popular music fan, unfortunately, so I am not familiar with a lot of the music you have highlighted. I have always been a classical music kind of gal - I also enjoy jazz and swing - and these days, listen to pretty much to no music at all.

>83 RBeffa: Hahaha et tu, Ron?!

Listening to the album again last night I was struck by how consistently good it was and it didn't seem weird at all!

Of dear, I hadn't heard the sad news about Robbie Robertson. His "The Weight" is probably my favourite Band song.

>84 alcottacre: I like me some classical too, Stasia. Particular favourites? I gravitate towards the Russians and the French!

BOOK # 96



Told by Starlight in Chad by Joseph Brahim Seid
Date of Publication : 2007
Origin of Author : Chad
Pages : 71 pp

This book was recommended to me by Amanda and was available on the Open Library to read for the African Novel Challenge.

It was a tad lightweight in parts with some of the short stories a bare one and a half pages long, but the charm of some of its better parts was undeniable.

I particularly liked the story "The Magic Cap, Purse and Cane" and there was fable. folklore and fairy tale in full flow here. Thanks Amanda!

In August 1986 that Wyndham named Aussie folk-alt-rock combo The Triffids released In the Pines



This album has worn well and accompanied me through several long nights studying in my chambers at Warwick.

This is the wonderfully titled "Jerdacuttup Man"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwMiX82R-ZQ

The Reid brothers formed Jesus and the Mary Chain and their second studio album Darklands was released at the end of August 1987.



They really were an archetypical student band. I haven't listened to them much in this century but a re-acquaintance reminded me of electric triple bar heaters and cheap food badly cooked.

This is "April Skies "

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPPP3BXurHk

>79 PaulCranswick: Dépêche Mode and The Cure - wow... two bands that totally shaped my teens and helped me feel cool (as a serious student and book nerd, I was not!). I would absolutely go see them live today. In fact, I went to see New Order last year and swooned - so many memories came flooding back!
Thanks for the memory trip, Paul :)

>89 Cecilturtle: Lovely to see you here!

The longevity of Depeche Mode and The Cure has surprised me as I had imagined them rooted in their time. Their music still seems fresh even today doesn't it?

Just a wave Paul. How are the new parents to be doing?

>91 Caroline_McElwee: Waving right back, Caroline. Yasmyne is in good form and will have her mother for company soon. Sam is still not working but will apparently have more options when he is a father?

>86 PaulCranswick: Glad you enjoyed it!

>92 PaulCranswick: Could Sam take over Yasmyne's job?

>79 PaulCranswick: My entire twenties in one song. Yeah, they've stood the test of time alrighty all right.

I missed the whole thing about you being a grandparent-to-be, Paul. Congratulations!

>90 PaulCranswick: I'd love to be here more often, but work doesn't give the leisure ... Summertime is a different story :D

I was outraged (with myself) when I found out that I missed The Cure in Montreal last June. I would have loved it. I find the sounds are making a bit of comeback in the music my daughter listens - definitely more enduring that I would have thought.

take care!

>93 amanda4242: It was a charming little book, Amanda.

>94 m.belljackson: Simply put, Marianne - no. Yasmyne will go back to work at the earliest opportunity and he will do the babycare, I think. She really likes the job working with my brother.

>95 richardderus: There are certain songs that conjure up time and place, RD and I am increasingly drawn to the music of that particular period which I professed not to like that much at the time!

>96 alcottacre: Thank you, Juana. I must again repeat, however, that I am just not old enough!

>97 Cecilturtle: Concerts or gigs are a rare luxury over here, I'm afraid. I did see Blur in Singapore a few years ago but most bands don't head out this way.

My son, sadly in the UK, loves the music of the 1980s and I can spend hours sharing music with him and debating with him the relative merits of our favourite acts.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/352884

Any names in the running for your granddaughter on the way , Paul ? Or is it a secret . My son kept their names a secret until after the babies were born, whereas I had mine chosen and announced very early for William, as I knew he would be a boy, via an ultrasound. We'd didn't know Daniel's sex until his birth, but we had it narrowed done to two girls names and two boys's names, so it was pretty easy. I hope you can soon head to the UK to see Yasmyne and Kyran and your granddaughter.

>101 SilverWolf28: Thanks Silver. I have a few books well advanced which I will hopefully get over the line this weekend.

>102 vancouverdeb: They may have chosen already, Deb, but I am not in on the secret as yet. It is fairly certain to be a girl anyway so I guess that narrows things down ever so slightly.

I think most of you know that I am a twin and a pair of twins hit pay dirt in August 1988 with the release of their second album Sunshine on Leith.



The Proclaimers from Edinburgh (well Leith, Edinburgh to be precise) were a boon to spectacle wearers everywhere!

This is the title track and one of my absolute besties for singing along to.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iesps9w4HFw

The first Nanci Griffith album I ever owned was Storms. Many people thought this album which was released in August 1989 was a disappointment but I loved it and cherished all her work ever after.



This is her song about Belfast : "It's a Hard Life Wherever You Go"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9lUG4gBjSE

>105 PaulCranswick: Many people were abso-bloody-lutely wrong. That album was, and is, a favorite of mine too PC.

>104 PaulCranswick: You have been proving that the music of the 80s was pretty darn good. I hesitate to guess how many hundreds of time 500 Miles played on our stereo. One of my wife's all time favorites. My wife and daughter would sing this one for many years.

>105 PaulCranswick: As a devoted Nancifan, I'll agree Storms was indeed a change for Nanci, but she had been already moving a bit away from country folk, esp with "Sweet Dreams Will Come", the duet she did with John Stewart on her prior album Little Love Affairs. 'Hard Life' would become one of her signature songs. Having a synthesizer show up on a Nanci album was a surprise at the time.

I think we are two days away from the 2nd anniversary of her death. Here she is at a concert I took the kids to. Saw her quite a few times over the years.

>106 richardderus: I'm not sure that it is not my absolute favourite, RD, but I am glad that I started there as it encouraged me to go and get the rest of her work and fall in love with her. What a terrible blow when she succumbed to cancer recently.

>107 RBeffa: I always say that I don't much care for the music of the eighties and then go and remember that it was pretty darned good!

I really liked the Proclaimers but I adored Nanci. I would have loved to have seen her perform, Ron.

I have a slightly love/hate relationship with The Pixies who I wanted to like more than I ever managed to but their albums normally contained a few great tunes amongst the noise.

In August 1990 they released Bossanova



It included the song "Dig for Fire" which remains on my playlist:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tA96j5l2lvA

The Fire Inside is a patchy work by a favourite of mine in Bob Seger released in August 1991.



But the title track is one of absolute go to songs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uBe53NQG_0

Just an average week at the pantomime that is my football club, Leeds United.

Twice coming from behind (2-2 v Cardiff in the season opener and a 2-1 win in the League Cup against Shrewsbury) with a patched up team that was featuring the 17 year-old heir to the Gray footballing dynasty at Leeds.

On Wednesday morning we were all excited that we were signing the England U-21 full-back Max Aarons only to have him change his mind when an EPL club came calling whilst he was travelling for his medical to join us. Then our young Italian international, encouraged by his agent, refused to play in the cup game as he was agitating for a move to the EPL. He has a five year contract with us and the board basically have told him that he will not be sold and he is now seemingly "on strike". Marvellous.

Then the guy whose injury probably got us relegated, Tyler Adams, the USMT captain had his escape clause triggered by Chelsea and went there for a medical only for them to change their mind and send him back to us!

We play Birmingham City this weekend with umpteen players sold, only four brought in and a dozen key players injured. We are Leeds and we will survive and then thrive and I reckon we will win convincingly! You couldn't make it up.

>99 PaulCranswick: I understand that sentiment exactly. I have been a grandmother for over 20 years now, lol.

>112 alcottacre: You were certainly not old enough to be a grandmom

In August 1992 Blue Rodeo released Lost Together



This was one of the first alternative country bands I listened to. The song I chose is "Rain Down On Me"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0y8tUVw0Us

Sheryl Crow looked like she would be a complete phenom with the release of Tuesday Night Music Club. It didn't quite go on to be like that but she has had a solid career nevertheless though never replicating her debut.



"All I Wanna Do" is the most famous song perhaps, but "Strong Enough" is a better song.

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

Sorry I have been a tad absent this weekend as I took Hani down to Johor for a family wedding and we stayed over in Pontian again for another digestively difficult weekend for me (too much good food).

Took her to her Dad's graveside and to visit a close friend just out of hospital as she will travel to the UK in the new week.

>116 PaulCranswick: You need to temper yourself at those big meals!

>115 PaulCranswick: I was oversaturated with hearing her debut album constantly on the radio

>115 PaulCranswick: That's a song I expected to hear a lot more covers of by now. Much more interesting musically and emotionally than its more famous sibling.

>117 RBeffa: True, Ron.

I don't blame her for releasing so many singles from that album as she cashed in to a huge degree but it did rather over play her hand.

>118 richardderus: I thought so too, RD.

Safe travels to Hani. Glad you had a good weekend together.

>120 Caroline_McElwee: Thanks Caroline. We did have a good weekend but unfortunately it has meant that I am now not sleeping well waking up uncomfortable after a mere three hours.

I must say a thank you to all who have posted on my threads this year as I have passed 4,000 posts in 2023 thanks to all of you. This is post 4,004.

>122 PaulCranswick: Congrats, Paul!

Congratulations Paul on your posts and hope you're feeling better soon. I also could not sleep last night so just kind of dragging through the day.

>123 figsfromthistle: Thank you, Anita

>124 Kristelh: Thanks Kristel. I have a busy day ahead too so I will try to grab another 40 winks shortly.

In August 1994 Oasis burst onto the music scene with the release of their album Definitely Maybe.



This is an acoustic recording of my favourite song on the album "Live Forever"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MM6XG1DOwrs

I must give a shout out to the debut album of Ben Folds Five which was also released this month but I had to choose the other self titled debut Garbage, which was anything but.



So many good tunes but I guess "Queer" is rated as the best in my own mind:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ppiohVRZ0s

Wow, Paul, that is impressive having over 4000 posts! Amazing!

>128 mdoris: Actually way down on most years, Mary, but I am very grateful to still be posting and receiving so many posts and even more grateful for the friends I have made in this wonderful group - your goodself included!

Hopefully not too late to wish you a happy new thread, Paul. Congrats on over 4,000 posts so far!

Never too late for you Mary! My door is always open to my favourites. xx

>127 PaulCranswick: Great album from a great band.

And they did a killer Bond theme!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eI7KxEerCYo

>132 amanda4242: Ah yes! The World is Not Enough. Not my favourite Bond theme but in the upper echelon I would say.

Often touted as the one Bond theme written from the perspective of the villain.

The Pandemic showed us the extent to which governments can and wish to control the general public - the move to a cashless society is in keeping with this and scares me actually with the obvious scope for big brother abuse.

>134 PaulCranswick: Are we going cashless, Paul ? I know I pay our dog walker in cash , and that is what she prefers . Our 38 year son pays us a bit of rent , and pays in cash . My husband gets his hair cut at a place that only accepts cash ( are they trying to dodge taxes? Personally I prefer to use a debit card so I don’t have to lug around bills and change . But we’ve cash dispensers machines all over the place .

>134 PaulCranswick: Me too, Paul.

>135 vancouverdeb: I also like the convenience of a debit card, Deb, but it is the fact that in some places there is no choice now but to pay in other-than-cash. People should be free to choose whether they want to entrust the banks with their money and it is not a conspiracy theory to note that there is a distinct move towards the creation of a cashless society where, in the guise of convenience, we are actually all completely under control. Our bank accounts can be frozen, our hard earned sums seized upon a whim or for disagreeing with a dictate.

>136 Kristelh: I count myself as a social libertarian Kristel and see no contradiction in the two words being aligned.

Today would have been my Mum's birthday had she been able to fight off cancer for the third time. She would have been 78 today.

Love you Mum and miss you every day.

>138 PaulCranswick: I'm sad with you all over again for your loss, PC. I know from experience that it always hurts but it does indeed get less prominent in one's daily existence.

>139 richardderus: Thank you, RD, you have a huge heart dear fellow and always appreciated hereabouts.

I am so sorry Paul. Thank you for posting that picture of you and your beautiful Mum.

Beautiful photo of your Mom. I miss my parents everyday and would give a great deal to be able to talk especially with my mom.

The analogy that speaks to my heart is that it is like an amputation. You are always aware of the loss, but eventually the pain lessens a bit.

{{Hugs}}

Adding to the {{{hugs}}} Paul.

>138 PaulCranswick:, Love and hugs from both of us mate. Things not going well down at Elland Road mate players leaving or wanting to leave, Gonoto should be grateful for the chance that he was given and then signing a long term contract, it doesn't do him good to be seen as one to jump ship at the first sign of trouble instead of doing everything he can for the club and therefore putting himself in the shop window in a good light.

>141 mdoris: Thanks Mary. xx

>142 streamsong: I can understand what you mean, Janet. For me the word that best sums up the feeling is "bereft".

>143 DianaNL: Thank you dear Diana.

>144 Caroline_McElwee: And thanks to you too Caroline. xx

>145 johnsimpson: I couldn't agree more It was the same prima donnas who got us into this place but of course they reject any notion of personal responsibility or loyalty.

>137 PaulCranswick: I identify as libertarian too, probably not 'social' libertarian tho.
>138 PaulCranswick:, sweet memories. Your mom was very beautiful.

>149 Kristelh: I suppose I add the social part to the moniker, Kristel as I am mindful that we are part of a society and I am a firm believer in caring for those in genuine need of such care. The elderly, sick, disabled and infirm. I am a believer in a contributory society but I am VERY firmly against state overreach and interference and we have never seen it worse than in this decade.

Thanks re: my mum. xx

>150 PaulCranswick: I agree with taking care of people in genuine need but I also think that is what family is for and firmly believe it was my job to care for my parents, etc, and I hope my children will want to do the same. I agree with you on the overreach and interference.

>151 Kristelh: I would limit the state to basic structure - education, health and public services and a safety & security net. The importance of the family is much more striking in Asia than it is in the West.

Just thought I'd drop in before you went to your new thread or became a grandfather and increment your message tally.

Thanks for all the music you've been posting about, Paul. I finally have something to listen to here but it had been so long that I forgot much of what I used to listen to.

>153 quondame: You are a sweetie indeed, Susan!

>154 Familyhistorian: I am enjoying my trawl through time with my music selections, Meg. Pleased that there is something there to like. xx

Happy new thread Paul!

We'll be watching England play Australia tomorrow - but this family is divided in its allegiances.

>156 humouress: No such division over here, Nina - I will be urging on the Lionesses for sure!

August 1996 was a difficult month of music to choose from with four albums I really liked - The Eels, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers and Pearl Jam almost made it but I'm off to Sweden to bask in the lovely Nina Persson. The Cardigans album First Band on the Moon was a favourite of the early days of our marriage.



I was the "Lovefool"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NI6aOFI7hms

>158 PaulCranswick: A car-radio staple in the 90s. I'd completely forgotten the Cardigans now that I'm old enough to wear one unironically.

My favourite Welsh band is Super Furry Animals as I must have mentioned before and usually non-single album tracks. Radiator was one such album from 1997.



My favourite song is the closing track "Mountain People".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvlOh9cKbxw

>159 richardderus: I love my maroon cardie, RD. A staple on days when I want to make my staff uncomfortable in the heat of my office! The Cardigans were good fun.

>137 PaulCranswick: Completely agree - our local mini Tesco (in an area which has a higher than average % of elderly folk) has been cashless for a while.

Disgraceful behaviour considering the clientele. Although ironically all the takeaways nearby are now cash only for some reason ... ;)

Very true though the concerns behind this - and startling how others don't see it - the more control you surrender the more control they have (and no tin foil on my head) - first they'll be a small 0.01% charge - for admin reasons -which will slowly creep up and up.

On a similar-ish note; not sure if you have seen the recent-ish news over here when Nigel Farrage had a Coutts bank account closed and the resultant fuore had some senior banking heads leaving as it turned out it was purely a political as opposed to financial decision.

Was kind of amusing seeing the anti-Farrage press (admittingly most of them and at times with good reason) coming out 'vaguely' in his defence.

>161 PaulCranswick: I've got four of them, and wear three in rotation as a/c is often too cold for me now I'm skinny yet it's brutally uncomfortable without it. The cotton cardies are my staples so they rotate in the wash and the llama-wool one from Peru is the outdoors-in-fall one.

>162 Ignatius777: Lovely to hear from you, Ignatius. My mum would have celebrated her birthday yesterday and she didn't have a mobile phone nor did she have a computer. She would have been lost and unable to buy her provisions in the places she would want to.

I am extremely concerned about the infringement on personal choice and the possibilities for governmental and/or organisational abuse.

I did see the stuff on Farage and whilst I don't agree with him on many things, it is absolutely outrageous that the bank would seek to close his account because they did not like or share his politics. Everyone should have a right to an account and the banks - especially one group that was bailed out by the public - should remember that they work for us.

>163 richardderus: I don't have too much need for cardigans here, RD, but I do like them nonetheless!

>151 Kristelh: The problem with leaving "taking care of people in genuine need" to families, is that not everyone has a family, let alone one that's able and willing to take care of them. What happens when mommy is an alcoholic, and daddy is in jail? Grandma? She's another alcoholic. What happens in old age to the dutiful daughter who cared for her parents until they died, and so never had children of her own? Especially if she was the youngest/only child, and her siblings (if any) are also dead or disabled? Maybe there's a nephew somewhere?

I'm absolutely not against people taking care of relatives in need - or for that matter friends, neighbours and even random strangers. But there still needs to be a good social safety net.

>166 ArlieS: For my part I was advocating for a good social safety net, albeit one that is not allowed to be abused. I think the importance of the familial unit is not valued sufficiently in the West, Arlie, although I do agree that for a significant number of young and old they do not have a family to call upon.

>167 PaulCranswick: I think you and I are basically in agreement here, though I may have a clearer view of the downsides of relying on family due to my life experience and those of many acquaintances, and you almost certainly have a clearer view of the upsides of large family units (clans, not nuclear) from your life experience in the East.

Edited to add: A friend of mine was a volunteer at the local hospice in the 1990s, when it was basically full of young men dying of AIDS. Far too many of them had been disowned by their birth families, or effectively abandoned.

>168 ArlieS: I had a close friend die from diseases unprevented because of AIDS and he was rare in that his family were with him and holding his hand until the very end. These sorts of things bring out both the best and the worst in humankind and you can certainly see the innate goodness or otherwise in a person when our lives are touched by trauma and tragedies of this kind.

>138 PaulCranswick: What a very sweet picture of you and your Mum, Paul - thank you for sharing it. May her memory be a blessing for you.

>137 PaulCranswick: I'm encountering more and more shops (usually small ones) that now only take cards because it reduces their exposure to theft, and I can appreciate that. It's a fine line to walk, to be sure. (And I still keep a fair amount of cash locked up in the basement, for the zombie invasion, so... there's that.)

>113 PaulCranswick: Well, thank you. I could be a great grandmom soon. My granddaughter, Alyssa, got married a couple of years ago, so I am waiting for the news, lol.

>138 PaulCranswick: That is a lovely picture of you and your Mum, Paul. I am glad you have some good memories to hold on to.

>170 PlatinumWarlock: Thanks Lavinia. I will keep my eyes skinned for those zombies, hehe!

>171 alcottacre: It is funny, Stasia, but I was playing some CDs in the car on the way to Johor this weekend and I played Andrew Lloyd Webber's collection which included "Memory" by Elaine Paige which my mum loved. Hani and her sister were both asleep in the car and the tears were rolling down my cheeks singing along to that most beautiful of songs.

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

You would need to be made of stone not to be moved by that.

>127 PaulCranswick: One of the best albums!!

>173 ocgreg34: For sure it wasn't garbage, Greg!

BOOK #97



The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng
Date of Publication : 2023
Origin of Author : Malaysia
Pages : 304 pp

I am of course biased but I would love Tan Twan Eng to win the Booker for Malaysia.

Will he do so and would he deserve it? Quite possibly. There have been far worse winners than this very accomplished novel.

The author weaves three historical events - Somerset Maugham's visit to Malaya, Sun Yat Sen's stay in Penang and a sensational murder trial into a very convincing novel of love, longing and deceit. He sort of pencils in the backstory for Maugham's famous short story collection The Casuarina Tree and in particular its closing story "The Letter".

Recommended.

In August 1998 Neil Hannon's Divine Comedy released Fin de Siecle.



It was a slight fall off from the two previous albums but compelling nevertheless. This is the single (one of three) which charted in the UK top ten "National Express" (this is the name of the most famous inter city bus company in the UK).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_GLSgJ39Dc

>175 PaulCranswick: I envy you Paul, having read The House of Doors already . It's not yet published in North America. I do have a hold on it the library. I'm glad you enjoyed it. A lovely picture of you and your mum, Paul. I hope your memories bring you comfort.

>177 vancouverdeb: It will be worth the wait, Deb, believe me. I think I place it between The Gift of Rain and The Garden of Evening Mists in a ranking of his novels, but all three are excellent.

I think I only have good memories of my Mum. She was a wonderful person always ready with a smile and a comforting word.

Hi Paul, I picked up Too far from Antibes by Bede Scott from the library today. Scott is an expat kiwi who lives in Singapore. The book was published by Penguin Singapore, set in 1950s Saigon and described as a homage to Graham Greene & Eric Ambler. Just wanted to bring it to your attention.
https://asianreviewofbooks.com/content/too-far-from-antibes-by-bede-scott/

>179 avatiakh: Ooh thanks, Kerry, that looks just my bag. Ambler and Greene were mainstays of my young adulthood.

>172 PaulCranswick: I have watched Elaine Paige perform "Memory" many times through the years and never fail to be moved by it.

>175 PaulCranswick: I have that one on the way to me although I am not sure when it is going to be here. I am glad to see you enjoyed it.

Happy whatever, Paul!

>181 alcottacre: It is a favourite of mine. I saw Cats in London many, many moons ago and it blew me away completely.

Always a pleasure to see you here, dear lady.

The last August of the Century past saw the release of Welsh band Feeder's album Yesterday Went Too Soon



Good driving music as exemplified by the title track.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yb0u6QZf1Lg

Hi Paul. As always, your reviews are great, you read interesting books, and your opening images re incredible. Sixteen threads speaks to how much this group follows and enjoys you.

>184 Whisper1: Having you amongst my regular visitors, Linda, gives me inordinate pleasure. Your warmth, fortitude, grace and good sense are something for many of us to aspire towards. xx

Paul...You are always so very kind! Thank you.

>186 Whisper1: Say it as I see it, dear lady. xx

In 2000 it was hard to explain the all pervading popularity of Robbie Williams. He brought out Sing When You're Winning



My last public singing appearance was a rendition of this song "A Better Man" for a charity show for the victims of the Tsunami in a jazz bar in Kuala Lumpur. Thankfully I don't have footage of that but here is Mr. Williams performing the song at Knebworth in the UK

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sryml6Df4DI

>188 PaulCranswick: Tedious little tune, no? And the self-indulgence of the monologue so common at live shows is one part of why I stopped going to live musical events. The other being I can't control the volume.

Catch up on my recent additions:

291. The Shameful State by Sony Labou Tansi (Open Library Addition)
292. Told By Starlight in Chad by Joseph Brahim Seid (Open Library Addition)
293. Father by Elizabeth von Arnim
294. Any Human Heart by William Boyd
295. Warriors of the Storm by Bernard Cornwell
296. The Angry Tide by Winston Graham
297. The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai
298. Mamma by Diana Tutton
299. Blue White Red by Alain Mabanckou (Open Library Addition)
300. Bound to Violence by Yambo Ouologuem (Open Library Addition)
301. The Baltimore Boys by Joel Dicker
302. & Sons by David Gilbert
303. The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris
304. The Boy in the Field by Margot Livesey
305. The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo
306. The Emperor's Children by Claire Messud
307. Distant Mandate by Ange Mlinko
308. Now and Again by Charlotte Rogan
309. Rock and Roll is Life by DJ Taylor
310. Don't Skip Out On Me by Willy Vlautin

>190 PaulCranswick: Wow, and I thought my Blackwell's order was big, lol. Nice, Juan!

>189 richardderus: A bit harsh, RD, on the song itself but I will agree that the monologue is unbearably self-indulgent.
There is something innately British about Robbie Williams that means he just doesn't travel well.

>191 alcottacre: I have a (bad) reputation to maintain, Juana! To be fair 4 of the 20 were loaned online rather than bought.

>193 PaulCranswick: Four out of 20, which is about 20%? Your bad reputation remains intact, I should say.

>194 alcottacre: Yeah you are probably right. xx

>175 PaulCranswick: our library does not have this yet and I am very much looking forward to it. It isn't at our closest bookstore either.

In Maugham related news, I finally made myself get through the moon and sixpence. The most unpleasant book I have read in ages and I would never reread it although I reread much of this as I went. Fictionalized Gauguin which makes me never want to look at his paintings again.

I am not sure I have read The Letter, so I will have to look through my Maugham books, digital and physical to try and read it before approaching The House of Doors.

You are going through a bunch of music that I know nothing about! I was clearly in another musical realm at the time.

>192 PaulCranswick: I expect that's my issue. Plenty of US music doesn't travel well, either.

Hey Paul! Hope your week's going well!

>175 PaulCranswick: Glad it was a hit for you too Paul.

Hopelessly behind but Hi!!! : )

>196 RBeffa: It is funny Ron because I loved Moon and Sixpence when I read it as a very young man, but couldn't really understand why when I re-read it in fairly recent times.

Apart from his plays I have read pretty much everything he has written and he remains a favourite, albeit a slightly tarnished one.

>197 RBeffa: August 2000 is a particularly difficult month for me to choose from for some reason, buddy, as I don't recall liking too much of what I heard at the time. I was playing Mercury Rev's album of that month last night and Hani made me turn it off as she said wisely "it is bloody awful".

>198 richardderus: I am not overly familiar with a lot of American rock music, RD, so I would probably have to agree with you.

>199 The_Hibernator: It is going extremely well Rachel. I managed to settle a dispute amicably with one of our main subcontractors yesterday over a very nice Lebanese lunch. They did the piling works on one part of the site and had effectively finished their work in 2017. We had been in dispute over their claims for losses for delay and additional works. They had claimed RM171 million (around $42 million) and I settled it yesterday for RM61.3 (around $15 million).

>200 Caroline_McElwee: It was quite a safe bet that I would like it, Caroline. Location known, author loved, subject matter a personal interest. x

>201 Berly: Lovely to see you, Kimmers!

>202 PaulCranswick: When I was young some of Graham Greene's stories caught my attention but I scarcely recall Maugham - I must have read some but it didn't get hooks in me. Much later in life, pre-Librarything, and probably because of a few films, I got interested in him and liked what I read. I would almost have called him a favorite author then. Several years back I started reading some of his stories I had missed or skipped like Up at the Villa and Maugham got his hooks in me. The Moon and Sixpence is the first story of his I really disliked.

ETA: I'd like to re-read Of Human Bondage someday. not soon. I didn't care for it when I read it long ago. I suspect I might still find it a bore although it is held up as a classic.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/353058

>205 RBeffa: If you had asked me half a decade ago I would have said my favourite was The Moon and Sixpence. I cannot in good conscience say that now so it would probably be The Magician now.

>206 SilverWolf28: Thanks Silver.

A couple of quick additions this lunchtime as I didn't have much time and I had left my wallet in the office!

311. Fresh Dirt From the Grave by Giovanna Rivero
312. Empty Words by Mario Levrero

Lunchtime in South America effectively as one author is from Uruguay and the other Bolivia.

I like the way you spend your lunch break, Paul!

>209 Carmenere: I would have spent a lot more in my lunch with my wallet, Lynda!!

Still in Britain and it is Sophie Ellis Bextor Read My Lips released in August 2001.



It has to be "Murder on the Dancefloor" which I remember my younger sister in law playing to death.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAx6mYeC6pY

From a UK female singer to one of my favourite American female artists, Aimee Mann who released the excellent Lost in Space in August 2002.



This is "Pavlov's Bell"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dr08SIHELV8

>212 PaulCranswick: Another album that got buried under the sediment of my life. Her voice always delights, doesn't it?

Paul - Hope all are safe from crash.

>208 PaulCranswick: Ha! I am matching you now. I just posted all of the books that came in for me today on the "This Just In" thread. I have more on the way. I may have gone slightly overboard when the sale of Dad's house was finalized and I was finally out from under that.

Have a wonderful weekend, Juan!

>213 richardderus: Great songwriter and performer, RD. I love her music.

>214 m.belljackson: Thanks Marianne. Quite a shock in fact. I did many projects at the airport near where the accident happened. The plane was two minutes from its intended destination.

>215 alcottacre: I must go over and wallow in your over indulgence, Juana! I always enjoy a good splurge xx

>217 PaulCranswick: I always enjoy a good splurge xx As do I! Why do you think I hang around these parts? Lol

>218 alcottacre: I thought it was for my wit, good looks and the repartee!

>219 PaulCranswick: Yeah, those too :)

>188 PaulCranswick: Wow!!! I had no idea you performed songs in public. Though, I am not surprised!

Thanks for the reminder that you are a twin. Was/is this a positive experience?

I am a grandmother of twin boys. Because they were a process of invetro fertilization, they do not look alike. Only in times of smiles, can I see a likening. Both now 20 years old, and in different colleges. Luke is the one we call "the brainyac," and Jack is a stellar dancer and awarded many prizes in contests, including the highest dance award in Ohio when he was in middle school. He is currently attending an arts college in North Carolina. Luke attends college near home in Dayton, Ohio and is studying computer programming and also has a strong bent for studying politics. He had an internship in Washington, DC this summer and loved it!

Daughter Amy and then husband Tony, were told they could not have babies. Guess What??? One month after the twins were born, Amy called to say she was pregnant. She was crying at the time because she had no idea how they could hande three babies in 13 months. Zoe continues to be a beautiful, loving woman. She is in college and thinking of taking real estate classes. She too attends college in Dayton, Ohio.

They worked together and did a stunning job.

The marriage didn't last. Tony surprised Amy with sad news. After some bitter interactions, Amy, picked herself up and is doing an incredible job mending the hard feelings that this split caused what they thought was a happy family.

>212 PaulCranswick: I really liked Til Tuesday and had two of their lps I think. I picked up Aimee's first solo on cd but I almost never listened to the music after that end of the 80's / early 90's era. I did really like her voice. Til Tuesday is another reminder for you that the 80's had some good stuff!

eta: Aimee added some nice vocals to the rock band Rush song 'Time Stands Still'.

I was a teen in the age of Folk Music. Joni Mitchell remains my all-time favorite. She sings, writes, plays the guitar wonderfully, and most, if not all of her songs are poems!

https://www.udiscovermusic.com/news/joni-mitchell-tribute-kennedy-center-honors/

Where is the "Just In" thread?

>224 Whisper1: Linda, you can find the "This Just In!" thread here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/346955

It is also listed on the group wiki page should you ever need it again.

Thanks Friend!

>220 alcottacre: Awww, I didn't even have to try that hard to squeeze that compliment, xx

>221 Whisper1: It was sometime ago, Linda, in truth that I was singing in public. As a very young man I was the singer in a jazz band that played in the Station Tavern in Huddersfield - not exactly Vegas! I also did some stand-up way back when.

Being a twin has always been a positive for me although we can be a bit competitive with each other. With the huge success he has made of his business he is out of reach of me nowadays! He has gone from being cheated out of his share of the business he made with our father and being in danger of being on the street to now being a millionaire several times over. An alcoholic who has not touched a drop for a decade and who has helped countless other equally afflicted people avoid doing so too. He still attends "meetings" every other day and is living proof that the demon can be overcome.

Great to hear that your grandchildren are thriving so and I am hopeful for my impending Granddaughter despite my reservations about the relationship that Yasmyne has found herself in. Marriages can be such difficult things to sustain can't they? I guess it is how we handle (or don't handle) the set-backs that come along that dictate whether we manage it through to the other side together.

>222 RBeffa: She released three solo albums in a row (that one was the middle one) all of which I thought were tremendous. I came to Til Tuesday a bit later, Ron, in truth, but I do play their stuff quite a lot nowadays.

>223 Whisper1: I also like many of Joni's albums, Linda, which I now have to listen to in the car on CD given her ultimately silly spat with Spotify.

>224 Whisper1: I would answer your post more constructively, Linda, but Stasia beat me to it.

>225 alcottacre: Thank you, Stasia. xx

>226 Whisper1: We are a triumvirate amongst the most active when it comes to book additions yearly. Stasia and yourself finish a lot more of those books than I can presently manage to do.

In August 2003 the final Warren Zevon album was released a matter of a few weeks before he succumbed to cancer of the lung lining. The Wind



The very last song on that album is the poignant "Keep Me in Your Heart". Indeed I will Warren. RIP top man.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMTKb-pgxGI

In August 2004 British band The Bees released one of their fairly quirky records, this one being Free the Bees.



This is meanderingly beautiful "I Love You"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOWURaHNCJ8

>226 Whisper1: >229 PaulCranswick: No problem. Since I was the instigator of that particular thread in the group, it is near and dear to my heart.

>230 PaulCranswick: I am deliberately using the TIOLI challenges to help me read the books I own, Paul, and if I do not think I am going to ever read a book again, it goes.

The number of books you add Paul gives me the shivers at times. I have been in the "decrease the number of books I own' phase for a while now. Having just reached 70 years I am only holding on to the books I really liked after reading and clearing out the "just OK" books. I love having my personal library with me but when I'm dead and gone I don't think I will be caring about it anymore! My children will love some of them, but not most of them.

I keep finding books on my shelves I forgot to add to LT. I just saw Ann Patchett's State of Wonder hiding in a shelf so one more to add and read. Sigh.

>233 alcottacre: And a good idea it is too, Juana. I would take up a bit too much of the thread's time - perhaps I will do monthly summaries and post them up.

I am using TIOLI to help me "choose" what to read.

>234 RBeffa: I am sure that I will slow down someday, Ron, but I do get these Friday compulsions to go and look and see and then add.

I also occasionally come across a book I haven't catalogued but I only realize it when I am reading or thinking of reading it and it doesn't show up already in my catalogue.

Just dropping by to say that I finished The Covenant of Water - and I loved it. Another 5-star read for me this month.

>236 alcottacre: I am a bit behind you but feeling exactly the same way, Stasia. It is a tremendous novel and, as much as I do want Tan Twan Eng to win the Booker for Malaysia, Verghese's novel is superior to his in my view and I am astonished that it wasn't longlisted.

>235 PaulCranswick: I certainly know that compulsion to acquire all the wonderful books we encounter!

>237 PaulCranswick: I have not gotten my copy of The House of Doors yet, but am hoping it comes in within the next couple of weeks. I am very curious to see how I feel about it in comparison to the Verghese book.

>238 RBeffa: I really ought to go back through all my LT threads and see how many books I have acquired since I joined this August body.

>239 alcottacre: I rate both highly as I did Trespasses by Louise Kennedy, Stasia. It has been a pretty solid year for new releases I think.

Black Rebel Motocycle Club released their third and in my opinion their best album Howl in August 2005



This is "Ain't No Easy Way"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qUduU3suyc

You will probably know by now that much of the music I have liked in this century can best be described as 'introspective". Pete Yorn's August 2006 release Nightcrawler was just such an album.



This is "The Man"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0vl9YuIlPU

>240 PaulCranswick: I have a copy of Trespasses on the way to me, so if you think the other books rank as highly as it, I am sure to be in for a treat. August has been a spectacular reading month for me thus far and The Trees and Tom Lake, both of which I started tonight, look to be right up there too.

>243 alcottacre: We really are in synch at the moment, Stasia, because I am also clipping through The Trees. It is certainly good but it has a very unusual tone which I am not sure exactly fits the subject matter.

>244 PaulCranswick: I understand what you are saying about the tone of the book being unusual, Paul, but I really feel like the "good old boy" jocularity (I think that is what I am getting from the book anyway) fits. I have read several books on the murder of Emmett Till and although the men confessed, they knew that there was no way that their all male, all white jury was going to find them guilty in their "good old boy" (hint, hint, nudge, nudge) network.

>245 alcottacre: Yes, I get that, Stasia and it is quite cleverly done but eventually a bit heavy handed.

See that the British Lionesses fell at the final hurdle in the Women's World Cup football final in Australia.

I am not a devotee of the women's version of the sport but I was rooting for them of course, but well done to Spain who probably deserved the win on the day.

The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter was a breath of fresh air - tuneful Americana and it came out in August 2007. Wordy, nerdy and very good.



This is the helter-skelter "To the Dogs or Whoever"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rcUsFatXw4

Onto August 2008 and the bombast of The Verve's Forth.



This is the album track "Valium Skies"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MN8FeAJ_HQ

Hani will go to Sheffield tomorrow morning and so I shall sign off the noughties with Sheffield's own The Arctic Monkeys and their third album Humbug which was released in August 2009.



This is my favourite song on the album "Cornerstone"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIQz6zZi7R0

Final additions of the week:

313. Six Weeks in the Sioux Tepees by Sarah F. Wakefield
314. In My Grandfather's Shadow by Angela Findlay
315. The Dream of Europe by Geert Mak

Non-Fiction Sunday.

>251 PaulCranswick: I have the Mak near the top of a pile Paul. I like his work.

>252 Caroline_McElwee: It stood out in the history sections, Caroline, but I must admit to not having read anything of his before now.

>246 PaulCranswick: I am only 100 pages or so in, so it has not seemed heavy handed to me yet - and it still may not, I guess. I am hoping to finish it by tomorrow.

>251 PaulCranswick: I have not read any of those. Looking forward to your thoughts on them when you get to them, Juan :)

>246 PaulCranswick:, Paul, I really liked it in the beginning but less so toward the end. I do think he is a very clever writer. The Trees.

>254 alcottacre: I am enjoying it well enough, Stasia, although I think it does not quite fit in the company of Verghese, Kennedy and Tan.

>255 Kristelh: He has a verve in his writing which propels you forward, Kristel, but the premise was always going to be a little limiting, even though the subject matter is clearly very important.

>250 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul, It is a VERY VERY exciting time for you and family. Wishing good travels for Hani. Please keep us posted about the news.

Hi Paul! Safe travels for Hani.

>257 mdoris: Put my good lady on the flight to Manchester via Doha, Qatar with a heavy heart this morning. She has already messaged me very happy with the food and service as I treated her to a business class long hauler.
Thanks Mary. I could be a Grandpa within 48 hours!

>258 banjo123: Thanks Rhonda. x

Best wishes, Paul, with the birth of your grandchild potentially so close. Lovely of you to spring for business class for Hani for such a long flight . Blessings to your and your family at this special time .

I am thinking about you and family during this time. So exciting. Sorry that you could not be there too. Hopefully soon.

>260 vancouverdeb: Thanks Deb. Messaged with Hani who has just set off from Doha on her way to Manchester. Spoke to Yassie and she is have stomach pains so her time is gathering close.

>261 Kristelh: Thank you, Kristel. I will be there fairly soon, I hope. xx

Best Canadian rock album ever? How about The Suburbs by Arcade Fire which was released in August 2010.



Honestly I could choose any song on this album. What a gem it is and one of the most played in my home.

This is "Sprawl (Mountains Beyond Mountains)"

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

Best wishes for you and your growing family, Paul.

Hard-Fi's album Killer Sounds was released in August 2011 and was a little bit of a drop off from their earlier album but still contained enough hooks and sing along choruses to keep their fans happy.



This is the album track "Stop"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpCLMmc98mM

>264 SirThomas: Thank you, dear Thomas.

Wishing Yasmyn a quick and easy delivery. And wishing you a trip much sooner than later!

>267 jessibud2: Apparently she is opting for a water birth, Shelley. Quite appropriate given her love of water! xx

>268 PaulCranswick: A very wise choice for a first birth. I hope all goes as easily as is possible for something not trivially or accidenttally called "labor."

Hi Paul - why won't the country let you leave now?!

>269 richardderus: It is meant to make things a little easier, no? We are lucky as fellows aren't we that traditionally our role was to pace around outside and await the news.

>270 m.belljackson: Ha! It is a long story, Marianne. There may be news on that front soon though. xx

BOOK #98



Six Weeks in the Sioux Tepees by Sarah F. Wakefield
Date of Publication : 1863
Origin of Author : USA
Pages : 87 pp

Convoluted and confusing as this narrative can be it does serve a very interesting historical purpose in trying to do fair justice to the plains native Americans. Ms Wakefield was accosted by some of the Lakota tribe during the Dakota War of 1862 and held (mainly in terror) for six weeks where she was protected by one of her kidnappers whom she was ultimately called upon to try and save.

Gives an insight into Native American custom and culture but the story is so confused that it lacks any measure of coherence and I could not have suffered it for another twenty pages.

Recommended for those interested in the history (which I am) but not for anyone merely wishing to seek out memorial flair.