Alcott Acre's Home, Room 10

Well, let's get the introduction out of the way. My name is Stasia and I have been happily married to Kerry for almost 35 years. We have 6 children, 4 of whom are my stepchildren and 2 of whom are ours together. We also have 8 grandchildren. My second stepdaughter, Nichole, lost her fight to pancreatic cancer on February 4, 2023. She left behind grieving parents, sisters, brother, and an 18-year-old son.

I love to read and it has been a huge solace to me over the past few months - I call it "burying myself in books." I am actually hoping to read less in 2023 than I did in 2022, a year in which I read 450+ books. I am shooting for between 300-350 this year. I have a lot of household projects I want to take care of in 2023! Unfortunately, between CFS and taking care of my father's estate, I am getting no time for things I want to do around my house.

That's about it, I think, so come on in and grab a cuppa!

Excellent Reads from 2023 (in the order in which I read them):

5 Stars
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
Parting the Waters by Taylor Branch
A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare
The Colony by Audrey Magee
People Love Dead Jews by Dara Horn
The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
At Canaan’s Edge by Taylor Branch
Prophet Song by Paul Lynch

4.5 Stars
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
The Bridge on the San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder
Voyager by Diana Gabaldon
The War Against the Jews 1933-1945 by Lucy S. Dawidowicz
Cuba: An American History by Ada Ferrer
Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton
Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow
Remembrance of Things Past, Volume 1 by Marcel Proust
Beyond Belief: The American Press & the Coming of the Holocaust, 1933-1945 by Deborah Lipstadt
Every Man Dies Alone by Hans Fallada
Betty by Tiffany McDaniel
The Guermantes Way by Marcel Proust
The Sorrow of War by Bao Ninh
The Boy Who Followed His Father into Auschwitz by Jeremy Dronfield
Pillar of Fire by Taylor Branch
Greenwood by Michael Christie
The Chicago Cubs: Story of a Curse by Rich Cohen
Out of the House of Bondage by Thavolia Glymph
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
"A Problem from Hell" by Samantha Power
The World Broke in Two by Bill Goldstein
Time Regained by Marcel Proust
A Grand Army of Black Men edited by Edwin S. Redkey
The Trees by Percival Everett
The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng
Montana 1948 by Larry Watson
Bibliophile: An Illustrated Miscellany by Jane Mount
In the Garden of the Righteous by Richard Hurowitz
The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman
I Saw Death Coming by Kidada E. Williams
The Bee Sting by Paul Murray
The Book of Paradise by Itzik Manger
Sweet Taste of Liberty by W. Caleb McDaniel
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes by Caitlin Doughty
The Plague of Doves by Louise Erdrich
The Warburgs by Ron Chernow
What's So Amazing About Grace? by Philip Yancey

4.25 Stars
Reunion in Death by J.D. Robb
Running the Rift by Naomi Benaron
The Giver by Lois Lowry
The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison
An Episode of Sparrows by Rumer Godden
Horse by Geraldine Brooks
The Return of Fitzroy Angursell by Victoria Goddard
Network Effect by Martha Wells
The Color of Distance by Amy Thomson
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
A Trail through Time by Jodi Taylor
Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Charles Dickens: A Life by Claire Tomalin
Eventide by Kent Haruf
The Butter Battle Book by Dr. Seuss
Bee Sting Cake by Victoria Goddard
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
A Shot in the Moonlight by Ben Montgomery
The Rape of the Nile by Brian M. Fagan
Storyteller by G.R. Grove
Whiskeyjack by Victoria Goddard
Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon
The Day of the Scorpion by Paul Scott
The Weight of Ink by Rachel Kadish
Dinners with Ruth by Nina Totenberg
The Master Butchers Singing Club by Louise Erdrich
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
Best of Enemies by Gus Russo and Eric Dezenhall
Origin in Death by J. D. Robb
Payback in Death by J. D. Robb
The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown
Love-in-a-Mist by Victoria Goddard
Little Thieves by Margaret Owen
The Night of the Hunter by Davis Grubb
What an Owl Knows by Jennifer Ackerman
A Division of the Spoils by Paul Scott

November TIOLI Challenges:

Challenge #1: Read a book (F or NF) by an Israeli or Palestinian author
The Book of Paradise by Itzik Manger - Completed November 4, 2023
Evil Eye by Etaf Rum - Completed November 12, 2023

Challenge #2: Read a book where the title completes the phrase, "I am thankful for...”
A Division of the Spoils by Paul Scott - Completed November 29, 2023
Old God’s Time by Sebastian Barry - Completed November 27, 2023
A Time for Searching by Henry L. Feingold - Completed November 21, 2023
Sweet Taste of Liberty by W. Caleb McDaniel - Completed November 5, 2023

Challenge #3: Read a book where a color is part of the title
The Bride of the Blue Wind by Victoria Goddard - Completed November 2, 2023
Raven Black by Ann Cleeves - Completed November 8, 2023
The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers - Completed November 28, 2023

Challenge #4: Read a book whose title includes some kind of food
Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult - Completed November 10, 2023

Challenge #5: Read a book where the author's name consists of 11 or fewer letters
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett - Completed November 10, 2023
Dark Lies the Island by Kevin Barry - Completed November 5, 2023
The Lost Man by Jane Harper - Completed November 19, 2023
The Warburgs by Ron Chernow - Completed November 15, 2023
Western Lane by Chetna Maroo - Completed November 17, 2023

Challenge #6: Read a book where the last word of the title is an animal or plant
The Plague of Doves by Louise Erdrich - Completed November 14, 2023
The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise by Julia Stuart - Completed November 26, 2023

Challenge #7: Read a book you've been eagerly awaiting
System Collapse by Martha Wells - Completed November 21, 2023

Challenge #8: Read a book where a main character is at least 50 years old
An Artist of the Floating World by Kazuo Ishiguro - Completed November 3, 2023
The Company We Keep by Francis Itani - Completed November 25, 2023

Challenge #9: Read a book with a female detective character
Born in Death by J.D. Robb - Completed November 1, 2023

Challenge #10: The “Invincible Louisa” Challenge - in honor of Louisa May Alcott’s birthday on November 29th, read one of her novels, a biography of her, a pastiche or homage to her
Louisa May Alcott: The Woman Behind Little Women by Harriet Reisen - Completed November 24, 2023

Challenge #11: Read a book written by a Nobel Prize winner
Gosta Berling’s Saga by Selma Lagerlof - Completed November 23, 2023

Challenge #12: Read a book to escape your current situation
Diary of a Tuscan Bookshop by Alba Donati - Completed November 11, 2023
No Time Like the Past by Jodi Taylor - Completed November 29, 2023

Challenge #13: Read a book which features birds, flying, or migration in the title or text
What an Owl Knows by Jennifer Ackerman - Completed November 19, 2023

Challenge #14: Read a book you bought this year
Corregidora by Gayl Jones - Completed November 17, 2023
Hild by Nicola Griffith - Completed November 22, 2023
This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone - Completed November 2, 2023

Challenge #15: Read a work of 100 pages or less
So Late in the Day by Claire Keegan - Completed November 19, 2023
The Warrior of the Third Veil by Victoria Goddard - Completed November 27, 2023

Challenge #16: Read a book that has either "yes" or "no" in the title
No Bone Unturned by Jeff Benedict - Completed November 8, 2023
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes by Caitlin Doughty - Completed November 13, 2023

December TIOLI Challenges:

Challenge #1: Read a book with a word, phrase, clause, prefix or suffix of negation in its title
An Elderly Lady is Up To No Good by Helene Tursten
My Dateless Diary by R.K. Narayan

Challenge #2: Read a book you mean to get to earlier in 2023
A Bookshop in Berlin by Francoise Frenkel
Bookshops and Bonedust by Travis Baldree

Challenge #3: Read a sequel to a book you read earlier in the year. Please name the original book.
Lena by Jacqueline Woodson (I Hadn’t Meant to Tell You This)
Polgara the Sorceress by David and Leigh Eddings (Belgarath the Sorcerer)
Painted Devils by Margaret Owen (Little Thieves)

Challenge #4: Read a book that is a re-telling or based on another story or character
Thorn by Intisar Khanani
The Women of Troy by Pat Barker

Challenge #5: Read a book with a connection to the number 3
The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng
Innocent in Death by J.D. Robb
You Have to Be Prepared to Die Before You Can Begin to Live: Ten Weeks in Birmingham That Changed America by Paul Kix

Challenge #6: Read a book connected to this season of the year
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
In the Dark Streets Shineth by David McCullough

Challenge #7: Read a book that it's easy to dip in and out of
We Are at War by Simon Garfield

Challenge #8: Read a book that fits any of the "page 2" challenges for 2023
Longbourn by Jo Baker (October Challenge #11)
The Plum Tree by Ellen Marie Wiseman (October Challenge #7)
Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason (March Challenge #8)
The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson (March Challenge #8)

Challenge #9: Read a book with a musical instrument in the title or author's name
The Piano Shop on the Left Bank by T.E. Carhart
The Violinist of Auschwitz by Jean-Jacques Felstein

Challenge #10: Read a book with the word "tomorrow" or "future" in the title
The Big Thirst: The Secret Life and Turbulent Future of Water by Charles Fishman
The Future is History by Masha Gessen

Challenge #11: Read a book with at least three letters of "December" in the title
The Childhood of Jesus by J.M. Coetzee
Displaced Persons by Joseph Berger
When the Angels Left the Old Country by Sacha Lamb

So far. . .

My Journey through Proust:
Remembrance of Things Past, Volume 1 - Completed February 10, 2023
Remembrance of Things Past, Volume 2 - Completed May 24, 2023
Remembrance of Things Past, Volume 3 - August 16, 2023

Series Reading - I will post these as I read them:

The In Death series by J.D. Robb
Reunion in Death - Completed January 2, 2023
Purity in Death - Completed February 8, 2023
Encore in Death - Completed February 26, 2023
Portrait in Death - Completed March 15, 2023
Imitation in Death - Completed May 9, 2023
Divided in Death - Completed June 4, 2023
Vision in Death - Completed July 1, 2023
Survivor in Death - Completed August 13, 2023
Origin in Death - Completed September 2, 2023
Payback in Death - Completed September 7, 2023
Memory in Death - Completed October 3, 2023
Born in Death - Completed November 1, 2023
Innocent in Death -

The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon
Voyager - Completed January 15, 2023
Drums of Autumn - Completed July 14, 2023
The Fiery Cross - Completed October 14, 2023

The St. Mary’s books by Jodi Taylor
A Trail Through Time - Completed April 27, 2023
No Time Like the Past - Completed November 29, 2023

The Decker/Lazarus series by Faye Kellerman
False Prophet - Completed May 16, 2023
Grievous Sin -

The Three Pines series by Louise Penny
The Cruelest Month - Completed June 5, 2023
A Rule Against Murder - Completed August 28, 2023

The Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear
Pardonable Lies - Completed April 27, 2023
Messenger of Truth - Completed September 18, 2023

The Jackson Brodie series by Kate Atkinson
Case Histories - Completed September 30, 2023

The Shetland Series by Ann Cleeves
Raven Black - Completed November 8, 2023

The Raj Quartet by Paul Scott
The Jewel in the Crown - Completed June 7, 2023
The Day of the Scorpion - Completed July 19, 2023
The Towers of Silence - Completed September 13, 2023
A Division of the Spoils - Completed November 29, 2023

Black Studies Reading
Must reads for this year - Taylor Branch Trilogy: Parting the Waters, Pillar of Fire, and At Canaan’s Edge
1. Passing by Nella Larsen - Completed January 16, 2023
2. Parting the Waters - Completed January 23, 2023
3. Unforgivable Blackness by Geoffrey C. Ward - Completed April 13, 2023
4. All Blood Runs Red by Phil Keith and Tom Clavin - Completed May 5, 2023
5. Pillar of Fire by Taylor Branch - Completed May 21, 2023
6. I Wonder As I Wander by Langston Hughes - Completed May 28, 2023
7. Out of the House of Bondage by Thavolia Glymph - Completed June 3, 2023
8. A Shot in the Moonlight by Ben Montgomery - Completed June 18, 2023
9. The Big Sea by Langston Hughes - Completed June 18, 2023
10. The Original Black Elite by Elizabeth Dowling Taylor - Completed July 28, 2023
11. A Grand Army of Black Men edited by Edwin Redkey - Completed August 18, 2023
12. At Canaan’s Edge by Taylor Branch - Completed September 1, 2023
13. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison - Completed September 10, 2023
14. I Saw Death Coming by Kidada E. Williams - Completed October 10, 2023
15. Sweet Taste of Liberty by W. Caleb McDaniel - Completed November 5, 2023
16. Corregidora by Gayl Jones - Completed November 16, 2023

Jewish Studies Reading
Must reads for this year:
The “Jewish People of America” series: A Time for Planting, A Time for Gathering, A Time for Building, A Time for Searching, and A Time for Healing
1. The War Against the Jews 1933-1945 by Lucy S. Dawidowicz - Completed January 26, 2023
2. Constantine’s Sword by James Carroll - Completed January 28, 2023
3. A Time for Planting by Eli Faber - Completed February 16, 2023
4. Beyond Belief: The American Press & the Coming of the Holocaust, 1933-1945 by Deborah Lipstadt - Completed February 26, 2023
5. Rachel Calof’s Story by J. Sanford Rikoon, editor - Completed April 11, 2023
6. The Boy Who Followed His Father into Auschwitz by Jeremy Dronfield - Completed May 7, 2023
7. The Abandonment of the Jews by David S. Wyman - Completed May 28, 2023
8. A Time for Gathering by Hasia R. Diner - Completed June 11, 2023
9. The Weight of Ink by Rachel Kadish - Completed July 31, 2023
10. People Love Dead Jews by Dara Horn - Completed August 16, 2023
11. The Road to September 1939 by Jehuda Reinharz and Yaacov Shavit - Completed September 19, 2023
12. In the Garden of the Righteous by Richard Hurowitz - Completed October 1, 2023
13. A Time for Building by Gerald Sorin - Completed October 12, 2023
14. A Time for Searching by Henry L. Feingold - Completed November 21, 2023

The “Read More Sci-Fi” Challenge - using the Esquire list found here (https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/books/g39358054/best-sci-fi-books/) and the book Science Fiction, The 101 Best Novels, 1985-2010 by Damien Broderick and Paul di Filippo
1. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle - Completed January 3, 2023 (#39 on the Esquire list)
2. Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson - Completed March 8, 2023 (#49 on the Esquire list)
3. Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson - Completed April 18, 2023 (recommended by the book and #33 on the Esquire list)
4. Future Home of the Living God by Louise Erdrich - Completed May 28, 2023 (#25 on the Esquire list)
5. 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami - Completed June 22, 2023 (#26 on the Esquire list)
6. Contact by Carl Sagan - Completed July 10, 2023 (#48 on the Esquire list)
7. A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller, Jr. - Completed August 28, 2023 (#47 on the Esquire list)
8. We by Yevgeny Zamyatin - Completed September 17, 2023 (Not on the Esquire list)
9. This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone - Completed November 2, 2023 (#41 on the Esquire list)

The “Indie List” Challenge with the list supplied by Berly
1. Running the Rift by Naomi Benaron - Completed January 10, 2023
2. Battleborn: Stories by Claire Vaye Watkins - Completed February 12, 2023
3. I Curse the River of Time by Per Petterson - Completed April 30, 2023
4. The Empathy Exams by Leslie Jamison - Completed May 29, 2023
5. With or Without You: A Memoir by Domenica Ruta - Completed June 29, 2023
6. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt - Completed July 31, 2023
7. How the Dead Dream by Lydia Millett - Completed August 14, 2023
8. The Boy Who Went Away by Eli Gottlieb - Completed September 23, 2023
9. Dark Lies the Island by Kevin Barry - Completed November 5, 2023

The Around the World in 80 Novels Challenge inspired by the book of the same name. I want to try and expand my reading horizons to places I have rarely or never been.
1. Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson (Scotland) - Completed January 8, 2023
2. Palace Walk (Book 1 of the Cairo Trilogy) by Naguib Mahfouz (Egypt) - Completed January 20, 2023
3. Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami (Japan) - Completed January 30, 2023
4. Every Man Dies Alone by Hans Fallada (Germany) - Completed February 28, 2023
5. Birdsong by Sebastian Faulk (France) - Completed April 26, 2023
6. The Sorrow of War by Bao Ninh (Vietnam) - Completed April 30, 2023
7. Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Nigeria) - Completed May 14, 2023
8. Ali & Nino by Kurban Said (Azerbaijan) - Completed May 15, 2023
9. The Beach by Alex Garland (Thailand) - Completed June 27, 2023
10. The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga (India) - Completed July 26, 2023
11. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt (USA) - Completed July 31, 2023
12. Goodbye to Berlin by Christopher Isherwood (Germany) - Completed August 25, 2023
13. Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys (Jamaica and Dominica) - Completed September 1, 2023
14. An Artist of the Floating World by Kazuo Ishiguro - Completed November 3, 2023

Continuation of the Asian Authors Challenge from 2022 - I have so many unread books from this challenge that I am going to continue it into the new year
1. Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami - Completed January 30, 2023
2. The Sorrow of War by Bao Ninh - Completed April 30, 2023
3. How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia by Mohsin Hamid - Completed May 30, 2023
4. The White Book by Han Kang - Completed June 2, 2023
5. 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami - Completed June 22, 2023
6. Tokyo Ueno Station by Miri Yu - Completed July 5, 2023
7. The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga - Completed July 26, 2023
8. Maps for Lost Lovers by Nadeem Aslam - Completed August 17, 2023
9. The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng - Completed September 8, 2023
10. A Passage North by Anuk Arudpragasam - Completed October 13, 2023
11. An Artist of the Floating World by Kazuo Ishiguro - Completed November 3, 2023

The Monthly Nonfiction Challenge - I try to read at least 100 nonfiction books a year and this challenge is instrumental in helping me achieve that goal
January: Cuba: An American History by Ada Ferrer - Completed January 31, 2023
February GameTek by Geoff Engelstein - March 3, 2023
April Submerged by Daniel Lenihan - Completed April 16, 2023
May Charles Dickens: A Life by Claire Tomalin - Completed May 18, 2023
June As Long As Grass Grows by Dina Gilio-Whitaker - Completed June 8, 2023
August Last Stand by Barbara Kingsolver - Completed August 27, 2023
September The Child Who Never Grew by Pearl S. Buck - Completed September 24, 2023
October Richard the Third by Paul Murray Kendall - Completed October 13, 2023
November What's So Amazing About Grace? by Philip Yancey - Completed November 24, 2023

The Chunkster Challenge (Books at least 500 pages in length) - Shooting for at least 6 over the course of the year
1. Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver - 548 pages
2. Voyager by Diana Gabaldon - 870 pages
3. The Sway of the Grand Saloon by John Malcolm Brinnin - 552 pages
4. Parting the Waters by Taylor Branch - 924 pages
5. History of the Second World War by B.H. Liddell Hart - 713 pages
6. Constantine’s Sword by James Carroll - 616 pages
7. Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow - 738 pages
8. Remembrance of Things Past, Volume 1 by Marcel Proust - 1,018 pages
9. The Red and the Black by Stendahl - 532 pages
10. The Winners by Fredrick Backman - 673 pages
11. Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson - 572 pages
12. Stones from the River by Ursula Hegi - 507 pages
13. Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks - 503 pages
14. Pillar of Fire by Taylor Branch - 768 pages
15. Remembrance of Things Past, Volume 2 by Marcel Proust - 1,197 pages
16. The Last Light of the Sun by Guy Gavriel Kay - 501 pages
17. Sheepfarmer’s Daughter by Elizabeth Moon - 506 pages
18. On the Oceans of Eternity by S.M. Stirling - 630 pages
19. 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami - 1,157 pages
20. Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon - 880 pages
21. The Day of the Scorpion by Paul Scott - 504 pages
22. The Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant by Ulysses S. Grant - 642 pages
23. "A Problem from Hell" by Samantha Power - 620 pages
24. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt - 771 pages
25. Remembrance of Things Past, Volume 3 by Marcel Proust - 1,128 pages
26. The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese - 724 pages
27. At Canaan’s Edge by Taylor Branch - 1,039 pages
28. Into the Silence by Wade Davis - 655 pages
29. Little Thieves by Margaret Owen - 504 pages
30. The Bee Sting by Paul Murray - 643 pages
31. Richard the Third by Paul Murray Kendall - 602 pages
32. The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon - 979 pages
33. The Warburgs by Ron Chernow - 820 pages

The American Authors Challenge - This is one that I dip into and out of as the case may be

January: A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle - Completed January 3, 2023
January: The Giver by Lois Lowry - Completed January 12, 2023
April: Floating in My Mother's Palm by Ursula Hegi - Completed April 24, 2023
April: Stones from the River by Ursula Hegi - Completed April 22, 2023
May: Philadelphia Fire by John Edgar Wideman - Completed May 5, 2023
June: Joan of Arc by Mary Gordon - Completed June 7, 2023
July: The Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant by Ulysses S. Grant - July 22, 2023
August So Much Blue by Percival Everett - Completed August 12, 2023
September Origin in Death and Payback in Death by J. D. Robb - Completed on September 2 and 7, 2023, respectively
November The Company We Keep by Francis Itani - Completed November 58, 2023

Shared Reads:
The Return of Fitzroy Angursell by Victoria Goddard - Completed February 11, 2023
Whistling Season by Ivan Doig - shared read with Paul - Completed February 19, 2023
Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott - shared read with Mamie - Completed February 28, 2023
The Redoubtable Pali Avramapul by Victoria Goddard - Completed March 28, 2023
Belgarath the Sorceror by David Eddings - shared read with Mamie - Completed March 11, 2023
The Winners by Fredrik Backman - shared read with Mark - Completed April 12, 2023
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller - shared read with Kro - Completed April 26, 2023
Eventide by Kent Haruf - shared read with Mark - Completed May 26, 2023
I Wonder As I Wander by Langston Hughes - Completed May 28, 2023
Stargazy Pie by Victoria Goddard - shared read with Mary - Completed May 6, 2023
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston - shared read with Kro -Completed June 14, 2023
Bee Sting Cake by Victoria Goddard - Completed June 13, 2023
Stone Speaks to Stone by Victoria Goddard - shared read with Mary - Completed June 16, 2023
Whiskeyjack by Victoria Goddard - shared read with Mary - Completed July 3, 2023
Blackcurrant Fool by Victoria Goddard - shared read with Mary - Completed August 8, 2023
The Colony by Audrey Magee - shared read with Mark - Completed August 10, 2023
Love in a Mist by Victoria Goddard - shared read with Mary - Completed September 12, 2023
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison - shared read with Caroline - Completed September 10, 2023
Prophet Song by Paul Lynch - shared read with Deborah and Paul - Completed September 15, 2023
The Night of the Hunter by Davis Grubb - shared read with Paul - October
Plum Duff by Victoria Goddard - shared read with Mary - Completed October 4, 2023
Hild by Nicola Griffith - shared read with Mary -Completed November 22, 2023
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett - shared read with Paul - Completed November 10, 2023
The Warburgs by Ron Chernow - shared read with Peggy - Completed November 15, 2023
The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng - shared read with Ellen and Mark - December
War Diaries, 1939-1945: Field Marshall Lord Alanbrooke by Viscount Alan Brooke Alanbrooke - shared read with Paul - December - Postponed until 2024
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell - shared read with Mark - 2024

This is my obligatory post about fixing Touchstones. Kind of like watching grass grow or water boil or paint drying or something equally scintillating. . .

Then I hope I am not too early to wish you a very happy new thread, dear Juana.

>11 alcottacre: Nope, I was done with all the posts, I just had to fix all the myriad Touchstones :)

Happy new thread Stasia!

Happy New Thread , Stasia!

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread, Stasia.

Happy New Thread, Stasia! Welcome home! I hope you can get some pain-free R & R in for awhile now. Looking forward to hearing about your latest reads.

Hi Stasia! My sister Valerie was visiting from Frisco. I've got a photo of us as my new thread topper, so coddiwomple thitherward to get a glimpse.

Happy you're well, and new-thread orisons to you.

Happy new thread, Stasia!

Happy new one Stasia!!

Happy new thread, Stasia!

>14 quondame: >15 vancouverdeb: >16 figsfromthistle: >17 Kristelh: >20 drneutron: >21 RebaRelishesReading: >22 curioussquared: Thank you, Susan, Deborah, Anita, Kristel, Jim, Reba, and Natalie!

>18 msf59: There have not been any "latest reads," Mark. I quite literally did little reading at all while I was at my Mother's. My visits to my mother are always all about board gaming. We got 25 different games played while I was there.

>19 richardderus: I will coddiwomple thitherward as soon as I am done here, RD!

The only book completed while I was gone:

265 - The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon - This book has always felt like a place holder in the series to me - with one major exception, nothing much happens to advance the series. We do (finally) see the marriage of Roger and Brianna as war looms on the horizon. The book is still a good one and Gabaldon's research definitely shows, but still I want more!; Recommended (4 stars) Mine

Happy new thread, Stasia!

It is always good to be back home, but you need to go away to get back there ;-)

>25 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita!

Very true. I love my mother, I love the Joplin meet up, but I really miss being at home when I am gone.

>23 alcottacre:
I tend to read more when I visit my mother. That is because I love sitting in the east window of the dining room each morning. I allow myself 1 hour of quiet time with coffee and a book. That was how I read Skippy Dies.

>27 benitastrnad: That is cool, Benita!

Happy new thread, Stasia!

Glad the meetup and visit to your mother's were enjoyable, and equally glad for you that you're back home (I'm similar, I enjoy trips but coming home is so nice!).

Welcome home and Happy New Thread, Stasia. It was so much fun hanging out in Joplin with you even for a short time.

I'm impressed with the 25 board games played while in Longview. I understand from my oldest son that some of those games take a long time to play. Sounds like a good visit.

Happy new thread, Stasia! I too am just back home and getting caught up on the threads. It sounds like you had a great meet-up in Joplin, and also a good time at your mother's. 25 board games is a lot! Because my MiL is limited in where she is able to sit at the moment, due to the injury to her tailbone, we were stuck playing Yahtzee the whole time, since it was pretty much the only thing that worked because we couldn't sit around a table. I like Yahtzee, but it gets old after playing it constantly for multiple days.

>29 bell7: Thanks, Mary. Yes, the trips are wonderful, but I am very much of a homebody :)

>30 Donna828: Yeah, the Joplin meet ups are never long enough, are they?

My mother and I do not play lengthy games as she is just not up to them. Catey and I are a different story - we play and enjoy the long ones. The 25 different board games played came out to 75 plays. No wonder I did not have time for any reading!

>31 atozgrl: Yahtzee is one of my mother's favorite games, but we rarely play it together, Irene, because I show up with several bags of other games :)

Hi Stasia. Happy new thread, and welcome home. I'm glad you had a good time visiting with your mother. 25 different board games is impressive.

Good Tuesday, smoochling. Hoping today is as restful and pleasant for you as it promises to be for me.

It's Halloween, so boooo.

>33 karenmarie: Thanks, Karen!

>34 richardderus: I visited with Catey today as it is our meet up day, so it has been a very enjoyable day for me.

>35 weird_O: Boo back at you, Bill!

Sorry I have not been around today, but today is my meet up day with Beth and Catey. Catey and I started early this morning as it was our scheduled day to play Ark Nova, which takes a good 2 hours. Then we were supposed to meet up with Beth, but it turned out she could not make it, so Catey and I just played another game.

I ended up going to bed at 7:30pm last night and slept clear through until 10:30am. I am really hoping that this is NOT a start to a CFS episode but rather just a reaction to all of the traveling in the previous 2 weeks.

Finished this afternoon:

266 - Born in Death by J. D. Robb - Audiobook; I started listening to this one on my way home from Longview and then picked up the hard copy when I got home. This is the book in which Mavis finally delivers her baby after asking a huge favor from Dallas, who is already feeling overwhelmed from the double murder case she is already investigating. Dallas' and Roarke's fear of childbirth is used to full effect in this one and is very humorous at points; Recommended (4 stars) Mine

>38 alcottacre: I hope so too, Stasia! I'm a bit jealous of that long sleep since I've been waking up for a couple of hours every night lately leaving me rather sleep deprived in the end.

>38 alcottacre: It seems like a very reasonable response to all the travel, so we'll focus on that so as to keep the goddesses' attention off any crueler ideas.

>40 RebaRelishesReading: Given the sleep deprivation that so many suffer from (including myself when I am not in the middle of CFS episodes), it makes me wish I could pass my CFS around, Reba!

>41 richardderus: Yeah, I think so too and hope it proves to be a response to the travel rather than anything else. Thanks, RD.

Happy Wednesday, Stasia. I hope you beginning to unwind, after your lengthy, stressful trip. I have been reading some terrific books. I hope you get the chance to do the same.

>43 msf59: I am trying to unwind, Mark, but every time I think I am done with stuff, more stuff creeps up.

As far as books go, I am reading several good ones now!

Today is going to be a "project" day for me. I really have stuff I would like to wrap up before the weekend. I hope to be back later in the day!

>42 alcottacre: LOL, I can imagine you'd like to pass it around for more reasons that that :)

>46 RebaRelishesReading: Maybe, maybe not. I am not committing to anything :)

I just want to say that some people here are just so big hearted and generous of spirit and that they are much, much appreciated. xx

>48 PaulCranswick: This is definitely the group for big hearted, generous people. We sure have lucked out that we fell in among them, haven't we?

Indeed we have. Indeed.

Finished tonight:

267 - This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone - This is book #41 on Esquire's list of the 50 Best Sci Fi books (https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/books/g39358054/best-sci-fi-books/), which is one of the reasons that I was reading it. The second reason I was reading it is because Joe's son got him to read it because he liked it that much. Despite these reasons, I almost put the book down because I found the beginning of the book kind of confusing and was not really sure what was going on. I am very glad that I hung with it past the 50 page point because once I got caught up in the book, I enjoyed what I read. This is the story of Red and Blue, two "agents" on opposite sides who move through time trying to adjust things so that their "side" wins the time war. They begin a correspondence and through the course of their letters, fall in love. One of the flaws of the book, IMHO, is that I never built up any genuine empathy for either Red or Blue - both of whom tend to kill who- or what-ever is in their way. The best part of the book for me is definitely the development of the relationship between the two. Definitely not a book for everyone!; Recommended (3.75 stars) Mine

Happy New Thread!

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/354878

>53 SilverWolf28: I will be there for this one, Silver!

Finished tonight:

268 - The Bride of the Blue Wind by Victoria Goddard - Mary and I are continuing our journey through Goddard's Nine Worlds with this novella, the first book in the Sisters Avramapul series. One thing that I can say about Goddard is that she will not be pigeon-holed. The writing in this book is so very different than the Greenwing & Dart series that immediately preceded it. In this book, she takes Middle Eastern mythology and combines it with the Bluebeard story to make something entirely its own. There are 3 Avramapul sisters. The youngest marries a god and becomes pregnant by him. However, not is all as it seems and she unwittingly stumbles on to the god's secret. In the meantime, her two older sisters are desperately trying to rescue her. I enjoyed this, although in some ways I wish it had been more of a fleshed out story rather than a novella; Recommended (4 stars) Mine - Kindle

>55 alcottacre: Pali is one of the more interesting characters in the Nine Worlds, some love her as presented, some dislike her intensely, some find the narration focusing on her more reliable than, say Jemis, and so on.

>56 quondame: The first book in which I encountered her, I did not care for her overmuch. I am curious to see how she develops as a character throughout the series. Thanks for the input, Susan!

>57 alcottacre: I am rather fond of a difficult character who does good things but really doesn't have the "well meaning" feels of most of Victoria Goddard's characters. My Pali doesn't have patience or even understanding of other peoples soft spots, those just don't interest her, but she is energetic, inventive, and reliable about solving the problems she identifies within her bailiwick.

This describes my sister, some years my senior, who leaves a wake of results and devastation behind her, so that's how I see Pali. If she sees a problem, judges that it is something she can and wants to remedy, that problem will be smashed.
Oh, and stay out of the way.

I've read all the books, and that fits so far.

Happy Friday, Stasia. Just hanging at home with Jack. Getting some reading in too, as we take turns with him.
Black Butterflies has been excellent. Just sayin'...

>58 quondame: I am on my way through the books, Susan, so I will be curious to see how my judgment of Pali matches up to yours. I suspect I am going to prefer the "well meaning" feels of Goddard's other characters.

>59 msf59: Yeah, hopefully I will get to Black Butterflies in the new year. I am glad you are enjoying it - and Jack's company as well :)

>60 alcottacre: I don't find Pali headspace as enjoyable as Cliopher headspace, but the stories are interesting. And really, doing without the emotional take on things all the time can be a relief.

Finished this afternoon:

269 - An Artist of the Floating World by Kazuo Ishiguro - This was a re-read for me (I actually started it before I left on my trip) and I suspect that as I continue to get older, one that I will re-read yet again. Set in Japan after the end of WWII, we are introduced to an artist, Masuji Oji, who has retired and is now enjoying his grandson. Still, memories haunt him - and we as the readers are not at all sure how reliable his memories actually are. I prefer this part of the book, the memories, to the contemporary parts of it. We are looking back on the reasons why Oji has retired, why he has for the most part, abandoned his art when he was still up-and-coming as an artist. This is the core of the book and central to understanding how Oji ended up where he is; Recommended (4 stars) Mine

>61 quondame: I am glad to hear that the stories are interesting - I enjoyed the first one, for sure.

>55 alcottacre: You gave this a slightly higher rating than I did, Stasia, though I enjoyed the read as well. I had a similar reaction to you of, wow, she did it again... totally different writing style, yet totally fitting what she wants to do here. I would've liked to feel like I got to know the characters a little more, but that's because of the type of reader I am, not a flaw in how she wrote the book.

>64 bell7: I agree, Mary about wanting to get to know the characters better which is why I wish the story would have been more "fleshed out" because I suspect that the characters would have been too.

Stopping by to say hi, Stasia, and hoping you are feeling relatively rested. I can confirm that Black Butterfly is a good read. I read it earlier this year.

Happy Newish Thread, Stasia.

>51 alcottacre:. Good comments on This is How You Lose the Time War; I was confused at the beginning, too, as I expect every reader was or will be. Like you, I’m glad I stuck it out.

Good to see your positive review of Artist of the Floating World, too. Debbi and I loved that one.

Are you watching the Netflix adaptation of All the Light We Cannot See? Man, they’ve done a good job. The blind actress playing Marie- Laure is so good. There’s quite a back story with her - it’s her first acting role.

Happy Saturday, Stasia. I have also read Artist of the Floating World but it has been over a decade since I read it and do not remember anything. Hey, that happens.

>67 jnwelch: Joe, I am not watching Netflix at all as I do not subscribe. I am glad to hear that you are enjoying it!

As far as This is How You Lose the Time War goes, I am very glad I stuck it out. Without my LT friends, I am not sure that I would otherwise have done so.

I am a big fan of Kazuo Ishiguro, so An Artist of the Floating World is one that will likely never leave my collection.

>68 msf59: I would be curious to see what you think of An Artist of the Floating World now, Mark!

Finished tonight:

280 - The Book of Paradise by Itzik Manger - A huge "Thank you!" to Richard for the recommendation of this one, which I thoroughly enjoyed. He hooked me when he mentioned that the publisher said "perfect for fans of Michael Chabon." Manger was an writer who wrote in Yiddish and this book is heavily influenced by his background as an Eastern European Jew and the folklore he no doubt learned as a child. I am not even going to try and improve on Richard's review (https://www.librarything.com/topic/353764#8240384). It is spot on! I loved the tone that Manger takes throughout the book, I love the insights into Jewish folklore, I just flat out loved it; Highly Recommended (4.5 stars) Mine

>70 alcottacre: - Hi Stasia. Your touchstone goes somewhere else, just saying... ;-)

>51 alcottacre:
I had much the same reaction to This Is How You Lose the Time War. I was confused at first, but stayed with it. By the time it ended I had figured out how things worked. I also thought that for so personal of a subject as love that the book seemed very impersonal.

I thought of this novel as the ultimate in the writing of a non-linear novel. That is a novel that doesn't follow a straight time line. There has been lots of literary experimentation with this literary device in the last ten years. Physicist's developed the concept of Time's Arrow or the Arrow of Time meaning that time only flows in one direction. Time is considered to be asymmetrical according to the laws of Physics because it moves in only one direction. The direction it moves can be determined by the direction of the flow of atoms, molecules, bodies as was posited by astrophysicist Arthur Eddington. The concept of Time's Arrow is still considered to be one of the unsolved general physics questions. However, for most of us, time flows in one direction - onward. This Is How You Lose the Time War plays with the assumption that time moves only forward. The entire novel moves time around and around. Once the reader figures out that Red and Blue are moving around backwards, forwards, and sideways (in effect bending time and making it circular) the novel is easier to understand. (Not that you have to put that much science into understanding what it going on. A good reader will figure that out without naming it as bending time. :-))

Authors who are on the cutting edge of writing new forms of literature have been playing with how to bend time in the written world and that is what these authors have done with this novel. They are playing with the concept of "start at the beginning and go straight through to the end," which is the form of storytelling with which most of us are familiar. This novel is one big mind bender due to this playing around with the time line - bending it backwards and sideways at their whim. This is illustrated by one question: When did Red and Blue meet? Do they even know when they met? If they don't know when they met does that mean that time is eternal? If time is eternal does that mean that Red and Blue have always known each other? etc., etc.,

The entire novel is one big mind blowing exercise on the basic question of What is Time.

I don't think that readers have to debate the concept of Time's Arrow in order to understand or enjoy this novel, but it is one of those novels that makes many readers ruminate on it for a long time. I suspect that rumination process is why Joe's son brought it to Joe's attention. Jesse ruminated on this novel for a long time. As did I.

>71 jessibud2: Well, rats. I thought I had fixed that. Thanks for pointing it out, Shelley. It is fixed now.

>72 benitastrnad: Jesse ruminated on this novel for a long time. As did I. And I am still thinking about it several days after having completed it. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the book, Benita!

Just a reminder that Sundays are my traditional "day off" the Internet, computers, and technology - although hopefully I will be back later to report on a couple of books that I completed today :)

Everyone have a super Sunday! Enjoy it!

>70 alcottacre: Yippee! It delights me that you enjoyed this weird, witty little ditty so much, Stasia. I think we get far too little translated storytelling of all sorts but of Yiddish there's next to none. I don't think you'd like Jonah Rosenfeld much, he's dour and cynical so much more my cuppa...but his The Rivals and Other Stories got my praise a few years back. Those remain the two recently published Yiddish translations I've been offered for review.

>75 richardderus: The Rivals and Other Stories is already in the BlackHole (probably because of your recommendation of the book), I just need to track down a copy!

Finished this afternoon:

271 - Dark Lies the Island: Stories by Kevin Barry - This is decidedly not a book for me, although I am generall a fan of short stories. However, in the case of this book, the stories did not hold my interest, in large part because there is so much Irish slang for me to wade through. In one story I was completely lost because not only was there the slang to go through, but it concentrated on ale and beer, about which I know absolutely nothing. Yet another disappointing read for me from Kim's Indie list, which I am considering abandoning, since most of the books just have not worked for me; Not Recommended (3 stars) Mine

Finished tonight:

272 - Sweet Taste of Liberty by W. Caleb McDaniel - The subtitle to this book, "A True Story of Slavery and Restitution in America," really tells you what you need to know as a reader about the contents of this book. This is the true story of Henrietta Wood, who was living as a free woman in Cincinnati, Ohio, when she was basically tricked by her employer and handed over to Zebulon Ward, who kidnapped her, reenslaved her (for 16 years!), and then sold her to a plantation owner in Mississippi before being taken to Texas. After the Civil War ended, Wood sued Ward. Things being what they were, it took another 8 years before there was a judgment, which Ward immediately contested as he had lost. However, Ward eventually lost in the Appeals Court and had to pay Wood - although not the $20,000 she had requested in the original suit, but a mere tenth that amount. McDaniel does a great job of not only spelling out who was who and where they were at certain points in the story, but also in ironing out the legalese. This book won the Pulitzer Prize for History back in 2022 and I can see why; Highly Recommended (4.5 stars) Library Book

Hi, Stasia. I am enjoying Gap Creek. If you find your copy, you could always jump in. 😁

The Rivals and Other Stories does sound interesting.

Dave is retiring next year like Kerry. He's retiring at the end of March , 2024. I will also have to purchase fewer books and use the library more. I did manage to smuggle a book in yesterday . I picked up hold from the library and also purchased a book. I brought them home together and Dave was none the wiser :-) Not that I am suggesting that of course.

>79 msf59: I am already overbooked for this month, Mark, so even if I did locate my copy I doubt that I could jump in, lol. Maybe next year? Assuming I ever find my copy, that is.

>80 vancouverdeb: My problem is two-fold: I have to smuggle in both books and games. Games are harder, believe me! However, I have not yet figured out how I am going to restrain myself from buying either in 2024. . .

This is the day that I meet up with Beth and Catey for some old-fashioned game playing and chit chat. I hope you all have a terrific day! I hope to be back later in the day. . .

>78 alcottacre: I can't stand reading these kinds of microhistories...they make me superheat my fury coils. I do love that they exist, and really hope they sell tens of thousands a day.

>83 richardderus: I understand your superheating your fury coils, Richard. They tend to raise my blood pressure too. I continue to read them because I am trying to fathom the way things were - and still are, in some cases.

Happy Tuesday, Stasia. Gap Creek is probably going to be a solid read, but nothing exceptional. No hurry on that one, IMHO.

I hope you are having a GREAT game day!!

My problem is also two fold, Stasia. It's not just books for me, but also jigsaw puzzles. They are also hard to smuggle in. I usually order them to my mom's house and then pick them up when Dave is not home. Keep that a secret!

>85 msf59: Between the three of us, the girls and I got in 5 games today. That is a GREAT game day, IMHO! I have not even started looking for Gap Creek, Mark, so obviously it is not going to make my November reading.

>86 vancouverdeb: Your secret is safe with me, Deborah! My mother loves the Ravensburger Large Format jigsaw puzzles so I normally pick up a couple for her for Christmas.

>62 alcottacre: I have not heard of this one. I shall add it to my list in my notebook. sounds like a fantastic read.

Happy mid week!

>88 figsfromthistle: Hey, Anita! Ishiguro is very good and, although An Artist of the Floating World is not my favorite book of his, it is still a darn good one. I hope you enjoy it, if and when you get to it!

Finished this evening:

273 - Raven Black by Ann Cleeves - Audiobook; This is the first book in the Shetland series by Cleeves, a series that I have had in the BlackHole for far too long! Although I own hard copies of 9 or so of the books, I opted to listen to this one on audion. I thought the narrator was good, but his pronunciation of 'Perez' sounded more like 'Paris' to me - maybe that is how it is pronounced on the other side of the pond? It definitely is not here in Texas! Anyway, I liked this one quite a bit, although I wish we had learned more about Perez, which I suppose will come in subsequent books. I did not know who the perpetrator was, although I was fairly sure it was not who all the islanders suspected; Recommended (3.75 stars) Mine

>70 alcottacre: Interestingly I have just bought a new printing of that one and may read it in lieu of Amos Oz's Judas which I am struggling with.

Happy Wednesday night / Thursday, Juana.

>91 PaulCranswick: I very much enjoyed the Manger book, Paul, so setting aside the book that you are struggling with - at least for the moment - might be a good idea :)

Happy whatever to you too, Paul!

Finished tonight:

274 - No Bone Unturned by Jeff Benedict - Nonfiction; I find forensic anthropology and forensic archaeology fascinating topics, so this book - a biography of Dr. Doug Owsley of the Smithsonian Institute (where he remains, 20 years after the book was published) - was of interest to me as it goes into detail about the types of projects/studies that Owsley is associated with including working on identification of victims after 9/11, victims of the Branch Davidian disaster, victims of purges in Croatia, studying remains from Jamestown, the list goes on. Much of the book I found of interest - until Kennewick Man, whose case drug on for years and it seemed like it did in the book as well. I just find the courtroom stuff not to be of interest to me, despite my interest in the law; Recommended (3.75 stars) Mine

>90 alcottacre: Hi Stasia! I noticed your comment about the pronunciation of Jimmy Perez's name sounding more like "Paris". I haven't read the books but am a big fan of the TV series. Maybe because everyone in the series speaks with a Scottish accent, the "Paris" pronunciation seems perfectly normal. It's definitely different from a Latinx pronunciation, and I can see how that would throw you off in an audiobook.

Sweet Thursday, Stasia. I think I will also give Raven Black a try. I know my LT buddies have praised the series for years. Don't break your neck looking for Gap Creek. Benita and I were a bit underwhelmed, although I liked it more than she did. That said, Judy gave it 5 stars, so maybe we missed the boat. 😁

>90 alcottacre: "Perez" is utterly unlike our pronunciation of it, indeed. The series goes from strength to strength, IMO, so you're in for a rockin' good time there! *smooch*

>94 lauralkeet: >96 richardderus: It is definitely going to take me a while to get used to that pronunciation, I must say. I am looking forward to reading more of the series in the upcoming months!

>95 msf59: I actually found my copy of Gap Creek last night (while I was looking for another book, of course!), Mark, and set it aside for reading in 2024.

Today has been meal planning and grocery shopping, along with hand-holding for my daugher, Beth.

Beth is out of a job and desperately searching for one. She is basically unskilled labor. If anyone can help who lives in the Tempe, Arizona area, please let me know. Thanks!

I so wish I knew anyone or anything that couldwould help...nothing comes to mind. So sorry....

>99 richardderus: Thanks, Richard. I appreciate it!

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/355049

>101 SilverWolf28: I just finished signing up! Thanks, Silver.

Late at night and I am thinking of you. I took a large donation of books to the library this afternoon and used my black cloth bag purchased at the Strand to carry some of them. I remember our time together, and smile every time I use that bag. Like our friendship, it lasted through the years...

Happy Friday, Stasia. I never made it to the PO this week, so I will make sure I get the memoir out to you next week. We leave for OR, early this afternoon. Have a good weekend.

>103 Whisper1: Lovey, if I could do that trip all over again, I would in a heartbeat! I had such a wonderful time meeting you, Terri, Richard, Suzanne, Judy, Jim, Mary. . .I am sure I have forgotten someone. We had such great fun - even getting lost on Long Island. I love and miss you! I also still have my Strand bag and use it on a regular basis for picking up books at the library :)

>104 msf59: Mark, you have more important things to take care of than mailing off a book to me. No worries about it. You travel safely!!

>105 alcottacre: Tad and Zoe were the others I remember. Wasn't it a great time, though? My first LT meetup and one I'll never forget!

>106 bell7: Oh, yes! Thank you for the reminder, Mary. I have not seen either Tad or Zoe around in a while. It was my first LT meetup as well and definitely not a forgettable one!

Finished this afternoon:

275 - Bel Canto by Ann Patchett - I have no idea how many times I have read this book at this point. It is my favorite Patchett and that is saying something given how many books of hers that I have read. This is a shared read with Paul and I told him that I was jealous of him reading it for the first time. The story opens with a famous opera singer who has been paid to entertain a Japanese businessman as they are both visiting an unnamed foreign country for the businessman's birthday party, which the country is holding in hope of gaining some concessions from him and his business. However, the evening is interrupted when terrorists invade the party to kidnap the country's president only to discover that the president is not even there - and now they have 200 or so hostages with which to deal. This story is not about how the hostage situation, per se. I find the book to be all about relationships - relationships between the hostages themselves, relationships between the hostages and their captors, etc. For a long time I wondered about Patchett's epilogue because I felt like it did not belong, but after having read the book several times, I have changed my opinion on that. After all, as Mr. Hosokawa (the Japanese businessman) thinks late in the book, "He understood that these were extraordinary times, and if their old life was ever restored to them, nothing would be the same."; Highly Recommended (4.5 stars) Mine

I thought I would drop by to say hi and return your visit.

>98 alcottacre: Unfortunately, I'm a long way from Arizona and don't know anyone there. I hope your daughter will find good work soon! I wish I could do more to help.

>108 alcottacre: I loved Bel Canto and really must read more of Patchett's books. I have at least three waiting for me on my shelf!

>108 alcottacre: I should be ready to review the book soon, Stasia. Let's just say for now that I am glad to have read it!

>109 atozgrl: Thank you, Irene! Always happy to see you. I appreciate the willingness to help Beth too.

>110 curioussquared: I do not know of a "bad" Patchett book, Natalie, although I obviously like some of hers more than others. Do not neglect her books of essays either. They are also well worth reading.

>111 PaulCranswick: I hope that you continue to enjoy it as you read it, Paul. I will be curious to see your thoughts on it once you have finished it.

Finished tonight:

276 - Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan - This was a recent recommendation from Reba and I am glad I took her up on it. It is a hard book for me to review because 1) I really hate courtroom scenes and this book has a plethora of them and 2) I still do not understand transgender. It is not that I am not trying to understand what it means to be transgender or how a person realizes that they are not the gender they believe they should be - and I feel guilty for not understanding it. What's more is I do not understand the people who hate transgender individuals just the way that I do not understand people who hate Jewish people for being Jewish (and I have been reading on that subject for almost 50 years now) or understand black people for being black. And yeah, I know that nothing I just said has anything to do with the book. When I was a kid, I wanted to be a boy. Not that I felt like I was a boy inside, I just wanted to be one because my father wanted a boy and ended up with 2 girls. I have learned through the years that this is not the same as being transgender.

So, back to the book itself. Asher, a hockey player, falls for Lily, a new girl at school. When Lily dies, Asher is blamed for her murder. A lot of courtroom scenes later - including the big reveal that Lily was transgender - Asher is found not guilty. There is a lot of history - Olivia's (Asher's mother), Asher's, and Lily's - sprinkled among all of the courtroom scenes and that history saved the book for me; Recommended (3.75 stars) Library Book

As I grow older, I am coming to realize that I will never understand the hatred of people for other people just because they are different. I am not sure if that is just because I am naive or that I grew up with one of the biggest bigots ever in the person of my father.

>108 alcottacre: Bel Canto was the first Patchett book that I read, ages and ages ago. I enjoyed it, but in hindsight I didn't recognize the literary greatness I had just discovered. Now that I know what a gem Ann Patchett is, I think I'd appreciate Bel Canto even more. I hardly ever re-read, but you've got me thinking ... thanks for putting it on my radar, Stasia.

>113 alcottacre: I admire your candor here Stasia. I found Jennifer Finney Boylan's memoir, She's Not There, helpful in understanding one transgender person's journey. You're such a voracious reader that you may have already read this one, but if not it's worth seeking out.

>113 alcottacre: Your absence of understanding is widely shared; both of the issues surrounding being trans, and of the impulse to invest significant emotional energy in hating Otherness. To your credit, you look for ways to build understanding. That's really all we can do for each other in this life. It is very hard to reach understanding...learning and being informed anout Others and Otherness in general are very much better solutions than shrugging indifference or wilfully maintained ignorance. Keep sluggin'! I'm in there with ya on not really understanding a lot of my fellow QUILTBAG rainbows but goodness knows I'm still learning with alacrity.

>114 lauralkeet: I hope you enjoy Bel Canto if and when you get to it, Laura! I certainly think that it is worth a re-read. As far as Jennifer Finney Boylan goes, I have only read her Good Boy: My Life in Seven Dogs, which I enjoyed. My local library does not have She's Not There.

>115 richardderus: It is very hard to reach understanding...learning and being informed anout Others and Otherness in general are very much better solutions than shrugging indifference or wilfully maintained ignorance. Keep sluggin'! I'm in there with ya on not really understanding a lot of my fellow QUILTBAG rainbows but goodness knows I'm still learning with alacrity.

Thank you, Richard. I am still trying to learn as well.

>114 lauralkeet: >108 alcottacre: I had exactly the same reaction as you did Laura -- I don't often re-read but Stasia is making me think perhaps I should pick up Bel Canto again.

I also found She's Not There very helpful in understanding what it means to be transgender.

>114 lauralkeet: >117 RebaRelishesReading: I will mention that I read Jacob Tobia's Sissy and although Tobia is not transgender, his book helped me understand better (certainly not completely) how it is to feel that you are not the gender you were born as. If you have not read that one, I would recommend it.

As I said to Laura, Reba, I hope you enjoy Bel Canto and when you get around to reading it again.

Finished tonight:

277 - Diary of a Tuscan Bookshop by Alba Donati - Nonfiction; I saw this book recommended on several threads and being who I am - a lover of books about books - I knew I needed to read it. Italian poet Donati decides that she needs to open a bookshop - in a village of 180 people! The cool thing about that is the village really rallies to her idea of the bookstore and the community it crucial to its existence. Volunteers who help make sure that the bookstore is manned, people who help after the store catches fire, people who fund raise to help the store - everyone contributes. Donati discusses her history, not only the history of the store. Of course, she also discusses books, many of the Italian ones of which I have never heard, but there are plenty of English titles mentioned as well; Recommended (4 stars) Mine

I was surprised by all the trial scenes in Mad Honey too, Stasia. For me it brought home the fact that trials have nothing to do with getting to the truth but, as a reader, I was glad that we were given the truth in the end.

>120 Familyhistorian: For me it brought home the fact that trials have nothing to do with getting to the truth Boy, isn't that the truth, Meg? I am also glad that the readers were rewarded with the truth at the end of it all too.

I am unable to understand people's hate for another, be it because they are of another race, transgender, LGTB, or whatever.

A childhood friend of mine has a brother , now sister, who transgendered from male to female at the age of 50. I can't pretend I understand it, as it has not happened to me, but it is totally fine with me. It must be agonizing for the person to feel trapped in the wrong body. I think though, his/ her 4 teen-aged kids and wife may have struggled with it. Her now ex wife was very supportive , and I think her now young adult children have coped okay with it. My friend however , has cut her sibling out of her life, not because of the transgender, but because Kaitlyn ripped off her elderly parents , in part to pay for the transgender surgery, and partly because she just wanted the money. That is too bad.

Best wishes to your daughter in finding work.

>122 vancouverdeb: I agree that it is too bad that your friend's sister managed to destroy their relationship. Surely she could have used the support of her family while making the decision to transition and then afterward.

Thanks, Deborah!

>118 alcottacre: Hi Stasia!! Long time no see -- and that's on me! LOL. I read Sissy and really enjoyed it, too. At the Portland Book Festival, I just picked up The Transgender Issue: Trans Justice is Justice for All and hope to get to that one soon. Happy Sunday.

>108 alcottacre: I really must get to this, I have a couple f her earlier books unread Stasia.

>119 alcottacre: I'm glad you enjoyed this.

Hi Stasia, Just cruising by to say "hi" and hope you are having a fabulous weekend.

>124 Berly: Hey, Kim! Always glad to have you visit. I will be curious to read your thoughts on the new book when you have a chance to read it.

>125 Caroline_McElwee: I hope you enjoy Bel Canto as much as I do, Caroline!

>126 mdoris: Thanks for taking the time to come by, Mary!

Finished tonight:

278 - Evil Eye by Etaf Rum - This is one of those books in which I could closely identify with the main character. Yara grew up in a close knit, closed in community in Palestine. I grew up in a close knit, closed in community in the fundamental Baptist church. Yara grew up with an abusive father as did I. Yara struggled with her self-image, thinking everything was her fault - yeah, me too and for the same reason - a father who made sure that we felt that way. Yara gets married, has 2 children, and still struggles with hearing her father's voice in her head (and on the phone as he calls her) and I can relate here as well. All of this to say that I am probably not the best judge of this book because so much of it is painful to me and rings very true for me; Recommended (4 stars) Library Book

"For the rest of dinner she said nothing, and heard only the tiny voice whispering, reminder her of things she could've done, should've done, all the ways she was failing."

Well, it is Monday again and I am asking myself where the weekend went. I did not get nearly the amount of reading done that I wanted. CFS is rearing its ugly head again - I slept somewhere around 12 hours last night - and there is nothing like sleep for ruining a perfectly good weekend!

I hope everyone has a marvelous Monday!

So sorry about the CFS. I hope its visit is brief, in fact gone.

I hope the CFS passes quickly, Stasia.

>113 alcottacre: , >115 richardderus:, >122 vancouverdeb: We are of the same cloth. Hatred is borne of ignorance and an unwillingness to understand or even to tolerate not being able to understand.

I finished Bel Canto and my review is over at my place.

>129 alcottacre: We have our demons don't we; mine are a little different but still enable me to wish you well dear lady. xx

>130 quondame: >131 curioussquared: Thank you, Susan and Natalie!

>132 PaulCranswick: Heading over to your place as soon as I am done here, Paul.

Hi Stasia! Just a drive-by wave.

>134 humouress: Hey, Nina! Thanks for waving. . .

Finished tonight:

279 - Smoke Gets in Your Eyes by Caitlin Doughty - Nonfiction; I stumbled across Doughty's YouTube channel one day and have been hooked by her ever since - she is trying to get reforms to the death industry here in the U.S. This book takes place as she has gotten her first job at a funeral home, working in the crematorium. It is part autobiography and part condemnation of the funeral home industry. She makes no bones about the fact that she feels that the industry needs to change - and this is from someone on the inside, not some politician that is standing on a soapbox. I have read one of her other books (she has written at least 3), From Here to Eternity, and while her topic is a serious one in both books, she has a good sense of humor that helps alleviate some of the grimness; Highly Recommended (4.5 stars) Library Book

Stopping by to say hi, Stasia, and hoping the CFS will let up soon.

Well, evidently everyone's wishes for the CFS to go away soon has worked. Last night I was back to my "normal" sleeping (which is hardly that), so Thank You everyone!

Today is my day to meet up with Beth and Catey. As usual, I am excited for it. I will be finishing up at least one book today at some point, I hope.

>136 alcottacre:
I got to hear Caitlin Doughty speak one time and she was great fun. She is a reformer and knows that she has a long way to go to get things changed. She thinks that educating people about the death industry will help get that change made.

>139 benitastrnad: That is so cool, Benita! I have been watching her YouTube channel "Ask a Mortician" for several years now and really like the way she presents the information. I agree with her underlying philosophy - education is key in so many ways and in so many areas.

Finished this afternoon:

280 - The Plague of Doves by Louise Erdrich - Audiobook; As I have mentioned before, Erdrich is one of my LT discoveries and she has rarely disappointed me (her one and only foray into sci fi did not do anything for me), but this book is quite possibly my second favorite of hers (the first being The Sentence). I listened to this one on audiobook and was afraid with all of the different characters that I would get lost, but that never happened - I really got caught up in the story of a multiple murder that is kept alive through multiple generations of the families involved. The book is multifaceted and not just because of the characters involved - Erdrich's writing makes it that way; Highly Recommended (4.5 stars) Mine

Hoping the CFS is, in fact, on the retreat. *smooch*

Hi Stasia - just letting you know, I mailed the book to you yesterday. It should be there by Monday at the latest.

Glad CFS visit was fairly short!!

>142 richardderus: Thank you, Richard. With everyone in the 75ers chasing it away, I am sure that this episode of CFS is beating a hasty retreat.

>143 katiekrug: Thank you again, Katie! I will let you know when it arrives.

>144 RebaRelishesReading: Thank you, Reba!

Hey, Stasia. Slowly trying to catch up around here. Never an easy task. I remember really enjoying Smoke Gets in Your Eyes on audio, a number of years ago. Glad you also enjoyed it. The Plague of Doves is also a Erdrich favorite of mine. I still need to get to The Sentence and I have a copy too.

>146 msf59: Move The Sentence up the stack, Mark! I do not think you will be sorry.

>147 alcottacre: I will do that, Stasia. BTW- the book is in the mail. 😁🦉

>148 msf59: Thank you so much, Mark. I will let you know when I receive it.

I hope you enjoy The Sentence when you get to it!

Finished this evening:

281 - The Warburgs by Ron Chernow - Nonfiction; I am not even sure where to begin with this book, the story of a rich Jewish family that started with nothing to becoming a banking powerhouse (M.M. Warburg bank, begun in the late 18th century, is still in existence today), but still had to deal with antisemitism and all that springs from it. Chernow does a fantastic job IMHO in giving faces to the people that are involved in the book - there are a lot of them and it could have been really difficult and confusing to know who was who, but I never found it to be so. There are a lot of pictures in the book and that helps as well to identify the people in the family. Chernow does not gloss over the facts of the interfamily disagreements and disputes - there are a lot of those too in a family the size of the Warburgs, especially when you consider that there are both European and American Warburgs involved; Highly Recommended (4.5 stars) Mine - thank you, Peggy!

"Like a Brahms symphony, the Warburg sagas had been long and melancholic, sad but touched with hope, brave and strangely inspiring all at one. As German Jews, the family had known the sweetest rapture, the deepest torment, the most exquisite vindication."

I'm glad that the CFS has retreated for now , and that you had a good visit with Catey and Beth. It looks like the books are treating you well, Stasia.

>151 vancouverdeb: Yeah, my last 3 reads have all been 4.5 star books for me. I know that string is going to break, but it would be nice if it keeps up for a while!

Happy to see the Bel Canto love (but I still wonder at the epilogue and rationalize it as survivors guilt or something). Glad the fatigue is better.

>153 RBeffa: I understand you wondering at the epilogue, Ron. I did too the first couple of times that I read it, so I think maybe it is one of those books that takes multiple reads before things kind of 'click' into place?

Thanks!

>150 alcottacre: I read The Warburgs and it is a fascinating history.

>155 torontoc: Isn't it though? I have to admit to being more fascinated by Aby and those of his ilk - the ones outside of banking and finance - but the entire family, including the women, were fascinating characters.

Kerry is off work for the next few days, so I fully expect my normal schedule to be upended, lol.

>150 alcottacre: What a great subject to explore. The Warburgs shaped the world economy and deserve all the responsibility for it, good and bad.

>158 richardderus: Honestly, Richard, I am not sure that I had ever heard of the Warburgs prior to reading this book! Which just goes to show how much time I have ever spent in the world of finance - pretty much none.

>159 alcottacre: The Warburgs are up there with the Rothschilds and the von Thurn und Taxis families in dynastic wealth and influence. Economies tremble when they frown.

>160 richardderus: There were marital alliances with the Rothschilds too, so that must have really upped the wealth and influence. Wow.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/355261

>162 SilverWolf28: Thank you, Silver!

Finished tonight:

282 - Corregidora by Gayl Jones - This was Jones' first novel and man, did I want to like it more than I did. However, for me, getting over the explicit sex and continual bad language was an issue. The story itself is a good one, if unrelenting in its intensity. We meet Ursa at the beginning of the novel just as she is recuperating from the effects of a devastating fall caused by her soon-to-be ex-husband, costing her the child she was carrying. In her family, being a mother is paramount as she must provide the next generation and sadly, her accident caused her to have a hysterectomy on top of everything else. We get glimpses into Ursa's family history throughout the book - her great grandmother and grandmother were slaves who were both impregnated by their owner, the Portuguese Corregidora, and he casts a long shadow over this book. I understand why this is an important book and a must read in some cases, but it was just not one for me; Not Recommended (3 stars) Mine

>164 alcottacre: Agreeing with Stasia above, I got half way through and set it aside. I've read a lot if books over the years that addressed these issues, but this one needed stamina I just didn't have. You took one for the team Stasia.

>165 Caroline_McElwee: Thanks, Caroline. I am sorry that the book did not work for either one of us.

>164 alcottacre: I understand why this is an important book and a must read in some cases, but it was just not one for me;
That's how I felt too, Stasia. I read it for a class on books by Black women, otherwise I would not have finished it.

ETA: I just re-read my review where I said it was "ultimately worthwhile." Hmm ... not sure I agree with that in hindsight!

>167 lauralkeet: Caroline and I were reading it for the "20 Classics by writers of colour" challenge that we started back in 2021. I thought it was an important book for me to read as it addresses issues that I am reading about for my personal Black Studies reading, but if not for those 2 challenges, I doubt I would have finished the book.

Finished tonight:

283 - Western Lane by Chetna Maroo - This book was on my radar due to its being on the Booker Longlist for this year - it has since made the Shortlist. It is, IMHO, a very impressive debut novel. This is the story of a family finding ways to cope with their grief on the death of their wife and mother. Do not expect melodrama here - you are not going to get it. This is a quiet, reflective book. Pa and Gopi, the youngest of the three daughters, channel their grief into the game of squash. Mona, the oldest daughter, tries to become a second mother to her younger siblings. Pa really does not know what to do for his daughters to help them not only deal with their grief, but also to grow up with it. Their is a lot of emotion swirling through this book; Recommended (4 stars) Mine

"We began to recognise Ma's presence in our house, not through any experience of her - there was no sound, or touch, or change in the air - but through the quality of Pa's attention. His eyes were bright. He would look at things, and we'd know that his attention was on her, that he was listening to her."

A very busy Saturday ahead of me as Thanksgiving looms, but I hope to be back later in the day. I hope you all have a super Saturday! Off to get stuff done. . .

Sundays are my traditional "day off" technology, but I hope to be back later today to mention books I have finished! I hope everyone has a lovely Sunday.

*smooch*

>172 richardderus: Thank you, RD! ((Hugs)) and **smooches** to you too!

Finished this afternoon:

284 - The Lost Man by Jane Harper - This was a recent recommendation from Anita (FAMeulstee) and it was a very good read (thanks, Anita!); Two brothers, Nathan and Bub, find the body of their middle brother, Cameron, in the Australian outback, but Nathan has questions as to exactly what happened. The autopsy shows that Cameron died of natural causes, but Nathan's questions persist. I am not sure that the title of this book refers to Cameron, who was not all that he seemed; to the brothers father, Carl, who was an abuser; or to Nathan himself who seems to have lost his way in life. There are a lot of undercurrents in the family and quite a few family secrets that get exposed as Nathan continues to try and find out exactly what happened with Cameron. I honestly had no idea, but the resolution to the mystery made perfect sense; Recommended (4 stars) Library Book

>174 alcottacre: Glad to see you liked it, Stasia.

Finished this evening:

285 - What an Owl Knows by Jennifer Ackerman - Nonfiction; This is the second book of Ackerman's that I have read (the first being The Bird Way) and both of the books have been very good, although I preferred this one - since I have been collecting owls for 45+ year now that is probably not surprising. Ackerman takes a deep dive into owls - not just in nature, although the vast part of the book is about it - but into their roles in various cultures, their conservation, etc. I had no idea that there were so many different species of owls and the sad thing about that is that we are losing species all the time. Owls live on every continent except Antarctica and there are quite a few of them, but again we are losing species all the time. It pretty much all boils down to the same thing that so many other things boil down to - education. We need to know how to preserve these precious animals just as so many others need our protection as well. There is a quote in the book, "Humans are pretty much the biggest problem for owls around the world." The counterpoint to that, of course, is that we are the only ones who can save them too; Highly Recommended (4.25 stars) Library Book

>175 FAMeulstee: Yes, I did, Anita, and you introduced me to an author that I had not read before, so I am going to be hunting for more books by her. Thank you so much!

>177 alcottacre: This was the best of the three I have read, Stasia.
Although the others (first two of the Aaron Falk series) were worthwile, not as good as this one.

>178 FAMeulstee: My local library has The Dry and Force of Nature from the Aaron Falk series, but also has The Survivors as well. I will probably give all of them a try at some point.

Finished tonight:

286 - So Late in the Day by Claire Keegan - This novella (? - not sure what to call it) is classic Keegan to me - a lot to say and not many words used to say it. This is the story of Cathal who was engaged to a woman who called off the wedding and he cannot seem to comprehend why. The story of their relationship is looked at in retrospect and we can see that they really were not a good couple to begin with and he did not understand her at all. "Insightful" is the word I would use for Keegan's writing here, but I wanted so much more!; Recommended (3.75 stars) Mine

I somehow missed the jump to this thread, but I am here now!

>181 foggidawn: Lovely see you here, foggi!

Today was my day to meet up with Catey for our monthly game of Ark Nova, which takes us about 2 hours to play, so we got an early start today. Then Beth joined us and we played another long-ish game, Earth, and had a good time with it too. It is always wonderful to meet up with them!

Here's the Thanksgiving Readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/355348

Hi, Stasia. Somehow, I missed What an Owl Knows. Not sure how that happened, since I also really enjoyed The Bird Way. It is on my list now. Thanks.

I hope you had a lovely time with Catey.

>184 SilverWolf28: Thank you, Silver!

>185 msf59: Mark, I think you will really enjoy What an Owl Knows although I may be a bit biased :)

Finished tonight:

287 - A Time for Searching by Henry L. Feingold - Nonfiction; This entry into "The Jewish People in America" series sees more Jews entering mainstream America rather than separating themselves. More Jewish people are entering the professions now than ever before. The chapter that interested me the most in this particular volume was "The Contentment of Culture," which discusses the Jewish influence in the arts, including book publishing. I had no idea that so many of the publishing companies were begun by Jewish people - Knopf, Simon & Schuster, and Viking, among others were all founded by German Jews. However, in the midst of entering the mainstream, Jews also were shedding their identities as Jews causing a conundrum, which Feingold discusses at length. In the final chapter, he also talks about the reaction of American Jews to the slaughter of their European brethren; Recommended (4 stars) Mine

"American Jewry has been unable to reconcile itself to the loss of its European parent community. The ties of kinship were close, and Jews find its bloody end too terrible to contemplate. That abiding sense of loss and guilt has shaped much of its contemporary sensibility."

>138 alcottacre: Catching up here. Your thread certainly is fast paced. Glad that CFS has gone and that you are able to get back to your normal sleeping pattern.

>188 figsfromthistle: Well, I must say, Anita, my normal sleeping pattern is that I have no normal sleeping pattern, lol. Thanks for dropping by!

Finished tonight:

288 - System Collapse by Martha Wells - I am a huge fan of Murderbot and have been since the first book. I will say though that this book started slowly for me and I believe that was deliberate on Wells' part. We are beginning to see a little more of the "humanness" that Murderbot has, for good or ill. The storyline revolves around a group of colonists on a planet that a corporation basically wants to kidnap and make them into 'indentured servants' - slaves, in other words - although the colonists do not realize that. Of course, that means that Murderbot, ART and their human crew must take steps to intervene. I am glad to know that there are more Murderbot books planned as we continue to watch the character grow(? not sure if that is the proper word or not); Recommended (4 stars) Mine

Today is all about Thanksgiving cooking. Since I eat vegan and Kerry does not, there are 2 separate entrees and I cook desserts that are vegan (but he does not need to know!) I will be doing all of the sides today as well except for the mashed potatoes and the soup that I normally do.

I hope to be back later in the day!

Dear Stasia. I send all good thoughts and I am so very grateful for the times we were able to spend together.

I know 2023 brought sadness and change to you. I pray 2024 will be better. I send love and gratitude for your presence on the 75 challenge group.

>190 alcottacre: I'm so pleased that you enjoyed the newest Murderbot story. I know I'll love it when I get to it...hoarding it for a rainy day...

>192 Whisper1: Right back at you with the love and gratitude, lovey. I pray that 2024 turns out to be better for both of us!

>193 richardderus: I have seen mixed reviews of the book, RD, so YMMV.

Happy Thanksgiving, Stasia and family! Oh, wait, it's just the cooking. Well, best wishes with the cooking today.

Dear Stasia, I give thanks for you every day!



Happy Thanksgiving from an appreciative non-celebrator.

>195 vancouverdeb: Thank you, Deb! The cooking today went pretty well :)

>196 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul. That is sweet!

Finished tonight:

289 - Hild by Nicola Griffith - One of the genres that I enjoy reading the most is historical fiction so I was excited to read this one along with Mary. However, the more that I read this book, the less I enjoyed it. The book is long and a lot of its length, I think, is attributable to the fact that Griffith seemed determined to put in every fact that she had learned about the 7th century. There is not a lot known about Hild herself and Griffith knew that going in, so I suspect the facts she learned were there to round out Hild's world, rather than add to the character of Hild. Toward the end of the book there were some errors that very much disturbed me as Griffith had clearly invested time into doing research, so why these errors? And the ending? No, just no. Still for all my reservations about the book, I do recommend it - I just wish some of the book had been edited out; Recommended (3.75 stars) Mine

>190 alcottacre: I had the same experience as you, with the first part of the book dragging and the rest pretty darn wonderful.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving, Stasia. Have a great holiday with the family.

>198 alcottacre: I read it long, long ago, but I think a lot of what you point out is just inherent in Griffith's style of storytelling...maximalist. Menewood was, IMO, a better book and a better story.

Have a lovely day today. *smooch*

>199 Storeetllr: >200 Kristelh: >201 msf59: Thank you so much, Mary, Kristel, and Mark!

>202 richardderus: I will keep Menewood under advisement, RD. I told Mary last night that I was unlikely to read it, but we will see. ((Hugs)) and **smooches**

In my house, Thanksgiving is all about family. We have already talked to family far and wide - and met up with Beth and Catey - so from my family to yours:

I'm deeply thankful I'm not a turkey today, for sure. *smooch*

>205 richardderus: Well, I do not eat turkey so you can be thankful for me too, RD :)

Finished this afternoon:

290 - Gosta Berling's Saga by Selma Lagerlof - This book was on a list that Paul was compiling a few years ago and that is where it first came to my attention as I had never heard of it before. It has taken a while, but I finally got it read and I am glad I did. I will qualify because this book is very much a product of its time, I think - early 20th century. Lagerlof incorporates Swedish fairy tales, folklore, and Christian beliefs all into what amounts to a series of short stories with recurring characters and an overall story arc. I enjoyed it for what it is and again, it is couched with the proviso that the reader must consider the time in which it was written; Recommended (3.75 stars) Mine

BTW - For those who did not know (like me), Selma Lagerlof was the first woman - and the first Swede - to win the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Hi Stasia my dear, Happy Thanksgiving dear friend.

>208 johnsimpson: Thank you so much, John!

As I feared, I haven't been able to keep up with your thread, but quickly skimmed to catch up.

I wanted to drop by to wish you and your family a happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving , Stasia! I am happy if either The Bee Sting or Prophet Song wins. I hope it won't be Jeffery Escoffery or Sarah Bernstein, but I'll live if it happens. I'm about 1/2 way through that 2000 piece puzzle of mine. It's my first 2000 pieces puzzle , but I have done 1500 piece before. I was a little apprehensive initially, but it's going well. I just spend an hour each day at it, some days if I am busy I skip a day at it.

>210 atozgrl: Thank you so much, Irene!

>211 vancouverdeb: If either Escoffery or Bernstein wins, Deborah, I will politely ask the Booker judges what they were thinking!

My mother takes a similar tack with her puzzles - just work on them a little at a time. I bought her a couple more for Christmas but at her request made them smaller ones - 300 and 500 pieces.

Kerry is off today, so we will be playing board games, watching college football, running a couple of errands, and I will be trying to sneak in some reading somewhere along the line. . .

*smoochiesmoochsmooch*

Finished tonight:

291 - What's So Amazing About Grace? by Philip Yancey - Nonfiction; I read this book for the Nonfiction Challenge this month. I have owned the book for 14 years and am just now getting to it. I am sorry it has taken me so long. Yancey's book is, I think, a must-read for any Christian. It speaks to me on so many levels, not the least of which is because Yancey's and my backgrounds in the church are so similar to one another's. I love the statement on the back of the book, "There is nothing we can do to make God love us more. There is nothing we can do to make God love us less." I really believe those words. I need to hang on to God's grace more especially as I struggle to love myself - He found me worthy of love, so why can I not love myself? I need grace for that; Highly Recommended (4.5 stars) Mine

"Church should be a haven for people who feel terrible about themselves. . .God needs humble people (which usually means humbled people) to accomplish His work. Whatever makes us feel superior to other people, whatever tempts us to convey a sense of superiority, that is gravity, not grace."

>211 vancouverdeb: & >212 alcottacre: I agree with both of you ladies!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend. x

>216 PaulCranswick: That is because we all have good taste! I am starting Old God's Time this weekend and have high hopes for it too. I very much enjoy Sebastian Barry's work.

Finished tonight:

292 - Louisa May Alcott: The Woman Behind Little Women by Harriet Reisen - Nonfiction; As a child, there were 2 authors that affected me more than any others. The first was Sydney Taylor and the All of a Kind family series (which coincidentally ignited my interest in Judaism and the Jewish people). The second was Louisa May Alcott - I read all of her children's books and, no, Little Women was not my favorite. Jack and Jill was. I read Cornelia Meigs' Invincible Louisa when I was about 12 or so and remember nothing of it, so I was interested in reading Reisen's biography of LMA, which was used as the basis of a PBS documentary of the lady several years ago. Reisen admits in the prologue how much Little Women has affected generations of readers - including readers who grew up to be writers - but from Chapter 1 on, the text is about LMA and her life. It was a difficult one, there is no point in dodging that, a life lived largely in poverty as her father, Bronson Alcott, found it difficult to stay employed. The biggest influence on her childhood was her mother. LMA was not an easy child to love, I do not think, because she was high spirited and often obstreporous, but she dearly loved her family. Her love of her family was probably the overarching theme of her life. When she became a well-known published author, she was convinced that her life was nothing but "duty, no life of my own." Reisen shows Alcott warts and all, she mentions that researchers have tried to determine what her cause of death was (I always thought it was mercury poisoning), and I appreciated her honesty about one of her childhood heroes. To me, the saddest part of the book was when Reisen talks of Alcott's death - LMA, who was all about her family, died alone. Her beloved father had died, unknown to Louisa, two days before she did; Recommended (4 stars) Mine

>215 alcottacre:, Stasia, I have had this on my shelf since 10/24/2015 (8 years) and have not read it. I've started it several times but never finished. I guess I should correct that.

>219 Kristelh: Well, all I can say is that I hope you enjoy the book and get as much out of it as I did, Kristel - once you get to it!

>218 alcottacre: I've already read a bio of Dickens due to LT...NOT adding this dreary person's trudge to the grave as well, no matter how hard you shoot book-bullets at me.

No. NOT. Je refuse!

>221 richardderus: You will be happy to know that LMA did not have a high opinion of Dickens either, RD.

Finished tonight:

293 - The Company We Keep by Frances Itani - This is my first book by Itani and it definitely will not be my last. For the most part, I enjoyed the book. Several people who are dealing with grief come together in a weekly meeting, a place where they can open up to each other and discuss what they are going through. The company is mixed, not just exclusively male or female - two have lost husbands, two have lost wives, one has lost her mother, and another is losing her best friend to cancer. I felt at some points that Itani was glossing over the deepness of the grief that the characters must have been feeling. I also disliked the ending because it just felt pat to me. That being said, I did enjoy the writing and I intend to read more of Itani's books in future; Recommended (3.75 stars) Mine

Today is my "day off" technology. I hope everyone has a wonderful Sunday and gets tons of reading done!

Finished this evening:

294 - A First Time for Everything by Dan Santat - Graphic Novel; Foggi recently recommended this graphic novel about a boy's trip to Europe as a junior high school studen. I really enjoyed this one - I thought that Santat's illustrations and prose helped capture perfectly the experiences that Dan had as a 13 (almost 14) - year-old; Recommended (4 stars) Library Book

Woot! Just spied this at https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/prize-years/2023:
"Prophet Song, Paul Lynch’s ‘triumph of emotional storytelling’, wins the Booker Prize 2023"

Finished tonight:

295 - The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise by Julia Stuart - This book is a bit of a mixed bag for me as there were parts of it that I really liked, but other parts that I struggled with - the story Balthazar Jones and his family I liked quite a bit, but the story of Jones and his being appointed Keeper of the Royal Menagerie, not so much. Balthazar Jones is a Yeoman Warder at the Tower of London, married to his wife Hebe, and father to son Milo, who tragically died when he was but 13 years old. Jones has really never dealt with his grief and his wife Hebe who is growing more distant finally decides to leave him after he is put in charge of the animals who are now to reside at the Tower. The problem that I have with the book is the story of the family vs the story of Jones and the animals. One is tragedy, the other is farce, and the two do not mix well for me; Guardedly Recommended (3.5 stars) Mine

Lynch's win was good news for me too, Stasia. By far the best of the longlisted books in my opinion.

>207 alcottacre:
She was also the first openly gay person to win the Noble Prize for Literature. She was also involved in getting Jewish authors out of Germany prior to her illness and death in 1942. She was a very interesting woman. Very much worth a biography of her own.

You read a whole book in less time than it takes me to zip through your comments, Stasia. *sigh* I'm happy that you're reading and reporting, gaming, cooking, and eating! Stay healthy!!!!

>228 PaulCranswick: Yeah, I am very happy that Lynch won. You and I are definitely in synch there, Paul.

>229 benitastrnad: Is there such a biography, Benita? I sure would be interested in reading it!

>230 LizzieD: Thanks, Peggy! I am trying to stay healthy!

>218 alcottacre: I probably won't read this biography, or at least not right now, but I do love Alcott. I'd say that she and L.M. Montgomery were two major authorial influences in my childhood. Like you, Little Women is not my favorite of her books -- my pick is Eight Cousins. (I would have loved All-Of-A-Kind Family as a child, but sadly, I didn't discover it until I was an adult.)

>225 alcottacre: Glad you enjoyed A First Time for Everything!

Hi Stasia!

Long time no visit, and I am skippety-skipping through even now.

>150 alcottacre: Chernow is a wonderful author, and your comments about The Warburgs makes me want to read it. Onto the wish list it goes.

>174 alcottacre: I also gave The Lost Man 4 stars.

>232 foggidawn: I also really liked Eight Cousins as a child too, foggi. It is interesting reading the comments about what LMA was writing and her comments regarding Eight Cousins were a good view into LMA's writing process.

I very much enjoyed A First Time for Everything and would definitely read more of Santat's graphic novels if he publishes more that are in the YA line.

>233 karenmarie: I think you and I do nothing but get behind on each other's threads, Karen :)

>234 alcottacre:
I read Eden's Outcasts: The Story of Louisa May Alcott and Her Father by John Matteson the year after it won the Pulitzer Prize and enjoyed that one. I also have a copy of Woman Behind Little Women in my collection so it is on my gigantic TBR list. I read Alcott's books when I was younger, but never really thought about her as a person or about her life. When the ALA winter conference was in Boston one year, several of my colleagues and I rented a car and drove out to Concord, MA and took the time to tour the Alcott home. I got interested in Louisa's life and decided to read more about her and picked that book since I had it in my collection.

>235 benitastrnad: I have read Eden's Outcasts twice now (several years apart) and enjoyed it both times. I would love to be able to visit Concord at some point to tour the Alcott home. I envy you that, Benita!

Finished tonight:

296 - Old God's Time by Sebastian Barry - I am a fan of Barry's books, having read several of them, but truth to be told, I am glad that this one did not win the Booker Prize for 2023 just because Prophet Song knocked my socks off. Not that this book is not good - it is - I felt like Paul Lynch's book was more deserving of the prize. In this book, we are introduced to now retired cop Tom Kettle who, when some of his colleagues come to him for help with an old case, starts to drift into his past. I am not sure if Barry wants us to believe that Kettle is struggling with dementia or just wrestling with the demons of his past. In either case, he becomes an unreliable narrator as we are not sure what is real. Tom had an unpleasant childhood and that has bearing over his marriage (his wife June's childhood was bad as well) and his career; Recommended (4 stars) Mine

Finished tonight:

297 - The Warrior of the Third Veil by Victoria Goddard - Mary and I continue to go through Goddard's Nine Worlds. This is the second book in the Sisters Avramapul series. In the first book, we find out about the third and youngest daughter marrying and fixing to give birth to the child of a purported god when her sisters rescue her. This book follows close on the heels of the previous one and the youngest daughter, Sardeet, staying with family while she recovers from her ordeal when her oldest sister, Pavi, comes to visit on her way to be judged as worthy of the second veil. Once again, I really enjoyed Goddard's giving us insight into this culture. My biggest problem with the book is that I want more. A mere 80 pages just does not do it!; Recommended (3.75 stars) Mine - Kindle Edition

>237 alcottacre: I'm glad to see your positive review of Old God's Time, Stasia. I'm waiting on a library copy. Ellen is sending me her copy of Prophet Song and I'm excited to read that, too.

>237 alcottacre: I really must read more Sebastian Barry. I've only read two books by him (The Secret Scripture and Days without End and I've loved both of them.

Happy Tuesday, Stasia. Thanks for keeping my thread warm, while I was disconnected. Slowly making the rounds. I loved Old God's Time & This Other Eden but I think Prophet Song just edged them out.

Have a good, healthy week.

>238 alcottacre: I think we felt pretty similarly on this one. I agree that the main complaint was I wanted more!

>239 lauralkeet: I hope you enjoy both of the books when you get to them, Laura! I will be on the lookout for your reviews.

>240 SandDune: Sebastian Barry is one of those authors who has been uniformly good over the years and I will happily plunk down my money to read more of his books.

>241 msf59: It is great to see you online again, Mark! For me, Prophet Song was just it as far as the Booker Prize went. I still find myself thinking of it even now and I no longer even own the book, lol. However, I think it is the mark of a good book if I find myself thinking of it months after I read it.

>242 bell7: Yeah, I get the feeling that even when we are done reading through the Nine Worlds books we are going to be wanting more, Mary!

Today is my meet up day with Beth and Catey. I hope to be back later in the day - although I am still trying to finish up my TIOLI reads for November.

When you have chance go over to my place and have a look at my thoughts on the prospective WAR! challenge.

Would of course welcome your feedback. xx

>245 PaulCranswick: I have already been over there, Paul, and I think that you have done a bang up job. No complaints or suggestions (at least that I can think of right now). Thanks!

>246 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia. xx

Finished tonight:

298 - The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers - This was one of my purchases from the Joplin meet up this year. I bought it at Donna's recommendation - thanks! There is a quote on the front of the book from Tom Wolfe: "The All Quiet on the Western Front of America's Arab wars." From my perspective, that is high praise and unfortunately, for me the book did not live up to it. All Quiet on the Western Front I found to be a very affecting book with a main character that I could sympathize with and I really did not find that here and I am not sure why. Bart and Murph, 21 and 18 years old respectively, are young men in the midst of a terrible situation. Bart swears to Murph's mother that he will bring her son home safely, a promise that he had no business making given where they are and what they are doing. I think one of my biggest problems with the book is that it jumps around in time a lot, so I was constantly checking to see where in relation to the other time frames in the book I was. I do not normally mind multiple time frames, but this book seemed to carry them to the extreme. I thought Powers did a great job putting me as a reader into the action and making it feel real; Recommended (3.75 stars) Mine

"The dominoes of moments, lined up symmetrically, then tumbling backward against the hazy and unsure push of cause, showed only that a fall is every object's destiny. It is not enough to say what happened. Everything happened. Everything fell."

>237 alcottacre: I did really love Old God's Time Stasia but I'm happy that Prophet Song won. I'm glad you enjoy it. The Company We Keep sounds good and I hope to get to it sometime in 2024. I've read What's So Amazing About Grace? many years ago, and I may be due a re - read. I think I've read nearly every book Philip Yancey has written. He's my kind of Christian.

>249 vancouverdeb: Deborah, What's So Amazing About Grace? is the first book by Philip Yancey that I have read, but it will not be the last. I agree with "he's my kind of Christian."

Happy Wednesday, Stasia. I for one, loved The Yellow Birds. Glad you finally got to it. I can send along Gun, with Occasional Music, if you would like.

FYI- I got an owl today. 😁

>251 msf59: I would love the Lethem book, Mark. Thank you for the kind offer.

What are you going to do with the owl now that you have got it?