MarthaJeanne - Thoughts on books 2024 Aug-

The Levantine Vegetarian 4 1/2* Several recipes marked to try as soon as I get the ingredients.

Do I go to my favourite spice shop, where I bought this book, and buy the whole "SPICE ESSENTIALS - OTTOLENGHI" package?

Not quite finished Honey & Spice, but I'm very glad I'm not 20.

> 2 Very glad I'm not 20. What a lot of drama! 4* But all's well that ends well. There are two episodes that get rather pornographic, although they avoid PIV.

And yes, I do see why people are calling for a sequel. If she didn't mean to write a sequel she should not have left so many questions open.

I'm still reading Liebe zum Käse. You have to admit that it is very clever of Vienna's 'gourmet' supermarket to charge a high price for what is actually a big advertisement for their cheese department. Reading one cheese description after another would be even more boring if they weren't sorted by country and livened up by short articles about various aspects of cheese making in that country. As it is it is rather a nice reference, even if you do have to keep that advertisement bit in mind. I rather suspect that I will be spending even more money there in future. Sigh. But I do so like good cheese.

I'm giving it 3*.

>4 MarthaJeanne: Finished. Nothing more to say.

Library trip was a catastrophe. I needed to return 5 books and renew another. I had renewed my card online but needed to pay €40 before any renewing or borrowing.

We got to the elevator. Broken. Oh,well, we'll just call this number they have posted and get let in the freight elevator. (I use a walker.) Nope. The phone gave a long recorded message about summer films and was never picked up. Eventually we went over to the staff entrance, and eventually a woman came to go in, and let us up that way.

So I paid my fees, returned my books, renewed the other book, even, a bit late, remembered that I had a book on hold. That gives me two fiction books. Off to find some nonfiction. The new arrivals area has been 'upgraded'. Instead of a few tables with the new books spread out, there is now an area of seating with the books in boxes at stepped heights. I found the highest section awkward to use, and nothing there interested me. I probably could have accessed the next level down if I had sat on my walker, but the ones at just above floor level? Forget it. Another place I often find books was empty. The art books display did not offer anything interesting, and if that place has AC at all, it certainly is not strong enough with sun pouring in all the windows.

So I gave up, collected Jerry, and we then proceeded to convince a young man to let us back into the freight elevator. It took a while for him to grasp that the regular elevator was broken, but he finally let us into the elevator. But he didn't tell the elevator to let us go down until Jerry went and brought him back again. I often had to use that method in the pandemic, as they were limiting access points, and it worked well then. I dread going back in a few weeks, but if it is cooler people's brains (including mine) will be working better.

No, I cannot force myself to read another page of Freckles. And I highly disapprove of Ahern using the title of Gene Stratton-Porter's masterpiece.

In the first few pages we have had a squashed snail and both disgust and guilt about it. We have had writing on the arm every night changing to cutting the same lines, resulting in scars which she finds comforting. We have had a young woman choosing her future work for highly questionable reasons, and now a really horrible description of morning chaos as a mother tries to get her children dressed, fed and off to school. The author does not approve of women being seen, even in her own home without a bra.

Now maybe it gets better in the next page or two, as the ratings and reviews seem to be positive. I have read other books by this author and should know better.

Gutes fürs ganze Jahr 3 1/2* Another lovely cookbook by Elisabeth Lust-Sauberer. This time a preserving cookbook. The lower rating is because, like every other preserving book I have read in German does not come up to the safety rules I learned decades ago from various editions of the Ball Blue Book. Most of these recipes are probably going to work most of the time. If I were to make them, though, I would finish them differently. However, I am not likely to do any new, exciting preserving any more, so it is not very important. My second son really enjoyed her Christmas book. I think I will offer to send him this one, too.

OK, what are the chances that I could be reading two books, one fiction, one nonfiction, and come across the same word, new to me, in both within 24 hours? One book is historical fiction about Empress Elizabeth of Austria, 'Sisi', the other a feminist work about how the world is designed for men. The word is bourdalou. Apparently in English it is bourdaloue, and was a kind of hand held chamber pot so that a woman in all the layers of wide skirts could urinate without having to sit down.

You didn't need that word in your vocabulary? Not sure I did either, but when it forces itself on me...

>10 MarthaJeanne: That’s a great word to know. Not sure of its significance in your life. I tend to look around when those repeats happen. We’re too old to learn this new trick - peeing standing up.

I bought Reise nach Laredo and ordered Road to Roswell.

Ruth reminded me of how much I have always loved Understood Betsy! so I had to download it from Project Gutenberg and reread it.

That makes 6 in August.
51 so far this year (at week 35).

sisi Die Sterne der Kaiserin 3*

You have to admit, Mara Andeck did her research. She also chose an interesting point of view for her Sisi novel. The book is told from the point of view if her hairdresser, who spent three hours every morning, and often another period later in the day, creating the complicated hairdos the Empress wore.

There are lots of details about life in Vienna at the time, often obviously because the author couldn't bear to leave them out. Sisi herself switches between a cardboard Empress figure and a living woman who would easily fit in the 21st century. The first one seems more realistic. Fanny herself is a better written character, although still rather more modern than seems likely.

If you don't like spoilers, don't read the author's notes until you have finished the book.

I wentto the library and came home with 10 books. This one I read right away.

Kamala and Maya's big idea It van have 5*. It is very inspiring, and very well written. I like the repeated,
"No one could do everything.
But everyone could do something."

And we all know that Kamala keeps having good, big ideas.

Crystal Singer

Disadvantage in rereading things at such a slow pace. You have a lot more time to notice the things that don't really fit, whether because the author goofed or technology has gone in a very different direction than she expected. Fax machines!

Also this copy is hard to read because the binding has warped badly.

Das Patriarchat der Dinge 3* Discarding.

This wasn't really what I expected. For a feminist tirade it was actually fairly interesting, but I got tired of the bits that were more tirade than information.

It would be interesting to know what this author would recommend be done with the transwoman convicted of having raped before s/he changed genders, still has a penis, and wants to be in a woman's prison.

I also felt that the section on accessability was oversimplified. She did pick up on the issue that mothers of young children have the same problems as those of us with walkers and wheelchairs. However, nothing can make public spaces "equal" for those with various disabilities. Better, easier to use, yes. Yes, please! But whatever is done, it is still going to be easier with good sight, hearing, walking.

How to be a Woman Online 4*. I knew there were good reasons not to be on Facebook, Twitter, ... Although copyright 2022: this book is obviously out of date. Too much happens too fast for a book like this to stay accurate in all details, but the general ideas continue to be useful for those who have a public online presence related to their jobs.

Tried to watch Alice's Restaurant. Very confusing, very 1960's. I think it can go back to the library. I know I saw it at the time, but I think it may have confused me back then, too.

>20 MarthaJeanne: But the music!

>21 2wonderY: I have continued to do the back ironing to the music of The Mikado. Very nice music, and the kind of confusion I can actually follow.

Peach Blossom Spring 4*

What I really want to know is why the book constantly has quieten for quiet. Not just verbs, where it would be fine, but adjectives, too.

Federnlesen 3 1/2*

It's actually rather surprising that I made it through the book. Several times I was close to giving it up. However, the author really does write well. She also does her homework, so you can rely on her information. And just as I would be ready to give up there would be some morsel that kept me reading.

The author says that she wants the book to entice more people into becoming bird watchers. But for much of the book, I missed the birds. She had chapters that explained the basics of bird watching. Equipment, ways of learning to identify birds, both visually and acoustically, where to go... but without experiencing the birds it seemed like a lot of effort for what?

She described visits to various bird organizations and explained at great length how they are working to counteract the way so many bird populations are dying out. Well, that's too bad, but why should I get involved, and if the birds aren't around any more, I guess I missed it.

Finally in the back of the book she gets around to really talking about her experiences with birds. This is what I bought the nook for! If she had just rearranged the chapters to loosen up the information with the emotion, this could have been a very good book.

One other problem for me. This is a very German book. In fact, even southern Germany doesn't get much mention. Her territory is mostly north Germany. Many of my favourite birds from Eastern Austria are the very birds she mentions as being missing from her environment, and I haven't seen many of her friends.

However, we both keep managing to miss the kingfishers that are around.

I'm glad I read the book, but I won't keep it.

Kamala Harris: Rooted in Justice 4 1/2* Another cute children's book about Kamala Harris. This one is a short biography ending as she closes down her campaign to rin for president in 2020. "if at first you don't succeed..."

This one has the strong message that 'even a girl' and even a black girl can aim at the presidency. The other messages are that it takes hard work and dedication to make it, and that the purpose of making it is to help others get freedom, justice and peace.

I read 8 books in September. Of course, that includes the two children's picture books about Kamala Harris, but I did read them, and they are books. i'm at 59 for the year.

Killishandra

This isn't in quite as bad shape as Crystal Singer. A strip of wide, clear tape on the spine will probably suffice for another read or two.

Frisches Gemüse im Winter Ernten 4 1/2*
If you want to harvest vegetables from your garden in Winter, and your climate is similar to Vienna's (and you read German), this is the book for you. This is about gardening without extra heating. He does suggest various ways of protecting plants from winter weather - wind and rain more than cold.

Besides general material on gardening in Winter at the front and back of the book, there are individual articles on a multitude of vegetables both well known and more exotic that can be harvested at some part of the period between late November and early April. These articles include a short description of the plant and its uses, how much winter it can take, how to grow it, how to harvest it, with advice both for house gardens and professional gardeners. I found much of the advice to assume that I have more space than I actually have. However, he does include a chapter on growing in pots and containers for balconies and window sills.

If I'd read this a month ago, I'd probably be trying to do more, but lettuce, chard, spinach, sorrel and Vogerlsalat are old stand bies of mine for the winter. I will be trying to grow erba stella this year as well. And maybe start more things earlier next year.

Infused Water & Co 1*

The people who made this book obviously had fun trying out all sorts of (often weird) combinations and photographing the ingredients and results.

Bit quite honestly, after reading the general instruction page, you would be better off trying your own ideas with what you have at home.

Another Day 4 1/2*
I apparently read this a decade ago. Right up to last night I was planning on reducing the stars and rewriting the review. Now I think I'd rather leave them.

>30 MarthaJeanne: Hmmm. I really don’t need another book on my teetering pile.

Giving up on Lost in Trainstation, Peter Littger? 2*

One rather stupid German misuse of English after another would get boring pretty quickly, even if the author's English were as good as he thinks it is.

Deleting and putting in a Carla bag.

Crystal Line This one os nor as good as the first two, and there were very few bits that had stayed in my memory.

It's been over two weeks since I last posted here. So what's up? Basically, I started two library books that each turns our to be nearly 500 pages long. And they are both really good books.

The fiction is Watch the Lady. It is historical fiction taking part in Elizabethan times. I'm at page 348, so I might even finish it this month. Two factions are trying to beat each other in gaining the queen's favour.

The nonfiction book is a fascinating history of 21st century aerospace advances. When the Heavens went on Sale. This is the longer of the two books, and I'm still just short of 300. I'll probably be ready to return it on November 5, but not this month. (Tuesday is my regular library day. Not every week, but I try to stick to Tuesdays.)

I keep working at them because I really am enjoying both books. But I am about ready to move on.

I'm going to give Watch the Lady 4 1/2* if only that it really held my attention so long.

That makes 6 books in October.

When the heavens went on Sale 4 1/2*
The real problem with this book is that it stops two years ago.

The Road to Roswell really does get more ridiculous with each chapter. I know, Ruth. You warned me. However, Connie Willis is such a good writer that I am enjoying it. I'm about 20% in, so we'll see how I last.

>39 MarthaJeanne: A third in. I have a feeling this would be even better if one had seen all the various movies referred to. Now it's not just films about aliens, but also old westerns. I am terribly uncultured, as I at best have heard the names, but not seen them. But we now have the guy who has seen alien movies and believes in them, the guy who has seen the westerns and lives by them, or at least tries to, and the guy who has seen the all, and thinks they are a bunch of nonsense. And the two women who know about as much as I do.

It looks like ive read three of her novels and a couple of short stories. I’d give her another go if I see the opportunity, as I recall the others with fondness. She seemed to be having fun writing this one; but I couldn’t stay.

Ernte mich im Winter I borrowed this from the library to compare it with the same author's Frisches Gemüse im Winter ernten. Both are excellent. This is more aimed at the person with a small garden or even just a balcony. It lists fewer plants, and doesn't go in depth into the various details that a profi gardener/farmer might need. I think I am happy that i own the more detailed work, but this is a lot easier to read. 4*

>41 2wonderY: I've read the whole Oxford Time Travel Series, As well as a rew books of short stories.

>40 MarthaJeanne: At page 300 there are still more plot surprises. I's a wild roller coaster ride, but I'm still hanging in there.

Rigid Heddle Weaving : Basics and Beyond 3*

The Road to Roswell 4 1/2*

The Road to Roswell 4 1/2*

Yes, Ruth, it is utterly outrageous. But I loved every bit of it.

BTW, I picked up one outside reference that is only obvious if you recognize it, so I assume I missed plenty besides all the films I don't know.

I’m glad it worked out so well for you!

Femina sapiens This is a book aimed at school children. It covers the development of humanity through prehistory, (with a few biographical sketches of more modern women). It makes a point of showing that prehistory included women, and that in the past women's activities were often misinterpreted as being done by men,

The original was in Spanish. I read it in German.

I was rather ambivalent about Honey and Spice! but decided to give Bolu Babalola a second chance. I'm halfway through the second story in Love in Colour, and I just don't feel like continuing.

It can have 3*. It's not bad. I just keep waiting for something to grab me, and it doesn't.

Die Hörbigers 3*

Georg Markus is fantastic at telling anecdotes. He is very good at putting related anecdotes into chapters. But somehow a bundle of well written chapters need something more to make a satisfactory book.

Still I enjoyed reading this, especially the parts about Paul Hörbiger. If you don't recognize the name, he was the German-speaking building maintenance man in The Third Man. Hmmm. I don't recall that making it into the book. Oh, well, his performance as the pope in The Day They Kidnapped the Pope , which is the one time I saw him 'live', did make it in. He was in many wonderful Austrian films before, during and after WWII, often with Hans Moser.

During the reading of this book, I watched Maskerade, with Paula Wessely, which I totally enjoyed.

Having finished that, I picked up Wien und der Tod, a new book that I got from the library. Only just started, but this is so humorous, So Viennese. Wonderful, but you might not appreciate it unless you have lived here for some tine. It would also help to understand some dialect.

"The Zentralfriedhof is half as large as Zürich. (and twice as much fun.)"

>53 MarthaJeanne: Well, the book was good, but the best bits were at the beginning. I had to give up on some of the poems written in dialect, because they were printed in italics, and both at once was more than I could deal with. Still, an interesting collection, and certainly worth 4*.

Just fixed the touchstone.

I came across Sisters of the Revolution and decided to reread just Sur, Le Guin before shelving it properly. I have added a member's description, but I guess I won't enter it separately.

Finished The Snakes. Wish I hadn't. Yuck! 1/2* I think the author couldn't figure any other way to finish the book. The ending does not fit. Most of the book is actually quite well written except for several places where words don't quite together the way they should.

While cleaning up I came across Wiener Parkgeschichten. I vaguely remember a few of the tales I read back when. But there was a page marker about half way through. I started reading there, and realized that the book is fill of information about Vienna's parks, much of it very interesting. But as I continued I also discovered that the same types of information about park after park gets boring. So this is a keeper, but only gets 3 1/2*

Started Taking Flight. Lev Parikian quotes Douglas Adams as saying that trick in flying is to throw yourself at the ground - and miss.

Cotillion

That makes 11 in November. 76 for the year.

>59 MarthaJeanne: Ooh. Gotta look for that one!

I've been reading Reise nach Laredo, Arno Geiger's. He writes beautiful prose, as I already knew. The less is going on, the more beautiful the prose. I'm over 1/3 done, but I need a break, and I have library books that need to go back.

>61 MarthaJeanne: Well, serves me right I guess. Conversations with friends has much less going on, and the writing isn't nearly as good. It can go back to the library.

Taking Flight 4 1/2* is a superb book. The author wanted to write a book that gave serious information without his readers getting bogged down in details that only a specialist can handle. For me, he has succeeded.

The book travels through insects, prehistoric flyers, to birds, and finally bats. The writing is informal, and interspersed with witty off hand remarks that I greatly enjoyed.

BTW, the author is British, which makes a difference in the species he chooses. He also uses metric measurements. Well, except when using coin weights, trips to the moon and back, and other popular systems. Perfect for me.

>61 MarthaJeanne: Another third. Taking another break. Beautiful prose does not make up for long periods of nothing happening and details not fitting.

Nationalpark Kalkalpen 4* This is a collection of articles about the National Park with lots of pictures. The articles are very varied. History, animals, birds, butterflies, beetles, caves, children... They are all well written, although I found some more interesting than others. I suspect that the pictures were mostly provided by the authors of the articles. They vary greatly in quality, but at least they are all large format. Some are spectacular.

How does this sound for a winter hike?
From the parking lot, a ranger guides you along cleared trails for half an hour. From a heated observation place you can watch the large deer (up to 80) at the feeding station. Binoculars are provided. Then you walk back to the alpine hut for hot drinks (alcoholic) and snacks before returning to your quarters. I should add that this is in the midst of amazing alpine scenery.

>65 MarthaJeanne: Yes! That does sound enticing!

I'm reading (the German translation of) Cooking and the Crown. I think I may need to try Dubonnet. This shows the difference between the British and the French. In the 19th century both wanted their people in the colonies to drink quinine against malaria. The Brits added sugar, and created tonic water. The French added wine and spices. But both can be drunk with gin.

Other than that, it is somewhat amusing to watch Tom Parker Bowles carefully refer to Queen Camilla. So far he has slipped once and said 'my mother' instead.

Forever Interrupted 4 1/2* A tale of love and grief and going on living.

>67 MarthaJeanne: I've nearly finished Zu Tisch bei den Royals. Most of these recipes are fairly easy to recreate if you and your kitchen team are in the kitchen all day anyway. I can see many of the lunch dishes not really taking much time away from the work on a multi-course dinner.

There are a few recipes that might be fun to try if I had nothing better to do and could find all the ingredients in the required quality. (Wild British partridges are much better than the French domesticated ones, we are told.) Whether the result would be worth the effort is another question.

Some recipes would be easier to follow- but in those cases I can't see any real difference between these recipes and standard ones. Not surprising. A good scone is a good scone. Or else the difference between standard and royal is something like 'make the sandwich, then before serving, cut off the crusts and cut it into thirds.'

The German translation would be greatly improved by including the English names of the dishes.

>69 MarthaJeanne: Finished. 3* Very glad this was from the library. It was fun enough to read, but I don't need it on the shelf.

>65 MarthaJeanne: Well until I read the ending of Reise nach Laredo I was going to give it 2*. After all, his prose really is lovely, even if the story line is bad, unbelievable, inconsistent, and boring. But such a cheap way of dealing with all the issues in the last few pages is not acceptable. 1/2* feels generous. And this was not a library book. I actually bought it! Discarding.

>72 MarthaJeanne: I didn't know about that one!! Looking now on AbeBooks...

It is a book of short stories. The collection Pistols for Two with an extra three stories.

Read the first act of Rose Bernd. Very hard to follow. I have read the Wikipedia (de) synopsis and won't finish the book.

Abandoned North Woods after 2-3 pages.

I got a bit further into Here's to us. But not much. A sequel about the love life of a gay guy after one year of college. I just don't want to make the effort.

In my own defense I need to say

a) I've had a slight eye infection over the weekend. Much better now, but it doesn't make reading any easier.

b) My current nonfiction is Eine afrikanische Geschichte Afrikas which I am really enjoying. Zeinab Badawi, Sudanese, living in London, takes us with her as she travels around Africa learning about the history and cultures from an African point of view. I'm about half way through.

I watched Chitty Chitty Bang Bang this afternoon. I don't think it could be filmed in this way today. It might be interesting to see how much of that was Hollywood and how much Ian Fleming.

When my husband tells me that a certain Hannah Fry is going to be Cambridge professor of the public understanding of mathematics fron Jan 1 https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/hannah-fry-joins-cambridge-as-professor-of-t... , it is so nice to be able to say, yes, I liked her book Hello, World

I'm having trouble with the print of The World to Come. It should be very interesting for a Chagall fan like me, so I've put it back on the shelf to try again later.

Fake Accounts Stopping at 50 pages. Why did I borrow this?

That gives me 83 for 2024. A bit more than 1 1/2 a week.

>83 MarthaJeanne: Brava!

The Promise 4 1/2*

A tale of four funerals. Very well written, but not the right book for me right now.

Entangled Life 3 1/2

Fungi are weird. So are people who study them.

I recall that the boats in Valdemar were grown out of fungi.

>86 MarthaJeanne: Just a comment that a mushroom grower in Vienna uses coffee grounds as their food. They also sell kits for growing the mushrooms at home off of your own coffee grounds.

Sprig Muslin

Malibu rising 4*

I'm just glad I have never been at a party like that one.

I'm struggling to get through Sticheleien (Embroideries). Quite aside from the problems I have with reading graphic novels, this is so unappealing, in such poor taste. I can't believe that so many members gave it 5 stars. Put a decimal point in front of that for me. 0.5*

Gottes Bilder 3 1/2* Is a fascinating trip through the history of Christian art. In fact, for the first half of the book I was convinced that I needed to own a copy.

After the Reformation I became less happy with the choices of art, also less happy with the illustrations. I did enjoy the chapter on Chagall. Also in the second half of the book it becomes much more specifically oriented to Germany.

Still, I very much enjoyed reading this book and learned quite a bit in the process.

>89 MarthaJeanne: Finished. Opinion not changed.

The Missing Sister 3 1/2*

Ooops. Everything from >65 MarthaJeanne: on should be in https://www.librarything.com/topic/367055#n8777537

I'll try to do better.