Laura (lauralkeet)'s 2025 Reading Nook - Part 1

Not my photo, and not my actual reading nook!

Welcome to my cozy reading nook! I'm Laura, retired and living with my husband Chris in an 18th century farmhouse in northern Virginia with our two dogs, Alys and Ellie. Our two adult daughters both live in Brooklyn. We spend a lot of our time gardening and working on various projects around the house. Knitting is my other hobby, which I post about here occasionally. If you’re so inclined you can see more on my thread in the Needlearts group.

2025 is my seventeenth year in the 75 Book Challenge Group! It’s been years since I achieved the 75 book “goal,” although I came really close in 2024. But my totals don’t really matter. LT is my favorite place on the internet--I love the bookish conversations, recommendations, and of course the many wonderful people I’ve met here over the years. I read mostly contemporary fiction, but also enjoy classics and narrative non-fiction.

Books Featured on This Thread
(Go here to see all books read this year)
1. By Any Other Name
2. The Persimmon Tree and Other Stories
3. What an Owl Knows
4. Death at the Sign of the Rook
5. Raven Black
6. Orbital
7. Hotel Silence

Series Progress

Active series as of January 1 (updated quarterly):


A snapshot of my active series sorted on the "progress" column.

Series completed/current in 2025:
* Jackson Brodie

Series started in 2025:
* Shetland

Series abandoned in 2025:
* tbd

Currently Reading & On Deck



The Devastating Boys |In My Garden

I started Jodi Picoult's By Any Other Name last night. I requested this from the library a while back and now I can't remember where I first heard of it. I don't think it was here, because the book is mentioned only on one other thread besides mine. I'm not a huge Picoult fan but I really enjoyed Mad Honey, and the premise of this book was appealing:

In 1581, Emilia Bassano, like most young women of her day, is allowed no voice of her own. But as the Lord Chamberlain's mistress, she has access to all theater in England, and finds a way to bring her work to the stage secretly. And yet, creating some of the world's greatest dramatic masterpieces comes at great cost: by paying a man for the use of his name, she will write her own out of history. In the present, playwright Melina Green has just written a new work inspired by the life of her Elizabethan ancestor Emilia Bassano. Although the challenges are different four hundred years later, the playing field is still not level for women in theater. Would Melina, like Emilia, be willing to forfeit her credit as author, just for a chance to see her work performed? Told in intertwining narratives, this sweeping tale of ambition, courage, and desire asks what price each woman is willing to pay to see their work live on, even if it means they will be forgotten.

So, we'll see how it goes.

In 2025 I also plan to revisit my Virago Modern Classics collection. I have 315 books, have only read about half of them, and haven't read any the last couple of years. The VMC Group will be reading short stories so I'm going to start there.

What an Owl Knows is my non-fiction read for January. I don't always read one NF each month, but I read 10 last year and will try to do the same or better in 2025.

Over to you now!

Hello, Laura, I'll be following your reading, and possibly your gardening, this year.

Happy (almost) new year, Laura!

Happy New Year & New Thread Laura!

Happy New Year, Laura! I'm going to keep a thread at Club Read this year, probably not for long, lol, but as I get ready to retire in June, maybe I'll start some new habits.

>1 lauralkeet: Very cozy indeed Laura. Looking forward to keeping up with your 2025 reading, adventures and big family events.

Welcome back!

Hello, Laura! I love the reading nook you chose - especially the snow outside.

Woo hoo, visitors! Happy New Year Kerry, Katie, Rhian, Elizabeth, Caro, Jim, and Mamie !!

>5 CDVicarage: Kerry, I've made a note to self to write about our gardening from time to time. I try to do so, but sometimes I forget.

>6 katiekrug:, >7 SandDune: Happy New Year back at you, Katie & Rhian!

>8 raidergirl3: Found you over there, Elizabeth!

>9 Caroline_McElwee: Caro, oh yes, those "big family events"! Having celebrated Kate's wedding in September we're now gearing up for Julia's in August. It's sure to be an exciting time.

>10 drneutron: Thanks Jim!

>11 Crazymamie: Mamie, I gotta say I'm not a fan of snow but that photo was still appealing.

Happy New Year, Laura. I dropped a star and look forward to following your adventures in 2025!!

Happy New Thread, Laura. Happy New Year. I had a good time with What an Owl Knows. I hope you are enjoying it.

>1 lauralkeet: What a cozy nook it is!

Happy New Year. May it be filled with excellent reads

Happy new year, Laura! Looking forward to keeping up with you in 2025.

Happy 2025, Laura

Happy New Year everyone!

>13 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks Reba. I'm following you, too!

>14 msf59: I haven't started it yet, Mark, but I'm looking forward to it.

>15 figsfromthistle:, >16 MickyFine:, >17 PaulCranswick: Thanks Anita, Micky, and Paul!

We had a quiet New Years Eve that was pretty much the same as any other night at home: watching TV, knitting, snuggling dogs, and some bedtime reading -- just what we wanted! Today should be pretty quiet too. I'll do some puttering around the house and also expect to spend some time knitting (my current project is a cardigan) and reading By Any Other Name.

Happy New Year, Laura. I'll be watching your reading and knitting this year. Oh - And your garden.

Happy New Year, Laura. I look forward to following your reading again this year. I always get great ideas here. And your gardening and knitting inspire me as well.

>19 dudes22:, >20 BLBera: Hi Betty & Beth! Happy New Year. I'm glad to see interest in my knitting and gardening, I just hope I remember to post about it here from time to time.

Happy New Year, Laura! I’m curious about What the Owl Knows, so I’ll look forward to your comments.

Happy new year! Hope the year brings you some amazing reads!

Happy New Year, Laura!

Happy New Year, Laura!

Happy New Year! For a minute I thought that was really your reading nook and I felt somewhat envious.

>22 jnwelch: Thanks Joe, I'll be sure to report back.

>23 thornton37814:, >24 ronincats:, >25 quondame:, >26 vancouverdeb: Happy new year to you too, Lori, Roni, Susan & Deborah!
Although I do have a couple of nice spots for reading at home, that's absolutely not my actual reading nook!

Happy New Year Laura! I also thought that was your actual reading nook and was wishing mine was as spectacular.

>28 AnneDC: Hi Anne, thanks for dropping by with new year greetings. I just updated the caption in >1 lauralkeet: to clarify lack of nook ownership!

Hi Laura, virtual or not, I think we would all enjoy spending time in that reading nook. I am also going to try to read more NF books this year. I ended up with 14 this year so I will set 15 as my goal. I must ease into these things gradually...

Happy New Year of Reading to you!

Happy New Year, Laura!

>30 Donna828: I must ease into these things gradually...
Amen to that, Donna!

>31 norabelle414: Hi Nora and happy new year back at ya!

>1 lauralkeet: Well, if that were your actual reading nook, I would be 100% envious!!

Hi Laura and Happy New Year to you and all your loved ones. I'm looking forward to more book chat as we all try to survive 2025.

>33 EBT1002: Happy New Year Ellen! No pressure, but I'm expecting book chat to get me through this year LOL. I see you've created a 2025 thread so I'm off to pay a visit now.

Hi Laura. Happy New Year 2025 and happy first thread!

>1 lauralkeet: Books, view outdoors, sofa, blankets, and did I mention books? Great not-your-nook picture. I didn’t realize that your daughters both lived in Brooklyn.

>18 lauralkeet: Our New Year’s Eve was so quiet that I was upstairs dozing at midnight, woke back up at 12:06, and that was that.

Happy New Year, Laura. That reading nook up top makes me swoon.

>35 karenmarie: Hi Karen and happy new year! Yes, both Kate and Julia live in Brooklyn. Kate moved to New York in 2015 straight out of college. Julia graduated in 2018 and worked in Philly for a year before moving to New York. She and Kate shared an apartment for a bit, then Kate moved in with Tyler and the rest is history where that's concerned. Julia met Noah in 2020 or thereabouts and they've been living together since 2022. Their apartments are only about a mile apart so they see each other pretty often, which makes me happy.

>36 sibylline: Happy New Year to you too, Lucy!

Morning, Laura! Just stopping in to wish you a happy Friday.

Thanks Mamie!

Hi Laura my dear, i have starred you once again and will be more visible this year dear friend.

Happy new year Laura, and happy new thread! Your series tracker has changed a lot since I last had a proper look at it. And it's reminding me that I should read some of the Blandings books...

Happy New Year Laura! I hope it will be a good one for you, in books and in life.

>40 johnsimpson:, >41 johnsimpson: Happy New YearJohn, you're always welcome here!

>42 PawsforThought: They are fun books Paws, if a bit formulaic. Chris is urging me to read the Jeeves & Wooster books which I will probably do at some point, but I want to finish Blandings first.

>43 Sakerfalcon: Hi Claire, and thank you! Happy New Year to you too.

This week has been pretty low key. Highlights included:

* Taking both dogs for baths at our local pet supplies store, which has a self-service dog wash. It was our first time using it but things went better than expected. Ellie was wiggly but generally fine with it; Alys didn't mind the water at all but was not a fan of the blow dryer (too much like a vacuum). We bought the dirty dog discount card that cuts the already reasonable $12 price in half. There will be more baths in their future!

* Our well water system needed minor repairs to the sediment filter, which are partially done because they needed to order some parts.

* Last night we met up with friends who live between here and DC, and then they drove us into DC for dinner. The restaurant was nice but a bit of a trek from where we are in the hinterlands. Still, we've been friends with half of this couple for a very long time and it's a coincidence we're living anywhere near one another now, so it's worth it to meet up from time to time.

Reading-wise, I'm enjoying By Any Other Name although I will say that the historical fiction chapters are better and more interesting than the present-day storyline. Fortunately those chapters are also about twice as long so on the whole it's pretty good. I also started The Persimmon Tree and Other Stories and have been reading about two stories per day. It's an okay collection, but not anything amazing.

Looking ahead, we're under a Winter Weather Watch which I expect might turn into a Winter Storm Warning, since about 8" of snow are currently forecast for Monday. Also, Ellie is schedule to be spayed on Tuesday. We've been through one heat cycle with her (vet recommended), and have no interest in repeating that!

>45 lauralkeet: What restaurant did you go to, Laura??

Happy New Year, Laura! Good luck with your nonfiction reading this year. If you need any suggestions there, you might check the Nonfiction thread in the group :)

Goodness, 8" of snow in one go is a lot. Hope you're well supplied and that all your utilities stay functional during the storm!

Our expected winter weather total keeps dropping 😕 Looks like you all south of us will get more. I hope it's not too big a dump and turns into a hassle for you.

>45 lauralkeet: Ooh, that’s a lot of snow - I don’t envy you (also, we’ve had enough snow so we done need any more). We also have a weather warning, yellow and orange warning for snow and wind on Monday and Tuesday. I’m supposed to go back to work on Tuesday but if it’s perilous I might just work from home.

Good to hear the dog cleaning went well. And good that Ellie’s getting fixed - they often feel much calmer and less stressed when they get that done.

Sounds like a busy time for you!! Hope the snow doesn't mess up your plans but rather is just beautiful and cozy-making.

Happy New Year, Laura. I would love that reading nook, sigh…

I'd prefer all snow to the snow and ice we're predicted. Even though there won't be much of either, it will be enough to create havoc.

>46 norabelle414: Hi Nora! We went to Seven Reasons, a Latin American restaurant on H St NW in City Center.

>47 alcottacre: Thanks Stasia. Most of my NF reading is in two subject areas: fiber arts, and nature. I've found I enjoy these topics more than, say, history or politics. But I also like to be led down new avenues so I'll keep watch on that thread for inspiration.

>48 MickyFine: Thanks Micky, me too! I keep waiting for the weather service to say "oops never mind" but so far that hasn't happened. Ha.

>49 katiekrug: So you're responsible for this, are you Katie?! Thanks a lot. Fortunately we have nowhere to go on Monday and I'm hoping that's enough time for the roads to be cleared and safe.

>50 PawsforThought: Our snowfall so far this year has just been negligible, Paws, so I guess we are due for something. But Northern Virginia doesn't usually get this much snow all at once and people are less experienced with driving in these conditions than in parts further north like Minnesota or New York. Thanks for the good wishes for Ellie. I hope it calms her as you describe, she's adorable most of the time but she's had her moments.

>51 RebaRelishesReading: I hope so too, Reba. Thanks for thinking of me!

>52 EllaTim: Happy New Year to you, too! I love that nook too.

>53 thornton37814: Hi Lori, ice is no fun at all. I hope it isn't too bad.

>54 lauralkeet: The radar shows we are in the snow band, but it is freezing rain at my house which is at a high enough elevation that you'd think it would be snow. I stayed home from church because of my cold. We only had the early service which was over before the weather arrived. They cancelled the later ones. I was able to watch it stream live. Folks who tune in at 11 either on TV or online will get the replay of the early service.

In our three Washington winters we've had one or two periods of a few days when the roads were icy and we just stayed at home and didn't deal with it. My grandkids are visiting this week, however, so we'll have airport trips to make and will want to do show them around a bit so I had been considering getting snow tires for the car. Friends (who are in Hawaii this week) offered to loan us their all-wheel drive Highlander which has snow tires on it so I gratefully accepted. It has worked wonderfully -- temps in the 50's projected for the whole week lol.

Wouldn't it be lovely to have a reading nook like that? I too decided to try to finish up reading my unread Viragos. About three years ago I had read two in a row which just didn't do it for me, so ground to a halt with them. At one point I got a few on EBay from a library selling them off, so have always intended to take the library numbers off the spine with Goo off: another project for 2025. We use a similar dog washing system: so handy, and nice not to have a smelly dog!

>55 thornton37814: I'm glad you didn't have to leave the house, Lori.

>56 RebaRelishesReading: That's funny Reba, because you know if you hadn't prepared so well, you'd have been caught out with freezing temps and no suitable car. That's how it works.

>57 tiffin: Yes indeed, Tui! I have no hope of finishing up my unread Viragos but I'm sure there are some I'd enjoy and just need to make the effort.

Did I mention the impetus for the dog bath was on a vet visit? He loved Ellie and pronounced her in fine health but "maybe she could use a bath." Well, he wasn't wrong and while he could have come across as rude, it was just funny.

We've spent today doing various jobs around the house. While Chris was getting dusty working on a DIY project, I took down most of the Christmas decorations and carried the boxes upstairs, leaving them at the foot of the attic stairs. We still need to deal with some decorations on the mantle and in the dining room, and then I'll take everything up to the attic. We did manage to dismantle the Christmas tree and store it away. The living room looks really empty without the tree. But we've been talking about rearranging some of the furniture so now we'll be able to do that. Maybe tomorrow since we're not likely to be going anywhere.

I've found plenty of time for reading this weekend and am looking forward to more of the same tomorrow. The snow is supposed to start late tonight. Schools east of us have declared snow days already and I imagine our local district will follow suit.

Found you! I am also in the cleanup and put-away mode today, but my house is filled with boxes from Hubby's office, which we are moving in to the house. I will need his help to figure out where things are supposed to go! : )

>59 lauralkeet: Good for you. That's on my list for Epiphany tomorrow. I may leave the tree up because it isn't in the way at all, and we are expecting ice/snow tonight.

Not much reading is getting done by me as I am trying to get a good start on keeping up with threads...something I find very challenging these days.

Happy New Year, Laura! Thanks for visiting my thread. I've seen you around the threads on LT, and am glad finally for a reason to visit. Now I'll have to see if I can keep up with all the threads this year.

>1 lauralkeet: I *am* envious of that reading nook, even if it isn't yours. What a cozy place to sit and read!

I've got tons of nonfiction on my shelves to read, so I do read a lot of that. Mostly history, since I was a History major, but some other things as well. I hope you do keep up with some nonfiction reading this year, whatever your preference is for a topic.

I hope the snow doesn't get too bad where you are. We're supposed to miss the worst of this storm, with just a cold rain. I'm glad you can stay home tomorrow.

>45 lauralkeet: Self service dog wash sounds nice and handy. No mess in the house! The place where I get my car washed has an extra side for dog washing and is always quite busy.

Hope you don't end up with a lot of snow! We were supposed to get 30cm but luckily my area was spared. Only 10cm fell all weekend.

Happy start to the new week.

>60 Berly: I hope you're able to finish the office relo soon, Kim. Thanks for stopping by!

>61 Donna828: Donna, I'm having trouble keeping up too. It's a madhouse the first week or two of the new year, but I know it will settle down soon. I hope your weather hasn't been too awful.

>62 atozgrl: Hi Irene! We have a lot of NF on our shelves too, also a lot of history. It's not that I don't like history, I'm actually quite interested in it, but for whatever reason I'm less drawn to reading about it these days. I used to read a lot more political NF too, but these days it just gets me worked up. Back in 2023 @MickyFine recommended a few books about fiber arts that she thought I'd enjoy, and I had a blinding flash of the obvious. Ha.

>53 thornton37814: Hi Anita, your car wash has a smart business strategy. We don't wash our cars often enough either, and the idea of one stop shopping is appealing.

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It looks like we have about 4" of snow on the ground this morning. It's snowing lightly now, and is supposed to taper off and then start again in the afternoon. I think the snowfall has been heavier east and south of us. We're just hunkering down ...

>54 lauralkeet: Well, just in case, here is the list of topics for 2025:

January - Prize Winners - This is a traditional topic for January and would like readers to concentrate on the lesser known prizes that are awarded. I will post a list of prizes that will help you to get started. You can check the next couple of posts on this thread for a list of some of those prizes to see what might interest you.

February - Where Are We? Cartography - books about maps and mapping. Think the voyages of Captain Cook. And to pump it up a notch or two, what about mapping the universe. The development of technological mapping - think GPS, or Landsat. What about mapping ocean currents or weather on Mars?

March - Espionage and Counterespionage - This is a topic that the group did in 2022 and it was very popular. We'll do it again as there is a myriad of books on this subject.

April - Revolutions - here is one definition of revolution. A revolution is a fundamental change in a political or socioeconomic system, often involving the overthrow of a government or ruler. Wikipedia definition is more exact. A revolution a rapid, fundamental transformation of a society's class, state, ethnic or religious structures. According to sociologist Jack Goldstone, all revolutions contain "a common set of elements at their core: (a) efforts to change the political regime that draw on a competing vision (or visions) of a just order, (b) a notable degree of informal or formal mass mobilization, and (c) efforts to force change through noninstitutionalized actions such as mass demonstrations, protests, strikes, or violence." Some examples of revolutions include: American Revolution, Haitian Revolution, Industrial Revolution, October Revolution, French Revolution

May - Modern China, the country - this can be historical or contemporary, but it needs to be something about the sociology, history, politics, arts, business of modern China. This is the period from 1911 to the present. The book can be a biography of a person, a history of a movement, a book about modern travel in China, or about some recent Chinese business scandal, or the struggles with Hong Kong.

June - Natural Disasters - Disasters is a big topic and so we are going to limit this one to natural disasters such as tsunami's, earthquakes, snow storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanoes, fires. This is not about climate change so be careful about what book you choose. For example, the Camp Fire in California was a man-made disaster, (PG&E caused that one with the bad maintenance of power lines) but the Peshtigo fire in Wisconsin in 1871 would be OK, as would the Maine fires in 1947.

July - Fish & Fishing - books about fish, the fishing industry, and the fishing experience. A book about sturgeon, cod, etc., would work. The fishing industry as it is currently or historically. A book about fish farming in the Scandinavian countries, or the collapse of the fishing industry in New England is this part of the topic. Then there is the fishing experience with a myriad of books about the zen of fishing including fly fishing. There is also the scourge of invasive species such as the Lionfish to read about.

August - Movies, Movies, Movies - books about the making of movies, the movies themselves, women in the movies, and even biographies of movie stars, so yes, Mommie Dearest would work here as would Barbara Streisand's tome.

September - Transportation - how we get ourselves and our goods about. Books about roads, bridges, trains, planes, automobiles, ships, canals, or even walking. Rebecca Solnit's book on walking would work here, even though that one seems to be a contemplation on walking, but still our own two feet get us from here to somewhere else.

October - Bibliophilia - This word means the love of books. This has been a topic before for this group and it has proved to be very popular, but this time we are going to limit it to those who love to read or collect books. Don't confuse Bibliophilia with Bibliomania. Bibliomania is a compulsion to own books that interferes with a person's ability to interact with others and is a whole different topic.

November - Holidays and Cultural Events - Dig out those books about the history of Christmas, or Mexico's Day of the Dead celebrations. For this one books about the history of the Star Spangled Banner or Silent Night are acceptable. As would be books about this history of Christmas Markets, or the creation of Veteran's Day. Even the recent addition of Juneteenth as a holiday. A book of Saint's Days in the Christian religion or important celebrations in other parts of the world. Chinese New Year would be a good one.

December - As You Like It - whatever catches your fancy at this time of year.

Morning, Laura!

I don't know how much snow we have so far, but it's probably close to 4" and still coming down. Schools *and* my library are closed, so it feels like a holiday reprieve! I love that I have nowhere to go today and can just relax and enjoy it.

>65 alcottacre: Thanks Stasia!

>66 scaifea: Ahhh I wasn't sure how widespread this was Amber. Everything is closed here too (schools, library, city/county offices, our gym, the place where my husband gets his hair cut ...). We're definitely just enjoying a quiet day at home. Also: happy new year!

Morning, Laura! We did not get any snow.

Every day I wonder what you have been doing, and every day I have been hustled away from LT to get our walk in. No walking today! We won't get snow or ice (DG about the ice), but our temps will drop as the rain continues from today's high in the low 60s. It looks worse out there than it actually is at the moment.
Roni has maps on her thread showing snow from Kansas across to the east coast. It's a big storm!

I'll undress our little tree today and take down the few other decorations. We'll leave the tree up though because it's not in the way and it smells so good.
Then I'll read! I got side-tracked with a Dean Koontz that turned out to be a reread, so I want to get back on track.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

>54 lauralkeet: Ooh I haven't been to Seven Reasons, I'll have to check it out

We don't have any snow here in Minnesota! Although it is pretty cold.

Sounds like it was a grand snow day, Laura. Hope the accumulation this afternoon/ evening wasn't too bad.

Where I live, I've never had a snow day as an adult. I'm not sure what level of snow we'd have to get for the library to even consider closing.

>68 Crazymamie: Mamie, what a surprise. LOL!

>69 LizzieD: Hi Peggy. I hope your wet weather isn't too miserable. It looks like we got about 2" more snow yesterday afternoon and it's very cold this morning (18F/-8C), but we're cozy and warm indoors.

>70 norabelle414: It was pretty good, Nora. It's one of those "small plates" restaurants which is not my favorite because it's hard to know how much to order. That said, the service was very prompt so if we'd wanted more they could easily have managed it.

>71 BLBera: Beth, my brother lives in Minnetonka and yesterday he sent me a pic of their snow-less yard with a sad face emoji. He likes snow more than I do.

>72 MickyFine: That's interesting, Micky. Snow is not as common in northern VA; yesterday's 6" or so is pretty unusual and I don't think we had more than a dusting last year. People aren't used to driving on snowy roads. That said, the trucks were out on Sunday preparing the roads and again on Monday plowing them. We didn't go out anywhere but the roads we could see from our house looked fine. Schools are still closed today but the library and other services are open.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Our sweet Ellie is scheduled to be spayed today. The vet's office is opening 2 hours late so we'll drop her off at 10am instead of 8, and she'll be there most of the day. At the moment she's wondering why the hell she didn't get any breakfast. We'll be glad to get this taken care of, but we know she'll need lots of TLC when she comes home (and for a few days after).

>72 MickyFine: >73 lauralkeet: Ha! Yeah, where we lived in Wisconsin, the library would laugh at the idea of closing with the amount of snow we got here in the last couple of days. So funny. Charlie's school is on a 2-hour delay even this morning (although I'm back to work today for my usual 12-8 Tuesday shift).

>73 lauralkeet: There's nothing quite like the anxiety of taking care of a pet post-surgery, is there? So stressful! Fingers crossed Ellie makes a smooth and fast recovery, and that she doesn't mind the cone!

Good luck to Ellie! Are you enjoying Owl Knows? Inquiring minds...

>74 scaifea: Thanks Amber!

>75 msf59: Mark, I don't usually read more than one book at a time, except for short stories or essays. What an Owl Knows has been "on deck" while I read By Any Other Name, which I just finished. So I'll start reading *Owl* today.

~~~~~~`

I'll post a review of By Any Other Name later, but I'll tell you some interesting things about this book. As I mentioned in >45 lauralkeet:, the historical fiction chapters are better and more interesting than the present-day storyline. Fortunately they also make up about 2/3 of the book. It works as a whole, but I would have been just as happy with a pure historical fiction novel. On the plus side, the Author's Notes at the end are excellent. Picoult documents the little that is known about Emilia Bassano in great detail, and is very clear about where she "chose to depart from fact" in the novel. And then she pointed me to two pieces of further reading:
* Was Shakespeare a Woman? (gift link), an essay by Elizabeth Winkler published in The Atlantic in June 2019
* Shakespeare Was a Woman and Other Heresies, Winkler's book published in 2023

Of course I'm going to read both of them. I love when that happens! As I was reading the novel I finally remembered where I'd heard of it and can you believe it was a real life friend. Who knew?! Ha.

I hope Ellie's surgery goes well and you are able to keep her comfortable (and calm!) while she recovers. Nuala was spayed when we got her - still had the stitches - and we somehow didn't realize we needed to get them removed until it had been a while and then we couldn't get a vet appointment earlier than a couple of weeks later, so I took the stitches out myself. Yikes!

Wishing Ellie all the best with today's surgery. Dog bed by the woodstove? Gentle cuddles at any rate.

Another wish for easy surgery and prompt recovery for Ellie and you and Chris and Alys.

>76 lauralkeet: - I used to be a Picoult fan - not that I'm not now, just that I haven't read one of hers in a while. That being said - one of the reasons I enjoy Kate Quinn so much is that she has excellent notes at the end about the research she does and where sho merges or assumes things.

I hope Ellie makes out ok. IF only we could explain that it's necessary.

>77 katiekrug:, >78 tiffin:, >79 LizzieD:, >80 dudes22: Ellie's home! We picked her up around 2pm. She's woozy but doing fine. Katie, your post prompted me to ask and I understand her stitches do not need to be removed later, I guess they dissolve or something. Whew. Thanks for all your good wishes. Here she is sporting her surgical suit in lieu of a cone of shame.

Aw, poor Ellie. I think the surgical suit is much better than the cone of shame. Hoping she recovers quickly.

Thanks Mamie. We've had three other dogs before Ellie, and not a single one has tolerated a cone. Ellie is feistier than any of her predecessors so we had no reason to believe she'd put up with it either. We put the suit on before leaving the vet because she was still a bit stoned and very compliant. Hopefully I can just leave it on the entire 10-14 days advised by the vet. I also have an inflatable donut collar as extra protection in case we need it as she gets more active.

>81 lauralkeet: - Aw, sweet girl! And the surgical suit is much less humiliating than the cone of shame!

(I'm glad you asked about the stitches. I had assumed Nuala's would dissolve, hence my neglect...)

Aww! Hope Ellie makes a quick recovery and feels herself again soon.

>84 katiekrug: I'm glad you mentioned it Katie, because I would have made the same assumption. Although our vet is pretty good about letting us know what follow-up is required.

>85 Sakerfalcon: She's doing pretty well today, Claire, thanks. I think our main job will be to keep her from overdoing it.

1. By Any Other Name ()

While William Shakespeare is commonly considered the greatest poet and playwright of all time, there are those in literary and academic circles who question whether Shakespeare was the sole author of the body of work credited to him. This novel tells the story of one person who may have written for Shakespeare: Emilia Bassano, the first woman known to have published a book of poetry. Bassano came from a family of court musicians, and at 13 became a courtesan for Henry, Lord Hunsdon, who was more than 40 years her senior. Their arrangement was amicable, but when it came to an end she was forced to marry and writing became a way to secretly earn money for her own use.

Picoult also tells a contemporary story of a present-day playwright trying to get recognition for her work: a play about Emilia, her ancestor. I suppose this was a way to show how the playing field is still far from level, but it wasn’t as interesting as Emilia’s storyline and I could have done without it. While authorship of Shakespeare’s work is a controversial subject, Jodi Picoult’s portrayal of Emilia Bassano is believable and thought-provoking, and the Author’s Notes describe the available scholarly research in detail along with the gaps Picoult filled in herself. This is a solid read for anyone interested in the untold stories of women in history.

Mark will be happy to know I started What an Owl Knows yesterday, and it's pretty interesting so far. I'm also still reading The Persimmon Tree and Other Stories, which is just meh but I'm only reading about 2 stories a day and I'll get through it soon.

>88 lauralkeet: - Your book covers remind me of all the VMCs I have sitting, unread, on my shelves... *sigh*

>89 katiekrug: ooh, I have thoughts on that Katie. I'm off to post unsolicited advice on your thread ...

Sweet Ellie - hope her recovery goes smoothly. It is so hard to keep pets from fussing with their wounds, isn't it?

Happy new year! I'm here again - my winter break was so busy and now I'm back at school so despite my resolution to not get too far behind I already am. I'm visiting a couple threads a day while I eat lunch and today is your day!

>87 lauralkeet: - Instead of a particular book for January, when our book club meets, everyone recommends the best book they read in the previous year that was not one of our book club books. Today was book club and one of the recommendations was this book. I was trying to read Picoult's books in order, but I might skip ahead to his one.

>91 AMQS: Hi Anne! Welcome! Stop by and visit anytime. Ellie is doing really well. I'm very pleased with the surgical suit she's sporting in my photo (>81 lauralkeet:). So far it's keeping her from messing with her sutures.

>92 dudes22: That's a fun book club idea, Betty. I'm interested to see what you think of By Any Other Name if you decide to read it.

>67 lauralkeet: You are very welcome. I am hoping that some of the topics appeal to you.

>81 lauralkeet: I am glad that Ellie is home and that she does not have to have a cone of shame.

>88 lauralkeet: I am hoping that you enjoy What An Owl Knows too - since I recommended it to Mark :)

I hope that Ellie continues to mend and that all is well there!

Good luck to Ellie. I hope recovery is smooth. Great comments on the Picoult book.

>94 alcottacre: What an Owl Knows is pretty fascinating, Stasia. Thanks for putting it on the 75ers radar.

>95 BLBera: Thanks Beth, I was only vaguely aware of controversy around Shakespeare's authorship and thought it had been debunked, but it seems there are still schools of thought out there. I don't have an opinion but I do find it interesting to think about.

~~~~~~

Ellie is still doing well although yesterday she chewed a snap off her onesie and I've had to resort to a safety pin to keep the back part in place. She's supposed to wear it for 10-14 days but I doubt we (or the onesie) will last that long. Still, we're trying to keep her from being too active which is difficult because she's still such a puppy at heart. We have medication (trazodone) to calm her and we're using it as needed.

Wishing you the best of luck with Ellie - it's so hard to be patient when healing, poor baby. Happy Friday to you, Laura.

Good for Miss Ellie coming through like a trooper! Best wishes to her and the other three of you! It's hard to keep a good puppy down. I like the surgical vest.

Oh - unread VMCs! Unread Persephones! I'm going to try to do a bit better with both my collections. In fact, my current bedtime book is a Dorothy Whipple, THE typical Persephone author, I think, Greenbanks. Then I'm headed for the green!

Interestingly enough, By Any Other Name was one of the books recommended at our book club meeting. I'll have to see how long the list is at the library.

I sure do miss dependable, operative Touchstones. I'm looking for a reminder of what "By Any Other Name" is about, but hovering the cursor on the title doesn't trigger that pop out with the cover image, author's name and so on. Sometimes the Touchstone works, but all too often it either doesn't work or it works fleetingly (if you drift the cursor off the name, the pop out vanishes and will not be coaxed to reappear.)

ETA I apologize for this rant, Laura. Have you experienced these fugitive Touchstones? Or am I the only one targeted? (And unfairly so!)

Much luck with keeping Ellie in the onesie for a few more days. One of my friends at work adopted a puppy over the holidays and his antics the day they brought him home from being neutered were legion.

Muffin was spayed just 3 days after we brought her home from the SPCA, as per the SPCA. We did use the cone and she was pretty tolerant of it. The surgical onesies sound like a good idea though. It will be so nice to have everything healed and get the onesie off her, I know we were relieved. We did take her on walks etc without her cone , as long as we could watch her carefully. I hope Ellie is soon feeling 100 %.

>100 weird_O: Bill, sometimes the hovering thing doesn't work for me either, so then I just click on it and it takes you to the book. You can see the correct cover and author in message >87 lauralkeet:.

>97 Crazymamie: thanks Mamie.

>98 LizzieD: Hi Peggy, I don't have nearly as many Persephones as I do Viragos, and I have only one unread: The Wise Virgins. I'm not sure why I bought it and it hasn't been speaking to me. Have you read it? I really liked Greenbanks and other Dorothy Whipple books I've read (titles escape me at the moment).

>99 dudes22: that's great Betty!

>100 weird_O: I haven't experienced the hovering issue Bill, but I believe you LOL. Also, with By Any Other Name you have to take an extra step to choose the correct work for the touchstone in a post. Picoult's book is currently 4th on the list of "others".

>101 MickyFine: that's funny Micky, I can just imagine. Ellie is an active doggo for sure.

>102 vancouverdeb: Ellie is certainly acting like she's 100%, Deborah! The only problem with the onesie is we can't get a good look at her incision so we are playing it safe.

>103 kac522: Thanks Karen.

Have a super Saturday, Laura! I hope Ellie continues to improve - and that the onesie lasts :)

>105 alcottacre: thank you Stasia! Your comment about the onesie made me chuckle.

Perhaps not the best choice for my return to Virago Modern Classics ...


2. The Persimmon Tree and Other Stories ()

I found this collection of 20 short stories by Australian author Marjorie Barnard barely passable. Most of the stories dealt with relationships, from husband/wife to adult siblings to families as a whole. Unfortunately, the prose was generally terse and wooden. The stories are also very short, usually less than 10 pages, and I think that was part of the problem. Two stories, Habit and The Dressmaker, were a few pages longer and benefited from additional plot and character development. But on the whole, I can’t really recommend this book.

>107 lauralkeet: - Glad this isn't one that is sitting neglected on my shelves! Sorry it didn't work for you.

Have a good weekend, Laura!

>108 katiekrug: Thanks for the commiserations, Katie. I wasn't particularly drawn to this book to be honest. The Virago group has chosen to read short story collections as their 2025 project, which gave me an excuse to look at my collection, find the short stories, and figure out how they might align with each month's theme. January's theme was "marriage," and some of the stories definitely fit. So that's my silver lining. Next month I'll be reading a collection by Elizabeth Taylor, who is one of my favorite Virago authors; the LT group read all of her novels back in 2012.

>109 lauralkeet: - I always forget about the Virago group here.

I participated a bit in the Elizabeth Taylor year. I think I read 4 or 5 and liked them all. I still have a few on my shelves...

>107 lauralkeet: Sorry that one was a dud.

>100 weird_O:, >103 kac522: There is a setting that controls whether that pop-up summary shows when you hover on a touchstone... go to your profile, click on the "Settings" tab. On the left panel, under "Your Books" you should see "other settings". Go there, find the box labeled "Disable work info boxes" and make sure it is unchecked. Then, be sure to "Save changes".

>110 katiekrug: I was very active in the Virago group for several years and met several members at a London meetup in 2013. There was a lively Secret Santa exchange too, until postage became so expensive. It was such fun, I just but didn't have much to say when I wasn't reading Viragos. But just like the 75ers, everyone was so nice when I jumped back in.

>111 thornton37814: Thanks for the condolences. I've put the book back on the shelf and, hopefully, out of my mind.

>112 laytonwoman3rd: Lookit you getting all techie! But seriously, thank you Linda. That's a little-known nugget.

"Lookit you getting all techie!" HA! Just don't ask me how to make my phone give me audible notifications about incoming texts.

>114 laytonwoman3rd: if it's an iPhone, I can help with that!

>115 lauralkeet: Thanks, but it's Android. And it SEEMS to be set right. Hubby's phone dweedles and beeps all day long--I get just as many messages and notifications as he does, but no sounds.

Laura, on Viragoes and Persephones.... I agree about E. Taylor with my whole heart. I won't be reading short stories with the group this year, I don't think. I have little patience with the genre unless they're very, very good. Taylor and E. Bowen spring to mind. I own *PT*, but after your review I'll likely read every other Virago I can before I take it up.

I am finding Greenbanks good bedtime reading, but it will likely be months before I finish it unless something more commanding happens in the second half. I don't have the L. Woolf, and I only just recently realized that Persephone had published that one. I'll check it out. I am reading Frances Partridge's 12 book selections of diaries and on book 3. She was the last and most tenuous of the original Bloomsburians, but she married Ralph, who was in the thick of the Carrington-Strachey relationship. She is a lovely writer, and her WWII memoirs are unlike any of the Mass Observation Project diaries that I've read because she and Ralph were pacifists.

Wishing all of you a good weekend!

>116 laytonwoman3rd: you don't have the whole phone on silent, do you? On an iPhone there's a button on the side of the phone to turn off all sound. I keep mine on silent almost all the time because whenever it dweedles and beeps *someone who shall remain nameless* asks me if it's from Kate or Julia as if there's an emergency. Most of the time it's just a cat photo lol.

>117 LizzieD: Those diaries sound really interesting, Peggy. Enjoy!

>118 lauralkeet: No. I do mute the ringer in meetings, etc., but that's not the problem. I have one of those nameless people here, too....always wants to know "who was it?" when I ignore a call, on either mobile or house phone. If I IGNORE it, it was nobody we know, or Spam Risk (a frequent caller).

>117 LizzieD: I'll second what Peggy said, Laura. Last year I read Bloomsbury in Love and then ordered several of her diaries which I hope to get to this year.

>119 laytonwoman3rd: I'm glad I'm not the only one, Linda! Spam Risk calls me a lot, too -- annoying but easily dismissed.

>120 Crazymamie: You temptress, Mamie!

>107 lauralkeet: Great comments, Laura. Thanks for not adding to my WL. I forget about the Virago group as well.

Regarding Shakespeare, there really isn't a controversy among scholars; if you look at some of the proponents for alternate authors, they are mostly crackpots, and really, it all started in the nineteenth century, far removed from his lifetime. Among contemporaries, there isn't any evidence that anyone thought Shakespeare was not the author. Sorry, lecture over.

>122 BLBera: sorry Beth, I guess I misstated the nature of those proponents. Thanks for clarifying!

>100 weird_O: >103 kac522: Well, I *do* sometimes (or actually fairly often) have the same issue Bill mentions, and I echo Kathy's solution for when I really can't get the touchstone to pop up.

I have found that sometimes the touchstone won't pop up for the first one I want to look at, and if I can find another touchstone nearby, sometimes it will pop up for the second book. And if it does that, I can often return to the touchstone I really want to look at, hover over it, and then it *will* come up. I also find that usually when I have hovered over a title and looked at the touchstone, if I move off of it and then want to go back and look at it again, it won't come up again. So the same trick of looking at another touchstone and then coming back to the one I really want to see usually works. I don't know why it does this, but I have found that often does solve the issue for me.

>109 lauralkeet:, >124 atozgrl: I checked my settings (thanks for that) and I did not have the hover featured disabled. But I still find that sometimes it just doesn't respond to my hover. Sometimes I scroll down and then come back and voila! it works. Or maybe, like Irene says, I go to a different touchstone and it works. Very fussy.

>117 LizzieD: I probably won't be doing the Virago short stories, either. Short stories are fine, but I'm not always in the mood for them. Plus the only Virago edition of short stories that I actually own is Elizabeth Taylor's Devastating Boys. I do have a Collected NYRB edition of her stories and non-Virago editions of Willa Cather & Edith Wharton stories. I don't feel like searching through them to find the themes.

>117 LizzieD: I'm sorry Greenbanks is not pulling you in. Last year I inhaled it in 2 days.

>124 atozgrl: That's interesting and helpful, Irene. I've had hovering issues from time to time, not as severe as what Bill described. It's good to know there's a sort of workaround.

>125 kac522: Hi Kathy, I don't read short story collections very often. They work best for me if I read just one story a day (or two if they're short). I only have 5 unread Virago short story collections so I won't be reading one each month. And I know none of them will be a 100% match with the theme. I'll read the entire book (so it counts!!) and if a few stories fit the theme, that's good enough for me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We had a mostly lazy day yesterday. We had a fire going in the living room and just hung out and read our books. I did a bit of knitting, too. Bliss! We had dinner plans with two other couples at a new restaurant near us. The food was very good but we all agreed it was much more expensive than other comparable restaurants. But the company was terrific -- we all really enjoyed ourselves. I may have had one more drink than was necessary (if necessary is even the right word), but fortunately am not suffering the consequences this morning. Still, I expect today will be another lazy day.

I'm still enjoying What an Owl Knows, and on Friday I picked up Death at the Sign of the Rook from the library and couldn't resist starting it yesterday. I don't usually read more than one book at a time, but sometimes I like to dip in and out of nonfiction.

>126 lauralkeet: Your evening sounds like fun, Laura.

I really liked Death at the Sign of the Rook. I will watch for your comments. I'm like you; I usually don't read more than one book at a time, at least fiction. I will often have a nonfiction book going along with whatever fiction I'm reading.

I really like short stories, especially collections with linked stories.

Morning, Laura! I always have multiple books going, but that is because I am very much a mood reader. I also like having books in different formats because I read differently depending on what else I am doing or where I am reading.

I have been hoarding both Death at the Sign of the Rook and Big Sky because I love Jackson Brodie so much, and am saving him for an emergency, Heh. I will probably reread the first four books and then dive into the newest ones when the time feels right.

Your yesterday sounds lovely.

Hi Laura. I think I have fallen behind on the Jackson Brody series so I need to get caught up this year. I've only read the first three and feel like I may want to reread them before continuing.

I very much enjoyed Death at the Sign of the Rook , Laura. I'm glad you are too.

>128 BLBera:, >129 Crazymamie:, >130 EBT1002:, >131 vancouverdeb: Hi there Beth, Mamie, Ellen & Deborah!

Death at the Sign of the Rook is a fun read so far. There's more humor than I remember from the earlier Jackson Brodie books. This one is also set in the present day, so Jackson has gotten older during the hiatus. I read Big Sky in 2019 but I haven't had any trouble reconnecting.

Morning Laura!! Just a quick "hi" as I run through catching up!

>133 RebaRelishesReading: Hi Reba!! Nice to see you, as always.

I'm moving along nicely in both What an Owl Knows and Death at the Sign of the Rook. I was at home all day yesterday, part of it waiting for a service call and then hanging around while the work was done. All good for reading time!

Last night we started the latest season of All Creatures Great and Small which was the enjoyable comfort TV we've come to expect. And ooh la la, the knits in this show! So many gorgeous sweaters. The knitting community goes a bit nuts over this, with people trying to find patterns for a garment worn by one of the characters. I'd love to know more about the behind-the-scenes work on the cast wardrobe.

Speaking of knitting, my knitting group meets today so I'll be venturing out later this morning. The roads are fine but while yesterday was warmer (40F/4C), it's very cold again today (currently 20F/-7C, expected high just 32F/0C). Boo, hiss.

Looks like you are having an enjoyable start to the year Laura. Glad you enjoyed your dining out with friends. Here, post pandemic, restaurant costs are much higher than before in many instances.

I definitely support an uptick in NF reading. Mine can be up to 45/50% of my annual reading and are often some of my favourite reads.

>127 lauralkeet: love the covers with those majestic birds!

>136 Caroline_McElwee: Hi Caro. Since we relocated in 2021, I don't have a good sense of pre- and post-pandemic prices. The group opinion last weekend compared this new restaurant to others in the area. On a per-person basis we paid nearly 2x the cost of our family Christmas Eve lunch, although both restaurants are very similar in cuisine, wine selection, etc.

>137 raidergirl3: Funny thing Elizabeth, I hadn't even noticed. Silly me! Although in my defense I'm reading *Owl* on Kindle so I don't see the cover when the book is sitting on my nightstand. That is really cool and I'm glad you pointed it out!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ellie is fully recovered from her spay. Yesterday we removed what was left of her surgical suit. She'd chewed off several snaps, requiring a safety pin to keep part of it in place, and yesterday we noticed a big rip across the front. The good news is her sutures have healed and she's not messing with them.

It's still really cold here. And windy, which makes it worse. I wish I didn't have to go out to an appointment today.

News for Shetland fans:
DI Jimmy Perez moves to Orkney in new Cleeves book

Much as I love Douglas Henshall, I find it annoying that most of the articles about this new book feature him in the lead photo. So here's the woman who is actually writing the book:

>139 lauralkeet: Most exciting!! You have made my day, Laura! I did not think she was going to write any more books in that series and have been hoarding the last one because I was afraid she would kill him off. I guess I can read it now. Heh. So weird about the articles for the new book featuring Henshall.

Back to say hooray for Ellie being able to take off her surgical suit! I bet she was most pleased.

Think we can talk the producers into make an Orkney series?

Glad Ellie is recovered and leaving her stitches alone.

>140 Crazymamie:, >142 RebaRelishesReading: Yay! I'm very happy to make your day, Mamie. And Reba, I'd love an Orkney series but only if Henshall agreed to return as Jimmy.

Ellie thanks you for your kind words. I think she's completely forgotten about the whole ordeal.

>138 lauralkeet: I noticed the birds because I have a shelf of owls, and also several crows scattered around the house. I went to an art exhibit this summer, all about crows. Water paintings, quilts, metal work, oil paintings, crows as focus, crows barely there. It was so good!

I will be on the lookout for that owl book. I've read a few crow books.

>144 raidergirl3: That sounds like a great exhibit, Elizabeth. I'm a bit of a bird nerd myself but didn't realize you were as well.

>139 lauralkeet: Great news! I am going to the Orkneys in May, so I will have to check this out before I go, if it is available.

I'm glad Ellie is recovering.

It has been really cold here, in the single digit highs the last few days. 30 sounds like a heat wave right now. ;)

>139 lauralkeet: Interesting. And thanks for the photo!

>135 lauralkeet: I haven't yet started the last season of All Creatures and I had not even noticed the knits when I watched the first seasons! Now I will be primed to pay attention.

I bought a copy of What an Owl Knows at the bookstore yesterday.

>146 BLBera: You're going to the Orkneys, Beth?! I'm sure that will be fabulous. I'm hoping for a bit of armchair travel on your thread. Will you be visiting other parts of Scotland as well?

>147 EBT1002: YW, Ellen! I understand not noticing the knits before -- I don't usually pay all much attention to wardrobe when watching either, but of course as a knitter they caught my eye.

I predict you'll enjoy What an Owl Knows. I'm almost finished and have learned a lot. Yesterday Chris made a disparaging comment about the predatory nature of Great Horned Owls and I actually came to their defense, despite a GHO having likely predated a red-shouldered hawk nest on our property last May. Don't get me wrong, that was really, really upsetting. I wasn't exactly taking the owl's side in the matter, just acknowledging that's how nature works.

"What an Owl Knows" has been on my wish list for a while. We used to have an owl in the woods across the road but we think the crows drove it out. Surrounded by corn fields, we have a lot of crows.

*sigh* I've read only one Jackson Brody although I've bought maybe 3 others and not even one A. Cleves. I even own several from a friend who was moving. So why am I reading nothing but Pawn in Frankincense for at least the third, more probably the fourth, time? I love it. I love D. Dunnett. I'll simply hope for more time to catch up on other things. Greenbanks is the exception as I find it very pleasing bedtime reading, but I won't be quick to finish it.

Owls! I was freed for a couple of days of in-service training for a workshop run by the NC Raptor Center. It was fascinating. It was back when the HS was attempting to set up career paths. I wrote up a whole-school plan to work toward a Zero-Waste Cafeteria with suggestions for every single subject. Of course, nobody paid any attention to it, but I still think it would have been exciting and unifying.
We hear barred owls on our walks by our little river and always enjoy them.

We were in Orkney several years ago and there were small jewelry artisans in homes scattered around the island (locations identified by small signs along the road). We rented a car and visited several. I still wear the jewelry I got there. Have a great time!!

>148 lauralkeet: We will be visiting the Isle of Skye, and some of the Hebrides, Edinburgh and Glasgow, and Inverness... I am really looking forward to it. So, I am hoping to get some Scottish reading in this winter and spring.

>149 tiffin:, >150 LizzieD: I finished What an Owl Knows this morning, and learned so much about owls, and also the importance of conservation efforts since human interference has affected availability of both food and nesting sites. Peggy, the author discusses successful efforts in some schools, especially in cultures where owls are considered bad luck and often killed.

>151 RebaRelishesReading: ooh that's lovely, Reba.

>152 BLBera: That sounds like a fantastic trip, Beth. I'd like to see more of Scotland myself; my experience, while wonderful, was limited to Edinburgh, St Andrews, and North Berwick (all relatively close together). Chris saw more of Scotland on a couple of golf trips many many years ago. Reading would be a nice way to get ready for the trip.

I read somewhere that the porcupine has two predators: Great Horned Owls and Bald Eagles. No one else wants to mess with them. Also, we had a resident(s?) GHO in the parkland behind our house in Pullman. I loved listening to them call to one another in the middle of the night was thrilling. I never got tired of it.

I'm so glad Ellie is fully recovered from her spay and is out of the surgical suit. It's a bit worrisome in the during the first few days, and it's hard to keep a young dog not very active. I had a nice lazy day today too. I was just really tired and so Dave took Muffin out while a snoozed in my recliner. That was bliss!

Okay, I've been trying to resist but I think you've got me with What an owl knows! Adding it to my wishlist.

I love the owl chatter. This young barred owl pic was from last spring:



Owls are so difficult to see in the wild. We walked right past this guy on the trail. Another birder caught up with us and asked us if we saw the barred owl back there. Uh no...We promptly went back.

>155 vancouverdeb: It was impossible to keep Ellie "not active," Deborah. Fortunately she was fine. I'm glad you had your lazy day.

>154 EBT1002:, >156 Sakerfalcon:, >157 msf59: Enjoying the owl talk here ... we occasionally hear a barred owl hooting somewhere near our bedroom, and once one went swooping by us on a wooded stretch of our regular dog walk. It was truly amazing. The book emphasizes how difficult it is to spot most/all owl species (like Mark's example). I know we felt really lucky to see one.

3. What an Owl Knows ()

I enjoyed this deep dive into the world’s owl species, covering topics like behavior, diet, migration patterns, mating and nesting, raising young, and even measures of intelligence relative to other birds. It was also interesting to read about cultural attitudes toward owls; for example, in some societies they are considered bad luck and often suffer the consequences. Jennifer Ackerman highlights a number of people who have devoted their careers to research and/or rescue and rehabilitation of these fabulous birds, and are now doing all they can to preserve them as climate change impacts their food supply and habitat. Highly recommended.

>159 lauralkeet:: It's on the wishlist, fellow bird nerd (only I think you have the edge).

>112 laytonwoman3rd: I followed your directions, Linda. The box was NOT checked. I saved it. We'll see if that has any impact. And thanks for that.

I've dipped into In Search of Blandings, which you suggested to me, Laura. I'm pretty sure I'll like it.

Stopping in to catch up with you, Laura, and hoping that your Friday is full of fabulous.

>160 tiffin: I don't know about that, Tui. Regardless, I bow to Mark, the supreme bird dude in the 75ers. 😀

>161 weird_O: I love it when things like this happen around here!

>162 weird_O: Yay! I haven't dipped into it myself but my other half has referred to it to answer all-important questions. I'm glad you're enjoying it.

>163 Crazymamie: Hiya Mamie! My Friday is going pretty well thanks. I finished Death at the Sign of the Rook before lunch and at some point today will start Raven Black.

Happy new reading year, Laura. Trying to follow you again in 2025 :)

Hi Nathalie! Welcome back, and thanks so much for stopping by.

4. Death at the Sign of the Rook ()

Just when we thought Kate Atkinson had finished with Jackson Brodie, along comes Death at the Sign of the Rook. And this time, Atkinson delivers a mystery infused with her superb wit. Jackson Brodie, now a private investigator, is hired to investigate the theft of a painting from the home of Dorothy Padgett, an elderly woman who recently died. At the same time, the Milton family is hosting a “murder mystery weekend” at Burton Makepeace, their country estate hotel. We also meet the local vicar and others who are tenants on the Milton estate. As Atkinson builds this world she pokes fun at English society and mannerisms while dropping clues that may or may not relate to the theft. And Jackson is reunited with Reggie Chase, a delightful recurring character who is now a police officer.

Eventually the murder mystery weekend becomes intertwined with actual crimes, and turns into a slapstick caper. Various people find their way to Burton Makepeace, either on purpose (for the murder mystery) or for other more coincidental reasons, and then a huge snowstorm holds them all captive. The mystery is solved, but you may have forgotten about that stolen painting and become much more interested in other related storylines. It doesn’t matter – just have fun.

>161 weird_O: Glad you could follow my directions, Bill. I gather from other posts that there actually is something a bit "off" with that feature. I hadn't noticed it myself, but tested a few touchstones and found they worked sometimes and sometimes not.

Morning, Laura! I keep forgetting to mention that I did finally watch this week's UC and holy cow! What a blowout. Impressive, but it sure makes it less fun for the viewer :)

I still have the previous Jackson Brodie novel, Big Sky, to get to, but I was toying with re-reading all of them because it's been so long... Maybe I'll just read the immediately previous one to BS. Decisions, decisions...

>167 lauralkeet: Great comments, Laura. Fun is a good way to describe this reading experience. It did make me think about going back to the beginning to reread the series.

>168 laytonwoman3rd: Good to know, Linda. Thanks for sharing that.

>169 katiekrug: I agree with you about the blowout, Katie. It's a bit less fun, but they are so impressive.

>169 katiekrug:, >170 BLBera: My recollection of the earlier books is that they are more conventional mystery/crime novels and a bit darker although there's still some humor particularly at Jackson's expense. It looks like the TV series, which covers the first 4 novels, is available on Peacock. Jason Isaacs was a good Jackson not to mention easy on the eyes, so maybe that's a way to catch up. I might need to re-watch ...

>139 lauralkeet: I am currently listening to book 3 in the Shetland series, Blue Lightning, so it will be a while before I get to that book - assuming that it gets written!

>159 lauralkeet: I am glad to see that you liked that one!

Have a wonderful weekend!

>171 lauralkeet: - OOOOOH! The TV series is on Peacock?!?! I saw one episode once, many moons ago and liked it. Thanks for the tip!

>172 alcottacre: Hi Stasia, I've just started reading the Shetland series myself, so it will be a while for me, too. Enjoy your weekend!

>173 katiekrug: You're welcome Katie. Full disclosure: I don't carry this information around in my head. Our discussion here prompted me to look it up.

Morning, Laura! I love that Jackson Brodie tv series so much.

>175 Crazymamie: I must go and find that because the books are tremendous.

Have a great weekend, Laura.

>167 lauralkeet:: That one sounds like fun. Wish listing it (yes, it's a verb, if only here on LT).

We've been watching Shetland on Prime (Britbox I think). Is it on Peacock too or is that something different?

>175 Crazymamie: Yeah, me too Mamie.

>176 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul. I should have mentioned the series is called Case Histories, the title of the first book, even though the episodes span four books.

>177 tiffin: Tui, if "gifting" can be a verb (and apparently it is now), then so can "wish listing". Have you read any of the previous Jackson Brodie books? I'm just curious. I actually think Death at the Sign of the Rook could stand on its own.

>178 RebaRelishesReading: Sorry Reba, I think the back-and-forth might have been a bit confusing. Shetland is indeed on Britbox. The series on Peacock is Case Histories featuring Jackson Brodie, the main character in Death at the Sign of the Rook and 5 previous novels.

We're expecting snow today; the forecast says 3-4" starting mid-morning. Yesterday we topped up the bird feeders and brought in firewood so we can just hang out at home today: reading, knitting, and puzzling.

Future son-in-law Noah gave us a jigsaw puzzle for Christmas, a surprisingly challenging one due to the pieces being cut in unconventional shapes. It had been a long time since we last did a puzzle (for some reason we didn't get caught up in that trend during covid), but Noah's gift inspired us to do another puzzle. Katie recommended a few brands to me and we chose the 1000pc "Language of Flowers" by Cavallini:



I also bought a "puzzle caddy" I saw on Roni's thread, so we can put away or move the puzzle while it's in progress. To be honest, this is mostly about keeping the dogs from getting at the puzzle, which was a bit of a challenge when we were working Noah's puzzle.

Gorgeous puzzle, Laura! We have not had one going for too long now and are hoping to get back to having one always on the go.

Enjoy your snow.

>180 lauralkeet: - Oh, that one's gorgeous! Must get myself one. So glad you enjoyed it.

>182 katiekrug: Enjoying, Katie. We just started it a couple days ago.

>183 lauralkeet: - Oops, well continue to enjoy it :)

>159 lauralkeet: I have seen this around on a few threads. It sounds like an informative read. I will see if my local library has a copy.

Happy weekend!

>184 katiekrug: In your defense Katie, I just re-read my post and realized I wasn't clear about the status. I found the image online, but it sure does look like a photo of a finished puzzle.

>185 figsfromthistle: Hi Anita, looks like we cross-posted. I hope you can track down a copy of *Owl*.

The puzzle is gorgeous, Laura!

Sounds like a lovely snow day ahead for you.

>179 lauralkeet: I'm easy to confuse sometimes, Laura lol. Thanks for clarifying though. Have you seen the final episode of this season yet?

The Language of Flowers puzzle is beautiful.

The puzzle is beautiful. I like puzzles, but it takes me forever to finish, so I don't get one out very often.

>187 MickyFine: it's a fun puzzle so far, Micky. We'll probably spend some time on it this afternoon in front of the fire.

>188 RebaRelishesReading: Reba, we've only watched 3 episodes of Shetland's new season. We didn't start it right away and we're pacing ourselves a bit.

>189 BLBera: Hi Beth. The puzzle caddy might be a game changer for us. We don't have a space where a puzzle could just sit out unattended for however long it takes, and that's kept us from even getting started. That said, it will probably remain more of a winter activity just because we spend so much time on garden-related stuff in the spring & summer.

>180 lauralkeet: I love Cavallini puzzles! I haven't seen that one before, but it's beautiful. I have the Jellyfish, Cacti, and Audubon Birds ones.

>191 Sakerfalcon: Claire, there were so many to choose from! Those three are all really nice too.

We have about 3" of new snow and it's much colder today than yesterday. Our gym cancelled morning classes so we're having another lazy day. I'm not complaining! The dogs are a little bit stir crazy, actually it's mostly Ellie. She loves to bounce around in the snow but she's only been able to do that on a leash. This was initially because of getting spayed and then because we didn't want to be out in the cold for any longer than necessary. The latter is still true, but it would be good for her to run around in our fenced area and burn off some steam.

This morning I did the NYT Crossword as usual, and something happened mid-puzzle that popped me out of it and I had to reload it to finish. Whatever that glitch was also reset the timer so now NYT is recording today as my best-ever Monday with a solve time of 1 min 15 sec. Ha. There's no way that's correct. Mondays are the easiest day of the week but still my average is a little over 5 minutes.

I'm really enjoying Raven Black. We started watching the Shetland TV series years ago (I think it aired on PBS) and I remember the episodes based on this book although I'm fuzzy on the details. It's also interesting to see differences in the novel vs television. Jimmy Perez himself, for example, and also some of his relationships with other recurring characters.

Hooray for What an Owl Knows. I am hoping to see my FOY owl. I tried Saturday with no luck. I am still on the fence with Death at the Sign of the Rook. I was lukewarm on her last couple of books.

We got about 4" of snow and Nuala was delighted. Until she wasn't :-P We also had an episode of "thunder snow" which was kind of cool - big roll of thunder and some lightning! It was very dramatic.

Enjoy your gym-less day!

>193 msf59: I hope you spot an owl one of these days, Mark. It's such a treat.

>194 katiekrug: Thunder snow? Ack. That must have been something. Ellie likes to put her nose deep into the snow and then whip her head back, tossing the snow into the air. Then she zooms about (as much as she can on a leash). Alys keeps her distance and maintains her older-dog dignity.

Hope you enjoy your snow day. Sounds like the dogs are having fun anyway.

Hello, Laura! You missed me way up thereabout no worries - I was just saying that your current puzzle is full of gorgeous. I have not done any by that company, but I went to see their offerings, and there are so many good options.

I have experienced thunder snow before,and Katie is right that it is kind of cool.

Our Bella was like your Elly - she loved the snow and would hop around like a bunny in it. She was always overjoyed to be out in it.

>196 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks Reba, it's been a pretty decent day.

>197 Crazymamie: Mamie, I'm so sorry! I hate when that happens. I hope you get back in the puzzling groove soon! I'm off to work on ours for a bit right now ...

>180 lauralkeet: That puzzle is striking, Laura! Good luck with it.

Have a terrific Tuesday!

>199 alcottacre: Thanks Stasia, the puzzle is proving to be a fun challenge so far.

Hi Laura, and your husband too. I'm about a third of the way through In Search of Blandings and it's reasonably entertaining. I didn't know that Wodehouse wrote 90+ books. I think having this book for reference may be the best use of it. The author does have some fun anecdotes mixed into all the names and places.

I'm reading the book in rotation with three other books: Evicted, Flannery O'Connor's The Violent Bear It Away, and David Sedaris' Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls. None of the four is sufficiently compelling to monopolize my eyeblinks, as RD might say, but all are holding a secure place in my interest, divided though it may be.

Trust that you and yours are warm and content.

Hi Bill! I'm glad you're enjoying In Search of Blandings. Chris had similar comments when he read it through the first time: mildly entertaining and a useful reference.

You have quite a diverse reading rotation going there. Plenty of material for cold winter days, eh? We're staying warm and content with books, a puzzle, dogs, and a fire.

>139 lauralkeet: ooo. Know what you mean though about tv tie-ins being used as promotion Laura.

>159 lauralkeet: I have two owl books already (yet to be read), so will pretend I haven't seen this...

>203 Caroline_McElwee: Hi Caro! Two owl books already? Not that I need another but I'm curious which ones are on your TBR.

5. Raven Black ()

I’m a fan of the Shetland television series, but have never read the books … until now. Raven Black introduces Jimmy Perez, who grew up on Fair Isle but moved to Shetland to pursue a career as a detective. He’s new to the job and not entirely sure of himself or his life choices, when suddenly he finds himself leading a murder investigation. 17-year-old Catherine Ross was found near the home of Magnus Tait, a recluse who was linked to the disappearance of a young girl several years earlier. The locals immediately suspect Magnus, but Jimmy is determined to conduct a full investigation. It turns out there are several others who might have been involved or had a motive. There are plenty of twists along the way to keep readers guessing; even the final reveal includes a misdirect.

I enjoyed this book both for the well-crafted plot and the fun of comparing the book to the television series. And of course I’ll continue reading.

Nice review, Laura! I am wanting to reread through those books and then read the one I have been hoarding because I thought she would kill him off. Hopefully sometime this year.

>205 lauralkeet: - I have this one on my shelf, but I'm trying not to start any new series until I catch up on at least a couple...

>206 Crazymamie: Good plan, Mamie.

>207 katiekrug: I didn't need a new series either, Katie. In fact I was thinking of returning to the Vera books but the announcement of Cleeves' new Orkney novels changed my priorities. That means other series are likely to get less attention but I'm not willing to cull any from my list just yet.

Hi, Laura! I love the puzzle and should think seriously about the puzzle caddy. (We have CATS.)

>205 lauralkeet: Thou temptress! I have this one on the shelf and really want to read it. However, this morning I ordered a copy of the first Sean Duffy, recommended by Lucy, Mamie, and apparently everybody else in the 75 but me. I also want to get back to Jackson Brody. Then there's everything else!
I'm off.

Enjoy your snow but mostly stay warm!

>209 LizzieD: You can't go wrong with Sean Duffy, Peggy. I'm caught up and eagerly awaiting the next book, in March.

>205 lauralkeet:: I went to buy this and found out that I already own it! In the mountain of tbrs, I guess.

>211 tiffin: Too funny, Tui. But now, what are you waiting for?! You'll zip through it.

OMG Laura -- you're tempting me to a new series!?! I'm strong. I will resist ... yes I will...

>157 msf59: and >158 lauralkeet:
I've seen a pair of Barred Owls once in the wild -- many, many years ago when we still lived in Corvallis (so, prior to 2007 when we moved to Seattle). We were hiking in the Oregon Cascades and saw the pair sitting in a Douglas fir above us. Like Mark, we could easily have walked right by but I just happened to look up at that moment. They were about 20 yards up. So wonderful to see.

>205 lauralkeet: It's a worthwhile series. Enjoy!

>180 lauralkeet: That is a beautiful puzzle, Laura! I know what you mean about the brand being difficult, as I think it was the same brand that I - gasp! gave up on - or at least one of the puzzles. It was a beautiful image of a winter scene, but the snow/ white areas were just too frustrating for me. I'm glad you enjoyed Raven Black. I have read and enjoyed quite a few in the series.

>204 lauralkeet: I actually have 6 my catalogue says, ignore the two that just have 'owl' in the title ha. Must actually read some this year,

https://www.librarything.com/catalog/Caroline_McElwee?&collection=-1&dee...

>213 RebaRelishesReading: Reba, I resisted reading the Shetland novels for a long time because I decided watching the series was good enough (it's a great series!). But I miss Jimmy Perez, so rather than re-watch the series I thought why not read the books? And then, when Ann Cleeves announced plans to write more novels about Jimmy I took that as a sign. The book gods have spoken and I must comply!

>214 EBT1002: That must have been amazing, Ellen. Our sighting was a barred owl in flight, so although they make no sound (fun fact about owls, from the book) it wasn't like we had to look hard to see it.

>215 vancouverdeb: Hi Deborah. We're enjoying the challenge of the puzzle so far, although we tend to work on it in short sessions, maybe a half hour at a time. I usually do the edge first and we have a lot of that in place. I also did most of the words since those pieces were easy to find in the pile. All of that has given the puzzle a bit of structure and we can now work on the flowers. I enjoy sifting through the pieces for the color(s) and then seeing if any of those pieces fit together.

>216 Caroline_McElwee: That's a nice set of books, Caro. I learned a bit about Blakiston's Fish Owl in What an Owl Knows; it looks like Owls of the Eastern Ice would go into much more about that particular species. Illustrated Owl looks really nice, too.

Sweet Thursday, Laura. Love the owl chatter. I also really enjoyed Owls of the Eastern Ice. I did read Raven Black but did not follow read the next one...yet.

I read the first couple of the Cleves series, and then I started to watch "Shetland," and it was so good, I left the series. :) Maybe someday I'll go back. I am interested in the new one set in the Orkneys.

Morning, Laura! Thursday happiness to you.

"The book gods have spoken and I must comply!" Yes!

>209 LizzieD: Peggy, I am so happy you are going to give the series a try. It's full of fabulous!

>217 lauralkeet: Heavens yes!! Always comply with the book gods speak :). I was really sad when Jimmy Perez was written out but I've come to really like Tosh (and am OK with her side-kick although I don't really understand how co-bosses work in reality). I've seen all of the Shetlands (except the one that should be coming/have come out this week) and I have sooooo many books in Mt. TBR so I think I'll pass on that series but you are tempting me with the Orkney series.

>205 lauralkeet: I am now up to book 4 in the series, Laura, and think that the books incrementally improve. The last one that I read, Blue Lightning, was the best thus far for me. I have never seen the TV series at all.

>218 msf59: Good to see another endorsement for the eastern owl book, Mark.

>219 BLBera: Beth, I didn't even realize Shetland was based on books (duh!) and when I did realize it, the seasons I'd watched were still fresh in my mind and I thought that would affect my reading experience. This time around, I definitely remembered the Magnus Tait character and knew he didn't do it, but couldn't remember how everything was resolved.

>220 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie, thanks for the encouragement!

>221 RebaRelishesReading: Reba, I love Tosh. I wish she could carry the show on her own or have a more junior sidekick. But I'll keep watching ...

>222 alcottacre: That's good to know, Stasia! As you can see here, the TV series has many fans. If you every have a chance to watch, I think you'd enjoy it.

Can someone help me identify this bird? 😂

Chris caught this little guy in the act yesterday. As you can see, this feeder is really close to the house. The squirrel took advantage of a snow shovel leaning against the wall to climb up and jump onto the feeder. The joke's on him though, because the feeder tube is surrounded -- ostensibly to keep large birds out, but also squirrels.

>224 lauralkeet: - He looks like he might be regretting some of his life decisions right now, LOL.

>224 lauralkeet: Too, funny! What a great photo, though.

>225 katiekrug: I'm certain he is, Katie!

>226 Crazymamie: I'm glad you enjoyed it, Mamie.

~~~~~~

For the past few days I've been reading Orbital and finished it today. It's a really unique sort of book, I have no idea how to review it. I'll try to do so tomorrow.

Hi Laura! I just bought a puzzle caddy as well. Waiting for it to arrive, and hoping it makes my puzzling easier.

We have some great horned owls who live nearby - it is such a treat when we see them, though we often hear them. Have you read Wesley the Owl? It was a favorite of both of the girls.

Hi, Laura! Orbital is another one I hope to get to one of these days. You seem to be reading my wish list.

>228 AMQS: I haven't read Wesley the Owl Anne, but it looks like a treat. One of my favorite owl books is Owl Babies, which we bought when Kate and Julia were very young, and we still have stored away for future grandchildren. A couple of years ago I went looking for a copy to give to a family with a little one, but sadly the original hardcover edition (not the board book) is now really expensive.

>229 LizzieD: That's funny, Peggy. It happens to me sometimes, too.

6. Orbital ()

In poetic and surprisingly compelling prose, Samantha Harvey describes “a day in the life” of those on board the International Space Station. The six-person crew hail from the US, UK, Italy, Russia, and Japan, and spend their days conducting experiments to learn about life in space, logging their own bodies’ response to conditions, and trying to counter the effects through daily exercise. Their craft will orbit the earth 16 times over 24 hours, with a shifting view of the planet. On this day, a typhoon threatens the Philippines and the crew is able to provide Mission Control with valuable information about the storm’s path. Crew members spend a lot of time in their own heads, reacting to events of the day and thinking about their lives on earth and loved ones left behind. Their inner monologues were surprisingly moving and the prose captured the transformative nature of life in space. This unusual book was difficult to put down; a unique reading experience.

Great comments on Orbital, Laura. I loved that book; it was one of my favorites from last year. I find it hard to believe that Harvey hasn't been to space!

>224 lauralkeet: I love the photo.

>231 lauralkeet: - That's a really good review, Laura. I was waffling about reading it, but I've put it on my library list.

Hope you have a good Sunday!

>232 BLBera:, >233 katiekrug: Thanks Beth & Katie. Writing a review was a challenge. There's not much "action," but still a lot to think about and some emotional moments too. Samantha Harvey sounds like she knows what she's talking about. She credits NASA in the acknowledgements; I'd love to know more about her research process.

Earlier this month I read a disappointing collection of short stories by Marjorie Barnard as part of a Virago Group short story project. To make up for that I turned to Elizabeth Taylor's Complete Short Stories and read three which fit this month's "marriage" theme.

Gravesend Endommagé (translation: serious damage) is the story of a couple on holiday in France. He wants to stay the night in a village he visited before the war; she wants to press on to Paris so she can get unpacked and settle in. He wins the argument but finds the village much changed. The tension between the two is palpable.

In the Sun is set at a Moroccan holiday resort. Deirdre and Bunny arrive and find two other English couples there who are primarily focused on sunbathing. They keep to themselves and as a result, the two couples gossip incessantly about them. I found the twist at the end enormously satisfying.

In Husbands and Wives, a woman is getting her house ready before husband's one-week leave from the army. Another family is sleeping rough nearby, and one night the reality of their situation is made clear, showing the stark contrast between two marriages.

Elizabeth Taylor is a superb storyteller, delivering plot and character development in a short form, comparable to a novel.

Happy Sunday, Laura! You got me with Orbital - excellent review.

Oops. Back to add that Beth had already gotten me with it, but I have added your name to the bullet.

>236 Crazymamie: Ha! I'm happy to be at least partly responsible, Mamie.

>231 lauralkeet: Loved your response to Orbital, Laura. I recently finished it and had the same reaction to it. Loved the writing and the thoughts of the crew members. It just needed a bit of a plot! It was indeed a "unique reading experience".

>231 lauralkeet: Nice review. I had it as one of my best reads last year. I think it was the surprise of the unique read that made me like it so much. It was unexpectedly touching and should have been a book I was meh on, but it must be the writing that made it so great. I teach about the ISS so I had a built in interest for sure.

>238 Donna828: Thanks Donna -- I saw your review but sort of skimmed it because I was still reading. I'm glad you enjoyed it too.

>239 raidergirl3: Hi Elizabeth, thanks. I'm not surprised you loved it. I agree about it being unexpectedly touching.

Morning, Laura!

I thought you might be interesting in this little announcement:

https://www.columbusnavigator.com/skyline-chili-graeters-ice-cream/

OMG Amber! That sounds kind of gross but I'd have a taste if I were in a Graeters shop. Thanks for the link -- I just sent it to my brother. Let me know if you ever try it!

>241 scaifea: I was also coming here to report on the skyline chili ice cream 😂

>231 lauralkeet: I know that Orbital was a stellar read for a lot of people, but it was a 4-star read for me too. I think part of the problem for me was the expectation since it had won the Booker Prize.

>235 lauralkeet: Elizabeth Taylor is a superb storyteller I have enjoyed the books of hers that I have read and hopefully will get to more soon. I have not read any of her short stories yet which I also need to remedy.

Have a marvelous Monday, Laura!

Great comments on Orbital! I loved Owl Babies also. I thought I had a copy in the library but I do not. Some great ones I do have are
Owl Sees Owl
Knight Owl
Owl Moon
Snowy Owl Invasion

I have many more, but those are highlights:) Wesley the Owl is one that both of the girls have forbidden me to rehome. They both reread it every couple of years.

>243 norabelle414: Thanks for looking out for me LOL! My brother and I texted about the new flavor this morning. He noted that it can be ordered and shipped wherever, but that you have to order 6 pints and that will set you back about $85. We agreed to remain ignorant, for now.

>244 alcottacre: Stasia, I've read all of E. Taylor's novels but, so far, only one of her short story collections. Not all authors can write both novels and short stories, but she does both very well.

>245 AMQS: That's a lot of owl books, Anne! I am really glad I still have a copy of Owl Babies although there's a possibility my girls will end up fighting over it someday. Ha.

aww, we loved Owl Babies in our house too! We had the boardbook, and which is now nibbled on the edges. I was so shocked when my first born would gnaw on board books, I didn't know books could be damaged like that!
As my children got older, they loved Owls in the Family by Farley Mowatt, and wished there was a sequel.

I think I'd enjoy the space station book but have deep reservations about the chili/cheese ice cream.

>247 raidergirl3: I suspect I'll take my chances and buy the board book for grandchildren, whenever they decide to make an appearance.

>248 tiffin: Further research indicates the ice cream flavor has less of a kick and more of a cinnamon taste (cinnamon being a key ingredient in Cincinnati Chili). Also crunchy chunks of oyster crackers, another essential chili accompaniment. I would try it if someone put it in front of me (not likely), but I'm not going to seek it out.

I loved your review of Orbital. That was a special little book and I look forward to reading more of her work.

Funny thing, Mark: when I added Orbital to my library I realized I'd read another book by Samantha Harvey, way back in 2010. The Wilderness is about a man with Alzheimers; it was difficult to read but very well-written.

Every time I open your thread I get a quick flash of that wonderful space in your photo at the top. It looks so cozy I just want to climb into my laptop and take a nap :).

Have a good one, please, Laura.

>231 lauralkeet: Thank you for that review, Laura. I now have Orbital resting comfortably on my Kindle. I'll also add (although I may have said so elsewhere) that even though he didn't go to the space station, my second cousin's husband Bill McArthur did go on two space missions and commanded the second. I know him also because he is the second cousin on their other side of two first cousins. Bill and Cindy are 4 or 5 years younger than I am, and that makes a difference when growing up.

I think I've also said here that E. Taylor is the very essence of Virago for me. I haven't read her short stories, but I expect that as I age, that will be a more congenial vehicle than it is now.

Read on, my friend, read on! (I very rarely eat ice cream, but if I did, chili would likely put me off it again.)

>252 RebaRelishesReading: Aww, that's great, Reba. I like that photo, too.

>253 LizzieD: Hi Peggy! That's a really cool story about your relative. And I completely agree about E. Taylor being "the very essence of Virago." Well said!

7. Hotel Silence ()

Jonas is turning fifty, divorced, and feels like his life is going nowhere and even considers ending his life. Instead, Jonas packs a few belongings and hops on a plane from his home in Iceland to a distant unnamed country ravaged by recent war. He checks into the Hotel Silence, once a popular tourist destination but is only just beginning to receive new guests. Jonas gets to know Fifi and May, the brother and sister who operate the hotel. He’s a handyman by trade and never goes anywhere without some tools. After fixing an issue in his hotel room, Fifi and May ask him to handle a few other things and before you know it, Jonas is earning his room and board. It seems as if Jonas may have found purpose, albeit reluctantly, but he still waffles between thoughts of suicide and notions of staying in the country permanently. His dilemma is resolved in a way that came as a complete surprise and also felt just right.

In other reading news, these two books are next up:


One is short stories; the other a collection of previously published articles on gardening. I think I'll dip into each one in some kind of alternating fashion, at least for a while.

ALSO ... I decided to start a kind of personal reading project. After reading Raven Black, it occurred to me that if I read one Shetland novel per month I would finish the series in August, in plenty of time for the October release of Ann Cleeves' new Jimmy Perez novel set in Orkney (the first of many, I hope). So if anyone wants to join in, it's not too late to get started!

Ah, I put myself on the Raven Black list at the library. I've been meaning to start this series, and will be happy to join you.

I also loved Hotel Silence, Laura. I want to read more by her.

Laura, I'm looking hard at Raven Black too. I'll follow your progress with interest and jump in as I can!

>257 ffortsa: That's great, Judy! I made some comments on your thread about this "project," suggesting we try to read one book per month but also do so at our own pace. For example, I should receive the second book, White Nights, from my library soon and will read it in early February. You're awaiting the first book so obviously you'll read the second book later, and that's totally fine!

>258 BLBera: I have you and Vivian to thank for putting Hotel Silence on my radar, Beth. I'll watch your thread for potential comments on her other books.

>259 LizzieD: Excellent, Peggy! You're welcome to jump in at any time. I'm not sure we need a dedicated thread for just you, me and Judy but I'm open to the idea particularly if others join in.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Late last year I mentioned wanting to change up my volunteer activities. As much as I love my library, I want to do something more directly involved in community service. I had high hopes for one organization in particular and worked my first shift this week, but it was a bust and I won't be going back. The shift was described as "General Operations Support" covering a wide range of needs, and they asked me to work in their donations warehouse (household goods, clothing, etc.), sorting incoming donations and putting them on the appropriate shelves. I had no problem with that, in principle. What I didn't like was being shown into a room and then left entirely on my own for 2 hours. There were no other volunteers and the warehouse manager never once came back to see how I was getting on.

I guess what I learned from this is that I'd prefer to be part of a community working for a common cause. In the past, the kind of volunteer work I've most enjoyed was done with a group or at least another person or two.

That's too bad about the volunteer experience, Laura. I also wouldn't like to be completely on my own, especially on my first day!

You are tempting me to take Raven Black off my shelf and start the series, but I am really trying not to start a new one until I catch up with one of my current series. Must. Have. Willpower.

>260 lauralkeet: I've much the same preferences. A couple of weeks ago, I began tutoring some young children in reading. It didn't go so well, partly because I don't think I was adequately prepared (probably my issue0 and partly because I'm not good at holding the attention of young children. My first was a kindergartner, the second a second grader. The kindergartner was such a handful I'm considering suggesting he work with someone else. All the tutors were very helpful to me, but I don't think it's my gig with such small children. Too bad, as I think the work is really important. I will still look for other options, such as tutoring older children and adults.

I'm not sure what other volunteer efforts would be of interest to me. I don't necessarily want to shelve books at the library. I'll have to check with New York Cares to see what they have that I might sample. And then again, I might cogitate on what else I might like to do.

>260 lauralkeet: Good heavens!! Yes, part of the "pay off" for volunteer work is working together with, and getting to know, other people in your community. Hope you find a better outlet for your time and effort.

Hello, Laura! Sorry about the volunteer experience. Hoping you can find something that is a perfect fit for you.

>256 lauralkeet: I would like to join in! I have loaded Raven Black on my Kindle and already started rereading it.

Let me finish Pawn in Frankincense, and then I'll just toss other things back into my subconscious and start Raven Black too. Sounds like it will be fun, and I doubt that we'd need a dedicated thread if you don't mind our coming here to say, "I love this book!" as I expect we will.

I'm sorry that the warehouse experience was not what you were looking for. I've never quite understood why it seems common practice across the board to put newbies into the least desirable job - which I expect that is. The same thing happened in our school when new teachers were given 10th grade English as a matter of course. It was the year the state tested student writing, and the curriculum was focused on World Literature, not a great fit for 15 year-olds. One principal eventually caught on and gave the 10th graders to the most experienced teachers, who whined and complained, but test scores came up a little and everybody else was happier.
Anyway, good luck on finding something more congenial. (I confess that I had fun working in our community center's clothes distribution warehouse with some friends until I realized that one of them was following me and refolding and replacing everything that I had done. She was right. The tables looked a lot better after she finished, but I thought I didn't need to try that again.)

>261 katiekrug:, >262 ffortsa:, >263 RebaRelishesReading: Katie, Judy & Reba, thank you for the commiserations/sympathy!
>265 LizzieD: Peggy, you always have such interesting experiences to share. Interesting comment about assigning newbies to the least desirable jobs. I do think the job I did would have been fun if there were at least one or two other people there.

About the Shetland reading project:
>264 Crazymamie: Mamie's in! Yay!
>265 LizzieD: And Peggy! Double yay!
When will Katie cave?! Ha.

With 4 of us on board now, and because this will span several months, I might just create a thread. Who knows, we may also attract a few other interested 75ers. Is this a shared read? A group read? What's the difference?

>256 lauralkeet: I’d like to join in the Shetland reading. I haven’t read Raven Black, so that’s where I’ll start (with either a library copy or the paperback copy I just ordered from Abebooks). I’ll be paying attention to this thread as the reading goes on.

Karen O

>256 lauralkeet: I read and enjoyed this series some years ago (just looked it up - I whizzed through the whole series in June 20219!) but didn't go on to watch the TV adaptation as it seemed to have changed important points, so I may do the opposite from all of you and look out the TV series! But I shall be interested in your opinions and comments, partly to see how much I actually remember.

It seems odd to leave a new volunteer alone to sort. When I started sorting donations for the library, I always worked with someone until I was familiar with the types of donations. I still like to work with someone, but now I can do it alone.

>267 klobrien2: That's great Karen! Glad to have you on board.

>268 CDVicarage: I'm interested to learn about those "important points" through my reading, Kerry.

>269 BLBera: It was odd, Beth. The warehouse manager is new in the role so maybe that's part of the reason but still ... annoying.

The Shetland series shared read thread is up!
https://www.librarything.com/topic/368081

I'm thrilled to have so many of you joining me in this little project!