2twogreys
My name is Blair. I am retired and living in Connecticut with my greyhound, Miley.
I read just about anything, mostly non-fiction, with an emphasis on history, but have lately added more fiction. I do enjoy a good cozy mystery, as well as the classics (let's hear it for James Fenimore Cooper!).
So right now, for me, a ROOT would be a book that I bought more than two years ago, so a pre-2023 purchase that I have never read. That looks to be 132 (more or less) and includes 2.5 feet of bookshelf space, plus eBooks, which, as I like the “Delphi Complete Works of …” editions on Kindle, would add up to quite a few more feet of bookshelf if in print.
Looking forward to the challenge.
My rating system:
* - I don't believe I bothered to finish this book (I can only remember one book that I actually did not finish.)
** - Did not like it.
*** - A pleasant read.
**** - Really liked it.
***** - Loved it. If I read a library copy, I would consider buying my own to re-read it or be able to lend it to a friend, in addition to providing the author with another royalty.
So far in 2025:
1. Bulfinch's Mythology, by Thomas Bulfinch; ***; A classic work on mythology from the Greeks and Romans through King Arthur and Charlemagne’s knights.
2. Waterways of War – The French and Indian War, by Steve Benson and Ron Toelke; ****; Subtitled “A Traveler’s Guide to the French & Indian War Forts, Battlefields and Historic Sites along America’s Byways in New York and Pennsylvania”, it provides a brief account of the happenings around the St Lawrence, Mohawk and Hudson Rivers, as well as Lakes Ontario, Erie, George, and Champlain.
3. Preparing for War: The Extremist History of Christian Nationalism and What Comes Next, by Bradley Onishi; ****; The subtitle says it all.
I read just about anything, mostly non-fiction, with an emphasis on history, but have lately added more fiction. I do enjoy a good cozy mystery, as well as the classics (let's hear it for James Fenimore Cooper!).
So right now, for me, a ROOT would be a book that I bought more than two years ago, so a pre-2023 purchase that I have never read. That looks to be 132 (more or less) and includes 2.5 feet of bookshelf space, plus eBooks, which, as I like the “Delphi Complete Works of …” editions on Kindle, would add up to quite a few more feet of bookshelf if in print.
Looking forward to the challenge.
My rating system:
* - I don't believe I bothered to finish this book (I can only remember one book that I actually did not finish.)
** - Did not like it.
*** - A pleasant read.
**** - Really liked it.
***** - Loved it. If I read a library copy, I would consider buying my own to re-read it or be able to lend it to a friend, in addition to providing the author with another royalty.
So far in 2025:
1. Bulfinch's Mythology, by Thomas Bulfinch; ***; A classic work on mythology from the Greeks and Romans through King Arthur and Charlemagne’s knights.
2. Waterways of War – The French and Indian War, by Steve Benson and Ron Toelke; ****; Subtitled “A Traveler’s Guide to the French & Indian War Forts, Battlefields and Historic Sites along America’s Byways in New York and Pennsylvania”, it provides a brief account of the happenings around the St Lawrence, Mohawk and Hudson Rivers, as well as Lakes Ontario, Erie, George, and Champlain.
3. Preparing for War: The Extremist History of Christian Nationalism and What Comes Next, by Bradley Onishi; ****; The subtitle says it all.
3Cecilturtle
>2 twogreys: Welcome, Blair!
5MissWatson
Welcome and good luck with your ROOTs.
6twogreys
4. Eliot Porter: Moments of Discovery - Adventures with American Birds, by Michael Harwood; ****; beautiful photographs by Eliot Porter accompanied by an essay by Michael Harwood on the evolution of ornithology.
5. Merry Tales, by Mark Twain; ****; a collection of short stories
5. Merry Tales, by Mark Twain; ****; a collection of short stories
7twogreys
6. Night Vision, by Randy Wayne White; ****; a Doc Ford mystery.
8twogreys
7. Chasing Midnight, by Randy Wayne Wright; ****; a Doc Ford mystery
9twogreys
8. Night Moves, by Randy Wayne White; ****; a Doc Ford mystery
10twogreys
9. Latino-Americans: The 500-Year Legacy that Shaped a Nation, by Ray Suarez; ***
10. Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë; *****; a classic, that reveals more with each reading
10. Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë; *****; a classic, that reveals more with each reading
11connie53
Hi Blair, how are you doing with those ROOTs?
I hope you read a few more to get to your goal. ROOTing for you.
I hope you read a few more to get to your goal. ROOTing for you.
12twogreys
11. The Age of Napoleon, by Will and Ariel Durant; ****; Volume XI of their “Story of Civilization” series, which I have now completed, after starting the series around 1982!
12. American Canopy: Trees, Forests, and the Making of a Nation, by Eric Rutkow; ****. American history from the perspective of the woods, it is also a history of conservation in America.
13. Inclusive Conversations: Fostering Equity, Empathy, and Belonging across Differences, by Mary-Frances Winters; ***
14. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life, by Mark Manson; *****; how to take control of your life by choosing to care only about things that really matter.
12. American Canopy: Trees, Forests, and the Making of a Nation, by Eric Rutkow; ****. American history from the perspective of the woods, it is also a history of conservation in America.
13. Inclusive Conversations: Fostering Equity, Empathy, and Belonging across Differences, by Mary-Frances Winters; ***
14. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life, by Mark Manson; *****; how to take control of your life by choosing to care only about things that really matter.
13twogreys
15. Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens; ***; better now than it was when I read it in high school, but still not his best, IMHO.
15twogreys
16. The Washingtons: George and Martha, Partners in Friendship and Love, by Flora Fraser; ***
17. American Revolutions: A Continental History, 1750 – 1804, by Alan Taylor; *****
18. Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again, by Rachel Held Evans; *****
19. Daring and Suffering: A History of the Great Railroad Adventure, by William Pittenger; ****; This is the book that inspired the movie The General, starring Buster Keaton, and also the Disney movie The Great Locomotive Chase.
20. The Stars: A New Way to See Them, 2nd edition, by H. A. Rey; ****; In addition to writing the Curious George series of children’s books, H. A. Rey penned this easy-to-understand guide to star gazing and constellation identification.
21. British Soldiers, American War: Voices of the American Revolution, by Don Hagist; ****
22. Precaution, by James Fenimore Cooper; ****
23. The £1,000,000 Bank Note and other New Stories by Mark Twain; ***
24. The Curious Republic of Gondour and other Whimsical Sketches, by Mark Twain; ***
Phew! Made it!
17. American Revolutions: A Continental History, 1750 – 1804, by Alan Taylor; *****
18. Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again, by Rachel Held Evans; *****
19. Daring and Suffering: A History of the Great Railroad Adventure, by William Pittenger; ****; This is the book that inspired the movie The General, starring Buster Keaton, and also the Disney movie The Great Locomotive Chase.
20. The Stars: A New Way to See Them, 2nd edition, by H. A. Rey; ****; In addition to writing the Curious George series of children’s books, H. A. Rey penned this easy-to-understand guide to star gazing and constellation identification.
21. British Soldiers, American War: Voices of the American Revolution, by Don Hagist; ****
22. Precaution, by James Fenimore Cooper; ****
23. The £1,000,000 Bank Note and other New Stories by Mark Twain; ***
24. The Curious Republic of Gondour and other Whimsical Sketches, by Mark Twain; ***
Phew! Made it!
