Linda Goes for the Heavy Stuff in 2025 *PART TWO*

Hi, there! You know me, right? And if you don't, I introduce myself here. Welcome to my second reading thread for 2025.

In the first quarter, I did manage to read one of the chunksters (a/k/a "Heavy Stuff") from my shelves, that being The Mirror and the Light. I am currently embarking on a trip to New York with that master of the historical chunkster, Edward Rutherfurd. My goal is to read at least one doorstop per quarter this year.

The ticker where I will keep track of my numbers, and how pitifully I fall short of my 100 book/year reading goal. (For four years after retiring, I routinely surpassed that goal. The pandemic, for some reason, plunged me back to the low 80s, which is less than I was reading those last several years when I was still working full time. I may have read a lot of children's books in those 100+ years, looking for good stuff for the littles in the family.) I actually made a list of my totals for the last dozen years, and was surprised by the consistency:

2024: 84
2023: 81
2022: 82
2021: 85
2020: 84
2019: 104
2018: 110
2017: 100
2016: 112
2015: 86
2014: 100
2013: 82

Here will be a list of the books I read in the current quarter of 2025.

I use some shorthand to help me keep track of my reading trends:

ROOT identifies a book that I have had on my shelves for at least a year at the time I read it.
CULL means I put the book in my donation box for the library book sale after finishing it, or otherwise gave it away.
DNF means I didn't finish the book, for one reason or another, usually explained in the related post.
ER means I received the book from LT's Early Reviewer program.
GN refers to a graphic novel, GM a graphic memoir This is not a category I use much.
An * asterisk indicates a library book.
LOA means I read a Library of America edition;
SF means the book was a Slightly Foxed edition, (NOT science fiction, which I so rarely read);
VIRAGO means it was an original green-spined Virago edition from my own collection;
FOLIO indicates a Folio Society edition.
AUDIO and e-Book are self-explanatory, and probably won't appear very often.
AAC refers to the American Author Challenge.
NF indicates a non-fiction read.
TR indicates a work in translation
RR means it's a re-read for me

Clicking on titles in this post will take you to the message in which I reviewed or commented on that book. This is true of my reading lists for the rest of the year in posts below as well.

APRIL

21.The Coal Tattoo by Silas House ROOT, AAC
22. Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson
23. Appalachia in the Sixties by David S. Walls NF, ROOT, AAC
24. Drowning Ruth by Christina Schwarz ROOT, CULL
*25. Time of the Child by Niall Williams
26. Where Trouble Sleeps by Clyde Edgerton ROOT, CULL, AAC
27. The Hour: A Cocktail Manifesto by Bernard DeVoto NF, ROOT, RR
28. I Am One of You Forever by Fred Chappell ROOT, AAC

MAY

*29. Who Is Government? by Michael Lewis NF
*30. Red Bones by Ann Cleeves
31. The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck ROOT
*32. Fagin the Thief by Allison Epstein

JUNE

33. The Horse by Willy Vlautin AAC
34. Broken Fields by Marcie Rendon
35. A Plate of Red Herrings by Richard Lockridge ROOT, RR
36. Ike's Road Trip by Brian C. Black NF
37. Death of a Tall Man by Frances and Richard Lockridge ROOT, RR
38. Gun Street Girl by Adrian McKinty CULL
*39. An Obvious Fact by Craig Johnson
*40. The Dog Who Followed the Moon by James Norbury
41. Another Appalachia by Neema Avashia NF
42. Tasting History by Max Miller NF
*43. Blue Lightning by Ann Cleeves
44. The Dixie Limited ed. by M. Thomas Inge NF, ROOT
45. Clear by Carys Davies

Earlier in the year, I read these:

JANUARY

1. Washington Black by Esi Edugyan ROOT
2. Grandfather Twilight by Barbara Berger
3. Small Town Sins by Ken Jaworowski CULL
4. The Mirror and the Light by Hilary Mantel Folio
5. Miss Pym Disposes by Josephine Tey ROOT
6. All That I Have by Castle Freeman, Jr. ROOT

FEBRUARY

7. A Widow's Curse by Phillip DePoy ROOT
8. The Endless Steppe by Esther Hautzig NF, ROOT
*9. The Ghostway by Tony Hillerman
*10. White Nights by Ann Cleeves
*11. Iron Lake by William Kent Krueger
*12. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini AAC
*13. City of Saints by Andrew Hunt
14. In Other Rooms, Other Wonders by Daniyal Mueenuddin AAC, ROOT, CULL
*15. A Finer End by Deborah Crombie

MARCH

16. Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson
*17. Wish You Were Here by Stewart O'Nan AAC
18. Anne Perry and the Murder of the Century by Peter Graham ROOT, NF
*19. Warlight by Michael Ondaatje
*20. The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green NF

My list of new acquisitions in 2025:

1. Small Town Sins by Ken Jaworowski
2. Grandfather Twilight by Barbara Berger
3. The Notebook, A History of Thinking on Paper by Roland Allen
4. Life Work by Donald Hall
5. Prudence by David Treuer
6. Mountain Time by Bernard DeVoto
7. The Rise of Silas Lapham by William Dean Howells
8. Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger
9. Lightning Strike by William Kent Krueger
10. Little Snow Landscape by Robert Walser
11. Kilometer 101 by Maxim Osipov
12. Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson
13. The Night in Question by Tobias Wolff
14. The Stories of Jane Gardam
15. Broken Fields by Marcie R. Rendon
16. When Women Ruled the World by Kara Cooney
17. The Origins of Totalitarianism by Hannah Arendt
18. Conundrum by Jan Morris
19. My Grandmothers and I by Diana Holman-Hunt
20. Portrait of a Marriage by Nigel Nicolson
21. John Quincy Adams: Speeches and Writings
22. The Songcatcher by Sharyn McCrumb
23. She Walks in Beauty by Dawn Powell
24. The Paper Man by Billy O'Callaghan
25. Spencer's Mountain by Earl Hamner, Jr.
26. Ike's Road Trip by Brian C. Black
27. Vinegar Hill by A. Manette Ansay
28. Long Island by Colm Toibin
29. Foregone by Russell Banks
30 Gun Street Girl by Adrian McKinty
31. Old Filth by Jane Gardam
32. Selected Poems of Gwendolyn Brooks
33. An American Sunrise by Jo Harjo
34. Widow of the South by Robert Hicks
35. Our Little Kat King by Patrick McDonnell
36. Amelia Bloomer by Sara Catterall
37. Northline by Willy Vlautin

Sure...but sometimes one just has to sent a few off to new homes. I'll keep a list of those here as the year advances.

1. The Mirror and the Light by Hilary Mantel original copy replaced by Folio edition
2. Small Town Sins by Ken Jaworowski
3. The Guardians by John Grisham
4. Disturbing the Peace by Richard Yates
5. The Book of Air and Shadows by Michael Gruber
6. The Wives of Henry VIII by Antonia Fraser
7. In Other Rooms, Other Wonders by Daniyal Mueenuddin
8. & 9. Titus Groan and Gormenghast by Mervyn Peake
10. The Secret History of Las Vegas by Chris Abani
11. Drowning Ruth by Christina Schwarz
12. 14 Great Detective Stories
13. Where Trouble Sleeps by Clyde Edgerton
14. America Observed by Alistair Cooke
15. Six Men by Alistair Cooke
16. Feather Crowns by Bobbie Ann Mason
17, Hank & Jim by Scott Eyman
18. An Event in Autumn by Henning Mankell
19 Fear of the Dark by Walter Mosley
20. Gun Street Girl by Adrian McKinty

AMERICAN AUTHORS CHALLEGE

For the second year in a row, I have asked for volunteers to host a few months of this Challenge. As you can imagine, one runs out of ideas after doing it for 10 years, even though my own enthusiasm for American literature remains high. Having someone else step up for several selections is amazing, and I'm really grateful to this year's willing contributors.

Here is the list of choices for the coming year (If you'd like to check out how we got there, the planning thread is here.)


JANUARY Pacific Northwest including Western BC and Southeastern Alaska
The January Challenge thread is here.
Read several Raymond Carver short stories and one essay.

FEBRUARY-- MUSLIM AMERICAN AUTHORS hosted by @PaulCranswick
This Month's thread is here.
Finished The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Finished In Other Rooms, Other Wonders by Daniyal Mueenuddin

MARCH STEWART O’NAN hosted by @KatieKrug
Here's his thread.
Finished Wish You Were Here

APRIL APPALACHIAN AUTHORS
Here is the Appalachian Authors Thread
Finished The Coal Tattoo by Silas House and The Appalachian Trail: Hiking the People's Path photog. by Bart Smith
Finished Appalachia in the Sixties:Decade of Reawakening collection of essays ed. by David S. Walls
Finished Where Trouble Sleeps by Clyde Edgerton

MAY Pulitzer Prize Winners in HISTORY
Here's the thread. Didn't get to anything for the category this month.

JUNE Willy Vlautin, his thread.
Finished The Horse Also read "The Kill Switch", a separate publication of an excerpt from Vlautin's next novel, which works as a short story

JULY ROMANCE hosted by @lycomayflower

AUGUST True Crime & its Fictional Offspring hosted by @Caroline_McElwee

SEPTEMBER Alice Hoffman

OCTOBER The Western hosted by @kristelh

NOVEMBER David Treuer

DECEMBER Meg Wolitzer

WILD CARD: Select from the 2016 list, which included Anne Tyler, Richard Russo, Jane Smiley, Ivan Doig, Annie Proulx, John Steinbeck, Joyce Carol Oates, John Irving, Michael Chabon, Annie Dillard, and Don Delillo. (We also did a poetry month, which is why there are only 11 names there.)

Come on in. Sit a while. Start a conversation!

Happy new thread, Linda. Love >8 laytonwoman3rd:!

Checking in on the new thread before I lose you again. Happy new one!

>8 laytonwoman3rd: You would likely never get me out of that room. . .

>9 jessibud2:, >10 alcottacre: Welcome, friends. Wish that room were mine!

>8 laytonwoman3rd: Oooh I love that cozy room Linda.

>11 laytonwoman3rd: As do I!

Lovely room, Linda.

On your recommendation, I just acquired a copy of Warlight. I tried at a B&N last week, thinking it was something recently published. Of course they didn't have. Tried Kutztown's independent bookstore this afternoon. Score!

Haven't yet pinpointed an Appalachia book. I'm thinking there's such a one somewhere in this house.

>8 laytonwoman3rd: Well that is somewhere you could sit and be at home, Linda.

Happy new thread.

Happy new thread Linda!

>8 laytonwoman3rd: The very picture of comfort and ease!

Happy Wednesday, Linda. Happy New Thread. I hope those books are treating you fine.

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread, Linda!

New-thread orisons, Linda3rd!

>12 Caroline_McElwee:, >13 alcottacre:, >14 weird_O:, >15 PaulCranswick:, >16 quondame: I can dream of inviting you all in to that most comfortable space...

>17 msf59: The books are being quite congenial so far this year, Mark. Thanks for stopping by!

>18 figsfromthistle:, >19 drneutron:, >20 richardderus: JEEVES! More chairs, please! And put the kettle on.
>14 weird_O: I hope you enjoy Warlight, Bill. I stumbled on it by chance, and was very happy to have done so. LT tells me we share Appalachia in the Sixties...whaddya know.

>6 laytonwoman3rd: I like your idea of keeping track of where you give books, and noting the title!

>21 laytonwoman3rd: Send out the invites, Linda, and I am sure that most of us will try our best to make it!

Happy New Thread, Linda!

>21 laytonwoman3rd: I hope I like Warlight, too, Linda. I too saw that we both have copies if Appalachia in the Sixties. I'm taking your word that it's kinda dated, so I'm invoking a "pass." However, I have Grandma Gatewood's Walk and will be starting it in earnest this evening.

>8 laytonwoman3rd: What a lovely space!

Happy New Thread, Linda! I love chunksters too, but I wish I read faster.

>23 PaulCranswick:, >24 vancouverdeb:, >26 Whisper1:, >27 LizzieD: Glad to have you all here!
>25 weird_O: Has Grandma worn out her first pair of tennies yet?

>28 laytonwoman3rd: Long already, as they say around here. The last chapter I read last night had her at Killington in Vermont. The AP reported that she'd lost 24 pounds and worn out 5 pairs of tennies. I was surprised to note that her encounter with Judi's grandfather in Palmerton warranted a page and a half. Papa Leh died before I met Judi, so what I know of him is hearsay. But people in Palmerton knew Ralph Leh was someone Emma Gatewood should meet.

Incidentally, I'm halfway through Warlight, a book you spoke pretty highly of.

25. Time of the Child by Niall Williams Stunning on characterization--of people, place and time---but less so on story. Nothing moves fast in the Irish village of Faha, where rain is nearly constant, and a blue sky makes villagers lift their eyes in wonder. It's 1962, Christmas is coming, and local traditions are playing out. At the annual Christmas Fair, a young boy finds a baby behind the church, and believes it to be dead. With the help of two batchelor brothers. he carries the child off to the home of Dr. Troy who revives her and then swears everyone involved to "Say nothing to anyone". From there, we watch as the doctor's daughter falls in love with the little one, and he himself schemes--ineptly and ill-advisedly, but always with love-- to avoid turning wee Noelle over to the authorities. Once immersed in the language and locale, it doesn't matter much to this reader that not a lot actually happens here. I enjoyed the read, but it did lack something I can't quite put my finger on, and left me mildly dissatisfied.

>30 laytonwoman3rd: I've enjoyed two of his other books, Linda, so I'll probably pick this one up at some point. Nice review.

>31 lauralkeet: Thanks, Laura. It wasn't up to This is Happiness, IMHO, but still had lots of what made that one of my favorite reads of 2023.

May in the AAC is a month for reading winners of the Pulitzer Prize in History. Here's the thread.

>23 PaulCranswick: I know I definitely would!

>30 laytonwoman3rd: Too bad that one did not work better for you, Linda. I have read several of Williams' books and loved them all.

>33 laytonwoman3rd: Already checked in there :) I have to make my reading plans early or they never get done, lol.

>34 alcottacre: I will definitely read more of Niall Williams's books, Stasia. I'm not put off, just a leeetle let down. And as I said, I'm not even sure just why.

Tomorrow, Saturday, April 26th, is Independent Bookstore Day. If you want to buy some books, and do some good, check out Bookshop.org, the website where you can comfortably shop to the benefit of your favorite participating indie bookstore, and thumb your nose at that other place. In case you're not already on their mailing list, here's the e-mail message I received today from the CEO:

"Every April, we celebrate Independent Bookstore Day to remind us how vital indie bookstores are to our communities and society. It’s a day of joy and solidarity, and significant financial impact for these bookstores.

This year, Amazon is undercutting that with a “Book Sale” on the same day—a calculated move by a company that has already put half the bookstores in the country out of business, controls over 60% of the market and sells far more books than all indie bookstores combined. The people at Amazon responsible for the timing of their "Book Sale" should be ashamed, but they are shameless.

It's up to us to make sure they don't succeed at spoiling Independent Bookstore Day. Visit your local indie this weekend and help ensure that future generations can experience the sublime pleasure of shopping at a local bookstore."

—Andy Hunter, Bookshop.org CEO

>36 laytonwoman3rd: Did I mention FREE SHIPPING??? All weekend. https://bookshop.org/

26. Where Trouble Sleeps by Clyde Edgerton A quick AAC read. In Listre, North Carolina, in 1950, life is centered around the Baptist church where salvation is as easy as walking down the aisle, and/or Train's place, where you can buy a cold beer to drink while you wait for your oil change or just set a spell. The state highway does pass through, and there's that blinker light at the intersection now, since that awful mule/truck collision that almost crippled Train. But his old bulldog, Trouble, still sleeps in the middle of the road, unless rain is coming. Occasionally somebody from somewhere else stops in town and upsets people, but outsiders should know that even harmless little old ladies keep loaded shotguns handy, and "trouble" isn't just some gimpy old dog. This was fun, although I've enjoyed other Edgertons more. He has a dark humor that I really appreciate, and he can lacerate a hypocrite with such compassion that they feel loved.

>36 laytonwoman3rd: Thanks for the book shopping reminder. I contracted an itch just recently, stemming from the publication of an authorized bio of R. Crumb. Speaking of Weird-Os.

>39 weird_O: Hi, weird_o! I saw that R. Crumb book, and am on the hurry-up-and-wait list at the library for it. Looks good.

While I was perusing the catalog for that book, I serendipitously found another book called Crumb: Bake Brilliant Bread—ha! A cookbook.

I’ll be interested to read what you think of the R. Crumb book.

Karen O

>39 weird_O:, >40 klobrien2: Here's me saying "R. Crumb...who, now?" So of course I looked him up, and THEN I said "OH, the Keep-on-Truckin' guy!" So I learned something this morning before I had drained my last cup of coffee.

27. The Hour: A Cocktail Manifesto by Bernard DeVoto Sharp wit and unassailable truths about the civilized practice of observing the cocktail hour with a perfect martini, or a "slug of whiskey". No other so-called cocktail can be considered, in his opinion, and boyhowdy, does he tell you why. Lots of fun, and a bit of nostalgia for this household where the once-beloved cocktail hour has, of health-related necessity, become a sweet memory.

QUOTE: "...nothing can be done with people who put olives in martinis, presumably because in some desolate childhood hour someone refused them a dill pickle..."

>36 laytonwoman3rd: I ended up visiting 3 stores and bought 6 books, including 3 used Virago Modern Classics titles. So a good day for me. The stores were really crowded, too, so that was a good thing to see.

>43 kac522: Finding Virago's "in the wild" has been a rare treat for me...most of the ones I own were found on E-bay or abebooks.com. I'm glad to hear there was a lot of traffic in the stores.

28. I Am One of You Forever by Fred Chappell For the AAC. This took me way longer to read than it should have. A short collection of stories from the author's fictionalized youth, I wouldn't call it a "novel" really. There is no story arc, just an overall theme of odd relatives bringing new perspectives into the life of a boy growing up in the North Carolina mountains in the 1940s. Quirky, fabulous ( as in fable-like), sometimes outright fantastic (as in, well, you get it), I enjoyed the ride once I got a grip.

29. Who is Government by Michael Lewis A collection of journalistic pieces subtitled "The Untold Story of Public Service", highlighting the efforts of 8 individual government employees to make life better for Americans, and explaining in some depth just what the federal agencies (the FDA, the IRS, the Bureau of Mines, the National Cemetery Association, to name just half of those covered in the book) those individuals work for really do. Authors include Geraldine Brooks, Sarah Vowell, Michael Lewis and others. This is a positive portrayal of dedicated public servants who do not view their jobs as cushy free rides, mind-numbing bureaucratic treadmills, or political stepping stones. These people are passionate about the missions of the agencies they serve, and for the most part want to further those missions without fanfare or public recognition. This is good reading, and there's lots of ammunition in here for arguing against the sledgehammer and chainsaw brigade. Highly recommended.

(I find it odd that Amazon lists this as a "Number 1 Bestseller in Job Hunting and Career Guides". I suppose reading it could steer someone toward a career in public service, but I'll bet that wasn't Lewis's intent when he invited some of his favorite writers to find and write about government employees who loved and were good at their jobs.)

30. Red Bones by Ann Cleeves I'm afraid I have to be contrarian with regard to this one, which everyone else reading the Shetland series seems to praise highly. There is a lot of character development with Jimmy Perez and Sandy Wilson...but they both still spend way too much time second-guessing their own actions and everyone else's response to them. Nearly two hundred pages in, there still wasn't any real indication that a crime had been committed. Granted, the circumstances of the second death would have raised anybody's suspicions, no matter how easily it might have been explained on its own...but a few interviews and some intuition do not a "police procedural" make. (Nor is it a "thriller", and that word appears on the jacket as well.) In spite of the amount of time we spend inside Jimmy's and Sandy's heads, I have no clue how either of them arrived at the conclusions they drew, which ultimately led them to the truth. Where was the forensics? The killer's subtle missteps? The couple of things that didn't add up? The person who wasn't where he/she was expected to be with no good explanation? Red herrings...yes, we had those. A solution emerging from dense fog...OK, a nice literary touch. But.

Happy newish thread, Linda. Love the room in >8 laytonwoman3rd:. How's the reading of New York coming along? I've been halfway through London for years.

>48 Familyhistorian: "I've been halfway through London for years." Ha! I started New York, got distracted by something else, and haven't picked it up again, although I was enjoying it. So I may have a similar experience to yours...

>47 laytonwoman3rd: Oh gosh...so sorry Jimmy's not working out too well for you, Linda3rd. I got oodles of pushback when I quit the Gamache books after they quit being Three Pines books, so I relate. Stinks not to like something others are so googlyeyed over.

>50 richardderus: Yeah, I'm all for character development in my crime fiction, but it seemed that was the whole point of this one, and the crime was of secondary importance, so it got short shrift in the solution. And I never did catch the Three Pines/Gamache bug. Read a couple and wasn't keen. I'm wondering if I might enjoy the Shetland TV series more than the books...I've found that to be true of Vera, so...

>51 laytonwoman3rd: FWIW, I disliked the show and liked the books.

>51 laytonwoman3rd:, >52 richardderus: FWIW, I thought the TV adaptation of Red Bones was better than the book.

That said, I liked the book a lot more than you did Linda, but mostly for the character development.

31. The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck I was under the impression that I read this as a teen, but if so, it didn't strike any familiar chords as I read it now. Marvelous for its evocation of a world so unfamiliar, yet with a character whose deep ties to the land feel entirely familiar. The ups and downs of Wang Lung's fortunes, and the recurring ironies of his life are what make this story a classic. Its detached and formal -- almost Biblical--style doesn't hurt either. Highly recommended.

Lovely interview with Anne Tyler on CBS Sunday Morning today.

>55 laytonwoman3rd:- I saw that too and agree. I have only read a few of her books but enjoyed the ones I did.

>54 laytonwoman3rd: I enjoyed The Good Earth too, Linda. I remember being kind of surprised that I did. Although I read it as an adult, I pictured it as a book assigned in school and the subject of much grumbling. I must have been thinking about something else!

>55 laytonwoman3rd: Thanks for sharing that. I just read Three Days in June which was quite poignant as her books often are.

>51 laytonwoman3rd: I'm so behind, Linda. I quit Gamache after the third one, I think, having failed to like the books at all. On the other hand, I kept on with Shetland and found the third book to be much better than the first two. I suspect that you need to read the first two to get the most out of the series though. I'll hope to get to Jimmy 4 in June or July. Meanwhile, my next mystery is the second Sean Duffy, and I'm enthusiastic!

I loved and adored History of the Rain and have never gotten back to Williams. It was such an intense experience that I just haven't felt ready for another one yet. I will though, I trust.

>55 laytonwoman3rd: Many thanks for posting the link regarding Anne Tyler's interview. I've read most of her books. I was hooked from the first one I read.

>54 laytonwoman3rd: when I think about it I have to say that the good earth is one of my very favorite novels. I have read it twice, the first time in my early or mid 20s. I never read the full trilogy but buck became a favorite of mine and I enjoy reading a novel of hers every few years. Just read one this month. I do have plans to read the good earth trilogy sooner rather than later as I acquired an old omnibus several years ago.

Cleeves never got my interest altho I know she has many fans.

The June thread for the AAC is up. We're reading Willy Vlautin (and listening to his music, if so inclined) in June.

>57 lauralkeet:, >60 RBeffa: I'm glad to see other readers enjoyed The Good Earth. The "classics" can suffer from changing times and tastes, but I think this one remains a worthwhile read.

>56 jessibud2:, >57 lauralkeet:, >59 Whisper1: It's been a while since I read any of Tyler's works, but they almost always hit me well.

>58 LizzieD: I have the 4th Sean Duffy on a nearby stack, waiting its turn. Soon, I hope.

32. Fagin the Thief by Allison Epstein A tale well worth telling, this back story and elaboration of the life of Dickens's nasty caricature of the Jew as villain, Fagin the pickpocket and trainer of legions of young fingersmiths. While Epstein's version had a childhood, a first name, and a mother who loved and tried to protect him, in his adult life we find him fully as depraved and self-serving as in the original. And some of the stereotypes refuse to die, even as Epstein strives to show us more of Fagin's humanity, the "why" of the man. Jacob Fagin mourned his mother's death all his life, telling himself repeatedly that he would love no one else. Living in what we would characterize as grimmest poverty, Fagin places value on almost nothing except his own safety and the pleasant weight of full pockets. Almost... He takes in a desperate boy named Bill Sikes, for whom he develops a strong attachment despite seeing that Bill's temperament will surely lead to trouble for both of them. He also harbors a sort of love for Bill's girl, Nancy, whose light-hearted presence brightens the dark corners of his squalid squat, and whose talents and instincts complement Fagin's own. There is no suggestion that Fagin has any physical attraction to Nancy, nor that he is sexually exploiting any of the children under his tutelage. His reputation leads homeless boys to seek him out---he does not need to entice them into his circle. We are given to understand that he may occasionally avail himself of the offerings at a local brothel. While it lasts, he takes some pleasure in seeing Nancy's positive effect on Bill. It's good for business.

I found something lacking in this story---the whole thing was not nearly as interesting as it should have been. I understand and applaud what Epstein was trying to do. In fact, I believe she did what she set out to do (as explained by her in an author's end note). But there's no escaping our knowledge of the inevitable ends of all of these characters (Oliver Twist barely comes into it until the very end, and we see him only from Fagin's contemptuous, resentful perspective). Understanding a bit of how they came to be the men they turned into doesn't make Bill or Fagin sympathetic characters. Because we know they're both doomed from the beginning, we refuse to become invested in their fates.

>63 laytonwoman3rd: It's an interesting thought experiment turned into a story. That very seldom works out well. Sorry you had this let-down of a read to end May with, Linda3rd.

I've been bopping back and forth between your thread and my Amazon wishlist, putting books there so I won't forget them. I went on a Pearl S. Buck buying binge for my Kindle when they were going for bargain basement prices, so I'm well set that way, but you really got me with the Ondaatje.

>64 richardderus: With proper imagination applied, I sometimes like this sort of thing very much. Jon Clinch has done it for me twice, with Finn, and again with Marley.

>65 tiffin: So nice to have you visit, Tui! And I take full responsibility for putting Warlight on your radar. I think you will like it.

Hi Linda. I really like your "Heavy Stuff" theme. I may borrow that for 2026. Or maybe even the latter half of 2025. There are some chunksters I'd really like to get to. One would think that with all this extra time retirement has afforded me ... hahaha.

Oh, and I have Fagin the Thief on hold at the library. I can't wait to get to it!

>67 EBT1002: Well, I'm not doing all that well with my determination to read some chunksters this year...so far I've managed one off my list. Started another, but set it aside. The myth of long days in the reading chair post-retirement is just that...a myth!

>68 EBT1002: I'm really looking forward to your take on Fagin, Ellen.

33. The Horse by Willy Vlautin Well. Having finished this brief novel yesterday, and having given it the night to settle itself, I think I may have hit on the main reason it didn't work for me. First, I'll shamelessly purloin a thought from our resident curmudgeon, @richardderus --"Reading is the act of thinking in another head". Here we spend nearly all our time inside the head of Al Ward, a mediocre musician and songwriter, who has some luck over the years, but never manages to make the most of it. He's drunk or hungover a lot, and as he puts it, his nerves give out. He doesn't have a passion for music any more than he has a passion for tequila, but he can't leave either of them alone. So much of the narrative revolves around Al's song-writing, but all we get of it are recitations of titles...sometimes 20 or 30 of them in a row. I googled a few of them--some are actual song titles from the author's own bands. But even if I knew and loved the output of Richmond Fontaine or The Delines, I wouldn't see the point of filling paragraphs with nothing but the titles. Unless the fact that the music is missing is the point, in which case the book could have been even shorter. The ending seemed unwarranted by everything that led up to it, but at least it didn't wreck me. Vlautin has talent, and it's evident here, so YMMV. But I wasn't moved, or enlightened, by living in Al's head.

>63 laytonwoman3rd: I won't read this one, Linda, although I have a copy of Finn that I hope to read eventually. I was struck by this comment. Understanding a bit of how they came to be the men they turned into doesn't make Bill or Fagin sympathetic characters. As an understatement, that's how I feel about the entity in the White House right now.

Happy Reading!!!!

>71 LizzieD: "that's how I feel about the entity in the White House right now. " Ha! I had that thought myself.

It had to be said, Linda. Great minds and all that!

Meanwhile, I had a closer look at your topper and am about to bite the bullet to get a cheap, used copy of Shadow Country. I'd rather have it on the Kindle, but I'm not willing to pay twice the price for it - and I want it. I've read, own, or am not very interested in the others except that I can't read that first title! ?????

>73 LizzieD: The first book in that photo is The Landmark Herodotus, and trust me, I am unlikely ever to read it in its entirety!

>70 laytonwoman3rd:: With all the books still unread by me in the world, I feel safe in giving that one a miss. I like Richard's observation.

>70 laytonwoman3rd: I'm so chuffed you liked my formulation of that thought, Linda3rd. It's compact, and you seem to agree with me that it's punchy. Yay!

I liked The Free but haven't read this one. It might just be that Author Vlautin rides this hobbyhorse even when other means might suit his story more tightly. My review of The Free has: "Author Vlautin, a musician by trade, eschews song-type restrictions on his prose for a maximalist moment-by-moment account of each character's separate bad-dream life. The accumulation of detail and the internal lives of these average people build a crooked, ramshackle story-verse that each is unaware that they share with the others." Restricting that to one head sounds like it wasn't a great choice.

>75 tiffin: I'm so glad to hear it, Tui.

34. Broken Fields by Marcie Rendon The 4th Cash Blackbear mystery. Cash is a great character...product of a family tragedy and a series of unpleasant (at best) foster home placements, she was lucky to have found a solid advocate in Sheriff Wheaton, the man who rescued her from the automobile accident that split up her family. Now, as an independent young adult, Cash has trouble engaging emotionally, but her feelings do run deep. When she discovers a terrified small child hiding under a bed in a house where there is also a very recently dead body, Cash's own past comes sharply into focus and she will do anything to protect the little girl who reminds her so much of herself. A page turner with well-managed suspense, very believable characters, and a satisfyingly realistic ending. (Lots of references to what happened in the previous books, so not the place to begin with her.)

>78 laytonwoman3rd: I’m just starting this read! I’ve read and enjoyed all of the Cash Blackbear books, as well as the other things Rendon has written. I’m thrilled that you read this and liked it.

Karen O

>79 klobrien2: I've been sold on Rendon since I discovered her in one of our AAC Native American theme months. I have one non-Cash novel on the shelf to read...trying to save it for the long wait between series entries.

>80 laytonwoman3rd: Would that non-Cash Blackbear book be Where They Last Saw Her? I read it not too long ago and it’s terrific. You have a treat waiting for you.

Karen O

>81 klobrien2: Oh, it is! See, now I want to go read it immediately. Must. not. binge.

35. A Plate of Red Herrings by Richard Lockridge A revisit to one of my Lockridge titles I haven't read in decades---it felt all new to me, other than the blossoming relationship between our man in the Manhattan D.A.'s office, Bernie Simmons, and the lovely Nora Curran. After a corporate takeover of the magazine Nora works for, multiple firings set the stage for the murder of the new parent company's hatchet man. Which one bonked him with his own trophy? And why is the murderer trying to pin it on Nora, when the police have at least a half dozen likely suspects? A fun read, although the obvious conflict of interest that would surely have kept Bernie from being part of this investigation is problematic---it's mentioned, but never insisted upon, by the homicide detective in charge. Maybe, in the late 1960s when this was written, that was possible...seems totally unbelievable now.

A very special day today, as I had the privilege to meet two old and dear LT friends IN PERSON for the first time. Stasia @alcottacre and Linda @Whisper1 met me at a more-or-less midway point, in the Wyoming Valley of PA, for a loooong visit over lunch at Tom's Kitchen, a very nice family restaurant in Sugarloaf, PA. We occupied a table, by my reckoning, for over 3 hours, and it went by in a flash. Talked about everything you can imagine---books, family, food, pets, jobs, politics (moved off that dreary subject fairly quickly), the marvel that is the LT community, and how much Stasia HATES to have her picture taken. I took one of her when she wasn't noticing, and I promise I won't share it, but I WILL treasure it, along with memories of a classic get-together.

Trivia: we each have a purple-ish case on our phone.

Meet-ups are so wonderful, aren't they? I'm with Stasia about having photos taken!

>84 laytonwoman3rd: It was a foregone conclusion that you three ladies would get along like a house on fire. This group is amazing as are those that people it and contribute to its special-ness. All three of you have contributed so much to this group over the years and enriched my life in consequence. xx

>84 laytonwoman3rd: Oh, it was great fun, wasn't it? I would do it again in a heartbeat (with the exception of the pictures thing!)

What Linda did not mention is that she brought both Linda and I each a book, which I will treasure forever - and a loaf of vegan oatmeal bread, which we sliced when we got back to Linda's home. Delicious!!

Happy Friday, Linda. I liked The Horse more than you but agree it could have been better. I have enjoyed a couple of his other books and I would suggest giving him another try. But then again...so many books.

>85 tiffin: I'm not the biggest fan of having my own picture taken, come to that. But memories are priceless, and when I look back at photos of myself taken years ago (which I wasn't thrilled with at the time) I find I am glad they exist.

>86 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul. How very nice to be seen in such a light.

>87 alcottacre: Even the flying part, Stasia? Glad you enjoyed the bread. I will be making another batch today, to give to my niece and her family tomorrow...they love it.

>88 msf59: I do intend to read more of Vlautin, Mark. In fact, I enjoyed Lean on Pete quite a bit. And @lycomayflower is reading The Horse now, so there is likely to be some good discussion of various points with her as she goes along. I have been known to revise my opinion of a book after further consideration.

>89 laytonwoman3rd: Yes, even the flying part. Loved the bread, probably too much, lol.

36. Ike's Road Trip by Brian C. Black In 1919, Dwight Eisenhower, then a young Army officer, participated in a military convoy that crossed the continental U.S. in a combined publicity tour to raise support and money for building a true transcontinental highway system, and a tribute to the men and materiel that had just brought WWI to a close. Eisenhower's role was as an observer, so he reported extensively on the difficulties encountered in transporting trucks, tanks and automobiles over the existing (and often virtually non-existent) stretches of the so-called Lincoln Highway from Maryland to California. The trip was a real ordeal, involving conditions sometimes equally challenging to those encountered on the battlefields of Europe. The number of miles engulfed in dust or mud far exceeded those offering solid support for the truck train's wheels and treads. But this was the beginning of the U.S. love affair with auto travel, and petroleum consumption, as well as the resulting eruption of gas stations, motel chains, shopping malls and urban sprawl. A very enlightening little historical snapshot.

37. Death of a Tall Man by Frances and Richard Lockridge A curious death in a medical office. Who bonked Dr. Gordon at his desk? And why? And how does Pamela North manage to get herself mixed up in this one? Delightful detection on her part, as well as some of the best cat antics of the series. Foggy drives in the country, and a big old house and grounds to host the final shenanigans. Brief appearance by Captain Heimrich of the New York State Police, who hasn't yet made himself enough of a presence to warrant his own series. An oldie, but a goodie.

I am really enjoying reading everyone's report on the meetup. It sounds delightful.

>84 laytonwoman3rd: Sounds just perfect Linda.

>84 laytonwoman3rd: How lucky you all are! I'm glad you had a good meet-up.

>91 laytonwoman3rd: I don't know that I ever knew of this trip...goes a long way to explaining the Interstate system! xo

>93 lauralkeet:, >94 Caroline_McElwee:, >95 norabelle414: It was delightful, and I DO feel lucky to have had this get together work out.

>96 richardderus: I forget when this book came to my attention, but the whole "Truck train expedition" thing was news to me when it did. I did know that Eisenhower was responsible for making true interstate highways a priority when he was President. The concept had existed for decades, but he signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, which established the federal program for funding and building it.

>97 laytonwoman3rd: It's one that swam right past me until you alerted me to it, so thanks for being the trailblazer. It's from David R. Godine, so no wonder it flew under my radar, they don't hand out a lot of ARCs.

>98 richardderus: Ah, sure...that's how I came across it. I've been ordering books directly from Godine for a few years now. I get a catalog a couple times a year. Their offerings are worth checking out, and they often throw in a freebie.

>99 laytonwoman3rd: Jeremy Davies' story collection The Knack of Doing was the last one I remember them sending me. Wonderful stories; very tendentious publisher. I see why you got into that habit.

38. Gun Street Girl by Adrian McKinty With an offer to join MI5 out there, Sean Duffy takes on a double-murder/suicide investigation that looks to stir up more trouble for his already iffy standing with the Royal Ulster constabulary. As matters proceed, Inspector Duffy gets a feeling this one is make - or- break. Even if he solves it, people in both high and low places may be very unhappy with him. The job change could be just what's needed. Fictionalized versions of what may have gone on behind the scenes of actual events ---Iran-Contra, the overdose death of an MP's daughter, the Troubles of course, and more---form the basis for this page-turner. But you don't have to remember anything particular from that time period to enjoy the cracking good story here.

39. An Obvious Fact by Craig Johnson No. 12 in the Walt Longmire series. Walt, Henry and eventually Vic all end up in a small town adjacent to both Devil's Tower National Monument and the annual motorcycle rally in Sturgis, South Dakota. Henry, driving his T-bird (Lola) and towing his classic Indian motorcycle as well as a dirt bike on which he hopes to repeat his years-gone-by win of the rally's famous hill climb, unexpectedly comes face to face with the woman he named the car for. And that's not good news. Someone may have deliberately forced Lola's son off the road, leaving him in a coma and she wants Henry to help the over-burdened local police find out who that was. Henry has lately been reading Walt's Complete Sherlock Holmes, and quoting it freely (to Walt's increasing irritation), but it doesn't seem to be of any immediate assistance in figuring out just what was going on in the injured young man's life that could have prompted someone to try to eliminate him. "There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact." Nor as intriguing as a story written by an author whose skill at misdirection is honed as fine as this. An exciting outing for our fearsome threesome---and Dog.

40. The Dog Who Followed the Moon by James Norbury I found this on the new fiction shelf at the library today when picking up a hold. Since I loved Norbury's Big Panda and Tiny Dragon books, I grabbed it, and read it with my lunch. The illustrations, as expected, are exquisite, both the pen and ink ones and the watercolors. The storyline, however, didn't appeal to me very much. A lost puppy wandering in the forest falls into deadly peril when she is surrounded by a pack of wolves. One old wolf, who has somehow fallen into disfavor and is wounded, snatches Amaya from certain death and tears off with her, eventually leaving the pack behind. Thereafter follows an adventure, seeking the proper path Amaya hopes may reunite her with her parents. The philosophy part of this one feels a bit heavy-handed to me, although the concept of natural death is well handled. I think it was easier to accept a panda and a mythological creature having the sort of conversations that go on here than two realistic creatures who would not ordinarily keep pleasant company. Still, a treat to spend a short hour with the marvelous drawings and paintings.

41. Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place by Neema Avashia I'm not sure, but I think this may be the first book I've read this year that I feel warrants 5 stars. It is memoir-ish, but actually a collection of essays written by a woman whose parents immigrated to the US from India in the late 1960s, and settled shortly thereafter in rural West Virginia, where her father had been hired as company doctor for a chemical firm. Avashia's concept of "home" is firmly rooted in the positive memories of growing up in a neighborhood where everyone was welcome in everyone else's home, where helping each other was bred in the bone, where all the grown-up ladies were "aunties" or extra grandmothers, no matter that they were all White and Avashia and her family were Brown. Nonetheless, prejudice, whether subtle or obvious, unintended or unapologetic, was always in the air. While the author speaks of her resistance to traditional gender roles as a young person, and her reluctance to brave her family's reaction to her choice of life partner, the main thrust of this book is the racial and cultural divide she has navigated all her life, rather than the issue of sexual identity. It is amazing to me that she can look back with such clarity on those early years when she was "other" in so many ways, with no apparent resentment for the parts that had to be unnerving. She has always loved and embraced her West Virginia origins, even now that she has spent more of her life elsewhere than she did there. This resonates with me, for whom "home" will ever be the farm I never lived on, where generations of my family beginning in the late 19th century have lived. Highly recommended.

>104 laytonwoman3rd: Sounds fascinating Linda. It's always interesting to find a really successful book that communicates well someone else's very different experience, while also showing the commonalities.

>104 laytonwoman3rd: I've heard of that one but somehow it didn't make it onto my list. It certainly is now!

>105 Caroline_McElwee: I agree...and this author did a marvelous job of both.

>106 norabelle414: I hope you can get to it soon, Nora. It came recommended to me by @lycomayflower, or I never would have known about it.

42. Tasting History by Max Miller I've said it before...I've been known to read cookbooks from cover to cover. Of course, this one was sort of made to be read, rather than cooked from. The subtitle, "Explore the Past Through 4,000 Years of Recipes" is a clue to the contents. The author presents some ancient recipes, many of them unintelligible even in translation, from across the globe, and then updates them for the modern cook. This must have been an incredible challenge. Sourcing some of the ingredients commonly used in ancient Rome or medieval Europe could be daunting. Ale barm, for instance..."if you have easy access to a brewer..."; or hyssop..."finding it in a tea bag is the easiest way of procuring this herb"; rue..."in small quantities it is harmless but in large quantities can be toxic..." Well, you get the idea. Miller offers modern substitutes for most the the seasonings not commonly considered pantry staples by 21st century cooks. Even though he says he has prepared multiple versions of each recipe contained in this book to get to a reasonable facsimile that can be prepared in the average home kitchen, there are only a handful I'd ever consider trying myself. The stories that accompany them, however, are just fascinating, and the illustrations are beautiful. Potage d'Oignons au Lait, anyone?

>108 laytonwoman3rd: You got me with a solid BB for Tasting History. Two of my favorite things to read—cookbooks and history books! Great review!

Karen O

>104 laytonwoman3rd:: That sounds intriguing. But no thanks to the creamed onion soup!

>109 klobrien2: Thanks, Karen. It's one of my favorite combinations too.

>110 tiffin: No? I'd love it. It's one of the recipes I might try when the heat breaks.

Hooray for Sean Duffy and Walt Longmire! An Obvious Fact was the last Longmire that I read. Not sure I will continue but I really enjoyed the series.

>111 laytonwoman3rd:: Nope. I got sick on creamed onions once when I was a kid. They are a no fly zone now.

>112 msf59: Since we finished watching the TV series, I've been suffering from Longmire withdrawal, so I've gone back to the books!
>113 tiffin: Ah, well, that explains it. My MIL always made creamed onions for Thanksgiving dinner, and I liked those, so the soup intrigues me.

>84 laytonwoman3rd: The meet up sounds amazing, Linda. Aren't LTers the best! You reminded me of the Cash Blackbear mysteries. I somehow had a copy of the first in the series which I enjoyed. I'm now waiting for the second one from the library.

>115 Familyhistorian: I'm glad to have put Cash Blackbear back on your radar, Meg. I am really taken with her character, and look forward to many more of her adventures.

43. Blue Lightning by Ann Cleeves Jimmy Perez is supposed to be on vacation with his fiance on Fair Isle when an obvious murder among the summer birding visitors throws him into an investigation he wants no part of. Weather prevents boats or planes from bringing any forensic team or other investigators to the island, so he's stuck with it. Even though I like the setting, and the story in this one was pretty good, I think this will be my last Shetland novel. Jimmy is so full of self-doubt over his job, his relationship with his parents, his love life, his future...I find him irritating. Some of his insecurities are well-founded, and he does not seem to really know what he wants from life. Profound changes are ahead for him, based on the outcome of this case, and maybe he will eventually "find" himself, but I'm not particularly invested in how that comes about. I was also completely put off by the deaths of two of the only likeable characters in the cast. This makes me unwilling to put myself into Cleeves' hands again.

>108 laytonwoman3rd: I've watched Max's YT channel for years now, and I really like his mix of research, context, and execution of what amounts to experimental archaeology. I loved his ancient-Egyptian cake episode!

Pass the creamed onions, please.

>108 laytonwoman3rd: That one sounds like one I would enjoy. Thanks for the recommendation, Linda!

I hope you have a fantastic Friday!

>117 laytonwoman3rd: I feel for your unwillingness to trust a mystery author who killed of likable characters. I gave up on Sue Grafton for that reason

>118 richardderus: I'll have to try to find Max's YouTube channel. I'm sure he's grand to watch.

>119 alcottacre: You're welcome, Stasia!

>120 quondame: Hmmm...I read all of Sue Grafton, and don't recall having that issue, but in that case, I was so taken with Kinsey from the very first book that it might not have bothered me quite so much as here, where I don't like the main character. I took exception to James Lee Burke for doing it to all of Dave Robicheaux's wives (at least up to the point where I quit on him.

>121 laytonwoman3rd: Here's his latest:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCuWoOGO9zI

>122 richardderus: Thank you, Richard! And there's his book on the counter right behind him.

>123 laytonwoman3rd: He's no dummy...he used to be the Prince on Disney's Snow White cruises! The lad's got commercial *down*.

>124 richardderus: Ah...a Disney Prince....THAT's what he looks like. Still, not just a pretty face.

>117 laytonwoman3rd: I'm sorry that plot development has put you off the series, Linda. I can't remember whether you've watched the TV series, but from the beginning Jimmy is a widower, Fran having died earlier (and I believe it was cancer, not a violent act. So when I started reading the books I thought well that's interesting, I wonder how this will play out. I suspected Fran would die but certainly didn't expect it to happen the way it did and it was quite a gut punch.

Catey and I were talking a couple of days ago about how (for me, anyway) an author's cardinal sin is killing off a main character that I like, lol. Side characters are one thing, but a main character that I, as a reader, become emotionally involved with is another. I think my hatred of an author doing this harkens back to my reading Little Women as a child and then Beth died. I am not sure I have ever recovered (very tongue in cheek)

Have a super Saturday, Lynda!

>126 lauralkeet: It's actually more Jimmy's personality that has made me decide not to follow this one further, Laura. The plot development made me very cranky, and it seemed almost irrelevant TO the plot...it felt like the author had changed her mind about where she wanted to take Jimmy in the future, so had to get rid of this pesky Fran person. I have not watched any of the TV series.

>127 alcottacre: I can't think of Little Women without picturing Joey from Friends finding out that Beth dies...IYKYK.

>128 laytonwoman3rd: Oh I see Linda. I agree with the spoilery comment you made there. I believe Cleeves was involved in the TV adaptation and I wonder if she had any input to that aspect of it. My spoilers in >126 lauralkeet: are safe for you to read, btw, based on what you already know.

Jimmy is a wonderful TV character. It may be too late for you but I think you'd really like his on-screen self.

>129 lauralkeet: Thanks, Laura. It's entirely possible that we will give Shetland a go on TV, because we'll need something to replace Vera when we run out.

44. The Dixie Limited ed. by M. Thomas Inge I've been working through this fantastic collection of criticism on Faulkner and his influence for about a year and a half now. Some of the pieces I've read more than once. They range from contemporary reviews of his novels by the likes of Lillian Hellman, Arnold Bennett and Edwin Muir, to analyses of his form and technique by Wallace Stegner and Conrad Aiken, to broader overviews of his work from a later perspective, most impressive among the latter being the contributions of George Garrett, Robert Penn Warren and Willie Morris. Even John Grisham chimes in on the futility of comparing every author from Oxford to the peerless, but dead, legend. I absolutely love Grisham's snarky response to an earnest young interviewer who insisted on suggesting it "must be intimidating writing under the shadow of Faulkner": "I swear he's dead. I've seen his grave. Died thirty years ago when I was in the second grade" and "I'm not a Southern writer...I'm a commercial writer who lives in the South." Critics and biographers who made a long and serious study of Faulkner (Red Warren notwithstanding) and published their own full length works on Faulkner are not much represented here. If you have the interest to read this much on the subject, you probably know some of their names and can seek them out. (Oh, OK....Noel Polk, Cleanth Brooks, Olga Vickery, Jay Parini, Joseph Blotner, Malcolm Cowley). But if you've read a couple Faulkner novels, and think you'd like to understand him a little better, you could do much worse than to sample this collection. I know I'll never be completely finished with it, even now that I've read all of it at least once.

45. Clear by Carys Davies I put this title on my wishlist last year, based on reviews from two very astute readers, @lauralkeet, and @richardderus. Then my very astute 2024 secret Santa in this group, @ronincats, sent me a copy at Christmas. To all these people, thankyouthankyouthankyou! It's been a long time since a story moved me so unexpectedly. I cannot really do justice to it, and the less one knows going in, the more effective it will be. A simple, poignant tale firmly grounded in two Scottish historical situations, but intensely personal and gloriously apolitical, with characters whose "flaws" become the basis for true human connections. A remarkable 5 star read I will treasure, and revisit.

>132 laytonwoman3rd: Fantastic! I bought this book more or less on impulse -- I was browsing in a bookshop and a staff member started a conversation with me and then recommended Clear. I didn't want to turn her down, but also I was genuinely intrigued. So really, our thanks go to that astute bookseller.

>133 lauralkeet: I had read Davies before...West was a 4-star read for me (and Lois sent me that one), so I was pre-disposed to trying her again. But the reasons just kept piling up, and I'm very glad I didn't wait any longer to get to this one. Now I'm likely to read pretty much anything she writes.

>132 laytonwoman3rd: Wunderbar! I found Author Davies when Katie carried on about her book West and then got the DRC of this one. It's one of those depth-charge reads...doesn't go off until a certain amount of pressure's built up.

It really repays a re-read, though don't ask me how I know that.

So, as unbelievable as I find it, tomorrow is July 1st. And a new month means a new AAC thread. July will be Romance month, and before you shrug that off with an "I don't read Romance" nose-wrinkle, please read Lycomayflower's amazingly informative intro to the genre. You could be persuaded. And those of you who do read Romance, you'll find a LOT of suggestions there, maybe something new to you. Scoot.

So, that's a wrap for June. I haven't had such a successful month of reading in a while---13 total; finished one I'd been working on for a long time; three (3!) Five-Star reads; three non-fiction titles (accounting for 2 of the 5* ratings; one for the AAC; 3 ROOTs; lots of entertaining fluff; no DNF's; did my bit for library circulation numbers...every month should be so fine. I'll get around to a new thread as soon as some of you lurkers pipe up and say something, so I can get to the continuation feature, hmmm?

>135 richardderus: I am sure I will re-read Clear, Richard. Just to be in it again.

>137 laytonwoman3rd: de

lurking

now

>138 laytonwoman3rd: How could one not? Too tempting.

Cup of tea, dear?

I want these dudes too guide my steps into the next world like they did King Tut.

>143 richardderus: Blue and white china is my favorite. Just one of a multitude of reasons Clear was my cuppa. That teapot...

I'm reading this next month so the AAC will have some extra diversity.

>145 laytonwoman3rd: ...AND Snoopy! I'd buy those teacups in a heartbeat!

As collections go, tiles are easy to store, useful, and very pretty.

...am I helping?

I love this idea: a "rainbow railroad" to rescue people in countries where QUILTBAG people are at the most serious risk.

You are free to roam the site!

>148 richardderus: You are INDEED helping, but now I want tiles.

>151 laytonwoman3rd: How 'bout these:

A public building's entryway in Rajasthan, and I would love to have it in my building.

>132 laytonwoman3rd: Funny, I have this on hold at the library at the moment.

>143 richardderus: Ha, love it.

>132 laytonwoman3rd: I scratched this author off my list after reading "West" some years ago. Despite your praise I still don't feel like a second chance try.

>152 richardderus: The color is exquisite, but the effect may be just a tad too busy for me.

>153 Caroline_McElwee: I hope you get access to it soon, and that you also enjoy it, Caroline.

>154 RBeffa: Well, we can't all like all the same things, can we? I enjoyed West, but it pales in comparison to this one, in my opinion. Still...plenty of books to choose from without returning to an author who didn't work for you the first time.

>155 laytonwoman3rd: I apologize for being negative.

>156 RBeffa: Totally unnecessary, Ron. What would we talk about if we all liked and disliked the same things?

>157 laytonwoman3rd: When I read books now and then that you have liked I almost always like them a lot. Sometimes not. I write reviews less and less these days. Mostly things to help me remember. I like your comments. I just started the Peter Swanson book before bed last night. I can tell it will be a good one.

>158 RBeffa: My daughter has to get the credit for Eight Perfect Murders. It was her copy I read, at her recommendation. And I thank you for mentioning it here, because now I notice I didn't copy my comments to the review box on the book page...so that's done now!