Christmas Swap 2025

Welcome to the Christmas Swap for the 75 Books Challenge Group 2025. I am Jeff (mahsdad) and I'll be your host for the 11th year of book swapping in the 75 Book Challenge Group. I did a poll in the Group Announcements that was mixed, but overall positive, so game on. Hopefully we'll have a good group of people. I'm looking forward to another great book picking season. It continues to be such "interesting" times we live in, But this is always one of my favorite times of the year.

For those that are new, or those who’ve forgotten, this is our own version of SantaThing, where we get to bring some literary joy to our friends here in the group. It’s a secret Santa, where you will be buying and shipping books to one person that you get assigned. Remember, we are not affiliated with LibraryThing, so don’t bug them with questions or issues about shipping, that’s my job.

As in years past, we keep this simple: Let me know if you are playing, PM me your address and email address. (If you played last year and haven't moved, I still have your info). I’ll use a randomizer to make the selections. Everyone will get a 75er to buy book(s) for.

This year the limit again is $30, but that is only a suggestion. Speaking for myself, I don't care how much you spend, if you send me some interesting books that you think I'll like, I'm totally here for it. Hopefully, that will work for everyone. Feel free to pick new books, carefully preserved “used” books or eBooks (if you specifically want ebooks, please let me know).

In these trying times for small business, if you can utilize any of your local bookstores, that would be an added benefit. Bookshop.org, is a good choice when it comes to buying from independent bookstores as well. Totally understand, however, if Amazon is your only option, but we all need the locals. Some other choices might be, Thrift Books - https://www.thriftbooks.com/, or Goodwill Books - https://www.goodwillbooks.com/. (If you have any other suggestions, please share!)

Since US Thanksgiving is late this year, I'm going to make the cut-off be 11/24, the Monday before Thanksgiving. This should give everyone enough time to play. I will pick names after that date (I'll let you all know here). I am very forgiving, so just let me know if you want in, even after the "cut-off". After I randomly sort the names and make the selections, I will send out the addresses in PM messages as soon as I can, probably by Wednesday 11/26 at the latest.

Once that is done, you can select from that Lter's wishlist or pick something on your own. The former is a safer bet. Plan accordingly so that your gifts will arrive by Christmas, given shipping time, especially to any non-US friends. International shipping can sometimes take up to 3 weeks or more.

Make sure you have Christmas Swap or LibraryThing printed somewhere on the shipping label, so your giftee "knows" and can save it for a Christmas opening. Another suggestion is, if the shipper doesn't allow for personal messages, put “LT” in as part of your giftee’s name.

Please feel free to use this thread to ask questions, make suggestions, or explicitly state that you do NOT want the latest YA Werewolf/Vampire Romantic-comedy series even though everyone says you must read it. Also, let us know if you’re going to participate in LT’s SantaThing tradition. We’ll be able to make comments there to let your other Santa know what you’re getting from us.

Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! Happy Kwanzaa! Merry Festivus for the rest of us.

I will be joining this year. Be sure to use my new address. No ebooks. used is fine.

>2 benitastrnad: Sweet. I'll double check what I have and PM you.

I will be participating.

>4 elorin: Confirmed

I'm in. Nothing has changed, including my preferences, which are mostly "no thank you's"---no e-books, no horror, sci-fi or fantasy unless found on my wishlist. Used is perfectly OK with me. If a book on my wishlist is tagged "JCK", it's for @flamingrabbit, not for me.

Im in of course, Jeff, but there is a possibility that I may have a new address - in the UK for Christmas. I'll get back to you.

>6 laytonwoman3rd: Yeah

>7 PaulCranswick: Nice, getting to a place for Christmas that might be Christmasy (tho for as many years that you've been in Malaysia, I'm guessing you're used to Christmas in Summer ;) )

I’m in!

I'm in!!! I only want ebooks.

>9 drneutron: >10 SilverWolf28: Yes!

I am in! I prefer hard covers to paperbacks and prefer both of them over ebooks.

I have both the BlackHole and a 'Need to Buy' list. I am just fine with used books!

I'm in! My address hasn't changed. I prefer print to ebooks and I'm fine with gently used. I think my LT wishlist is up to date.

>12 alcottacre: >13 cbl_tn: Yea!

I am also in and I am fine with used books, especially when it leads to getting MORE books. 🎅

I'm in! Prefer Kindle books, as that means I'm more likely to read them... :-) Will work on a wish list. Happy to ship anywhere, but for folks shipping TO the US, please factor in the ridiculous impact of our new tariffs...

I'm in! My address is the same.

I'm more than happy to receive used books and will update my wishlist soon.

I'm in!

>15 msf59: >16 Chatterbox: >17 amanda4242: >18 weird_O: Yippee! Welcome all!

That makes 13 so far.

I'm in! Thanks for visiting my thread or I might have missed it. Same address. I don't do e-books. Paperbacks and used books are great! I'll make sure my WL is updated. Thanks!

I'm in as well. I only like physical books ( no e books). Used is more than ok for me. I will see that I update/add some books to my WL.

>20 AMQS: >21 figsfromthistle: Anne, Anita, welcome back, I have you down on the list.

I'm in! Physical books only, please. Either paperback or hardcover is fine, as are used books.

I'm in, I like physical book of all kinds, all other details remain the same.

>24 thanesh: Hi Thanesh! I got you on the list.

That makes 17. Hopefully a couple more people will find us.

Am I the only e-book afficionado here?? I'm trying to de-accession many of my physical books, so adding them is counterproductive...

I have updated my wish list (unimaginatively tagged as Xmas Wishlist 2025....) I will say that my library on LT is unbelievably, not complete so just because it's not in my library does NOT mean I don't own or have not read it. I know, makes me sound incredibly fussy, but.... it is what it is. 300-400 books a year over decades translates to a ton of books!

>26 Chatterbox: I also love ebooks! Actually I don't read paper books at all.

I’m in again!

Address same as last year
in Pittsboro NC

I read mostly fiction - mys/suspense, hist fic, SFF, and novels set in different countries or about different cultures.
And l welcome surprises!
Used books are great.
I’ll update wishlist.

??
If some one wants only ebooks don’t we need their email address?

>28 nrmay: >29 nrmay: Hi Nancy, glad you're back in this year.

As far as ebooks are concerned, when people are requesting them from their Santa, I have their email addresses and will send them to you when I make the selections.

I'd like to take part

>31 magicians_nephew: Hi Jim, welcome in!

One last push to the top of the threads list.

Today's the last day to join us for this years Christmas Swap. If anyone else is interested, please let me know by the end of the day today (Monday 11/24)

My wishlist this year is on Amazon. I only want ebooks, if you can find them somewhere other than Amazon please make sure they're compatible with Kindle.

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/7YMSIVQLLDDF?ref_=wl_share

Just a suggestion: could those who'd like ebooks give the date they'd like them delivered?

I've updated my X-mas wishlist collection, but feel free to go off list. I'm good with either hardcover or paperbacks, and am happy to receive used books.

https://www.librarything.com/catalog/amanda4242/xmaswishlist

>35 amanda4242: I'm going to make the assumption (ebook delivery) that it should be 12/25. I'll tell everyone that in my pick DM.

On that note, I'm waiting to hear from @magicians_nephew to confirm that he's in and get his address before I make the picks.

>37 mahsdad: Sounds good! Thanks!

>37 mahsdad: Anxiously awaiting. . .

>35 amanda4242: , >37 mahsdad: Christmas Day sounds good for getting the ebooks.

Merry Christmas everyone.

The picks have been locked in. The site I had to use this year didn't do exceptions very well, but I did insure that you will not get the same person you got last year. And I also insured that if A is Santa for B, then B would not be Santa for A

I will send out the PMs with the addresses later today. (in the message I will also indicate the person's eBook preference)

Again to confirm...

Budget around $30

Look at your person's WL collections and/or tags, to see what they're hoping for, but as always (at least for me), if you have something completely different that you think they'll like, go for it.

Again, for me personally, if you have books in your own personal stash that you want to gift, rather than searching for it on one of the sites, all for that as well.

Finally, for eBook delivery, specify the date to be Christmas Day.

Post here, or PM me if you have any questions.

Please give me until tomorrow to finalize my wishlist. It will be tagged under "Christmas 2025" but of course you could always surprise me!

Thanks, Jeff. My wishlist is updated and yes I LOVE receiving short story collections as gifts.

My regular LT wishlist is updated. I said upthread, but I love used and/or regifted books!

My wishlist is updated, but feel free to go off wishlist. I enjoy surprises and trying new-to-me authors. Used is fine. I'm OK with ebooks too if that's easier for you!

Working on my wishlist today and tomorrow, so give me a chance to remove a few things that have lost their luster, OK? And please do not use my amazon wishlist--I haven't updated it in forever.

My CHRISTMAS 2025 wishlist is updated. I prefer paper books but I am happy whether or not they are new or used/re-gifted.

My wishlist is extensive, but maybe a bit out of date. Still, there's lots of choices there. On the other hand, I'm happy with pretty much anything my Santa chooses! Prefer paper, used works just fine!

I should have commented earlier for my Santa. My WL is ongoing and anything there is fair game, plus any one of the dozens of lists on my thread that aren't marked as read are good starting points as well. ;)

I did not realize Book Depository is no longer with us, which is a bummer. A couple of alternatives, especially with international shipping is Thrift Books and Fishpond Books. com

If there are any other suggestions- Let us know.

>50 msf59: Alibris.com is a good source for new and used books. Their shipping costs are shown here.

Bookshop.org has free shipping from time to time, and has the added benefit of allowing you to select an independent bookstore to receive a portion of the proceeds of your purchase. They are currently running a 25% OFF promotion on certain titles.

ETA: FREE SHIPPING TODAY at Bookshop.org

I trimmed down my Christmas WANT!! List and put it in DRIVE. Here's a link to it: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1JVREZF_23zvv0cVRbqMHdIkSdzjQeFvIwvHjhu4B...
I prefer hardcovers and trade paperbacks, but not mass market paperbacks. I do love used books. Sorry, but I'm not a listener. I don't have a Kindle or the like, so I'd prefer no ebooks. Hope you'll enjoy shopping.

If I forgot to mention it, and I think I did, PM me when you ship your goodies. I'll mark it on my list in case anything goes awry. (Or post here). Same goes when you start getting your goodies. Post here as well.

And since it will eventually come up. I leave up to Santa as to when to reveal themselves, but if nothing else wait until after Christmas.

>53 mahsdad: Is there going to be a list of what books everyone receives, Jeff? I know we have done it in the past so I am just curious as to whether or not we are going to do it this year or not.

Yes, the last couple years, I've created a Christmas Gifts list. I'll post here when I do. Probably right after Christmas.

>55 mahsdad: OK, thanks, Jeff.

For those keeping track, I've heard from Santa for the following... Your goodies are on the way. And as always, unless I hear differently, assume any packages you might receive are unwrapped, so tread lightly when opening boxes before Christmas. ;)

amanda4242
figsfromthistle
nrmay
PaulCranswick

PM me if I've missed anyone.

>57 mahsdad: Thanks for doing that, Jeff. A very good idea.

Got a book today! Thank you, Santa!

Santa Update

Gifts on the way for

elorin
alcottacre

>57 mahsdad: So exciting!

>60 mahsdad: Woot!

I have been unable to send mine to my giftee yet as I am waiting for another book to arrive.

Got a package with four books yesterday! Thanks Santa!

And thanks to @mahsdad for running this for us!

I received books today!
Thank you, Secret Santa.

Got another package today with two more books! Thank you, my generous Santa!

>65 amanda4242: Sounds like you are getting deservedly spoiled, Amanda! Congrats to you and your Santa!

Santa Update

As you can see gifts are starting to arrive. Spectacular!

Since my last message, I've heard from Santa, that the following are on the way...

laytonwoman34d
SilverWolf28

If there are any others, let me know.

*bounces up and down a little*

>66 alcottacre: I wouldn't say it's deserved, but Santa is certainly generous!

A package came today. I can't decide if I should wait or open it now! For now it's on the hearth tempting me.

I got a package from ThriftBooks a couple of days ago, and being certain I had ordered it, I struggled mightily to open that impenetrable plastic bag (not having the correct tools for the job—C4 explosive, the Jaws of Life. But I got it opened...and it wasn't MY order, but rather some Secret Santa's. Oops.

Today I got another package, recognized who had sent it and I have set it aside to await The Day.

I'd like to report that I successfully mailed a package of books, festively wrapped for the holiday. I was told it should arrive at it's destination by Friday, December 19.

Happy Holidays!!

Santa Update

More on the way

cbl_tn
drneutron
lycomayflower
mahsdad
msf59
thanesh
weird_O - who might have already gotten everything ;)
AMQS

I received a package this weekend, thank you Santa! It is safely tucked away under the tree awaiting the big day!

I received a package in the mail today that I know I didn't order. My super-honed package detective skills tell me it's a book. I have set it aside to open either Christmas Eve or Christmas day. It will go under the tree as soon as I find time to put the tree up.

I received 3 parcels from Thrift Books today, and while I DO and HAVE recently ordered from there, I think I've already received everything I can account for. SO...I suspect Santa is behind these, and will have @flamingrabbit open and wrap them for placement under the tree.

I received another book today from my Secret Santa.
So pleased. 😀
Thank you so very much!

I've created the 2025 Christmas Gifts List.

When you start opening Santa's Bounty, go here and share...

https://www.librarything.com/list/47231/all/2025-Christmas-Gifts

Got home from the cruise thi# afternoon and two boxes were waiting for me! Thanks, Santa!

I think my Christmas books arrived today. I received a shipment from Blackwell's, from whom I have not ordered recently, and no one in my family even know who Blackwell's is.

Thank you, Santa!

Another package arrived today. I'm nearly certain it's not anything I ordered, so I've set it aside with the other package to open at Christmas. Thanks, Santa!

I received a package last night!

I received a hefty package from Tennessee. 😁😁

I will wait until Christmas morning before opening. It is a tradition I look forward to. 😀🌳

>82 msf59: Yay! The books are all wrapped so you can open the box any time you want.

I received another package from Blackwell's today. Thank you again, Santa!

I've received a second package!

I received a third package today!

I received a nice hefty box from Mr. weird_O. Looking forward to opening it next week. Thanks!

I'm nervous; 15 days after Jeff notified I am still waiting for a package. I hope it makes it here in time.

>88 PaulCranswick: I am waiting for mine as well. Just makes the wait that more exciting.

>89 figsfromthistle: It does indeed, Anita.

Well my tension has already passed as I got notice from my concierge desk that I had a parcel delivered - picked it up and it seems to be from Germany which of course gives me a pointer as to who may be my wonderful benefactor.

The package tells me that there are two books inside and I know that I will not wait until Christmas is upon me before I see what I have been gifted.

>91 PaulCranswick:
I didn’t wait either. Opened them up and already finished A REDBIRD CHRISTMAS by F. Flagg, which l loved. Thanks again, Secret Santa!

>92 nrmay: My pleasure! I saw it on your list and had to get it for you. 😀

>92 nrmay: Yep, I buckled!

I got:

The Snapper by Roddy Doyle
and
Coming into the Country by John McPhee

Plus a really nice bookmark via Thrift Books - thanks so much Secret Santa!

>94 PaulCranswick: I was your Secret Santa, Paul. I hope you like my choices. When you mentioned the package came from Germany, I wasn't sure it was from me. This is the first time I ordered from Thrift Books and was very happy with them.

>95 msf59: That's great to know, mate. I must say that though the books are stated to be "used" you could certainly not tell they have been read as both were in pristine condition.

Thanks again Mark and have a great Christmas.

Received my package today with two books. Thanks Santa 🧑‍🎄!

I received another package in the mail today! Thank you, Santa!

Have received a third package! I don’t think I said before, but I'm saving these for the day.

Reporting the happy arrival of a large Amazon-branded box here.

Will open on Christmas morning - Thank you Santa!

I got a package delivered today that said it was LT Christmas Swap. I think it might be my Christmas Swaper.

I received another book-sized package in today's mail! That makes 5. I will probably open them tomorrow night since my family usually opened our gifts on Christmas Eve.

I cannot wait to see what everyone - including me - receives for Christmas!

My Kindle gifts from my lovely Santa arrived today!! I received from AMQS, THREE books:

Life on a Little-Known Planet by Elizabeth Kolbert -- I love her writing about the anthropocene and climate change

Unabridged: The Thrill Of and Threat to) the Modern Dictionary by Stefan Fatsis -- by a former colleague, who is excellent about the geeky parts of the world we live in. I gave my elder nephew (possibly even more geeky about this stuff than I am) my ARC in July so am delighted to have a Kindle copy of my own to read!!

Kindred by Octavia Butler -- An author I have yet to read, shamefully, and this seems to be the book to start with.

Excited to dig into these!! And BIG thanks to Anne. I still love physical books, but between arthritis, legacy of a broken wrist during the pandemic and deteriorating eyesight, I am reading 80% on Kindle nowadays. (Plus I don't have to find shelf space for new arrivals... or the wrenching question of keeping vs. giving them away...)

Happy holidays, and happy reading, to all!!

I finally opened my package from Thrift Books.
Flung Out of Space
Thrust
Whoever You Are, Honey

They look like intriguing reads. Thanks to my secret Santa.

I opened my packages and I was excited to find:
The Makioka Sisters by Junichiro Tanizaki
Heat and Dust by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala
A Life in Secrets: Vera Atkins and the Missing Agents of WWII by Sarah Helm
A Far Cry from Kensington by Muriel Spark
Sins for Father Knox by Josef Skvorecky

Thank you, Santa!!

^My very generous Christmas Swap booty, from dear Carrie (cbltn). She did such a good job picking these books and also wrapping each one individually. She also threw in Lindor chocolates. What a perfect way to wake up on Christmas morning.

The Souvenir Museum by Elizabeth McCracken
Winter Counts by David Weiden
Winter's Tales by Isak Dinesen (I have still not read Dinesen)
John James Audubon by Richard Rhoades (How did she know that I like birds? 😜
The Collected Stories of Jean Stafford (I have not read Stafford)
The Hive and the Honey by Paul Young

Bravo, Carrie!

Thanks, Santa, for

Uprooted by Naomi Novik
The Wolf in the Whale by Jordanna Max Brodsky
Confessions of the Fox by Jordy Rosenberg
The Words of the Night by C. Chancy

Wonderful selections!

Well Santa came to my house today and the tree is decked in Silver - and some tasty new books

A Tale for the Time Being A book that my in person book club is reading next month! Perfect

Persephone Station -- new one on me and looking forward to it

The Words of the Night -- new one for me and looking forward to it. Dragons in modern day - I'm SO there.

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek Books Ive been meaning to read for ever and now i will!
The Book Woman's Daughter. And the sequel Yeaaaah!

Thanks to all and Happy Christmas

My LT Santa did a wonderful job....here's the package, as wrapped by my in-house Santa:



and the goodies revealed:



Thank you, Santa!

My Santa (@weird_O), did a wonderful job this year. Wrapped and everything. Wasn't expecting that.

Got 6 lovely books. All from my large and unwieldy wishlist, and as such, I mostly have no memory of ever putting them there. ;)

The Light Between the Oceans by ML Stedman
The Arrest by Jonathan Lethem
O Pioneers! by Willa Cather
A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry
Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Caroline Fraser
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. A very interesting 1938 edition that I'm almost afraid to touch.

Thanks so much Bill for your thoughtful selections. I really appreciate it. Off to go read. LOL.

Also, as a reminder to everyone, I did create a Christmas Books list for you to share with everyone, what you got.

https://www.librarything.com/list/47231/all/2025-Christmas-Gifts

>107 msf59: Merry Christmas! I'm glad you like them!

I do not know who my Secret Santa is, but he/she/they did a wonderful job picking out books for me:

Anderby Wold by Winifred Holtby
Blaming by Elizabeth Taylor
Little, Big by John Crowley
A Time of Gifts by Patrick Leigh Fermor
Winter King by Thomas Penn

Thank you so much!

>106 cbl_tn: I was your Santa, Carrie -- hope you enjoy them! A great wish list to pick from and I included two books I really enjoyed, the Tanizaki and Sarah Helm's bio of Vera Atkins, which is as much a tale about unearthing someone's life story and what can be known and what can't, as it is a bio. And now I really want to read Skvorecky... :-)

>113 alcottacre: Twas I, Juana, who had the honour of being your Secret Santa and I had fun choosing for you.

I do hope you enjoy them.

>114 Chatterbox: All great picks! Thanks so much! I'm in a monthly online bookclub that reads books about women's history and social history. We read D-Day Girls a while back and I've been searching out more books about women in the intelligence services since then.

>116 cbl_tn: I think the Atkins bio is much much better than D-Day Girls... Let me know what you think!

>108 drneutron: I wasn't your Santa but I sent you The Words of the Night. It was one of my favorite books this year.

>109 magicians_nephew: I'm glad you like them! The Words of the Night was one of my favorite books this year.

>115 PaulCranswick: I told Kerry that I would not be surprised if my Secret Santa was my brother-from-another-mother, lol. Thank you, Juan!

>118 SilverWolf28: Thanks! Looks pretty good, gonna give it a go soon.

>121 drneutron: I think that you'll really like it!

Santa gifted me a generous stack of books!

Ring of Swords by Eleanor Arnason
A Gift Upon the Shore by M. K. Wren
Dreamsnake by Vonda N. McIntyre
Jackaroo by Cynthia Voigt
Bloody Jack: Being an Account of the Curious Adventures of Mary "Jacky" Faber, Ship's Boy by L. A. Meyer
Emergence by David R. Palmer
The Moorchild by Eloise McGraw

Thank you, Santa! And thank you, Jeff!

I received:

Bramble Burn by Autumn Dawn
Challenges by David Weber
The Pun Farmer by Autumn Dawn
Goodbye Lupus by Dr. Brooke Goldner

Thank you, Santa!!

>120 alcottacre: It was certainly my pleasure, Stasia. I was cock-a-hoop when I found out from Jeff that he had gifted me to gift you!

>117 Chatterbox: That's good to know! As I recall, there are gaps in D-Day Girls and I've been keeping an eye out for other books to fill in those gaps.

>109 magicians_nephew:
I really liked Persephone Station and even read the sequel Loki's Ring. If you like space opera you will like the book.

I opened my book package today and got 2 wonderful books.

Red Widow by Alma Katsu - which I have started reading
Set Phasers to Stun: 50 Years of Star Trek by Mark Berkmann

Both of these are very nice additions to my reading library. Thank you Santa - whoever you are.

>125 PaulCranswick: I was cock-a-hoop I certainly hope that is a good thing! Sorry, not familiar with that terminology at all, lol.

You did a wonderful job, Paul, and I am ever so grateful.

>129 alcottacre: It's a very good thing! Kind of giddy-elated....

yours sincerely, your neighborhood English to English translation agent...

>130 Chatterbox: Hahaha thank you Suz. And affirmative on it being a good thing.

>108 drneutron: Twas I, Jim! Happy reading!

My Santa gifted me with Sweet Silver Blues, Godkiller, and Half a King, all excellent selections from my wishlist. Thanks, Santa!

>132 lycomayflower: Thanks so much!

>133 lycomayflower: I was your. Secret Santa 🧑‍🎄

>130 Chatterbox: Thank you, Suzanne, for the clarification!

>131 PaulCranswick: Yay for it being a good thing!

I am adding books to the BlackHole, left, right, and center. Thanks for being a well read group with a bunch of different interests, lol.

Thanks @laytonwoman3rd , Linda for a wonderful Christmas surprise of 4 wonderful books,
Shattered Silence by Melissa G Moore
Midnight in the garden of good and evil by John Berendt
Life by Keith Richards and
Ask Me Now by Sascha Feinstein who used to be Linda's Professor

Thanks for the fantastic choice! I have already started reading them. Many thanks Linda you have been a super Santa!

I was delighted with the books from my secret Santa. Thank you!
I have already finished reading the two Christmas books. 🙂

CHILDREN OF CHRISTMAS: STORIES FOR THE SEASON by Cynthia Rylant
REDBIRD CHRISTMAS by Fannie Flagg
THE CROW FOLK by Mark Stay

>128 benitastrnad: I was your Santa Benita. Glad you like them!

>137 thanesh: I'm glad you like my choices, Thanesh. Dr. Feinstein was a professor at my alma mater during my daughter's tenure, not mine. But I have met him, and consider him brilliant, and I hope his jazz discussions are your cup of tea.

>139 elorin:
I already started reading Red Widow. I spent the day baking Gingerbread cakes and so the house smelled really good while I was reading. It was perfect reading for a foggy gloomy Christmas Day.

I wanted to embellish my Santa Swap reveal with a photo, but the tech bros out in Silicon Valley were retarding the transfer of images captured on an iPhone through Apple photos to Google Photos. Thus...



Pictured are:

The Book Censor's Library, Bothayna Al-Essa. (pbk)
The 6:41 to Paris, Jean-Philippe Blondel (pbk)
Cutting for Stone, Abraham Verghese (pbk)
Half a Life, V. S. Naipaul (pbk)
Enduring Love, Ian McEwan (pbk)

Good choices all. Thank you, thank you. (I've started The 6:41 to Paris).

>142 weird_O: I was your Santa! Glad you like them!

There should be one more, Fallout: The Hiroshima Cover-up and the Reporter Who Revealed It to the World. Tracking says it was delivered on December fifth, probably in a Thriftbooks package.

Oh Lordy. I got that. I read it. The embarrassing secret is, I thought I ordered it, so I didn't check the address label closely. Now I am wondering why in %#@$ I thought I ordered it. Phooey.

But it was excellent, and I humbly apologize. Thanks so much.

>142 weird_O: I do not know about the rest of them, but I loved Cutting for Stone!

>144 weird_O: I'm glad it arrived and that you enjoyed it!

I am very late in posting this, but my Santa absolutely knocked it out of the park with four books PLUS a gift from her library to mine. I am so thrilled with this wonderful pile of books and so grateful to Stasia (alcottacre). Thank you!!



Tin Man by Sarah Winman
The Colony by Audrey Magee
News of the World by Paulette Jiles
How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America by Clint Smith
In This House of Brede by Rumer Godden

I have had In This House of Brede on my WL forever, or so it feels. It's unusual for me not to come across a book - at a library, Friends of the Library sale, or other source, and I have never encountered this one. I am SO grateful!

>104 Chatterbox: Happy reading!

>147 AMQS: I do hope you enjoy them all, Anne! Merry Christmas!

>147 AMQS:
I have a copy of This HOuse of Brede. Maybe at some point in the future we can do a readalong.

I finished reading Red Widow last night. It was one of the books from my Swapee. I enjoyed the book. Thanks. once again.

>150 benitastrnad: that sounds great! I’m in 😊

It seems my Santa chooses to remain secretive...

>153 laytonwoman3rd:
Not exactly. I thought I had already posted that. I even missed your post up-thread. Is the E. B. White book in good shape? I knew it wouldn't have the dust jacket (copies with the dust jacket were mighty far out of the cost limit) so I took a chance that it would at least be readable. My excuse is that it is a busy season here on the Plains.

>154 benitastrnad: Ah, Benita! I wondered if it might be you, as I didn't see you claiming anyone else. (Great detective mind at work, you know.) The E. B. White is in good condition, and in fact it does have a dust jacket with only tiny little top tears. I'm really looking forward to reading all of your choices. Now that I know who you are, I thank you thank you thank you in person.

>152 AMQS: I am in too! I love that book!