Kristel's Reading Journey in 2026, Part 2

Happy spring, April Showers, May Flowers, June. May you discover many new books and enjoy visiting old favorites. Welcome to my thread.

I am an active and dedicated member of online reading communities and face-to-face bookclubs, particularly on Goodreads and LibraryThing. I've added Storygraph this year and will be doing the BenReadsChallenge and the 2026 Book Chain. I have been doing the bookspinbingo challenge on Litsy for several years. Lists are my thing!

I am a retired nurse and grandmother of two granddaughters ages 20 soon to be 21 and 17. I enjoy spending time with family, my church group, friends, and pickleball group.

Reading Goals

British Author Challenge

Wildcard: To Be Read List

January:
Cressida Cowell - How to Train Your Dragon
Richard Adams - The Plague Dogs

February:
Elizabeth Chadwick - Lady of the English
Nevil Shute

March: Obscure Works Blue Ruin

April:
Kit de Waal My Name is Leon
Stephen Fry -

May:
MM Kaye
Iain M. Banks - Surface Detail

June:
The Stuarts and Interregnum (1603-1714)
Paradise Lost - John Milton

July:
Natalie Haynes
Mohsin Hamid

August:
Ruth Prawer Jhabvala &
Melvyn Bragg

September:
Xinran
George MacDonald Fraser

October: Monty Python

November:
Natasha Pulley
Siegfried Sassoon

December:
Jodi Taylor
JRR Tolkien

1001 Books
Year long read:
U.S.A.: The 42nd Parallel / 1919 / The Big Money - John Dos Passos
Completed The 42nd Parallel February
1919 completed April

Quarterly Reads:
1st (January - March): The Betrothed Completed February.
2nd (April - June): Melmoth the Wanderer READ
3rd (July - September) The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle READ
4th (October - December): Gravity’s Rainbow

BOTM schedule
January
To Each His Own - Completed
Transit - Completed

February
Waiting for the Dark, Waiting for the Light - Klima Completed

March:
Myra Breckenridge - Gore Vidal Completed

April: Smith - Szcryplorski
The Red Room - Strindberg COMPLETED

May: Tabucchi - Van Eeden
Some Prefer Nettles - Junichiro Tanizaki COMPLETED
On the Eve - Ivan Turgenev - COMPLETED

June: Wharton - Zweig
Sexing the Cherry - Winterson

July La Fanu - Macdonaldd
Time of the Hero -Mario Vargas Llosa
Feast of the Goat -Mario Vargas Llosa

August: Pater - Rhys

September: Rice - Sandel

October: Nobokov - Pasternak

November: Machines - Melville

December: Mendoz - Musil

TBR takedown and wine pairings
1, Fifth Business - Robertson Davies (A)
April 2. Uncle Petros and Goldbach's Conjecture - Apostolos Doxiadis (A)
3. Berlin Alexanderplatz - Alfred Döblin (A)
4. The Green Man - Kingsley Amis (A)
May 5. Journey to the End of Night - Louis-Ferdinand Céline COMPLETED Pinot Noir
6. The Castle - Kafka (H)
7. The Trial - Kafka (H)
January #8 Joseph Andrews - Henry Fielding (H) wine pairing Quinta Das Carvalhas 10 year old Tawny Porto
9. Eugenie Grandet - Balzac (H)
10, Roxana - Daniel Defoe (H)
11. The Marble Faun - Hawthorne (B), AW
12. Mr. Vertigo - Paul Auster, AW
13. The Untouchable - Banville AW
JUNE 14 The Singapore Grip - Farrell (AW)
15, Disgrace - Coetzee, (K) AW
16, The Swimming Pool Library - Hollinghurst AW
17. Night at the Circus - Carter AW
February 18. The Drowned World - Ballard (AW)
19, The Return of the Native - Hardy (H)
20. Nightwood - Djuna Barnes (H)
March21, Malone Dies - Beckett (H)
22. Erewhon - Samuel Butler (H)
23. The Lambs of London - Ackroyd AW
24. The Robber Bride - Atwood (L)

Kristel's 100 Best
British https://www.librarything.com/topic/377087#9101123
North American
https://www.librarything.com/topic/377087#9101740
Other English works
https://www.librarything.com/topic/377087#9103048
Best translated Fiction
https://www.librarything.com/topic/377087#9105160

Favored Lists:
Booker https://www.librarything.com/topic/364640#8636081
Pulitzer https://www.librarything.com/topic/364640#8636091
1001 combined list
https://www.librarything.com/topic/363193#8617418

April's Plans
My Bingo card choices
1. My Name is Leon - Kit de Waal READ
2. Mythos - Stephen Fry hold did not come in
3. The Book of Longings - Sue Monk Kidd READ
4. The Red Room - Strindberg READ
5. Hello Stranger - Katherine Center READ
6. Lady of the English - Chadwick Reading, finished 5/1/26
7. Stoneyard Devotional - Charlotte Wood READ
8. Uncle Petros and Goldbach's Conjectures - Apostolos Doxiadis READ
9. Moderation - Elaine Castillo READ
10. A Guardian and a Thief - Megha Majumdar READ
11. We Begin at the End - Chris Whitaker READ
12. 1919 dos Pasos READ
13. A Ladder to the Sky - John Boyne
14. Run - Ann Patchett READ
15. Foregone - Russel Banks
16. What Makes Us - Rafi Mittlefehidt READ
17. Evensong - Steward O'Nan
18. Islandborn - Junot Diaz
19. The Mind of the Raven - Heinrich
20. The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love - Hijuelos READ (Pulitzer)

1001:
The Red Room
Uncle Petros and Goldbach's Conjectures
1919

BAC
Stephen Fry
Elizabeth Chadwick
My Name is Leon - de Waal

Pulitzer
The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love

Paul's challenge
Islandborn
Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love

Happy new thread, book twin. xx

Happy New Thread, Kristel! 🧵

Thank you, Book twin @PaulCranswick
Thank you, Deborah @vancouverdeb
Happy April to you both.

Happy new one, Kristel!

Happy April, Kristel. Happy New Thread. Cold and damp here. We had a good and abbreviated (due to rain) bird walk yesterday. I had my FOY ospreys, along with a couple of bald eagles- 1 adult and 1 juvenile. Tree swallows are back too. Played PB this morning- books in the PM. Checking all the boxes.

>9 msf59: yes, it is also cold here with weather predicted to be bad. It is actually snowing and it is supposedly going to be icy and snowy. Rain was predicted but maybe that won't happen and then we won't have the ice.
I've had a lot of FOY but I forget to call them that. Today I saw a cormorant. A Cooper Hawk which likes to hang out here. Lots of water fowl coming in. Pretty sure the teal are here and wood ducks. The tree swallows haven't arrived yet but my houses are ready for them.

Happy Easter, Kristel. I think I will be on the threads before Easter is behind us. I have to go to the dentist tomorrow, which I always dread. Muffin goes overnight to her doggie daycare for Easter Sunday , so we can join family for Easter dinner. A blessed Easter to you too.

>8 drneutron: Thank you Jim

>11 vancouverdeb: Have a blessed Easter Deborah

Summary Week 13; March 26 - April 1st
Books read:
God On Mute: Engaging the Silence of Unanswered Prayer - Pete Greig 352 pgs
The Closing of the American Mind - Allan Bloom 392 pgs
The Golden Bowl - Henry James 632 pgs

Genre: NF 2, Fiction 1

Male authors: 3
Female: 0

British 1, US 1, British/American 1

Pages read 1376 this week
Total pages read this year; 13,644

Best book would be God on Mute for NF and Golden Bowl for fiction.

Currently reading:
Book of Longings - Sue Monk Kidd
Lady of the English - Elizabeth Chadwick

Cooking this week
From The Mediterranean Dish, simply dinner - Suzy Karadsheh
White Chicken Chili

#46. Book of Longings - Sue Monk Kidd
US author, female
published 2020
page count: 432 pages
genre: feminist fiction, reimagining, historical

Stopping by to wish you a Happy Easter again, Kristel. Looks like you have some good reads planned for April.

>15 vancouverdeb: Happy Easter Deborah. He is Risen, risen indeed. Happy reading!

Happy Easter, Kristel. Still cool and cloudy here but it looks like we will be dry for the next few days. I am glad things are turning around for you with WBATE. I am 70 pages in and enjoying it. Benita raved about it.

I had a good time playing PB yesterday. Our rec center added open play on weekends, which they have not done before. They had 7 nets going.

#47 We Begin at the End - Chris Whitaker
Reason read: shared read
Published: 2020
Author: US author, male
page count: 370 pages
First sentence: ""Walk stood at the edge of a feverish crowd."

Happy Monday, Kristel. Good, spoiler-free review of WBATE. I am so glad you stuck with it.

I played PB for over 3.5 hours. They wouldn't let me leave. Back to the books this afternoon.

>19 msf59: Nice review of We Begin at the End, Kristel. I'm on page 179, but I am curious about what has really happened. A good read.

>19 msf59:. Thank you, Mark. That is a lot of PB, Mark. Hope you were able to read in the afternoon. I did not play PB yesterday. I am need of finding a new car to buy so I was out car shopping.

>20 vancouverdeb:, Thanks Deborah. It is a good read.

>14 Kristelh: Hard pass on that one for me. I am sorry the book was not better for you.

>18 Kristelh: Yeah, I am having a hard time with the amount swearing too, Kristel. I am glad to see that you enjoyed it in the end though!

Happy new thread! Have a terrific Tuesday!

>23 alcottacre:. You'll be happy to know that as Duchess grows, the swearing becomes much less. Never gone but much better. Thanks for stopping by. I know Tuesday is usually your meet up day.

#48 Hello Stranger - Katherine Center
Reason read: bookclub (May) read
Published: 2023
Author: US author, female
page count: 323 pages
First sentence: "One."

That is a long wait for A Beast Slinks Towards Beijing, Kristel.

Morning, Kristel. Battling with seasonal allergies but it will not stop me from playing PB. I just better keep the kleenex handy. How did the car shopping go?

>26 vancouverdeb: yes, it was. A lot of people must have had a notify me on it.

>27 msf59:. Good morning Mark. I found that I liked the Toyota Corolla Cross but I have the dealer looking for one with the options and colors that I like so I came home with nothing. It will happen but maybe not until May or June.

It appears that I did not review This one.
#49. Stone Yard Devotional - Charlotte Wood
Reason read: Booker longlist 2025
Published: 2023
Author: Australia, female
page count: 320 pages
First sentence: "Arrive finally at about three."

Summary Week 14; April 2 - 8
Books read: 4
Book of Longings - Susan Monk Kidd
Stone Yard Devotional - Charlotte Wood
We Begin at the End - Chris Whitaker
Hello Stranger - Katherine Center

Genre: fiction
Male authors: 1
Female: 3

US: 3
Australia: 1

Pages read this week, 1445
Total pages read this year; 15,089

Best book this week: We Begin at the End

Currently reading:
A Guardian and a Thief - Megha Majumdar
Lady of the English - Elizabeth Chadwick

Cooking this week
For Easter we had Quiche and Lox and Bagels, orange juice.

Sweet Thursday, Kristel. The Toyota Corolla Cross is a nice-looking SUV. We bought a Subaru Crosstrek last July and are happy with it but it is smaller SUV which fits in our garage.

Once I tend to the "kids" this morning, I am going to do some solo birding- if I don't get rained out. I had a male red-wing blackbird at the feeders the other day.

>32 msf59: Good morning Mark. I have had lots of red-winged blackbirds at the feeder. Lots of other routine birds as well. The water fowls are back but I haven’t been out for walks or close enough to identify. Also the hawks are back. I think I saw a flock of cranes flying overhead on Monday.

I pick up my car tomorrow. I didn’t look at Subaru as there are no one that can service the car nearby. My choices were limited. I had a Ford Explorer so I am going to have a lot more room in the garage.

#50 A Guardian and a Thief - Megha Majumdar
Reason read: Women's Prize Long list
Published: 2026
Author: Indian, lives in New York
page count: 224 pages
First sentence: "From the storeroom hidden under the stairs, Ma fetched a cup of rice and a sack of eggs, speckled gray like the moon, then cooked, standing before the stove's blue fire, her eye upon the window and its dusk, in which bats swooped, and the Neem tree shivered and a figure down on the road pedaled a bicycle, whistling, as if everything was all right."

(I have to say, I am not sure about that first sentence... 65 words, 9 commas)

>34 Kristelh: You are tempting me to read A Guardian and a Thief, Kristel,with your excellent review. I am not a fan of climate fiction, but when you mention that the book is more about morality , that is interesting. I hope Moderation is going well. I don't think my library has it.

>24 Kristelh: I finished the book last night and I did notice that the swearing lessened as Duchess grew up.

>34 Kristelh: I enjoyed that one too, but I do not consider it shortlist material, to be honest.

Have a wonderful weekend, Kristel!

>35 vancouverdeb:. I think you might like A Guardian and a Thief Deborah. It is about the ambiguity of morality. The story is engaging. But I agree with Stasia, I don't think it is prize worthy. Watch now, it'll win. I finished Moderation which I think is a bit more prize worthy but maybe not fully.
I am now reading Dominion. I have not engaged with that one yet.

>36 alcottacre:. I think that was what I appreciated about We Begin at the End. The use of swearing fit the story and wasn't just there.

I also agree that A Guardian and a Thief is not prize worthy but now that we say that, it will probably win.

#51 Moderation - Elaine Castillo
Published: 2025
Author: Female, Filopino/American, American born
page count: 310 pages
First sentence: Girlie was, by every conceivable metric, one of the very best.
Awards/Prizes: Women's Prize Long list.

Happy Sunday, Kristel. Hooray for the new SUV. I also had a Ford Explorer for 14-plus years. It was a work-horse. It hit 80F here today but I stayed indoors for most of it. We might play outdoors tomorrow morning if the courts are dry and the wind stays down. 🤞🤞

>37 Kristelh: I hope you engage with Dominion, Kristel. It's among my favourites of the Women's Prize for Fiction Longlist this year.

Thanks for the review of Moderation. How does it rate among the books from the list you have read? Congratulations on the new SUV. My husband Dave has a Toyota Cross SUV in a nice bright blue. Nice vehicle.

>40 msf59:, Hello Mark. I had my Ford Explorer for 11 years. It was low mileage but things were starting to go wrong. I am happy with the new car. We got to 79 but it was quite windy here. I did go for a walk but no PB. I will play tomorrow.

>41 vancouverdeb:. I will try to rate them.
The Women's Prize for Fiction Longlist 2026

These are the one's I've read
Moderation by Elaine Castillo 3.5 stars
Flashlight by Susan Choi 4 stars
Dominion by Addie E. Citchens (reading)
The Correspondent by Virginia Evans 4 stars
Audition by Katie Kitamura 4 stars
A Guardian and A Thief by Megha Majumdar 3.5 stars
Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy least favorite

The ones I think might win:
Flashlight
Audition

My favorites
The Correspondent but I don't think this will win.

Promising:
Moderation
Wild Dark Shore (but I did not like it)

The Guardian and a Thief was engaging but I don't think it should win.

Currently reading Dominion.

Morning, Kristel. Currently 64F and cloudy. Unfortunately, the outdoor courts are still damp so it will be back indoors. Darn it! Have a good time playing today.

>44 msf59:. 49 degrees here but that is still good compared. Furnace did not need to run last night. That’s fabulous. We are predicted to have violent weather. Hope that is a miss. Enjoy your game!

#52. Dominion by Addie E. Citchens.
Reason read: Women's Longlist
Published: 2025
Author: Female, US author
page count: 240 pages
First sentence: THE STORY OF THE SEVEN SEALS as commissioned by the SEVEN SEALS Anniversary Committee, compiled by First Lady Priscilla A. Stringer Winfrey, 1955.

Happy Friday, Kristel. Good review of Dominion. Interesting premise. I helped out on Trail Watch yesterday and saw 3 brown thrashers and a couple of field sparrows (singing too). Both FOY birds. No juncos there or in my yard lately. Have they moved on?

With the rain and wind, I still have not played outdoors. Back indoors today.

>47 msf59: Good Morning, Mark. Thanks. I took a walk to see what showed up. It was a short one, very windy but a nice summery day. No new birds however. The day before I spotted wood ducks on the slough. Come to think of it, I did not see a single junco but the app was picking up the song sparrow frequently. The Pelicans are in abundance. The tree swallow is here. The baby geese should be appearing soon.

Summary Week 15, 9-15 the of April
Books read: 3
A Guardian and a Thief - Megha Majumder
Moderation - Elaine Castillo
Dominion - Addie E. citchens

It was a Women's Prize long list week. Of these three I probably think Moderation would be the winner. There were things I liked about all of these as well as things that I did not like.

Genre: fiction 3
Male authors: 0
Female: 3

US: all 3 live in the US but one is from India. The other two were born in the US.

Pages read this week, 774 pgs
Total pages read this year; 16,583

Best book this week: Moderation but all three were very close.

Currently reading:
Just finished The Red Room by August Strindberg
Started 1919 by Dos Pasos
Lady of the English - Elizabeth Chadwick

Cooking this week
I bought by next car this week.
Not much cooking but am making roast pork with potatoes today and I will have squash with that (winter).

Bird watching is improving by the day now. I've seen a wood duck and the American Gull and other water fowl. I saw an Eastern Phoebe this morning.

Its rainy and cold today but this won't last long. Grass is getting quite green and IO am sure I will be mowing soon.

Bible: currently studying Hosea.

#53. The Red Room (Roda rummet),published 1879 - August Strindberg
Reason read: Reading 1001 botm for April, this is considered to be the first modern Swedish novel. It is satirical, exposing hypocrisy, corruption and pretensions in Stockholm society across government, business, journalism, theater, literature and the arts.
Published: 1879
Author: Male, Sweden
page count: 242 pgs
First sentence: It was an evening in the beginning of May.

>49 Kristelh: You are doing very well with the Women's Prize for Fiction Longlist, Kristel. I really liked - loved Dominion though it was a hard read - as in the topic matter. I am currently reading A Guardian and a Thief.

>51 vancouverdeb: I am looking forward to your thoughts on that one. I liked it but also didn't like it as with Dominion. Hope your weekend has been a good one. In Minnesota the wind was so cold yesterday. Today I woke to snow like manna on the ground. But the sun is shining and like manna it will soon be gone.

>52 Kristelh: I thought the same thing when I saw the layer of snow this morning! At first, I thought my eyes were acting up. But “manna” flashed into my mind. Fluky weather, eh?

Karen O (a little south of you)

>53 klobrien2:. yes, Karen, it melted fast like Manna. Your a bit east of me. I guess some areas got more than I did. Yesterday was so cold with that wind. Glad to see the sunshine today.

Happy Monday, Kristel. I hope you had a nice weekend. I was able to get out birding back-to-back days. It felt good. I had 3 great-horned owls on Saturday. I think this is the first time this year. I also had a FOY gnatcatcher, yellow-throated warbler and a chipping sparrow yesterday. I was surprised I didn't see any more warblers- especially yellow-rumps. Off to play PB indoors. Only in the 30s here at the moment.

Women's Short List
Flashlight - Choi, READ
Dominion - Citchens, READ
The Correspondent - Evans, READ
The Mercy Step - Hutchinson, on hold, wait 16 weeks. I am 8th in line, 3 copies. I started at 14th place.
Kingfisher - Kelly, not available yet
Heart the Lover - King, on hold 2 weeks. I started at 62nd place, now in 13th.

Thanks for posting the Women's Prize short list, Kristel. My library does not have The Mercy Step nor Kingfisher, so I might order them from the UK.I do have Heart the Lover, so I might read it next.

Past winners of the Women’s Prize
1996 A Spell of Winter by Helen Dunmore
1997 Fugitive Pieces by Ann Michaels. READ
1998 Larry's Party by Carol Shields
1999 A Crime in the Neighborhood by Suzanne Berne
2000 When I Lived in Modern Times by Linda Grant
2001 The Idea of Perfection by Kate Grenville
2002 Bel Canto by Ann Patchett READ
2003 Property by Valerie Martin
2004 Small Island by Andrea Levy. OWN
2005 We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver
2006 On Beauty by Zadie Smith. READ
2007 Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie READ
2008 The Road Home by Rose Tremain
2009 Home by Marilynne RobinsonREAD
2010 The Lacuna by Barbara KingsolverREAD
2011 The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht
2012 The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
2013 May We Be Forgiven by AM Homes
2014 A Girl is a Half-Formed Thing by Eimear McBride READ
2015 How to be Both by Ali Smith
2016 The Glorious Heresies by Lisa McInerney
2017 The Power by Naomi Alderman READ
2018 Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie READ
2019 An American Marriage by Tayari Jones READ
2020 Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell
2021 Piranesi by Susanna Clarke READ
2022 The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki
2023 Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver READ
2024 Brotherless Night by V.V. Ganeshanathan OWN
2025 The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden READ 13

I love your reviews of the Women's Prize books you have read recently, Kristel. My local library has pretty much none of the books unfortunately.

>58 Kristelh: I need to go through that list and read the ones I have not gotten to yet. I did not love The Safekeep but I did love Brotherless Night and Demon Copperhead among the recent winners.

54. Run - Ann Patchett
Reason read: TIOLI challenge
Author: female, US
page count: 295 pgs
First sentence: "It was a very pretty statue as those things go, maybe a foot and a half high, carved from rosewood and painted with such a delicate hand that many generations later her cheeks still bore the high, translucent flush of a girl startled by a compliment"

55. 1919 - John Dos Passos
Reason read: second part of year long read for Reading 1001, Also TIOLI challenge
Author: male, US
page count: 380 pgs
First sentence: "Oh the infantree the infantree. With the dirt behind their ears."
This opens with a newsreel. There is a lot of news reels and camera eye. Reading this trilogy by Dos Passos is a review of history as if it is journalism and film.

Summary Week 16, April 16 - 22.
Books read: 3
The Red Room - Strindberg
Run - Anne Patchett
1919 - second part of U.S.A. by Dos Passos.

Genre: fiction 3
Male authors: 2
Female: 1

US: 2
Sweden: 1
Pages read this week, 917 pgs
Total pages read this year; 17,500

Best book this week: Run by Patchett

Currently reading:
Uncle Petros and Goldbach's Conjectures - Apostolos Doxiadis
Lady of the English - Elizabeth Chadwick

Bird watching is improving by the day now. I've seen chipping sparrows and song sparrows. the tree swallows are here. Grackles and Red-wings.
Had a couple of very nice days, today it has cooled off and the rain has just started. We do need the rain. The leaves are popping out and I will need to mow very soon. Shingles are on and they look good. Yeah!

Bible: Hosea chapters 5-7, commentary Hosea and Joel

56. Uncle Petros and Goldbach's Conjectures - Apostolos Doxiadis.
Reason read: 1001 TBR takedown April 2026
Male author, Greek
pgs 209
First line. "Every family has its black sheep — in ours it was Uncle Petros."

57. The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love - Oscar Hijuelos.
Reason read: Pulitzer 1990, Doublespin
Male author, US author, Cuban descent
pgs 419 pages
First line. "It was a Saturday afternoon on La Salle Street, years and years ago when I was a little kid, and around three o'clock Mrs. Shannon , the heavy Irish woman in her perpetually soup-stained dress, opened her back window and shouted out into the courtyard, "Hey Cesar, yoo-hoo, I think you're on television, I swear it's you!" (58 words).

Happy Tuesday, Kristel. I am wondering if Patchett was just finding her voice in those earlier books, because once she found it, she became remarkably consistent. I will read Run, since I have it on shelf.

Too bad about The Mambo Kings. No wonder, folks don't talk about it anymore. I will still check it out for myself.

After work, I will scoop up Juno and take her out to Brees. They will watch her until we get back. I will then take Jack to school. I played PB yesterday and will play again tomorrow. Last time, before the trip.

>65 msf59: I will look forward to your thoughts on Run and also The Mambo Kings.

Nice that Juno has a nice place to stay while you're traveling. I hope you enjoyed your PB today and tomorrow as well.

Stopping by to say hi, Kristel. I read Heart the Lover and did not much enjoy it.

Morning, Kristel. Another cool, damp start to the day. Will be heading out soon for some indoor play. Last time for the next 2-plus weeks. I did see a white-throated sparrow under the feeders yesterday. First time back there in a couple of years. More likely to see white-crowned.

>68 msf59: I had white-throated sparrows out side by my feeders today. Have a lovely trip Mark. You will be missed

58. My Name is Leon - Kit de Waal
Reason read: BAC
Author: female, British/Irish author. Debut novel, published in 2016.
pgs 304
First line. No one has to tell Leon that this is a special moment.

59. What Makes Us - Rafi Mittlefehldt
Reason read: TIOLI challenge
Author: male, US author, was born in Israel
published in 2019
pages: 352
First line. "My dad only exists in a memory."

Summary Week 18, April 23 - 29
Books read: 4
Uncle Petros and Goldbach's Conjectures - Apostolos Doxiadis
The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love - Oscar Hijuelos
My Name is Leon - Kit de Waal
What Makes Us - Rafi Mittlefehldt

Genre: fiction 4
Male authors: 3
Female: 1

US: 2 one Latino and one Israeli/American
Australia/Greek: 1
British/Irish: 1
Pages read this week, 1284 pgs
Total pages read this year; 18,784

Best book this week: Uncle Petros...

Currently reading:
Lady of the English - Elizabeth Chadwick

Bible: Hosea chapters 5-7, commentary Hosea and Joel. Also reading Numbers with Chapter by ChapterPodcast. https://tsc.nyc/chapterbychapter/

Summary for the end of April
Total books read: 14
Total books for the year: 59
Pages: 18,784
We Begin at the End
3. ∅
4. 1919
5. ∅
6.

7. ∅
8. What Makes Us
9.
10. A Guardian and a Thief, Dominion
11. My Name Is Leon - Kit De Waal
12. Run- Ann Patchett

13. ∅
14, The Red Room
15. ∅
16. ∅
17. ∅

19. ∅
20. ∅
21. ∅
22. ∅
23. ∅

It wasn't a good TIOLI month for me. My books just didn't fit.

>70 Kristelh: I loved My Name is Leon, Kristel. Glad you enjoyed it.

May Reading Plans

1001:
On the Eve - Ivan Turgenev botm
Some Prefer Nettles - Jun'ichiro Tanizaki botm
Journey to the End of Night - Louis-Ferdinand Celine tbr takedown
The Temple of My Familiar Alice Walker. TIOLI challenge

BAC
Elizabeth Chadwick - The Lady of the English COMPLETED
Stephen Fry Victorian Secrets
Iian M. Banks - Surface Detail
M.M. Kaye The Ordinary Princess

Booker International short list
The Director COMPLETED

Women's Prize
Heart the Lover

Bookclub Reads
Frozen River COMPLETED
Part of Your World

Paul's challenge
Islandborn from April COMPLETED
Possibles The Hour of the Star but probably not this month.

May Bingo Card
1. The Ordinary Princess
2. Surface Detail
3. The Director - COMPLETED
4. Part of Your World
5. Some Prefer Nettles
6. On The Eve
7. Journey to the End of Night
8. Heart the Lover
9. The Lady of the English COMPLETED
10. Victorian Secrets
11. The Frozen River COMPLETED
12. A Drop of Corruption
13. The Perks of Being a Wallflower
14. Fatelessness -
15. Dance, Dance, Dance
16. The Temple of My Familiar
17. The Shadow of the Fox
18. The River has Roots COMPLETED
19. Digital Fortress
20. The Devil and Miss Prym

TIOLI
Challenges #1-6
1. Read a book with a title which includes JUST ONE four-legged animal or TWO two-legged animals - msg #1 The Shadow of the Fox
2. Read a book by a woman about a woman or women - msg #3 Lady of the English
3. Read a book in which either the author’s name or a character in the book has the name Nancy - msg #4
4. Read a book that somewhere on the front or back cover states that it is a mystery or a detective story, but from an author you haven’t read in the last 2 years or ever - msg #5 The Frozen River
5. Read a book that has a Q or a Z in the title or the author's name - msg #8 Some Prefer Nettles or Fatelessness
6. Read a book from a series with 7 or more works (books, novellas, short stories, etc.) - msg #10 Surface Detail

Challenges #7-12
7. Read a book that has the words Dance, Dances, Dancing or Danced in the title - msg #11
Dance, Dance, Dance
8. Read a book featuring Vikings - msg #12
9. Read a current Hugo finalist or a previous Hugo winner - msg #15
10. Read a book where the author is from or the setting is placed in a state that borders the book above - msg #18
11. Read a book published before the year 2000 - msg #29 The Ordinary Princess
12. Read a book by an author featured in the 2018 American Authors challenge - msg #45
The Temple of My Familiar - Alice Walker

Challenges #13-18
13. Read a book with a title word or author's name starting with F E R G U S, in that order - msg #49
On the Eve
14. Read a book about a family tragedy - msg #53
15. Read a book with two words that rhyme in the title - msg #55
16. Read a book that either takes place in Hawai'i or has a word which signifies aloha spirit in the title (love, compassion, peace, and respect, kindness or empathy) - msg #65
17. Read a book translated from Portuguese or by a writer born in a CPLP country (Community of Portuguese Language Countries) - msg #86

18. Read a book that is considered (or you consider) a classic you've never read before. Must have been published before 1970 - msg #67 The Perks of Being a Wallflower

60. The Lady of the English - Elizabeth Chadwick
Reason read: BAC, March
Author: Female/British
published in 2011
pages: 505
First line: Holding her dead husband's imperial crown, Matilda felt the cold pressure of gemstones and hard gold against her fingertips and palms.
Genre: Historical fiction

Paul's survey

If I could only recommend one book per genre (I suppose I can create sub-genres to cheat) then I would recommend:

One book of Victorian fiction: While I like Dickens, I do have issues with him. I would recommend Far From the Maddening Crowd/

One book for the great American Novel: The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck (1939)
I agree that this is a great novel but I have some issues with Steinbeck, though I do love his writing. I would recommend The adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

One book from French literature: Germinal by Emile Zola (1885). I am not really fond of French authors. But I am going to agree with Paul here that Germinal is excellent.

One book from Russian literature: Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy (1878), again, I agree with Paul but I have issues with books that are so long. It makes people reluctant to read them. I think The Brothers Karamazov Anna K is much better than War and Peace by the way.

One book published in my lifetime: I am going to go with East of Eden so that Steinbeck does make my list but this was hard because I had so many I wanted to pick.

One book published in the 21st Century: Time Shelter

One book for the best war novel: Catch-22 antiwar novel, granted.

One book for the best SF: Canticle of Liebowitz or Sparrow, I know, I know, that's two.

Fantasy: Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien 1954/5

One book for Scandi/Nordic Noir: Smilla's Sense of Snow

One book for Asia Pacific fiction: Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

One book of crime fiction: The Hounds of the Baskerville

One book of history writing: The Worst Hard Times

One book of historical fiction: The Pillars of the Earth

One book of espionage fiction: The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan (1915)

One poetry collection: my favorite poem Waste Land Collections would probably be Emily Dickenson but I like Frost too. Poetry isn't a big deal for me.

One African literature book: Half a Yellow Sun

One book of Political/Economic Non-Fiction:

One novella: The Old Man and the Sea

One collection of short stories: The Martian Chronicles

One Book from the last 12 months: Raising Hare

Pulitzer winners
Fiction: Angel Down - Daniel Kraus
History: We the People: A History of U.S. Constitution - Jill Lepore
Nonfiction: There is no Place for Us - Brian Goldstone
Poetry Ars Poeticas - Quintus Horatius Flaccus
etc.

>78 Kristelh:. I was unaware of this book, Angel Down has anyone read it?

61. The Frozen River - Ariel Lawhon
Reason read: bookclub
Author: Female/usa
published in 2023
pages: 448
First line: The body floats downstream.
Genre: Historical fiction, mystery

62. The River has Roots - Amal El-Mohtar
Reason read: TIOLI challenge
Canadian author, female
page 133
First sentence: The River Liss runs north to south, and its waters brim with grammar.

63. The Director - Daniel Kehlmann
Reason read: shortlisted International Booker and available through Libby.
Author, male/German
page 352
First sentence: Why am I in this car?

Themes: artistic complicity, allure of power, fragility of morality.

64. Islandborn - Junot Diaz Illustrator Leo Espinosa
Reason read: Paul's challenge for April
Author, male/DR/US
page 48
First sentence: Every kid in Lola's school was from somewhere else.

>80 Kristelh: I loved The Frozen River, Kristel. I am glad you liked it too.

Summary Week 18, April 30 - May 6
Books read:
Lady of the English - Chadwick - BAC
The Frozen River - Lawhon - upcoming bc read
The River Has Roots - El-Mohtar, TIOLI, Hugo awards
Islandborn - Junot Diaz, Paul's 2026 challenge, RLT

Genre: fiction 4
Male authors: 1
Female: 3

US: 2 DR/US, US-MN,
British: 1
Canada: 1

Pages read this week: 1134
Total pages read this year; 19,918

Best book this week: The Frozen River

Currently reading:
Finished The Director part of international Booker shortlist.
Some Prefer Nettles - Jun'ichiro Tanizaki, 1001 botm

Bible: Hosea chapters 8commentary Hosea and Joel. Also reading Numbers with Chapter by ChapterPodcast. https://tsc.nyc/chapterbychapter/

Activities; PB outside yesterday. Mowed the grass. Slowly warming up. Birds are showing up more and more. Still hoping my Martins come back. Played cards last night. Concert tonight.

65. A Drop of Corruption - Robert Jackson Bennett
Reason read: TIOLI, Hugo Awards
Author, male, US
page 461 pages

First sentence: "I'd thought the jungles of the eastern Empire to be oppressively hot, but as I sat in the prow of the little canal boat and felt the sweat slip down my brow, I decided the north was, without question, far worse.

66. Part of Your World - Abby Jimenez
Reason read: bookclub
Author, female, US
page 388 pages
Genre: romance, chick lit

First line: "Moths fluttered in my headlights over the long grass of the ditch".

Summary Week 19, May 7 - May 13
Books read:
The Director - Kehlmann (on International Booker SL)
A Drop of Corruption - Robert Jackson Bennett (Hugo Awards)
Part of Your World - Abby Jimenez

Genre: fiction 3
Male authors: 2
Female: 1

US: 2
German: 1

I'm tired of keeping track of numbers, so I am quitting.

Best book was The Director. I have had a lot of books I am not appreciating lately.

Currently reading:
Some Prefer Nettles - Jun'ichiro Tanizaki, 1001 botm
Heart the Lover - Lily King. I am not liking this one.

Activities;
I've decided to redo my spreadsheets. I am separating books i've read to their own spreadsheet (even if I don't own them) and books I own and need to read to their own spreadsheet. I am up to 2017.

Bird activity has been great fun. So many warblers around.l the Orioles have been absolutely crazy. I think I saw some of my Martins.

PB has been great.

67. Heart the Lover - Lily King

Reason read: Women's Prize short list
Author: female, US
pages: 249
Genre: literary fiction with strong elements of romance, coming-of-age, and family drama.

First sentence: "You knew I'd write a book about you someday."

Another Paul recommendation survery
Recommend one YA Novel: The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett

Recommend one Biography/Memoir: The Year of Magical Thinking - Joan Didion

Recommend one book on sports: Beartown - Fredrik Backman

Recommend one travel book: The Road to Oxiana - Robert Byron

Recommend one book originally written in Spanish: Love in the Time of Cholera

Recommend one comedic novel: the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe - Douglas Adams

Recommend one book originally written in German: Buddenbrooks - Thomas Mann

Recommend one graphic novel/book: Maus by Art Spiegelman, but Persepolis is good too

Recommend one Irish Novel: I agree with Paul, hard to pick a best Irish novel. The Master

Recommend one book of narrative non-fiction: The Spirit Catches you and You Fall Down

Recommend one Holocaust book: Survival in Auschwitz - Primo Levi AKA If this is a Man

Recommend one Shakespeare Play: Hamlet

Recommend one book about Native Americans: There, There - Tommy Orange

Recommend one book of nature writing:
Nature Obscura but I have many others too.

Recommend one Booker winner: Midnight's Children - Rushdie

Recommend one Pulitzer winner from this Century:
This was hard, I have so many favorites but I am going with Paul, The Nickel Boys - Colson Whitehead

Recommend one Caribbean literature book: A Brief History of Seven Killings - Marion James

Recommend one classic love story: North and South - Elizabeth Gaskell

Recommend one ghost or horror story:
Ghost Story Peter Straub

Recommend one alternate history book: Plot Against America - Philip Roth Agree with you Paul, who would want Hitler to win but this is a good reminder that this could have happened.

Happy Monday, Kristel. Thank you for your kind visits while I was away. I had a great time playing PB this morning. I really missed it, plus lots of food and drink to work off.

I am itching to get out and do some local birding. The warblers have arrived. I am guiding a bird walk on Wednesday. Hoping we see A LOT!

I really want to read The Director: A Novel. I am so glad to see that you loved it.

>91 msf59: I had some really interesting warblers hanging out in the yard last week but I think they might have left already; Tennessee Warbler, Yellow Rumped. I hope you see a lot on Wednesday. The leaves have really popped now and it is a lot harder to see those birds.

68. On the Eve - Ivan Turgenev
Reason read: 1001 Books
Author: male Russian
pages: 180 pgs
Genre: literary fiction, political, romance

First sentence: First sentence: On one of the hottest days of the summer of 1853, in the shade of a tall lime-tree on the bank of the river Moskva, not far from Kuntsovo, two young men were lying in the grass.

69. The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky
Reason read: IDK
Author: male US
pages: 232 pages
Genre:
Novel, Young adult literature, Epistolary novel, coming of age

First sentence: August 25, 1991, Dear Friend, "I am writing to you because she said you listen and understand and didn't try to sleep with that person at that party even though you could have."

Summary Week 20. May 14 - May 19
Books read:
Heart the Lover - Lily King
On the Eve - Ivan Turgenev
The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky

Genre: fiction 3
Male authors: 2
Female: 1

US: 2
Russian: 1

Best book was On the Eve

Currently reading:
Some Prefer Nettles - Jun'ichiro Tanizaki, 1001 botm 75%
Surface Detail - Iain M. Banks (BAC) 42%

Activities;
I've decided to redo my spreadsheets. I am up to 2022 now.

Bird activity: I have a female Rose Breasted Grossbeak at the feeders, I have lots of noisy Orioles, I have Grackles I could do without and I have some really cute hummingbird. Besides the usual Cardinals, nuthatches, chickadees, woodpeckers and house finches. saw some wrens. Saw a Great Blue Heron. Saw a brown duck. Probably a female Mallard I am guessing.

Been busy and I am feeling tired from poor sleep. Today I shall try to get to bed at a reasonable hour and hopefully fall asleep.

The winner of the International Booker was Taiwan Travelogue. The funny thing is I was just at the bookstore and had picked this up last Saturday and said. "I really need to buy this" and I set it down and walked out.

>77 Kristelh: That is a great list of books, Kristel!

>79 Kristelh: I am afraid that I am completely unaware of Angel Down so I cannot help with it.

>80 Kristelh: Glad to see you enjoyed that one. I did as well.

>82 Kristelh: Five stars?! I am going to have to see if my local library has a copy of that one! Thanks for the review and recommendation, Kristel.

Have a fantastic Friday!

Happy Friday, Kristel. I am going to brave the early chill and play outdoors this AM. Some sun will help but it is heavily overcast at the moment. Nothing much happening at my feeders but I did get my first hummer back there. Still waiting on the grosbeaks and orioles to show up. Losing patience...LOL.

>96 alcottacre: thanks for stopping by Stasia.

>98 Kristelh:, Hello Mark. I played indoor. It is cold and rainy here. My birds are all doing fine. Lots of orioles, hummers. Been such lousy weather that I haven’t had a good walk.

70. Some Prefer Nettles - Jun'ichiro Tanizaki
Reason read: botm May 2026, Reading 1001
Author: male Japan
pages: 202 pages
Genre: fiction

First sentence: "You think you might go, then?" Misako asked several times during the morning.

71. Surface Detail - Iain M. Banks (part of the Culture series)
Reason read: BAC for May 2026
Author: male Scotland
pages: 627
Genre: Science fiction

First sentence: "This one might be trouble."

Happy Sunday, Kristel. Good review of Some Prefer Nettles. Sounds like a good one. I managed to get out and do some birding before the Cubs game yesterday. It wasn't particularly birdy but I managed to see 26 species. My favorite was a singing wood thrush. It was well-hidden like they usually are but this one popped up on a snag to sing and as I reached for my camera, it popped back down. At least I got a good look. I really like these guys and they nest here too.

We had plans to play outdoor PB this morning but it is raining pretty good out there. Sighs...

>102 msf59: My birding has been mostly from my window overseeing my feeders. I am fighting with the grackles who think they should gorge on Grape Jelly. the rest of the birds include house Finch, goldfinch, cardinals, rose breasted (female) grossbeaks, Orioles, hummers. Yesterday when outside I heard the yellow warbler, the black and white warbler, the Great crested flycatcher and martins. I think my Martens might be back. My Orioles are plentiful. My hummingbird feeder has at least one little green male. I think there is a larger one (female) too but I see her less often.

Wednesday.
My page count for 2026 is 19,520. I finally finished my "read" spreadsheet. Very satisfying!

Summary Week 21. May 21 - May 27
Books read:
Surface Detail - Iain M. Banks (BAC)
Some Prefer Nettles - Jun'ichiro Tanizaki (1001 botm)

Genre: fiction 2
Male authors: 2
Female: 0

US: 0
Japan: 1
Scottish: 1

Best book: Some Prefer Nettles. I liked the themes better than Surface Details though Surface Detail is well written.

Currently reading:
Just finished Journey to the End of Night and will review that one soon.
Currently reading The Ordinary Princess. Not sure what is up next. I have several possibilities.

Activities;
I finished my Books Read spreadsheet. page count for 2026 is 19,973 pages. Now I am trying to do a separate spreadsheet for books I own and need to read. That one is going to be complicated as I have books hidden in so many places, besides audios, kindles, and Nook.

The winner of the International Booker was Taiwan Travelogue. I will be looking to add this one to my collections.

My new deck is going on so it is a bit noisy with lack of privacy. It'll be done by early next week.

72. Journey to the End of Night - Louis-Ferdinand Celine.

Reason read: TBR takedown for Reading 1001
Author: male, France
pages: 453
Genre: Fiction, literary fiction

First sentence: "It all started this way"

Happy Friday, Kristel. Love your feeder activity. Mine is far less exciting. Speaking of grape jelly- still no orioles but the housefinch also love the jelly and I saw a robin lapping up some jelly yesterday. The first time I have seen that.

Off to play PB soon. Looks like another beautiful day. I am heading up to northern MI on Sunday with a few birding buddies. We will be seeking out the Kirkland's Warbler and this is one of the few places left in the US where they still nest. Of course we will do plenty of other birding while up there. We will return on Wednesday.

>107 msf59:, I get house finches, grackles and even woodpeckers at my grape jelly. Even other birds will try it. I did not play PB today. Still weather is nice but ore cloudy than it has been. Your birding in Michigan should be fun. Hope you get to see that Kirkland. It must be a Cosco warbler. lol.

73. Stone Fox - John Reynolds Gardiner

Reason read: TIOLI
Author: US/Male
pages: 96
Genre: Children lit/middle grade

First sentence: "One day Grandfather wouldn't get out of bed."

74. The Ordinary Princess - M. M. Kaye
Reason read: BAC
Author: British/Female
pages: 123
Genre: Children lit/middle grade

First sentence: "Princess Amy—whose full name was Amethyst Alexandra Augusta Araminta Adelaide Aurelia Anne—was the seventh and youngest daughter of the King and Queen of Phantasmorania; and seventh daughters were always supposed to be lucky."

"It must be a Costco warbler. lol." I didn't think of that. 😎

A pickleball buddy is turning 70 and he is throwing a pickleball party this afternoon. He rented some courts in an indoor facility and will also offer food and drink. It should be a blast.

Have a good weekend, Kristel.

>111 msf59:. Good morning, Mark. It should be a blast. I'm heading north to Ely for a grand Niece graduation. I will see if I can catch a Raven for this years list. Maybe a Gray Jay or what we call Lumberjack Jay. Lots of time in the car as it is a 6 hour drive one way. I guess their official name is Canada Jay.

####75!!!!
Digital Fortress - Dan Brown

Reason read: TIOLI challenge
Author: US, male
pages: 430
Genre: Techno-thriller

First sentence: "It is said that in death, all things become clear; Ensei Tankado now knew it was true."

Congrats on hitting the goal!

>115 Kristelh:, Thanks Jim.

Summary of May
Books Read: 16.
Shortest book: 48 pgs Islandborn
Longest Book: 627 Surface Detail

1001 Books read:
Some Prefer Nettles - Japanese
On the Eve - Russian
Journey to the End of Night - French

Pulitzers: none
Bookers: none

Women's Prize short/long list
Heart the Lover

Shortlisted International Booker (didn't win)
The Director - Kehlmann

TIOLI Awards/recognitions:
no sweeps

June is here, summer has arrived too.
Currently reading:
The British Are Coming
Sexing the Cherry

Current plans:
Atmosphere
The Mercy Step
Salvage the Bones
The Motorcycle Diaries
The Singapore Grip
The Color of Air
H. P. Lovecraft Gothic Tales

and others on deck
The Wayfinder need to finish this one
The Fourth Princess
Mind of the Raven
The Backyard Bird Chronicles
Christmas with Louisa May Alcott
Paradise Lost
The Rainbow
The Temple of My Familiar
Fatelessness
Marching Powder

Any comments on which ones you'd recommend, please let me know.

>117 Kristelh: I really loved The Fourth Princess, Kristel and am currently reading and enjoying The Mercy Step, so I would recommend those two.

Thanks, Deborah. I just stop by your thread and noticed you were reading Mercy Step. I will get to that one, soonish. I plan to get The fourth Princess read soon also.

Happy Friday, Kristel. Trying to visit a few threads after my MI trip. How was your Ely trip? See anything special? We are gearing up for our first camping trip. I will pick up the travel trailer after playing PB and then bring it back here and clean and load it. We leave tomorrow afternoon.

I am starting The Director today. You gave me the nudge I needed. Have a great weekend.

Summary Week 22. May 28 - June 3
Books read: 4
Journey to the End of Night - Louis-Ferdinand Celine
The Ordinary Princess - M.M.Kaye
Stone Fox - John Reynolds Gardiner
Digital Fortress - Dan Brown

Genre: fiction 4
Male authors: 3
Female: 1

US: 2
British: 1
French: 1

Best book: I really liked the Stone Fox, a middle school level book, the best book which I say with tongue in cheek was Journey into Night. I can't believe I am saying that.

Currently reading:
The British Are Coming - Rick Atkinson
Sexing the Cherry
I am struggling. The first is long and lots of detail. It will require reading. The second is full of magical realism and just strange so I am not engaging with that one.

On deck
The Mercy Step
Atmosphere
Salvage the Bones

Activities;
Currently still logging books onto my spreadsheets. I am going through by Content and Devices on Amazon and putting them into my spreadsheets. So much as been forgotten because I had not logged them so forgot I owned them. Right now I am on Kindle next will be Audible which will not be as bad as I can easily view my Library on Audible.

Happy weekend everyone, My weekend will hopefully slow down as this has been an extremely busy week. I will mow grass today or Saturday. We have had rain but at the right time so I cannot complain.

>120 msf59:. Good morning Mark. Where will you be camping?
My trip to Ely didn't produce a lot of birds as it was mostly visiting with family that I don't get to see very often. I did however "hear" an ovenbird. Wish I could have seen it.

This morning I was blessed to see a doe with her fawn. The fawn was about the size of a mini pinscher. So precious.

>122 Kristelh: Oh wow, a doe the size of a Min Pin! That is amazing, Kristel. I just finished The Mercy Step and while it is sad, it is so worth the read.

>123 vancouverdeb: no Deb, I must have worded it wrong. A doe and her fawn which was about the size of Min Pin. I will be starting Mercy Step very soon. Just finished The British Are Coming. It was good but needs a reread or two. So much info. I didn't realize that we had hoped that Canada would join us.

#76. The British Are Coming - Rick Atkinson
Reason read: TIOLI challenge, because it is the 250 years of the USA
Author: US, male
pages: 800 (this includes maps, illustrations, etc)
Genre: nonfiction, history

First sentence: From Prologue, England, June 1773-March 1775 Inspecting the Fleet
"At three-thirty a.m. on June 22, 1773, fifteen minutes before sunrise, a royal chaise pulled by four matched horses burst from the gates of Kew Place, escorted by cavalry outriders in scarlet coats."

#77 Atmosphere - Taylor Jenkins Reid
Reason read: TIOLI challenge, Bookclub selection for June
Author: US, female
pages: 337

First sentence: "Joan Goodwin gets to the Johnson Space Center well before nine, and Houston is already airless and muggy.

>124 Kristelh: That was my error, Kristel, mixing up a doe with a fawn. Sorry about that. I think Canadians burnt the White House down back in the day, unless it was the British in Canada. We might not have been Canada at that time. I'm glad you enjoyed Atmosphere.

#78 Salvage the Bones - Jesmyn Ward

Reason read: TIOLI challenge 2019 author
Author: US, female
pages: 261

Genre: fiction, Southern fiction

First sentence: China's turned on herself.

#79 Mercy Step - Marcia Hutchinson
Reason read: Women's short list
Author: British, female
pages: 231

Genre: literary fiction

First sentence: "It's squid ink black, warm and quiet.
This is Mercy from her mother's womb before she is born.

Summary Week 23. May 4 - May 10
Books read: 4
The British are Coming - Rick Atkinson
Atmosphere - Taylor Jenkins Reid
Salvage the Bones - Jesmyn Ward
The Mercy Step - Marcia Hutchinson

Male authors: 1
Female: 3

US: 3
British: 1

Best book: The nonfiction book really needs a reread. You just can't really get it all absorbed.
The best of the other 3 goes to The Mercy Step

Currently reading:
Sexing the Cherry I really dislike this one but am determined to finish it. I am just over 70% now.

Started The Color of Air which I've had on the shelf for awhile. I am anticipating liking this one. It is set in Hawaii and I am just getting to know the characters.

On deck
Christmas with Louisa May Alcott
The Singapore Grip
The Motorcycle Diaries

Activities;
Currently logging all of my Audibles. Working backwards, I am finishing up 2016 and heading into 2015. I started Audible in 2010.

Mowed the grass yesterday. Been getting rain and more rain but not like last year. The doe is around but she is keeping the fawn hidden. Flower pots are doing okay. Life is busy.

>130 Kristelh: Books read should be four, book twin, surely?

>129 Kristelh: Eager to see what you think of it as I am about to start it.

Belated congratulations for passing 75 already!

>131 PaulCranswick:. thanks for catch. I just finished my review. I will look forward to your thoughts.

>132 Kristelh: No problem my dear friend. It is something that I can't help but notice! Me and numbers.

>129 Kristelh: Congratulations on passing 75 books, Kristel. I am glad you liked The Mercy Step.

>134 vancouverdeb: Thank you Deborah and >131 PaulCranswick: Paul.

#80 Sexing the Cherry - Jeanette Winterson
Reason read: Reading 1001, June BOTM
Author: British, female
pages: 192

Genre: fantasy

First sentence: "My name is Jordan.

>136 Kristelh: There is book I can safely skip, Kristel.

Happy Friday, Kristel. The camping trip went well, despite the icky weather. Played PB yesterday and will today. It looks like a perfect day for it.

I absolutely loved The Director. It will be a top read of the year for me. Just amazing. I appreciate the nudge.

Congrats on reaching the 75 book goal!

>137 vancouverdeb: Some like it, Deborah, it just wan’t for me.

>138 msf59: Thanks Mark. I got to PB 4 days this past week. It was a good week.
Glad You liked The Director. Have you read his Measuring the World? It is also very good.

>139 figsfromthistle:, Thanks Anita. Hope you’re enjoying your time in Europe and hope your head is healing.

#81. Motorcycle Diaries - Che Guevara
Reason read: nonfiction, Americas
Author: Argentina, male
pages: 165

Genre: memoir, travel

First sentence: It was a morning in October.

I hope you are having a super Saturday, Kristel!

Catching up on the Prizes
The Stella Prize May This one I don't follow closely
Winner: Cannon - first GN, first nonbinary. Anyone read this?
Giller Prize November Oh, Canada. I do try to follow this one. Longlist is set for September.
International Dublin Literary Prize May
Gliff - Ali Smith. I think Mark has read this?
Sir Walter Scott Prize June
Winner: The Matchbox Girl - Alice Jolly. I was trying to read from this list (HF) but I was unable to get a hold of this one. Anyone read it?
Owell Fiction Prize Just watched utube on this one. Winner will be announced June 25.
Flashlight - Choi
Uprising - Tahmima Anam
Transcription - Ben Lerner
John of John - Douglas Stuart
A Private Man - Stephanie SyQuia
This is Where the Serpent Lives - Daniyal Mueenuddin
Every One Still Here -Liadan Ni Chuinn (short stories)
The Comfort of Distant Stars I. O. Echeruo
Nonfiction list (not complete)
For the Sun After Long Nights - Iran's women led uprishing
Three Years on Fire Ukraine
Stalin's Apostles - Antonia Senior
The Escape From Kabul
Booker November, shortlist September 22
International Booker May 19 Taiwan Travelogue - Yang Shauang-zi (I own this)
Pulitzer May
Novel: Angel Down - WWI with supernatural, Gore (horror). I have a hold on this. It is written with one sentence, commas, no periods. I find these better to listen too.
History winner: We the People, A History of the Constitution - Jill Lepore
National Book Award November

>143 Kristelh: Thanks for that update, Kristel. I completely missed the Pulitzer Prize award and I have not heard of the book.

I am also a little surprised with Ali Smith winning the Dublin prize as she normally tries not to have herself entered for awards.