Tess is Shelf-ish in 2026 Part II

Hi, my name is Tess (Teresa) and I'm from Central Ohio. I’m a semi-retired college history professor who loves to read. My husband of 50 years is chair-bound, so apart from a few weeks each year when I travel with my sister, I’m at home. I have two children and seven grandchildren—all within twenty minutes of me—so I’m truly blessed. When I’m not reading, I enjoy cooking, growing my own sustainable organic foods, and pressure-canning what I harvest. I’m also active in my church, where I teach an adult Sunday school class.

This year I’m hoping to clear some space on my shelves, so I’ve created categories to help guide my reading. I am determined not to purchase any books in 2026. I have 400+ unread books and then there is the library. Mantra: I do not need to purchase books! I plan to guard my shelves carefully and avoid being overwhelmed by the usual “kits and cats.” Some categories already have chosen titles, while others will unfold naturally as the year goes on. My goal is to read 100 books in 2026.

I especially like historical-fiction (based on real people & real events), non-fiction, psychological thrillers, and true crime. I don't read fantasy and rarely sci-fi.

MT TBR 1-1-26 476 BOOKS

Ratings:
I'm a tough cookie, a book must be better than average to get a 4 or 5 rating!
1-2 unreadable, a waste of paper and ink, nothing redeemable, probably DNF, complete waste of my valuable time
3-average, mediocre, not bad, can be informative or enjoyable**
3.5-better than average but lacking in something**
4-great read, enjoyable**
4.5-spellbinding
5- masterpiece

**most reads here

Hosting Duties:
January RTT Contemporary Retellings of Classics
February Non-Fiction medicine/disease
March RandomKit
April Color/Cover Cat-yellow and/or celestial object such as sun, moon, or stars
June Arts Cat Ballet & Broadway
November HomeCat Pantry
December-Decades The decade you were born

75's NON FICTION
Non-Fiction:
1. Stealing Little Moon: The Legacy of the American Indian Boarding Schools
2. Josephine Baker’s Secret War
3. The Faith and Practice of the Quakers: The Philosophy, Theology and Teachings of the Society of Friends
4. Gut: The Inside Story of Our Body's Most Underrated Organ
5. The Cruel Way: Switzerland to Afghanistan in a Ford, 1939
6. American Barns: A Pictorial Picture by Jill Caravan
7. The Ride: Paul Revere and the Night That Saved America by Kostoya Kennedy
8. Birding Without Borders by Noah Stryker
9. Wordslut
10. Scattered Among the Peoples
11. Solovine by Albert Einstein
12. The Destruction of Libraries Throughout History

What's up for June?
finish The Agony Column by Earl Biggers
Barns: A Pictorial History by Jill Caravan
The Marriage of Megotta byEdith Pargeter
On The Banks of Plum Creekby Laura Ingalls Wilder

83. Mission Possible: Go Create a Life that Counts by Tim Tebow. Have always admired him and his entire family. "Find your mission, pursue your purpose, and go create a life that counts." To the Tebow family, everything rests on integrity and character. I agree. 224 pages 4.5 stars

Happy new thread, Tess!

Happy New Thread!

>4 MissWatson: TY!
>5 MissBrangwen: TY!

Happy New Thread! I always enjoy keeping up with you.

Happy new thread, Tess!

Happy New Thread

>7 LadyoftheLodge:
>8 Jackie_K:
>9 lowelibrary:

ty ty ty!

84. Headlong by Michael Frayn The protagonist, Martin Clay, an academic philosopher, believes he has found the "missing" 6th panel of a Bruegel painting in the home of his neighbor. The book examines the lengths Clay is willing to go to secure the painting for himself. While interesting, there are many too long ramblings about Renaissance art history, the geography of the Netherlands, etc. I guess we should expect that as Clay is a philosopher. The book depicts his mad obsession with this painting. Those who want a tidy ending will be disappointed. This book contained brilliant chapters and snoozer chapters. As an aside, I listened to this on audio. The reader was good, except I have never heard "Renaissance" pronounced "ruh NAY sonce. Yes, just like the first name Renee! 11 hours 15 min (400 pages) 3 stars

Was it a British narrator, Tess? That's how we say Renaissance - the American REN-uh-sonce always sounds weird to me!

When I was taking music history classes as an undergrad — I thought for a time that I’d be a music major, the Renaissance/Baroque section was taught by a British visiting professor (*). All of us American kids had to get used to ruhNAYsance and buhROCK.

(* - He was an artist in residence at the beginning of what became a very successful conducting career, so I can boast that I was a student of Nicholas McGegan.)

>12 Jackie_K: Probably, the story was set near London and the author is British. I can't find anything on the narrator. I've listened to dozens of books before, and being a history major, have just NEVER heard it pronounced that way before!

>13 KeithChaffee: I am unable to find out anything about the narrator. Probably is....after 50+ years of reading and being a history major, just never heard it pronounced that way before! Cool about McGegan!

>13 KeithChaffee: Wait, how do you say baroque? I can't think of any other way to say it! :D

In the US, we normally pronounce the second syllable to rhyme with “poke.” “If it ain’t Baroque, don’t fix it.”

85. On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder This book wasn't included in the "set", so I've not read this 3-4 times, maybe twice?! Great story of the Ingalls family living upon said creek and the trying times of the locusts and severe blizzard. 352 pages 5 stars

>16 KeithChaffee: Ha ha!

Been doing NOTHING but reading since May 30. Got to get up & move! Gardens to weed, clothes to wash, windows to wash, etc. etc.! I'm going to call this last week my "book" vacation!

86. The First Man in Rome by Colleen McCullough This is the second time I've read this book. This first time, there were so many characters that I couldn't keep them straight. This time, about 10 years later, they seem to all fall in place. This is the first in the author's Master's of Rome Series. McCullough reminds me a lot of Diana Gabaldon in her writing style. This book chronicles the rise of Gaius Marius and also introduces the reader to Lucius Cornelius Sulla. I was interested in this period (110-100 BCE), during the republic. Most of the literature that I've read about ancient Rome previously dealt with the empire, so it was nice to get an earlier tale. By the end of the book, the stage is set for the struggle between Gaius Marius and Sulla. My only complaint would be that a lot of war/battle strategy was explained in detail. I prefer the political and romantic machinations! This is going to be a great series. 1152 pages 5 stars



87. The Agony Column by Earl Derr Biggers The author was most famous for writing the Charlie Chan mysteries. This wasn't a Chan mystery, but a mystery, nonetheless. The novella follows Geoffrey West, an American living in London, who becomes involved in a mystery and romance through the newspaper's "agony column" (personal advertisements) on the eve of WWI. Great story and invocation of time and place. 75 pages 5 stars



88. Biblical Ethics by James P. Eckman The biggest part of this book explores the difference between ethics and morality. It does go on to discuss some topics such as abortion, euthanasia, Bioethics, and arts and entertainment, to name a few, although some of them appear dated. (2004) 112 pages 4 stars

89. The Sisters of Versailles by Sally Christie This was a historical romance with much more emphasis on the romance (if you can call it that) than on the historical. This book tells the story of the 5 Nesle sisters, of which 4 became mistresses to Louis XV. There was little history involved. It could have been any century, any country. The dialogue was modern sounding and so were the attitudes. This was just young sisters besting each other and bed-hopping with royalty. Blah blah. This was book 1 of a series. I will not be seeking out the other books. 433 pages 2.5 stars

90. Sultana: Surviving the Civil War, Prison, and the Worst Maritime Disaster in American History by Alan Hoffman This non-fiction book is both the prequel and the main story of the worst maritime disaster in U.S. History. This event took place just 2 days before Lee surrendered to Grant. (April 7, 1865) This book doesn't just describe the Sultana and its deadly explosions, but also recounts the lives of several Union soldiers and their combat and imprisonment before boarding the Sultana. The author uses diaries, memoirs, newspaper accounts, and historical records to construct the book. This is a good narrative about this disaster. It does get bogged down several times while telling about POW stories before the Sultana sets sail on its voyage. The book is also in need of some good maps or illustrations--there are none. A deck plan of the boat and also a map of Andersonville prison would have been helpful. I would estimate that only about 1/3 of the book is about the actual ship and explosion which took place on the Mississippi River near Memphis, Tenn, killing about 1700. 320 pages 3 stars

91. The Godmother by Hannelore Cayre This is a "crime" novel featuring Patience Portefeux, a 53-year-old Franco-Arab interpreter who translates police wiretaps for the French narcotics squad. She is newly widowed, must pay for the care of her institutionalized mother (dementia), and support her 2 daughters. She starts dabbling in the drug business from the "tips" she gets from her translations. Most of the book is the story of how she balances her translation job with her criminal activities; she is quite successful with both. At only 180 pages, Patience's transformation happens quickly and seamlessly. There is nobody to root for in this book, distancing the reader. The author uses the book to indict the French legal system, class inequality, immigration issues, and the treatment of the elderly. At times, these issues seem to be more important than the plot of the book, which meanders. 3 stars

92. The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann Whewwww! This is probably a great literary masterpiece, but I can't vouch for that! It is a "coming of age" story with MUCH MUCH philosophical debate.

Our protagonist, Hans, goes to a TB sanatorium to visit his cousin, Joachim, a patient there. After several either months or years (time is not linear in this book), Hans becomes a "regular" whether due to an actual spot on his lung or because he is a hypochondriac.

The forward apprises the reader that the sanatorium is a microcosm of Europe on the eve of WWI, and that the patients represent different world views.

I was able to pick up on some irony and humor throughout the book, but the majority of the time long philosophical discussions became overwhelming and distracting. The narrative was very slow. 1033 pages 3 stars

On sale on Kindle for 39 cents! (American)

>23 Tess_W: Here's the 2020 Magic Mountain group read: https://www.librarything.com/topic/323700#7248789

I liked The Magic Mountain more than you did, but agree that those philosophical discussions are a slog.

>24 pamelad: Thanks! I might have enjoyed it more with some good group discussion.

93. The Marriage of Megotta by Edith Pargeter is a 13th century court intrigue and “romance” novel. The book jacket says it is a true story. There are a few historians that doubt there even was a Megotta. However, most agree that such a person did exist. The story centers around the court of King Henry III. One of his most trusted advisors, Hugh de Burgh, was given custody of Richard de la Clare, a relative of the king. Richard is brought up with Megotta, de Burgh’s younger daughter. They fall in love and secretly exchange vows, probably around age 13 or 14. Trouble breaks out in King Henry’s court and Richard is sent elsewhere to live as de Burgh is now out of favor. Megotta dies shortly after that, from what, we never find out. Eventually, Richard remarries advantageously. Also woven within this story is the “older” and enduring love story of Simon de Montfort and Eleanor, King Henry’s widowed sister. Good read!

Pros: Good evocation of place and time and interesting story line. Cons: So many Henry’s, Richards, and Peter’s, the reader needs a list. (and in fact, the author provides one at the beginning of the book). The font size on this book was either 6-7 which made it difficult and thus irritating to read. I won’t buy another paperback online again because this is about the third time this has occurred. This is book 4/4 in this series. I would read the others if I could find some readable copies. 236 pages 4 stars

>26 Tess_W: I have never heard of this series, sounds like it is just what I like. Too bad about the font size, though! It’s amazing how people put up with this in the last century. (And that sounds very strange...)

Just because: My Top 5 Books of All Time: Not in any particular order
1. Wuthering Heights
2. Bible
3. Outlander
4. All the Light We Can Not See
5. The Thorn Birds

Close contenders:
Little House books
Evangeline
Julius Caesar (Shakespeare)
Night by Elie Wiesel
Animal Farm
A Tale of Two Cities
Gone Girl
Into the Wilderness series by Donati

>23 Tess_W: I must admit that I haven't read this book so far, and I am not rushing to do so.

>28 Tess_W: Great to see your list! Wuthering Heights was my least favourite Brontë novel when I read all of them within a few years, but that was around 2010, so I really need to reread them. I am mostly looking forward to Wuthering Heights to see how I like it now - maybe I missed something the first time around. I think Outlander would make my top 5, too!

94. American Barns: A Pictorial History by Jill Caravan This is a coffee table book and so the pictures were worth a thousand words--very nostalgic. Topics covered included: basic styles, form and function, custom and tradition, and evolution. Well worth the time to read! 90 pages 4 stars

95. Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder This is my least favorite book of the series as it focuses mostly on the conflict with the Native Americans. 323 pages 3.5 stars

>31 Tess_W: It is also my least favorite book of the series.

96. The Grass Crown, the second volume in McCullough's Masters of Rome series covers the years in the republic from 91-86 BCE. The main story is basically the decline of Gaius Marius and the rise of Lucius Cornelius Sulla. MCCullough brings Marius' mental and physical instability and Sulla's ruthlessness to real life. A teen-aged Julius Caesar is also slowly and carefully being developed. The most difficult thing for me is that I'm unfamiliar with the Roman offices (Quaestor, Praetor, First Man, Aedile, Consul, Censor, etc.) and the jockeying for position was a bit confusing. Because there were so many first names that were the same, McCullough used all three names when writing and it just seemed overwhelming. That being said, the soap-opera that was Rome, was interesting. 1149 pages 3.5 stars I really need to evaluate my likeable level (3.5--better than average) with the effort to read such large tomes. Not sure that I will invest that much reading time in a series that isn't a 4 or 5 for me!

Hullo Tess!

>21 Tess_W: I jumped off to Wikipedia to read about the Sultana; thank you for the good review to improve my knowledge of post-Civil War events.

>31 Tess_W: and >32 sallylou61: Yes, it is a bit different in its writing style. Not as full of fun and frolic as "Plum Creek."

>28 Tess_W: I treated myself to a special edition of Wuthering Heights over the Christmas holidays. Found it much easier to read than my old paperback copy, and realized that yes, it had to do with the font. Harder to read the smaller fonts, even when I was a teenager and infatuated with the unrequited love in this story.

>34 threadnsong: only unrequited until Heathcliff dies!;)

97. To Shield the Queen by Fiona Buckley Buckley also writes under the name Valerie Anand. This book is book #1 in a 23 book series that takes place in Elizabethan England. In this particular book, Ursula, an illegitimate half sister of Henry VIII, is an aide to Queen Elizabeth. Her assignment is to keep an eye on Lady Amy Dudley to see if she is really ill, or if somebody is trying to kill her, or she is faking it. Most of the major persons in the book are historical. Dudley was in fact a favorite of Queen Elizabeth I and for this reason, and others, hated by a good number of people. Unfortunately, Amy Dudley fell down a flight of stairs and died. The coroner ruled it an accidental death, but many doubted that. Most believed it was orchestrated by Sir Dudley so he would be free to marry the Queen. The cloud followed him the remainder of his life. Ursula is involved in trying to find out who killed Lady Dudley or if her death was actually an accident.

I found the book to be fairly historically accurate, believable, and the mystery moved along at a good pace. I will seek out more books in this series. 336 pages 4.5 stars

Going to go ahead with June's roundup because I can!

Books read: 15 (Will finish book # 15 tomorrow-6/30)
Cheers: (books with a rating of 4-5 stars:
Mission Possible: Go Create a Life that Counts by Tim Tebow
On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder
The First Man in Rome by Colleen McCullough
The Agony Column by Earl Biggers
Biblical Ethics by James Eckman
The Marriage of Megotta by Edith Pargeter
American Barns by Jill Caravan
To Shield the Queen by Fiona Buckley
Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare

Jeers: (books with rating of less than 3)
The Sisters of Versailles by Sally Christie

More than 50% of books rated 4-5 stars!

What's up for next month:
My cruise/vacation--don't know how much I will get done but for sure:
Finish Antony & Cleopatra--one act to go
The Brighter Side of Life by Emile Zola
The Ride: Paul Revere and the Night That Saved America by Kostoya Kennedy to celebrate our 250th birthday! (NF)
The Children of Jocasta by Natalie Haynes (British Author)
The Wives: A Memoir by Simone Gorrindo
By the Shores of the Silver Lake Laura Ingalls Wilder

I may not get to all of those!