Mdoris (Mary) reads in 2026 #2

Hello, my name is Mary. I live in Comox, on Vancouver Island. I have been a member of LT since 2011 and I love it here. It is great to see what people are reading, to follow threads and to make new friends. I am a slow reader (it will be a miracle to reach 75!).

Almost all my books are from the library. I love cookbooks and do get lots of them too but do not list them in my grand total count. I do love non fiction, reading and trying to make sense of the crazy things happening in our world but can't resist a great novel too!

I have 4 daughters who have all flown the coop. They are all living far away and they now have little ones. Now I am Gramma to 9, 4 boys and 5 girls. I was passionate about kids' books when our kids were little and still read lots of the newly published ones too. I am a retired Speech/Language Pathologist and loving retirement.

WELCOME! Please come and visit!

This is a photo of all my grandchildren. There was recently a sister/family meet up in Denver and they had a lot of fun together!

Looks like a nice group of children, Mary. You must be proud!

Happy new thread!

Happy New Thread, Mary! What a gorgeous bunch of grandchildren you have! A wonderful get together too .

>3 Familyhistorian: Thanks Meg. I was there in spirit!

>4 vancouverdeb: Thank you Deborah. It has been a very long time since they have been together. At some point it is mostly weddings and when those are done there has to be another reason! And of course the reason is for the cousins to get to know each other. They live far away from each other!

#26 A Refiner's Fire by Donna Leon



Well another Guido Brunetti mystery under my belt and it is always a satisfying read to visit Venice and the family and collegues of this astute detective. This is Leon's 33rd installment in this series. ( I have only read 11 of them!)

#27 Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin



I believe this was the first children's book that Harry Bliss illustrated. After reading his recent graphic novel memoir I was interested to see his illustrations and they are fabulous. He is a very gifted artist and has illustrated over 25 kids' books.

>2 mdoris: Great photo, Mary. You are lucky to have so many grandkids.

Happy new thread.

>6 mdoris: That is the next one for me; I think it's the last one published?

>8 BLBera: HI Beth, I think you are right about it being the last of the Brunetti books but she did publish a book, a type of memoir in 2025 Backstage : stories of a writing life.i may check it out!

Happy new thread, Mary!

>10 drneutron: Thanks Jim. Hope you have had a very good day!

Happy new thread, Mary.

>2 mdoris: They look like nine young people who would make a Grandmother inordinately proud.

>12 PaulCranswick: Thank you Paul! xx

Happy new thread!

Looks like the grandchildren are enjoying the summer weather.

Happy Monday, Mary. Happy New Thread. I LOVE the photo with your grandchildren. How wonderful is that? We are still stuck at one. LOL. But no complaints there.

I also love your book choices. They align with me pretty well. I see that you also read and enjoyed A Far-Flung Life- I just finished her debut The Light Between Oceans and would recommend it, if you haven't read it.

>14 figsfromthistle: Hello Anita, I am following your travels and vacation time and seeing that lots of R&R is on the radar which is a very, very good thing. Maybe it means you can sneak in a book or two!

>15 msf59: HI Mark, I just got the Maurice Sendak book out of the library that Harry Bliss talked about in his memoir My Brother's Book. I loved how he described his visits with some of these amazingly talented people! Yes I read The Light Between the Oceans when it was first published. And about the grandkids, drats, they live so far away but we will be have visits with them this summer. You are a lucky one with Jackson living closeby. It has been fun for me to see Jackson change over time in your posted photos! I can see why you are smitten!

# 28 My Brother's Book by Maurice Sendak



This was another book written about in the Harry Bliss graphic memoir. Curiously enough it ended being a duplicate in my book list as I had read it in 2015. Oh my so long ago! It is a short book written in poem form with the most stunning paintings, written as a loving farewell to his brother and to his partner of 50 years. It was his last book.

>7 mdoris: This was such a fun book. I remember reading it to my now 13-year-old grandson when he was a little kid, He loved it!

I have the Harry Bliss graphic memoir out from the library now but haven’t read it yet. Looks like it’s a gateway to other books which could be dangerous!

>19 SqueakyChu: Hi Madeline, Bliss has illustrated so many kids books. I miss the days when my kids were little and I brought stacks and stacks of kids books home from the library each week. Now there are so many that have passed me by but fun to read the occasional one.

i am reading the brand new Ann Patchett book Whistler and loving it but see that she has written 3 kids books Lambslide Escape Goat and The Verts. So I looked them up on YouTube and read them there! Fun!

>20 Familyhistorian: HI Meg, So so so many gateways and we never close the gate do we! I am loving this sunny warm day! Are you a Harry Bliss fan? I really love his dog cartoons.

>21 mdoris: I get to see Ann Patchett next week and will get a copy of her new book, so I am excited about that.

>23 BLBera: Lucky you Beth. I am steaming through the book and loving it, don't want it to end. It is like having great visit with an old friend and time vanishes. She is so talented!

#29 Whistler by Ann Patchett



i just steamed through this very recently published (June '26) and wonderful book. I loved it! It tells a unique and heart felt story of a relationship rooted in an extreme early memory. Patchett is such a good story teller and writer. I love her essays but this one is a keeper too! I didn't know she had written 3 kids books so i have had a peek at those too. >21 mdoris:.

>25 mdoris: I've only read two books by Ann Patchett one I really liked The Patron Saint of Liars and the other I was pretty lukewarm about , The Dutch House, so she is a hit and miss author for me.

>25 mdoris: I can't wait to see Patchett and get my book!

>22 mdoris: I’ve only seen Harry Bliss’s cartoons on the threads as far as I remember, Mary. A good graphic memoir is always something to look forward to though.

>26 vancouverdeb: Hello Deborah, I guess I have read most of her books and really liked them a lot, especially the essays but I thought Whistler was a top read!

>27 BLBera: Hi Beth, I guess today is the day you will go and see Ann Patchett. I am envious and really looking forward to your impressions!

>28 Familyhistorian: Hello Meg, I knew about Harry Bliss because I was a long time subscriber of the New Yorker mag where a lot of his work is published and he did a lot of covers for the magazine too. But I have not subscribed now for a number of years but like you I enjoy seeing his cartoons on the threads, mostly our pal Mark in Chicago. Hope you are having a good day! How did you like his memoir? i thought it was very interesting and he shared a lot about his life and about other artists. They other graphic artist i love and who also almost always featured dogs is George Booth. Do you know him?

#30 Sylvanus Now by Donna Morrissey


This is the first in a trilogy followed by What They Wanted and then The Fortunate Brother. this first book takes you deep into the existence of the Sylanus Now family and their small community in the outports of Newfoundland where a meager existence of fishing happens when the devasting demise of the Newfoundland fishery occurs. Much change is in their world! The dialogue is superb capturing the music and uniqueness of their speech. I look forward to the next book in the trilogy! It is a moving story and I always love my visits when reading a book about Newfoundland!

Glad you enjoyed My Brother's Book. I will have to keep this one in mind. Hooray for Whistler! I am not surprised at your reaction at all. I will be reading it soon.

>26 vancouverdeb: "so she is a hit and miss author for me." Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!

>30 mdoris: I"m glad you enjoyed Sylvanus Now, Mary. I have only read Kit's Law by her and really enjoyed it.

>2 mdoris: I love that picture, Mary! They look like they are having a great time!

>25 mdoris: A Patchett book that I had never heard of before?? I must track down a copy! Thanks for that recommendation, Mary.

>30 mdoris: Adding that one to the BlackHole too! Thanks again.

>31 msf59: Hello Mark, That was fun to see a bit of teasing towards our pal Deborah! "Noooooooooo!" !!!
Yes I thought Whistler was a wonderful book!

>32 vancouverdeb: Hi Deborah, I read Kit's Law so long ago (2009) and then sort of forgot about the author but then i read about some great enthusiasm for her books on "What Great Canadian Literature are you Reading 2026 " thread in the Canadian Literature group and picked up the first in the trilogy. I will no doubt read more! Hope you are having a good day. Today is Loki's 7th birthday and we are giving her extra doggy treats! Hi to Muffin!

>33 alcottacre: Hi Stasia, The Patchett is brand new, hot off the presses! i was shocked that I got it so early from the library but I must have put it on hold ages ago when it was on order. Hope all's well with you and family! I coming over for a visit!

>29 mdoris: I'm still working my way through the Bliss memoir as I have a few other books on the go. George Booth is new one for me so I looked him up and it looks like he was also in the New Yorker. I never subscribed but that's probably a good thing. I'd have even more stacks of magazines to work through. It's bad enough with all the genealogy mags I bought to "read later".

>35 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg, yes, you can so easily get swamped with books and magazines and now the crazy internet for podcasts. Too much sitting! But I think you don't have to worry about that with your active life and your going up the hiking trails with your pals. I love George Booth cartoons and he did the best covers for the New Yorker mag. Another amazing artist/writer and one who did the best children's books and again lots for the New Yorker mag covers is William Steig . Do you know his kids books?

>34 mdoris: My local library has the Patchett book but it is currently checked out. I will get to it soon, I hope.

Have a wonderful weekend!

>37 alcottacre: Hi Stasia I hope you get it soon and like it as much as I did!

Bob the Bookerer's prediction list for the Booker prize longlist. We shall see.......and thanks Deborah for the info about Bob!

✔️ read and loved!

Tahmima Anam- Uprising
Lucy Apps- Gloria Don’t Speak
Julian Barnes- Departure(s)✔️
Woody Brown- Upward Bound
Madeline Cash- Lost Lambs
Saleem Haddad-Floodlines
Ashley Hickson-Lovence- About To Fall Apart
Daniyal Mueenuddin- This Is Where The Serpent Lives
Doireann Ní Ghriofa- Said The Dead
Derek Owusu- Borderline Fiction
Ann Patchett- Whistler✔️
Elizabeth Strout- The Things We Never Say✔️
Douglas Stuart- John of John✔️

>39 mdoris: It will be interesting to see what is actually on the Booker Long list, Mary. I've read The Things We Never Say and Lost Lambs and have hold on several others from the library.

Happy Canada Day, 🇨🇦, Mary!

>39 mdoris: I don't have a single one of those yet, Mary. I would normally want three or four on there to reduce my purchasing needs!

Happy Canada Day, Mary.

>36 mdoris: I'm happy to say that I haven't watched very many podcasts. I do have a thing for YouTube genealogy videos though so I'm not sure that's any better. I don't know William Steig either, but I'm not much for children's books. Happy Canada Day!

>40 vancouverdeb: Hi Deborah, I guess we still have a bit of a wait until the Booker longlist is posted. i had better watch some of the book podcasts about it. Thanks for the tips!

>41 vancouverdeb: Thanks Deborah!

>42 PaulCranswick: Paul I think you had better get shopping! I have faith in you at the bookstore!

>43 PaulCranswick: Thank you Paul!

>45 mdoris: I can't wait until the Booker Longlist is announced. I hope I will enjoy some of the books, Mary and maybe even have read some.

>44 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg. I was a bit of a nutcase about kids books when our kids were little but once you are out of the stage all regular knowledge seems to disappear but I have my favourites from the old days!

#31 Land by Maggie O'Farrell



This recently published book by Maggie O'Farrell takes us to a vivid landscape and a family historydrama in the time around 1865 and rural Ireland, west coast. The story also has connections to long past days, The Great Hunger, Druids and Vikings and memories and survival on the same landscape, so layers of influence. I think she was trying to give landscape a memory related to history but then this does not carry on later in the book and she then becomes more focused on the family members and their huge challenges and trials. I really liked this idea of place being so marked by history! It is a riveting read. I was lucky to get my mitts on it so soon. I guess I had put a library hold on it ages ago! Like Hamnet I have read that this one will be made into a film too. I just watched Hamnet. Oh my was it good!

About to have cataract surgery, one eye at a time so may not get much reading done soon. We shall see! So it might be quiet over here for a while.

Happy Monday, Mary. I am nearing the halfway point in Land and enjoying it very much. She sure goes deep on this one. Very admirable. I also got lucky with scoring a copy- it showed up on the Lucky Day shelf at my library, otherwise it was a long wait.

>49 mdoris: I am looking forward to this.

>50 mdoris: My prayers and good wishes for easy cataract surgery , and a quick and full recovery, Mary .

>51 msf59: Hello Mark, Yes I had t0 stay up late last night to polish it off. Hope you are enjoying it!

>52 BLBera: Hi Beth. I look forward to reading about your impressions of the book!

>53 vancouverdeb: Thank you Deborah. I'm sure all will be fine but it might put a monkey wrench into m reading for a while. We also have our 4 daughters and their families rotating through for visits so that affects my reading time as you can imagine! Chained to the kitchen.

Thanks for the review of Land. I wasn't much interested in the book but now it sounds like something I would like. Best of luck with the cataract surgery, Mary.

>55 Familyhistorian: Thank you Meg. I am counting it all to go smoothly! I do hope you like Land when you get to it! And I hope you are having better days......

>25 mdoris: Hi Mary - sorry, but too long time away from LT - and your thread. This looks interesting. I've only read one by Patchett State of Wonder which I liked a lot.

Can see you and Deborah are on your toes when it comes to the booker prize. It's like when friends and I discuss the quarter final line up for the World Cup. Hope everything is well with you and you're enjoying the summer.

>57 ctpress: Hello Carsten, Well Deborah is way more on her toes than me and I benefit from her amazing reading choices. Lovely to see you visit and sure hope you are enjoying summer as well. Will you take some time off and go traveling? I know you often have wonderful summer adventures!

>49 mdoris: I am really looking forward to Land, Mary. I will be astonished if it doesn't make the longlist but it is a pretty mixed bag of judges this year so you never know how they'll be thinking.

Will Mary Beard favour historical fiction?
Patricia Lockwood pushes boundaries and is a stated fan of George Saunders so we really should expect his book to be there.
Jarvis Cocker chose a book of the surreal by Richard Brautigan as his favourite book on Desert Island discs.
The young poet, Raymond Antrobus, is unpredictable but likely to be left of centre.
The critic and essayist Rebecca Liu may have slightly more orthodox tastes based on her admiration of Janet Malcolm and Doris Lessing but who knows?

>59 PaulCranswick: Hello Paul, I look forward to your opinion about the book when you get to it! As you said on Mark's thread, I too am a bit of a nut about Ireland and much of my old family history is from there from generations ago. I would love to go back and travel there and do more exploring. You will be able to do that soon!

I've started John of John, Mary and I recall you liked it. So far, so good . It the first of his books I have read. Enjoy the grandchildren, but I am sorry you will be chained to the stove.

>61 vancouverdeb: Deborah, I hope you like it!

>61 vancouverdeb: Heard a lot of good things about that one too. It is only out here in a pretty expensive hardcover version but let's see if it gets longlisted.

>63 PaulCranswick: Hello Paul, I think we are all eager for the longlist! Still a bit of a wait.

>63 PaulCranswick: I bought that expensive hardcover a while back, Paul.

I am trying hard to be more like Mary and mainly use the library. It's expensive and then what to do with the books ? I am not a re- reader and I only have so much space. I have found a charity shop I usually donate my books too.

>65 vancouverdeb: Deborah I don't think you want to be more like me, at all!. I had the cataract surgery today (first eye) and a friend brought over 2 monster cinnamon buns, so scrumptious and they are almost gone. Yum.

I guess I am not a collector, I like to get rid of things and like you I am not a re-reader, too many wonderful books out there to read so the library does the job. I ❤️ the library!

>66 mdoris: Cinnamon buns sound like the right thing to take away any bad feelings from cataract surgery, Mary. I hope you put in an order for the same treat after the second eye gets done.