bonniebook's 50 book challenge 2009

Hi Everyone! I've been awed by the detailed information/comments that you all include in your libraries; it really adds to my enjoyment, so I'd like to start doing that as well. The only problem: I'm such an emotional reader, have lots to say while I'm reading a book, but am TERRIBLE at summarizing or reviewing a book after I'm finished with it. So, I'm thinking that the 50-book challenge is a perfect opportunity for me to blurt out a little something about every book I read. Sometimes, though, I would just rather read another book!

Hi, bonniebooks!
Here's wishing you a great year of reading. :)
--BJ

The books I've completed for my 50-Books Challenge are listed first in the order read. The remaining books include: Books I've bought and haven't read yet, some books I want to finish, plus books recommended by other LT-ers. I was going to wait until Jan. 1st to begin, but I got snowed in, so my official start is: December 23, 2008. Update: I met my goal of reading 50 books in one year on 5/03/09, but will keep going until I meet my 999 challenge as well.

01. Out Stealing Horses - Per Petterson (12/23/08)
02. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan - Lin See (12/24/08)
03. White Tiger - Aravind Adiga (12/26/08)
04. Anne of Green Gables - L. M. Montgomery (12/30/08)
05. Strange as This Weather Has Been - Ann Pancake (12/31/08)
06. Tree of Smoke - Denis Johnson (1/01/09)
07. Great Expectations - Charles Dickens (1/02/09)
08. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet - Jamie Ford (1/04/09)
09. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer (1/04/09)
10. Talent is Overrated - Geoff Colvin (1/5/09)
11. The Pursuit of Alice Thrift - Elinor Lipman (1/09/09)
12. The Secret River - Kate Grenville (1/10/09)
13. Outliers: The Story of Success - Malcom Gladwell (1/11/09)
14. Special Topics in Calamity Physics - Marisha Pessl (1/12/09)
15. The Scarlet Feather - Maeve Binchy (1/15/09)
16. The Elegance of the Hedgehog - Muriel Barbery (1/18/09)
17. The Optimist's Daughter - Eudora Welty (1/18/09)
18. Dreams From My Father - Barack Hussein Obama (1/20/09)
19. The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop - Lewis Buzbee (1/23/09)
20. Women Who Love Books Too Much - Brenda Knight (2/02/09)
21. Happiness Sold Separately - Lolly Winston (2/06/09)
22. Beethoven was One Sixteenth Black and other stories - Nadine Gordimer (2/07/09)
23. Gardens of Water - Alan Drew (2/09/09)
24. A Case of Exploding Mangoes - Mohammed Hanif (2/12/09
25. Mister Pip - Lloyd Jones (2/18/09)
26. Digging to America - Anne Tyler (2/20/09)
27. Proust and the Squid - Maryanne Wolf (2/24/09)
28. A Northern Light - Jennifer Donnely (2/28/09)
29. American Rust - Phillip Meyer (3/04/09)
30. A Version of Truth - Jennifer Kaufman (3/07/09)
31. The Book Thief - Markus Zusak (3/14/09)
32. Housekeeping vs. Dirt - Nick Hornby (03/15/09)
33. Black Swan Green - David Mitchell (3/21/09)
34. Away - Amy Bloom (3/26/09)
35. Northanger Abbey - Jane Austen (4/04/09)
36. Gods Behaving Badly - Marie Phillips (4/05/09)
37. A Complicated Kindness - Miriam Toews (4/06/09)
38. Dreamers of the Day - Mary Doria Russell (4/08/09)
39. Property - Valerie Martin (4/10/09)
40. Someone Knows My Name - Lawrence Hill (4/12/09
41. Lush Life - Richard Price (4/17/09)
42. The Translator: A Tribesman's Memoir of Darfur - Daoud Hari (4/18/09)
43. The Butcher Boy - Patrick McCabe (4/19/09)
44. Shakespeare Wrote for Money - Nick Hornsby (4/20/09)
45. The Cellist of Sarajevo - Steven Galloway (4/22/09)
46. The Florist's Daughter - Patricia Hampl (4/24/09)
47. When You are Engulfed in Flames - David Sedaris (4/24/09)
48. The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family - Annette Gordon Reed (4/24/09)
49. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - Betty Smith (4/27/09)
50. The Thirteenth Tale - Diane Setterfield (5/03/09)
51. I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti - Giulia Malucchi (5/06/09)
52. How Sex Works: Why We Look, Feel, Smell, Taste, and Act the Way We Do - Sharon Moalam (5/06/09)
53. Ex-Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader - Anne Fadiman (5/07/09)
54. Bad Mother - Ayelet Waldman (5/13/09)
55. The Yiddish Policemen's Union - Michael Chabon (5/17/09)
56. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao - Junot Diaz (5/23/09)
57. Family Man - Elinor Lipman (6/05/09)
58. Mudbound - Hillary Jordan (6/06/09)

Thanks, BJ! Can you believe it? We only have 11 books in common. Maybe if I added all of my cookbooks we would have more! :) I just posted my reading list for next year. I've NEVER done anything like that before. Usually, I just go to my favorite book store and wander. This time, though, I perused other LT libraries and made a Wish List for myself. Probably will still wander...my favorite thing to do on the weekends.
Bonnie

Hi, again, Bonnie!
Well, I looked through the first two pages of your library, and we actually have more books in common. I have the complete Jane Austen listed as a set and also the same for the Brontes. Plus, I have some Maya Angelou and Margaret Atwood books that I have not entered in my library yet. I am way behind on listing books. For a while, I have just been listing new ones. I need to start entering my books. The whole point was to have a complete record of my library. :)

You have lots of good books on your list. I look forward to seeing what you think about them.

--BJ

Hey, BJ! Thanks for noticing my entrance into the 50-Book Challenge group. :) Lots of the books on my list have been culled from the postings of other members in the group, so my titles will probably be "old news" to many people, but even if I end up talking to myself (smile) I'll have fun keeping track of the books I read next year! Bonnie

Hi, Bonnie! Welcome to the Challenge and thanks for the kind note. I've been on LT since June, so I was overdue to get started on the "Challenge". That's a great list to read, good luck, there are nearly 20 books you've listed, that I've read or are on my tbr! Stay in touch!

hi Bonnie! Thanks for your comments on my thread. A few of the books on your list are some of this year's favorites for me, so I look forward to reading your reactions.

Let me extend a warm welcome to the group as well. You have a stellar list. I've read about half of them and want to read the others. I have starred your thread and will follow your progress.

Well, it's a mutual admiration society 'cas I've already got you guys starred. Donna, your library was profiled as having many books in common with mine when I joined. And, true confession, it makes sense that you've already read lots of the books on MY 50-Book Challenge list since I tagged and thoroughly went though your "interesting library" a couple of weeks ago looking for books I want to read next year! (Smile!)

Hi Bonnie! Good Luck with this challenge.

Well, I was holding out until January to start my 50-book Challenge, but I'm one of those people snowed in with nothing to do but eat and read, read and eat! Normally, this would be my favorite thing to do, but I was supposed to drive down to Portland to be with my 2 sons (one flew in from NYC, sob!) and mom over the Holidays. I think I'll raid my son's Christmas stocking and start reading Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson.

Just found your list now (huh - am meant to be marking exams!!)
Good to see someone else on here who feels the same way about writing comments. I find it quite hard to do but am getting better. I make profound observations like "I thought it was really good"!

Your list of books to read looks great. I loved Cloud Atlas and The Idea of Perfection. And I'm trying not to succumb to temptation by buying the new Paul Krugman. I need to plough through some of the unread books I have already.

eek, just read that you're snowed in!

So sorry you're snowed in. Hope you will be able to see your family soon. Keep warm and eat, drink and be merry with a good book to read.

1. Out Stealing Horses I wish I could have read this book in its original language; there were times when the translations were not quite right--at least not for American English. (I'm not a writer and when I start thinking of what I think would be a better word, that's not good!) And afterwards, I thought, "Come on, Trond! Why didn't you go back to...?" or "You mean you really NEVER had any more contact with...?" That's OK because I was talking to Trond, not the author, but there was one key plot point that seemed sooo improbable to me (the unlikelihood of Lars being his current neighbor) that I got distracted thinking about how the author could have brought these two characters together in a different way, or whether he even needed to. This was a quiet book, but I'm a sucker for coming of age stories, so was deeply interested in finding out all that did happen that summer when Trond was fifteen that led to him to want to be so alone at 67. Overall, I'm not sure I would be all that satisfied with this book if the author had not written the perfect last half of a last sentence which so neatly summed up (and made me feel so much more empathy for) what the narrator was struggling with throughout this story.

Note: I finally learned how to "bold" so am editing my post for those who are skimming through, looking at titles (which is what I do when reading other threads).

2. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan was just a pleasant diversion. Maybe would have been more gripping if this was the first book I had read about a woman's life in China pre-revolution, including the gory details of footbinding. So, it wasn't shocking, but always sad to think about the difficult lives and lowly status of women--even now--in many places in the world. I enjoyed this book, but wouldn't read it again, so no stars.

Note: See my profile for an explanation of my rating system. This would probably be 3 stars if I were rating it more typically.

3. White Tiger is ferociously good! What does it say about MY character that I like Balram better than I liked Lilly (Snow Flower and the Secret Fan)? After all, Lilly only admitted to being rigid while Balram is a murderer! What does it say about me when I can thoroughly enjoy a book that so vividly details the wretchedness of so many people's lives. For those of you who are for "free trade" you might want to read this book!

I think that if you click on a title, then when you see it again, it will be underlined. I am not sure if that is permanent or just for a while. I think that only you see it underlined when it is from your clicking on it. For example, I don't see any titles underlined in this thread.

Now I am not all that knowledgeable about computers, so I could be totally wrong.
--BJ

No, I don't see any books underlined anywhere in your thread above. However, I clicked the other day on Bernard of Clairvaux: Selected Works and saw it underlined everywhere. Also, if I click on a person's name to see their profile, it will be underlined for a while, too. I do not know if the underlined books are only underlined for a while, but that is what I think. After a certain amount of time, the underlining will go away unless you click on it again.
--BJ

4. Tree of Smoke. Bought this book for my son and wouldn't continue with it, but want to know what my son is going to be reading. Yes, this is a good, complicated story and I haven't finished it yet, but have to say: There are too many wanna-be-heroes and messed-up men (boys, really) who get even more messed-up by war and mess-up too many lives in the process of trying to win unwinnable wars (and there are no other kind, folks!) And I get really tired of (frustrated? discouraged? sad? All that and more!) reading about war through men's adolescent eyes and their cynical sense of humor.

"Well, you were sad about the kids for awhile, for a month, two months, three months. You're sad about the kids, sad about the animals, you don't do women, you don't kill the animals, but after that you realize this is a war zone and everybody here lives in it. You don't care whether these people live or die tomorrow, you don't care whether you yourself live or die tomorrow, you kick the children aside, you do the women, you shoot the animals" (p.577).

Note: I finished this book on New Year's Day, so it was my first official 999 challenge book.

5. Anne of Green Gables. How's that for a switch?! Less than a hundred pages left of Tree of Smoke, but was so sad I just had to take a break. I know I'm reading one of my 999 challenges early, but it felt so good to listen to Anne chattering for a morning. I would have loved to have read this book as a child. (Got in so much trouble for talking too much myself.) Would have imagined her my friend. Couldn't have lived up to the intelligence, spirit, and imagination of Anne (what girl could?) but it would have been exciting to be in her company for awhile! :)

Hi bonniebooks and a belated welcome to the 50 book challenge. You've got a great list of books to read. I have several old college chums who live in Seattle and I'm envious that you all have the Elliot Bay bookstore to browse around in. Hope you've plowed out of the snow by now. Happy New Year!

#24, Yes! Snow's gone. Lucky me, I'm going to stop at Third Place Books in the morning which is owned by, and very much like, Elliot Bay with new and used books, plus comfortable chairs and FOOD--what more could you want?! Then heading down to Portland and Powell's (biggest bookstore west of the Mississippi) to wander around on New Year's Day. Have you turned green, yet? :-)

6. Strange as This Weather Has Been by Ann Pancake. This story is successful if you think of it as a 'call to arms' rather than great literature. The author does her job--you can't walk away from this story without feeling the urgent need to do something to help stop the massive, long-term environmental destruction caused by the mountain top-removal process of mining that's still happening in West Virginia. But this isn't just about the destruction of some mountains; it's also about the lives of the people who have lived in these mountains for hundreds of years--whose homes, cultures and traditions, livelihoods, and very lives are being destroyed to benefit the short-term energy needs, as well as the economic profit, of relatively few people. This book has been compared to The Jungle by Upton Sinclair as well as The Dollmaker by Harriet Arnow. It's been a long time since I've read The Jungle, but this book falls short of The Dollmaker because the author just couldn't resist adding another fact, another detail, another story...which she introduces by continuing to add more and more characters. Eventually the characters just become a story telling device. It's too bad, because I really cared about the Make Family and through their perspectives alone, the author has a very powerful, and moving story to tell.

Hi Bonnie, I just saw your great list. Many I have read, many I want to read. I have also joined the challenge this year but am not nearly as organized to have chosen my books.

I'll be watching your comments as we have similar book tastes.

Hi, sydamy! For some reason, LT is not letting me access the database so can't look at your library right now, but will try again later. I only appear organized because I had to do something with all the books I've bought but haven't read as well as the ever growing list of books I want to read because I've heard about them from other LT-ers! Really, this planning ahead is a very foreign thing for me; we'll see how long it lasts! :-)

7. Great Expectations. I was at my mom's over New Year's Day and couldn't access my account--terrible! Read this book online thanks to DailyLit.com--and the LT poster who mentioned it! :-) A bit annoying to get only a few pages at a time, but otherwise a great free service. (1/02/09)

8. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. (My first ER book!) Well, I'm still trying to write my official early review on this, so am not going to say much here, but was disappointed in this book. Maybe I was just too excited--I had waited for weeks, I was getting to be one of a select few getting to read the book early, the cover looked great, I was interested and familiar with the topic, and it was free! I couldn't wait to get started!

I think so much depends on how much a person has read about this shocking part of American history. I was an adult before I knew anything about it. I'm no expert, but I'm from Seattle AND I took a course in Asian-American studies which included much better books on this topic. For example, Nisei Daughter by Monica Itoi Sone was so charming and funny while telling much the same story in a much more credible manner. This book read like bad Juvenile Fiction in that the main character, both as a youth and an adult, was in the middle of every important event! Children will accept that, but I just kept on saying, "Come on, you must be kidding me!" Again, maybe if this was the first time I had heard the story of America's wholesale internment of over 110,000 Japanese Americans with no legal justification, I wouldn't have been so impatient because the author did do an adequate job of getting in all the facts... But now I'm starting to write my review so I will quit. I want to read this book again to see if I can find more positives before I write my my final review.

Good luck with The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop, I read it last year and it's one of my favourites, perfect for LibraryThingers :-)

>30 elliepotten:, I feel lucky to have found that little 'fellar' and am so looking forward to reading it. I was searching for another title when I spied it all by itself at the end of a shelf down by my toes. I had already looked for it (was at my favorite new and used book store), but had thought it was fiction so, of course, no luck. Next time, I'm going to note whether a book is a novel, mystery, biography, etc.

Normally I don't have so many new books to search for, but have dozens since joining LT! Anyway, found 11 of my 999 books so combining those with the others I have been collecting--have about 50 just on one table--I'm set for months! Good thing I work part-time and have only myself to feed and clean-up after. :-)

I think I might keep up my list at the top of my thread, so you'll see when I've read The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop, but will post responses about the books I've read only on my 999-challenge thread. Wish I knew how to link!

9. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society.

Well, we've mentioned it here and if you review it on your other thread as well we're double-spreading the love for it to more people! The more the merrier...

10. Talent is Overrated. I admit I just skimmed through this book. I'm going to read Outliers next as I understand that they are both about how it's the *number* of hours spent in targeted practice with good instruction and feedback--rather than just talent--that better explains a person's level of success or expertise. A bit more on my 999, but going to wait to write more after I finish Malcolm Gladwell's book.

Well, Touchstone, if I can't make a title blue, I'll try bold + black! Grrrr!

>30 elliepotten:, I'm trying to save that one until I get through some of my TBR's but don't bet on me! :-)

>13 cushlareads:, I just bought Cloud Atlas but haven't been able to get The Idea of Perfection from either my bookstore or the library. Found The Secret River--is that a worth substitution or should I wait?

P.S. Did you succumb to P. Krugman? Don't you love that someone whose ideas you want listened to gets a Nobel?

The Secret River is great too - very different story though. I read it before TIOP. I'm pretty sure I've mooched off my copy of the Idea of Perfection, but if I haven't I'll send it to you.

And no, I was very good and haven't bought any new books for ages! We'll see how long I last.

Oooh, Cushla! A book all the way from New Zealand? That sets my heart pounding! We'll have to trade something. I grew up poor, so never went anywhere. Even now that I'm much more comfortable, I still travel almost entirely by book. I think that's one of the reasons I'm enjoying LT so much; I could be talking books to anyone, anywhere! :-)

Secret River is a library book so will start that after Outliers.

I was just looking through your list of books and am going to read a few that you have listed and also try to finish my stack of TBR's. I look forward to the challenge! Best of luck to everyone!

Forgot to mention that I'm also planning on finishing all of the series that I have started.

>38 Biyismom:,39 I'm curious; which books on my list are you going to read? A quick look at your library makes me think you enjoy speculative fiction, or would you label it differently?

"Great Expectations" is one that I would like to complete reading sometime this year and "The Book Thief" was recommended to me by a friend while I was reading "I Am David".

It's funny; I know a *lot* of adults who have enjoyed/recommended that book. I'm looking forward to checking it out. :-)

Oops! I forgot to say I was talking about The Book Thief. Re: Great Expectations, I was really glad to have it to read on BookLit. It was sort of like watching a real old movie--just a whole different style from modern fiction. It was an entertaining diversion, I'm glad I read the whole thing this time, but have to admit that I like modern novels better--except Pride and Prejudice! Jane Austen is just too witty, too good of a describer of people. You'll have to come back and tell me what you think of the two when you've gotten a chance to read either one of them. Happy reading!

Had to get back to work today, so didn't get to read very much. Very excited to be reading both Outliers and Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain, so I have been alternating between them whenever I have a few minutes. First quote from Wolf which is really a quote within a quote: "...much of how we think and what we think about is based on insights and associations generated from what we read. As the author Joseph Epstein put it, 'A biography of any literary person ought to deal at length with what he read and when, for in some sense, we are what we read." Not unfamiliar comments, but so true; I can't imagine the person I would be without all that I've learned and experienced as a reader.

11. The Pursuit of Alice Thrift. OK, I really like dessert, alright?! Still am reading and enjoying the books noted above, but snuck over to my 'I just want to escape for a bit of fun' pile to spend the afternoon with Elinor Lipman. :-)

12. Outliers. Have lots to say, but need to organize my thoughts first.

13. Special Topics in Calamity Physics. Needed to reread this for bookgroup this week--not a book to skim if you want to enjoy all the asides along with all the literary and popular references. I love how Blue, the main character and narrator of the story, changes nouns into verbs as well as how she so aptly explains her feelings about someone and creates visuals by saying, "See..." referencing a book or an illustration. This novel is hard to categorize. Coming of age for sure, but also part mystery or even thriller--well, not quite that. The story isn't necessarily funny; Blue is still trying to deal with the death of a favorite teacher more than a year ago, and most people would not want to live her last year in high school--at least how she describes it--but Blue is always funny in a very intelligent, sardonic way that captivated me even as it was getting her in trouble.

Loved Special Topics in Calamity Physics. One of my mom's friends who is very well read recommended it to me so I picked it as my book club read last year. No one liked it but me. The Reader is my choice this year (as others had expressed an interest in reading it and I liked the book so offered to lead it) and hopefully that goes better.

>47 chrine:, chrine, I actually can't imagine anybody who really loves reading, not being entertained by Blue's wit! I laughed out loud at where her imagination took her. I've heard some people say they were annoyed at her highly divergent/distractible thinking, but that's how my brain works (though without her extreme cleverness) so it was perfectly normal to me.

I want to read The Reader too. I can't imagine the person I would be if I wasn't able to read. By the way, your comment on your profile that: "I also enjoy learning/school (I'd be a permanant student if I won the lotto)" so describes me as well! :)

Hola Bonnie

That's also how my brain works. It's all over the place thinking about things in a random like-order that would seem unlogical to most people.

If you haven't read The Reader by July, I'd love it if you'd come join us for reading it (it's an online book club).

Totally! I would love the book just for the title, but also enjoy books that revolve around serious issues/events in history AND I want to find out why the main character couldn't read since I teach children who have reading, writing, and spelling difficulties. Lots of reasons to read it. :-) I've got your thread tagged, so remind me come July, OK? By the way, what do you mean, "an on-line book club?" Do you mean a club not on LT? And thanks in advance for the invite; I feel honored! :-) I only wish it could happen via I-chat as I actually HATE--yes I mean to be yelling--having to try to express a little bit of what I'm thinking/feeling in my brain. (twisted smile)

I've got your threads starred too (50 book and 999). And yeah, it's a not on LT book club. We're on the Reading Group Guides message boards right now. Feel free to come by and check us out. We're the Someday (I'm going to read) Book Club. Pretty much all the side read threads on there are us too. We have a lot of those going right now too. lol Say hi if you want, we're a friendly, chatty bunch.

14. The Scarlet Feather. Was feeling sickish, so read this yesterday. I knew in the first chapter, it was not a book for me, so why did I continue??? I can only say, "Was feeling sickish so..."

Hi bonniebooks! About STCP - I think Blue's wit and charm saved it from becoming trite and run-of-the-mill. What I found particularly interesting is how "quiet" Blue was. Her dialogue was rarely as interesting as her internal narration, which said a lot about her character without saying anything at all.

I'm interested to see what you think of The Road and The Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. I've read The Road, and have heard mixed opinions, and have heard nothing but good things about The Wondrous Life...

Yes, you're absolutely right! Most of the book is her internal thinking/dialogue. Just had book group, and one member got tired of all the asides by the last 100 pages, but she was rushing through those same pages too. I was also surprised that the teenage daughters of one member both said the book didn't grab them for quite a while.

I gave The Wondrous Life... to my best friend for Christmas and her face when I asked her about it told me it probably isn't going to be a favorite. Looking forward to reading it still. I know I have a negative bias about The Road, as those kinds of sci-fi dystopian-type stories tend to make me feel anxious and crabby.

15. The Elegance of the Hedgehog. I didn't like Renee at first. She is the deep thinking, but poor concierge of an elegant 'hotel' in Paris who hides her intelligence from the very rich inhabitants who are her employers. She is also the main narrator of this story--the other being a young girl, also extremely intelligent, who also hides her abilities, doesn't feel understood, and is afraid that she doesn't/won't have enough of those moments that will give meaning to her life, so she is going to kill herself at the end of the year when she is 13!

Renee is the hedgehog, both in looks and demeanor, and works hard to maintain her prickly hard shell by keeping her TV going all day, dressing and talking a certain way, shuffling her feet, and buying food she won't eat because that's what she thinks people expect her to do based on her role in their lives. Renee is a snob while she automatically assumes and resents the snobbery of others. She is intelligent, extremely well-read, loves fine art and popular movies, so can't always resist making a comment that reveals her inner, more tender self; but is saved, she thinks, by "the inability of living creatures to believe anything that might cause the walls of their little mental assumptions to crumble." But, of course, this is as true for her!

The author waxes philosophical about the meaning of life through these two characters way more than I was interested in thinking about, and by the end of the story, I felt like I had been reading an upgraded version of a Cinderella Story, albeit with an ugly, much older Cinderella and a tragic, though still 'romantic,' ending. So, in spite of the excellent writing, and the fact that I did come to like and care about Renee, it wouldn't be the first book I'd recommend to most of my friends.

I just finished Outliers myself, and I was fascinated. Have you organized your thoughts yet to tell us what you thought? No pressure or anything! ;-)

Lol! I've noticed that I've quoted or commented on it three times in the last few days, so I do need to get my act together and summarize my thoughts. I just spent the last few hours helping a friend to edit and expand on some very important writing for her, so I think I'll leave this for another day. It's my clever ploy to get you to come back and visit! (She says with a sly smile!)

I just noticed your thread. You are doing great on this challenge. I know what you mean about writing reviews or your opinions on books. I never think I do that good of a job myself. I will be watching your thread to see how you are doing..

I think The Wondrous Life... is similar to STCP in that it includes many cultural references. I wouldn't classify The Road as sci-fi, but it's definitely dystopian. I enjoy post-apocolyptic quite a bit, but to each their own.

>"Post-apocalyptic" was the word I was searching for, thanks! Could you also call The Road 'speculative fiction' or does that mean something else? I've called books like Kindred by Octavia Butler 'science fiction' but really there's not much "science" in it. And Connie Willis's books don't seem very much like science fiction either after you take out the time-travel machine.

Edited to add: Thanks, crazy4reading, for your encouragement. I've got to remember that this thread is primarily for me and I can write as little or as much as I want. I do like hearing what other people are thinking, though, so glad some of you-all like to write!

16. The Optimist's Daughter. I knew I had read this book within the first couple of pages, but kept on reading--why, I don't know. It was a good enough read, just wasn't the best follow-up to The Elegance of the Hedgehog as it also is about life and death. Eudora Welty has an antiquated style to her writing, both in her descriptions of her characters' behavior as well as in their dialogue. I was startled by the first few references to flying (as in airplanes); Welty's descriptions, as well as the dialogue, made me think I was reading about a much earlier era, no later than the 50's for sure. Maybe because this is in the South, where people seem to hold on to traditions in a way that we don't in the Northwest. I especially enjoyed 'listening' to "the bridesmaids," to the neighbors, and Fay's relatives. Impatient with the whole trapped bird scene--and why did she burn her mother's letters, or let go of that breadboard??! Oh, I know why the author had her do it; it was the crux of the whole book, with Laurel learning: "Memory lived not in initial possession but in the freed hands, pardoned and freed, and in the heart that can empty but fill again, in the patterns restored by dreams," but I'm a very emotional reader; I don't have those pictures, those letters, or even the kind of history that those mementos meant, so I just couldn't let those things go--and couldn't stand for her to do so. I guess I haven't learned her lesson yet. (Wry smile.)

17. Dreams from my Father Bought this book a couple of years ago when Obama won his senate race; it was really good, but was spending so many hours on my computer during the campaign, I never finished this very insightful autobiography. It gives me goosebumps to be reading this book on such a momentous day. :-) Yeah for Obama, yeah for us!

I can't wait to read Dreams from my Father - my stepdad got it for Christmas and it's finally stopped doing the rounds and waiting for me! What a guy...

I've been thinking about rereading The Optimist's Daughter (or the Collected Stories) but have worried that Welty's writing won't be able to compete in this ever diverse book-world. I've always loved her writing, and her; such gentility. Anyway, I happened on a review of One Writer's Beginnings here on LT. The member reviewer wrote something to the effect that Welty seemed too happy and that she (the reviewer) couldn't trust somebody like that. That statement made me depressed on sooo many levels.

Interested to see what you have to say about Elegance of the Hedgehog. It seems to be the book-of-the-month here on LT. Dreams of My Father sits on a nearby shelf awaiting me. A president who can put a sentence together . . . yea for us, indeed.

I'm not even American and I breathed a sigh of relief - and his gripping speeches always have everyone watching and listening raptly, and ALWAYS make me cry. :-)

Whew! I've finally got my 50-Book challenge coordinated with my 999 challenge thread--I hope! (Don't tell me if I don't!)

>64 theaelizabet:, I think I just transferred my comments on Elegance of the Hedgehog from my other thread after you posted, but I don't know, it could have been the other way around! (How come I'm always feeling so chagrined? This posting is not good for my ego!) Anyway, it's up above in message 55.

Re: The Optimist's Daughter, your comment, "I've always loved her writing, and her; such gentility," describes her well. I marveled at how Welty created so many different feelings in me about Fay just through Fay's words to her husband versus what she said to the doctor, the neighbors, her own relatives (which she had denied even existed) and then, finally, the Optimist's Daughter.

Still reading Proust and the Squid and I decided to start Dreams From my Father from the beginning even though I had already read more than half of it. I find myself analyzing Barack Obama's life from Malcolm Gladwell's perspective as outlined in Outliers. But, come to think of it, I think I heard him doing the same thing on Charlie Rose.

18. The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop. (This is repeat of what I posted on my 999 thread.) Hmmm, what can I say about this book? It's a fairly straightforward overview of the history of the bookseller's trade, from the very beginning of book making, publishing and selling to current times; alternating with the author's own experiences on both sides of the counter in some great independent book stores as a reader, seller, buyer, book rep., then back to being a reader again. I liked hearing about specific bookstores the best, what made them special, why they failed or succeeded, their histories and their owners (e.g., Shakespeare & Co. and Sylvia Beach's efforts to publish J. Joyce Ulysses in France). And how they are continuing to evolve to compete with Amazon, Costco, Barnes & Noble, and the like. Buzbee is pretty much preaching to the choir when it comes to me; I won't buy a Kindle, or even buy books online, because I don't want to lose my favorite independent book stores! Waaaah!

Note to self: Title won't turn blue.

Awww, I loved The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop - it was kind of shone with a golden glow, like a sweet shop in winter. Fascinating and full of bookishness, just my kinda thing!

Yeah, I noticed that you want to go visit Shakespeare & Co in Paris someday too! :-) Hey, Ellie, did you post a review of Dreams of my Father? I was thinking it was you, but now I can't find your thread(s).

Made it to Shakespeare & Co. in early 90s. Yellow-Lighted Bookshop is now on my TBR list.

Shakespeare & Co is amazing + you should definitely go! I was lucky enough to stumble upon the owner when I went there on my trip to Paris and he was very very sweet - offered us coffee and a place to store our huge suitcases while we browsed the extremely tall shelves and told us a little about the bookshop. I've been dreaming of one day having a place like that ever since...

Someday I'm going to get to Europe and when I do, no churches for me; I'm going to concentrate on bookshops, art museums, and gardens--and, oh yeah, small little food shops/cafes. OK, now I'm making myself drool!

I fear that by the time I make it to Shakespeare & Co. George will be gone - on the plus side, Sylvia seems really lovely! I haven't read Dreams from my Father yet - but you're not way off, I have mentioned it, it's been revolving round my family and has finally reached my TBR pile... Unfortunately I started a heavy book then got tired, added a lighter book to the fray then got ill, then started a really light book to get me through that - and now I'm reading all three in bits!

19. Women Who Love Books Too Much by Brenda Knight. I've been busy this last week, but even when I've been incognito, I'm still reading--even everyone else's postings--I just HATE to write, even if it's little itty bitty postings. But I do like our conversations, so I'm going to do my part. OK, I can't remember what I read last week, including the title of the book I sat and read at B&N last Friday, so will start with what I know. Monday: Women Who Love Books Too Much by Brenda Knight. Loved it as a reminder of all the great books by women writers that I've read, or still want to read. Knight takes you through history, starting with Enheduanna, the "first recorded writer of either gender" and ends with Rebecca Wells. It's sort of like reading an LT's 100-Book Challenge with mini biographies added for each author listed. I got it from the library, but I'm going to search for a used copy to keep on my shelf as a resource. Maybe it will be my next challenge: To read all the authors mentioned in Women Who Love Books Too Much. :-)

20. Happiness Sold Separately by Lolly Winston. She also wrote Good Grief which I liked better. Winston has the ability to write about sad subjects (in this case infertility, miscarriage, and potential divorce) with humor. Her style feels a little bit like Elinor Lipman combined with Anne Tyler, two authors that are both favorites of mine (though I did eventually OD on Tyler). For me, this was just good escapist fiction (which I seem to be attracted to more and more as I'm getting older) but for younger readers who have struggled with the issues mentioned above, I think it will be a more meaningful, poignant story--just told with a lot of great one-liners and biting humor which is sometimes just what you need.

21. Beethoven Was One-Sixteenth Black and other stories by Nadine Gordimer. This wasn't the best week to read Gordimer. She has a quiet, dream-like poetic style that sometimes keeps me at a distance from her main characters. It was probably the wrong book to read this week as I needed escape, to feel immersed in someone else's life, and short stories don't usually do that for me. I like short stories when I have the mental energy to really think about what I've read, and how the characters' stories are connected to my life, my values and thoughts, etc. These were some really good stories that include issues of politics, history, identity, race, family, love, memories...all issues I really care about. I would recommend this book; I've just got to read them again.

Note to self: title won't turn blue.

I found both Gardens of Water and A Case of Exploding Mangoes in the "new books" section of the library just as I was walking out discouraged that I hadn't found any of the books I was looking for. Even though I was happy to find these books, searching in vain for others on my list that I wanted to read more reminds me of why I like my bookstores! (I'm all about instant gratification!) My library branch is the most used in the city, so will have to try ordering more books online.

Bookstores are both wonderful and dangerous!
--BJ

Hi bonniebooks! I just wanted to say hello. I really like your reviews. Maybe I'll put one of these books on my list.

22. Gardens of Water. Two teenagers falling in love, each questioning their parents' love, testing/clashing with their parents expectations and values. Two cultures/religions: American/Christian vs. Kurdish/Muslim. An earthquake which turns the lives of all the members of both families upside down and inside out. This is a sad story, a serious story, but also just the kind of book I like. First, I'm learning more about another culture/country. Second, I was totally immersed in the story and didn't want to stop reading--so didn't! Third, I wavered back and forth in my sympathies and support for the beliefs and resulting actions of the various characters in this book. And I like that best of all because it really makes me question the source/basis for my own beliefs or values.

P.S. This book is more about the cultural/generational clashes, primarily between father and daughter in the Kurdish family, than a coming-of-age or love story.

23. A Case of Exploding Mangoes. What a weird coincidence! The next movie in my Netflix queue turned out to be Charlie Wilson's War. So, here I was hearing about General Zia, Pakistan, the CIA, the millions to billions of dollars provided by congress and the American military, the corruption at every level and every place--even Joanne Herring from Lufnik, Texas--all of it "helping" Afghanistan to defeat the Soviet Union; just as I was reading about the same events from inside Pakistan in a Case of Exploding Mangoes. In both cases, the stories were sad, maddening, frightening, outrageous and hilarious! Not in real life though. In real life leave out the "hilarious!"

P.S. This book is part murder mystery, part action/political thriller; I can see it as a movie. And Ali Shigri, the Pakistan Airforce pilot who's at the center of this story, as well as the dark comedic tone of the book, reminds me somewhat of White Tiger.

I saw Charlie Wilson's War recently as well - it would be interesting to read about the same time period and events from another perspective!

I should say they're not really very much alike. Charlie Wilson's War makes personal America's involvement in Afghanistan's war with the Soviet Union and there was a comedic spin put on how the various characters were portrayed even though the story, itself, was not at all funny. A Case of Exploding Mangoes is primarily a dark comedy involving some of the same people in the Pakistan though, again, the underlying story of murder and corruption, or the all too common story of how governments and wars are run for real is not at all funny! I just had to chuckle at the coincidence in my life of this movie showing up at the same time I was reading the book (I had set up my queue weeks before!) because it is a series of coincidences perceived by General Zia that are at the heart of his actions/paranoia.

Thanks for the great reviews - I really enjoy your thread! I'll add A Case of Exploding Mangoes to my library list.

Hi, Cushla! I liked it lots more than I thought I was going to, given the subject matter.

P.S. Hey, Cushla, I just realized that the last time I talked to you was in December when you said you were moving over to the 75-book challenge. Can you link me to your thread? I haven't been able to find you!

24. Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones. Because I had read Great Expectations only recently, I was intrigued with the title and the little bit I had read about this book. At first, the story went along pretty much as I had expected it to. As the children were using their imaginations to try to understand Dicken's main character, Pip, and the England he lived in; I, the reader, was learning about them and their families, and their growing up on an island in Papua New Guinea. Even though there was a conflict between rebels and government troops regarding a mine on their island (a true event, by the way), it seemed more of a historical background for a coming-of-age story that was sweet/charming, as well as the reason for why this "last White man" had come into their lives. Instead, the book turns much darker as Mr. Dicken's "Pip" becomes a very real character in their lives in ways neither they (nor I) could imagine as the war comes to their village

25. Digging to America by Anne Tyler. I actually forgot I was reading one of Tyler's books, as the characters weren't as quirky as they usually are. Instead, Tyler goes global/multi-cultural in this story about two families (one with Iranian heritage) who welcome their adopted daughters from Korea on the same day. You don't have to have adopted children to recognize the tensions that can happen when these two families have very different ideas about how children should be raised and can't help but compare and compete at least a little bit. In addition, Tyler doesn't resort to stereotypes in making one of the families Iranian-American. Sometimes it's important and sometimes it's not. In fact, that's something that some of the members of both families have to figure out.

26. Proust and the Squid by MaryAnne Wolf. I can't see where I posted when I finished this book, so will do it here. If you're interested in how someone learns to read and write--or doesn't--as well as some of the history of the English language, you'll like this book. Also, a comment I posted in response to one of RidgewayGirl's reviews is one of the reasons why I read books like Proust and the Squid, so I'll just copy it as part of my commentary.

(Your review) reminds me that it's partly why I buy any book, including nonfiction--even textbooks that are full of information that I mostly already know--because I love hearing someone else articulate so cogently, so vividly, just so much better than I could what I, myself, am thinking and feeling. It gives me both a feeling of satisfaction ("Oh, that person who is obviously so smart, so caring, so...thinks/feels that way too?) as well as a rush of admiration for what they've accomplished.

Nicely put... :-)

27. A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnely. Had to read this for book group. A good coming-of-age/YA book. I'll write more later.

Started Edgar Sawtelle again after talking to a friend who had just finished it for her book group. Just not liking it! I have way too many good books literally right in front of me to continue on for now (I'll eventually read it and probably enjoy it), plus I'm annoyed at myself for buying this book in hardcover based on the hype instead of reading the first couple of chapters and deciding for myself.

P.S. This has been my month for starting and quitting books (e.g., my second reading of Brothers Karamozov, Fortune's Bastard, The Blessed Unrest, American Rust...) which isn't a commentary on these authors/titles at all, but more my restlessness/anxiety about the economy and its impact on family and friends.

Hi, bonniebooks,
I have Edgar Sawtelle also in my tbr. I received it for Christmas from my dad, so I definitely want to read it. I heard that it was Hamlet with dogs. Is that what you think? I saw Hamlet last year at the local university and they made it pretty funny. It was a different version than I had ever seen before. Anyway, I probably won't start it for awhile (due to Brothers Karamazov!). I have been drawn to books with humor lately. Hope you find just the right book to read.
--BJ

Thanks, BJ! I'm really needing some humor too, especially after the book I read today.

28. American Rust by Philip Meyer. This is good writing, but an oh-so-depressing story set in small-town, Pennsylvania already suffering from the closing of the steel mills and then the collapse of all the smaller industries that went with that lost economy. (Sound familiar?) Two young men, a couple years out of high school, who both had the ability to 'get out of town' (one, supposedly brilliant, though he sure doesn't act that way; while the other was a football star who could have gotten a scholarship) make a major mistake just as one of them decides to leave. Let's see, if you don't mind a steady diet of reading about failed relationships, desperate men and women committing desperate, but stupid acts which lead to more men and women acting out of desperation (and love and guilt), as well as a detailed reminder of just how scary/awful prison life can be, then this book is for you! I don't mean to be so flippant. This book is very relevant; though, like our current news, also very discouraging.

Reminder to self: Touchstone doesn't work.

Hey, anyone, I'm supposed to review American Rust, but realized that I don't know how/where to do that. Help?

Hi, Bonnie- I also have a copy of American Rust, that I have not read yet. There should have been an insert in the book, with an e-mail address, here it is anyway: SG@randomhouse.com
You can also review it, in your library, like you normally do.
I also had problems with "Edgar Sawtelle", although I loved the first 200 pages or so, my complaints were it's over-length and unsatisfying ending. Also, really enjoyed Digging to America!
Mark

>97 msf59: Well, I didn't like the first 100+ pages of ES, so your comments don't give me much confidence that I'll change my mind about the rest of it. But, since I bought a hard copy, I'll eventually read it. American Rust was a good enough book; I'm glad I didn't have to buy it. That said, I proffer my next comments with some sheepishness.

29. A Version of the Truth. I think it was RidgewayGirl who was complaining about books in which the men are all rich--or jerks--and the women belatedly discover that they are beautiful. This chick lit/romance novel written by two authors definitely fits in that category, but is was a totally enjoyable escape on a cold, and unexpectedly snowy, slushy afternoon. The fact that the main character has dyslexia made it more interesting, both because of my profession (private teacher/tutor working with students who have similar problems) and because I have a son with dyslexia. She also has a a biting sense of humor, though it's usually only part of her internal dialogue.

P.S. I read the first couple chapters of Cutting for Stone and think I'm really going to enjoy that as well, but will wait until it comes out in paperback.

...books in which the men are all rich--or jerks--and the women belatedly discover that they are beautiful

Haha sounds like Twilight without the vampires :)

HaHa! Hopefully not that bad, but then, again, everybody pretty much has favorites in the "awful writing" category, don't they? I haven't read Twilight since my boys are grown (22 and 31) and my students aren't old enough yet (mostly K-3). Also, my friends' teenagers talk about the truly bad writing even though some of them still love them (It's a series, right? Not just one book?) and get all sorts of meaning from them. I admit I was a little bit interested since they're written by a Mormon and I grew up Mormon, though am happily atheist now.

Well, I guess you could say the books are just like you would expect them to be: Abstinence = good, Creationism = the only truth, etcetera.
I wouldn't go as far as to say I'm an atheist, more of an agnostic really, but as a kid I was raised a Christian and was even part of a church choir :) It's funny - well, I don't think "funny" is the right word actually...but it's quite impressive really how these things are taught to you when you're little and how deeply they're ingrained and stay with you. Even nowadays I find, that even though I don't consider myself a "religious" person, nor do I think that I "believe" in God, I still hate it when people are too ...obscene in talking about religious matters, and God in any form whether it's the Christian one, the Indian one, or the Islamic one. I wish I wasn't. But there you go. Not that you asked. Sorry, rant over. Long way from Mormon to atheist though, I'd be really interested to know how you got there.

Ed: spelling

Now that would be a long lunch, wouldn't it?! Guess it's a combination of a weak 'father' figure and seeing adults abuse their power that got me first questioning as a child. But then I've always been a very logical, rational person--and also one interested in: psychology (my first degree), lots of other cultures as well as the history of how humans have evolved, and all the current brain/body research I read for both work and personal health/learning. All that reading combined with my temperament and personal experiences have culminated in an understanding of why people would want to believe/do believe in God(s), but believing myself that though there's much we still don't understand--not knowing is not a good enough excuse for believing in a God.

But then there are those of us "that know that we know that we know" that God is and that just the knowing is enough.
N/B

>104 rainpebble:, Hi nannybebette, I believe you! :-) I was just talking about my path in response to girlunderglass, but I have to admit I pushed the submit button with trepidation as I don't really want to get into a discussion on my thread about who believes--or doesn't--and why.

P.S. We have a lot of books in common, don't we? I love your comment about reading being your 'safe' place.

Thanx bonniebooks. Luv your name!~! I had a sister named Bonnie and she was a real book addict just like the rest of us.
I totally "get" the whole thing and yes, we have quite a few books in common. I am loving this LT thing. Are you? And how do you do the "starring of the threads" thingy?
Women Who Love Books Too Much is definitely going on my library hold list. That sounds really interesting.
Well, happy reading and catch ya later bonniebooks.
N/B

Am loving it, but it's actually interfered with my reading, so that's a bit ironic, isn't it? :-) I used "bonniebooks" because I'm a private tutor and that's what my students/parents started calling the books I loaned them, so when I started thinking about what to call my library on LT, it seemed the easiest to remember. I'm going to eventually add the 'real' bonniebooks I own (all my children's books) to my LT library when I can keep it separate.

Don't want to mislead you. Women Who Love Books Too Much wasn't a great book, but it was an interesting reference when it comes to older authors that I haven't read yet. That's why I wanted to have it on my shelves. Did you see the review in the NYT this Sunday re: A Jury of Her Peers? The review wasn't all that great, but sounds like a similar resource. Happy reading!

Oops! It seems like I have to edit practically every posting for missed letters, floating punctuation and the like--or for forgetting to respond to a question. Re: the "starring", just look at the top of each thread on the right. You'll see a faint star and a + sign. When you click on the star, it turns yellow and the thread will be starred in the full list of postings. The + means just the opposite; you click it if you want to ignore a thread, so...it's your choice, nannybebette! ;-)

oopps yes, religion and politics - dangerous topics to get into a conversation about. Better stick to discussing books when tempers tend to be calmer in comparison :)
Actually I've found it quite surprising how well everyone seems to take criticism of their favorite books and authors here on LT and how they really are genuinely interested in conversation - my experience in real life being that people just say "f**k you, you're wrong" and leave it at that. I've had some really great conversations here and have been patting myself and other LTers on the back for agreeing to disagree politely :)

That pat felt nice! :-) Yes, I've only seen/heard one person get mad/insulting on a thread that I was lurking on (I didn't dare enter the fray) and that was shocking, I agree, because it is so rare on LT. Well, I've spent a whole day with one eye pointed at LT, so didn't get much done. Now, I'm gonna have to work late! (The great advantage of working out of my home, though, is that I can do that work in my pajamas!)

I think it's a mark of the LibraryThing civilisation - even if we have strong feelings about something we have the civilised ability to swallow it back down, smile sweetly, and write something brimming with compromise and politeness... Smug pats on the back all round, guys!

Ha ha, in case anyone's wondering I'm not actually sitting here seething about something but repressing it dutifully - I'm watching Heston Blumenthal's incredible food chemistry with wide eyes and eating Dairy Milk... :-D

Hi bonniebooks;
You kind of hit the nail on the head there. When I fall in love with an author (or subject for that matter) I do tend to run out and get another by the same author (or on the same subject). My family went nuts when I hit my WWII stage. That lasted literally years and they learned almost as much about the war and the holocaust as I did because I couldn't shut my big yapper and had to talk about it all the time. Now I can write about it and they are much happier. hehehe
Right now I am pretty much just hooked on "same authors" and they seem to be writing about women for the most part. But I do love books about women. We are such a strong group of individuals and a fascinating breed. (nothing against you guys...but just sayin'.)
How are you doing with your challenge? Isn't this fun?
Happy reading and blessings on your day.
N/B
P.S. thanx for the visit on my thread.

nannybebette - I'm glad I'm not the only one that gets these topical bookish obsessions! I can't read one book about bees and honey, I have to read three. If I'm interested in Ancient Egypt I want lots of different books about Pharaohs, art, women's roles and burial treasures. Still, I always compare it to the libraries of my uni tutors, which I jealously eyed up every time I had to go and meet with them. They had whole shelves of books on each tiny weeny subdivided topic - so long as I don't get THAT obsessed, I'm okay...

Hi, you two! :-) I already responded to you on nannybebette's thread so won't repeat myself. I love reading a new book by an already favorite author, though often those second and third books are not as good--probably because I can't get the same delight I feel with that first discovery.

I've found that with Alice Hoffman - I was absolutely blown away by The Ice Queen but since then they've just not QUITE hit the spot. I do have a couple more of hers on my TBR pile right now so maybe another gem will come along.

Ooh I like this thread. You have a good list of books there - several that I have read OR want to read. I agree with your review of The Elegance of the Hedgehog, among others.

Hey, Amanda! Where have you been lately? I've got your thread starred but haven't seen it in awhile...I don't think anyway. (I hope I didn't just 'talk' to you yesterday!) As you know, I want to read all the books you've reviewed, though you seem to read more challenging books--both emotionally and intellectually--than I have recently.

bonnie: I've been slogging my way through a 655 page novel. Will report soon.

Fyodor Dostoevsky?

HI Bonnie, I've been following your thread, just lurking (watching and listening) - very interesting conversations happening here! I have so many of the books have listed on my TBR tower, that we could probably read the same books all year!

Hey, judylou! Nice to see you over here! :-) I was sorely disappointed that you moved to the 100-book group not long after I started my thread, but you're one of the few people that I followed over to the 100-book threads, so I get to read your cogent comments! I don't want to know very much about the books I'm going to read (I hardly ever read the back of the book), so your comments are perfect--a line or two about the book with some added commentary/opinion--love 'em!

We do have a lot of authors in common, don't we? Though, as I recall, it seems like I'm reading/going to read a lot of books that you read last year? (I probably got some of my book ideas from your 2008 thread!) That pattern may continue as I know I've added some of your more recent books to my "books to look at" for this year. I can't wait until the "collections" feature is ready; then I can add my TBR's instead of keeping them offline.

Edited to add: Come back any time--and don't be afraid to add your 2 cents! :-)

30. The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak. Been trying to write a short summary of this book that doesn't give away too much, but just can't do it, so am just going to say: I loved the voice and the identity of the narrator (don't want to be a spoiler here); it gave the story much more poignancy. Plus, it allowed the author to use a very poetic style that brought such weight/meaning to his words/story even as he was allowing the reader to float above it all with the narrator. Another good rainy Saturday read, though much sadder than last week's.

Hi Bonnie,
I just got the Book Thief for my birthday! Will hopefully get to it soon... yum, kind of soon...

Hehe! Don't want to get you in trouble! I don't know why this is listed as a YA book; I wouldn't classify it that way at all--well, maybe a little bit towards the end. It will be interesting to see what you think.

Hi Bonnie, your list is great! I saw your suggestion of West With The Night on my thread (thank you - it looks like just the sort of book I would love!) and came over to see what was on your list. I now have quite a few new suggestions ;-)

Thanks bonnie, for your comments. Your thread has been starred for quite a while. I always enjoy your comments as well. Sometimes a few words is enough - less is more - as they say!

Bonnie, I loved The Book Thief, and still don't understand why it is listed as young adult. I listened to the audio last fall, and so many of the images still stay with me, and now have a totally different perception of the accordian than I used to. I nearly ran off the highway because I was crying so hard during the end!

31. Housekeeping vs. The Dirt by Nick Hornby. OK, I just told another LT-er a few hours ago that I was going to wait to read this book as a reward for tackling one of the 30+ books in my TBR pile, but then because I was talking about it, I thought I'd read just one teeny-tiny chapter...

There's no one book that I just have to read because I just read the whole of Hornby's book, but there sure are a lot more books that I want to read--many of which I wouldn't have looked twice at. (Dangling prepositions are supposed to be OK now!) Love his comment about Miriam Toews's writing in A Complicated Kindness: "You may think you don't want to read about the problems of growing up Mennonite, but the great thing about books is that you'll read anything a good writer wants you to read." Isn't that a great comment?! Loved it! Gotta leave now to buy The Polysyllabic Spree and lie about how I'm going to ration those chapters out.

It is a great comment!! It's what I pretty much think every time someone says "I'm not going to add this to my TBR!" after they read a favorable review of a great book. That, if the book is really good, they'll inevitably hear about it so many times that they'll eventually read it! She put it so much better than me, though :)

Love your enthusiasm for the Hornby! I just ordered Shakespeare Wrote for Money to carry on where his Complete Polysyllabic Spree left off, so if it's as compulsive as that one I'll be reviewing it soon...

> GUG, I agree with you on that! There are always books I skip over the first time I see a review, but eventually there comes a point where the reviews and comments and the buzz all come together and it finally goes on my TBR list. Kinda like the first time you hear a song and hate it, then it grows on you until you love it and have to download it...

Yes! I've had to resist putting a book on my list until I've heard about it at least three times, but that happens so fast on LT. And much of the time now, LT-ers are beating the NY Times with their reviews. My problem, though, is all you-all who are reading books when they first come out while I have to wait another year.

Well seeing as I have been seeing so much about The Book Thief it looks like I am going to be looking for that book soon and adding it to my pile of TBR books. Some times I hear about a book and will add it right away to my pile and other times it will take me a few times to hear about it before adding it to my TBR pile. I think I will be waiting until after April to buy books.

Ditto what crazy said, I just have to read The Book Thief and soon. I've not read ONE bad review of that book, it's quite impressive!

I think you two will love it!

32. Black Swan Green by David Mitchell. Actually read this book last week. Both hilarious and sad, and I found myself thinking Adrian Mole--only better--but then the last third of the book took on a more serious tone that I wanted to think about/wait to discuss. Now, a week later, I can't remember what I wanted to talk about. Aaack! I'm not joking when I think it's Alzheimer's. Not only that, but yesterday I heard Emily Blunt (an English actress for those of you who don't watch TV) say on Ellen Degeneres that she suffered with stuttering from the ages of about 7 to 12, and I wanted to tell her, "Have you read Black Swan Green? You've got to read it!" Pretty sad that I'm carrying on a conversation with someone on a TV talk show! This could be part of the reason why I have no book to talk about today.

Edited to change the # of my book. I'm really not doing too badly *she says with satisfaction* I've got to stop comparing myself to all you LT Super Readers.

Hi Bonnie, we have a snow day today, so I am catching up on all the threads I haven't read in awhile. I'll add my endorsement of The Book Thief -- it's extraordinary. I read entire chapters in one breath -- not just because the chapters are short (they are), but because my heart was pounding and I was so absorbed.

I have been at Borders a couple of times this week and I have seen The Book Thief everywhere I look. I guess that is fate telling me to get this book now. It is now on my list to buy on my next trip to the book store.

Oooh, I might have to try Black Swan Green then... I keep seeing David Mitchell's books around and I've heard good things, but I've never actually bothered to pick one up. I think you may just have changed that!

I liked Cloud Atlas but haven't read Black Swan Green yet. I've just read some reviews and think the main character is nearly the same age as me - I was 11 when the Falklands War happened. (The only thing I remember about it was that "Six Months in a Leaky Boat", a fantastic song by one of my favourite bands, was banned in the UK...)

That's so funny cmt; I didn't know Split Enz was banned anywhere. They're not exactly a "protest" band, are they?

I hadn't heard of Black Swan Green but it looks really good. That Split Enz song was indeed banned in the UK, but massively popular in New Zealand (where I lived then). A few years ago the Finn Brothers did a concert at the Albert Hall here in London and they played it, and the English people mostly just looked confused because they hadn't heard it, but the Kiwis in the audience were all going crazy ;-)

Thanks, Cushla! You reminded me of what else I wanted to talk about. As I said, the first half of the book was much more of a personal story, both funny as well as an ugly reminder of how hard boys can be on each other. If my sons were taking those kinds of physical risks as they were growing up, or dishing out and/or receiving all the verbal abuse that these boys seem to need give each other to maintain their place in the hierarchy, I'm glad I didn't know about it. I do remember when my son was calling everything as "gay" until I put a stop to it. Anyway, Mitchell reminds you of how tough it is for boys to figure out who they are.

The second half of Black Swan Green gets much more political with the inclusion of the Falklands war and then later when the town is fighting to keep a permanent Romani camp from being established in their town. I'm not sure Mitchell needed to include both issues as there was already lots going on at school and home for this poor guy to deal with.

P.S. This is how devoted an LT-er I am: I fell asleep in the middle of that last sentence, woke up 8 hours later to finish it.

#134 & #141. I don't know if you're finished with your review of Black Swan Green since its been fraught with interruptions, but it sounds good enough to read.

So. Were you sitting at the computer, snoring perhaps, for those lost eight hours?

LT's clock is three hours ahead of me, so I was posting around 12 midnight, not three in the morning. I woke up midway at 4:00 in the morning and was both freaked out and relieved that I hadn't dropped my laptop onto the floor! Thank goodness for huge overstuffed chairs. I don't really write reviews, more comments off the top of my head and don't nearly give authors their justice. For example, Mitchell is just genius when it comes to expressing the creativity/anxiety in this kid's inner dialogue (e.g., "the hangman" and the "evil twin"), but, yeah, I'm finished. I want you to read it, Brainflakes, and give us your "boy's" point of view!

#134 You are an LT Super Reader and Writer, too! Thanks for all the reviews!
--BJ

Yeah Charlie; what bonniebooks said!~! If you're gonna play with the big girls you betta pack your lunch!~!

33. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen. I didn't think there was an Austen book that I wouldn't like, but I was wrong! Austen was too mocking of her characters in this first novel. It didn't make me laugh; it just made me uncomfortable and bored. She made way too many of them appear dense, boring, or plain stupid--including the heroine. I also didn't like that Austen talked to the reader about her writing choices; I like to escape into a book and that just took me out of the story. The plot didn't seem nearly as well developed as her later books either. I shudder to think that this might be the first Austen book that someone might read. It was like having to listen to Mary or Kitty after you've experienced the perfection of Jane. Please! If you're hankering for more Jane Austen, just read Pride and Prejudice again!

34. Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips. I shouldn't have bought this book. I didn't like the cover or the title. I'm an atheist. What do I care about Gods? Plus, I knew I really didn't like reading stories about the Greek Gods, even in school. I thought they were totally silly and annoying even then. And if I had followed my usual procedure of reading the first chapter, that would have been the final selling point for putting it in the "Don't Keep" pile.

After telling a friend about this book, though, I decided it wasn't about the book, it was about me. As soon as I began describing the book, my friend started laughing. She got it! I thought the characters were about 2 centimeters deep, but my friend saw it for the 'soap opera' that it was. I did start to enjoy the book a bit more about half way through, and even chuckled a bit towards the end. Well, maybe not chuckled--smiled. I think someone who loves Greek mythology will really get a kick out of this book. Also, someone who likes farce and/or adventures into nether worlds. Oh yeah, and soap operas.

P.S. The funniest part of the book for me was the author's answer to how she approached writing fiction. In this section, she was really funny! And, guess what? She watches soap operas as part of her daily writing discipline. Can't say I'm surprised.

I didn't get to read much this week--not for fun anyway--but I've got several books that I can't wait to read, and almost all of them came from my list of LT recommendations. It's an absolutely beautiful day, though, so I've got to do some 'spring cleaning' in my garden. I'm already thinking ahead, though, to curling up with one of these books later tonight: Lush Life by Richard Price, Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway, A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews, or Dreamers of the Day by Mary Doria Russell. (The new short story collection, Nick Hornby's Shakespeare Wrote for Money, even the Sunday New York Times can all wait!) Thanks, fellow LT-ers! I wouldn't have most of those delectable choices without you! :-)

#147. After telling a friend about this book, though, I decided it wasn't about the book, it was about me.

Those are words to live by when a book isn't clicking: a little personal searching to see if it's me or the author.

>149 BrainFlakes:, Totally! We each bring such diverse experiences, memories, opinions, biases, and, thus, such personal thoughts and feelings (some of them unconscious) to our reading; it's as if we're not even reading the same book. I hope my comments always reflect my belief that these are just a snapshot my true feelings/thoughts and NOT true facts about the book I've read--nor even what I'm going to think/feel about that same book on another day, or in another year.

Ouch! My aching back! Came in for a snack and never went back outside. Gonna have to hire someone to do my weeding! Been forgetting to say that I've also been reading Normal at any Cost, subtitled Tall Girls, Short Boys, and the Medical Industry's Quest to Manipulate Height. Haven't gotten very far. It's interesting--just can't compete with topics that are more relevant to my work and/or my ever growing stacks of novels recommended by you-all.

Hmmm. Touchstones isn't working for this title.

35. A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews. Remember when I quoted Nick Hornby talking about Miriam Toews in his book Housekeeping and Dirt?

You may think you don't want to read about the problems of growing up Mennonite, but the great thing about books is that you'll read anything a good writer wants you to read.

I unreservedly loved this book, but I know that many people are going to think this book is too sad, even depressing, and I get that. This is not a "happy-ever-after kind of story. But there's also lots of that real-life, droll/wry kind of funniness that comes with dealing with circumstances that feel so bad that you gotta see the humor or you'll just be crying all the time. This book is going onto my "Top 100" list!

Edit to fix #

Bonnie, your comments on A Complicated Kindness hit the nail right on the head!

Wow! I was just reading your newest postings on the 75-Book thread, judylou!

152. I'm going to check out A Complicated Kindness because I'm always interested in something different that is good.

On the other hand, I'm sorry to see that the real spammers are here--not just temporary LTers hawking their self-published books.

Ohhh! I'm worried you're not going to like it, BrainFlakes! But you like poetry, so I think you'll appreciate her writing for sure.

Thanks for flagging that post with me. I can't figure out why a newbie like me got picked on! :-( I hope that eventually LT will figure out a way to flag and delete these before they get posted. For example, maybe a person would have to have a minimum of 50 books in their library before they could post comments on other threads?

36. Dreamers of the Day by Mary Doria Russell. Not so good, darn it! (Will write more later--maybe.) But got Property and Someone Knows My Name today, so I'm happy.

Edit to fix #

I'm reading Property and loving it.

I just love Nick Hornby, so I'll just have to add A Complicated Kindness to my pile. I'm also rationing the rest of the Hornby books I haven't read, but maybe it's time to read Housekeeping and Dirt.

I do love how he thinks/talks. I've decided that next time I'm going to actually buy a novel written by him.

37. Property by Valerie Martin. I really enjoyed this book, although that feels like the wrong word given the subject matter. There are two points that I want to try to get out (Oh! The sad difference between thoughts/feelings in my head versus the ability to get them down on paper.)

Spoiler Alert?First, I was reminded of how powerful writing in the first person is as a tool to pull me, the reader, towards only thinking of/accepting the narrator's point of view, especially when it touches on strong personal feelings or values aligned with mine. As a woman, I couldn't stand that Manon didn't have control over her finances, that she didn't have the freedom to leave a life where women are basically sold to their husbands, where it was OK for a husband to rape his wife on their wedding night, or to have his mistress and their children in the same house, not to mention all the disgusting things he did as a slave owner (e.g., first scene) or most importantly, that he was the kind of person who thought it was OK to enslave other people, to treat them as animals, to kill them when they tried to escape, sell of their children, etc. So I was more than willing to have her husband die. I cheered for Manon's freedom! But Manon can't make the connection between her strong desire for freedom, even to the point of wishing her husband dead, and that of the people who are enslaved by her husband and then her. This is what makes this such an interesting and powerful story. I've always wondered how people can disconnect their needs/wants/desires from those of others? And Property tells this kind of story really well. People do evil things, not because they are evil, but because they are self-centered, selfish and lazy like Manon, and because they grew up acquiring beliefs and their values from those around them whom they loved and trusted. Too often, people only question these values or rules when they don't work for themselves, and, unfortunately, Manon didn't get pushed far enough to be able to get beyond her own needs to question the slavery of others.

Which brings me to my second point. Most of the time, we learn about the history of evil acts such as slavery from an empathetic/sympathetic point of view--from those who were slaves, or those who decry/opposed slavery. Which is as it should be, but can also make it too easy on the reader. Who doesn't oppose slavery now? But what about then? What kind of person would you have been then? What would you have done then to oppose slavery? By giving me a main character that I can both relate to and be repelled by, Valerie Martin forces me to examine myself not only who I am now, but also what kind of person I might have been then. Would I oppose the beliefs/values of that time? And to me this brings out an excruciatingly important question that a book such as Property can lead to. When I question as a reader whether I could be the kind of person to risk my life, or even my comfort--or to make it even more complicated--the lives of my children to help someone during these crucial times in history; then it makes me think about what actions I'm willing/not willing to take in the present to help others who still don't have equal rights and who are still being enslaved, even now in the United States.

Edit to fix #

#162. What an amazingly perceptive review, Bonnie: to compare your feelings, present and past, with the narrator's.

As an aside, much of what you describe about women as property is happening right now in Afganistan with the Taliban--and with Karzai's blessing. His new law, among other degradations, allow men to rape their wives.

Yes! I had to cut out a whole section of my commentary regarding women's rights, and ongoing slavery, including talking about the sex trade and the slavery of children. So thanks for adding your comments.

Hi Bonniebooks! I've finally caught up on reading your thread and wow you have got a great list of books! Quite a few of them are on my tbr/wish lists, and now I'm adding A Complicated Kindness. Thanks for the great reviews! (And I totally agree with you in post 150!)

Great review of Property! Are you going to read her other books? I saw Mary Reilly in a bookshop the other day and didn't buy it (just because I am out of control on buying Virago Modern Classics right now, and trying to hold off on other books unless I know they'll be great.)

Great review! And you have hit on the importance of studying history, too.
--BJ

#165 Hope you'll like it, waterLily808! Blame Nick Hornby, not me, if you don't! Like your new picture on your profile. :-)

#166 Yes, I just might. Thanks for reminding me. I've got a very different book coming up, though--Lush Life by Richard Price. It's quite the shock after just finishing Lawrence Hill's book, Someone Knows My Name.

#167 It is sad how many times history repeats itself, huh? Most of the 'his-story' I got in school was all about wars and the men who ran them. I was very interested in current events/political history (who wouldn't be in the 60's and 70's?) and I absorbed a lot of history as a reader, but it wasn't until I was able to study cultural anthropology, women's studies, and Asian-American studies in college that I found history interesting/worth studying for itself. I still don't read enough of it though. Maybe that will be my goal for 2010.

38. Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill. I stayed up all night reading this book, but not quite ready to talk about it.

Excellent review on Property. Very thought provoking. I wasn't familiar with Valerie Martin but I sure am now! Thanks!

39. Lush Life by Richard Price. I don't usually read books like this, as good as it was supposed to be, and was, but I heard Terry Gross talk with the author about it and thought this will be a good book for me and my son (who lives in NYC and has been mugged) to read. I don't like to say much about a book. It reads like a really good cop show series--as much about the cops and their relationships with the perps, vics, and each other (including how the whole legal system works) as it is about solving the one crime that brings all these characters together. I loved the dialogue; it all sounded very real to me, but I think my son will have lots more to say about it. I found myself thinking again about the power of the author to pull my sympathies in one direction or another.

Edit. to correct book#.

#170. Thanks, this book is really powerful due to its unusual perspective. I'm glad I heard about it through LT.

40. The Translator by Daoud Hari. A devasting story about genocide made more powerful through this very personal, even gentle, telling of both how and why hundreds of thousands indigenous people in Dafur have been brutally killed (over 450,00 to date); how and why their villages are being systematically destroyed and millions have been driven from Sudan by primarily Janjaweed (Arab nomads) in cooperation with Sudanese Militia, but also by other Sudanese rebel groups; and how women and children are still being repeatedly raped, even after they've moved into the supposed safety of the refugee camps in neighboring Chad. What amazing bravery both he, and the newspeople he worked for, displayed in their efforts to get out their stories. And I have been reading those stories, so in a way this was more an overview for me and not as shocking as the original stories I read. Still, so incredibly awful to read the details once again. What's also amazing is how long it has taken the U.S. Government, or the U.N., to do anything significant to help stop the genocide that is till happening in Sudan. (I could go into a real political rant about the effect of being at war with Iraq and Afghanistan here, but won't.) This was an easy story to read, but a hard one to listen to.

Edit. to add: April is Genocide Prevention Month. Can you believe that we actually need a special time to focus on this? Sigh!

Hi, Bonnie! Glad you enjoyed Lush Life. He's such a good writer. I've read most of his books and they are all excellent. I'm especially fond of Clockers.

Oh, do you think that one's better than Lush Life? I'm interested in seeing whether I can watch reruns of The Wire now even though I'm not all that fond of the usual cop shows.

Yes, I feel Clockers is just slightly better. There is a bigger scope to that novel. I'm a huge fan of The Wire. I've seen all 5 seasons. I highly suggest you start right from the beginning. It is an intricate, mutli-layered show and you have to give it a chance to unfold. It's probably the best program ever created for television. I hope you give it a try!

41. The Butcher Boy by Patrick McCabe. Will add comments later.

edit. to correct book #.

How funny, I just finished Lush Life a week or so ago myself! (Of course I'm way behind on my thread, so we'll see when it turns up there.) I think I may have liked Clockers better, too.

I also enjoyed your review of Property. It seems like there is so much in that book to discuss.

Hmmm, maybe I'll buy Clockers for my son instead of Lush Life then.

There's another reason why I liked Property for its unusual point of view. There was a kind of satisfaction in reading it in that the prejudice/racism and evil actions of those in the South are laid out there for all to read by the narrator herself, though she is oblivious to the fact that she is indicting own self as well. It reminds me of when I've read both past and present Southerners claim that the South was/is merely fighting for "States Rights" in the Civil War, then again during the civil rights era, and more recently regarding voting rights, educational issues, and use of private property.

Hey Bonnie, any thoughts yet on Someone Knows my Name? It was the winner for our Canada Reads contest. (a group read for the country). Many people thought, even though you thought you knew everything about slavery this book still taught you something. And as a Canadian it put an entirely different spin on my thoughts of Canada's role during this time. The Book of Negroes (that's the book name here, btw) actually exists. Interesting too, the idea of wanting to go back to Africa even with the threat of being captured again.

Re: Someone Knows My Name. I've hesitated to say this, but I've got to be honest, no matter how much I disappoint myself. This was a very good book, but not a great book for me. I have to admit that I've read much of the history included in this book, so it didn't have the shocking effect that it would have on someone for whom these historical details were new. That's what makes books like this so hard to comment on. My reaction would have been different 30, 40 years ago--maybe even 10 years ago. I don't want to think I'm jaded; I just don't think I'm going to feel the same way about this book as someone who is much younger and hearing all these awful details for the first time. I'm not going to be as shocked about awful events of the past as someone who knows relatively little about how women and children are currently being treated around the world; how many children are orphaned, abandoned, abused, kidnapped, still enslaved, forced into hard labor or unspeakable sex acts; how many live their whole lives in the middle of war zones... As a teenager, I thought these kinds of behaviors were due to some extreme racism that was in the past. I don't believe that anymore, because I hear, and can read, every bit as awful stories every day of the week.

And *Spoiler Alert from now on* maybe it sounds picky, but there were parts of Aminata's story that felt unrealistic. For example, based on what I learned in women's studies or cultural anthropology, I didn't believe that as a young child, she would be the one to be called on to deliver babies on the ship, or on the plantation, or even earlier within her own tribe, helping her mom. Plus, she had the unlikely advantage of being not only beautiful, but also multilingual, and able to read which put her into the middle of too many events. I started to feel like she was a vehicle for the author to get out all the historical facts he could--which I'm glad he did, but when authors do that, it creates some emotional distance. This felt more like a history book with a personal face--lots of stories condensed into one. Plus, with the story starting out with Aminata speaking as an old lady arriving in England to speak against slavery, it created a bit less tension on my part regarding the outcome of her life. Overall, an engaging read, just not as gripping as a true memoir or autobiography would be.

I did appreciate all the added information that I got from this book, especially the parts about the dilemma for Blacks living in the North at the time of the American Revolution; having to choose whether or not to trust the British that fighting 'against freedom' would ironically earn them theirs; how they got to Nova Scotia from New York City; and the history of what happened when they got there. The history of the riots, and Blacks being killed or run out of town, as well as the difficulty that Blacks had in trying to acquire land they were promised by the British Government fits with the history of Blacks in America after the Civil War. (That there was a real Book of Negroes was obvious when the author tried to explain why Aminata wrote the things she did in the book; the comments were so obviously written by a White person who didn't think of Black people as equals. And, again, I didn't believe that she would have gotten that job.) Also, I haven't read very much about the attempts to create new settlements back in Africa. Again, the details fit with the history of Britain's (and other European's countries) attempts and success in colonizing large parts of Africa.

After all that, I forgot to say that I'm really glad Someone Knows My Name is getting awards; it deserves them! I think it would be a very good book for high schoolers to read for an overall history, including a more varied account of Canada's role in helping Blacks escape slavery. And I'm with you; I want to read more books that include the history of African-Americans in Canada during these times.

42. Shakespeare Wrote for Money by Nick Hornsby. Not nearly as good as Housekeeping vs. the Dirt because 1. I've already experienced his brand of humor/silliness, and 2. He didn't review any book that I just had to read, darn it! Oh well, still a nice break from reading about slavery, war, genocide, rape, murder, child abuse, suicide, mental illness--all this and more in just the last three books read. Help!

Thanks for your comments. Interestingly enough, during the debates over the 5 books in contention, one of the defenders had the same feeling as you with regards to her life and being part of everything - sort of Forrest Gump like. If you can suspend disbelief for that, the book works very well. I really liked it, but it was recommended to me as a 'greatest book ever' and that it wasn't.

Hi bonniebooks. Did I ever tell you that I love the name Bonnie? Well, I do.
"Oh well, still a nice break from reading about slavery, war, genocide, rape, murder, child abuse, suicide, mental illness--all this and more in just the last three books read. Help!"
Boy, can I understand how you feel!~!~! I put down Crime and Punishment and picked up Anne of Green Gables. I needed a HUGE detachment!~! Sometimes you just can't do it.
I enjoy reading your reviews and actually your entire thread. It's always entertaining. Enjoy your day.
belva

Hi, Belva! Don't you have a sister named Bonnie? I always check out your thread every day too, and just read your post regarding L.M. Montgomery's life. It's interesting how many times creativity and depression are linked in writers.

Yeah, I was thinking that too. I wonder if it is a left/right brain kind of thing. Probably not.
Soooo why am I not a writer???? Well, I guess I am, sort of, on here anyway.
And yes I did have a sister named Bonnie. She died at 47 years of age and like you, she loved to read. I'm sure if she had known about LT she would have been on here and her name would have been "bonniereadingbooks". Her email addresses were always "bonniefeedingbirds".
It is sunny here today and beautiful so I think I will spend some time outside with Abby (the lab). It will be good for us.
You take care. Always good to chat with you.

#181. A terrific review of a book that was obviously very difficult to do. At this stage in my life, however, I think I'll pass on it--more than anything, I'm trying to read for escape.

Found your comments on Someone knows my name - thanks! Now I have to read it... I haven't read that much on slavery, but after Property am keen to fill the gap. I know the Reading Globally group's doing a slavery theme read at the moment too.

BrainFlakes, it's funny, but I didn't have so much trouble reading Someone Knows My Name. The Butcher Boy bothered me a lot more, but maybe because it was at the end of a series of serious books. I'm with you; I so need a break. But what am I reading? The Cellist of Sarajevo! But after that, I'm going to read David Sedaris or Elinor Lipman and hopefully laugh my head off.

Hey BB - which book are you referring too in message 181, I'm intrigued.

Sorry! It was there, but I should have bolded it: Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill. Touchstone doesn't work for it.

Ahhh sorry I didn't read closely enough. lol. I hate when touch stones don't work.

Yeah, but I'm glad you asked your question because you called me BB which were my initials before I got married. It startled me (in a good way) into all sorts of childhood memories. Thanks! :-)

43. The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway. Simply beautiful.

edited to try to post cover, still not getting it! :-(

Hi, Bonnie!
This book looks like a good one. I am adding it to my wishlist. You read so many interesting books! Have a great day!
--BJ

>195 bonniebooks:

1. right click on the cover image and then click "view image"
2. right click on the link at the top of that page (AFTER you've done step 1) and click "copy"
3. write this code into your post: WITHOUT the spaces. Keep the space between img and src
4.Right click between the two apostrophes and click "paste". That should put the link you copied before in between the two apostrophes.

That should be it!

Good morning Bonnie. I hope it is as beautiful in Seattle as it is in Morton today. I was up and taking my dog for a walk at 4:00 and it was 27 degrees here so I knew we would have a lovely day. I plan to really enjoy it and I hope you do as well. If you are out and about, how about grabbing a cuppa at Caffe Vita for me.

THANK YOU, girlunderglass! I was missing the last half of step one. I'll try it soon.

44. The Florist's Daughter by Patricia Hampl.

Belva, I've got a book just for you! I was thinking about you the whole time I read it. Have you read The Florist's Daughter? I wish you were closer so I could loan it to you to read today! I won't feel bad if you don't like it, but it was such a comforting book to read. It's a eulogy for her sharp-tongued, cynical but deeply religious Irish-Catholic mom and her perpetually positive, handsome Czech father. It's a romantic portrayal of St. Paul, and middle-class family life as it was mostly thirty years ago (though it continues to the end of her parents' lives), but Hampl has a poet's mouth, so it's good on your ears--and heart.

P.S. Can't stand even the smell of coffee, remember? I don't drink either, so I'm very boring. But if there's food, I'm there! :-)

ha ha, funny. Sorry bout that Caffe Vita thing. But hey, anybody else out there in Seattle----I don't care what they say about Seattle's Best or Starbucks, Caffe Vita is THE BEST!~!~!
And I just went to Timberland Regional Library and put The Florist's Daughter on hold so I will soon enough have it in hand. Thank you for the recommendation.
Blessings on your day Bonnie.

I added it to my wishlist as well. :)
--BJ

Good! I think you'll like it too, Billiejean!

45. When You're Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris. Not nearly as good as Naked, not even close.

Ladies, we are becoming the trible-B threat.
Bonnie, --BJ, and Belva
Do we feel empowered!

Whoo! Whoo! YES WE DO!
Ha! Ha! You're so funny, Belva!

I like being part of a triple threat!
--BJ

45. The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family by Annette Gordon-Reed. Not that great of a read--considering it just won the Pulitzer--but, for the sake of an accurate, more complete history, I'm glad that it was written and that the author is getting recognition for her efforts to thoroughly layout the evidence that Thomas Jefferson fathered the children of Sally Hemmings who was not only a black slave, but also the half-sister of his deceased wife. Considering that Sally was in her teens when this relationship started while he was in his forties, it is pretty creepy to think about. Think of how upset everyone is regarding the young girls who are being married to older men in that reformed LDS sect.

I have to admit, though, that the articles in the NY Times (or wherever I read them over the last few years), especially when they included DNA evidence, were more interesting to me. Maybe because back then the story still read more like a mystery to be solved, or a puzzle to be completed? Now, there is enough combined evidence that most people accept that what had been rumored and talked about, both then and now, is in fact true. One of our Presidents not only owned slaves while he was espousing "liberty and freedom" for all, he also fathered children, and had a long-standing relationship--with at least one of them.

So did they solve this mystery with DNA evidence? If so, that is truly amazing after all this time.
--BJ

Hi Bonnie.
Thanx for reading that one for me. You saved me a couple of days. hee hee.
belva

>207 billiejean:. Yes, it is amazing!

>208 rainpebble:. You're welcome! You may like it though, if you haven't read anything about Sally Hemings before.

My SO said the same thing about When You are Engulfed in Flames - so it's been sitting in my TBR pile, ignored. I'm interest in reading The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family... what is it that you didn't like about it?

There wasn't anything that I didn't like about it; it just wasn't that gripping. I wasn't that interested in Jefferson and there wasn't that much more real concrete information about Sally Hemings or their relationship to make it worth a day's read.

Hey, Bonnie- Thanks for stopping by my thread and giving me such good advice on The Book Thief. I'm usually very careful about exposing too much and this time I stumbled! You're a gem!

Glad you didn't mind, Mark. Afterwards, I thought, "The nerve of me! I'm always blurting out whatever comes to my mind." I think everybody should say whatever they think on their own thread--I certainly do--but if you read my thread you know that not wanting to know too much about a book before I read it is a constant theme of mine. That's why I like visiting your thread--I can get good book ideas without worrying that I'll hear too much. And I've stopped by more often than you think--every time you post actually. And that's true for all the rest of you who might be visiting my thread. I only say something if I have something to say, and I never say anything just to be polite. Whatever I say, I really mean--although I am very indecisive; you can often get me to think differently with very little persuasion. :-) Happy reading and happy commenting everyone!

I'm reading The Anchor Book of New American Short Stories by Ben Marcus. Going to stop for awhile, though. These stories are very dark and strange--good writing, but so not in the mood for this right now.

46. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. I remembered nothing about this story other than remembering that I had strong, positive feelings about it when I read it as a teen. After rereading it yesterday, I know exactly why I loved this book then. Spoiler Alert!

First, it's a coming-of-age story (all my favorite books fall into this category) about a smart, motivated girl (Francie) who fights to get an education and overcome the poverty she grows up in. I loved school--no I didn't love school, because I was the kid with the raggedy clothes and holes in my shoes, but I loved learning, and feeling smart in school was central to my identity.

Second, Francie is an avid reader--a real LT-er, reading at least one book a day. Francie's stories about going to the library and reading every day would have stirred up lots of memories of my own. Being a reader was a core part of my identity and though I often just read for escape, I also associated being a good reader with eventually going to college (first and only one in my family to do so) and getting beyond what my other sisters had/had not accomplished (they married and had children very young).

Third, I would have loved the detailed descriptions of the hard-scrabble life in Brooklyn in the early 1900's. I would have felt like I was learning "real" American history, instead of all the "wars and famous men" history I got in school. I would have empathized and compared my experiences as a child growing up poor--but in a house--with the crammed-in experiences of apartment dwelling in a much more crowded city. We were hungry, but not that hungry by the time I got old enough to notice. (I still like peppery white flour "gravy" over torn-up bread, the mainstay of many a dinner, mmmm!) We kids roamed around for miles, totally unsupervised, getting into all sorts of potential trouble--like playing in and around moving trains in a changing yard a block away (yikes!). As far as I knew, nobody in my neighborhood (in the 50's) cared whether you were Irish or Italian (unless it was to find out whose grandma made the best homemade noodles, or garlic pickles-yum!), but there were no Jews or Blacks in sight. As a young child, I hardly knew they existed.

Fourth, I would have compared her crises/stresses to mine. Her father was a singer, but also a drunk who seldom got work. My father, a dreamer who spent his days singing and playing the piano instead of selling insurance. Her father died; my parents got divorced and my father remarried and moved away not to be seen, or heard from, for years at a time. She still loved her deadbeat dad while I resented mine. I'm sure I would have compared mothers as well. My mother was hard-working and determined too. She married herself, and us, into a much better financial situation--though not as happily as Francie's mom appeared to have done. I'm sure I would have thought about that a lot too. Was it better to be financially "rich" or "emotionally rich?"

So, did I enjoy reading this book again? I did, but I also felt uncomfortable at times. There was racial, ethnic, and religious stereotyping that, hopefully, would not be acceptable anymore. The author's style felt dated; there was a too sentimental or "romantic" portrayal of characters that reminds me of how books were written then, but not so much now. It feels inauthentic to me now, but maybe I've become too much of a cynic. And I get pulled out of a story when too many critical events happen to one family. I know that's supposed to make the reader care more, and that Francie's family represents many families in those circumstances, but when I start thinking about the author's intent or technique, I'm not fully immersed in the story. All in all, rereading A Tree Grows in Brooklyn makes me wonder whether I should read more old favorites or just leave them be. Sometimes it's more the pleasure I remember having as I read a book, rather than the memory of the story, itself, that seems most important to hold on to.

Edit. to add Spoiler Alert.

Wonderful review, Bonnie!
--BJ

loved that review bonnie!~!
belva

Hey weightgainclub;
LT is for reading and sharing, not for buying and selling. Just sayin'...

No offense meant to anyone, but I was just wondering where they thought they were. Hmmm.

You can flag posts that are written for commercial purposes...Somebody?

I don't know, shall we try?

*flagged*
his whole profile should be flagged from the looks of it but that's not possible I think.

Eliza, my dear, you are a gem.

As well as a HOT reviewer!~! congrats!!!!
belva

What do you think Bonnie? Doncha love a chick with balls??

Golly, you people sure read a lot a books!! Are you abnormal or sumthin'?
...... of course I'm kidding!

haha, thank you Belva!

msf59 like a description I saw on Facebook today "Nerds are people who like to read all the time and prefer reading and learning to having friends or doing cool stuff. We are weird people after all. Imagine preferring reading to doing cool stuff ?? *smirk*

"haha, thank you Belva!"
That's what friends are 4.

To us, weird is "nermal". What's up with them???

Hi Mark. ***waves***

Do you think they will "flag" me for saying "balls"?

Great review Bonnie!

GUG - that description fits me perfectly, and dammit if I'm not rather proud of it! Hmmm, let's see: a night out getting drunk with some loud people, or a night in with a book and a hot chocolate...???

Bonnie, when I was applauding your review I forgot to mention that Ms. Smith wrote another book Maggie Now that is almost as good as A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and is very heartwarming.
You might like that one as well.
Catcha later m'dear.
belva

I come upstairs after work (I work at home) and there's a party going on up here! Whoo-hoo! Who says we're not cool?!

>223 girlunderglass: Thanks, GUG! I flagged him too, but needed someone to do it the second time. I'll let you keep Belva's label all to yourself though. When I read that, I immediately pictured a cute, fluffy little yellow chick with big...uh-uh...didn't want to go there. ;-)

>225 msf59: msf59, I used to feel guilty about how much time I spent reading (I totally fit that facebook description) and my friends would certainly say that I read a lot of books; but now I just compare myself to LT-ers like kidzdoc or alcottacre (or nannybette!) and think, "Hey! I'm just average, and "average" means "normal" in psychology, so I'm fine!" I don't know about them though! ;-) Ha! Ha! OK, OK, we'll call them "above-average."

> 229 Thanks for the book-rec, Belva. I'll check it out.

#215. I may be a day or two late getting here, but that doesn't change my opinion of your review of A Tree: it is quite possibly the best one I've ever read. You are so open and honest about yourself, you have the ability to relate the book with your past and to point out the differences—you have a true gift and willingness for self-examination.

While most people only look at the forest, you can clearly see the tree that you are.

Aaaah! I always tear up when people do or say kind things to others, BrainFlakes, and now I can't even see to type! (Blink! Blink!) You've honed in on a central part of who I think I am and what I value in myself. Not everyone in my life appreciates it. Your words mean a lot to me. You say you're retired, Charlie, but you've still got the gift! :-) Thank you!

And don't you just love detailmuse's response? I love how one person's stories generates a memory for someone else which generates another story/memory. For me, that's what makes posting worth it.

Oops! Edited to say that detailmuse's response is on my 999-challenge.

47. I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti - Giulia Malucci. This is the kind of book that I'll read if someone loans it to me or--True Confession--I'll sit in the bookstore and read it, but it's not a book I would buy. The author is funny, so was enjoyable to read, but only for awhile. Eventually, I got tired of reading about Malucci's love life, especially some of the choices she made. But I never got tired of reading the recipes. They all sounded yummy.

Edited to fix Touchstone.

48. How Sex Works: Why We Look, Feel, Smell, Taste, and Act the Way We Do by Sharon Moalam. This is a good overview (not too much, nor too technical) of the current research into the biological underpinnings of human sexual behavior that I think would be fascinating to most people--but as a previous Psych. major I may be biased. Still, how could women not be interested in knowing why they may be attracted to a different type of man when they're ovulating, or that they unknowingly use their sense of smell to find a mate that's more genetically different from them.

49. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. I read this book on Monday, but forgot to list it. This was a perfect book to curl up with on a rainy morning after a back-straining weekend in the "garden." The characters and plot in this story felt so familiar that I almost thought I had read it before. That didn't make me not like it; it was actually a comforting feeling, as I think it will be to most readers who love the classic gothic tales (e.g., Woman in White, Jane Eyre) that, coincidentally, play a part in this story.

Edited to add #. Yeah! Only one more book to reach my goal!

#233-235. I'll pass on I Loved (Joycepa has me reading too many Italians right now), I'll pass on How Sex Works (I don't want to know at this stage in my life), but I am, admittedly, a fan of Jane Eyre. One out of three isn't so bad, is it.

So, are you going to move upstairs to the 75 Challenge?

>236 BrainFlakes:: More than half of the "starred" threads I'm following are 75-ers, so it's tempting, but I think I'll wait until next year to make any more changes. As you've probably already noticed, not being an official member of the 75-Books challenge hasn't kept me from commenting there! :-)

But, Whoo Hoo, everybody! I went back over my list and I've actually gone past my goal of reading 50 books in a year. Since that one got by me, I'm going to celebrate again when I've read 50 books in 2009. (That will be book #55.) You can see my "new and improved" list up top!

Congrats, Bonnie, for passing that 50 mark! :)
--BJ

Thanks, BJ! I read a lot of good books that I probably wouldn't have discovered if I hadn't been an LT-er! :-)

Congrats on making it to 50! Oh and I don't think it's just you, number 48 does look very interesting!

50. Ex-Libris by Anne Fadiman. I can't imagine a serious reader (especially the typical LT-er) not loving this book, though it made me feel both inadequate AND extremely envious.

Congrats Bonnie!

#241. I felt the same way about Ex Libris: I felt kind of d-u-m-b since I didn't recognize most of the books she mentioned.

And the chapter on "mangling" books made me cringe: breaking the spines, bending both upper and lower corners, throwing them around . . .

Nevertheless, I really liked the book.

50 already?!? Way to go!

I recently bought Rereadings by Anne Fadiman and can't wait to get to it! I know everyone's been talking about Ex-Libris but this one's title (and concept) appealed to me more :)

ETA: If you enjoyed Ex-Libris you might want to check this one out as well!

Hi Bonnie.
Just popped in to say Hi. I am a little behind in my "threading" so congrats from me as well. That 50 book mark really makes you feel great!~!
Have a great day.
belva

Wow! Congrats on reaching 50!!

Nice going, Bonnie! Proud of ya! I see we both started in early December, but you are now 20 books ahead of me. You go girl! Now, I have to go and try to catch up! LOL

Thanks, everybody! I have to admit that reaching my goal is a lot more fun with all of you to cheer me on!

#243 Oh, oh! Brainflakes! Though I cringed, too, at the thought of her father tearing out the chapters of his paperbacks as he read them to keep his traveling light (I absolutely couldn't do that!) I admit to folding both the upper and lower corners of the pages in my books. In fact, that's how I know I'm ready to buy or keep a book. When I make that decision to make that first corner-fold, it's a symbolic act that feels very satisfying, even thrilling. And I never use book-marks. I like her brother's comment that a book-mark/closed book feels like a "stop" while a book splayed out face-down is just on "pause."

#245 Thanks, girlunderglass, for the recommendation; I'll definitely buy Rereadings. I'm going to try to hold out for awhile, though, until I get through a few more of the books I've already bought for both my challenges.

#248 LOL! Mark, if it was a race, there are a whole lot of contenders on LT we would have to exclude from our little competition. I think we better just all join hands and skip toward the finish line together.

I like that image: All join hands and skip toward the finish line together. That reminds me of my childhood!

Happy Reading!
--BJ

It has a happy ring to it, doesn't it? Nice image of happy children (which, in our minds eye, we remain).
Have a great day.
belva

I have to add my congrats on reaching 50 books. I can't wait till I reach that goal too. I was reading some of the comments about Ex Libris and I am now curious about this book. Do I want to read something that I might feel dumb about not knowing some things...

That is a happy thought and brings a very nice picture to my mind Bonnie.

Again congrats!

#254 I can't speak for BrainFlakes, but I think he was just being his usual f-u-n-n-y self, and when I said I felt inadequate and sometimes envious, it was meant in a good/admiring way--much like how I sometimes feel about many LT-ers. Anybody who is "crazy4reading" is going to love her stories.

#255 I see what you are saying. I feel that way when I do my reviews and then read some of the others for the same book. I then think to myself wow they really captured my feelings in their review. I am not a writer and admire the wonderfully written 'essays'. I will definately be looking her books up.

#267 I then think to myself wow they really captured my feelings in their review

I feel the same way and that's why I don't even try to do them, but stick to the first thoughts/feelings that come to mind--and even then, I can spend way to much time on these. And don't ask me to rate or summarize a book--impossible! Some people call my comments "reviews," but I know better! ;-) And, please, folks! I am not trying to solicit praise, by putting myself down. Like crazy4reading, I just appreciate good writing when I read it.

54. Bad Mother by Ayelet Waldman. This is a very personal, very revealing telling of Waldman's experiences as a mom (and wife to the writer Michael Chabon, by the way). Waldman is very witty, opinionated and intense which makes for good stories that I think will appeal to, and be comforting to, moms of younger children especially. Though she may be too raw, too open for some, I loved her honesty--though, admittedly, much of that "openness" may be as much due to her being bi-polar (details of which she also bravely shares) as it is in her sincere desire to share "the perils of trying to be a decent mother in a world intent on making you feel like a bad one." This isn't great literature, but there was a lot in these eighteen stories that I could relate to; and even now, though my two sons are grown, I could spend days/weeks talking with my friends about many of the issues she discusses in Bad Good Mother.

P.S. No, you didn't miss anything. I'm not going to go back and fix my numbering mistakes but will just start matching the numbers on my list from here on. Edited to add bolding.

I had planned on reading The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao next, but, apparently, it's one of my books that is getting tired of being ignored, so is seeking revenge by hiding out--thus, making me really want to read it! Instead, I'll follow up on my increased curiosity/interest in Michael Chabon by reading The Yiddish Policemen's Union which has also been patiently waiting for me since Christmas.

I hate when my books decide to punish me! Did Bad Mother fuel your interest in Michael Chabon?

Of course! :-) Plus, I really liked The Amazing Adventures of Kavallier and Clay.

Congratulations on reaching 50, Bonnie! (well, I see it's 54 now ;-) ) I have just added Ex Libris to my library list. It sounds like the sort of book I would love. I worked with someone once who took Shogun on a hiking holiday and ripped off the pages she'd read, for the campfire every night. She said it was an old paperback so she didn't feel too bad, but apparently it was annoying when she'd forgotten who someone was, and couldn't leaf back through the book.

Good morning Bonnie.
Do you have sun in Seattle today? It is overcast here but not raining and is trying to clear off. I hope it does as I would like to get out of doors. I have been cooped up in here for over a month now and am kind of sick of it.
How is every little thing? I see you are reading right along! I am trying to figure out what to pick up next. I really want to read The Iliad but don't want the weight of it right now so maybe the next "Harry Potter". I think I am up to the 5th now.
Anyway just wanted to pop in and say "hey". **waves**
later,
belva

>262 susanj67:, Great story! I loved Shogun, but that sounds like a great idea if you're hiking. You have an exciting book to read, then have some good fuel for getting your fire started, and lighten your load at the same time. Smart!

Hi, Belva! No sun, it's been raining a lot here. I don't mind, though, 'cas everything is green, green, green! Wow, you sure are tackling some big classics this year. Thank goodness for your grandson and Harry Potter! :-)

You know Bonnie, I am not really reading so many classics this year as attempting to do so. But reading the classics and nonfiction is where I do want to pick my reading up a bit so I am working on it.
LT is helping a lot with that. I see what some of the rest of you are reading and it spurs me on.
And yes, I do appreciate my grandson (he's here now as a matter of fact) and I am enjoying the "HP" series. I especially enjoyed the 4th one. But Tyler says as he read each one, it became his favorite of the series. He is on #6 and I am moving on to #5.
Here is hoping for sun tomorrow. I want to see the rest of my lilacs burst out in full bloom.
belva

I just need to comment on the HP books. Belva I have read all of them and love them all for different reasons. The 4th book is one of my faves. I love book 6 the most. Enjoy reading the rest of them.

I hope the sun comes out for both of you soon. We just started getting rain here, again.

OK, I am just wondering where on the planet the sun is shining? It is raining absolutely everywhere!
--BJ

Not in Morton, Washington that is for sure. We got rained out again today!~! Drat! This is football weather. It was 37 degrees yesterday morning here.
crazy;
It is nice to meet you and I appreciate your comments. I am really enjoying the "HP" series and it has added bonding material for my grandson and me. So that is all good. I understand The Tales of Beedle the Bard is also good and goes further into parts of "HP".
talk atcha all later,
belva

I think the sun went on an early vacation. We are getting rain again.
belva,
Nice to meet you too. I am glad to hear you are bonding with your grandson. I have a niece that read Twilight so we have bonded over that and it makes me very happy too. Yes The Tales of Beedle the Bard is a good book to tie in with the HP series.

Sorry for hijacking your thread Bonnie. Have a great day all.

Monica aka crazy

Good morning Bonnie.
Time to rise and shine. The sun is up so we must also.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVyt7Wd9Bp4

Have a great day.
belva

L-O-L! :-)) Gorgeous Day, huh? And made better by being able to sing along with the Beatles! I was actually outside weeding while you were lounging in front of your computer. Now it's my turn so get out there and do your part! ;-) And, by the way, folks, Belva left that message at 6:00!

55. The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon. I loved the premise of the book, and being immersed in this Yiddish-speaking world, but am having a hard time condensing what I want to say about it, so will jump right to the main character, Meyer Landsman, a homicide detective. Normally, I have no tolerance for reading about men or women who are alcoholics with messed up lives even when the writing is good, which in this book it was, but I liked Landsman. Here's an example why:

"Okay, listen, boys," Bina says. She is a woman for belling cats and taking the bulls by the horns. "We're all aware of the awkwardness of the situation here. It could be weird enough if I just used to squad with you both. The fact that one of you used to be my husband, and the other one my, uh, cousin, well, shit."

...She pauses, seeming to await the response. Landsman turns to Berko. "You were the cousin, right?"

We know that guy--in fact, lots of guys like that. Smart, and smart-aleck, hard-working guys who rely on their sense of humor and their relationships to get through the **ittier aspects of their not-so-glamorous jobs.

Edited to add bolding to title. How do people find their postings without it?

Hey, Bonnie- I have The Yiddish Policemen's Union sitting in my tbr pile, somewhat close to the top. I really like Michael Chabon's writing ,so I need to get to this soon. I also heard the Coen brothers (the film-makers) are making an adaptation of this.

Good morning Bonnie;
Isn't it a glorious day?
I get to go to the library today so I am very happy. (Hubby will be driving/the vertigo thing--I still can't drive/but I get to go. Woo Hoo!~!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnRqYMTpXHc

I just finished another Steinbeck and am currently reading an Atwood but it is still slow going. I can't read as much at one sitting as I used to be able to so it is rather frustrating. But the husband likes it because I am spending more time chatting,being outside and watching television with him. He is addicted to the TV. I only like a very few shows and the old movies.
Enjoy your day and I hope you are reading something wonderful.

Good morning Bonnie;
Isn't it a glorious day?
I get to go to the library today so I am very happy. (Hubby will be driving/the vertigo thing--I still can't drive/but I get to go. Woo Hoo!~!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnRqYMTpXHc

I just finished another Steinbeck and am currently reading an Atwood but it is still slow going. I can't read as much at one sitting as I used to be able to so it is rather frustrating. But the husband likes it because I am spending more time chatting,being outside and watching television with him. He is addicted to the TV. I only like a very few shows and the old movies.
Enjoy your day and I hope you are reading something wonderful.
belva

>275 msf59:, I'd be surprised if you didn't really love The Yiddish Policeman's Union, Mark, but am open to your honest reaction.

>276 rainpebble:, Greetings to you and Louis, Belva! It is a wonderful day! I spent the morning reading, but I'm heading outside real soon. And, yeah! Great weather for Folklife, my favorite festival!

P.S. Did you see my note to you on your profile? I'm really interested in hearing more details about your vertigo as I went through the same thing, though not as severely as you did.

56. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz. Comments coming.

Oh, good because I have been looking at the spine of that book in my case for almost a year now just waiting to get enough motivation to read it. So I look forward to your comments on Diaz.
And yes, I did see your note and will get back with you on that when I have a chunk of time to do so. I am sorry to hear that you, too, have been affected by the same thing.
You, when you have time, will have to share info on the "Folklife festival. Sounds fun.

Hey, Bonnie- The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao was one of my favorite reads from last year. He has quite an original voice. I hope you liked it!

Hi, Bonnie!
I would also like to hear about the Folklife Festival. It sounds like a lot of fun. Have a great day!
--BJ

Bonnie--Hello.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=he9ql-9BdTk

A beautiful day here in our little community and we (hubby and self) are loafing. We went to the library yesterday, he got his hair cut, we bought fencing materials for 50 more ft of 6 ft cedar fence and went out to lunch. So we had a really full day for me.
So today we are just going to hang out at home, play with the dog, he will probably mow, I will probably take a nap and read.
I hope you enjoy your holiday weekend.
belva

>280 rainpebble: & 281: Mark and Belva, I did enjoy Diaz's book, though "enjoy" always seems like a weird word for a book like that. "Grabbed" might be a more accurate representation of my feelings. And, yes, that was almost all because of the narrator's voice. But, I've still got to think about how to put my feelings and thoughts into one or two short paragraphs--that's my new goal now. Will get back to this when it's not so darned beautiful out!

>282 billiejean:: Billiejean, we are sooo lucky to have the NW Folklife festival. This is its 38th year and it's free! Here's a short blurb: Northwest Folklife Festival, held over Memorial Day weekend, is one of the largest, varied and most vibrant free folklife celebrations in North America. Produced by Northwest Folklife and Seattle Center, it hosts more than 7,000 participants, over 20 stages and venues, roughly 1000 performances, and an audience of approximately 250,000 at the 74-acre Seattle Center. Participants immerse themselves in four days of music and dance performances, visual arts and folklore exhibits, symposia, workshops, craft and cooking demonstrations and films.

Hi Bonnie, I guess it's been longer than I thought since I last checked in on your thread. I absolutely loved your review of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. I must have read that book 20 times while I was growing up. Your review makes me want to read it again.

>286 AMQS:: Wow! That book must have been real "comfort food" for you. You might be better able to give sydamy advice then. She was asking when she should recommend A Tree Grows in Brooklyn to her daughter. How old were you when you first read it? And what age do you think is the perfect tiime to read this book?

Well, I loved to re-read my favorites, that's for sure. My oldest daughter is the same way, which is good -- she goes through books so fast it's hard to keep her in them. But she loves to re-read them, and then again after a year or so, and she loves them all over, or sometimes gets more out of them as she matures. I want to say I was 11 or so when I read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn the first time. I'd say 11-14 would be the right time to introduce it.

I think that I was in 2nd grade when I first read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn but my dad was an alcoholic so the booze stuff in the book didn't shock me. I didn't introduce my daughters to it until they were a little older either.

Bonnie, just wanted to pop back in to say that the NW Folklife Festival sounds too good to be true. My whole family would love it. I cannot believe that it is free. We have a variety of festivals throughout the year here for lots of different cultures, but they are not free and not as all-encompassing. I am so glad that you have it. Have a great time! :)
--BJ

--BJ;
You do have a wonderful festival there somewhere that has tribal stuff going on all the time. We went each time I was there and it was truly something to see. I loved the drumming and dancing parts. And I learned so much about the different tribes. Pretty fascinating stuff.
And let us not forget we have our very own Logger's Jubilee right here in Morton.
G'nite --BJ.
G'nite Bonnie.
G'nite Mrs Calabash, wherever you are.
belva

Are you talking about near the Texas border? I have never been to that, but I would like to go sometime.
--BJ

It is probably about 3 hours north of the Texas border. I don't really know Oklahoma that well, but the friends I was visiting are 2 hours north and it seems we drove at least another hour or so.

Bonnie, we must be drinking the same water or something. I am half way through the audio of Oscar Wao right now, and already loaded and waiting for me when I finish is the audio of Yiddish Policeman. I hope that holds up on audio. My only issue so far with Oscar Wao is, I cannot speak Spanish and am not sure how much I have missed not understanding. I have the same worry about the Yiddish in the next book, but at least there I can have my mom translate, lol!

Now that's funny! So what are we reading next? :-)

Dealing with house-related problems and attempting to clean out my basement and garage after 30 years of collecting. I could have been working on this during the rainy months, but, no, I pick a gorgeous week of sunshine, all the time! If I can get through this, I vow never to buy another thing for the rest of my life! Rereading Brain Rules, a simple, entertaining, and mildly informative book I recommend to the parents of my students, but otherwise depending on your threads to keep me feeling literate.

I did the same thing around here with graduation. Promise that you won't buy anything -- except books!
--BJ

Lol! That will be where I lose the battle, I'm thinking! But I was painting some bookshelves today and when I looked at all the books just on those shelves, I thought, "I'd like to read those books again!" so maybe I'll be able to hold off for awhile. :-)

57. The Family Man by Elinor Lipman. Well, I'm a dirty, rotten no-good liar. I said I wasn't going to buy any new books for awhile and then when I did, I told myself I was going to keep this book for a reward after a hard weekend's work in my basement. Instead, after one run to the dump yesterday, I sat down and read the whole book. Whooo! That felt good! Back to my irresponsible self! Now, about the book: Not nearly as good as Isabel's Bed or Inn at Lake Devine, but good escapist entertainment for the afternoon with some laugh-out-loud moments. Gay Guy (Henry) in his 50's gets contacted by his ex-wife (yes, he "came out" later in life) when her husband drops dead a few months short of 25 years of marriage and a prenup means she gets nothing. Henry doesn't want to have anything to do with her (still resents that she cheated on him) but does want to reconnect with the now-grown stepdaughter he had adopted, but then let be adopted by the next husband. Lots of over-the-top characters and funny dialogue.

Hi Bonnie, I just love Elinor Lipman and am impatiently waiting for my turn at the library with this new one so I enjoyed reading about it here.

I noticed that you mentioned Brain Rules a few comments above. I happened to have ordered it from Amazon a few days ago but it hasn't quite gotten here yet. I'm hoping to get my multitasking high schooler to read it. Do you think it's worthwhile?

>300 Copperskye:, Re: Brain Rules...Yes, I think you might be able to get your high schooler to read it. Though he'll maybe skim some parts, it's quite readable (and very entertaining for a book about the brain and learning) and a dvd comes with it too (which I admit I haven't looked at yet). Again, I've totally shortchanged how much information that the author has packed in to this book. I love how each chapter ends with a summarization of each "Brain Rule." I think what would be best of all, though, is if you both read it because the stories and "brain rules" are so discussable.

Oh good!! It sounds great and I didn't even notice that it comes with a dvd so that's an added bonus. I also plan on reading it (that'll be the easy part!). Thanks so much for the information and have a great night!

Hi Bonnie;
***waving madly***

Hi Coppers;
**waving & smiling**

I keep seeing Elinor Lipman all over LT these days. I have not read her. What style does she write? I am assuming that she is very good or I wouldn't be seeing her name so much.
So, Bonnie------how's every little thing? Things good at your place? Did you get the garden in? We got ours tilled up a couple of months ago but so far all that has been planted is cat*hit!~! But when you have seven of the little buggers....
I think hubby is going to throw some wild flower seed out there and rake it over and call it good.
Well, I shall talk to you girls later.
g'nite,
belva

58. Mudbound by Hillary Jordan (6/06/09) Loved it from start to finish! If the first chapter doesn't totally grab you, then don't even bother 'cas you're a stone!

Okay Bonnie.

"then don't even bother 'cas you're a stone!"

That sounds like a double dog dare to me if ever there was one. Off I am to my library site to put Mudbound on hold cuz I certainly wouldn't want to be known as a stone!~!
later babe,
belva

Hi, Belva! I ended up doing some clean-up work and prepping of soil this morning, so didn't get to the nursery today. Thursday will be busy since so many of my students are "graduating" so will have to wait until Friday to buy my "termaters" and stuff.

Oh, Mudbound was a wonderful read!

I must go to bed now....'night all!

I just looked up Mudbound, and it sounds great. And my library has it, but it's out on loan, which will give me time to finish the other books I have from my LT list!!

I am looking forward to reading Mudbound too. I found it in a book shop a few weeks ago.

Well - how could one NOT try out Mudbound after such comments?? (Scurrying off to hunt it down....)

I will add Mudbound and Brain Rules to my wishlist when I learn how to click to do it. I guess I will look that up now. Have a great day, Bonnie!
--BJ

This thread is hard to give up because it was "my first" on Library Thing, but it's getting too long even for me to download. So...I'm reluctantly making the jump to a new thread: bonniebook's 50-Book Challenge, chapter 2 right here

I'll see you there, Bonnie!
--BJ