nannybebette take 2

I had hoped to make it at least half way through the year; almost made it.

Old thread:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/58024

Hi, Belva! I like how you made the transition exactly on #300. That just seems right! :-) I've got to make a new thread too, but I've just been too busy. (I know it doesn't take that long, but I'd have to follow directions, something I avoid doing wherever possible.) Still having fun thinking about my serenity baskets! I even brought some baskets back up from my basement, thinking this will make a nice "Bonnie Basket" (my new name for the ones I'm planning--how egotistical of me, huh?) Happy reading!

Good morning Bonnie.
Nope, I kind of like the name; "Bonnie Basket".
Do you have sun up your way yet? It is still hazy here but looks like it wants to burn off.
My grandson got up early this morning, stuck a banana in his pocket, grabbed his bike and fishing pole and headed to the river to meet a friend for a little fishing. Perhaps we will have fish for dinner. Yum, yum.
You have a great day.
belva

Books read thus far in 2009:




1. Beside a Burning Sea by John Shors
2. Collected Poems of Robert Frost by the same
3. King's Oak by Anne Rivers Siddons
4. Nora Jane-a Life in Stories by Ellen Gilchrist
5. Dream When You're Feeling Blue by Elizabeth Berg
6. The Year of Pleasures by Elizabeth Berg
7. Digging to America by Anne Tyler
8. Patchwork Planet by Anne Tyler
9. Skipping Christmas by John Grisham
10. Complete Poems & Plays, by T.S. Eliot
11. The River King by Alice Hoffman
12. Blue Diary by Alice Hoffman
13. The Ice Queen by Alice Hoffman
14. Blackbird House by Alice Hoffman
15. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
16. Sweetwater Creek by Anne Rivers Siddons
17. Up Island by Anne Rivers Siddons
18. Family Tree by Barbara Delinsky
19. Low Country by Anne Rivers Siddons
20. Sandpebbles by Patricia Hickman
21. Outer Banks by Anne Rivers Siddons
22. Good Grief by Lolly Winston
23. Hill Towns by Anne Rivers Siddons
24. Ya Yas in Bloom by Rebecca Wells
25. Fault Lines by Anne Rivers Siddons
26. Pieces of my Heart by Robert Wagner
27. Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost
28. A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas
29. Women of the Silk by Gail Tsukiyama
30. Language of the Threads by Gail Tsukiyama
31. Colony by Anne Rivers Siddons
32. The Last Valentine by James Michael Pratt
33. Do Dead People Watch You Shower by Bertoldi
34. Before You Knew Kindness by Chris Boyjalian
35. Thirteen Moons by Charles Fraizer
36. The Whole World Over by Julia Glass
37. The Pull of the Moon by Elizabeth Berg
38. Ordinary Life by Elizabeth Berg
39. Downtown by Anne Rivers Siddons
40. Range of Motion by Elizabeth Berg
41. Rachel's Quilt by Sheila Spencer-Smith
42. Amy and Isabelle by Elizabeth Strout
43. Abide with Me by Elizabeth Strout
44. I See You Everywhere by Julia Glass
45. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowlings
46. The Sea Lady by Margaret Drabble
47. A Slipping-Down Life by Anne Tyler
48. The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
49. The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks
50. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
51. The Street of a Thousand Blossoms by Gail Tsukiyama
52. The Dream Comes True by Barbara Delinsky
53. The Summer of Naked Swim Parties by Jessica Anya Blau
54. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowlings
55. The Memoir Club by Laura Kalpakian
56. One Extra*Ordinary Day by Harold Myra
57. Night Train to Lisbon
by Emily Grayson
58. Your Labrador Retriever by September B Morn (my guess is a pseudonym)
59. Guide to Owning a Labrador Retriever by Richard T. Burrows
60. Music of Falling Water by Julia Oliver
61. The Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse
62. The Precious Present by Spencer Johnson
63. An Absolute Scandal by Penny Vincenzi
64. The Complete Stories of TRUMAN CAPOTE by of course, Truman Capote
65. The Breakdown Lane by Jacquelyn Mitchard
66. Off Season by Anne Rivers Siddons
67. Dear John by Nicholas Sparks
68. Eggshell Days by Rebecca Gregson
69. A Bluethroat Morning by Jacqui Lofthouse
70. Black Notice by Patricia Cornwell
71. Fox'es Earth by Anne Rivers Siddons
72. Searching for Paradise in Parker, PA by Kris Radish
73. Shop Girl by Steve Martin
74. Three Junes by Julia Glass
75. Body Double by Tess Gerritsen
76. Beloved by Toni Morrison
77. Adam the King by Jeffrey Lewis
78. The Woman Next Door by Barbara Delinsky
79. Local Girls by Alice Hoffman
80. Spring and Fall by Nicholas Delbanco
81. the saturday wife by Naomi Ragen
82. Minotaur by Benjamin Tammuz
00. Crime and Punishment
83. Anne of Green Gables by L M Montgomery
84. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
85. Big as Life by Maureen Howard
86. Studies in Classic American Literature by D.H. Lawrence
87. The Holiday by Stevie Smith
88. Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh
89. The Moon is Down by John Steinbeck
90. The Razor's Edge by Sumerset Maughm
91. The Fireman's Wife by Jack Riggs (ER)
92. Conscience Point by Erica Abeel (ER)
93. The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights by John Steinbeck
94. The Blank Wall by Elizabeth Sanxay Holding
95. The Penelopiad by
Margaret Atwood
96. March by Geraldine Brooks
97. The Moment Between by Nicole Baart
98. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
99. The Lost City of Z; A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon by David Grann
100. The Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian

Second series of books read in 2009:




101. Capote: A Biography by Gerald Clarke
102. Forest Cats of North America by Jerry Kobalenko
103. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
104. Shanghai Girls by Lisa See
105. The Last Bridge by Teri Coyne
106. What Jane Austen Taught Me About Love and Romance by Debra White Smith
107. How Sweet It Is By Alice J. Wisler
108. Looking After Pigeon by Maud Markson
109. To A God Unknown by John Steinbeck
110. The Embers by Hyatt Bass
111. Bantam of the Opera by Mary Jane Auch
112. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
113. Tess of the D'Ubervilles by Thomas Hardy
114. Love Letters from Cell 92 by Bonhoeffer and Von Wedemeyer
115. Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery
116. Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson
117. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeliene L'Engle
118. A World of Love by Elizabeth Bowen
119. The Sweetgum Ladies Knit for Love by Beth Pattillo
120. Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
121. The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith
122. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
123. Blackbird: A Childhood Lost and Found by Jennifer Lauck
124. Evangeline by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

In an aside it is/was (I think today is the last day) PBS Appreciation Week and for those of us who support PBS and order from them, through today you get 25% off your order total. Just type PBSTHANKS in the promo box. I ordered the Elizabeth Gaskell DVD collection of:
Cranford
North and South and
Wives and Daughters and if your order is $40.00 or more you also get the DVD of Oliver Twist free. So my order including S & H came to $73.??. Not too shabby for all that. The plan is to save them for the rainy, snowy days of winter. Gaskell, a blanky, and a cup of hot chocolate will go very well then.
Summer is not even here and already planning for winter???????? Something is wrong with me.
Anyway, all you PBS fans, get out there and support your favorite station and save $$$!~!
belva

100 books already and not even halfway through the year yet?! You are amazing, Belva!

Only because I am in the very best of company spacespuds!~!
Thanx,
belva

Hey Belva- Congrats on a 100! That's amazing and I'm so jealous! If I ever intend to try reading everything I want to,I need to really step it up! I'm hopelessly a tortoise, I have to come to terms with that!

Thanx Mark. I have never tracked my books before so it is a little exciting. But I do think that it is much more important to read what you hunger for than just for the numbers.
later dude,
belva

100! That's a real accomplishment! Have you picked out your favorites yet?

Yes congrats - are you going for 200 now??!

Wow, 100 in six months, that's quite an achievement. Were you conscious of reading more than usual, or do you think that's probably typical?

>12 bonniebooks::
Thank you Bonnie. If I had to choose at this time I would probably have to say that my top 10 thus far are:
The Minotaur
The Razor's Edge
The Lost City of Z
Blackbird House
The Complete Stories of Truman Capote
I See You Everywhere
Dream When You're Feeling Blue
Outer Banks
One Extra*Ordinary Day and
Night of Many Dreams
But it would be really hard to choose as I have read some excellent books this year and hope to continue. I have used a lot of LT recs.

>13 Copperskye::
Thanx coppers. Not really; just going for whatever comes. I would like to finish my 999 challenge but I think that is actually the only "goal" I am seeking at this time.

>14 Robertgreaves::
Hi Robert. Thank you for your kind words. No, I wasn't conscious of reading more than usual. I have always had a book in hand and have never tracked my reading before so I think it is most likely pretty typical. I'm not much of a television person so hubby watches TV and I read. That's just the way it has always been. I suppose we will find out this 2nd half of the year, hmm?

Thanks to all of you for stopping by.
belva

Just stopping by to shout HELLO and get your new thread on my posting radar.... Great list of books so far!

elliepotten:
HELLOooooooooooooo.
and thank you my dear.
How's the store pulling together at this time? I can't wait for you to post some pics. You probably know how to do that stuff. (I don't, but the hubby has promised that when both of us have some spare time he will show me)
Have a lovely day.

Congrats Belva! 100 is quite an accomplishment. You've read some great books thus far and I'm adding you library to my favs. Continued success!!
-

Please add my congratulations to the list of those who are in awe of your accomplishment.

Also, I'm curious regarding your thoughts of the Truman Capote biography. I read this last year. Truman certainly was a colorful character...also mean spirited and nasty.

Hi, Belva!
Just popping in to say Hi!
--BJ

Hi Belva!

Congrats on your 100 and my personal thanks for your cheerful, sunny disposition!! Love your reads, love your thread...what more can I say?!

Many thanks to all of you who have stopped and left kind words for me. I appreciate all of you so much. LT is an awesome place to live.

I finished Capote: A Biography by Gerald Clarke last night.

These are my thoughts, my comments and my review:

I found "Capote" to be quite a good read. It was interesting and very different for me. I found it rather fascinating to find that Clarke had not written a novel before. He was a journalist which I am certain aided him greatly in his research of this book.
Capote was a very colorful and unique individual with gifts and talents way beyond his use of them. I think he very much let "the plastic life" get in the way of his work. He definitely knew how to get what he wanted from people and he worked very hard to that end. He also had a wonderful work ethic when he was working on a project. I think he was a huge talent and that he just wasted so much of what he had to offer the literary world.
I also think Capote was a scalawag. He allowed no slight to pass by. He had to do "payback" even if it attributed to his self-destruction.
I found the first 3/4 of the book wonderful reading. The last quarter of the book I guess I could have done without because I am old enough to remember his downfall and to remember watching it and reading about it.
Truman Capote was, however, a truly one of a kind personality and I am glad that I read the book.



Last night I also completed: Forest Cats of North America by Jerry Kolbalenko.

My thoughts and comments:

Thank you whitewavedarling for the rec on this one. It was wonderful. Very well written, great descriptions, lovely photography. Everything one could want in a book of this type. I enjoyed it immensely and then immensely again whilst sharing it with my grandchildren. So this one was a win, win.
Not at all frightening as we have the big cats in our back yards, on the logging roads, and giving birth in our barns.
Thank you again for the wonderful recommendation whitewavedarling.

Hi Belva--following you over from 75 book group--got to keep up with your wonderful reading choices!

Congratulations on reaching 100. What an accomplishment!

Thank you so much arubabookwoman. I appreciate you popping over and your kind words.
have a good one,
belva

100 books is amazing, Belva--congratulations. You make those librarians in Washington earn their pay.

And I totally agree with your assessment of Capote. His short stories were so darn good . . .

Thanx Charlie. I really appreciate what you share with me.
And about Capote; you hit the nail right on the head. His short stories were and still are awesome!~! His words just flow like water sometimes and you just want to float along with it.

Hi Belva! I have no idea how to post photos, but I'll change my profile pic to one of the shop at some point, I can do that okay! Right now I'm (god forbid) exhausted by the whole thing and very much looking forward to going on holiday tomorrow. One week, a little cottage in the countryside, a pile of books, and some chocolate/cheesecake/tea and toast. Much needed after the chaos of the past few months!

The only advice I have for you Miss Ellie is rest, rest, and more rest. I am certain you sorely need it after all the work you have been pouring into the shop.
Enjoy,
belva

Finished Rebecca Gregson's Looking Up this afternoon.
I was just an okay read for me. Perhaps not even that. I was really looking forward to it as I truly enjoyed her Eggshell Days, but this came nowhere close.
I am just glad I have moved on to something else. I am now reading Capote's In Cold Blood, Anna Karinina for the 75 gig's group read, and 2 "tweeners": A Question of Death: An Illustrated Phryne Fisher Treasury, (and a treasury it is indeed) and What Jane Austen Taught Me About Love and Romance.

Belva- It's been many years since I read In Cold Blood but it still lingers and haunts. It's an amazing book!

Hi Mark;
How are you?
I'm not even halfway through the book so I don't think I have got to the rough stuff yet but this man can write. The narrative just flows.
After reading Capote's biography, (I just finished it last night), I really think this is the book that did him in. (along with his lifestyle) He poured his blood and guts into it and obsessed over it for years as the defendants got reprieve after reprieve. He wanted all that settled before he finished the last 40 or so pages. And I just think he had little left by the time it was done.
I have been looking forward to reading this one since I read a book of his short stories which I thought brilliant. It will be interesting to see what my feelings and thoughts will be when I've completed it.
What are you reading now Mark? Have you found anything on the same level as "Z"? I have been thinking about that ever since I finished it and wondered what you would choose next.
What fascinating material!~! It is almost a disappointment that I have already read it because I can never go back and have that experience again.
Thanks for stopping by. I always enjoy our "conversations".
belva

Just popping into your new digs to say Hi, and congrats on the 100 books. Wow.

Thanks Ficus.
You know what they say--time flies and all that!~!
Thank you for popping by and for your kind words. I hope all is well in your "world".
belva

Do you believe I have the Capote bio sitting on my book-shelf and it's been sitting there for ages. I think a family member gave it to me. I'll have to yank it out one of these days. As far as non-fiction goes, I did love Ghost Soldiers and currently I'm reading Have Mercy on Us All, it's a French crime novel and it's incredible. I love crime fiction and I try to squeeze one in every 2-3 books. Glad you are enjoying In Cold Blood. What a classic! The film version is excellent too, with a young Robert Blake, in the role of Perry Smith. I don't know how many true-crime books you have read but there are many great ones. I would recommend The Onion Field by Joseph Wambaugh next, it's another haunting story!

So sad for me that I will have to avoid your thread..
I added 2 books to my wishlist just by catching up on your OLD thread, and so I dare not read this one ..

The Moment Between must have
The Lost City of Z ditto

*closes eyes and clicks submit*

**in a sing-song voice**

You won't beee sorrrrrry.

The Moment Between is mesmerizing. Absolutely! I could not believe it came to me as an ARC. I loved it and can't wait to get my hands on another Nicole Baart!~!

The gentleman who posted above you; ms59, turned me on to The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession of the Amazon. And I am so grateful. Mark always provides me with excellent recs. So if you get any from him, check them out. That one may top my list this year (though The Minotaur (wrong author on touchstones) is way up there too) and the "Z" I read was also an ARC copy. Wow!~!, huh?

So try your library ("Rotz of Ruck" with "Z" there) or just be very brave and go to Amazon.com, plug it in and *close eyes and click submit*. hee hee

The Baart is 11 bucks, on Amazon, but you can already buy it used. "Z" is now available there also if you want your own copy and is 17.50) I didn't see any used copies of it.
Good luck.
belva

Hiya Mark!~!
I read The Onion Field by Wambaugh when it first came out. (yes, I am that old) Ha! And I really liked it. He had a couple of others that I liked as well.
I am still enjoying In Cold Blood, will probably finish it today or tomorrow. Raining here and nothing to do. The grandkids entertain themselves pretty much.
The Capote bio is pretty good. Like I have said before, I haven't done a whole lot of nonfiction but this was well researched and well put together. I would imagine Capote insisted on every detail being accurate to the nth degree. I didn't enjoy the last 1/4 or 1/5 of the book as it was about his decline and that was all old story for me, but the rest of it was really good, though I didn't need to know as much about his love life as I learned. I hope that someday you will pick it up and read it. The man knew everybody and everyone was drawn to him and fascinated by him during the years between his childhood and the beginning of his declining years. It's not an "I really loved this book", but I am really glad I read it. After I read the book of his short stories, I knew I would read the bio. And after I read the bio, I knew I would read In Cold Blood. Sometimes those things just happen like that.
Well, it's a BAAM!~! Ghost Soldiers is on my TBR listing. I don't know that it sounds "good", but it sounds like one I must read, if that makes any sense.
Make it a great day Mark. I will talk to you soon.
belva

Are you kidding me? I am about to blocl Amazon...

I have 6 books coming from there right now. Two of them are new. I also have 5 from betterworld on the way and 6 mooches. I am outta control I tell ya!
I have 1 book coming from vine and will get two more from there next thursday.

EEP!

Nope not gonna do it

now

do you library?

and yes babe, i will agree you are outta control.

McKait--

Thanks for sharing your addiction level. Now I feel less disturbed about mine! Tee hee.

Me, too. I never met a bookstore that I didn't like! :)
--BJ

Hi Belva and what a great list of books you have read this year. Looking forward to the next 100 (or more)

I think most of us would have to honestly admit to sharing that addiction. It is just part of being a book lover.
Hmmm; groceries and gas or books? If I don't have to go anywhere soon and can con the old man into the grocery bit, you can bet it will be Amazon.com every time. hee hee.

Hi Berly.
Hi --BJ.
Hi judylou,
and thank you. I am pretty sure it won't be 100 though. We have come upon the season where there is just too much to be done. Dog gone it.

**pray for winter ladies**

no, no, just teasin'.
belva

Congratulations on reaching 100! And it's even higher than that now ;-) I loved In Cold Blood - it was just so amazingly well written even though the subject-matter was so horrible. It was one of those books I started and then wondered why it had taken me so long to get to it. Now I'm working my way through some LT recommendations - it's so great to have so many suggestions, isn't it? It's so easy to get into arut and just pick the same sorts of things, but I am reading things that I would never have discovered without LT.

susanj67;
Thank you. I appreciate your kind words.
In Cold Blook was indeed an excellent book. I think Capote was truly a genius at times bordering on madness. And it took me over 61 years to read it so don't feel bad. Oh, my goodness, it wasn't even written then. hee hee.
The fact that you get wonderful recommendations on here is just 1 of the awesome things about LT. I too, find that my reading habits have become greatly challenged by belonging to LT.
I am very happy you stopped by today and I hope you are enjoying your time on LT. It really grows on you.
belva

We can't have winter yet, because I need to get lots of exercise swimming and also our garden doesn't have any vegies yet, just flowers. But it will be here before we know it! Did I remember to congratulate you on reaching 100? No?

Congratulations on reading 100 books!! That is really great! And congrats, too, on the wonderful reviews that you write that make us all want to read them, too!! :) And thank you so much for all your kindness to others. :) Have a wonderful weekend!
--BJ

Thank you --BJ.
I appreciate your kind words.
No, I am really not wishing winter on us. I just get much more reading done then. This time of year is very busy for us. We have been building fences, taking out shrubbery, putting in new windows, and there is just so much that we need to do. More fencing, paint the house, etc. You know how it goes. And here in the N.W. the weather for all that only lasts so long.
So--do you do a lot of swimming? I have seen you mention that several times. It sounds like you like to get a lot of exercise in. Me? I am just too lazy. I will get on a walking program and do 2 miles a day for 4 to 6 months and then drop it for the same amount of time. Pretty stoooopid!
I do it just long enough to gain benefit from it and then stop long enough to undo all I had done. Ahh, such is life.

I finished In Cold Blood night before last and yesterday began an attempt to catch up on my ARCs and ERs by beginning Lisa See's Shanghai Girls which I received in April or may. I should finish that today. I have put these off far too long and usually I try to read them right away and get that review up and out there.

Anyway, back to In Cold Blood by Truman Capote:

my thoughts and comments:

In Cold Blood was, for me, not quite the book I expected it to be. It was very well researched, critically and wonderfully written, but it never really grabbed me like Capote's short stories have. Perhaps I just "wasn't there" in the moment while reading the book.
I never really felt like I got a handle on the characters. I wasn't even able to wrap myself around the two killers and that seemed strange to me.
The book itself is a true story about a chilling homicide that took the lives of four family members in Kansas in 1959. From the very few clues found and the many interviews conducted over time, the police eventually track down the murderers. The two killers who, thinking the family had a great deal of money hidden in the house, planned to rob them and leave no witnesses. But there was no money and the family died for naught.
The most memorable part of the book for me was that, while incarcerated, Perry (one of the two murderers) befriended a squirrel that he named Red. He lured Red off a tree branch onto the window sill of his cell. He would feed him leftover scraps and he taught him to play with a paper ball, to beg, and to ride on his shoulder. The lady who cooked for the inmates said afterward that she attempted to befriend the little squirrel, but all he wanted was Perry.
Most of the hardened material of the book has already left me. I think my psyche didn't really allow it in. Hopefully one day in the future I will read this gifted book again and be able to appreciate what Capote's brilliance had to offer through it.
I think that I just wasn't mentally in a place to "get into" In Cold Blood at this time.

Just bought Shanghai Girls -- won't get to it for a week or so. Let me know what you think. Not much to say about In Cold Blood. Haven't read it and have no real desire to...but thanks for the review. :)

>50 Berly:: Berly;
Yeah, I know they were pretty lousy (the comments) but I guess sometimes that just happens.
I finished Shanghai Girls a couple of hours ago and let's just say I hope you enjoy it more than I did. If you want to return your book to the store and exchange it for something else, I will gladly send you my copy. Just PM me your personal info. To me, it appeared to be so much like a lot of the other Eurasian-girls- coming-of-age style book that there wasn't much to set it apart. Gail Tsukiyama is a far superior writer to Lisa See. I will put up a review later.
I think my meds just have me kind of hammered today. I should have waited to do my comments on the above but am "Capoted" out and I need to wait to do a review on this one also 'til I am feeling better.
My daughter (the one I can always trust to tell it the way it is), just told me: "Geez, chill out ma! Go to bed or something!". So I guess I am being kind of bitchy today. Not a good sign when you have reviews you need to write. But, hey it can happen too, the being bitchy part. Ha ha, bet that comes as a big surprise to ya.
later babe,
belva

I'm constantly being teased about how a 600 page book only lasts me a couple of days but I think I may have met my match. I read In Cold Blood nearly 25 years ago but I still think fondly of Capote, he was as weird as it gets but a hell of a storyteller, it may have contributed to me actually feeling sorry for Hannibel Lector when I read about his childhood, now who's being weird?

Whoa there girl!! I never said your comments were not up to par. It's okay to not enjoy a book, even one purported to be sheer genius! I said I didn't have much to say about Cold Blood because I don't think that book is my thing. I will look forward to reading some more of his short stories though! And I await your more detailed review of Shangai Girls when you are up for it. (I'll send you my address.) Hope you are all tucked into bed and tomorrow will be a fresh start. (And my daughter has never, ever said anything like that to me...for at least two or three weeks! LOL)

Hugs, Kim

Hi, Belva!
I have In Cold Blood on my tbr. It is one of those books that my girls read in school. I am trying to read all of them because it has really expanded my horizons. However, it is also I book that I tried to read 30 years ago and just did not get into. So I could see not loving that book.

Do I like to exercise? No, not really. Do I need to exercise? Yes, my sweet dog and I really do need to exercise. That is why we go on the walks. She loves them! She gets kind of stiff sometimes, so we took a day off for a change yesterday. I like to swim slow laps because I can get lots of exercise there that is easy on my joints. And the water keeps me cool. The dog does not like to swim, so she prefers the walks. I am not athletic at all. I talk about exercising in order to keep myself motivated. Once I stop a little, it could last several months. :) And the swimming season is somewhat limited by the weather. I also have an elliptical, so weather is really no excuse. I am kind of hot and cold on that thing. Right now, cold! Well, talk about more than you ever wanted to know!!

I am still reading Get Shorty which is so funny. Hope you have a good book to read, too. Have a wonderful day!
--BJ

And I think that building fences and planting and painting are pretty good exercise. Sounds like you are getting a lot done! :) You must have a great feeling of accomplishment. Have a great day!
--BJ

>#52:
Hey Slim;
Yeah, that is pretty weird; feeling sorry for Hannibal Lector. But our environments and the manner of upbringing definitely does affect the outcome of our persona.
By the way, I checked out that site and man, you guys are way over my head!~! However it was quite interesting to read about all the stuff that you folks read about. (did that sentence even make any sense?)
I think Capote was a genius. And In Cold Blood was very well written and all, but my head apparently was just not into it. I was disappointed because I had expected to love the book but apparently I was "Capoted" out. I had read his book of short stories, then his bio (which was great!~!), and then In Cold Blood. So perhaps it was just too much.
I'm going to wait a bit before I put a review up. Let it all settle in my mind.
Thanx for stopping by.
I'll catch you later,
belva

>#53:
Berly;
No, I know. I was just so disappointed in myself that I didn't love the book!~!
And my daughter is my mirror. I look to her to help me stay level, if that makes any sense. She never lets me down and I trust her instincts implicitly when it comes to my emotional levels. She would never say anything like that if it were to hurt my feelings and not to help me. (thus the trust)
It is very rare I have a day like I had yesterday and I just should have spent the day in bed but it was Father's Day and we had a housefull of family and I didn't want to miss out on anything. But it's over now and today is a good day!~!
You may well decide to read In Cold Blood one day. It was not nearly as graphic as I thought it would be. It is wonderfully researched and written. And it is most likely a brilliant book. My head just wasn't there. I do know that I will read it again one day. The book is good enough that it deserves that.
later babe,
belva

>#54:
Hello --BJ;
One day you will be able to get into In Cold Blood. I know that my reaction to it was because of my emotional state the day I read it. I plan to read it again one day when I am "healthier".
I guess I am kind of like you with the exercise thing. I think I told you how I do. What a slacker I am!~! hee hee!
Get Shorty sounds funny just from the title. Was that funny little man in the movie of that?
Today I am planning to go to the local furniture store and see if I can get another twin for the spare room. I have one in there now, but the boys both want to stay overnight at the same time and can't sleep together in one twin so.....

And as regards #55; we are trying really hard to get a lot done outside this year. Just getting the new windows in was a great accomplishment. I was relieved when it was completed as the house is almost 100 years old and nothing is square.
Well, toots I will talk with you again soon
belva.

Yesterday I spent most of the afternoon and evening lazing in bed reading and dozing. I was able to finish one of my "tweeners": What Jane Austen Taught Me About Love and Romance which I have been enjoying for a week or two. I actually quite liked it.
I read two ARC/ERs: Shanghai Girls which I would say was just okay.
And: The Last Bridge which I loved!~!
Thoughts, comments and reviews of all to follow, along with a review on In Cold Blood.
Last night I began another ARC: How Sweet It Is and am only on page 63 but am liking it thus far.
So folks: more to come later.
belva

So you liked What Jane Austen Taught Me About Love and Romance huh? I'll have to check it out. My boys are coming home (YEAH!) and I have a ton of yard work and house repairs to do, so I'm really in the mood for fluffy reading in between jobs. If it's too good, though, I'll end up reading instead of working--which is what I did all yesterday. (An advantage of being divorced--I could pretend it was a vacation day for me too! Sort of a melancholy day too, though, since I got married on June 21 exactly 40 years ago and was married for 28 of those years--Yikes! Lots of memories!) Anyhoo, just wanted to say "Hi!" before heading off to Home Depot...

100+ books already? Vewy nice, vewy nice.

Re #51, it's fun to review books in a bad mood. I get especially snarky and I always enjoy snark.

I think I want to read Get Shorty too. I've seen the movie twice and didn't think I had to read it, but....

#57 Your daughter sounds great and I am glad you have her. I have a similar relationship with my oldest. (And maybe my other daughter, too. But she is only twelve...)

OK. I won't totally write off In Cold Blood and I'm glad you liked The Last Bridge-- I thoroughly enjoyed that one!

We could start "The Slackers Exercise Club." I still don't have the OK to do anything physical from the Dr and by the time I start, my muscles (which I worked so hard on) will be mush!

Later girlfriend.

My daughter is great. She is the mother of the grandsons I watch every day. I love our relationship and feel truly blessed to have this kid in my life. So I am happy that you have a special relationship with yours as well.
And You read The Last Bridge? Wow----I was through that one in about two hours. I couldn't tear myself away. It was a fascinating read. I didn't know if I was imagining what was really going on the the guys involved (not the father, I knew what was up with that) or if I was way off base. Yeah, good book.
"The Slackers Exercise Club"; (do you hear that --BJ?) I am liking this a lot!~!
And mush; what is not to like about mush? I ask you. I like it. I like:
Oatmeal,
Malt O Meal,
Wheathearts,
GoLean,
Mapo,
Cream of Wheat,
Cream of Rice, and any other kind of mush there is. Yum yum, eat it up!~!
catch ya later babe,
belva

One final thought on Cold Blood, the time of it's release was a completely different time in our society. It was a time when we still had a few taboo's and the President's personal life was still just that. We had only recently adjusted to seeing a pregnant woman on tv, married to a Cuban no less. So.... that book was shocking and people were generally apalled by the ultra violence of it. Nowadays, it barely scrapes the surface of what we're used to. Still good writing and all that but it's lost it's shock value. Slim

Yeah, Slim. I absolutely think you are right. The amount of violence in the book was not shocking in the least. There are more blood and guts in a vampire book, so I hear.
Still, I will give it another go one day.
What are you reading these days? Not that I would understand it; I am just curious (another word for nosy).
belva

people were generally apalled by the ultra violence of it. Nowadays, it barely scrapes the surface... That's sad how desensitized we've become, and mostly in the name of entertainment.

Yup, but to coin the old phrase: "sad but true".

Hi bonnie.
How are you doing?
We finally got some sun down here. How about 2 hours north?
catcha later,
belva

How Sweet It Is (an ARC/ER) by Alice J. Wisler

my thoughts, comments and review:

I absolutely loved, loved, loved this book and would reread it again tomorrow if I wasn't already committed to the book I have begun. "How Sweet It Is" is a short book, under 200 pages, but it hums along like a train on a 200 mile nonstop journey.
It begins with Deena recovering from a fairly severe accident and a break up with her fiance. She has inherited a cabin in a rural area from her grandfather and decides to move there.
He leaves her this letter:

Dear Deena,
Life is never as we expect it.
The love of my life died early. Your grandmother was only sixty-one. But she could have been seventy-one or ninety-one--any time to lose her would not have been a good time.
She encouraged me, Deena. She loved her children and grandchildren. She loved life, the rolling hills in the summer, green with life, the frozen pond in the winter. She taught me how to ice skate, how to listen for each bird and learn its call.
Sometimes I have wondered why we have to face so much sorrow in this world. Our sorrows often multiply, our disappointments increase, and our hearts are heavy. Perhaps this life is not the one we would have chosen. Ah yes, we would choose ease over growth, riches over courage.
How can one live amidst all the barbs of this life? I have struggled to find out how, and have always come up with the same answer: Trust God. Put your whole hand in His, not just one finger or two. Get to know the feel of your hand in His. This is the only way I have found to live, really live.
"The greater part of our happiness or misery depends on our dispositions and not on our circumstances." Martha Washington said that, and I can't help but find a great deal of truth in her statement.
So I must conclude that life is never as we expect it. Life is what we make it.
I want you to try my recipe for Southern Peanut Soup. See if you can taste all the flavors. Sometimes you have to concentrate on the good in order to experience it. The good stuff in life doesn't always come with a big sign around its neck. We have to look, to seek. You can't help but find when your hand in firmly encased in His.
Love,
Your Grandpa Ernest

By the time of her move most of her injuries from the accident have healed physically but she has yet to heal inside.
Her grandfather put a contingency on the inheritance that she give cooking classes for six months to troubled children at the church in the community. Deena is not anxious to accommodate the restrictions of the will but decides to go ahead with her plans.
She thinks that she wants to be alone and to be left alone but then meets her aunt, and several others including the children at the church and a retarded gentleman who works on pipes and without meaning to do so she bonds with them.
This is a story of healing and of helping others to heal. It is a story of how in the understanding of others and in the helping of them, one can help oneself. It is a story of courage, strength and a story of gaining courage and strength. It is a story of learning to love those who cannot love themselves and learning to accept love when you do not love yourself.
It is a quick read and I highly recommend it. I gave it 4 1/2 out of 5 stars.

The Last Bridge: an ARC/ER by Teri Coyne

my thoughts, comments and review:

I loved this story. It has almost everything in it that I could want. It has love, hate, compassion, violence, truth, lies; a horrific beginning and a happy ending.
When we begin the book, "The Last Bridge", the main character has already spent more than a decade running from the truths of her childhood and drinking herself into oblivion in an attempt to come to terms what had occurred to her and the ramifications of all of that. She is quite a broken woman.
Then her mother dies and she returns home and begins to find out more truths of her background. People come or return into her life who can and are willing to help her heal.
Coyne has written a very tight, fast novel here. I found it to be very good and will look for more by her. I loved this book and highly recommend it. (more, possibly for the girls than the guys)

Shanghai Girls (an ARC/ER) by Lisa See

my thoughts, comments, and review:

This is the story of the coming of age of two sisters of Shanghai before, during and after WWII. They are from a very wealthy appearing family and live quite a high life. They have beautiful clothing, model for calendars and other artists for money of their own and have a very close relationship. However the father, unknowingly to them, has gambled away the family fortune including the money belonging to the sisters. He is also into the loan sharks for a great deal of money. In order to get out from under his mounting debts he basically makes a deal with the devil. He arranges to marry his daughters off to the sons of a Chinese man from Los Angeles in order to alleviate his debt.
As the bombs start flying over Shanghai, the sisters make their way to America and must go through all manner of horrific troubles. When they arrive they are held in quarantine for months. One of them gives birth while there and then they begin searching for their "husbands".
For me this was just an okay read. It wasn't bad, it wasn't wonderful. As I read Shanghai Girls, I couldn't help but compare See's writing to that of Gail Tsukiyama's and it definitely came up short. I know that is unfair to See, but the story lines they weave are so similar that it was quite difficult not to do so.
If you are not familiar with the work of Tsukiyama you will most likely quite enjoy this story. I gave it 3 of 5 stars.

A trio of excellent reviews, Belva--they all sound very readable. Pain in the patootie, though, having to do a bunch at a time.

Belva, Ever since I read pillars of the earth I have been extremely fascinated with the people that lived through those times. I've been back and forth through the crusades, before during and after and am constantly amazed by the underlying stories of people of faith that continued to stand by their beliefs despite the efforts of morally challenged people to destroy them. I think we still face challenges in this day and age but at least we have more knowledge on out side.

I agree belva... good reviews. I just managed to catch up on your thread after several days.. and it was a good read in itself!

>#71:
Thanx Charlie.
They were all very readable and as far as having to do a bunch at a time; that's what happens when I spend the day in bed. Ha! the yolk's on me, huh? When you read more, you have to write more and I'm kind of liking just doing the comments.
I was having a crappy day on Father's day, we had a housefull, my meds kicked me in the *ss, so my daughter sent me to bed. (It wasn't bad really. The house was so noisy, all the cooking, dishes, all the "stuff" and me in bed? It worked for me--reading and snoozing.)
That's also what happens when you forget you have responsibilities---they pile up on you (my ERs) and then they nag, nag, nag at you 'til you up & git 'er done. Three more to go & I read one last night so I only have to read two more and do three more reviews and all caught up.
I am fortunate in that these particular ERs have not been difficult. But if I were to get one on the theory of physics or some such as that; whew---I think I would pass it off to spacespuds most likely; a who-done-it to you or Mark or Bill. I just got literally the luck of the draw.
Haven't heard "patootie" for a long time. Brings back memories.
Thanx for stopping by Charlie. I hope you, Martha & the pups are doing well and that you are reading some great stuff!~!
later,
belva

>#72:
Good morning Slim.
Thanx for coming by.
Knowledge is power as is prayer. We do face many challenges in this day and age and we still need faith and strength to get through them. And it is going to continue and worsen and worsen. What books have you been reading on the subject? What with just getting to know you, I am still going to take a "wild" guess and say all nonfiction. Right?
I've not yet read Ken Follet's The Pillars of the Earth though it has been on my shelf and TBR listing for years. (need to do that) But I did go on a kick several years ago where I was reading about Richard the whatever's (I think the 1st) crusades where he went up against Saladin. That was good. Kind of creepy though when he snuck into camp and they talked. The dude had balls. But I did read several books on the subject at about that same time and it was pretty fascinating stuff but also sad, violent, wasteful, etc. It's pretty bad when you lose 1/4 of your contingent to dysentery before the slaughter even begins.
I will have to grab the Follet when I get some of these others caught up and let you know how I fare with it when completed. I have enjoyed some of his other works.
Ever read Masada? I think the Gann version is the one I read. Same there. Pure faith and conviction.
Thanx again for popping over.
I will talk atcha later,
belva

>#73:
mckait, my dear;
How are you faring? And your friends? I have so been thinking of you.
I am happy you came by today. When I see "mckait" I always think of a great big smile. Wouldn't it be wonderful if one day a bunch of LTers could meet and greet and spend time together other than on the web? I know each of us would be so surprised at what the other looks like except those of you who are brave enough to put your "real" picture up. I think I would be brave enough, but I don't have one of those cameras and don't know how to do that stuff anyway. I am learning little bits of things as I go on though and it is fun.
My thoughts have been with you and I hope you are doing well, heart.
as ever,
belva

Today I am reading another John Steinbeck. This time it is To a God Unknown. Very good so far but I am only about 40 pages in. Finished Looking After Pigeon by Maud Carol Markson last night. Another ARC/ER, so I need to get that review up there sometime today or tomorrow.
Still working on Kerry Greenwood's Phryne Treasury as my tweener. Loving it. What a hoot!~!
Can't wait to start the series but will have to for a while. Too much "good" stuff to read St.
Also need to do this month's section of Anna Karinina. Ahhhh, life is good. Think I will take my book and go have a quick lay down.
later all.

Hey, Belva- I have not read The Pillars of the Earth either! (Where have we been, girl??) I also own a copy.Would you be up for reading it together, around mid-July. I have a few I'd like to knock out first, though! Let me know!

Oh, Mark that would be great fun.

**Headline**
"Younger man meets old broad for group read."

I also have a few to "knock out" as you said. I have 2 or 3 more ARC/ERs to read and review and then whatever. So, yeah I have no problem with keeping busy until you are ready. And truth be told, I probably wouldn't have gotten to The Pillars of the Earth for a couple more years if you hadn't made this suggestion so thank you. That works great for me.
belva

Gosh, Belva, I go off and watch a few baseball games and when I come back you have like 30 messages. I need to stay more on top of things. I like the slackers exercise club. I had to back off on walking the dog so much because she was getting stiff. She always wanted to walk some more, but I think we started out with a little too much enthusiasm. She is much better now. Plus the heat advisory made it too hot for her even in the morning. She only wants to be inside these days and sits right by the ac vent! But we will get back to walking this weekend, only once a day. Then, next week, we go out of town for two weeks. How will I survive without LT?

How Sweet It Is sounds great! Also, I look forward to seeing what you think of Pillars of the Earth as it is on my tbr also. Have a wonderful day!
--BJ

Belva- Sounds good! It's a date! You'll probably have to give me a few days head start! LOL
BJ- Why don't you join us? The Uninitiated!

I would love to meet up!!! who knows, maybe someday.
As for my picture.. I have gained about 15 pesky come and go pounds since them. It is my stress weight. When Dan was laid off last fall, stress reared its ugly head. He has a new job starting july 6, so that is a little stressful too. I have to work at getting that weight off.

I am doing okay. Sherryl and Ev were okay when I last saw them, on the day of the funeral, but now is when I am worried for them... we will have to take care of them for the future.....thanks for caring..

You make me smile too :D

mckait, my dear;
I do know how that goes. Sometimes it is more difficult when everyone leaves or it can rear up and hit you like it did my mom. All of a sudden she was like: "What are all you kids doing here again? I need my own time." So you will just have to watch and wait and yes, you will want to take very good care of them and watch for triggers and signs that things need y-o-u. I know you are close enough that you will be able to read those.
And yeah, I know all about those come & go pounds. Since they put me on this medication in November I have gained 23 lbs. They said it might happen, well---why didn't they just have the *alls to say: "It will happen." ARGggggggggggggg!~!~!~!
But what the hell, my B/P is great, my cholesterol is a little high, but my ratio is spot on so they don't want to do anything different there. It's just my mind and my nerves girl. They are all shot to hell!~! But the medication helps me stay grounded, my daughter and husband listen when I need to talk, keeping my nose in a book really helps and at 61, I'm not going to complain about some extra weight if the rest of it is going well.
And I am a happy camper this A.M. even though I woke at 4:30, because I just went online and got airline tickets to go see my other daughter (my little gay girl) in Texas in August. I know it is hotter that *ell there then, but I have to plan it around the daycare which I provide my daughter who lives up here. The hubby is off all of August and said he would take on the childcare duty so that I could go. What a man!~!
I am truly blessed.
I haven't seen Robbi since last summer. It will be good. But she has no internet there. She has a computer, just not service hook up. Grrrrrrrrr!~!~!~!
I don't know how I will manage without LT for 2 weeks. But I am excited that I won't have to wait another year to see her.
Whoo Hoo!~!
belva

#81> Mark, I will try to join in, too. I should be back from my trip by then. And I really want to read that book. :) Thanks!
--BJ

This morning I finished John Steinbeck's To a God Unknown.

My thoughts, comments, and review follow.

Wow!

In his book To A God Unknown John Steinbeck has created an unforgettable character. Joseph Wayne is a man who comes to feel so close to the earth and all that is thereof, that one might think him to be a native American, but not so. He is the patriarch of a family of brothers who, upon the death of their father, follow him to a valley where, with their help, he builds a fairly self contained ranch.
Each brother is married or does marry including Joseph and though he is but the 3rd eldest of the 4 brothers, they all look up to him for decisions.
When Joseph first comes to the valley and overlooks it, he sees a huge oak tree and decides to build his house at that site with the tree overshadowing the house. He is fascinated by this tree. He talks to it, he pours wine over it, he places meat in it and over time the tree comes to overshadow everything within Joseph's life. When his son is born, the scene which played out in my mind was that of Kunta Kinte in Roots when he held his newborn son up to the sky to be blessed. Joseph does exactly the same thing with his newborn son, but holds him up to the oak tree instead of to the sky. It is as if he were thanking the tree and giving over the nurturing of his son to the tree.
When the oak tree dies, things begin to go awry. Deaths, lack of water, feed shortages for the animals, a murder occurs, among many other things. Joseph turns his fixation to a pine grove on the ranch where there is a large moss covered stone with a small but constant spring of fresh water emerging from it. Joseph remains with the rock and while he attempts to keep the moss covering it moist and healthy, eventually the spring dries up as well and the moss dies also.
This is not a happy book. But it is a fascinating and thought provoking book. It is a book full of symbolic challenges and it is a very dark book . I was unable to put it down. I highly recommend it for those not in need of a happy, joyful book. If that is what you are looking for, you will not find it here. What you will find is something (if you are like me) the likes of which you have never read before, excepting perhaps in the Bible. This will most likely be one of my top ten of the year. It is, in my mind, a masterful piece of work.

Looking After Pigeon by Maud Markson

My thoughts, comments
and review follow:

Looking After Pigeon by Maud Carol Markson.
The title of this book is definitely a hyperbole. Why, you may ask? Because no one "looks after Pigeon". Pigeon looks after Pigeon.
Pigeon is a five year old little girl who behaves for the most part as an eleven or twelve year old child. The family lives in New York City and upon the opening of the story, her father has deserted the family, which consists of her mother, an older sister, and an older brother.
The mother uproots the family and moves them to the beach house of her brother, their Uncle Edward. Uncle Edward is an interesting character. He comes and goes at will, seems to have no steady job and yet quite ably supports himself. He, while not lavishing attention on the children, spends more time with them, shows them more affection and nurturing than their mother does. She is a very self involved woman (just another term for selfish) and gets a job as a ticket taker at a movie theater, meets a guy and begins to date.
Big sister works as a server in a diner and is busy with her job, her friends and her world of dating. Big brother meets a fortune teller on the boardwalk and immediately goes into training as her apprentice. He does occasionally, however, find time to spend with Pigeon.
This is a nice little story, has some very good moments, but also has clunkers when you really want to bash in the heads of the mother and the older sister. But I quite liked Uncle Edward who as it turns out is gay and I cared about the character of Pigeon. The rest of them I just couldn't wrap my head around. Their behavior didn't seem realistic to me.
It is a quick read and a way to kill a couple of hours. (I gave it 2/5)

Hi Belva! - Just a quick drop in - I also really liked The Last Bridge - could hardly put it down!

I am hoping to visit my daughter ( in charlotte ) too..
fingers crossed for that :)
I miss her daily

>#87:
coppers;
Thanx for popping over.
Yes, wasn't The Last Bridge wonderful? I am anxious to read more by Coyne and like you, I couldn't put it down. I am so glad you enjoyed it as well. We seem to enjoy a lot of the same books. Kind of nice.
belva

>#88:
mckait;
Oh, I hope you get to go see your daughter also. You must miss her terribly right now especially. I am certain she would bring you so much solace. I will be thinking positive thoughts for you on that one.
catch ya later,
belva

I read another ARC/ER yesterday entitled The Embers by Hyatt Bass.

These are my thoughts, comments and review:

The Embers by Hyatt Bass
For a first novel, this was not too shabby. It entails the story of a family of four; mom, dad, a teen age brother and sister and all the things that occur within a family over the years. It is a story of jealousy, angst, regret and forgiveness covering about a 15 to 20 year period of time.

As the story begins mom, an ex-actress is envious of the relationship between daughter and father, a playwright. Both children are close with dad and the three of them spend a lot of time together doing father kid stuff. There is a lot of antagonism between the mom and daughter as is true in a lot of mother daughter relationships but the mother and son are close.

As the story continues, the reader comes to understand that mom is jealous of dad's work and regrets giving up the theater though it was a decision of her own making, but this has caused a great deal of angst toward dad from mom.

The son becomes ill, dad has an affair, daughter becomes a typical belligerent, nonparticipating family member. From here, it becomes a story of relationships and the discordance and the healing within them. It is told in the present and past tense and the author moves smoothly from one to the other. I think the author actually did a very good job with this part of the book. Still, the storyline seemed choppy and broken to me and I was never able to get involved with nor come to care about the characters. But, it was not a bad first novel and I think this author will improve over time.

Also: read to my grandchildren (and I wasn't going to count this, but I can use it in my 999 challenge, so there you go) last night was Bantam of the Opera by Mary Jane Auch

my thoughts and comments:

Luigi was born a bantam rooster, but can he sing?????????????????
You bet he can!~!
When he gets into trouble for singing in the hen house, he takes it on the road; all the way to the farmer's front porch. While there Luigi hears something he has never heard before--opera!~!
And ---- coming to town---- the Cosmopolitan Opera Company to perform Rigoletto.
The farmer, of course, decides to head to town for the performance and guess who stows-a-way??
Hmmmmmmmmm, yup, Luigi.
Upon their arrival at the "Opera House", they find the lead tenor and his understudy have both come down ill and how on earth will the performance go on? LUIGI TO THE RESCUE!~!~!
And that is how one little bantam rooster mastered his dream of becoming an opera star.
The End.

Loved The Last Bridge. Embers sounds good and, heck why not throw in the rooster!! Really nice reviews. I especially liked the Bantom review--seriously! xoxo

I think I'll skip Looking After Pigeon and The Embers, but Bantam of the Opera is a must read!

You should all be forewarned that pillars of the earth is not a quick read, neither is it's sequel, yes there's a sequel and it's just as good.

Hey, Belva!
You are doing great with your ARCs! We are still in the midst of the heat wave which was supposed to end last night, but it didn't. Tomorrow we will hit 103F, quite hot for Tulsa, but then finally on Monday we go back to the lower 90s. So I am still hanging out in the ac. The dog is just hanging out with me. We like to take naps on the couch.

My daughter has read Pillars of the Earth and says it is a good one. I am excited about finally reading it. I am almost totally caught up on Anna Karenina. I just love this book. I want to finish for the next deadline before leaving on my trip.

Hope you are staying cool during these dog days of summer!!
--BJ

>#93:
Charlie;
Bantam was a hoot!~! A kid's book we all enjoyed.
But I couldn't "hook" you on To A God Unknown, huh? Must of just been a bad review then, cuz I was sure I could drag you and Bill in on that one.
catch ya come later dayz,
belva

>#94:
Howdy Slim;
You may forewarn us but you will not frighten us off. But Argggggggggggggg!~! didn't know there was a sequel. After 1,000 pages, what more is there to say? (no, just teasin').
How long ago did you read "Pillars" and have you read the sequel?
belva

>#95:
Hey --BJ;
I, too am excited about reading Pillars of the Earth. I have put it off quite long enough and it was wonderful of msf59 to suggest a group read. I do hope we don't do the same as with "Anna" though. I finish with the month's part in less than a day and want to move on. I get antsy and just want to go, go, go!~! But I understand the reasoning behind the decision to do it that way.
You, being the "group read pro" at seven of the buggers at a time, can tell me ---- are most of them set up like that?
And regarding my ARC/ERs; I am on my last one to catch me up on all of them and it is a doozy. This one is Olive Kitteridge, a book of short stories all tied together by one or more of the same characters. I have heard it panned over and over again here on LT but I don't get it. I think each and every one of the stories I have read so far, and I am 3/4 of the way through it, are wonderful. They are not touchy, feely stories, but there is some real substance to each one of them. I am loving it and everything about it!~!
Anyway, when I get it finished, the review completed and up there, I will feel much better. I don't know how I could have forgotten about all of those. Shame on me!~!:-(
And lastly, remember I live in Washington state. Our dog days of summer don't hit until mid July/early August and only last a couple of months. Wow!~! 103! We usually only have 2 or 3 days a year where it breaks 100 degrees. It actually has been fairly cool here this week with a bit of rain.
Well girl, I will talk to ya later,
belva

Let me know when you guys read Pillars of the Earth. It has been sitting in my bedroom for about 6 months and I need a good reason to crack it open! Thanks.

I will definitely be keeping an eye open for Bantam of the Opera.

Hey, Belva!
Yeah, it is really early to be this hot. And usually, it does not get this hot much in Tulsa. Actually, usually I find it kind of cool for swimming in June here, but not this year! I saw on the news tonight that a cool front is coming through early Sunday morning for a little bit of a break.

Group Reads can work lots of different ways. One group sets up different threads to talk about different parts of the book whenever you read that far. One group sets up different threads with particular questions according to a schedule. One group just discusses the book once finished. Others are like Anna Karenina, with a schedule to discuss each section when you get to it on the one thread. They are all fun! :)
--BJ

May I join you for this group read of Pillars of the Earth? I read it when it first came out and then put it in the TBR pile recently to re-read before I get the sequel.

I may want to get in on that group read, too. I've got several relatives who just can't believe that I haven't read it yet.

Belva..Embers sounds pretty good...

Berly didn't much like The Last Bridge.. truly disliked main character...ugh!

...and a really good kids book is Click, Clack, Moo, I pull it out now and then just to laugh... highly recommended ...( I got it from scholastic.. cheap!). She has a couple of others but Moo is my fave.

I could have taken a pass on Pillars of the Earth and still lived a full life. Just sayin'

Whoa!!- I didn't think there were that many of us left, that hadn't read "Pillars"! I guess it's a good enough excuse to dust it off and crack it open. How does mid-July sound?

I envy you all reading Pillars of the Earth. I read (and loved) it many years ago. I need to get in a group that wants to read the sequel, World Without End. I bought it brand-spankin' new two years ago and have yet to read it.

TO ALL OF THE ABOVE:

Group read of Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett.
Hosted by none other than
msf59: TAA DAA!~! Mark, himself.

So-------each and everyone of you who would like to read or re-read along with us please feel free to join in. As Mark stated above: We will begin mid-July.
And Donna, I don't mind, but will leave it up to Mark, if he wishes to go on the the sequel---the existence of which I wasn't even aware until Slim brought it to my attention. I am just thinking after 1,000 pages, what else could be left to say, but................................

At any rate the thread has been headed and can be located here:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/67664

A helpful hint for reading The Pillars of the Earth, which is indeed a wonderful book. Much of it deals with the building of the Cathedral and there are a lot of technical and architectural terms. It really helps to keep a cheat sheet of terms, or even a sketch, because there's no illustration or glossary. Otherwise, it's not too difficult to get lost or confused.

Edited to correct spelling.

Did you just make your cheat sheet up as you went along or is there one out there in cheat sheet land?
And Charlie, did you enjoy the read?
belva

I made it up as I went along because I was getting lost. I'm not aware of anything out there, but you're a master Googler . . .

I met Follett when he was signing TPotE, and he noticed that I was halfway through the book (The Tattered Cover in Denver would let you bring in your own book). He was very chatty and asked me what I thought of it; I told him it was great and that I couldn't put it down (which I couldn't), and I DID mention that it could have used an illustration of a cathedral with all the parts notated. He said that was a good idea, but of course nothing came of it.

It is one of my all-time faves, to answer your question.

I am very happy to hear that you truly liked the book. That gives me heart.
And you met the man! I have always liked his work. I kind of got hooked on him with The Eye of the Needle but I think this is very different from his mysteries, etc. I'm looking forward to reading "Pillars".
thank you for responding,
belva

Belva-Thanks for everything! And remember you are co-host! I was talking today with a good friend and she rates The Pillars of the Earth as one of her all-time favorite books and has read it 5 times! Amazing!

Five times? Whoa!~! No *hit? That's a lot of love there.
Yeah, we can all do it together and it will all be good. I really would like to pace it at better than 100 pages a month or to even let everyone go at their own pace. It's hard to get into a book and have to put it down for a spell. One loses the rhythm of the story or at least I do.
Here's to you, our trusty leader!~!

EEk! 5 times? I mooched that baby away as soon as I closed the covers!

Hello Belva,
Boy are you the energizer bunny. You must read two books at one time. I loved your review of To A God Unknown. It made me think of "Turn, Turn, Turn".
This is a quote from the presentation speech for Steinbeck's Nobel Prize:

"But in him we find the American temperament also in his great feeling for nature, for the tilled soil, the wasteland, the mountains, and the ocean coasts, all an inexhaustible source of inspiration to Steinbeck in the midst of, and beyond, the world of human beings."

Maybe that was some of what Steinbeck was talking about in the book.

Belva, I guess I had the advantage of being a carpenter so no cheat sheet required. It's also important to note that the time period of the story is long, people's entire lifetimes are in this epic tale. I read it probably 6 months ago and was so bummed out when it ended and was sort of homesick for the story when to my joy found out it went on in World without End , as soon as I was a few pages into the sequel, I could hear my mind going Ahhh we're back, that's how intense it is. And speaking of intense, a few weeks ago I agreed to restain the woodwork on the outside of our church, that was the week it became 105 the first few days and went to 107 and then leveled out somewhere around 104 for the next several days, how hot was it? I caught my dog chasing the neighbors cat and they were both walking

Hey Bill;
Perhaps, because isn't that all true of him? I have never heard that quote before. It is a beautiful statement.
There was definitely something in that man's brain that was wired differently from that of most writer's. He had a reading on gritty, earthly matters that most of us wouldn't even think of unless they were pointed out to us and even then a lot of us don't "get it".
Thank you so much for the compliment on my To A God Unknown review. It means a great deal coming from you.
belva

>#115;
Just caught myself LOL what with my little mind's eye seeing your dog "chase" the neighbor's cat!~! Funny!
I am so looking forward to this read of The Pillars of the Earth. Yeah, you kind of have a little advantage over the rest of us, don't you? Being a carpenter and all. You prolly even know what a "cubit" is.
You must have lost 10 lbs out there in that 105 degree weather staining the church. Hey, I should have been helping. Ha ha
How did it turn out?
And not, getting personal or anything (belva, you big, fat liar); are you by any chance a fundamentalist?

>#112:
mckait; so are you saying you didn't enjoy that particular book? Hmmmm??

ewww!

yes, I am . :)

Looks great, got a tan, probably lost a lb. or two, fundy? me, no way, they call us contemplatives because we practice silent prayer and study, ever hear of Thomas Keating? He's a Trappist monk that retired several years ago and wrote a book called Open Heart, Open Mind and the next thing he knew, he was famous and had to travel all over giving talks to spiritual group on inner christenanity (sp.?) so his idea of retiring didn't work out too well, that was like fourteen or fifteen books ago. He's brilliant and one of the kindest loving people I ever met. My minister is one of his close friends and has shared his books and teachings with us

Yes, I have heard of Thomas Keating.
Is it this one?

http://www.snowmass.org/keating.htm

That's him, he's a mentor to our congregation

Sometime when we both have some spare time we will have to take this elsewhere and have a little discussion. okay?
I have some questions for you along with the discussion, if you are open to it.
thanx,
belva

soy tain lee

Thank you Slim.
Good night.
belva

I LOL at the dog chasing the cat at a walk. It is definitely that time of year!!
--BJ

Hey --BJ;
Wasn't that hysterical???????
I almost peed my pants again and had to run for the sox change up!~! That was a new one for me.

Man, what is up with me?
I had to scroll waaaay up the page to see what books I had talked about previously.
So: I read Olive Kitteridge, which I totally enjoyed!~! Our Lady of the Forest, which I was disappointed in. Not the writing so much but the storyline just did not flow and ebb for me as I have come to trust and expect from the work of David Guterson.
I have now begun (just) Love Letters from Cell 92. That one is so popular that I had to enter all the data manually, but I am so very excited to be starting it finally. It has been all alone and so forlorn and staring at me all this time while I got caught up on my ARC/ERs. But I just think that if the publisher is kind enough to send me a free book to read and review, at least I should do it in a timely manner. And I had several I had totally forgotten about. So, now back to books.
Oh, my reviews for the two listed up above will follow shortly.

About Love Letters From Cell 92:
The letters are written between Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Maria Von Wedemeyer. Dietrich was a theologian and preached a radio sermon (two days after Hitler came to power) condemning the German leader's politics. The transmission was interrupted. In 1935, he was appointed head of an underground seminary at Finkenwalde. The Gestapo closed the school two years later, but Dietrich's resistance activities continued.
He had met Maria years before, but when they became reacquainted in 1942 they fell in love and shortly after their engagement in early 1943 Dietrich was arrested.
They never saw each other again outside prison walls. However through their correspondence their relationship deepened.
A lot has been written about Dietrich, the man, theologian and martyr, but no one has taken into account the side of the man known by his fiancee. In these letters are their hopes, dreams, longings and fears, of course, and a timeless love story.
So that's where I'm sitting right now.
belva

Bonhoeffer is one of my heroes, belva :-) His letters and writing from prison have been very powerful, and somewhat controversial. I've been slowly, very slowly, working my way through The Cost of Discipleship. I read two or three paragraphs and then have to stop to think about it because it's just packed with wisdom.

BTW... you've already read more than twice what I have, and you say I read fast?

I have that one on my list. It sounds pretty deep and also straightforward. Being a Christian is tough stuff. Acting like you are one is pretty easy. I think most of us who think we are, are truly not.
Every time I read a review of Columbine or think of that book, I think: (now remember that I have already raised my family), but I think: How wonderful. Not that she died, but that she had the opportunity to die and forsake all for Christ's name. I think dying for Christ would be easy compared to living for Him.
belva

Just checking in, Belva! :-) Still deciding about Pillars of the Earth.

Adding Love Letters from Cell 92 to my wishlist.
--BJ

I'm also a big fan of Bonhoffer, there was a book circulating around last Christmas and he was one of the contributing writers. My friends were astonished when I started telling them about Dietrich and his amazing contributions to the war effort, what a man! I just started Beautiful Losers by Leonard Cohen today and I must admit, it's very strange, or I'm just too straight these days.

Bonnie- Stop thinking and climb aboard! We'd love to have you!

>#132:
Hi Bonnie. If you've not read it, why not join us? The more the merrier. "And we'll have a really good time, yeah, yeah, we'll have a really gooooooood time!~!"
(oh no, that's the stripper song, sorry!~!)
thought I was going somewhere else with that.
But, c'mon. Sink or swim along with the rest of us. I figure that there are so many of the other LTers who have read it that they will keep us straight.
just,
me

>#134
Howdy Slim.
I had never heard of Dietrich Bonhoeffer until I saw this book but I do have a huge interest in WWII and books about the holocaust and just reading the dust cover (where most of the above info came from) sold me on it.
It's good but I know I will want to read about the man and also read some of his writings when I have finished this and "Pillars". I especially want to read the one thekookaidmom recommended earlier: The Cost of Discipleship. You can read what she said about it in post >#130. And then, Slim, just for fun----click on that title and read the very brief reviews posted. Umm hmmmmmmm.........

Regarding the other part of your post: Did Leonard Cohen write that song or is that simply the title of the book? And I Loooooove
him!~!~! That man can write songs and music. I think I have all of his CDs plus all of his work that has been done by other artists. Bob Seger sang that song is why I wondered; though everyone has done Cohen's music. Love "Everybody Knows", "The Tower of Song", love it all. Hubby hates it!~! hehehehe

I actually don't know the answer to that question but I think you'll get a kick out of this. His bandleader, Roscoe Beck is my dearest friend in the world and he's the one that loaned me the book. When they were in town last month I got to meet the whole band minus the boss and got to hang out with those beautiful singers in Roscoes studio, how about those apples?

Dude, it's "how 'bout them apples". Oh, I forget, you're from Texas. They talk different there.
That is way cool Slim. Really.
And Cohen does have beautiful back up singers with beautiful voices. They send shivers down my spine.
My little sister did studio work singing back up in Houston for a good many years. She worked with Mac, Bryson, and I forget who all.
The closest I ever got to the groupie thing was at a jazz concert when the band came in David Benoit asked me to go home with him. And Merle Haggard brought my 2 year old daughter up on stage with him and danced her.
But, yeah, I like them apples. If Roscoe is your best friend and Cohen's bandleader then eventually you will get to hang out with him. I watched a PBS special on him last year and it was really interesting. It was kind of like he interviewed himself and there were just a few artists who did some of his songs.
Well, I am kind of beat so I think I will hit the old 4 poster.
G'nite Slim,
belva

Love Letters From Cell 92: The Correspondence Between Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Maria von Wedemeyer 1943-45 was completed last night while reading in bed. It was not bad, but not quite what I was expecting. It was however, exactly as the title implies, love letters. It did make me want to learn more about Bonhoeffer. The man was so strong in his faith in the Lord, which is what caused him to be imprisoned in the first place. That and attempting to plan a coup.
I have moved on to another Steinbeck. This time I am reading The Log from the Sea of Cortez. The book's leading character is a fictiionalized version of Steinbeck's lifelong closest friend, the marine biologist Edward F Ricketts. In the introduction to the book it is stated that this is Steinbeck's "most important work of nonfiction." That it contains the "core of Steinbeck's worldview, his philosophy of life, and the essence of a relationship between a novelist and a scientist that ranks among the most famous friendships in American letters. The book is about Steinbeck's and Rickett's expedition/trip into the Gulf of California. The introduction was written by Richard Astro.
In Steinbeck's own introduction to the work, he says: "We have a book to write about the Gulf of California. We could do one of several things about it's design. But we have decided to let it form itself: its boundaries a boat and a sea; its duration a six weeks' charter time; its subject everything we could see and think and even imagine; its limits---our own without reservation."
"And so we went"
I am still on the first introduction as I barely began it last night and I am excited about this one. I think it will be something really different for me.

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

My thoughts, comments and review:

Olive Kitteridge; a book of short stories uniquely told in the fact that Strout has tied all of the stories together by having one or more of the characters common to each story.

I really enjoyed this read. I liked it better than any of her novels I have read to date and enjoying it as I did, makes me want to go out and find something else of hers that I might enjoy as much as I did this one.

She writes very sparingly and has a great economy with words. I don't know if that is her usual style or if she just used it for this book. But it certainly served her well here.

Many of the characters in the book only knew the surface of Ms Kitteridge and thought her mean, tough, hard. Those who saw beyond her shell saw her for who she really was. Someone who went about her business, no muss, no fuss, took care of business and did what needed to be done. She was stern, strict and had high expectations of others because that was how she lived her life.

This wasn't a warm and fuzzy read but it was an easy read and was very well written. I cared about the characters, even the fluzzy.

I know a lot of the readers of Olive Kitteridge on LT didn't particularly care for the book. I am definitely not one of them. I would like to read more like this one and I do highly recommend it.

Our Lady of the Forest by David Guterson

My thoughts, comments and review:

David Guterson is a wonderful and gifted novelist. His Snow Falling on Cedars and East of the Mountains were so beautifully written. I cared about the characters. I did not want those books to end.

Given the opportunity I will always read Guterson, but, Our Lady of the Forest is simply not in the same category as the two listed. This book did not work for me on several levels. First, the ebb and flow of his words were not there. Reading the book, it felt quite choppy and I never got the impression that the narrator had his heart in the material. Secondly, I could not make myself care for any of the characters. They were just not believable. The young lady, Ann, who sees the Holy Mother was a sympathetic character but that is not the same as caring about her.

The story takes place in North Fork, Washington; one of the rainiest places in the Pacific Northwest. The young lady is a runaway from a home of abuse and molestation. She lives in a park in a broke down car and tent and she picks and sells mushrooms for a living, such as it is. One day while in the forest, she is overcome by the Spirit and sees an apparition of the Holy Mother Mary. This happens several days in a row and hordes come to the forest to follow Ann and see the "Lady". It almost takes on a carnival atmosphere at this point.

The best part of the book is the relationship or attempted platonic relationship between Ann and the local priest. But there was always someone in the way of that relationship coming about; another priest, a man from the town, another woman from the park. I don't know if this was part of Guterson's plan or if it was something that just didn't work.

I am a David Guterson fan but sadly I cannot recommend this book on many levels; most of them listed above.

Love Letters From Cell 92: The Correspondence Between Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Maria Von Wedemeyer 1943-1945… by Bonhoeffer and Von Wedemeyer

The letters are written between Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Maria Von Wedemeyer. Dietrich was a theologian and preached a radio sermon (two days after Hitler came to power) condemning the German leader's politics. The transmission was cut off. In 1935, he was appointed head of an underground seminary at Finkenwalde. The Gestapo closed the school two years later, but Dietrich's resistance activities continued.

He had met Maria previously, but when they met again in 1942, they fell in love. Dietrich was arrested shortly after their engagement in early 1943.

They never saw each other again outside prison walls. However through their correspondence their relationship deepened. This book is basically what it is entitled. Love letters between two people torn apart by war, never knowing if the one would see the other again in this lifetime.

A lot has been written about Dietrich, the man, theologian and martyr, but no one has taken into account the side of the man known by his fiancee. In these letters are their hopes, dreams, longings and fears, of course, and a timeless love story.

Love Letters From Cell 92: The Correspondence Between Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Maria von Wedemeyer 1943-45 was not bad, but not quite what I was expecting. It was however, exactly as the title implies, love letters. It made me want to learn more about Bonhoeffer. The man was so strong in his faith in the Lord, which along with attempting to plan a coup is what caused him to be imprisoned.

The book contains a Translator's Note, a Preface, and an introduction. It, as well, has a lot of postscripts, historical notes, and footnotes. We do find out what happens to Maria and other family members after the death of Bonhoeffer. There is a lot in the book and in their letters of both families and sounds as if the families were very close within themselves and came to love each other through all the trials their loved ones were going through.

A lot of this as a memoir or diary. Much of it is repetitive as love letters tend to be. I think this book would work best as an accompaniment to other works of Bonhoeffer. I cautiously recommend it.

What was I thinking?! I normally like big books, the bigger the better, but I've got my "dirty dozen" I'm going to concentrate on for the new few weeks (months?). Sounds like you've got a good group going. I really should be getting cleaned up to go pick up my son at the airport, but I'm so far behind on people's threads, I thought I'd read a few.

P.S. I liked Olive too!

I'm glad you liked her too, but honey, don't make your son wait. He probably really, really wants to see his mama.
belva

Belva- Good job on the reviews and too bad about the Guterson novel. I'm also a big fan of his 1st two. I should be receiving Olive Kitteridge very soon and I'm glad you liked it. I'll probably squeeze it in during the group read.

Mark,
thank you and Guterson is a wonderful author. This one just didn't cut it for me. I hope you like Olive Kitteridge too. Are you receiving her as an ARC/ER? I knew she had been out there for a while so I was shocked when she came up on the list, but thrilled when my number came up.
I am working on a list of mellow and fairly short reads to co-mingle with "Pillars" as I know I will need breaks from it.
Have you given any thought as to how we will be doing the reading process? If you say 100 pages a month, I will stalk you with a paint gun Mark, I swear I will.
belva

I also loved Olive Kitteridge. I read it in hardcover when it first came out and am tempted to reread it.

Wasn't it good? She knew exactly who she was. I know one day I will reread it.
Right now I have a Steinbeck going and the 2nd Anne of Green Gables also. Love those. So cozy, comfy, soothing to read.

Which Steinbeck? I'm about half way through Cannery Row which I'm pretty sure is a reread but I think I read it in HS and that was just soooo long ago!

Ha, I loved Cannery Row and Tortilla Flat both. They were so witty and funny. The one I am reading now is The Log From The Sea of Cortez. It's one I have not read before so I am looking forward to it, but thought I would treat myself to little brain candy first. Thus, the "Anne" book.
What are you doing up so late? I have been having 3 boys here all the time so I just felt like I needed some time to myself and I stayed up after the boys and my husband went to bed. I am so tired, I can hardly find the keys, but I am not ready to give up "my" time. I think my daycare duties will be coming to an end in a year or so. Grandma is really getting tired. Not of the kids, but just tired.
belva

Still reading The Log From the Sea of Cortez; (actually am still on the forward) busy with kids and mom, Anne of Avonlea (reading her in bed), and my 'tweener", The Phryne Fisher Treasury
But this morning is such a beautiful morning that I think I will just do house work, take the dog for a walk and praise the Lord for all he has done in my life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JG8K4kYTpG0

Belva- How are you? I like your Steinbeck choices,they are off the beaten track. He is one of my favorite authors and I've sadly neglected him these past few years. I snagged a copy of Travels With Charly and I need to squeeze it in somewhere. I 'll post some thoughts on the group read, over the weekend. You and your family have a great 4th!

Hey Mark;
I'm good n you? I am enjoying the Steinbecks I have chosen this year as well (excepting for the King Arthur thing). Travels with Charly; good one.
I have decided that I am going to read this Steinbeck and then stick to lighter stuff throughout the "Pillars" reading. I am tired and want to read some books where I really don't have to ponder "it" out. So maybe some mysteries, some more of the "Anne" series, stuff like that.
Am really getting excited about the group read. Did you see what Robert posted over there? That should help us out a lot and then there are a few who have already read the book but want to take part as well, so we will get some help there. I think it will be great!~!
Well, you folks have a safe 4th as well. We will be staying home building fence and most likely the kids will be in to BBQ and that will be the extent of it.
Catch ya later Mark,
belva

Aloha Belva, I've been in Hawaii (Maui) for the last couple of weeks so I'm actually 3 hours earlier than you. I've been bumping my son off of the laptop every now and then but it's usually late in the evening. We fly home on Sunday night so we'll get to enjoy fireworks here on the 4th. I'm enjoying Cannery Row and plan on reading The Moon is Down soon. I see Mark mentioned Travels with Charley - I loved that one and maybe I should do a reread.

Have fun with your family this weekend!!

Joanne

coppers,
you lil ole stink bug you.



Off in Hawaii having a blast. R & R-ing. But good for you. I wish my son would move over there or to the Bahamas or to Scotland or old Brittania; you know, somewhere that I would really love to go and visit for a couple of weeks each year. That would be most accommodating of him.
But, no---he lives 45 miles from me!~! I do still go and stay overnight occasionally and visit with him and his 2 daughters that live with him. (ages 16 & 17) The older one (just turned 23) lives up near Seattle and is expecting a baby. She "texted"? me the ultrasound and already at 11 weeks 5 days, you can see it's little face well enough to know that it looks like her. But you couldn't tell what it is yet. I am praying that she carries this one to term. She has already lost two, bless her heart.
Well, enjoy the rest of your visit/holiday!~!
Catch ya on the old flipper!~!
belva

Yesterday I finished Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery. I enjoyed it nearly as much as I did Anne of Green Gables. It was just a sweet, cozy, wholesome, tidy, warm and de-stressing read. Totally what I needed. I must say that with day-caring 3 little boys it is difficult to get reading time in. I think I get next week off as Sarah (my daughter, the mama) is taking the week off to take the eldest (11) to football camp. And one is going back to the "real" mom's and the wee one will be with an auntie. I am so looking forward to that. (terrible, aren't I? But I am old and I get tired!~!)
Today I hope to back to The Log from the Sea of Cortez as I have not really even started it. And, of course, I am still reading my "tweener", (St. Richard) which is A Question of Death, An Illustrated Phryne Fisher Treasury by Kerry Greenwood. And I must say, Richard, that in this little treasure of short stories she doesn't use young ladies badly at all.
Hmmmmm, I am going to have to check your library and see if you read Stephen King. Explanation to come later.

re: #156 - So Belva, here it is 10 pm, I'm tired, we just came in from dinner, I still have my contacts in so I'm not seeing all that well and in a tropical clime, and here I am like an idiot trying to wipe the little bug off my computer screen. Nice one!! :)

You're lucky your family is so close (but not too close!). I think I almost broke my mother's heart when we moved to CO 22 years ago. She still flies out to see us though and she just turned 90. I do hope this pregnancy goes well for your granddaughter; I'll think some good thoughts for her. I lost my first early on and it's a heartbreaker.

Have a great night and a fine 4th!
Joanne

ack! bug :(

fingers crossed for the baby.....

Thank you ladies. She is just almost passed the "danger zone" of three months, so yeah, I will keep hoping and praying.
So I "gotcha" with that one coppers? hehehehehe
blubs to you both ladies. (using the term loosely, of course)
Safe 4th to you!~!
belva

> #s 159 & 160:
Thank you ladies. She is just almost passed the "danger zone" of three months, so yeah, I will keep hoping and praying.
So I "gotcha" with that one 'eh coppers? hehehehehe
blubs to you both ladies. (using the term loosely, of course)
Safe 4th to you!~!
belva

Belva- Hope you are having a nice 4th. A buddy and I are heading to a small music festival ,that is always a good time, although the weather here is damp & cool!

Oh, thank you Mark and I hope you are having a great time at your festival. I haven't been to one for years but I basically met & fell in love with my husband at a 3 day music festival. Of course, that was back in the day. What kind of music will there be? I like it all, but am really a blues/jazz kind of girl myself.
We had the kids and grands in for BBQ today and set the pool up. The H2O was so cold the only ones who would go in were the 7 month old lab pup and the 6 year old grandson. But we had a very nice day. Thank you.
I hope you are having a great time. You are probably watching firework and listening to music as I speak.
belva

We had a good time! It drizzled most of the afternoon but stopped in the afternoon. Stayed dry though, under the tent or in the club. The music was a wide range, which I really like: bluegrass, blues, alt-country and some zydeco. Good beer too! The pup liked the pool, huh? What kind of lab is it? We have a chocolate. She's 9 and spent yesterday huddled in the downstairs bathroom, shivering with fright at the cacophony of fireworks. Poor thing!

Am just about half way finished with The Log from the Sea of Cortez. I am just not finding reading time right now. But am having fun with all the grandkids and the books will still be there when they go home.
Hopefully by the 15th I will have completed this month's part of "Anna". I may need to put "Cortez" down and work on that for a time. Gotta get primed for "Pillars".

Oh, sorry Mark. Our pup is a yellow lab and the poor things do just go nuts with the fireworks, don't they? I understand that more animals run off, are lost and not found over the 4th and on New Year's Eve than throughout the entire remainder of the year. Pretty sad.
One of the firemen in my husband's volunteer unit blew both of his thumbs off with fireworks this year. I feel so bad for him and his family.
Well, catch you on the 15th if not before!~!

Terrible about your friend. Also terrible about the animals... I hate it that
people are so careless with their devoted furkids that they do not see to them when they are in difficult and frightening circumstances.

Yes, to both comments. Thank you. Our furkids need us. They don't know these things.
I will get to your note when I have time to think mckait. So many kids running around this week. I have my regular 2 plus 1 and at least 2 staying over each night. So I am finding no time to read or play myself. The cousins don't get to see each other very often so when they do, they like to spend as much time together as possible. Old fat nanny is exhausted but enjoying it.
I think I get next week off!~! Whew! Come on September!~!
School days, school days,
Good old golden rule days.
Reading and writing and rithmatic,
I don't care if I never get sick.
later babe,
belva

I finally finished The Log From the Sea of Cortez By John Steinbeck. I only started it on the 30th of June!~! Sheesh!~! I don't think it has ever taken me that long to read a book. Gosh darned babysitting of all these kids and my mother too. They (the darlings) are really eating into my reading time. Only being able to read at bedtime just doesn't cut it. But hubby is off work all of next month and I am taking off to visit my daughter in Texas so with him to help run the kids around and me being gone for a while, I should get some good reading time in. Whoo Hoo!~!

"Anyhoo": back to "Sea of Cortez"; my thoughts, comments & review?

This was Steinbeck's only work of nonfiction and it is a doozzy. He and his lifelong best friend, Ed Ricketts (who was a marine biologist), chartered a boat, hired a crew and headed out to the California gulf to find and chart specimens from the waters there.
While there is a lot in the book about hunting and finding specimens and how they handled them, there is so much in this book about how Steinbeck sees mankind and how we think, feel and why we react in certain circumstances the way that we do. Steinbeck was a very introspective man and his thoughts on all of this quite wowed me. I found it most fascinating. For instance, take the following; "Man is the only animal whose interest and whose drive are outside himself. Other animals may dig holes to live in; may weave nests or take possession of hollow trees. Some species, like bees or spiders, even create complicated homes, but they do it with the fluids and processes of their own bodies. They make little impression on the world. But the world is furrowed and cut, torn and blasted by man. Its flora has been swept away and changed; its mountains torn down by man; its flat lands littered by the debris of his living. And these changes have been wrought, not because any inherent technical ability has demanded them, but because his desire has created that technical ability. Physiological man does not require this paraphernalia to exist, but the whole man does. He is the only animal who lives outside of himself, whose drive is in external things--property, houses, money, concepts of power. He lives in his cities and his factories, in his business and job and art. But having projected himself into these external complexities, he is them. His house, his automobile are a part of him and a large part of him. This is beautifully demonstrated by a thing doctors know--that when a man loses his possessions a very common result is sexual impotence. If then the projection, the preoccupation of man, lies in external things so that even his subjectivity is a mirror of houses and cars and grain elevators, the place to look for his mutation would be in the direction of his drive, or in other words in the external things he deals with. And here we can indeed readily find evidence of mutation. The industrial revolution would then be indeed a true mutation, and the present tendency toward collectivism, whether attributed to Marx, or Hitler or Henry Ford, might be as definite a mutation of the species as the lengthening neck of the evolving giraffe. For it must be that mutations take place in the direction of a species drive or preoccupation. If then this tendency toward collectivization is mutation there is no reason to suppose it is for the better. It is a rule in paleontology that ornamentation and complication precede extinction. And our mutation, of which the assembly line, the collective farm, the mechanized army, and the mass production of food are evidences or even symptoms, might well correspond to the thickening armor of the great reptiles--a tendency than can end only in extinction. If this should happen to be true, nothing stemming from thought can interfere with it or bend it. Conscious thought seems to have little effect on the action or direction of our species."
And that is just the tip of the iceberg.
This was a relaxing read, excluding his remarks on mankind, which had my mind whirling. But relaxing in the way in which he narrates their six week expedition; the personalities of the crew members, in the way he speaks of them weighing anchor at villages and towns and how the townspeople related to them. He weaves a spell about the actual journey and how they all interacted with each other, the sunsets, the beauty and tranquility of the gulf, how they would enjoy talking over a beer at the end of the day and how once out there, they never wanted to come back, but upon their return, they each rushed to return to their own lives.
This is a very good book but one I think a person needs to take the time to reflect upon as they read it. I am so glad I took the time to read this book. It is quite different than anything of his that I have ever read and also beautiful in a very different way.
The appendix of the book is totally about Ed Ricketts and is very, very interesting. I think Steinbeck cared greatly for this man. He died tragically and at a young age. It, the appendix, runs 50 pages long and could have been the makings of a book in and of itself. In it, I could see how the author patterned characters in his books after Ricketts; Doc, in Cannery Row especially. This one comes with high marks from me. And I think that even those who are not Steinbeck fans but enjoy nonfiction just might like this one.

While browsing the groups this morning, I noticed that there was a group for 20 somthingers, 30 somethingers, 40 somethingers, & 50 somethingers; but no 60 somethingers. So I created one. I hope I set it up correctly and I hope many other 60 somethingers will join in (although I may be the only one. hee hee) and we can have some fun discussing books and whatever.
belva

or, you could just join the 50 somethingers....
??? :)

>#173:
Kath;
If they take readers older than 60, I could do that. We'll see how it goes.
Doggie doing well now?
And you?
It is really muggy here this evening with a bit of an East wind which will really drive up the fire danger. Don't like to see that this early.
Take care.
belva

Book #116: Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson

Ruth and Lucille grew up with their grandmother after their mother drove her car into the same lake that their grandfather's train derailed and sank into years earlier. When grandmother passed away two great aunties were called in to raise the girls. This didn't work out too well as they were not used to children and both the girls and their great aunties were uncomfortable together. So now an aunt (their dead mother's sister) is mustered in.
Aunt Sylvie is a bit of a strange duck and for the better part of the book we don't know why. She doesn't say much, she hoards tin cans, magazines and papers; she likes to be in the dark, she sleeps flat on her back with her shoes on, etc.
The first half of the book was a fairly cozy, comfy read. The second half is quite a bit darker. The closeness of the sisters begins to erode and discomforting activities begin to occur with the girls and with the auntie.
All in all, I give this one fair marks. It held my interest and I cared about the characters to a degree, but never became immersed in their lives. It was good enough that I will look for more of her work and had I been able to connect with the characters, the novel would definitely have garnered a higher mark.

Nice review on Housekeeping. This is one I have not read but I did love her last 2 books, Gilead & Home. I'm sure I'll get to it eventually. I'm not sure if you are much of a film watcher, (I'm a pretty big film buff, myself) but there is an excellent movie called "Housekeeping" based on the book and starring Christine Lahti as the nutty aunt. You should check it out!

Thanks Mark. I will have to check the movie out. I enjoy Christine Lahti.
I have Gilead on my shelf and Home is on order so I guess I had a feeling I would go for this one. I just was disappointed that I was unable to connect with the characters. Had there been that connection I would have given it a much higher mark.

Hi Belva! I read Housekeeping several years ago and I know what you mean about not being able to make a connection. When someone mentions it, I always have to think about it before I remember that, yes, I did read that. I liked it but found nothing memorable about it. I haven't heard of the movie either so maybe I'll check that out.

Hi Joanne;
How are you?
Mark mentioned that Christine Lahti stars in it as Aunt Sylvie. Did you happen to see her in (I cannot for the life of me remember what the name of the movie is) the movie where she plays a school principle who is engaged to another teacher or coach or something. But she falls in love with a Hispanic grounds keeper or some such? Anyway, she is attracted to him; they end up going on a bender and she wakes up in Mexico married to him. It is such a hoot and she is great in it. Darn, I wish could remember the name of that. I loved that movie. It always made me laugh. And I loved that she broke out of her mold. More of us should do that. The world would be a happier place.

That's what I love about reading; we bring so much of ourselves, and our life's experiences, to a book. I felt a real connection to the girls, so liked the book much more than you guys did. Also loved The Gilead, though, which on the surface doesn't seem as likely, given my solid atheism. I'm really looking forward to Home though I'm already convinced, considering who the main characters are, that I'm not going to like it nearly as much, and maybe not at all.

Good luck, with your new group, Belva. I'd join it but I'm not 60 until September, and believe me, I'm holding on to my fifties as long as I can! :-)

Anyone is welcome who is over 50..
it is slow sometimes.. we need some liveliness!

Duncan is doing well. a day or two of extra pred did the trick. He was early in his cycle of DOCP so that was good.

I owe you a message.. later today when my brain turns on...

>180 bonniebooks::
Bonnie;
The over sixties group looks and sounds fun. A lot on non-book chatting as well as about books. And the folks over there are pretty funny!~! So, I'm looking forward to spending some time in a new forum.

>#181:
Kath;
Glad to hear Duncan is doing well. Poor thing and you poor thing. Your arms must have been about to fall off by the time the fireworks were over.
And you owe me nothing. Just happy to chat whenever and wherever we can.

later dayz girlz,
belva

It took me a while to figure what to grab after Housekeeping but I finally settled on A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle. I'm enjoying it. What a fun little book with fun little people.

Hi Belva!

I'm in the 40s group and they don't seem to mind that I've recently turned 50...oops...did I say that out loud? I do keep meaning to jump over.

The movie sounds like a hoot but it doesn't ring any bells with me. Let me know if the name of it jumps into your head in the middle of the night when you can't remember why you wanted to remember it (don't you hate that?!).

I'm watching Dracula at the moment (the Gary Oldman/Winona Rider version). I can take it or leave it but I know I'm going to do a Dracula reread in the next year or so. I bought my son a nice copy recently since he has to read it over the summer for his AP Language class. I'll read it when he's done with it. I hope I like it as much as I did the first time.

I'm finishing up The Well and the Mine and recommend it.

And I'll meet up with you at the Pillars group read.

I hope you're having a nice weekend! Joanne

Hi Joanne;
The Well and the Mine sounds good but dark. I do have it on my TBR listing for some point in the future so I appreciate the double rec.
I've not seen the Rider version of Dracula. I like the old one and generally watch it when it is on if I am aware of it. Not too big on TV here. But the hubby is and is constantly clicking through the channels and if I do happen to see something I want to watch, he is always happy to oblige because I rarely watch tv with him and he enjoys whatever when I do.
You know, as far as the groups go, I don't think anyone really cares who joins in the chatter. As long as people come to the party they all seem happy.
Our son came this evening and picked up Rachel (the granddaughter who spent the week) and I really hated to see her go. It was tiring having 3 here all week but she did help with the boys and we had such a good time, especially after they went home. But we all had a nice dinner before they left for home and a good visit with him. Rachel is 16, full of it and laughs all the time. It makes one feel younger to have the youth around.
Now we are back to just the boys and the dog.
Indeed I will see you at the "Pillar" group read on Wednesday and I hope your weekend is "swell as well". Ha ha I rhymed there; didja notice? he he
later dayz,
belva

Hi there girlfriend! Well, I am so glad you are enjoying A Wrinkle In Time. It is one of my all-time childhood favorites! The sequel is not bad either (A Wind in the Door). Also enjoyed Gilead, so now I will have to check out Housekeeping. Later! Always a pleasure to be here.

I enjoyed A Wrinkle in Time as well, but I thought the best of the sequels (there were 3) was Many Waters, in which the twins go back in time and visit Noah and his family.

Missed that one, but I can fix that!

>#187:
Robert;
Three total or three sequels?
And I am only up to the part where the "ladies" and the children are about to "help" father or go home and be there five minutes before they left, so no spoilers--please. Don't know "nuffin" 'bout no Noah and his family yet.
thanx,
belva

Hi Berly;
And I am loving it!~! What fun.
Hey, are you going to see H.P. on the 15th?
We must wait for the weekend as the main H.P. fan in the family (11 yr old grandson) is at football camp beginning today and running through the week; put on by the (loser) Seahawks, but he is excited!~!
hugs n stuff,
belva

We have had an HP marathon at my house, watching all the previous movies so we are all up to speed for the 15th. My oldest is actually attending the midnight showing with a group of her friends and they are all getting dressed up as the characters. She is not sure if she is going as a dementor or as one of the Indian twins Harry and Ron take to the Tri-Wizard Dance. I am taking my youngest two at a more sane hour the next day - LOL!

It's a quartet: A Wrinkle in Time, A Wind in the Door, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, and Many Waters. I thought "A Wrinkle in Time" and "Many Waters" were the best. After "A Wrinkle in Time", I don't think it matters which order you read them in.

How does one describe A Wrinkle in Time? It is like nothing I have ever read before. The story begins with a family of 6; mother, father; both scientists and the father has been away for several years on governmental business, Meg, twins Sandy and Dennys, and 5 year old Charles Wallace whom people find very strange, but his family knows he is not strange but special. The father has not been heard from for several years. Charles Wallace does not even remember him.
Late one stormy night Charles Wallace, Meg, and their mother are having hot chocolate when through the door blows Mrs. Whatsit. She is rather a special lady and she and her two companion ladies, Mrs. Who and Mrs Which, are able to change form when they need to and time travel. They fight evil with good. Charles Wallace is at once comfortable and at home in their presence. Mrs. Whatsit has come to get him, Meg and their friend Calvin to help them rescue the father who is actually fighting the darkness of evil off on another planet. How do they get there? Why they travel by "A Wrinkle in Time", of course.
By the end of the book goodness and love have overcome evil and hatred and the family is reunited but not until many obstacles have been overcome. There are numerous religious overtones within the story and ethereal creatures as well; some good, some evil. Also there is clearly the moral issue that love can win the day.
But the book is not as simplistic as I have painted it to be. There are many underlying themes.
The "appendix" to this book is written by Lisa Sonne who is a scientist herself and in it she states that parts of the book are NOT the wild imagination of a creative writer. She goes on to devote 21 pages to describing the possibilities of further life "out there" and scientific explanations for parts of the book. It is very interesting in and of itself.
I cannot imagine that there is a person out there who would not be charmed by this tale. I know I was. I just wanted to reach within the pages of the book and hug Meg and pinch little Charles Wallace's cheeks. I highly recommend this to everyone.

>#191:
Berly;
Even though there was just the hubby and myself here today we watched 2 H.P. movies. And the grands and I have been doing the same thing your family is doing. Can't you just picture it? All around the world people are huddled round their TVs watching the DVDs of H.P. and Company not to mention that all weekend ABC Family channel has featured the movies also.
What fun!~!
hugs.
belva

>#192:
Robert;
Thank you for filling me in. I was just delighted with this story. Have you read them all?
x's & o's,
belva

LOL @ all of the HP catch up. The same thing is going on at my sisters house.
There are HP books and movies flying through the air and lying on all flat surfaces :)

I enjoyed every single HP book and movie, and often re-watch the movies as they are on one of those movie channels all the time, but I am not doing the marathon re-potter thing. :P

I will probably not see the movie til it is out on dvd.. but who knows??
Sis will go 2-3 times I am sure and mabe I will go with once?

>193 rainpebble: Yes, I've read all four of them. I did think of copying and pasting my reviews here but you might prefer to read them yourself first. Anyway, my reviews are filed on the pages for the books.

Amazon.com paid a little visit at my house this morning. Come to call was:
Lark Rise to Candleford,
The Madonnas of Leningrad,
The Welsh Girl a VMC,
The Children a VMC,
Travel Light a VMC,
Elizabeth and Her German Garden a VMC,
Potiki,
Moonraker a VMC,
Meetings With Remarkable Men,
Saplings a Persephone,
Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day a Pers,
Little Boy Lost a Pers,
The World that was Ours a Pers, and
Someone at a Distance a Pers.
And at the P.O. arrived The Sweetgum Ladies Knit for Love an ARC/ER
I think I am set for the summer folks.

What an exciting day for you. Amazon didn't come see me today...sob, sob.
I think that you will like The Madonnas of Leningrad. I loved it.
Enjoy your summer reading.

what means VMC and Pers???

#199 Thanks for asking McKait. Inquiring minds want to know!

VMC = Virago Modern Classics (a publisher's series; there is a a group for them on LT)

VMC=Verigo Modern Classics and Pers=Persephone Classics.
These are republished books mostly by women from the days of. Books that had gone out of publication for whatever reason; not all but a lot of them. There is actually a Virago group and also a Persephone group. Both publishing houses are in the U.K. so the books are not nearly as easily found here. The Verigos have green spines; a lovely dark foresty shade of green and the Persephones are dove gray, but I haven't seen one of those. All of the Persephones I have seen are "classics" and multicolored covers, but still lovely. They are not cheap but women and some men also like to collect and read them. I have just begun to get hooked.
The Virago group is here:
http://www.librarything.com/groups/viragomodernclassics

And the Persephone group is here:

http://www.librarything.com/groups/persephonophilia

I lurked and skulked about for quite a while before I figured out really what it was all about. They are quite lovely people over there. Quite lovely.
belva

ahhh! I see. Thank you for the info, I learned something today :)

Belva, I go away from the internets for a week, tops, and I come back and find that you have 1) a new thread and 2) over 200 posts on it! How am I ever supposed to keep up with you? And you've read some great books - A Wrinkle in Time is one of those books that completely shaped who I am (when I was little, it was so nice to read a book about a girl who was good at math) and I'm glad you liked it. I'm going to agree that you should try more Marilynne Robinson, even if Housekeeping didn't float your boat. She's wonderful - Gilead is absolutely fantastic.

Well, now I'm starring your thread so that you will be easier to find next time!

Jennifer, thank you for all your kind words (and a star, even). Oh, how I loved A Wrinkle in Time. My daughter in Tx and I have been discussing it so much since I read it. It was her fav growing up. She was 8 the first time she read it and still has her original copy. She, like you was so happy to read a book about a girl whose mind wasn't all "girly, girly, foo foo". (her expression, not mine)
I have Gilead; in fact it is on my night table to be read within the next......well, soon. And Home is on it's way.
Did you go away to get married or is it my imagination? You know, I am old and forget, so if incorrect, please forgive.
Thank you for stopping by. I already had you starred and have jerked quite a few recs off your thread.
(Peter and the Wold just came on the radio--Love it!~!)
g'nite Dr. jfetting

I loved Madonnas of Leningrad so I hope you like it!

Hi Joanne.
Thanx for popping by. I am looking forward to the read and hope I like it also. It looks really good and what a fascinating subject. I have heard about and read snippits in other books about it, but this will be my first book that focuses on this particular subject. I will most likely wait until after the "Pillars" read to get into it.
I have heard that "Pillars" is a very thought provoking book so am going to try to stick to mainly light reading until that group read is completed.
Are you joining us?
belva

Yes, in fact I started it today during lunch and was captivated for the 50 or so pages that I was able to read. I am a little concerned about keeping up but if the next 950 or so pages are as good, we'll all have a great time with it! I may need shoulder surgery though if I keep lugging it to work!

I started the new Alice Hoffman yesterday and I just can't seem to get into it so I may have to pick it up again at a later date. It's a library book, so I'll have to wait to start it again. Not the right time I guess!

Joanne

Regarding shoulder surgery, I totally empathize! I have to lug Pillars with me on a plane soon. Aside from the fact that flying provides great reading time, it simply must be carry on, because if I pack it in my checked luggage it will be sure to be overweight and the airline will put one of those embarrassing bright orange stickers on! I am almost wishing I had it on Kindle, except that I gave one of those devices a try and I couldn't stand it. Books have no personality on electronic devices. The fonts are all the same and there is no paper to feel, no difference in book size or weight and no pretty packaging. I love how on LT I can choose to display the actual cover of the book I read/have.

Hey, Belva- One more day! Everyone seems to be chomping at the bit! I know I'm ready to rumble!

Me too. Whoo Hoo!~!
Let's git 'er goin!~!

Hey, Belva,
Just catching up on your thread after being out of town. Loved your reviews, as always! :) Have to say that A Wrinkle in Time was my all-time favorite book when I was a girl, and I couldn't wait to share it with my girls. They have read all of them, but I haven't. One of these days, I will have to go back and read the others, too.

Well, I am going to try to call my daughter with one of those calling cards. Wish me luck! And have a wonderful day! (I am so glad that I got back in time for the start of Pillars of the Earth!!)
--BJ

Yea!~!~!
Hi--BJ;
Welcome home. Missed your smiling comments and our little chats. You will figure that calling card thing out. It took me a couple of tries, but if I could get it, you can.
I hope you had a wonderful time and saw a lot of beautiful sights that you can tell us all about.
I know you will miss your kiddo while she is gone, but this is going to be such a life changing, growing, wonderful experience for her in the end and hopefully throughout. I wish I had had an opportunity similiar, don't you?
The Yea (above) was for the group read. I am so happy you will be here for that. Mark has done an awesome job. We have the one general thread and then he has/will set up one for us to use when we have read each part. So there will be a thread for each one as we go, thus no spoilers for the ones who are not that far along.
Good to have you back kid.
talk to you later,
hugs n snugs,
belva

Hey all;
My computer is trying to go all wonky on me. I can get to my home page just fine, but it doesn't want to cycle through the threads. Just keeps working and working. IDK;
So most likely, until I can get the problem fixed, I will just come on my thread and post my reading. I won't be ignoring you; just trying to hold the fort down.
belva

Hey all;
My computer is trying to go all wonky on me. I can get to my home page just fine, but it doesn't want to cycle through the threads. Just keeps working and working.
IDK;
So most likely, until I can get the problem fixed, I will just come on my thread and post my reading. I won't be ignoring you; just trying to hold the fort down.
belva

Oh no belva!!?! bad computer, bad!

Yeah, it is pissing me off!~!
I won't be able to play on anyone else's thread. But I can still use my home page, I am able to message on my profile page and the rest of my computer stuff seems okay. It just really doesn't want to load the threads, so I am going to be kind to it and just use mine for now. I'll have to decide whether to take it in or get a new one soon I guess.
So, yes---bad, bad "compooter"!~!
hugs n snugs;
belva

I hope that you get that computer problem figured out. For me, computers are just not like machines. They do not necessarily work the way we think they should.

I did have a wonderful time in Spain. I haven't spoken so much Spanish in forever. Everyone there was really nice. The driving was tough due to the maps that we had, but we just had a great time. I have never seen so much art in my life. Plus, I got to see some real Gothic cathedrals, which I thought was kind of neat since we will be reading about one. :) We also visited Gibraltar, which is on the extreme southern tip of Spain and is British. From there we could see Morocco. The water was amazingly blue.

I did figure out the calling card and called my sweet girl. We talked for 45 minutes, which was so nice. Then, we got a calling card for her to call the US on. The temps where she is are in the lower 70s. Much nicer than our 103. My doggie is thrilled that the ac works again. I do wish that I had had such an opportunity when I was younger. But she is much braver than I am. I think I would have been scared. She is getting pretty good at figuring things out for herself.

I am so excited about the group read. When I got home I could not find the book which I was sure that I had left out just to be ready. Finally, my younger daughter found it. It had fallen behind the printer for the computer. I never would have found it without her. She also found a book that I had gotten my girls years ago called Cathedral: The Story of Its Construction by David Macaulay. I am going to try to read it tonight or tomorrow.

Well, I am going to go check in on the group read thread. I am so excited. Have a great day!
--BJ

--BJ;
It, indeed, sounds as if you had a wonderful time. And you got to see so many beautiful things. How wonderful. The timing could not have been more perfect for our read, could it? I have always want to visit Gibraltar. I am just so happy for you that you had this opportunity to go and do and see. I will even admit to being envious.
Did you kennel the dog while you were gone or put her with friends or family? I bet she was happy to see you when you got home.
Glad your AC is working again. 103-----whoa!~! Too hot!~!
Glad also that you are back gal.
hugs n snugs,
belva

A World of Love by Elizabeth Bowen

A World of Love is set in post war Ireland. ( I believe) It is the story of an uneasy extended family sharing an old decrepit manor house on a large working farm in the countryside. The husband and wife, Fred and Lilia, who run the farm have 2 daughters, Jane (of college age) and Maud, much younger. The husband is a cousin to the fifth occupant of the manor, Antonia, who owns the property. There is constant tension in the interactions of all of the primary characters.
As the story opens, Jane has found some letters in the attic of the manor. They are love letters neither addressed nor signed and the plotline of the story is to find out who they are from and who they were to. There are suspicions on the parts of all three adults.
The book is beautifully written and the language has a lyrical fluidity to it that made simply the reading of it a pleasure. The characters are full and complete, and whether you like them or not, it is difficult not to be sympathetic with them. They show us in an unmistakable manner how the power of living in stagnation can truly disable one's life.
I liked this book very much until the very end. I felt it ended too abruptly and the ending left me hanging. I am certain that I must have missed something along the way, but I totally didn't understand the outcome of the plot.
There was one line in particular that yet has me fascinated: "But were there not those who said that everything has already happened, and that one's lookings-forward are really memories?"

Loved your review of A World of Love and added it to my wishlist. (I haven't figured out the LT wishlist yet -- still have the pencil and paper kind.)

I hope that you do get to go to Gibraltar someday. It was an amazing tiny place. One thing about it that I didn't get to do was eat at the American style restaurant! No time for that, but I did crave some of the items on the menu. Apparently, 7 million people visit it every year. Only 30,000 people are residents. One interesting fact is that the prison is the dungeon under the castle or fort or whatever it is called that was built in the 1300s. There aren't that many people there. Not much crime. No kidding. I would not want to end up there! :) Also, if you fly there, plan to fly to Spain. They have a tiny runway with water on either end and a road right through the middle.

The first thing that we did upon reaching Houston -- after SLEEPING -- was have a fabulous Tex-Mex meal with an extra dozen flour tortillas for the trip home. We did kennel our sweet doggie at the local "pet resort" and signed her up for the pampered pet deal with an extra playtime. I did have a couple of people offer to take care of her, but they know her at this kennel and love her there, too. Plus, no ac at our house. However, she was willing to brave the heat to be back with us again! And we were willing to brave the heat to sleep in our own beds and be with our doggie again.

Hope you get your computer working right again. I am going to have to start a new thread. I will let you know when I do. See ya for the group read tomorrow. God bless.
--BJ

Good morning --BJ;
Thank you for you kind words.
And not to worry; my wish list is still a big fat notebook and I just can't give it up. It's portable.
I will be looking for your new thread when I am "well" again. (computer wise)
Tex-Mex: can't wait to get there!~! Yum yum!~!
You sound happy to be home my friend and in your own surroundings.
Enjoy your day and don't read til your eyes bug out. We still need to live our lives ya know.
hugs,
belva

Last night when I went to bed I started my new ARC/ER book that arrived the day before. It is The Sweetgum Ladies Knit for Love by Beth Patillo. I am almost half way through and what a light pleasurable read so far. It is delightful. I am thinking if you ever want a book to read that you can enjoy without having to strain your brain, this little series could be the one. It is just a laid back, easy, cozy, comfy, (any more adj I can throw in there) read.
Well, my coffee is ready (decaf, of course), so I think I will go and finish the ER, throw the review up and start "Pillars". Yea!~!
belva

Well, it's THE BIG DAY!~! The fifteenth!~! First day of the group read for Pillars of the Earth!~!; first day out of the gate for the new H.P movie!~!; and first day for the new part (5, I believe) of the Anna Karinina group read. So a BIG DAY all round.
Enjoy it all everyone. Have a fun day.
belva

Belva--So excited to open the cover of Pillars today! And my daughter arrived home at 3:45am after seeing the midnight showing of HP last night. Can't wait to see it myself!

Hi Berly;
I am just about to do that very thing. I just finished and reviewed the ARC/ER that I started last night as I did not want to have that distraction (gotta do it, gotta do it) running through my brain as I began "Pillars".
And regarding H.P.; I am hearing that this is the best one yet. What was her take?
Catch ya between the covers of Pillars of the Earth.
hugs,
belva

The Sweetgum Ladies Knit for Love by Beth Pattillo, an ARC/ER

One word for my description of this book can be found in the title. Sweet. This is a sweet, comfy, cozy, relaxing read. There is no great mystery, no great conflict, no harrowing tale to be told here. What is here is a lovely little story about 6 women in the community of Sweetgum who get together monthly to do a bookclub that revolves around knitting. Withing the story are woven bits and pieces of each of these women's lives, loves, and decisions of daily living. I enjoyed it tremendously; enough that I will seek out "The Sweetgum Knit Lit Society".
Pattillo's characters are easily understood. Part of the charm of her story is that the characters do have morals and values and are quite like the people one finds in communities and villages everywhere.
I highly recommend this Beth Pattillo novel to anyone who is seeking a relaxing read. Most likely it will be preferred by more women than men. I gave it 4 out of 5 for the quality of the storyline and the smoothness of the writing.

Hi, Belva,
It sounds great. Does is mean that it is not in print yet if it is ARC/ER?
--BJ

It may or may not be. This particular one is because I left a review on the publishing house site as well and I think I saw that it was available on Amazon.com.
I really enjoyed. It is not something that I normally would pick up for myself but I'm glad they sent it to me. It was kind of like "a cup of tea at the end of the day" feeling while reading it. A very soothing read.
belva

I am just dying here, you guys.
1) I cannot stand not being able to thread hop.
2) I cannot stand not being able to lurk and skulk about LT.
3) I cannot stand not being able to join in and talk to y'all and see what you are reading and join in on the fun.
and
4) Today I received in the post Beautiful Shadow: A life of Patricia Highsmith by Andrew Wilson and I really, really want to read it right now!~! But "Pillars" is calling and also part 5 of "Anna"
**snuffle, snotz, snuffle**

Let me just say that I really know nothing about computers, but I wonder if you logged off and shut it down and restart it if that will help. That would drive me crazy, too. Good luck! Maybe greater minds than mine can figure it out for you.
--BJ

Keeping you company here 'till your compooper cooperates.

My daughter loved the first half of the movie, but then it had technical difficulties. They missed about 15 min of the movie right smack in the middle, and, of course, seeing as it was about 1:30 in the AM by then, she kinda lost steam. She has a free ticket and wants to go again and see it. She thought the first half was funny, but thought the current Dumbledore really wasn't that great and since a lot of the movie is Harry and D, we, that on-screen relationship didn't work well for her. Hoping to see it within the week myself.

Hugs!

Thank you for the H.P. update Berly. That is too bad. I loved to other actor that played Dumbledore. He was a wonderful character actor. All the pre-hype I heard was that it was the best one yet. We are also hoping to see it this weekend, but the 11 yr old grandson is rather seriously grounded by his mom, so if he can't go, we will wait until he can. Why do kids just have to get into trouble sometimes? Mine were never in trouble. Har har har!~!
Hugs backatcha,
belva
n thanx for stopping by. You and --BJ are the onliest ones who love me. **sob, snuffle, sob**

My son (my computer programmer extraordinaire) seems to think my problem is stemming from my little GIF addiction and that if I get rid of some of them, it might help rid my computer of the problem. (my "puter" is pretty much a dinosaur) So I am going to try that and see what happens.
b

Actually, everyone loves you! You are the greatest! Good luck with the computer. They have minds of their own I think. Gotta post now, the maintenance is about the start!
--BJ

Yes, we love you! No snuffling & sobbing! Miss seeing your comments on the threads. How "Pillars" coming? I'm a 100 pages in, and it's very good!

boo hooing? dearie ~ you know I am here even if I am too lazy to post.

Hello Belva,
Sorry to read about your computer problems. Sounds like it needs to go in for a service. It is painful not having the things you are used to. I spend a lot of my internet time on LT and I can imagine how frustrated you must feel. This too shall pass and become a vague memory. Meanwhile you have some extra reading time.

So, Belva, you're still house/home bound? And can't get off your thread? I'd send you "flowers" but it sounds like the "glitter graphics" are part of your problem--and I don't know how to do it anyway. Hope your computer is feeling better soon and you'll be able to get out and about. In the meantime, I know you have lots of books to keep you company. Happy reading!

Good morning everyone. Thank you all for stopping by. I am sooooo happy to see all of you. Amazing the change in one's mood
when you take for granted something just always being there, and all of a sudden it isn't. Kind of like a mini-death. You have all cheered me up immensely this A.M.
It took almost 3 minutes for my own thread to load this morning. So, yeah, I think it needs to go in for a service Bill. I am just hoping it will hold out until I am gone on vacation next month for two weeks and will be more ready to give it up. (I am taking Battle Cry of Freedom with me when I go to visit my daughter) And indeed, right now I do have more reading time and am using it.
I have read The Sweetgum Ladies Knit for Love, my July ARC/ER and written my review and posted that. I have read July's portion of "Anna" for that group read. And am on page 221 of 283 for this week's "Pillar's " group. So I am taking advantage of the down time.
And I have been waiting to sink my teeth into some biographies: of Sylvia Plath, Dora Carrington, and Patricia Highsmith. So when I finish my weekly portion of "Pillars", which I am loving, BTW, I will be diving into one of those.
Mark, you have done a great job with the "Pillar" read. Everyone seems to be so excited about it. And I think a lot of it has to do with how you have presented the read. So kudos to you, my friend!~!
Well, I am going to go and try to get some more "stuff" off my computer.
Thank you all so much for dropping by. I appreciate it and no more feeling sorry for myself. I promise.
Hugs to all.
belva

It's cocktail hour somewhere... so cheers, Belva!!

I recommend you get rid of everything that isn't LT

I agree.
For some reason this morning it seems to be working almost fine. But I did order a new one with 2000 megs of ram, whatever that means. This one only has 312. So I will get to play with my GIIFs. Whoo Hoo!~! But then again, if it keeps working like this, I may just wait and not use the other "stuffs".
Thanx for popping by.
belva

Hey, Belva!
I am excited that you are getting a new computer. :) Hope it works great for you. When will you get it?
--BJ

Hey girl;
I will get it sometime next week, but I deleted a bunch of downloads on this old thing and it is working not great, but a little better. So we shall see.
later babe,
belva

Hi Belva- How are you? Glad you are getting a new computer. Should make life a bit easier. Also glad you are enjoying "Pillars". I'm just under 200 pages and it's very good. Someone mentioned that it was a slow read, but I don't see it, I feel it's fast & fun! I just finished Olive Kitteridge and I was totally blown away. Stop by my challenge tomorrow and I'll post a review. My challenge has been neglected lately and I need some action. Advanced praise: read this book!!

Ha!~! Regarding Olive Kitteridge; already read it. I got it as an ARC/ER and have read and reviewed it. I really liked it. A lot!~! Check out my review dude. I am glad you liked it. A lot of LTers didn't seem too fond of it but I am hanging onto my copy because I know I will read it again one day. I liked it that much.
Pillars: I read Part 1 in a day and a half. I found it to be fast paced, exciting, well researched; I love the characters, even the knarly ones. Yeah, I am liking this read a lot. I was truly tempted to go onto Part 2, but held myself back. I think we call that "control".
I deleted a lot of GIFs I had put on here and deleted a bunch of music and other stuff I had downloaded to my computer. In the next few days I am going to attempt to burn the remainder of music and then delete that as well. So we will see. I have my new computer picked out and it has 2000 whatevers of RAM where this one has 300. But if I can get away without buying a new one, I would just as soon not spend the money.
Catch ya later dude.
People are sure excited about the group read, aren't they?
belva

Belva, I always go to "preference" and erase all of the "cookies" I've picked up, plus erase my "history" which probably doesn't have anything to do with anything, but I think it helps, so it does! :-)

Morning Belva- Sorry about the "Olive" lapse but I did read your review and enjoyed it. It's amazing how so many readers can get such a different feeling for the book and disliking it with a fervor. I thought it was jaw-dropping and I'll be posting a review shortly. It's easily at the top of my list for the year!

yay for new toy!!

It's funny, Mark. I didn't like the book as a whole as much as you did, but then I think I liked Olive much better than you did. I didn't think she was nearly as unlikeable as you and others have described her. Maybe because I'm an older woman who tends to speak her mind (and was married for thirty years) I could relate more to her annoyances--and her weaknesses. For example, I loved it when her husband invited the young couple home after she expressed her disinterest and she said something to the effect of, "Well, fine, Mr. President! Give your order to the short-order cook!" or something like that. It may be different in your household, but I still know too many wives who do most of the work--before, during, and after--when their husbands invite someone over. I really related to her frustration and thought it was pretty funny!

Bonnie- I think I may have been misunderstood. I said she wasn't very likable in a general sense but like you I loved the way she talked her mind but if those fiery words were aimed at you, you would probably take offense. Olive is one of the great literary creations. I love the last story "River", when she meets her match, Jack! Great stuff!

I think that "Kitteridge" is a very understated great literary work that will stand the test of time.

>#248:
Bonnie;
I did as you suggested and it has helped tremendously. We are still not super fast, but working as well as two or three weeks ago. So Yea!~!~!
Thank you for the advise.
belva

Was quite saddened this A.M. to learn of the passing of Frank McCourt. Hate losing our lovely authors.

That man had the most beautiful face..........as well as talent.

Oh! I am sad now. That's a loss.

I loved Angela Ashes as well as the way McCourt put things--so charming, but in a real, self-deprecating way.

Finished Gilead and absolutely loved it. I wish that every parent did that for his/her child. Comments and review to follow.
On to The Talented Mr. Ripley. Am really liking it as well.

That was such a gripping movie! It's got to be a great book!

Belva- So glad you enjoyed Gilead. Opinion here seems to be divided. I loved her beautiful writing! I didn't see it overly religious, just life-affirming!

I so agree about Gilead Mark. I would like to leave something similar to my children. I loved how she used the perfect amount of wording to say what she wanted to say. Not too much and not too little. It was a lovely book. I am so glad I bought it instead of borrowing from the library. I am sure I will read it again this winter.
God, I will agree, is in there a lot, but not in a preachy way at all. I did not find it "religious" but contemplative. I loved it.

>#260:
Bonnie;
I also enjoyed The Talented Mr. Ripley. I finished it this evening and it was a real page turner. I wanted him to get caught out and at the same time I wanted him to go on to another day. (selfish, I know, but there are other Ripley books, you see and I want to read them. I liked the book (big surprise here) better than the movie other than the character of Marge (played by Gwynneth Paltrow. I am going now online to find the others.
Have a good day bonnie. I will talk to you later. I think I will order my books and head back to bed with my new one. I am reading Carrington, a life and it is also quite good. Bios can often times be a little strange, but I am enjoying this one.
belva

Finally got caught up on your thread, Belva, and I'm so relieved to see you're having computer problems! Before you think I'm being a big ol' jerk, what I mean is that you're quite a presence around these parts and I was starting to get a little worried when I didn't see you pop up in any other thread. So I'm glad it's just a technical issue keeping you away!

I've been missing a lot of action in this thread while I've been gone! Olive Kitteridge is on my TBR, so I'm glad you enjoyed it. The Talented Mr. Ripley was a great movie, I've been meaning to read the books for a long time now but haven't gotten there yet. Good to hear the books are just as good! I'm sure there was more that I wanted to comment on but can't remember now...in any case, hope the computer gets sorted out and we'll get to see your messages brightening up the rest of the threads again soon!

I added it to my wish list, thanks!

Welcome home Mrs. spacespuds and thank you for all the kind words.
*****she said blushing*****
Yup, the old computer had me off the radar for a while. I had a new one picked out but by the time I had finished deleting a ton of music and GIFs along with other stuff, this one was working better that it has for a long time. So I am going to wait until I need one to get one.
How was the honeymoon?
I'll bet you didn't get much reading done!~! And that you were very tired by the time you got home. I hope you had a wonderful time.
Thanx for popping by my thread.

You too bonnie.
***waving madly***

belva

Gilead by Marilynne Robinson

I loved "Gilead". It is written as a memoir from a dying elderly (at least third generational preacher) to his seven year old son. And It is written in a manner that takes one back to about the 1950s. The father, who is narrating, writes in a very calming, soothing way and is attempting to let his son know what he thinks, why he thinks that way and about things that have occurred in his lifetime and the reactions and responses to those occurrences.
The preacher married late in life and had his son even later so he wants to share as much as he can to give his son an understanding of himself as a man. He writes of his beautiful relationship with his best friend (a preacher of another denomination) and of his wife, the boy's mother. He writes to him of his growing up years and he and his father's relationship.
The book is full of God, the Bible, prayer and of a life devoted to God. Yet it is not written in a preachy way at all. I also think it was much more contemplative than religious. If I didn't love the Lord, I think I still would have loved this book because of the way it was written. The author's words simply flow throughout the entire novel. It is one of the easiest books I have read all year and perhaps one of the best. It may not make my top ten, but it will certainly be way up there. Marilynne Robinson is a wonderful author. I highly recommend this book to people of all persuasions. The only other book I have read that I can compare feeling this way about upon finishing would be "Cry, the Beloved Country". There was just something about "Gilead" that took my breath away.
Do something really kind for yourself and read this one.

Belva- Wonderful review! I loved this book too! When will you start Home? Of course it takes place in the same town and is populated with some of the same characters.

Mark;
I didn't realize that. Does it take place before or after Gilead? I need to order it yet. Had better to do that as it will fit in my 999 challenge and I am really squirming there. So I think I will go order it now and read it as soon as it gets here. I am going to have to concentrate on just my 999 challenge and group reads until after 9/09/09. In fact, I am cutting it so close (as I have set all of August aside for Virago Modern Classics month for myself) that I am going to have to dump the Carrington bio (lovely book, absolutely lovely) until after the challenge is completed.
Did you love Home as well?
belva
Sure seems like we like a lot of the same books Mark.

Yes, Home takes place after and focus's on the friend of John Ames, Reverend Boughton and his daughter Glory. It's a bit more dense but contains amazing writing. You can check my short review. And yes, we do share a lot of books and I love that. Boy, you are very ambitious though, with all the challenges and group reads. I commend you. Have a great weekend, friend!

I have looked and looked at those two books. I have had them on my Amazon wish list, and then taken them off.

On they go again.

sigh

I am glad that your computer is working better now. I love my laptop
( macbook) almost as much as I love LT..maybe a smidge more...
as it links me to family and friends and stuff..

Hi, Belva!
Loved your review of Gilead. I bought this book after another LT recommendation that was so positive, but I have not read it yet. Hope I get to read it soon!
--BJ

The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith

The Talented Mr Ripley is about a man who attempts to take over the identity of one of his friends. The whole thing goes squirrelly on him and he ends up murdering his friend. In attempting to get out of that, he must commit another murder. So he portrays himself and his friend to different people at different times and puts a lot of stress upon himself. The book was very interesting as there were a great deal of tangles and twists that Mr. Ripley must get himself out of or explain away. The whole thing was rather incredulous but very intriguing.
The story takes place in Europe and I found the descriptions of the locales and the lifestyles rather interesting.
It was a very quick page turner of a read and I liked it well enough that I will read the others in the Ripley series. I don't think it is for everyone but it was a very pleasant change for me. The book was much easier to read than the movie was to watch.

I'm so happy you liked Gilead! One of my favorites ever, and I always like to see other people enjoy it too! I read Home earlier in the year, and it has very much the same sort of quiet, contemplative, beautiful mood.

Also, I really want to read Ripley but keep putting it off. I think I'll move it up, now.

ETA: you've also inspired me to dig out some Bonhoeffer and read that, next.
ETA also: no, not married. I moved across the country to start a new job. Also exciting, but not as much fun as getting married would be.

Sorry about that. I think I got you and gug (or was it spacespuds) mixed up. Getting married is fun. Staying married is work. Ha!
Bonhoeffer was an amazing man. I want to read more about him.
And yes, moving across the country for your new job is very exciting. Are you settled in yet? And are you now Dr. jfetting? Huge life changes. Wonderful for you!~!
belva
P.S. When you do pick up your next Bonhoeffer (because I know he is one of your heros), would you please let me know what title you choose? thanx.

>263 rainpebble: There are more Ripley books?! *stunned shock...walking off to make order from Amazon. Thanks!*

Yes, isn't this fun?
The Talented Mr Ripley
Ripley Underground
Ripley's Game
The Boy Who Followed Ripley and
Ripley Under Water

Also there is a packaged set (difficult for me to find) but it is called The Ripliad or Ripliad. I did, however find it on online but it was like 60 or 70 bucks. Far cheaper to go to Thriftbooks, pay a penny and S & H (roughly 4.00 for most books) and buy them by the each.
This was just a fun read for me even though there was murder and a little mystery and mayhem involved. I think the more selective of LT call it "mind candy"?
Have fun and later dayz,
belva

Good morning.
I read Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck yesterday. Comments to come later as we have a very busy day planned. However, we shall see. Best laid plans and all that, you know. The plan is to take the grandkids to the new H.P. movie; do the monthly grocery shopping and a dinner date. And I think we all know it takes longer to put those groceries away than it does to buy them. Arggggggggggggggggg!
Last night I began Blackbird: A Childhood Lost and Found by Jennifer Lauck (her debut novel). Am barely into it; 65 pages, but it is looking good. I am enjoying the writing and the story thus far. And if I like it there is a sequel: Still Waters. Have been scrounging for N.W. authors for my 999 challenge and thankfully there she was just waiting for me on my shelf.
Have a good week end all.
belva

Oh, I do hope you liked Of Mice and Men. We were given it to read in class in year 9 (that's aged about 13-14 for non-Brits!) and try as I might, I just couldn't stay with the class as the teacher read it aloud. I couldn't stop myself from reading ahead at my own speed. I found out that my stepdad had a lot of Steinbeck and borrowed his copy to finish it myself, and I cried like anything (good job I didn't finish it with the class, then!). I'd also recommend the film - John Malkovich plays a surprisingly wonderful Lennie, and Gary Sinise is perfect as George.

P.S. - I hope your 'best laid plans' all worked out - they sounded rather lovely!

Hey,Belva! As usual you keep me constantly reminded of my total neglect of Steinbeck. Head hangs in shame!
Made it through my 50th b'day yesterday! Woo hoo! Now on to my 2nd half! Wish me luck!
Just a few pages left in Part 2 of "Pillars". I'm not used to reading a book so slow but at least getting right back into it is very easy!

Mark;
Happy Birthday belatedly!~!
50 is a great milestone. A good place for reflecting back on the earlier part of your life and yet still young enough to realize any dreams that your heart desired but that were neglected during those first 50 years and moving on with them. May you live 50 more!~!
I understand about the pace thing. But I think this was the best course you could have chosen for the greater part of the group. I think it is working nicely for most. It is a great story. I am finding it to be so much more fascinating than I anticipated I would.
A really great idea you had there sir.
Well again, Happy B'day!~!
belva

I'd like to read some of Patricia Highsmith's books. I just hope the effect of her writing on me isn't as dramatic as the time I went to see The Talented Mr. Ripley movie at the cinema. At the sight of too much blood (the murder scene in the boat with the oar), I felt nauseous and stood up to go to the ladie's room, then promptly fainted and hit the back of my head then had to be rushed to the hospital by ambulance. There was no harm done finally and after watching plenty of CSI episodes, I doubt something like that can make me pass out again. Also, fainting while reading a book seems unlikely so I may just chance it.

Belva- Thanks for the kind words, much appreciated!

>#282:
Smiler69;
I found the movie to be very disturbing though nothing quite so dramatic happened to me as did you. And the boat scene upset me tremendously. I found the book much easier to read than the movie was to watch. I really think you could read it and not be unduly disturbed.
I am pretty much a wuss and had to run to Anne of Green Gables when I attempted to read Crime and Punishment. I barely got into that one and had to put it down, it upset me so. I think if you like to read mysteries (which is a genre I rarely read) you would probably enjoy The Talented Mr Ripley.

>#283;
Mark;
You are so more than welcome!~! :-)

belva

>#279:
My dear Miss Ellie;
I loved, loved Of Mice and Men. And I have not seen a film of the book. I cannot picture John Malkovich or Gary Sinise in either of the major rolls so I definitely will have to rent that one and check it out.
Are you feeling better? I do hope so. It will be so much better when you have been open long enough that things have time and inclination to fall into a rhythm. And let's hope it doesn't take too awfully long.
Good to talk with you Ellie.
later babe,

>#282:
Smiler69;
I found the movie to be very disturbing though nothing quite so dramatic happened to me as did you. And the boat scene upset me tremendously. I found the book much easier to read than the movie was to watch. I really think you could read it and not be unduly disturbed.
I am pretty much a wuss and had to run to Anne of Green Gables when I attempted to read Crime and Punishment. I barely got into that one and had to put it down, it upset me so. I think if you like to read mysteries (which is a genre I rarely read) you would probably enjoy The Talented Mr Ripley.
Thank you for stopping by. Please come again.

>#283;
Mark;
You are so more than welcome!~! :-)

belva

Hi Belva! - The film ellie mentioned was a wonderful, heartbreaking adaptation of Of Mice and Men. When I do my reread, I'll see Sinise and Malkovich in my head!

Well then I know I must see it now if it is that good!~! I love both actors. They are top class, both of them.
How are you Joanne? And how is Coppers handling the heat? We had to kennel our Abby Saturday for a few days. We hated leaving her, but we have one stretch of fence left that is only 4 foot high. (We have been working for weeks on replacing all the fencing with 6 foot for her safety. We have 2 1/2 lots so that is a lot of fence to pull and replace) She began bailing over it Thursday of this past week. She wouldn't take off, but she would go out in the street. So I called a fencing contractor Friday morning and they will try to be here tomorrow and get it up for us. We really miss her. Tomorrow morning I am taking the grandsons and we are going to go and visit her and take her for a drive and a hike before taking her back and returning home.
I am so glad you stopped by. Been thinking of you. Hope things are great and that you are reading some really good books!~!
hugs and snuggles,
belva

This afternoon I finished Blackbird: A Childhood Lost and Found by Jennifer Lauck. It was excellent, especially for a debut novel.
Tonight, as I go to bed, I am grabbing Evangeline by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. I just feel like I need a little poetry and want a nice long one. This should do nicely. It is a 1908 edition so I truly handle with care.
Good night all.
belva

>282 Smiler69: Mark you, a friend of mine was reading Stephen R. Donaldson's Lord Foul's Bane on the bus to work and fainted while reading a graphic description of a leper.

Hey, Belva!
I saw on tv that you are in for some significant heat. I am glad that you will not be out building your fence in it. After all the heat we had here in mid-July, it is amazingly cool for the hottest time of year. Hope that holds true for your visit to Texas. My grandma tells me that they have had lots of heat around Austin.

And, Mark, Happy Birthday to YOU!!!
--BJ

Just a flyby Hello !!!

Taking a few while the son sleeps to check in so I have some hope of catching up...

I managed to read a book while he was out for lunch with his cousins.I will talk about it in my thread soon.. it was very good! So for now, just hello and hope you slept well..

Thank you dear Kath;
How sweet of you. Right backatcha and I slept wonderfully well. Hope you did as well.
hugs,
belva

Am now ready to begin Dancing at the Rascal Fair by Ivan Doig. I've never read anything by him before; never even heard of him before but this old book has been on my shelf for almost 20 years and it fits my 999 challenge so I'm going to give him a try.
Here's to hope!~!
belva

Am now ready to begin Dancing at the Rascal Fair by Ivan Doig. I've never read anything by him before; never even heard of him before but this old book has been on my shelf for almost 20 years and it fits my 999 challenge so I'm going to give him a try.
I know I owe reviews for Of Mice and Men, Blackbird; A Childhood Lost and Found and Evangeline. COMING SOON TO A THREAD NEAR YOU.
Here's to hoping that "Rascal Fair" turns out to be fair.
belva

Hey Belva- How are you? Stop by my challenge, it's getting very lonely over there! How do you get so popular, anyway? You are ready for a new thread, girl!

Hey Mark;
I am great. How R U?
Pretty quick here now I will be ready for a new thread. But I'm not popular. Most of these are my own posts.
Well, I am out of here. I need to check out a friend's thread. Some msf59 or something.
later dayz,
belva

Don't downplay your popularity! You are right there at the top, right where you should be! Thanks for stopping by the thread, it was like a hug!

The son went home... sad/glad/sad

Going to be a hot day..

wish we could porch and drink lemonade and share stories..

:)

Dancing at the Rascal Fair? That's such a classic/familiar title that I don't know whether I've read it or not? I'll have to go check it out. I've been avoiding going out in this heat wave, how about you, Belva? Gotta run some errands then gonna find me some AC! Last night I sat in the bathtub doing Sudoku puzzles and listening to Moth podcasts. Have you ever heard those? They're mostly real people telling probably the best story of their lives. Hilarious! Take care! B.

Hi Belva! Waving from my parents computer in WI. Hope your doggie comes home soon. Hugs.

Um, I think you ladies in the Pacific Northwest have our weather...can we have it back now?? Here in CO it's generally 90 + and fairly dry in late July. We've had clouds, rain and cool weather for days. :( I have a concert to go to tomorrow night and it's outdoors and I'm packing a poncho...so sad!

Have a good night all!

>#298:
Ohhhh Kath;
That doesn't seem like a very long visit.
Yeah, it is hot today. Got up to 107 here in Morton. Very hot for us. It is 80 here where I am in the house. The "onliest" good thing about it is that it's too hot to be outside and too hot inside to work so the grands have been spending their days at the river with a very special auntie and their cousins and I have been doing a lot of reading. Today I grabbed a chick lit Summer at Willow Lake. That I can read without heating up a single brain cell!~! LOL
I too wish we could porch, rock, lemonade and bullshit. That would be awesome.
blubs,
belva
P.S. sorry he had to go home so soon, but glad he could come and spend time with you.
(OHHHHH, I am hearing thunder!~!)

>#299:
Bonnie,
I was posting at the same time you were.
Regarding Dancing at the Rascal Fair; I had to put it down as when I began it, I found out it is the 2nd of 3. So I need to get the 1st and 3rd, but definitely the 1st one right away. It looks good. IDK.
I have not heard of Moth pod casts. Is it on the radio or do you need an ipod? I am pretty dumb about electronic gadgets. I would like to know more. I will google it.
Good luck finding some a/c. The news said everyone was sold out. I wish I had a bath tub to lay in some cool H2O. We only have a shower. (another one of my husband's "really good" ideas.---take the tub out/put in shower stall/make more room in bathrm.---oh, oh, but the best is the flooring in there. We have 3 different ones. We have been comparing and choosing which is the better for 17 years now.) Damn, I luv that man!~!
later,
belva

If we could substitute the lemonade for some quality ale,I could join the fray!
I left you a note on my challenge!

Ok Mark,
I will be checking 'er out.
I don't c anything wrong with a good quality ale.
We would love to have you join us, wouldn't we Kath?
later dayz,
belva

Belva, I made it a mission a few years ago to get that Ivan Doig trilogy. After many trips to used bookstores, I now have all three and there they sit. I actually bought Dancing at the Rascal Fair for the title plus the fact that I like to read about ranching families. Saw that it was No. 2 and found English Creek quite readily. The real challenge was No. 3 (and my favorite title): Ride With Me, Mariah Montana. I've heard good things about Doig's writing, but haven't read anything. Let me know what you think if you read them.

>#300:
Berly;
Our doggie, Abby, is home and it is a sad tale to tell.
The grandsons and I went to visit her on Monday and while they were bringing her out to us I just happened to ask the size of the kennels. The girl just looked at me (like: duh) and said: "Kennels? We don't use kennels. We crate them." I said: "What!?!?!?!" She said: "Well, we let them outside 3 or 4 times a day." I said: "Lady, when we used to kennel our springers here you had 6x8 kennels for each dog. We have a crate at home that she uses at night and if I wanted to keep her crated, we would have just kept her at home!~!" She said: "Well, we can kennel so many more this way." I said: "Not mine, you can't." And we brought her home. I was a little pissed to say the least!~! She was so happy to be with us and we are happy to have her home.
Still no fence---they are trying to work us in between jobs because of Abby. But we will just keep her in the house and when she goes out to potty, one of us takes her out on the leash because it just takes a second and she is over that fence. Better than being stuck in a crate--she has the whole house to roam, she just can't be free outside until the new fence is up. The way our house is built; the living room, then a big archway, the dining room, a door sized arch, the kitchen, another full archway and the computer room/office. So with it being so open lengthwise like that we can play fetch in the house and we do. In fact, today I was playing fetch with her and I hit my large (on a stand) fan, knocked it over and it broke all three blades off. So that went in the trash. What a day to do that!~!~! 80 in the house and 107 outside!~!
I hope you are enjoying your visit with your family. How warm is it there in WI? When will you be heading home?
Thank you for popping by. I have been missing your smiling posts.
snugs,
belva

Good grief, is crating dogs legal? Don't the animal cruelty people round your way have anything to say about it?

>#301:
Joanne;
I am sure that Bonnie and I would gladly give you our weather. It was so hot today when we went to the P.O. that for probably an hour after we got home I was the biggest *itch!~! My poor grandsons. I finally just looked at them and said: "Nanny is being a real *itch, huh?" and they both said yes. I cracked up and so did they and it was over and done. It gets hot; I guess you just deal with it. I am only good up to about 74 or 75 inside. (You can only peel so many layers off.) Outdoors probably 80 or 85.
What kind of concert are you going to? Hubby and I are not musically compatible. I thought he liked what I did until we got married and then the truth came out. He's an "oldies" dude. I like jazz and blues mainly, gospel, some classic rock, some classical and I like the old standards from the 40s, etc. I hope you don't need your waterproofing for the concert and I hope you enjoy it.
Thanx for popping by and take care.
hugs,
belva

>#306:
Donna;
Same here with Dancing at the Rascal Fair. The cover art got me and the back. Thank you for filling me in with the titles of #s 1 & 3. I will be hitting Amazon.com before bed tonight. It sounds like you enjoyed them. I don't know much about the author, but he has an interesting name. Russian, do you think? IDK
When I get the others of the trilogy and read them, I will be happy to let you know how I liked them.
I'm glad you stopped by. It's nice to talk about the books we read together.
later,
belva

>#308:
Hi Rob. How are you?
I don't see how it could be all right with the humane society or animal cruelty people to stuff dogs into a crate for perhaps 18 to 20 hours a day. You know, one would think that they would have something to say and do about it.
I don't know, but I was so upset. I still am; just thinking that out of my stupidity not to ask first--that Abby had to live like that for 2 days. I am just really thankful that we decided to go over and visit her. She is much better off here with us and housebound. She is a house dog anyway, but was used to freely roaming the yard until she began to fence jump. Now when she goes out she is on the leash with one of us. We are hoping that the fence guys will be here soon.
Good to see you guy. Stop by again. We'll pop a cold one.
belva

311 posts and a new computer--time for a new thread.

The 1st one is here:
http://www.librarything.com/topic/58024

The 3rd one is here:
http://www.librarything.com/topic/69911&newpost=1#lastmsg

Please stop by and see me.
belva

Kennels... too too many of them are sub sub par.
When I worked for the vet we hand so many post kennel visits.. and two dogs die..

terrible

When I got Duncan from the "rescue" place, they did the same. There is a lot to tell about that story, but I dare not think about it.. it raises my bp.

off to visit the daughter.. only 3 days *weep*
better than not...

be well

Take care, enjoy. We will continue the above discussion when you return.

For those souls who are lost, I am here now:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/69911