Cheli's 101010+20 for 2010

I'm in for the challenge- I've even got my categories picked out already!
These are just preliminary so I reserve the right to change my mind on the category or the books until 1/1/10. I'm doing the full 101010 plus a bonus category of 20 in honor of the century. I may add additional bonus categories at the end, if I finish before 10/10/10.
** indicates books I own





Here are my candidates for the categories
I. Cuddle up with a good cozy mystery (repeat from 999)
The chocolate Cat Caper**
The Chocolate Bear Burglary**
The Chocolate Frog Frame-up**
Murder on St. Mark's Place**
Finger Lickin' Fifteen
Death on Demand**
Design for murder**
The Diva Runs out of Thyme**
Death at Bishop's Keep**
Gilt by Association**
Dead Cat Bounce**
Jane & the Unpleasantness at Seagrove Manor**
Homicide in Hardcover**
Murder is binding**

II. Civil War and its Leaders
Lincoln President-Elect : Abraham Lincoln and the Great Secession Winter 1860-1861
Lincoln and Chief Justice Taney
Lincoln and his Admirals
The two American Presidents : a dual biography of Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis
Call of Duty: The Sterling Nobility of Robert E. Lee**
Tariffs, Blockades, and Inflation: The Economics of the Civil War
Desperate engagement : how a little-known Civil War battle saved Washington, D.C., and changed the course of American history
Confederate Ordeal: The Southern Home Front : The Civil War
The South vs. the South: How Anti-Confederate Southerners Shaped the Course of the Civil War
Why the South lost the Civil War
The Reconstruction Presidents

III. Love Is a Many Splendored Thing
Mastered by Love**
First comes Marriage**
Then Comes Seduction**
At Last Comes Love**
Everlasting**
Irresistible**
Gates of Trevalyan**
Taste of Innocence**
Queen's Bastard**

IV. Miss Austen and Her Relations (Pride & Prejudice lives on!)
The Exploits and Adventures of Miss Alethea Darcy** - Elizabeth Aston
The True Darcy Spirit - Elizabeth Aston**
The Second Mrs. Darcy** - Elizabeth Aston
Darcy's Temptation**
Mr. & Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy: Two Shall Become One** (Mr & Mrs Fitzwilliam Darcy) - Sharon Lathan
Loving Mr. Darcy: **Journeys Beyond Pemberley - Sharon Lathan
The Pemberley Chronicles: A Companion Volume to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice**: - Rebecca Ann COllins
The Women of Pemberley**: A Companion Volume to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (The Pemberley Chronicles)
The ladies of Longbourn : a companion volume to Jane Austen's Pride and prejudice
Mr. Darcy's Daughter: The acclaimed Pride and Prejudice sequel series (The Pemberley Chronicles)

V. Surprise - Books I find and want to read /group reads(repeat from 999)
The Picture of Dorian Gray (group read January)
The Three Musketeers **(group read Feb/Mar)
The Scarlet Pimpernel (group read 7/14)
Dressed for death
Lace Reader
Lost Symbol
Great Expectations
Call of the Wild (#neverstoptrying)
The 19th Wife
Empire of Ivory
Mister Monday
Over Sea, Under Stone

VI. Crafts, Cooking, and Hobbies (repeat from 999X2)
Knit One, Kill Two
Needled to Death
A Deadly Yarn
A Killer Stitch**
A Murderous Yarn **
Hanging by a Thread**
Hooked on Murder**
Murder in miniature**
Death by Cashmere**
Through the Grinder**
Plum Pudding Murder
Apple Turnover Murder**
Died in the Wool**
The Mournful Teddy**
The Clockwork Teddy**
The Crafty Teddy**
The False-Hearted Teddy**

VII. I HEARD THEM(repeat from 999X2)

RED Badge of Courage
this Republic of Suffering
Don't know much about the Civil War
Tried by War: Abraham Lincoln as Commander-in-Chief
With Malice Toward None: A Life of Abraham Lincoln
Team of Rivals (Lincoln cabinet)
A House Reunited
Borderline 1/24/10
Her Fearful Symmetry
The Art of Racing in the Rain
In Big Trouble
No! I don't want to join a book club
Someone to Love
The Sugar Queen
Seducing an Angel
Hardly Knew Her

VIII. Who/What/When/Where/How/Why? - Bios/history (Repeat from 999)
Polk : the man who transformed the presidency and America
The California Gold Rush and the coming of the Civil War**
The Impending Crisis (civil war bkgrd) joycepa
1858: Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant and the War they Failed to See
Lincoln at Gettysburg : the words that remade America
Zachary Taylor : Soldier, Planter, Statesman of the Old Southwest
Millard Fillmore:Biography of a President
Expatriation of Franklin Pierce: The Story of a President and the Civil War
James Buchanan by Jean Baker
Over the edge of the world:Magellan's terrifying circumnavigation of the globe

IX. Books found on the Internet/thru LT/at the library/in a bookstore (repeat from 999)
Lost Throne**
First lady of the Confederacy : Varina Davis's Civil War
Mrs. Robert E. Lee: The Lady of Arlington
If the South had won the Civil War
Yankee Women sjmccreary
The Brutal Telling (group Read April)
A Separate Country**
Eggs Benedict Arnold**
Decoding the Lost Symbol**
My Name is Will**
Wives of Henry Oades**
A Summer Affair**
Future Hope**

X. A Full Course Meal
Cocktails - Whiskey Sour
Salad - Crazy salad : some things about women
Bread and Butter - Fax me a bagel
Soup - 4th course of chicken soup for the soul
Seafood - The oyster wars of Chesapeake Bay
Chicken/Beef - Dead Meat
Wine & Cheese - The Bordeaux Betrayal
Dessert - Eat Cake
After Dinner Drinks - Clash of cavalry; the Battle of Brandy Station, June 9, 1863
Coffee or Tea - Sex, Murder and a Double Latte**

And I'm doing a bonus category of 20 books for the century!

BONUS - Niagara Falls 20 CATEGORY Overflow (repeat from 999X2)

I. Cuddle up with a good Cozy Mystery



1. Dressed for Death
2. Hail to the Chef
3. Eggs Benedict Arnold
4. Murder on St. Mark's Place
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

II. Civil War and its Leaders
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

III. Love is a Many Splendored Thing
1. True Colors
2. Someone to Love by Jude Deveraux
3. Mastered by Love
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

IV. Miss Austen and her relations (Pride & Prejudice lives on!)
1. Matters at Mansfield (or the Crawford Affair)
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

V. Surprise - Books I find and want to read





1. The Picture of Dorian Gray
2. Politically Correct Bedtime Stories: Modern Tales for Our Life & Times
3. Politically Correct Bedtime Stories: Once Upon a More Enlightened Time
4. The Complete World of Greek Mythology
5. Ella Minnow Pea
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

VI. Crafts/Hobbies/Cooking in the background





1. Plum Pudding Murder 1/13/10
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

7. I HEARD THEM (Audiobooks)



1. Venetian Betrayal 1/18/10
2. Borderline 1/24/10
3. Empire of Ivory 3/3/10
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

VIII. Who/What/When/Where/How/Why? - Bios/history




1. Polk : the man who transformed the presidency and America
2. Zachary Taylor : Soldier, Planter, Statesman of the Old Southwest
3. The California Gold Rush and the Coming of the Civil War
4. Millard Fillmore
5. Millard Fillmore: Biography of a President
6. Franklin Pierce:Young Hickory of the Granite Hills
7.
8.
9.
10.

IX. Books I found out about on the Internet/at the library/in a bookstore





1. The Lost Throne 1/8/10 4 stars
2. My Name is Will 1/19/10 ½ star
3. Decoding the Lost Symbol 2/14/10 3 stars
4. A Second Helping 3/27/10 3 stars
5. The Wives of Henry Oades 3/31/10 2 stars
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

10. Full Course Meal



1. Cocktails - Whiskey Sour 1/15/10
2. Salad - Perfection Salad: Women and Cooking at the Turn of the Century 3/23/10
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

BONUS 20 CATEGORY
NIAGARA FALLS Overflow (repeat from 999X2)

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.

There are twenty Pride and Prejudice-based books. I didn't expect that. And you didn't even have to add Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

There are actually more, those are just the ones I chose.

I'm planning on stealing a bunch of your books for my America and War categories.

Help yourself. Most of mine are for background and related to the presidents Challenge so I probably won't get to the Civil war until spring. I need to get through the Mexican War before I get to Lincoln and the Civil War.

I'm interested in that book on Chester A Arthur too. I've never heard of it before.

Wow, Cheli! By the end of next year, you will be a real expert on the Civil War and everything and everyone involved with it!

Wow, that P&P sequel list is hilariously amazing! I think I'm going to do an Austen-related category myself.

I know you said you were planning to read civil war and other history, but I didn't realize that you were going to do such a total immersion! I have the attention span of a 5-year old, if I tried to read that many history books in one year, I'd be looney before Valentine's Day. Which is frustrating, because you've got so many great-looking books there. I guess I'll wait for you to read them and tell us all about them. That's the next-best thing. Great list!

My problem was deciding which ones to read. I could have just read the presidents' bios but I found as I started the Presidents Challenge that I wanted some background most of the time so I ended up with additional books. Being that I've always had some interest in the Civil War, (a lot of romance novels are set in that era) and history in general (I enjoy watching the history channel), I decided that 2010 would be my history year and that I would finally read a bunch of books that I had heard about but never got around to.

Robert E. Lee is a very, very, very distant cousin and I always wanted to know more about him. I felt that he fit right in to this time period. Now that I have a list of the books that I want to read, I am trying to get them into chronological order so that I'm not switching back and forth in time. I know that there will be a great deal of overlap, and maybe I will decide to change some of the books if I get on overload, but I'm really hoping that I can space them out with other "regular" books so that they don't all start to run together. Know what I mean?

#21 I do know what you mean - that would be a big problem for me. If I read too many similar books too close together, pretty soon I can't tell them apart in my own mind. That is why I do not read series books back to back - I always try to leave a month or two in between. This sounds like a wonderful, but ambitious, reading project. I'll be cheering you on from the sidelines.

Believe it or not I've had to change my categories already. When I went searching to make sure that I could get all the P&P sequels, I found that many were not available at my library or by ILL. SO I can only get 10 (I own 2 already). I'm going to make P&P sequels a regular category and make Free Books my Bonus Category. That way if I read anything that doesn't really fit into an existing category, it'll be part of the bonus. Taking a regular category for P&P made me have to shift some books out and others around. I eliminated 2 Lincoln bios and, of course found 2 others to replace them, removed the 3 volumes on Gettysburg (figure I'll have my fill of war without those), and retired the Presidents after Lincoln to the next challenge. In my original plan, I only had 19 open slots, now I have 36. I think this will work better for me, because I will have some wiggle room for all those books I find 'accidentally' along the path to the bookstore and library.

I am finding that the number of my ILL requests have gone up dramatically in the last year. I'm guessing libraries don't have as much in their collections because of budget shortfalls and the economy. Still, it irks me that I pay taxes to support the library but in order to read the books I want, it's $1 a pop. And they won't ILL anything less than six months old. What's your experience?

My ILLS are up drastically, too. I can have up to 50 books on reserve and no special limit for ILLs. No cost to do it.

In fact, sometimes, if their book is loaned out, they will get an ILL for me instead.

I used to use a bigger neighboring library but they instituted a preference for their own cardholders so now, I just have my smaller local library do it.

In fact, a few months ago, I was at the library helping my elderly mother sign up for a library card. When I introduced myself, the woman knew exactly who I was and wanted to know where I get all of my book ideas from. (That would be Publishers' Weekly and LT.) She said that, as they process my requests, they get a lot of book ideas from my list.

Speaking as someone who works in a library, the ILL situation has gotten critical. The entire ILL system for the state of Maine was down (as in...so sorry ---no ILL) for almost two months because the van service that picks up and delivers couldn't fulfill its contract, and boy did it get hairy.

In our small library, we do ILLs and allow our patrons 2 per month. After that they have to pay the return postage (book rate $2.77). We don't participate in the van service (way too rich for our blood) and find USPS is much the better way to go.

If your library is large and suddenly charging for ILLs, it may be time to approach your Friends group if you have one, and ask if they might be interested in supplementing the ILL cost.

Sorry Cheli...didn't mean to hijack your thread. I probably should have taken this discussion to the kitchen.

No problem, I had to play with ILL today because I was checking on books for my 1010 anyway. From my library, there are no restrictions, or limits. The only problem I have is that it takes about 2 weeks to get them and there are no renewals, so you have to read it when you get it.

Hola. I'll be checking in to read about your Austen books and food books and to see which Lincolns you recommend. The husband likes Lincoln.

I made a big decision today about Lincoln and the Civil War. I decided that 34 books about Abe Lincoln and the Civil War was a bit too much and since I didn't have a category where I reasonably could put any romances, I decided that some of those histories had to go.
So I cut Abe in half and the Civil War in half and combined them and took the extra category and made it for romances. I saved two in the audio book section so I gained 8 slots back, while still having 33 histories.
I might have to make some other changes in the books if I don't get to my desired spot by year end 2009.

#29 Cheli, I'm so glad you came to your senses! ;-) That was an awful lot of history - romance is much more fun! Maybe you could find some romances set in the civil war...

Hahaha! I'm so happy to be in a place where people say things like: "I decided that 34 books about Abe Lincoln and the Civil War was a bit too much..."

#31 Me, too, GingerbreadMan. Maybe two dozen Civil War books would be plenty.

#30, Sandy, I rarely read romances but a romance fan recommended Debbie Macomber as a romance writer who someone like me might like and I do. I've read all the Blossom St books and hope to read more of the numbered books. Can't remember the series name.

Oh, and back when I was going to mystery conferences and met and corresponded with author Meg Chittenden, who writes mysteries and romances, I read hers, too.

Of course, there are always mysteries set during the Civil War. Cheli, would those count for you?

I've never read any but Ann McMillan and Michael Kilian have been recommended to me as people writing Civil War mysteries.

The Civil War books are supposed to be background material for the President's challenge. I found this year that even reading the Bios of the preisdents, I still wanted background, so there was Ben Franklin, writing of the constitution, making the erie Canal, War of 1812, first ladies, Supreme Court. See what I mean. In 2010 I just figured I'd build those books in - Mexican War, Gold Rush, Civil War, Reconstruction.

Somewhere down the road I may take a look at the mysteries, but right now I think I have enough planned for the historical era of the mid 19th century.

I understand. I've got a book about life in the U.S. during the Jacksonian era. I want to read about the transcontinental railroad. Every presidential biography raises these side issues.

That is, every presidential book I read leads me to a bunch more.

The only way I'm going to get through the Presidents challenge is to keep going, adding side-issues to the TBR list for later. I'm amazed at those who are reading multiple books on each Prez. I must have a very short attention span!

I only read multiples on Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe. (okay half) I was happy with the information that I found on Washington, Adams, and JQA but the others it was harder to form an opinion so I "had" to read additional books. (somebody was really holding a gun to head to read- ha..ha.)

As for my decision about Lincoln, the problem was that there are so any wonderful books out there about him and I couldn't make up my mind.

Same thing for the Civil War... I keep seeing another book and another and think "Oh, that would be good" but I just can't read them all. maybe when I finish the President's Challenge(USPC) I'll go back and read the ones that I missed.

Only, this is going to sound strange, but have been thinking lately, that when I finish the USPC I want to read the bios of the Kings and Queens of England. It seems to me that so much of our hstory is tied up with England and I would like to see how we got where we did before the revolution.

@37
A group based on reading bios of the Kings and Queens of England would be pretty popular, I'm sure. I'd definitely join it!

I would be a definite no on the kings and queens bios.

Maybe my next challenge would be to read a bio of every member of the baseball hall of fame. At 289, I would probably have to limit myself somehow.

>37 cyderry:, 38

Me too, but after the USPC.

Definitely after!
I know that there are a bunch of books out there but I'm not sure whether to restrict it to non-fiction or fiction or allow both. I have some time to think about it and maybe by the time I'm ready, my sister traumatroler will be retired and ready to join in. I know that she likes british history too.

I've read some over the years but somehow stopped right before the revolution, so I feel I'm missing that part definitely.

But it's 3 years away!

Cheli, just got an email with this book highlighted from the History Book Club. I thought of you.

It's called Civil War Wives and it's by Carol Berkin (can't get touchstone to work). Features three women--one an abolitionist orator and the other two were wives of prominent Civil War figures, Jefferson Davis and Ulysses S. Grant.

Are you trying to make trouble? I'm trying to cut down on some of Civil War and you want to add to it!

**grambling she heads toward another website to check these out**

heh-heh, that's me Cheli. Troublemaker extraordinaire. When my Civil War mysteries gambit didn't work, I had to try again.

This one sounds interesting. Maybe in 2011, I will have an Abe Lincoln/Civil War category.

Excellent list, I'm going to steal some of your cilvil war and other history book ideas!

I love your categories especially the Miss Austen one. There are so many fabulous P & P sequels and more coming out every month.

Okay, since I finally finished my second 999 and have a few days before 101020 starts, I've been reviewing my list and made my finally adjustments (I think?). You'll probably notice that there are a greaat number of ** on the list. I am trying to cut down my mountain range to just a few hills, so I am tackling my TBRs and trying to reduce the number of books that I buy in 2010. (I will need a lot of luck because one of my favorite places to shop is the bookstore!)

I didn't get as far on my presidents as I wanted in 2009 (only 10 out of the 11 I was hoping for) and this year I'm not sure that I'll ever get past Lincoln since there are just too many good books out there about him, so I have the list I want to start with and if I make good progress I may reward myself with a few extras, but only from the library.

I've got my first 20 or so all lined up just waiting on the shelf - but I have a few treats that I saved for the end of the year - so it's not like I'm not reading.

Good luck everybody and wait for the ball to drop on Friday! Happy New Year to all!

Here are the books that I'm hoping to get to in January.

The Picture of Dorian Gray (group read January)
Polk : the man who transformed the presidency and America
Lost Throne**
Zachary Taylor
Plum Pudding Murder
My Name is Will**
The Venetian Betrayal
The chocolate Cat Caper**
The Chocolate Bear Burglary**
The Chocolate Frog Frame-up**
Borderline
A Separate Country**
Death on Demand**
Design for murder**
Decoding the Lost Symbol**
Apple Turnover Murder**
The Charlemagne Pursuit
Dressed for Death
Whiskey Sour

Just curious....how many of those 19 are audios?

Only 7. So that's 12 to read - more books than audio.

I actually planned a list of January books today and placed library holds on those I don't already have. A grand total of 10. A little less than last year, but plenty to keep me busy. 19 boggles my mind a bit! Especially including 2 presidential bio's!

I started Dressed for Death on audio in the car today. Almost finished with disk 1 - so far very good!

Good luck on an ambitious plan!

Listing all of the books I plan to read for an upcoming month seems to be a bit too much for me.

However, I am thinking of "next five books to read" and will note those on my 1010 thread.

No doubt, I'll be including a Lincoln and the Civil War category in 2011 so I'll especially look forward to hearing more about your books in these topics, Cheli. I'd like to read the Shelby Foote Civil War trilogy, for starters.

Even though he was a fellow Illinoisan, I haven't read all that much about Lincoln, I'm embarassed to say.

OMG, at this point last year I had finished 4 books, this year zippo! Will I be able to catch up?

Oh, but you've been enjoying your little grandson! That's far better than 4 books! I love being a grandma!

You're right, Ivy. I spent 3 days with my little sweetheart and we had a great time especially since he is just getting ready to start walking and will grab your hand and take off. (He's still nervous about going it alone though.) I've got two books 2/3 done and another that's about 1/2 done.

# 1 THE LOST THRONE
Author: Chris Kuzneski
Read: Jan 1 - Jan 8
Format: Unedited Proof Book, 495 pages
Source: publisher for review
Setting: St Petersburg, Russia; Greece
Subject: murder, smuggling, antiquities
Category: ER/ LT Recommendations
Genre: mystery-police procedural
Challenges: 101020, Thriller Suspense, TBR, 75 Book, Endless Europe, Chunkster

DJ Jones and Jonathan Payne are disturbed while on vacation and enlisted to rescue a damsel in distress (Allison) who has witnessed the murder of her employer in St. Petersburg, Russia. Determining that the reason for the murder by a hit man has something to do with what Allison's boss was looking for, the three set out on a treasure hunt.

At the same time Nick Dial, the head of Interpol's Homicide division is investigating the brutal mass slaying of an entire community of monks in Greece. The stories are fast paced and intricately interwoven throughout until they converge at a thrilling climax.

I received this book for review from the publisher, and to be honest, I had delayed reading it, now I wished I hadn't. I found out that this was the third in a series with these characters and I will definitely be looking for the first two books. What a great way to start 2010!

#2 THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY
Author: Oscar Wilde
Read: Jan 1 - Jan 8
Format: audio, Overdrive, 7.5 hours, 456 page equivalent
Source: public library
Narrator: Michael Paige
Subject: art, bargain with the devil
Setting: England
Category: Surprise: Books I want to read
Challenges: 101020, SYLL, 75 Book, Audio
Stars: 3

Dorian Gray was a young man that had his portrait painted by Basil Hallward. Basil had a "crush" on Dorian and felt that the Dorian's "beauty" and his association with young man was the reason for Basil's new success. While at Basil's, Dorian is introduced to Lord Henry Wotton and is fascinated by the philosophies which embrace hedonism professing the pursuit of beauty and sensory satisfaction are the primary reasons for existence. This leads to Dorian's "bargain with the devil" to have his portrait absorb the ravages of age rather than his own visage.

Art seems to be key in this book - the portrait is mandatory to the plot, but then there is the character of Sybil Vane, whom Dorian Gray "loves" except that what he loves is not the girl but the characters that she represents on the stage. When he no longer worships her art, he no longer loves her.

Dorian Gray's debauchery is cataloged throughout and the activities that he engages are made apparent by the ravages to the portrait.

Knowing to a certain degree what the story was about, the beginning was hard for me to get into. But once the story proceeded to the details, it was more entertaining.

#3 POLK: THE MAN WHO TRANSFORMED THE PRESIDENCY AND AMERICA
Author: Walter R. Borneman
Read: Dec 31 - Jan 8
Format: audio, PLAYAWAY, 13 hours, 445 page equivalent
Source: public library
Narrator: Alan Nebelthau
Subject: James Polk, President, US History, western expansion
Setting: California, Oregon, Tennessee, Washington, DC
Category: WHO, WHAT, WHEN , WHERE, HOW & WHY
Challenges: 101020, SYLL, USPC, 75 Book
Stars: 3

James Knox Polk is remembered mainly as the first "dark horse" president but historians feel that he was a near-great president. He grew as a politician under the tutelage of Andrew Jackson. He was a compromise candidate of the Democrat party in 1844 after serving as Governor of Tennessee and Speaker of the House of Representatives. He promised before election that he would only serve one term ad that his objectives were to reduce the tariff, create an independent federal Treasury, annex Texas and bring in Oregon and California . He accomplished all of these while serving as commander-in chief during the Mexican American War.

Polk was a no-nonsense President who, when Rivers and Harbors legislation was proposed ( the largest bit of pork barrel legislation ever put before the congress) at the same time as important legislation regarding tariff reduction, Polk waited for the passage of other vital legislation before vetoing the rivers and harbor bill with the message "many of the projects were of a local measure and far beyond what could be called essential to the nation's commerce" .He stated that "to call the mouth of a creek, a harbor, cannot confer the authority to spend money for its improvement."
"Should this bill become law, the precedent that it establishes will inevitably lead to large and annually increasing appropriations and drains upon the treasury. For it is not to be doubted that new and other localities will demand of their representatives in Congress " equal representation.
POLITICAL COMMENT
Polk presidency seems to be mirror reflection of what is happening in today's politics - he was accused of starting the Mexican War and the Whigs were constantly battling to show him up, but when it came time to act, the appropriations that were needed were passed without issue. To this day we have unnecessary expenses for "improvements" that are not needed simply as part of pork barrel legislation. What a shame that we did not learn from history.

I've caught up on all the threads for this group, YEAH!

I'm impressed. I am trying to read all the threads here but it's practically a full time job!

When this group was just getting started and people would post "I'm starring your thread" on some, I was confused because how long does it take to periodically read a dozen or so threads?

You can tell this is my first challenge.

Well, you could keep up with all of them, as long as you didn't plan on reading any actual books of your own!

Now that the initial flurry of posts is beginning to die down, I've been attempting to read a dozen or so threads each day (in addition to those I've already starred). This year I am ruthlessly red-Xing threads that don't have the warm chattiness that I love (like this one) or that are mostly about books that I don't have any interest in. I'm hoping that getting them out of the way will make it easier for me to see the threads that I will enjoy.

Sandy,
That's what I've been doing. When someone starts a thread I check the categories that they have listed and if they aren't books that I'm really interested in or are definitely not interested in, then I X them out. I star the ones that I really really want to keep up on and then when I get a chance I read all the non-starred, non-Xed. I figure I read the starred one every day and the others once a week.

Good ideas about managing threads. There are 4 or 5 people I "talk" to beyond books so I've starred you guys and I also check categories I like for 1010. (You know who you are!!)

Early in the year, I've looked at more of the nonstarred threads, just to see if they might be of interest.

There are also a couple of threads I follow but they are so active that I know that they'll be up at the top all the time anyway.

I don't ever x anything out unless I am truly sick of that topic or someone has been really annoying.

Now I don't feel so bad, I've got a fellow X-er in sjmccreary.. there's just only so much time in a day, and I spend probably too much time on LT as it is!

Last year I spent so much time on LT, I considered activating a program called LeechBlock, that you set and it only lets you in at certain preset times. I did finally learn how to manage the X's and stars. Right now, I'm lurking on a lot of threads that I've not yet starred. If the categories aren't to my interest, and they've read 10 books and not one of them (or the ensuing discussion) jumped out at me, I've X'd it.

If I notice someone who is contributing to threads I follow but I'm not following that person's, I'll go look them up and see if they need to be starred.

Now if we could just cut down on the 3 worder's and convince people to add something substantive...

she lifts shoulders in big heavy sigh and goes off to read more threads

I tend to star the threads with conversations and/or interesting reviews (which range from complete reviews to impressions). I banish the ones that just list the book with an uninformative "liked it" or similar. I figure those threads are there to allow the LTer to keep track of what they've read, but aren't really intended to be shared. Which is fine-we're all doing this for different reasons. But it is impossible to read all the threads!

#69 Tina, tell me more about that program. LT is the worst, but not the only, site for distracting me when I need to be working. I can't block the entire internet since I need to get to some sites. I'm just too ADD to stay on task when there is something so interesting just a click away!

Sandy #71--I sent you the info in a PC.

Thanks, Tina, I got it!

#4 PLUM PUDDING MURDER
Author: Joanne Fluke
Read: Jan 9 - Jan 13
Format: audio, 8 Discs, 9¼ hours, 303 page equivalent
Source: public library
Narrator: Suzanne Toren
Subject: bad business, murder, recipes
Setting: Lake Eden Minnesota
Category: Cozy mystery, culinary mystery
Challenges: 101020, SYLL, , 75 Book, Audio,
Stars: 3

For all those who are regular Hannah Swensen fans, this was as enjoyable as all the others with the renewed appearances of Moishe, the cat, Hannah's two boyfriends, Dolores (her mother),her sisters, niece, and co-workers.

Hannah is supplying cookies to Crazy Elf town where Christmas trees are sold along with other amusements to entertain the tree buyers. The shady business owner is found murdered by Hannah and Norman (boyfriend #1) and while Hannah tries to solve the murder, she also tries to figure out why Carrie (N9rman's Mother) seems to be hiding something from her friends and son.

It is delightful how the recipes that are included (28 total) are interwoven in the story and how the characters fit together so perfectly. Looking forward to the next one.

I like this series, but I am so tired of the two boyfriend thing. I'm hesitant to read more because I know that it still hasn't gotten resolved. Pick one already!

I'm always impressed to hear about people who actually have a working system for managing the threads! I've got the starring down, but I really need to work on using that red x some more....

I got the feeling during this book , that Hannah was getting ready to pick Norman when Mike rescued her. She really had alot of thoughts about making a decision so I think it is coming soon. We can only hope!

I won the next one in the series on the ER group, so I'm waiting for it to arrive.

Glad to hear that you hadn't gotten Apple Turnover yet either. I wish she'd just pick Norman and get it over with.

Vote #3 for Norman....I keep wanted to smack her upside the head...even the cat wants Norman. for those of you about to bounce into the next book, just don't tell us if you get there before the rest of us do--you can tell us she picks, but NOT WHO SHE PICKS>

Tina, I think you were among the people recommending Donna Leon to me, weren't you?

I had a 90 minute train ride (each way) into the city to go to The Merry Widow at the opera and really got into Death at La Fenice and I am loving it.

That's on my list for this year, so I'm glad to hear it's good.

Linda,
I've done 3 of the Donna Leon's and loved them all.

#5 WHISKEY SOUR
Author: J.A. Konrath
Read: Jan 8 - Jan 15
Format: Paperback, 276 pages
Source: Public Library
Setting: Chicago
Subject: serial murder
Category: A Full Course Meal
Genre: mystery-police procedural
Challenges: 101020, Thriller Suspense, 75 Book, SYLL
Stars: 2½

The heroine of this tale is named Jack Daniels so when I was looking for a book that would give me the "Cocktails" for my Full Course Meal, I thought this would be perfect. It fit the category but was not particularly palatable for me. The story is set in Chicago and tells of a serial killer who targets "sluts".

This mystery wasn't really a mystery because the reader knows right from the beginning who the bad guy is and what he is thinking and doing. He is vicious and sadistic. The descriptions of his crimes are graphic and frightening. He went after Jack without any real provocation other than the fact that she was in charge of the investigation into the brutal crimes he committed. Character development left something to be desired.

I have ready many murder mysteries but these murders are among the most grisly that I've read, (and I have read about the BTK murders). It was sickening to read about the sexual assault of his victims both alive and dead. It truly was frightening so much so that at times I had to put the book away because I couldn't bare anymore. Thriller, yes...entertaining, no. I definitely will not be continuing this series.

Editorial: I have to say that I do not feel that the graphic details of the viciousness that were included in this book were warranted and that the story would have been more palatable without all the specifics. I also believe that the details included could lead to them be used in real life and that would very sad.

Not sure if I should offer congrats for sticking with this till the end, or suggest counseling. I do appreciate the heads-up. I will definitely NOT be putting this one on my list.

Now go have a nice glass of wine and curl up with a Diane Mott Davidson, or Joanne Fluke, or Nancy Atherton, Alexander McCall Smith, or some other gentle read...or go look at grandbaby pictures.

Actually I'm listening to a Steve Berry/Cotton Malone mystery - so much better - still a thriller but one I can handle. After I finish that, I'm on to Donna Leon.

#82 So have I - looking forward to #4.

#83 I appreciate your note at the end of the review. I love thrillers and mysteries and do not object to violence and depravity in my villians - when it adds to the story. But sometimes there is simply no reason to include graphic details.

Thanks for understanding, Sandy.
Something inside just said to me that I needed to vent that feeling so that I could say to myself that I had at least told someone that the book needed to be less graphic and detailed and would still be able to be thrilling and entertaining. By writing it in this manner, it just turned me off to any future books by this author.

I appreciate the heads up as well. A good bad guy really adds to the story, but too much is just too much.

# 6 THE VENETIAN BETRAYAL
Author: Steve Berry
Read: Jan 14 - Jan 18
Format: audio, 12 Discs, 15½ hours, 618 page equivalent
Source: Public Library
Setting: Denmark, Venice, Asia
Narrator: Scott Brick
Subject: world takeover, biological warfare, miracle cure, Alexander the Great
Category: I Heard it!
Genre: International intrigue
Challenges: 101020, Thriller Suspense, 75 Book, SYLL, Chunkster, Audio
Stars: 3½

This book is the third installment of the Cotton Malone mystery series and it continues to utilize the historical mysteries of the past to entertain in the here and now. In this story Cotton is drafted out of his retirement by friends to assist them in preventing the Supreme Minister of the Central Asian Federation from utilizing biological warfare to take over the world.

Okay, I know that that sounds pretty melodramatic, but basically that's the plot. It doesn't seem that it would be plausible but Steve Berry somehow manages to take these unusual situations and make you suspend your belief, and go with the characters through their trials and emerge from the dangers triumphant.

I really like this series and look forward to the future installments.

I was just looking over my wishlist today and saw this book had been sitting there for quite a while - was wondering if it was time to give it a go. Looks like I need to plan on it soon.

#7 MY NAME IS WILL
Author: Jess Winfield
Read: Jan 17 - Jan 19
Format: Trade Paperback, 300 pages
Source: Blog giveaway
Subject:Shakespeare, drugs, sex
Setting: Santa Cruz, CA
Category: Books found on the Internet/thru LT/at the library/in a bookstore
Challenges: 101020, 75 Book, BOSC
Stars:½

I don't really know what to say about this book. It's basically about a graduate student named William Shakespeare Greenberg who rather than spend the time and effort he needs to on his thesis, he spends his time getting laid, smoking pot, and other reprehensible activities. I saw no value in this book at all.

I guess it just wasn't my type of book.

#91 Not mine, either, I don't think. Sure hope your next one is better.

91. good to know. negative reviews are as helpful as positive ones!

#8 BORDERLINE
Author: Nevada Barr
Read: Jan 14 - Jan 18
Format: audio, 11 Discs, 12½ hours, 384 page equivalent
Source: Public Library
Setting: Big Bend Natl Park, Texas
Narrator: Barbara Rosenblatt
Subject: Illegal Border crossings, rafting expeditions, politics
Category: I Heard it!
Genre: Mystery
Challenges: 101020, 75 Book, SYLL, Audio
Stars: 3

This is the 15th novel starring Anna Pigeon as our favorite National Park Ranger. Anna is on administrative leave after the incidents at Isle Royale and is taking a rafting expedition in Big Bend National Park with her husband Paul Davidson and several college students.

This story departs from the normal Anna Pigeon tales in that Anna is not "on duty" yet somehow gets involved in the intrigue of a political marriage gone bad, a murdered pregnant woman, while a new born baby is at the center of the tale.

The story seems to be missing some the attention that the other books have had on the National Park where the story takes place. I never got the feel of the park itself and I felt that the story was too much centered on who the baby was rather than how it all happened. There were many great parts (amusing, thrilling) but overall, not one of my favorite Anna Pigeon stories.

I've read only a scattered few Nevada Barr books but this is one series I'd really like to get into, starting at the beginning.

track of the cat is the first. I've readthem all. It's one of my favorite series.

I think I have Track of the Cat and A Superior Death, the first two. I recall reading one involving New York City and the Statue of Liberty. Maybe one other, too.

Liberty Falling is the one at the Statue of Liberty.

My two favorites are Firestorm and Blind Descent.

Ok, Cheli and gang, I've got a question now. I've seen the Nevada Barr national parks series but never read any. I saw a stand alone book - 13 1/2 - that I put on my wishlist, then took off again because the reviews were largely negative. Have you read anything besides the Anna Pigeon books?

I saw 13½ described when it first came out. I wasn't drawn to the storyline.

# 9 Zachary Taylor : Soldier, Planter, Statesman of the Old Southwest
Author: K. Jack Bauer
Read: Jan 17 - Jan 27
Format: Hardback, 327 pages
Source: Public Library Interlibrary Loan
Subject:Presidential Biography, Mexican War
Setting: Texas, Mexico, Washington
Category: Who/What/When/Where/How/Why? - Bios/history
Genre: History
Challenges: 101020, 75 Book, SYLL, USPC
Stars: 3

Have you ever heard of Zachary Taylor? Do you recognize the name? Other than having been the President of the United States sometime before Lincoln, would you know anything about him? Would you think that people would elect a man who had never served in an elected office? As I read this book, I was filled with questions about a man who served as the 12th President of the US and no other executive or legislative office.

What makes politicians think that they are qualified to give orders for a military action and what makes military men think that they are qualified to govern? Throughout this book Zachary Taylor faced issues dealing with the orders of the government officials sending orders to him for the military actions whether it was the War of 1812 or the Mexican American War. It is a shame that during a time when communications between the battlefield and Washington took weeks, politicians would make policy changes and send orders which resulted in difficulties for the military leaders to obey without increased dangers and loss of life to the army troops. The biggest question is, did he learn from that situation?

The man was an enigma, that's what the book said. I agree. He appears to be non-partisan in the short time that he served as President. During the election time, he did not campaign, but stated when asked about running for the office " My opinion has always been against elevating a military chief to that position." but that if he was elected he would serve "so as to be President of a nation and not of a party." When the members of the Whig party were drawing him into the election he tried not to step on the toes of any of the major political players and wouldn't answer as to his stance on the issues. He merely said that he would support the decisions of the Congress as long as they did not violate the Constitution.

President Taylor appears to have seen issues in only black or white and only had the ability to use his military training to handle those issues. If he didn't understand or feel qualified to handle a problem, he apparently passed it on to a subordinate. He had no clear plan of what needed to be done when he took office, and he didn't give the impression that he wanted anyone else's ideas either. He ultimately flew by the seat of pants through several issues before his unexpected death.

I was actually looking forward to reading this book about the life of the 12th President of the United States. I knew absolutely nothing about Zachary Taylor and was anxious to find out about the man. The details that were disclosed about his life and activities were many, yet I don't think that I'm really sure of his standings on the issues of the time even after reading this book, the man is still an enigma. I good general yes, president, not sure.

One note - I don't understand the title because yes, he was a soldier, but I wouldn't say that he was a statesman and I never really saw him as a planter, either.

Was he the one who took office after William Henry Harrison died after only a month in office? I get confused around that time.

(edited to say: oh wait, never mind, I think that was John Tyler)

What I love about reading the presidential bios in order is that so many issues seem to recur throughout history. Military men, such as Ike, do seem to run despite not having held office. How did Taylor handle things vs how Ike?

I know so little about the post-Monroe, pre-Lincoln presidents but am looking forward to learning more.

Wow. I didn't realize that Jack Bauer had time to write a prez bio in between fighting terrorists and stuff...

#10 DRESSED FOR DEATH
Author: Donna Leon
Read: Jan 25 - Jan 30
Format: audio, CD 8 Discs, 9.75 hours, 352 page equivalent
Source: public library
Setting: Venice, Italy
Narrator: David Colacci
Subject: FRAUD,
Category: Cuddle up with a cozy mystery
Challenges: 101020, SYLL, 75 Book, Audio
Stars: 3½

Commissario Guido Brunetti's mysteries third installment exposes several imperfections in Brunetti's nature -- some charming, some perplexing, all fascinating.

A man's body wearing a dress and new high-heeled shoes, beaten beyond recognition, is found in an area frequented by prostitutes. What initially is thought to be a transvestite's violent death, slowly evolves into a tale of intrigue involving lawyers, fraud, money laundering and transvestitism.

Guido notices that the shaving of the body doesn't appear to be expertly done which leads him to question if the victim was truly a transvestite. His own sensitivities make the Commisario question his prejudices as his investigation treads through the world of the demimonde. At the same time as Guido is struggling with his own bigotries he has to deal with his private satisfaction as his superior, Vice-Questore Patta, copes with the departure of his wife in the arms of a well-known pornographer.

Paola and the kids go off to vacation without Guido which necessitates the need for additional characters to interact with Guido so we are introduced to Signorina Elettra Zorzi, a new secretary/assistant. Supposedly the secretary to Patta, her abilities for computer hacking as well as contacts in the "outside" world bode a great future for this character.

The social observations at the end where the victim's widow states that no matter that it was proven that her husband was not a transvestite, he will always be remembered for being found dead in dress, makes the reader stop to think of what else Brunetti's future will comment on in society.

Again, a winner with Commisario Guido Brunetti.

JANUARY RECAP
Well, January was very busy for me outside of reading. I worked for my husband for 2+ weeks following a longggg weekend at New Years with family and my new grandson. So I only managed about ½ of what I wanted to get read. But ½ is better than none.

The best of the month was my first book - The Lost Throne
The worst of the month - My Name is Will

I. Cuddle up with a good cozy mystery (repeat from 999)
Dressed for Death

II. Civil War and its Leaders

III. Love Is a Many Splendored Thing

IV. Miss Austen and Her Relations (Pride & Prejudice lives on!)

V. Surprise - Books I find and want to read /group reads (repeat from 999)
The Picture of Dorian Gray Tioli Challenge

VI. Crafts, Cooking, and Hobbies (repeat from 999X2)
Plum Pudding Murder Tioli Challenge

VII. I HEARD THEM (repeat from 999X2)
Venetian Betrayal
Borderline

VIII. Who/What/When/Where/How/Why? - Bios/history (Repeat from 999)
Polk : the man who transformed the presidency and America
Zachary Taylor : Soldier, Planter, Statesman of the Old Southwest

IX. Books found on the Internet/thru LT/at the library/in a bookstore (repeat from 999)
The Lost Throne
My Name is Will

X. A Full Course Meal
Whiskey Sour

I'm hoping to do better in February, I have planned:

True Colors
The California Gold Rush and the coming of the Civil War
The Matters at Mansfield
Decoding the Lost Symbol
Salad - Crazy salad : some things about women
Death on Demand
Design for murder
Eggs Benedict Arnold
Mastered by Love my TIOLI challenge book
The chocolate Cat Caper**
Someone to Love
Empire of Ivory
The Three Musketeers (group read Feb/Mar)
Sea of Monsters
Apple Turnover Murder
The Charlemagne Pursuit
Millard Fillmore:Biography of a President
A Separate Country

quite a list....aren't you glad you're not flying to Hilton Head? You'd need an extra suitcase just for books...

Hopefully, I'll have most of them done before we leave.

This would be a great time to have a Kindle!!

#108 lol! Linda, do you get a commission for each one of those that you sell?!

#109--I wish I did. I am always showing mine off in public when complete strangers ask me about it.

I am sans Kindle today and it feels strange. When I get my hair cut, as I am tonight, I have no problem tossing a paperback on top of my jacket in the waiting area (if someone wants to read Anne Perry that badly...) but wouldn't do that with my Kindle.

#11 The California Gold Rush and the Coming of the Civil War

Author: Leonard L. Richards
Read: Jan 28 - Feb 1
Format: paperback, 277 pages
Source: Barnes & Noble
Setting: United States - California, Washington, DC, Panama
Subject: California, Statehood, Compromise of 1850, Gold Rush
Category: Who/What/When/Where/How/Why? - Bios/history
Genre: History
Challenges: 101020, 75 Book
Stars: 4½

Have you ever wondered what was involved in bringing a new state into the union? This book details the history of the statehood of California as well as the politics that surrounded the procedure following the discovery of gold in 1847.

Just as the Mexican-American War is ending, gold is discovered at Sutter's Mill in the Sacramento Valley. Now the word Gold Rush is not exactly accurate. Word was sent to Washington of the discovery, but they didn't believe it at first. By the time the gold hunters were "rushing" off to California, months had passed. The new miners came from parts of California, the eastern United States, Mexico, Australia, China and South America. Some travelled around the Cape Horn, others crossed the isthmus and then back north up the Pacific coasts. Either way it took months to get to the gold fields.

With the influx of all the gold hunters, California, part of the land settlement with Mexico, had sufficient population to apply for statehood immediately. Californians wanted to be admitted to the Union as a free state and drafted a constitution stating that "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, unless for the punishment of crimes, shall ever be tolerated in the State." However, the Southern Slave states were adamant that they needed room to expand and that due to Missouri Compromise the southern portion of California, at least, should be slavery friendly.

California's statehood became a major bone of contention between the abolitionists and the pro-slavery lobbies of the day. Unionists fought secessionists, fistfights turned into duels. Henry Clay proposed a Compromise which would aid the South in retrieving runaway slaves while California was admitted as a free state. Just as a deadlock seemed imminent, President Taylor, strongly in favor of California statehood without compromise, dies leaving Millard Fillmore (who was in favor of the legislation) to support and sign the documents. Would matters and history have been different if Taylor had lived? We will never know.

The men that were elected to represent California in the Senate were actually Southern slaveholders and voted in numerous instances in the South's favor prior to the war. To reach California without going by sea, a need for a transcontinental railroad was debated. Southerners wanted a route through Texas, while Northerners wanted the route to go through the Nebraska territory. The need for land required the organization of the Kansas and Nebraska territories.

In the decade before the election of Lincoln, the California Senators, Gwin and Broderick were major players in the controversies between the North and South. Broderick who was violently opposed to Buchanan due to a Buchanan's handling of the patronage positions in California, fought with Stephen Douglas against the statehood submission from Kansas. Gwin, on the other hand, was close to Buchanan and when the issues came to a head, knocked out not only his fellow Californian but Stephen Douglas from their positions of influence in the Senate.

Due to the loss of his influence, Broderick encountered difficulties when he returned to the west for elections, and was killed in a duel the day after elections were held. Gwin and his followers were blamed for the "assassination" of Broderick. Later, Gwin's return to Washington went unnoticed due to the recent activities of John Brown in Harper's Ferry. The nation, due to the politics of North vs. South, was being torn apart. How appropriate that, at the same time that North and South were ripping each other apart, the politicians of California sent a bill to Congress to separate California into two states?

When the war finally began, California remained on the side of the Union and its yearly gold shipment supported the war effort throughout.

Did the discovery of Gold in California, hasten the call to war while assisting the Union during its trial? How interesting it might be if we could re-write history?

This was a well-crafted book telling the tale of California's statehood using the people that created it. The prologue starts with the duel in which Senator Broderick is killed and then the story weaves its way through the state history bringing the reader full circle to that point in time showing all the while the importance of the men and the events involved.

#11 fascinating! on my wishlist!

Baby sis....hate to admit it but I FINALLY got to read this whole thread from the beginning. I really want to thank you because you've just completed my list for 2011. Great list....be sure to keep any you rip, or buy. I will ask to 'borrow' them after you finish them (when next we meet.)

Anything in particular make it to your list?

nothing in particular ...just the whole damn list!

I thought there were a few good books on my list.

#12 The Matters at Mansfield: Or, The Crawford Affair

Author: Carrie Bebris
Read: Feb 2 - Feb 4
Format: Paperback, 286 pages
Source: Public Library
Subject:betrothals, elopements
Setting: Buckinghamshire, Gretna Green, Mansfield
Category: Miss Austen and Her Relations (Pride & Prejudice lives on!)
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Challenges: 101020, 75 Book, SYLL
Stars: 3

Mr. & Mrs. Darcy are married and have a baby daughter when they visit the ancestral home of Darcy's aunt, Lady Catherine de Burgh. We are reintroduced to the Darcy family relatives - Colonel Fitzwilliam, Anne De Burgh, Lady Catherine. We see new characteristics to their personalities - some predictable, some totally unexpected.

The story revolves around elopements, betrothals, bigamy, and murder. The surprise of the book, IMHO, is the elopement of Anne de Burgh with an unknown man after they are apparently introduced on the dance floor. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam race after the "lovers" who are headed to Scotland here they marry without the delay required for the reading of the banns. Some of the action is totally expected while other parts of the adventure are startlingly.

About 1½ years ago I found this series about Elizabeth Bennet and Darcy's adventures after their marriage where they turn into detectives solving problems for themselves and their family members. The series resurrects Elizabeth and Darcy with their personality quirks and devotions to each other.

There is a new installment of this series due out later this year and I will definitely keep an eye out for it. This is a fun series utilizing familiar characters in a different way.

I see a few potential candidates here for my possible food mysteries category. I've probably got plenty on hand already but hey, you never know.

#13 Politically Correct Bedtime Stories: Modern Tales for Our Life & Times

#14 Politically Correct Bedtime Stories: Once Upon a More Enlightened Time

Author: James Finn Garner
Read: Feb 5 - Feb 6
Format: Hardback, 163 pages
Source: Public Library
Subject:fairy tales
Setting: various locales, times
Category: Books found on the Internet/thru LT/at the library/in a bookstore
Genre: Childrens books
Challenges: 101020, 75 Book, SYLL
Stars: 3

How many of us as children heard the fairy tales Hansel & Gretel, Puss in Boots, and the Tortoise & the Hare? How many of us wanted to be the Princess & the Pea?(me), The Little Mermaid, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, or Goldilocks? Did we know at that time we were being exposed to sexist, discriminatory, culturally biased material by our parents and loved ones? Did we have any idea of how these "fairy tales" would affect our futures?

These alternate versions of the beloved "fairy tales" by Aesop, the Brothers Grimm, and Hans Christian Andersen, to name a few take a decidedly different turn when written from a politically correct angle. Who would believe that Snow White and her wicked stepmother would end up friends, or that the Tortoise would be disqualified after the race? These are but a few of unusual twists and turns that political correctness takes in these stories.

I heard about this books from Whisper1 and ran right out and got them from the library. Some of the tales are so funny I laughed till I cried, others not so much, but definitely worth the read. Thanks Whisper!

#15 TRUE COLORS

Author: Kristin Hannah
Read: Jan 27 - Feb 10
Format: Hardback, 393 pages
Source: St Martin's Press for review
Subject: sisterhood
Setting: Washington state
Category: Books found on the Internet/thru LT/at the library/in a bookstore
Genre: ROMANCE
Challenges: 101020, 75 Book, SYLL
Stars: 2½

This is the story of three sisters - #1- Winona is the responsible one who has tried to take care of the entire family since their mother died, #2 Aurora is the go-between the one who always tries to settle things, and #3 - Vivi Ann is the spoiled one, she's beautiful (like a Barbie doll) and charming and Daddy's favorite.

Luke came back to Oyster Shores and renewed his friendship with Winona who unbeknownst to him and loved him since high school. Luke starts to date Vivi Ann and Winona won't tell Vivi her feelings so she becomes bitter and resentful of the relationship. When Vivi Ann two-times Luke with the ranch hand (Dallas), Winona's jealous reactions force her to blurt the news to Luke and set into motion physical and emotional fights that reverberate through the relationships of family and friends.

As the story evolves and the relationships between the sisters deteriorate, Vivi and her new husband (she married the ranch hand) have to deal without her family support when he is accused and convicted of murder.

The second part of the story surrounds Noah, the son of Vivi and Dallas and the difficulties of growing up with a convicted murderer for a father. Noah's issues and beliefs bring about the changes and help reconstruct the family relationships of the three sisters and bring about the satisfying ending.

I felt the story was a bit predictable and that the characters were very ordinary. The storyline didn't seem to be very surprising and the ending seemed very expected.

#16 SOMEONE TO LOVE


Author: Jude Deveraux
Read: Feb 4 - Feb 11
Format: audio, CD 8 Discs, 9.75 hours, 423 page equivalent
Source: public library
Setting: England
Narrator: Stafford Clark-Price
Subject: Lost loves, ghosts, suicide
Category: Romance
Challenges: 101020, SYLL, 75 Book, Audio
Stars: 3

Jace Montgomery's fiancée, Stacy, commits suicide while she's vacationing in England. When Jace accidentally discovers a letter and photograph of Priory House in Margate, England--the village where Stacy had committed suicide -- Stacy had received just before her death, Jace decides that he must investigate.

Finding Priory House is for sale, Jace buys it to use as his base of operations ad once he arrives, it doesn't take him long to learn that the house is haunted by the headstrong ghost of Ann Stuart, who died under similar circumstances, and he has a hunch that there is a connection between the two.

Jace encounters Nightingale Smythe (Ni), a beautiful foreign correspondent and together they investigate the circumstances and people who affected Stacy and led to her end.

#17 DECODING THE LOST SYMBOL


Author: Simon Cox
Read: Feb 13 - Feb 14
Format: paperback, 240 pages
Source: FSB Associates for review
Subject: Free masons, Washington, Jefferson
Category: Books found on the Internet/thru LT
Challenges: 101020, 75 Book, BOSC
Stars: 3

This is not a typical book in that there is no plot, no characters, yet it was very interesting because of all the information that was dispersed to the reader. The author has researched all the little nuances of the references in the new Dan Brown book The Lost Symbol so that when I do sit down to read that book later this year, I will definitely keep this one close at hand to explain to me all the covert hints that I would have missed the first time around.

I like the way that the book is laid out - alphabetically identifying the clues that will be seen in The Lost Symbol. Each clue is explained as to how it is used related to the book. I would definitely say that it will be useful when I read the Lost Symbol making that reading more enjoyable by enhancing the experience.

#18 HAIL TO THE CHEF


Author: Julie Hyzy
Read: Feb 10 - Feb 15
Format: paperback, 328 pages
Source: Public Library
Setting: Washington, DC
Category: Cozy Mystery
Challenges: 101020, 75 Book, SYLL,
Stars: 3½

In this second installment of the White House Chef series, Ollie Parras, the newly promoted Executive Chef of the White House, is startled when she, along with the First Lady and others, is quickly evacuated to the bunker during a bomb scare. While she tries to keep everyone calm by devising tasty meals with MREs, she overhears discussions related to the First Lady's inheritance of interests in a company which revolves around scientific research. Other partners want to sell but the First Lady wants to wait for the future. As they are released from the bunker and return to their duties preparing for the Christmas holidays and decorations, Ollie is the first to come upon the Chief Electrician after he is electrocuted.

Because of the bomb scare, all workers are required to take training to identify warning signs of possible danger. Ollie, her curiosity activated, asks a friend who is a retired electrician how someone as experienced as the CE at the White House, could have been put in the danger that resulted in his death.

As Ollie tries to investigative and continue her preparations for the holidays, she draws herself into dangerous situations before the climax of the story.

Even though the situations are a bit over the top in this mystery, I still enjoyed the adventures that Ollie managed to get caught up in. I definitely will be continuing this series in the future.

I've got to move the Hyzy series up to the top of my list. They sound terrific!!

I think there's a third one out or soon to be out, correct?

Yes, the third one is Eggsecutive Orders.

#19 The Complete World of Greek Mythology


Author: Richard Buxton
Read: Feb 16 - Feb 19
Format: hardback, 245 pages
Source: Public Library
Subject: mythology
Category: Surprise - Books I find and want to read /group reads
Genre: Culture
Challenges: 101020, 75 Book, SYLL
Stars: 2½

I have started reading the Percy Jackson series so I thought I should brush up on my mythology before I got too far along in the Riodan series, so I picked up this book at the library.

I was surprised with very detailed lists of major and minor Greek gods as well as indications of their spheres of influence. The book included charts of the genealogy of the Gods (who begat who), details of ancient myths, and pictures of beautiful sculptures and art work from centuries ago I was, however, disappointed that there was not a detailed listing of the constellations and their connections to Greek Mythology.

Two things surprised me the most - 1) Apollo was the only God who didn't get his name changed when the Roman Gods were identified and 2) many of the myths both Greek and Roman have been used through the ages for a cultural basis - i.e. in Literature there is the Divine Comedy, Iliad and the Odyssey, art has Rembrandt's Rape of Ganymede, Botticelli's Birth of Venus and of course, there are sculptures galore.

A few other items that interested me were 1) I never realized that Poseidon was Zeus' brother 2) Zeus was so promiscuous ( had had over 25 different partners both mortal and immortal and a great number of children) and 3) many of the gods were patterned on the Egyptians' deities.

Overall, it was a very enlightening book and I'm glad that I happened upon it at the library.

>126 cyderry: This does sound very complete! I have a couple of referene-type books hanging around here, but when I try to look something up, I ususally end up more confused than I was before. Something I've been wondering about recently: how do we know all these stories? Is it a matter of picking them up piecemeal from various works, or is there an ancient work that brings them all together?

My understanding as to the where the stories came from, many are depicting in artwork, plays, and word of mouth.

#20 MASTERED BY LOVE

Author: Stephanie Laurens
Read: Feb 19 - Feb 23
Format: Paperback, 434 pages
Source: Barnes & Noble - Owned
Subject: marriage, love
Setting: England, Northumbria
Category: Love is a Many Splendored Thing
Genre: ROMANCE
Challenges: 101020, 75 Book, BOSC, TIOLI- FEBRUARY
Stars: 4

Dalziel was the head of the area of the War Office that managed the espionage operatives during the Napoleonic wars. Now the wars are over and Dalziel has watched each of his friends, one by one, find a bride and settle down to a normal life. But can he? He joined the service of his country in his youth and for that his father ceased all communication with him. Now when he no longer needs to work in the War Office, he resigns his commission and plans to head home to try to restore his relationship with his father, but he is too late. Just as he is packing to leave he receives notice that his father has died and his is now the new Duke of Wolverstone.

Royce Varisey arrives at his ancestral home and is met by Minerva Chesterton, the woman who served as his father's chatelaine and his mother's companion until her death. He remembers her only as a child but as the time passes and he begins t take up the reigns of control for his estates, he realizes that she is the woman that he needs to share his life, but she has other ideas.

This story is probably one of Stephanie Laurens' best because she takes a character that has been a mystery throughout the series (Bastion Club) and finally identifies who he is and why he is the way he is. Watching the interaction between the characters and reviving those from stories past, makes a rich and vibrant tale of love and romance mixed with intrigue. I'm not sure that it would be as enjoyable as a standalone novel, but having read all the others that preceded it, this book was terrific!

I think this is the book I've been seeing on the library catalog - is it a new release? I've been tempted by it without knowing why. It does look good, but I think I'll go ahead and pass, as I've not kept up on Stephanie Laurens' series - it's just gone on too long for me and I gave up on her several years ago. I'd be willing to give her another try if she comes out with a stand alone, though.

#21 Millard Fillmore, America's 13th President

Author: Dan Santow
Read: Feb 26
Format: hardback, 110 pages
Source: Public Library
Subject: Presidential history
Category: Who/What/When/Where/How/Why? - Bios/history
Genre: History
Challenges: 101020, 75 Book, SYLL, USPC
Stars: 2

This was a very, and I stress very, brief biography of Millard Fillmore. It supplied a few major notes of interest but definitely for a history not enough.

I had requested a more in depth biography from ILL but it didn't seem to be coming and then I was notified that my Franklin Pierce ILL was in and so I ordered this book to have something for Millard Fillmore. Wouldn't you know when I went to the library to get this and Franklin Pierce, the other ILL had showed up. I thought I'd whip through this one just in case it was enough, but no such luck.

#22 EGGS BENEDICT ARNOLD

Author: Laura Childs
Read: Feb 18 - Feb 27
Format: Paperback, 304 pages
Source: Author for review
Subject: murder, funeral home
Category: Cuddle up with a good cozy mystery
Genre: Cozy mystery
Challenges: 101020, 75 Book, BOSC
Stars: 2½

The second Cackleberry Club mystery begins with the discovery of Ozzie on the embalming table dead by an unknown hand that has killed him by removing his blood. Sounds kind of creepy but the story moves away from the method to the interaction of Suzanne with Sheriff Doogie who is being pressured by the Mayor of Kindred to solve t he murder quickly. Suzanne's finding of another murder victim several days later, doesn't help Doogie's situation.

As the story evolves, the activities at the Cackleberry Club help to move the story along until the Cake Decorating Contest and Winners Gourmet Dinner bring all the pieces together.

I truly enjoy the cozy mysteries by Laura Childs, but I don't think that this was one of her best. I felt a bit shortchanged because the culprit didn't seemed to really appear in the story until the end. I felt that the reader wasn't really given enough information to solve the mystery with the clues given throughout the story. That said, I still enjoyed the tale and will look for the next one.

FEBRUARY RECAP
Well, February with all the snow storms kept me busy both with reading and without. So I only managed about ½ of what I wanted to get read. But ½ is better than none.

The best of the month was - The California Gold Rush and the coming of the Civil War
with a close second being Mastered by Love.
The worst of the month - there really wasn't any.

I. Cuddle up with a good cozy mystery (repeat from 999)
Hail to the Chef
Eggs Benedict Arnold

II. Civil War and its Leaders

III. Love Is a Many Splendored Thing
Someone to Love
Mastered by Love
True Colors

IV. Miss Austen and Her Relations (Pride & Prejudice lives on!)
The Matters at Mansfield

V. Surprise - Books I find and want to read /group reads (repeat from 999)
Politically Correct Bedtime Stories: Modern Tales for Our Life & Times
Politically Correct Bedtime Stories: Once Upon a More Enlightened Time
Greek Mythology
VI. Crafts, Cooking, and Hobbies (repeat from 999X2)

VII. I HEARD THEM (repeat from 999X2)

VIII. Who/What/When/Where/How/Why? - Bios/history (Repeat from 999)
The California Gold Rush and the coming of the Civil War
Millard Fillmore, 13th President

IX. Books found on the Internet/thru LT/at the library/in a bookstore (repeat from 999)
Decoding the Lost Symbol

X. A Full Course Meal

I'm hoping to do better in March, I have planned:

The Three Musketeers (group read Feb/Mar)
Empire of Ivory
Millard Fillmore:Biography of a President
The Charlemagne Pursuit
Salad - Perfection Salad, Women & Cooking at the Turn of the Century
Franklin Pierce, Young Hickory of the Granite Hills.
Death on Demand
Design for murder
Sea of Monsters
Apple Turnover Murder
A Spy in the House
The Exploits and Adventures of Miss Alethea Darcy** - Elizabeth Aston
Murder on St. Mark's Place
Hush
The chocolate Cat Caper**
First come Marriage

#23 ELLA MINNOW PEA

Author: Mark Dunn
Read: Feb 28 - Mar 1
Format: hardback, 203 pages
Source: Public Library
Subject: fiction
Category: Surprise - Books I find and want to read /group reads
Genre: fiction
Challenges: 101020, 75 Book, SYLL,
Stars: 4

This is a story of a fictional island where the inventor of the phrase "THE QUICK BROWN FOX JUMPED OVER THE LAZY DOG" which uses all 26 letters in the minimum number of letters. The inhabitants of this island off the coast of South Carolina, treat words and letter as something special until one day when the letter Z falls off of the monument starting this tale.

The Island council decree that the author is telling them that they should no longer use this letter and out law its use. The punishments are ridicule for one offense, stocks, or flogging for the second offense and banishment or execution for the third offense.

The people adjust until the next letter and the next letter begin to fall in the same manner with the same punishments decreed. A faction attempts to find a way to have the Council realize that their decisions are cruel to the language loving people. They convince the council that anyone could have determined that sentence but the council will only relent if someone can create another sentence with 3 fewer letters while using all 26.

The continuing problems of their dwindling language due to the loss of letter after letter is at times heartbreaking and other times amusing. Finally, without even trying a sentence which fulfills the requirements is found 3 hours before the deadline.
This book was one of the first that I have read recently that I just couldn't put down. Even though I knew what the result was I was driven on to the end to see how it was accomplished.

I have to thank tututhefirst for recommending this book. You were right, my sister.

>134 cyderry: I've had this on my wishlist for a while. I'm glad to see that you liked it... maybe I'll just pop it into this month's book order...

#134 I've seen the book mentioned so many times, but never really understood what it was (I was thinking linguistics non-fiction). All the comments I've seen have been positive, so I'm going to take your recommendation and add it to my wishlist - hope I can get to it soon!

Sandy,
It's not really linquistics per se, it's more a story of people who love language and how they deal with the loss of letter after letter causing changes in their vocabulary and speech. I was a little worry myself, but Tina said that I would like it and she was right. I've learned to listen to my big sister.

#24 EMPIRE OF IVORY

Author: Naomi Novik
Read: Feb 10 - Feb 15
Format: AUDIO, 10 CDs, 404 pages equivalent
Source: Public Library
Setting: Africa, England, France
Category: I Heard Them!
Challenges: 101020, 75 Book, SYLL, Audio, Read your Name - Letter E, TIOLI (Lt author)
Stars: 3½

Temeraire and Laurence return from their travels to China and their battles along the way to find that the dragon fleet has all come down with a mysterious illness that is killing and incapacitating dragons small and large, quickly and slowly. Nothing that the dragon doctors try has prevented this major catastrophe. Laurence notices that the symptoms resemble the illness that Temeraire suffered on his way to China. The aviators suspect that some of the food that Temeraire received in Africa aided his recovery, so Laurence and Temeraire head to Africa to search for the cure.

After their arrival in Capetown and Temeraire's remembrances of a special mushroom, the crew find a sample and sent to work testing to see if it works against the consumptive disease. As the test dragons begin to recover, Laurence and the crew head into the interior searching for more mushrooms.

This story is crammed with perilous adventures, characters that we have taken to our hearts, as well as a delicate handling of the issues of slavery, colonialism and biological warfare. It was fun to see the adventures evolve without the constant inclusion of military movements as in the previous installments. The beauty of the story and the relationship between Temeraire and Laurence draw the reader further and further into the tale and now toward the next installment. I can't wait!

#137 You're lucky to have a sister to listen to. I have to figure everything out all by myself!

Regarding the Temeraire series, my daughter introduced me to these books and I have really enjoyed reading about Laurence and his dragon, Temeraire. I have only read the first two in the series, but actually am planning on reading the third one later this week. It's nice to see that the series carries on and is still interesting.

Of the four I've read, the third is my least favorite, but it is interesting. It lays the groundwork for a lot of what happens in Empire of Ivory.

Delta, if you read it this month you can count it for the TIOLI challenge!

Oh, can anyone join in on the TIOLI challenge? I thought it was only for the people in the 75 Book Challenge.

There are no restrictions, come and join us!

#25 Millard Fillmore: Biography of a President

Author: Robert J. Rayback
Read: Mar 2 - Mar 11
Format: hardback, 447 pages
Source: Public Library
Subject: Biography
Category: Who/What/When/Where/How/Why? - Bios/history
Genre: History
Challenges: 101020, 75 Book, SYLL, USPC
Stars: 3½-4

Okay, I'm a little bit stunned. I thought when I got this book that I would be a tad bit bored because I had never pictured President Millard Fillmore as particularly interesting (maybe it’s the name) but that was my pre-conceived impression even after I had read a brief biography. Read on and see all that this man did in his lifetime and then tell me he was boring.

During the recession times of the Tyler Administration, Fillmore (a self-taught lawyer) was runner-up for Speaker of the House and became chairman of Ways and Means Committee. At this time he put forth some unusual ideas, i.e. If incomes fell 25% due to government policies, government salaries should be reduced by 25%; he also took responsibility for a law which when enacted caused hardship for settlers and fought to represent their rights for fairer treatment by landlords. (Interesting to say the least.)

He became a national expert on public economy and banking needs. "What businessmen needed, declared a businessman, was a national bankruptcy act to free them of the shackles of past poor judgment." It was also "claimed that old debts dampened their enthusiasm for new ventures and delayed recovery." (Does this sound familiar?) Fillmore shrewdly devised a way to pass a new tariff bill, kill President Tyler politically while smashing the Compromise Tariff of 1833 which was in part the cause of the economic woes of the time.

At the same time, the North/South issues were escalating and Fillmore's actions showed how the North felt they were oppressed by the Southern legislators and Southern President who were causing manufacturing and commerce difficulties.

After his Washington experience, he was appointed to the Comptrollership of New York state and during that time he worked to have the Erie canal and canal basin enlarged, revised the banking code (which was adopted nationally 16 years later) and established a more stable currency based on NY state and Federal bonds.

He was sent back to Washington as the Vice President under Zachary Taylor. His political enemies from NY did everything in their power to make him completely useless as a politician while VP but he maintained himself as a man of principle notifying President Taylor that he would vote against him in the Senate on the Compromise of 1850 if the vote came to a tie and his vote was taken. Fortunately, Taylor never had the chance to veto the bill because of his sudden death, and Fillmore work to pass the legislation to calm the political firestorm of the time. Fillmore's belief was that the compromise bills were an "equality of dissatisfaction" which give the nation time to calm down. He took a great deal of criticism for his part in the Compromise but said "The man who can look upon a crisis without being willing to offer himself upon the altar of his country is not fit for public trust." His first 10 weeks in office passed the needed legislation which calm the storm clouds and reduced the threats of secession and disunion.

During the remainder of his administration, he worked to maintain the equilibrium of the situation surrounding the Compromise of 1850. Though he had the power as President to crush his enemies who had belittled him when he was VP, he was not a vengeful man, and felt that it was more important as President to be a statesman rather than a politician. Because of his policies the South was unable to take any action and prosperity and industrial development increased.

Millard Fillmore was recognized by both the North and South for holding the union together by honoring the rights of both sections even though they were contrary to his personal beliefs. Unfortunately, all the work that he did to balance the issues during his administration were undone by the Kansas Nebraska Act of 1853 after he left office. Upon retirement, he returned alone to his home in Buffalo (his wife died 3 weeks after he left office) , where he was the Chancellor of the University of Buffalo and the President of the Historical Society and started the second chapter of the SPCA. In 1856 he ran again for President as a member of the Know Nothing Party but was defeated.

I had a hard time putting this book down once I got into the political career of this self-taught, intelligent, and dedicated statesman. To say the least, IMHO, it was fascinating. What sadden me most about this book was that I got it as an Interlibrary loan from a library that still has the little cards in the back to show when it was checked out, and this book had been sitting on the shelf for the last 37 years. It had not been read since 1973. How sad that such a well-written book, should sit unread for so long. I highly recommend this book for those looking to learn something about the obscure Presidents of our nation.

Great review! I gave it a thumbs up, and I hope many others will too.

Great review of the Millard Fillmore book, Cheli. I note that our north suburban library system has two copies and one is checked out right now.

It'll be late in the year but I've put a reserve on it for about Sept 1st. I can always modify that later.

Glad to see that there's a good book and not just an overview, American Presidents series-type book for him.

Wow Linda! ---I wish our local library would let us put a later date on reserves....that would sure help to keep from having them all end up here at once. I currently have 5 on reserve, and 3 of them are ILLs that have been 'in transit' for the past week. We must be having a torch relay to get them here!

I love the "vacation holds."

I've got William Henry Harrison on reserve for about May 1st but will probably have to push that back, since I haven't gone very far this year on the presidents.

For the Missouri readers, we're reading the book around April 1st so I put it down for mid-March, in order to have my copy in plenty of time, without the need to renew it. King of the Hill: A Memoir by A.E. Hotchner.

For WH Harrison, I'm on vacation. For the new Carolyn Hart book, for instance, I am not.

Dang, I want that too!
This month I got hit with two ILL chunksters, Millard which I just finished and Franklin Pierce which I just started. I only have three weeks to read them before I gather any fines but it would be nice if I could renew them or have put Franklin on hold while I read Millard. I don't see what the big hurry is to return them when nobody else wants to read them (Millard sat on the shelf for 37 years!)

Cheli--just have Tim get a card, and when you check it out, have him put it on reserve. Then you can check it out on his card when you have to bring it back. Or.....just return it, stroll around the library, and as you walk by the cart to be shelved, pick it up and take it out again!!!

Can't do that with ILLs. Regular books I can renew for up to 9 weeks/ 18 weeks for Large Print but the ILLs you get only 3 weeks and 3 weeks only unless you want to pay the fine. So now I am working on the 600+ Franklin Pierce and I only have until next Friday to finish it. It's not as good as Millard so far.

That's too bad about ILL. I can renew them though I've never tried to do so more than once.

#26 Franklin Pierce: Young Hickory of the Granite Hills

Author: Roy Franklin Nichols
Read: Mar 12 - Mar 20
Format: hardback, 547 pages
Source: Public Library
Subject: Biography
Category: Who/What/When/Where/How/Why? - Bios/history
Genre: History
Challenges: 101020, 75 Book, SYLL, USPC, Chunkster
Stars: 2½

Franklin Pierce was the man elected to follow Millard Fillmore as President of the United States. The two men were completely different and not just in their political outlooks but in their approach in life.

"The Democratic Party was to become for Pierce his family, his fraternity, his church, and his country." Pierce was the son of a Revolutionary Officer and his hero worship of all things military (especially Andrew Jackson) in his early years pushed him toward a career dedicated to his nation.

After he was basically drafted for the Presidential election in 1852, his son was killed in a train accident on his way to Washington and his wife, being hysterical, blamed his election saying he needed to concentrate on the problems of the nation so God had taken her son so to get him out of the way. Suffering from his loss, Pierce, nevertheless tried to balance the factions of the Democratic party but was not up to the task. His cabinet members had no experience in foreign affairs (except for Buchanan).
That said, he did have a certain administrative ability and was able to identify areas of improvement in mail services, staffing shortages, and military requirements.

"His offices (throughout his life) had come to him because he was useful as a compromise choice to settle differences between contending parties." He wasn't always the best qualified and because of that, many issues escalated during his administration. Pierce authorized the opening of the Kansas/ Nebraska territories in 1853 before the surveys were completed in 1856. This resulted in conflicting property claims.

Franklin Pierce's Presidency lacked diplomacy both foreign and domestic so that he was not able to garner the nomination of his party again in 1856.
Pierce was strongly opposed to the Civil War feeling that a peacefully solution should have been found.

He condemned the Emancipation Proclamation saying "he couldn't understand how the people of the United States would tolerate this attempt to 'butcher' their own race for the sake of 'inflicting' emancipation upon the 4 million Negros who were in no sense capable of profiting by freedom."

His death in 1869 was not heralded as had been his other predecessors.

Editorial: I guess at this point I have to say that IMHO, this man probably didn't deserve to be elected to the office of President of the United States. However, due to the issues of the time and the inability of the factions to reach any agreement as to what needed to be done, no one would have been able to resolve the issues any better.

#27 MURDER ON ST. MARK'S PLACE

Author: Victoria Thompson
Read: Mar 4 - Mar 20
Format: Paperback, 277 pages
Source: Barnes & Noble
Subject: murder, Midwifery, Coney Island
Setting: New York City, New York
Category: Cuddle up with a good cozy mystery
Genre: Cozy mystery
Challenges: 101020, 75 Book, BOSC, TIOLI
Stars: 3

Midwife Sarah Brandt, delivers Agnes Otto's baby on the same night as the news arrives that Agnes' sister Gerda has been murdered. Trying to calm her patient, she agrees to try to find the murderer. The mystery evolves showing the background of Sarah's former life as well as that of Officer Malloy. The historical references of the time as well as the founding of Coney Island was very entertaining.

#28 Perfection Salad: Women and Cooking at the Turn of the Century

Author: Laura Shapiro
Read: Mar 20 - Mar 23
Format: paperback, 227 pages
Source: Public Library
Subject: Cooking, nutrition, ecomony
Category: A Full Course meal
Genre: History
Challenges: 101020, 75 Book, SYLL, TIOLI
Stars: 2½

This book is basically the history of Home Economics that were taught to the poor in the late 19th and early 20th century. Women in Boston in the late 19th century started a group called the Women's Education Association and later another was the Boston Kitchen.

Women's Education Association of Boston "believed that educated women were the natural leaders of a domestic revolution that was only waiting to be ignited."
Women of these organizations worked to improve the appearance, nutritional value and cost efficiency of the food that was being prepared by the lower classes. Notice that taste did not enter into their equation. If it was nutritious and could be made for pennies a day/person, they didn't care what it taste like. However, back in that time, recipes didn't have any consistency until Fannie Farmer came along and standardized measurements. Yes, there really was a Fannie Farmer and when she published recipes they became standards for the new housewives and cooks in the nation. Her books showed basic procedures of how to boil, bake, stew, fry, and debone so that new cooks would be proficient and if when times were tough, domestic help was unattainable.

One of the interesting items was a suggestion that menus be developed according to the workload of the day. Monday - the normal laundry day of the time - was strenuous so potato salad was recommended so that leftovers could then produce mashed potatoes. Tuesday - ironing day - nothing that would give off a scent should be cooked so that the smell of the cooking food wouldn't cling the freshly pressed clothes.

Anything that was served with lettuce was considered a salad - Perfection Salad itself was a mixture of cabbage, celery, and red peppers, chopped finely and bound together by a plain gelatin. Gelatin (KNOX in particular) became very popular at this time. This salad did not last the test of time unlike the Waldorf salad that was developed at the same period. Salads were reserved for the upper class because it was believed that it was Brain food because it required less digestion.

Some fun facts that were noted in the book

1) daily guidelines were for men 90 gr of protein and 4500 calories per day (reduced slightly if not working at physically demanding labor) where women were 1200 calories (obviously they didn't think that housework in those days was physically demanding). 2) Food at the hospitals, almshouses, and prisons was not supposed to be palatable to prevent the people desiring to return for the food. 3) Ladies Home Journal and Good Housekeeping were part of the Home Economics movement of the time. (I didn't know that.)

It was an interesting book, not sure whether I would recommend it or not because the writing style was a bit dry.

That perfection salad sounds absolutely revolting. So glad I don't have to eat that way now.

Very little of the food they described sounded very appetizing. They were trying to get as much nutrition into the meals for as few pennies as possible.
Some of the food sounded absolutely disgusting!

#29 A SECOND HELPING

Author: Beverly Jenkins
Read: Mar 24 - Mar 27
Format: Paperback, 386 pages
Source: Librarything ER progam
Subject: Foster care, infidelity,
Setting: Henry Adams, Kansas
Category: Books found - Internet/thru LT/library/bookstore
Genre: Cozy romance
Challenges: 101020, 75 Book, 50 State
Stars: 3

This book is the continuation of the tale of Henry Adams, Kansas which had been purchased by Bernadine Brown off of EBay. The characters are rich and invite the reader into a place that they are endeavoring to improve with Ms. Brown's help. They have built a school which they name after the current teacher of 40 years, they support emotionally and mentally the five children that they have "adopted" into their town and their hearts, and they have shown that even while their town is being transformed, their lives can be as well.

This book which I won on the Librarything ER program is the continuation of a story started in a book titled BRING ON THE BLESSINGS. Bernadine Brown has divorced her philandering husband and had received a $275 Million divorce settlement which she promptly used to purchase the town of Henry Adams, Kansas off of EBay. The idea is intriguing and I (as an EBay buyer) got caught up in the story - hook, line and sinker. I am definitely going to be looking for the first book. Since this version was a Uncorrected proof I didn't hold the numerous printing errors against the story being told. But it definitely need a good proofreader - not just a spellchecker.

#30 The Wives of Henry Oades

Author: Johanna Moran
Read: Mar 28 - Mar 31
Format: paperback, 347 pages
Source: Publisher, ARC
Subject: Marriage, captivity, bigamy, polygamy
Category: Books found on the Internet/thru LT/at the library/in a bookstore
Genre: Historical Romance
Challenges: 101020, 75 Book, BOSC
Stars: 2

This book was based on the true life story of a man at the end of the 19th century who found himself legally married to two women. His first wife had been abducted and presumed dead while living in New Zealand. Unable to face his loss, Henry Oades sails off to America where his heart is healed and he eventually marries a widow who has no one else in the world. The two fall in love and at this point the first wife reappears with the lost children creating a dilemma. Legally he is still married to #1 but because, according to the California law of the day, she was declared dead, he is legally wed to #2. The story progresses with their trials (really) and tribulations.

I thought the story was slightly boring (reminding me of a My Favorite Wife or Move Over Darling romantic comedies) and just dragged on and on. I don't know if the women of the time were just wimps or if this is actually what happened, but I didn't like the ending and wouldn't recommend the book.

This thread is starting to be slo and since we are starting the 2nd quarter, I'm moving on to a new thread.

Join me at THREAD2 for the 2nd Qtr.

#159 Too bad - it sounds like it could have been a good story. Thanks for the heads-up.