Coppers' (Joanne's) 2010 Reading Log

Last year was a banner year of reading for me so I'm hoping for the same, if not a better one in 2010. I don't know if I'll make it to 75 but I do know I'll have a great time trying!

I'm also keeping a running total here in the first message (although I won't bother with the temperamental touchstones).

1. The Frozen Thames by Helen Humphreys
2. You Were Always Mom's Favorite by Deborah Tannen (audio)
3. The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney
4. Coventry by Helen Humphreys
5. The Wordy Shipmates by Sarah Vowell (audio)
6. Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann
7. Noah's Compass by Anne Tyler
8. Murder with Puffins by Donna Andrews
9. A Good Fall by Ha Jin
10. Thereby Hangs A Tail by Spencer Quinn
11. Looking Back: A Book of Memories by Lois Lowry
12. Revenge of the Wrought Iron Flamingos by Donna Andrews
13. American on Purpose by Craig Ferguson (audio)
14. Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
15. One Amazing Thing by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
16 The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
17. We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
18. Why Manners Matter: The Case for Civilized Behavior in a Barbarous World by Lucinda Holdforth
19. Horns by Joe Hill
20. Making Toast by Roger Rosenblatt
21. The Patience Stone by Atiq Rahimi
22. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry (audio)
23. The Fur Person by May Sarton
24. Maus I by Art Spiegelman
25. The Various Haunts of Men by Susan Hill
26. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

welcome Joanne
Anita

Thanks Anita!!

It's really good to see you here, Joanne. You and I share similar tastes in reading, so I'll be following your thread closely once again.

Welcome!

Great to see you here Joanne. It was great getting to know you last year. I've enjoyed reading your thoughts on books.

I thought I should post now while I can still say I’m 50 ROFL

You're a stitch, Joanne, and it's good to see you here. Good reading!

Welcome to the group, Joanne!

Joanne- You made the jump! I'm so proud! There should be no reason we don't have another great reading year! Good luck!

It is great to see you here on the 75 challenge thread. Just as I used to pop in on Bonnie and Mark, I did the same with your thread in the 50 challenge group. Now, three great people are here and I don't have to go searching....

Dropping by so I don't lose you for 2010!

Donna, drneutron, Bonnie, Richard, alcottacre, Mark, Linda and Ellie - Many thanks to all of you for stopping by and making me feel so welcome in this new group.

I think I'll actually have a book to post here by the end of the day. This is the last day of my vacation and I didn't seem to get a lot of reading done but that's just the way it goes sometimes. Have a great Sunday all!

Joanne- It's nice to be loved , huh? Have you stopped by my new Challenge yet? If not, here it is: http://www.librarything.com/topic/79486
Enjoy your last day of vacation!!

Hi Joanne. I found and starred you. Good luck with your challenge!

Finally found your thread and am starring it. Happy reading in 2010!

1. The Frozen Thames by Helen Humphreys

What a great one to start off 2010. This was a gem of a book. For each of the forty historic occasions when the Thames has frozen solid, Helen Humphreys has created a marvelous vignette. Beginning in 1142 and ending in 1895, we visit with an assortment of fascinating characters, including Queen Matilda, Henry VIII, King George III, various shopkeepers, craftsmen, and peasants, all somehow effected by the freezing of the river. It is also a meditation on the very nature of ice. I could almost feel the cold air as I read of Frost Fairs and frozen birds and ships locked in the ice. It took me much longer than it should have to read a book of less than 200 pages but I found myself wanting to savor each spare, yet very vivid story. Plus, the book itself is lovely, small with glossy pages and period illustrations. I don't think you could go wrong with this one.

I love the sounds of this one Joanne. Onto the pile it goes.

Joanne- Nice review! This one sounds very interesting!

Yep, you got me too! Sounds brilliant... though I'm so cold right now just thinking about ice might finish me off.
*must read books off own shelves, must read books off own shelves*

>19 elliepotten: HAHAHA *wipes eyes* Oh, I needed that laugh! Like you're not going to *hilarious laughter* oh oh my belly hurts, gotta go

The idea sounds a little bit like what Geraldine Brooks did in People of the Book and since I loved the idea there, I will be giving this one a go too. Thanks!

It's been added to my pile. Have you read Coventry? Also by Humphreys and a period piece too. I have not read it but it's also been on my radar.

*sticks tongue out at a certain somebody and hopes no one knows she already added it to her Amazon basket*

Onto the wishlist it goes.

Thanks Bonnie, Mark, Andrea and Fourpawz - If you try it, I'll be interested in your reactions.

sydamy - This is my first by Helen Humphreys but I'm sure it won't be the last.

Richard and Ellie - You're both a riot!

Hi Joanne! I've got you starred now! Good luck in the 75 group!

I really enjoyed Helen Humphrey's Coventry last year. The Frozen Thames sounds like a great book too, but I'll read it in the summer!!! It's so cold here -15C temps/windchills, and lots of snow the last couple days. I need some heat! So, I'm currently reading
Cutting for Stone in Africa/Ethiopia.

Great review, Joanne -- sounds like a good one.

You're the second person to mention Coventry. I'll definitely look for it.

Brrr!! Ethiopia probably sounds good right now. They're saying colder temps are heading my way beginning on Wednesday.

Hi Anne, thanks. It really was interesting!

>16 Copperskye:: I think I'll save The Frozen Thames to read in the humidity and hot temps of our typical Missouri summer. We have a small lake behind our house that is mostly frozen right now and with the snow cover, it doesn't look like a lake. I am so afraid that a dog or child is going to walk on the ice and fall through. We've lived here ten years now and that has never happened so I should just get over it and worry about world peace or something like that. Or, better yet, go read a book!

The Frozen Thames is an excellent book. I also read Wild Dogs and liked that as well.

Hi Donna, That seems to happen alot here in the winter/spring. Oftentimes a dog will fall through the ice and its person will go out on the ice and fall through themselves. I always have to be careful to keep my water loving, goose chasing dog leashed up when we're near frozen ponds and lakes. It really is scary to think about.

Hi Linda, I'll keep that title in mind, too. I don't understand why my county library system doesn't carry any of her books. (Actually they just ordered a couple copies of The Frozen Thames last week.) I can try an interlibrary loan though.

2. You Were Always Mom's Favorite by Deborah Tannen

I tried to read this and was only able to get through the first couple of chapters before getting bored. Then I found the audio version (read by the author) and enjoyed it much more. Not surprisingly, I guess, the author’s conversational style seemed better suited for listening than for reading. Her tone is witty and the anecdotes insightful. As the youngest of four with two older sisters, I saw myself and my sisters several times, not only in how we communicate verbally, but also in how we relate to each other. Sisters have complicated relationships and I do have a better understanding now of why I am like I am when I’m with them. If you’re a woman with a sister or two, you might find this interesting but I recommend the audio.

A little late to the party, but ... I read The Frozen Thames in '09 and really enjoyed it. Such a unique book and well told stories.

I also have two older sisters...sounds interesting to read/listen to. Does she talk much about birth order?

Happy (new year) reading!

>34 teelgee: Hi, yes she did speak of birth order, how the oldest takes the responsible, parenting role and the youngest (which I related to) having a tendency to hold back and wait to be told what to do out of fear of doing the wrong thing. Apparently the author gathered about 17 single space pages of research notes on oldest sisters. I don't remember hearing too much about middle sisters though.

Happy reading to you, too. I don't think I've found your thread yet. I can hardly believe how active the threads are here in the 75 group!

Thanks! Mine is here. Yes, quite a chatty group! I might get some books read if I can get through some threads. LOL!

Thank you for the link. I've got you starred now! And I see I'm already terribly behind... I must put down the computer and pick up my book. :)

Hi, Joanne!
How does your sweet dog like all this cold weather? Mine loves it for a while and then wants a nap inside. She has been especially happy that there have been so many people in the house to give her lots of attention. Soon she will have to settle for just my husband and me again.

The Frozen Thames sounds like a good one. Thanks for the review.
--BJ

Hi BJ -Thanks for dropping by! She loves the cold, and especially the snow that comes with it. Lots of wonderful smells!

3. The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney

What a wonderful book - adventure, mystery, interesting, complex characters and a great sense of place. Penney tells a gripping story - it's hard to believe it's her debut and I thought it well deserving of the Costa Award. It reminded me, in both the setting and the trekking through the woods part, of Gil Adamson's The Outlander.

Between this and The Frozen Thames, I'm ready for a more tropical setting!

>40 Copperskye: Wishlisted, Joanne, sounded too good to miss!

The Tenderness of Wolves sounds wonderful. I've read many positive things about it lately. Must be a sign!

Joanne- So glad you liked it! Time to dig it out of the pile! And you know, I loved The Outlander too!

Joanne,

Had this one in my hands at the library the other day and then ended up not taking it as I could not get it to balance on the towering pile I was trying to reach the check out desk with (sigh). I'll go back for it.

Joanne, The Tenderness of Wolves sounds too good to miss. On to the pile it goes!

I hate, hate, hate being the negative one, so i don't usually sat anything unless it's good. I too heard this was a good one, but I was so disappointed, I almost didn't finish it. It moves to slow, the story is to thin, and the characters are flat. There I said it, but I feel guilty for ruining the warm fuzzy vibe you guys had going on.

Tammy

You will find that we are a group that not only allows, but fosters, varying opinions. Your comments are appreciated!

I'm glad to hear such good things about The Outlander, it's one of the selections for our local version of Canada Reads so I'll be reading it in the next couple of months.

>46 tjblue: Now I *have* to read it! Anything that gets universal and unstinting praise usually irks and annoys me with its sappy, platitudinous blahness. The Guernsey Literary leaps forcefully to mind. If everyone agrees, to paraphrase the old business maxim, then the book is unnecessary.

>46 tjblue: Hi Tammy - We'd be quite a boring bunch if we all agreed on everything so I appreciate you dropping by to express your opinion! After I finished TTofW, I went back and read the reviews on LT that I had only just briefly scanned before I started it. I was surprised to see some reviewers who complained that the characters were flat and that the action moved too slowly so you’re not alone. The setup at the very beginning was a little slow but I think that happens a lot with mysteries for some reason. (I was also distracted with another book at the time.) I thought it picked up nicely after about pg 80 or so and honestly, toward the end, I struggled between wanting to race through it and not wanting it to end. I love it when that happens. And I didn’t mind, as some others did, that all the different side stories did not necessarily get tied up neatly. In the cold wilderness, some mysteries remain. As far as the characters go, I thought they were fairly complex. Getting to know the characters through their own thoughts and actions, and finding out what motivates them, and then seeing the same character through another character’s eyes added an interesting dimension. And I thought they all fit well into the time period and the setting. I know there had been some flak concerning the author’s having never been to Canada and yet setting her book there but I don’t know anybody who’s writing today that’s been to the Canadian backwoods of 1867 so that wasn’t an issue for me at all. I read mostly to be entertained and this book did that. I’m sorry that you didn’t like it but you did at least finish it. I quit finishing disappointing books several years ago which is why you won’t find me very often being totally negative about a book. “So-so” or “meh” is about all I have patience for anymore! Please stop by anytime!

>48 spacepotatoes: Hi Andrea, I'll be interested in a Canadian's opinion of The Outlander so I'll be waiting to hear what you think. I hope you like it!

>49 richardderus: Richard - I resisted reading the Guernsey Cow Pie book because of the ridiculous name. When I finally did read it I was glad that I did. Might not be your cup of tea though...

Helen Humphrey's Coventry was recommended upthread. Thank you - I love it!

4. Coventry by Helen Humphreys

Coventry follows two women and a young man through the streets of Coventry during the bombing raid on the night of Nov. 14, 1940. We also, of course, get their back story. The horrors that the civilian population experienced that night are unimaginably tragic. Helen Humphreys’ style is spare and poetic and I apparently like that as I now have another favorite author. Although parts of it seemed a little contrived, as a whole it worked for me. In fact, I may have liked it more if there was more to it, but again, I’m not sure that’s Humphreys’ style. Her notes at the end are very interesting. Along with using historical accounts of the bombing on Coventry, she also used eyewitness accounts from the bombing of Baghdad. She also incorporated a letter written by her grandfather who fought at Ypres in 1914. My thanks to both sydamy and Louanne for mentioning Coventry to me.

I marked a quote from Coventry pertaining to reading:

“Maybe reading was just a way to make her feel less alone, to keep her company. When you read something you are stopped, the moment is stayed, you can sometimes be there more fully than you can in your real life.” (pg 111)

I suspect we’ve all felt that way sometimes.

Oh Joy! Another Helen Humphreys book I need to read.

Thanks for the marvelous quote!

>49 richardderus: richard, I felt much the same way about The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, resisting for quite a long time. Once I read it, though, I was very glad I had. I enjoyed it very much, even though it annoyed me to do so!

>50 Copperskye: Joanne, the book wasn't awful, and I harbor a sneaking affection for the fact that the authors made two characters gay men, but on the whole ~meh~.

>53 muddy21: I got one really really nice thing out of reading the dratted thing: Reminded to search up and re-savor the Charles Lamb essays! Oh what fun that's been!

>54 richardderus: Seriously? Wow, that was fast! I'm very jealous. How do you do that??

And to each his own. :)

Hi Linda, I have Wild Dogs sitting and waiting for me so I think we're even!

>55 Copperskye: Oh lawsy me, Joanne, I'm not done with them! Just dipping and loving. I will say that the essays are hugely superior to the poetry he wrote, though he considered himself a poet. I demur.

#51: I already have that one in the BlackHole. I just wish my local library had a copy!

Joanne- Glad to see you are enjoying Let the Great World Spin! I loved it and it turned out to be one of the best books I read last year!

Ok Tenderness of Wolves, Outlander and now Coventry...your thread is threatening to topple my TBR pile on its' own Joanne.

Count me among the few I guess who did not care at all for that Guernsey book. So much hype and then, meh.

I was pretty lukewarm on the Guernsey book. Terrible title, but I did like learning about that aspect of WWII. Any book that I learn something from is a good thing.

Joanne, I am about to start Let the Great World Spin as well. Bad timing with the World Without End G.R. coming up, but I am becoming a pretty good "book juggler" these days.

Like the title, The Guernsey Literary... book was a bit sweet. I still liked reading it--once!

5. The Wordy Shipmates by Sarah Vowell

I'm so glad I decided to try this on audio. I had read it a year or so ago and was disappointed; I guess I don't find the history of the Puritans and the Massachusetts Bay Colony to be overly interesting. But I like Vowell’s wry humor so much I tried it again in the hope that listening to her quirky little voice would make the book more enjoyable. It did. There were still some pretty dry sections but overall, a better listening experience than a reading one.

Love Sarah Vowell; I haven't tried this one but you're absolutely right. After I heard her on NPR I knew I had to "hear" all of her subsequent books.

Hi Bonnie - I know, right? I loved Assassination Vacation (which I read) but I think I'll try that on audio soon too.

6. Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann

Absolutely wonderful. Interesting characters, including NYC in the mid-70's - the NY I remember as a teenager living across the river but with family that lived and/or worked there. I loved how, for the most part, everything truly spun around and together. Lots of way more articulate people than me have posted reviews but I wholeheartedly recommend it!

I also have Man on Wire to watch which is a documentary about Philippe Petit's walk between the towers. I've never seen it.

Right now though, as hubby watchs the Jets, I'm off again to see my new grandson, Noah, who was born just yesterday morning. I need my baby fix.

Joanne

Congratuations on a brand new grandson! Blessings abound!

Joanne,

I'm so glad you loved Let the Great World Spin too. It was a wonderful read.

And lucky you with that brand new grandchild.

Joanne- Congrat's on the new addition! That's great! So glad you enjoyed the McCann book! I loved it too and you should really like the documentary! It's quite excellent! I finished and reviewed West with the Night. It's a memoir you would really like!

How lucky you are to have a new baby in the family!

Joanne!!! Happy Grandson! I love that name, Noah. It's so elegantly simple and evocative of strength and wisdom and independence.

McCann is an author to watch. I think, pure speculation of course, but I think he's destined for the very best of things.

Congratulations -- how exciting! Best wishes.

Congratulations on baby Noah!! Pictures, I demand pictures!

Congratulations on the grandbaby!

Thank you, everybody, for the well wishes. You guys are all so nice! My step-daughter was able to leave the hospital today for which she was very thankful.

I put a picture of Noah up on my profile page.

Someday I'll be patient enough to follow the directions for putting pictures in my thread. I'm sure it's a lot easier than it seems.

7. Noah's Compass by Anne Tyler

Not my favorite Anne Tyler but still a worthwhile read. I reviewed it, but suffice it to say, if you've never read Anne Tyler but you're looking to try her, don't start here. The Accidental Tourist, Breathing Lessons or Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant would be some of the better choices.

Joanne, don'cha love those little ski caps they put on babies? I look like a doofus in mine, but young Master Noah is stylin' in his!

HA! I'm sure you'd look dapper in just the right hat! But yeah, he's a charmer.

And babies don't need to concern themselves with the dreaded hat-head effect, either. Come to think of it, they have very little to concern themselves with...and that hair they have just falls out right away anyway...

Hmmmf, *my* hair seems to think I'm newly born, then, damn the stuff.

Joanne- Good honest review! Noah's Compass looks like it's getting a mixed reaction! Too bad, she's a fine writer. I also loved The Accidental Tourist. The last one I read by her, Digging to America was pretty good too!

I seem to be following Richard around today. I've been trying to get caught up on reading threads, and it seems like he is everywhere!

I thumbed your review of Noah's Compass. A real-life friend read it and basically said the same thing. I am overloaded with books to read right now, so I might give this one a pass. I do enjoy Anne Tyler's character sketches, though, so might pick it up when I have more time and less books.

Thanks for taking time out from rocking Noah to write your review. :-)

Joanne,

I have not been able to get into any of Tyler's recent writing. For me, her best was done early in her career and Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant and Saint Maybe are my favorites.

ETA I thumbed your review.

Noah's Compass wasn't my favourite, but I think I liked it more than you did.

Hi Mark and Donna and Bonnie - Thanks! And I forgot about Saint Maybe - that's another of my Tyler favorites.

Hi elkiedee - I really wanted to like Noah's Compass more than I did and I'm glad you liked it more. To tell you the truth, I felt rather guilty not loving it! Which one of her's are your favorites?

Bonnie
I have to agree with you regarding recent books by Anne Tyler. I really am disappointed by some of them. I really liked Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant.

I feel so let down when a favorite author disappoints me. I wasn't too crazy about Digging to America either and I thnk that was her last one before this one.

I adore Alice Hoffman and I couldn't even finish her latest, The Story Sisters.

Thank goodness there are so many new authors to read with no expectations to get in the way.

> 85 I'm not sure I know the answer to that, because I've read most of Anne Tyler's books but over a period of time - there are 2 I've not read yet - Digging to America and Back When We Were Grown-Ups. Since I must have read the majority of them 15-20 years ago, I don't have the memory to compare them. I think a reread might well be called for.

Joanne

Drat about the Alice Hoffman book. I just checked it out of the library today before reading your comments. She is one of the few authors that has not let me down...

What didn't you like about The Story Sisters

>88 elkiedee: elkiedee - I have the same problem when I think about some of her books. I was also thinking about a reread of my favorites to see if they hold up.

>89 Whisper1: Linda, I am so sorry. I didn't mean to negatively influence your enjoyment of The Story Sisters. At the start, I didn't really like the sisters and then, early on, there was an incident with a hansom cab that I knew I wouldn't be able to get past. But that was very early on in the book - I really didn't get too far into it before I gave up. But a lot of people seem to have liked it. Maybe you can change my mind.

>87 Copperskye:: I feel so let down when a favorite author disappoints me.

I, too, have been disappointed by the recent Anne Tyler books and the only Hoffman books I've liked were the very early ones. I have a theory about that...actually two theories:

1) Authors are stuck in a rut with either their writing style or the "same ol" types of stories.

2) We grow as readers and gravitate to more complex and thought-provoking works.

I'd like to think I'm in the second category, but sometimes I just get tired of an author. And then, there's theory #3 that has to do with the timing of what we are reading.

I could make a slight case for Theory #4: It is tough to follow a 5-star book. Nothing seems to measure up. Didn't you recently finish Let the Great World Spin?. A tough act to follow.

I'll second theory #4 for my own experience of Alice Hoffman. The first book of hers I read was The Ice Queen, which I was absolutely enchanted with and which instantly rocketed itself up into my favourite books. Since then I've read a few more of her books, and though I've enjoyed them, they just haven't lived up to that first breathless read...

Hi Donna - I agree with all of your points especially Theory #3 and #4, although I'm not sure if that was the problem with these two book in particular. I tend to have a difficult time just starting a new book after I read one that I absolutely love. Oh well, not every book can be a prize winner.

Hi Ellie, I think Hoffman's older books were more interesting (or maybe Donna's Theory #2 has come into play). I loved Turtle Moon, Practical Magic and Blackbird House to name a few.

>91 Donna828: I'm leaning towards theory #2 although all of your points are good Donna. I just think back at books I read in the 70's and 80's and my taste was pretty immature even though I was an English major and read a lot of excellent literature in college. I think our taste evolves over time.

Hmm, it may be time for a reread of a favorite, just to see...

8. Murder with Puffins by Donna Andrews

A light and entertaining cozy, the second in the Meg Langslow series but the first I've read. I stopped at the library to pick up the next one in the series - there might be something just a little addictive about them.

My thanks to Richard for chatting up this series on his thread.

You're quite welcome, Joanne!

*potters off to collect his vigorish from Donna Andrews*

Another cozy mystery huh? I have to get through the Louise Penny series first Joanne but I'll keep this one in mind too.

Oh oh, Bonnie...I predict this will be a quick addiction...the humor is well-incorporated into the plot, and the plots are actually quite entertaining to figure out, and the characters are addictively daffy.

*potters off to collect more vigorish from Donna Andrews*

Yes, Bonnie, and ditto what Richard says but...

I have another series to mention that's not quite as good as Three Pines but I do like better than Meg and there are only to be (sadly) four of them - Ann Cleeve's Shetland Island series.

I just got home from a book signing and reading by Josh Ferris who wrote The Unnamed and Then We Came to the End. Really a very nice guy!

9. A Good Fall by Ha Jin
Beautifully written short stories telling of the experiences of Chinese immigrants living in Flushing NY. Seemingly simple stories that are really surprisingly complex.

#101: I already have A Good Fall in the BlackHole. Glad to see that you enjoyed it, Joanne.

Joanne- I bet that was great meeting Ferris and getting both books signed. Then We Came to the End was my of my favorite reads of '08. I take it that you read that one? Can't wait to hear your opinion of The Unnamed.
Glad to see you enjoyed A Good Fall!

>101 Copperskye:: Lucky you living near The Tattered Cover. Was Ferris at the Highlands Ranch location or did you have to go downtown? I need to pay more attention to the T.C. emails and go visit my son in Littleton when one of my favorite authors is going to be there. I've been hearing good things about The Unnamed, but I am also a little leery of too much book hype.

A Good Fall is getting added to the pile Joanne; sounds very good.

>103 msf59: Hi Mark - Yes, Then We Came to an End was one of my favorites, too. I don't know when I'll read The Unnamed though. It sounds pretty bleak although the long section that he read was just lovely - I could have sat on the hard folding chair all night.

>104 Donna828: Hi Donna - We had to go to the LoDo store but traffic wasn't too bad. There were a lot less people there then they were anticipating and so we got to actually chat for a while while he signed. My son (who wants to be a writer, god help us) was able to ask him questions and Ferris great - very gracious and happy to talk.

Hi Joanne, found and starred. I see you're reading Fingersmith - my favourite Sarah Waters - hope you enjoy it.

Hi Lorraine - Thanks for dropping by. Yes, I am enjoying Fingersmith. I loved The Night Watch, too.

Both of those are on my shelf right now. I think I'd better move them up:)

I'm saving Fingersmith and The Night Watch for Orange July. Both were shortlisted for the Booker...Fingersmith in 2002 and N.W. in 2006. I've been hearing wonderful things about Sarah Waters.

Joanne, keep us informed about your son's writing career. Do you think it's a passion or a passing fancy? My son who wanted to be a writer is now a CPA!

Hi Bonnie and Donna - Thanks for dropping by.

It's a passion, Donna, and has been for several years. He has some talent and writing has always come pretty easily for him. For instance, he wrote a short story for his Sci-Fi class last year and I heard through another teacher that his teacher said it was the best piece of writing he had ever gotten from a student (this from the co-chair of the AP Dept.). I've always told him that I want him to do what makes him happy but remember there'll be bills to pay. He's got time to figure it all out. And your CPA can always write on the side!

I just finished watching 'Temple Grandin' on HBO and recommend the movie to anyone who enjoys her books on animals, cares about the humane treatment of livestock and/or are interested in autism. Clare Danes did a fabulous job.

Joanne.
HBO has such stellar works. We recently obtained the HBO documentary regarding John Adams and it was great.

John Adams was a great production!

10. Thereby Hangs A Tail by Spencer Quinn

I think I liked this second book in the Chet and Bernie mystery series even more than the first. I thought maybe the whole dog as narrator thing might get old but it didn't. A quick, fun read. Spencer Quinn is a pseudonym of Peter Abrahams who I've never read but may try.

#114: I think I will give that series a try, Joanne. The books look fun. Thanks for the recommendation!

I recorded the Temple Grandin movie but haven't watched it yet. I've heard her on NPR twice and she captivated me each time.

>115 alcottacre: - They are fun little mystery/detective reads, Stasia, especially if, like me, you're a dog lover.

>116 PaperbackPirate: - A friend mentioned that she was on NPR on Saturday but I missed it. I'll have to see if I can find the podcast. I've only read two of her books Animals in Translation and Animals Make Us Human and enjoyed them both. I've not read her memoirs that were the basis for the movie. She's a fascinating person.

drat Joanne! I'm trying so hard not to add books to the tbr pile...but I visit your thread and lo and behold, I'm adding the two books you mentioned by Temple Gradin

>118 Whisper1: Well good, Linda! They are both very interesting so I hope you enjoy them. I owed you anyway for all the books you've been adding to my tbr. For instance:

11. Looking Back: A Book of Memories by Lois Lowry

I have Linda (whisper1) to thank for this wonderful read. I picked it up late one evening just to glance at but found I couldn't put it down until I'd finished. It is indeed, a book of memories. Lowry links passages from her books and family photos to heartfelt, and sometimes heartbreaking, stories of her life. Anyone who enjoys her books will fall in love with this gem.

Well you and Linda have continually added to my TBR pile so why should this book be any exception? Onto the pile it goes Joanne.

You won't be sorry, Bonnie! :)

Joanne

I'm glad you enjoyed Looking Back: A Book of Memories. I was in awe of the breathtaking beauty of her photos and her writing. She has a poignant manner of writing about difficult subjects in a soft way.

And, I stopped at the library on my way home, before the snow started to fall, and was able to obtain both the Temple Gradin books you mentioned above.

Looking Back: A Book of Memories sounds wonderful, and I do love Lois Lowry. Thank you!

>123 AMQS: You'll love it, Ann, I'm sure!

12. Revenge of the Wrought Iron Flamingos by Donna Andrews
The third in the Meg Langslow series and the second I've read, a good, funny cozy mystery to read when you're in the mood for a cozy.

Hi Joanne, I finally got caught up on your thread and added A Good Fall to my TBR list. Thanks!

Hi Andrea! I'm so glad you stopped by. A Good Fall is a good read - enjoy!

13. American on Purpose by Craig Ferguson

Both funny and sad, this memoir is brutally honest and charmingly reflective.

I had almost finished reading the book when I noticed the audio version, read by Ferguson, on the library shelf. I couldn’t resist, so I started anew with Disc 1; it’s that good, plus I got to hear his wonderful Scottish brogue. Either way, it’s a winner.

Between the Olympics, the dog show and Lost, I'm almost forgetting to post.

14. Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

Twisty, twisted story. I loved it! Once or twice I thought the action dragged a bit but other than that, a great story, one you can get fully immersed in. The last couple of hundred pages I couldn't read fast enough.

#127: I will have to look for that one. Thanks for the recommendation, Joanne.

#128: I really liked that one too. Thus far, it is the only book of Waters' that I have read, but I am hoping to rectify that soon.

Joanne- I took note on the Ferguson book, especially if I can get the a.b.! I have The Night Watch sitting in my tbr. Will that be 1st?

I just imported The Night Watch into itunes. I won't get to it right away as I'm in the middle of a long audio now (The Hour I first Believed). I read Fingersmith last year and loved it. I have also read her newest one, The little stranger and enjoyed it but not to the same degree as Fingersmith.

Joanne, I have both Fingersmith and The Night Watch on my shelf and hope to get to them this year. I thinkFingersmith will be first after reading your comments.

Craig Ferguson is hilarious when he's saying absolutely nothing at all. He just has to wiggle those eyebrows at me and smirk to have me laughing out loud. I think I'll try to get the audiobook version, 'cas I'm a sucker for his Scottish brogue meself!

Hi Stasia - The only other book of hers that I've read is The Night Watch which I also loved and recommend. I'll be reading more soon though!

Hi Mark - The audio was very good but I'm a fan so I'm biased.

Hi Susan, I am also turning out to be quite a Sarah Waters fan. I've got two more of hers on order! Have you read Affinity? I'm going to have to check out your thread - we seem to have a lot of similarities.

Hi Bonnie - I loved them both! Enjoy!

Hi Bonnie - I know!!! Sometimes I stay up too late just to catch the first 10 minutes of his show (even though we have a DVR and I record him most nights!). I can't resist a man who can make me laugh and he does. I just sit there and giggle at nothing. You will love listening to the audio. By the way, we went to his book signing here last month and he was warm and generous and really seemed like a nice guy.

I will have to track down that Craig Ferguson audio book. It sounds it'll be worth making it my first audio book. I love his brogue, especially when he's talking about how much he hates Twilight - no offense to any Twilight fans intended, Ferguson is just hilarious.

I have found not every book works for me on audio but this one definitely did. I like him even more after reading/listening to it. He's a great storyteller!

I have not read Affinity nor Tipping the velvet. I like having some books by an author unread, that way I know there are still some to read, as opposed to waiting around for a (hopefully) new one to come out. I like to save the icing on a piece of cake to eat last too!

>136 Copperskye:: Hi, Joanne. I watched some of The Late, Late Show a bit ago and enjoyed it. I do remember Craig Ferguson from The Drew Carey Show. I just don't think I ever knew what his name was. Love the accent! I'll never be able to stay up late enough to watch the show, but with a DVR I can see myself recording it when he has a guest on that I'm interested in. I don't watch much TV so have to be selective. I noticed an earlier post that you are a LOST fan. Me, too! I'm interested to see how they will wind up the show...I'm pretty lost with what is going on right now. :~)

>138 Donna828: - I love Lost, too! My son and I have been sitting down to watch it together (it's a rare full attention, no computer, lights out and popcorn event!) since the first episode. I'm going to miss it when it's gone but I'm anxious to see how it ends.

We watched Lost faithfully the first two seasons and then lost interest when we became completely lost in the storyline. Word of advice to other screenwriters: even if you name your show Lost, once the viewers are lost, it's all over.

We're considering getting it on dvd now and watching from the beginning to see if we can sort it all out or if we will still be lost;-)

Bonnie, your comments about Lost perfectly describe what happened to me. I missed season three and just didn't want to start all over to get back up to speed. Same thing happened with the Harry Potter books at about book 4 or 5.

My husband convinced me to watch seasons 1-5 on dvd before the final season started up and I got completely hooked. Now that we're watching season 6 as it airs, I am totally confused. Having all the eps on dvd was great since we could just keep watching when something got really intriguing. It's much more confusing when you only see one episode a week.

Hi Bonnie, Bonnie and Andrea - Yeah, I think once you start getting lost in Lost, it's probably pretty tough to get back into it. Or once things started to get really weird initially. I think my husband gave up around the time the polar bear showed up.

It would be a great show to catch up on on dvd, though, with none of the long breaks.

I love watching a show that you really need to pay attention to and love all the layers. I know it's silly but it's fun!

15. One Amazing Thing by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

An earthquake leaves nine people trapped in an Indian passport office in an unnamed American city (which I assumed to be San Francisco). To distract each other from their plight, they each tell a story of their life - one amazing thing.

It didn't work for me. I couldn't buy into the premise that these strangers would tell such intimate stories while in such imminent danger. And I didn’t feel any suspense over their situation. A couple of the stories were interesting but they didn’t read like I was being told a story by the individual characters. An interesting premise, but overall, a disappointment.

#143: Too bad about that one, Joanne. I have it sitting on my nightstand ready to read. I think I will bump it down the stack a bit.

I hope you enjoy your next read more!

Me too! I was just looking at the reviews, though, and a lot of people seemed to like it... On the plus side, it is pretty short! :)

Well, since it short, I may give it a shot and get it over with. If I do not like it, fine, it is over. If I like it, so much the better.

I finished a book last week called The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes - And Why. The author talks about how, in life or death situations like this, people generally tend to cling to groups and that strangers end up forming very intense bonds that under normal circumstances would not develop so quickly. So, it's not totally out of the realm of possibility that the people in One Amazing Thing would start sharing such personal information.

It does sound like an interesting premise, I might give it a shot too.

Good Morning Andrea! Yes that's true. But I never felt much suspense over the danger they were in and that was part of the problem. The whole premise sounded like a great idea to me, too, and that's why I thought I'd try it.

Yes, give it a shot! - most everybody else seems to have liked it.

And thank you for mentioning The Unthinkable. I'm adding it to my list!

Joanne- I am loving Too Much Happiness! It has the makings of being the best book I have read this year. Also thanks for turning me on to BOTNS, I'm going to love that program! They turned me on to Adam Haslett. I found an inexpensive copy of his last short story collection and will be looking for a copy of his latest. They also sparked my interest in a book called The Passage by Justin Cronin. It doesn't come out until June but it looks to be a great read! Hope you are having a great Sunday!

Ah yes, the inevitable stinker. It's bound to happen; you can only read so many good books in a row and the BAM there it is. Just write it off and move on. What's up next for you?

I really liked Haslett's collection of short stories, You are not a Stranger Here.

Hey BonnieB- Yes, that's the Haslett book I just ordered! Glad you enjoyed it! I had never heard of him, up to a couple a days ago!

Oh Joanne, I am about 25 pages into One Amazing Thing and don't want it to disappoint. The premise is good. I will keep reading, as it is an ER book and I need to review. The fact that they share intimate stories doesn't seem at all odd to me, I think people in 'desperate' situation can reveal a lot to each other. But I will see how it plays out and let you know my thoughts. (keeping fingers crossed)

Hi everybody!

I'm so glad you're enjoying BOTNS Mark. Ann and Michael are both dangerous to the tbr pile, though, and I'm also interested in the two books you mentioned.

I have three more Munro books on my shelf that I'm looking forward to. I'm starting to appreciate short stories much more than I used to and I'm not sure why but I am happy about it!

Susan - I am truly in the minority in my feelings about One Amazing Thing so don't let my cranky reaction influence you! Enjoy!

Currently, Bonnie, I'm reading Shirley Jackson's We Have Always Lived in the Castle and Joe Hill's Horns. I hadn't planned on reading Horns yet but it was right there on the shelf at the library and I couldn't resist. I'm also trying to finish up a couple of books I've been reading for a while.

I hope you all had a good weekend!

Joanne- Funny, I just downloaded the audio of Horns, so I'll watching for your reaction. I did not read his last book, for some reason!

16. The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros - Poignant story of a girl growing up in poverty in a Latino neighborhood of Chicago, told in a series of vignettes.

17. We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson - This is a wonderfully creepy gothic tale and deceptively haunting.

#156: I have seen The House on Mango Street several times at the library. I am going to have to give it a shot.

Joanne,

I read The House on Mango Street many years ago and thought it was pretty good but not nearly as good as her previous book Caramelo which I absolutely loved. Have you read that one?

Joanne
I read We Have Always Lived in the Castle and you are right, it is creepy.

I finished One Amazing Thing and liked it. I haven't done my review yet, but I bought that they thought they were in a life threatening situation so wanted to tell or confess a life story. The story is another example of you never can just a book by its cover. Every person is far more complex than you know. Even a spouse or relative have stories and a background that makes them who they are. I like getting a small peak at these peoples lives.

So Joanne we are even I liked One Amazing Thing and you didn't, you like Lark and Termite, I couldn't finish it. FYI I have added Horns to my TBR pile.

Too late! I already deleted my library reservation of One Amazing Thing. The truth is I was ambivalent about it anyway and was glad that you didn't like it, Joanne, so I could go back to my plan of reading more of my own books. If I ever get the pile whittled down (not likely with a spring library booksale coming up), I'll get back to more new reads.

Hi Stasia and Bonnie - House on Mango was OK but I'm not sure I'll go out of my way to read another by the author. I think Caramelo was chosen as a 'One Book One Denver' read a couple of years ago.

Hi Linda - It was a slow build to full creepy mode, and I think I'll read The Haunting of Hill House soon, too.

Hi Susan - I'm happy to hear you liked it!

Hi Donna - Isn't it awful how our own books get so neglected! I'm off to your thread to see about Shadow Tag.

18. Why Manners Matter: The Case for Civilized Behavior in a Barbarous World by Lucinda Holdforth

A surprisingly delightful essay on manners.

I have to read this one...In fact, if I hit the lottery I'll buy a copy for lots of Lehigh students!

I can't even seem to remember how I found out about it to put it on hold at the library but I was pleasantly surprised at how interesting it was!

I'm thinking it, or something like it, should be required reading!

This one sounds very good Joanne and very needed! Onto the pile it goes.

19. Horns by Joe Hill

Excellent! Great horror story, wonderfully developed characters, tightly constructed, sometimes humorous, always horrific. And it’s also, surprisingly, a love story. I did not want to put this one down.

Ig Perrish, who is under popular suspicion for the rape and murder a year ago of his girlfriend but was let go for lack of evidence, wakes one morning with a terrible hangover and no memory of the night before. He also has horns growing out of his head. Things go steadily downhill (or is it uphill for Ig?) from there.

This book is not for everyone, though. It is a horror story after all. Those easily offended or squeamish won’t like it. Horns is every bit as good, if not better than his first novel, Heart-Shaped Box. And it’s very good news for horror fans to find that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. I can only hope that Joe Hill is as prolific as his father.

The book about manners does sound interesting, though I think that if I were to read it, I'd just end up more frustrated by people's lack of them!

I cannot resist adding Horns. It is now on the tbr pile.

I thought about it and I guess your description of Horns did snag me afterall. Put it on the old bloating wish list.

Joanne- Very good review! I have the audiobook of Horns and based on your glowing review, I'll try to get to it soon!

I am passing on Horns as I do not do horror, but I am glad you enjoyed it Joanne!

Caramelo was chosen a few years ago for One Book One Denver. I enjoyed it, and it led to a great book club discussion, but I can't say that I loved it.

Ditto what Stasia said. No horror for me.

Hi Everybody - Horns is definitely not for everyone!! Back in the day, though, horror type books were almost all I wanted to read.

>173 AMQS: - I thought so Ann, and if I remember correctly, the reception it got was pretty "meh". I wish they'd just choose Plainsong. I think we're all mature enough to deal with a little so called "controversy"!

I agree. Plainsong would be a great choice. The first year they chose Peace Like a River by Leif Enger, which ended up being one of my favorite books ever.

I am also one who took a step back from straight horror, although I do like forensic books, but to me those are more clinical than horror. But I want to read Horns in spite of myself, just maybe wait till it comes out in paperback. I keep telling myself I've been there and done that but if someone gave me the book or it was cheap, I'd be all over it in a heartbeat.

Look at you go girl! 19 books in 2 months?!

>176 AMQS: Anne, I think Peace Like A River was the most popular book of the program.

>177 scarpettajunkie: Deirdra, That's why I like the library so much - no big deal if I don't like it. I can only do horror in small doses. I still have Under the Dome waiting for me on the shelf.

>178 alphaorder: Hi Nancy - I know, right!? Believe me, no one is more surprised than me. However, a couple were audiobooks and at least 5-6 were relatively small books (not much more than 100 pages). And, to be honest, there's not a lot of heavy reading being done by me. ;) But anyway, I don't expect to continue at this pace (as much as I'd like to!).

Joanne- That is a great pace! But if we are ever going to make the slightest dent in our massive tbrs, we need to keep it up! Hope you are enjoying the G.R.!!

20. Making Toast by Roger Rosenblatt

Highly recommended. Roger Rosenblatt writes a tender, touching memoir chronicling his family’s life after the sudden death of his daughter. He and his wife move in with their son-in-law to help with their three young grandchildren and tells their story in a series of thoughtful, sometimes abrupt, sometimes heartbreaking, vignettes. It’s a loving tribute to his daughter.

I had read the original essay which was published in The New Yorker a couple of years ago. This book expands on that story. HarperCollins/Ecco kindly provided the arc.

I'm looking for good memoirs for my 10/10 challenge Joanne and this one will fit in nicely. Onto the pile it goes.

Oh good Bonnie - I hope you like it!

I'm adding Making Toast to the tbr pile.

>181 Copperskye:: Re: Making Toast...here is a quote from The Lacuna on the subject. The protagonist is a cook and journal keeper; this is his entry referring to the food preferences of Leon Trotsky and his wife during their exile in Mexico...

"A note on meal preparations: The visitors prefer tea over coffee. Another exceptional preference is unsweetened bread cut into thin slabs, toasted in the oven until somewhat hard, as if stale. Otherwise they are generally agreeable to normal foods." (Pg. 153)

I love making connections between books, although this is probably a big stretch.

ETA: Sorry about the extra posts....computer (or LT site) went bonkers!

Hi Joanne- Of course I'm still checking out BOTNS and came away with another promising book & author, called Walking to Gatlinburg. Looks like my kind of book, it sounds like a variation of Cold Mountain. Have you read The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie? I'm nearly done with the audio and I think you would love it.
Sorry, you are struggling a bit with the G.R. Like you pointed out, it's a dense read but I feel it's been rewarding. He makes you pay attention!

Linda - I think you'll like it. And my current audio book is thanks to your suggestion (see below).

Donna - Toast, such a simple thing and yet so complex! I like to make connections too, and just had one about peacock feathers in two books I'm reading. And I know, LT had been weird for a day or so.

Mark - I recently bought a nice used copy of Sweetness from the library's used shelf but I haven't read it yet. I keep going back and forth about reading it but since I own it now I probably will. My current audio is Number the Stars by Lois Lowry, a YA book. It's read by Blair Brown and she has a good voice for audio books. Makes all the difference. You're one podcast ahead of me - I only have a 20 minute commute but with nice weather this weekend, I'll take my ipod on walks with me so I'll probably get to it very soon.

Adding Making Toast to the BlackHole. Thanks for the recommendation, Joanne.

Mark,

I came away with the same thought from BOTNS. Walking to Gatlinburg sounds good.

I think so, too, Bonnie. I finished listening to the podcast on my way to the library yesterday and picked up two earlier Frank Howard Mosher books that were on the shelf (just to take a look at).

Hi Bonnie- Isn't BOTNS a great podcast? Thanks to my friend Joanne for that one! She also warned me that it could be dangerous for the tbr and as usual she was correct!
Joanne- Speaking of Mosher, I was able to Bookmooch his last book, A Stranger in the Kingdom: A Novel . It looks very good! Is that one of the ones you picked up?

Yes, Mark, along with On Kingdom Mountain. I probably won't do more right now than look through them, though, to see if I might like them.

21. The Patience Stone by Atiq Rahimi

Stark and unsettling. I finished this a couple of days ago and I'm still not sure what I think about it but I am still thinking about it. It sure was a gripping read, with an interesting ending.

22. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry.

I listened to this wonderful YA book, read by Blair Brown, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks to Whisper1 (Linda) for recommending it.

#195: Glad you enjoyed that one, Joanne. Have you read Lowry's The Giver yet? If not, I highly recommend it.

Read the book and taught the book. It's wonderful.

Joanne

I'm glad you liked the book. I set the goal of reading all of Lois Lowry's books this year.

Actually, I spent my lunch time today at the local library book sale. I was able to obtain a hard cover copy of The Giver and of Number the Stars for $2.00 each. They both look brand new!

Number the Stars is a favorite of my daughter. While I haven't read it yet, I love knowing it's "there".

I second the recommendation for The Giver, if you haven't read it yet!

Hi you guys.

Thanks for the recommendations of The Giver. I read it when my son did, when he was in middle school. At the time, I had hoped that his teacher would assign Number the Stars instead of The Giver because I knew he might pick up The Giver on his own but never Number the Stars. A missed opportunity - oh well.

I've been gone most of the week, to Massachusetts and New Jersey. My mom passed away last Saturday. She was 90, and even though that's pretty old, it was sudden. She was fine (we thought) one day and dead two days later.

Both my mom and dad were readers and raised a houseful of them. My mom would joke that when they were dating, he would bring a book along just to make sure she was the kind of girl who could stand just sitting quietly and reading without talking all the time. I don't think she was kidding.

Apart from just general missing, I will miss talking books with my mom. We had very similar tastes - I figure I got my love of mysteries and thrillers from dad and love of fiction, historical fiction and memoirs from mom. I thank them for that. I'm quite sure there are lots of books in heaven. :)

Safe journey home, Joanne's mom. Thanks for giving her to us.

Joanne, I am so sorry to hear about your mother. It sounds as if she was a wonderful lady.

I am quite sure there are lots of books in heaven, too.

Hugs to you Joanne.

Thank you Richard and Stasia. You're both so sweet. You're gonna make me cry again (not that that's a bad thing).

>204 PaperbackPirate: Thank you so much.

Joanne - I'm so sorry for the loss of your mother! I send you a big hug and my best wishes!!

Joanne,

I am so sorry about the passing of your mother. She sounds like she was a wonderful mother and such a good friend to you. I'm sure you'll miss her tremendously but I know when my Mom passed away last October I was comforted by the idea that God had granted her the gift of long life so she could share her beautiful personality with others. It seems as though you can appreciate the same.

I'm so sorry about your loss, Joanne. Didn't you recently have your mother out to visit you? It's wonderful that she could lead an active life right up until the end. I also inherited my love for reading from my parents. What a wonderful legacy. Hugs and prayers for you as you grieve; and, yes, those tears are healing.

I am so sorry for your loss. I am thinking about you.

Thinking about you too Joanne. Thanks for sharing the memories with us.

Joanne, I am so sorry for your loss. Grief packs a whallop. After my beloved grandmother died I felt like the stuffing was pulled right out of me. Now, I'm still sad at times because I miss her. But, I am ever so very blessed to have been raised by a wonderful, kind, other directed woman.

My thoughts and prayers are with you as you process the memories.

Hugs, BIG ones!

So sorry for your loss. You're in my thoughts.

Dear Mark, Bonnie, Donna, Anne, Nancy, Linda and Caty - Thank you all for stopping by and taking a moment to comment and send your hugs and prayers and share your thoughts. It means a lot. I know each day will dawn a little brighter than the one before.

Yes, Donna, my Mom was just here at Christmas and we were lucky to have her travel out here for the last three Christmases as well as two summer time visits, all since my Dad died in 2007. (My Dad couldn't travel his last few years - he died at 93. I have good genes).

Joanne, I'm so sorry to hear about your mom!!! One of the things I miss the most about my dad is sharing books with him and going to the book store and spending hours there. I still have many of his books and hope to pass them on to my nieces and nephews. They seemed to have inherited the reading bug too!

Tammy, Thank you. When I was little, my dad and I would go to the library together every Saturday morning. We're blessed to have such lovely memories of our parents!

I'm a little behind, but I'm sorry to hear about your mom as well. So glad you got to spend Christmas with her!

23. The Fur Person by May Sarton

An absolutely charming little story of a cat and the two people he found to love him. It is, really, a simple story of a family. Having been chosen by two cats, including my current little one whose persistence was truly astounding, I know what a rare priviledge and joy it can be. Any cat lover will love this book and I'm happy to say, and don't consider it a spoiler, that no cat dies or comes to any harm.

My thanks to tapestry100 for recommending it a few months ago. I would never have found it on my own.

#218: I have been reading through Sarton's journals and enjoying them, so I will definitely be looking for that one.

Yay! An animal book without a sad ending!

adding The Fur Person to the list. Glad you read a book that was light and breezy. Grief packs a hard punch and sometimes it is difficult to focus. A lovely little story might be just what you needed eh?

Hi Stasia - She is a lovely writer and I plan on checking out more of her work. Let me know if there are any in particular you can recommend.

Hi Carly - I know, right!? It's so unusual. I checked out your profile and your cats are beautiful!

Hi Linda - It was a perfect book for the time even though I just had to finish up the last 30 or so pages. It was lovely.

Joanne, very sorry to hear about your mum. My grandmother died like that at 85 and it's very shocking. We heard she was ill on Friday, but didn't know that she was that ill until Saturday, though family had all travelled down to Oxford. She died the next day, which was Mother's Day, too.

Wishing you lots of comfort and support, for as long as it takes and then some, whether it's online or in a book.

Oh....Joanne, I'm so sorry to hear about your Mother. Wishing you peace and happy memories of her.

elkiedee - I'm sorry to hear about your grandmother, too. So sad. Thank you for sharing and your kind words.

Louanne - Thank you for your kindness and well wishes.

Joanne, I'm sorry, I should have said what happened to my grandmother was 15 years ago, but thanks for the sympathy. My mum grieved a long time, and we all still miss her.

>226 elkiedee: - No worries. I didn't necessarily think it was recent. 15 years, 15 months, 15 days - just a difference to the raw edge.

Joanne

very well put!

The aching loss doesn't go away, simply the severity abates. Thinking of you.

Good morning Linda!

24. Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History by Art Spiegelman

A unique telling of a terrible time and how the past can influence the future. Spiegelman, as an artist, chose to tell a family story using pictures along with words. Graphic novels have grown up quite a bit since my Archie and Jughead days and I've now moved past my previous graphic novel aversion. Like Stitches, I think this worked even better as a graphic novel/memoir than it would have as a straightforward memoir. I've got Maus II waiting in the wings.

#230: I am glad you liked Maus. I had both the first and second volumes on my memorable reads list last year. They really are very compelling and I think you are right - they work extremely well as graphic novels.

Joanne- Glad you liked Maus! I plan on getting to it, in the very near future, since I'm now a full-fledged G.N. geek! I finished The Arrival and it was wonderful!

Geek-in-the-making here, Mark, Joanne, and Stasia. I'm still building up to my first GN, but I like the excitement that is building. If nothing else, I'll introduce them to the woman I'm tutoring in reading. So far she hasn't liked any of my other suggestions. :-( Adding Maus to my growing list of GNs to try.)

Edited to say that Maus had already been recommended by Madeline (SqueakyChu).

Thanks Joanne for the Maus suggestion. I read Stitches last year and loved it.

Hmm, I'm pretty darn sure I stopped over here last night and posted a comment but I don't see it which has me worried that I left some random comment on someone else's thread thinking that I was on my own thread...sometimes I stay up too late...but maybe it just didn't post for some reason...

Anyway, yes read Maus, it was great!

25. The Various Haunts of Men by Susan Hill

Wow! An emotionally draining mystery/thriller/police procedural by a writer who is not afraid to take chances. This is the first in a series and I've already bought the next two Simon Serrailler mysteries. I find it interesting though, that this book barely introduced DCI Serrailler - I know more about his sister than him. But that's ok since there was a fine cast of characters to get to know and more to come.

Joanne

I added this book to the tbr pile last year. Kath highly recommended it. I will move it up the mountain of books I need to get to soon.

>235 Copperskye: I'm going to keep this one in mind Joanne but with my brain i can only do one series at a time and thanks to you it's Three Pines:)

#235: That one is sitting on my nightstand waiting for me to get to it. *sigh*

Hi Joanne- The Hill book sounds good! I've taken note!

I'm a big fan of the Serailler series too. Well worth the time.

Hi Joanne. I've gotten behind on all of the threads again and am playing catch-up again. I just wanted to pass along belated sympathies for your loss.

The Various Haunts of Men sounds very interesting, by the way!

Hi Joanne -- looks like another good one. I read The Woman in Black (also by Susan Hill) a few years ago and it thoroughly spooked me!

I had the Susan Hill book sitting on my shelf for a while too!

>241 spacepotatoes: Hi Andrea - Thank you. And it's good to "see" you again!

>240 drneutron: Hi Jim - I really am looking forward to continuing - the author seems to have a lot to work with!

>237 brenzi: Hi Bonnie - You know if it wasn't me, it would've been someone else! Penny has a lot of fans here. I'm currently listening to The Brutal Telling. And I'm also finishing up Henrietta Lacks (thanks to you!). :)

Hi Anne - I'll look that one up, too. I like the sound of "thoroughly spooked me"!

Coming in very late, but I'm sorry to hear about your mother Joanne. Hope you're doing okay!

>245 tloeffler: Thank you Terri. It was kind of you to stop by.

>242 AMQS: Anne, I found The Woman in Black at the library yesterday. Now I just need to find the time to get to it!

26. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

Excellent mix of science and family saga. Thank you Bonnie (brenzi) for recommending it!

Yes, that's the problem, isn't it -- so many books, so little time! Hope you enjoy it when you do get to it. It won't take you long to read.

#246: I am glad you enjoyed the Skloot book, Joanne. It is one of my top reads for the year.

Reminder to self: Request The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks from the library.

Wondering where the baby pics are? Lucky you!

Morning Joanne- The Henrietta Lacks book sounds great, hopefully I can get to it in the near future! Listening to The Help and it begins wonderfully.

Hi bonnieb! I had a grandson pic on my profile page but that was before we had a picture gallery, so little Noah can be found there now. Thanks for the reminder to put him back. I have to find a newer picture because he's gotten a lot bigger in the last several weeks.

Mark - I'll be interested to hear how you liked The Help on audio (oh, I think I made a pun).

Hope everybody had a nice weekend/Easter!!

It is definitely spring. Besides the spring bulbs, the coyotes have moved back into their denning area in the open space down the street. All three have been there for at least the last four days. I liked the foxes who used to live there.

Coyotes down the street??! Yikes! My sister has coyotes because she lives in the "high desert" in California. Do you have a lot of 'open space' near your house?

And, Joanne, that was such a friendly hi, I hate to mention it, but please don't call me "bonnieb." As Mark knows, I read it as "bonneeb" and so don't like that. You can call me bonniebooks, bonnie, or Bonnie. I don't get confused if you're talking to the other Bonnie (my sis). If I'm not sure who you're talking to, I just look back on the thread. Or, if it's some really nice compliment, I sometimes pretend it's for me--who's to know? ;-)

We have 3 coyotes living down the street too! They are so much fun to watch, and I love the sounds they make. I call them the organic solution to our pigeon problem!

So the foxes are going to need to find some new homes if they come back? Poor foxes.

I hope the coyotes are keeping to their end of the street and not roaming around in your backyards

> 252 Bonnie - :) We do have a lot of open space and the trails near our house connect with a maze of trails that run for miles and miles.

>253 PaperbackPirate: I love watching them but hate when they follow us - and I'm sure there are plenty of times they follow and we don't know it. The best is when there are pups and a fire truck or ambulance goes by with the siren on. The pups join in and jip and the whole pack howls. Last year they had a litter of five.

>Hi Caroline - Rumor has it the foxes moved to a new area about 1/2 mile away. They are a lot cuter and much less threatening. We very occasionally see coyotes and foxes trotting down the street but I'm sure they are here more than we see them. We have a lot of rabbits lately so there's food around. And we're very careful about letting the cat out. I would not want to see one on my back patio!

We have both foxes and coyotes in the vicinity of our house. We never had coyotes but a few years ago we would wake up in the middle of the night to their unbelievable howling (impossible not to recognize it), which, if I understand correctly, they only do after a kill, and then everyone in the area talked about them. They continue to wake us up regularly in the summer.

We've had some foxes over the years and I think they had burrows in the woods near our house ... but we haven't seen them at all for a year now, and I'm a little sad. They were cute and beautiful and it was a treat to see them trotting down our street sometimes, or cutting through our backyard.

Joanne - I am totally engrossed in The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks at the moment...

Still no foxes...just the darn coyotes.

Hi Nancy - It really is a page turner and even the science is fascinating.

I thought it was time to start a new thread...

http://www.librarything.com/topic/88920