Roni 'ncats is back for 2010: Part Two

Here's thread number 2. My old thread is at
Roni's Thread 1







Books read in 2010 (touchstones will be in the messages containing the reviews, * signifies a re-read, # indicates an Off The Shelf book, + is a library book):
July
62. Lirael* by Garth Nix (324 pp.)
63. Magic Below Stairs by Caroline Stevermer (199 pp.)
64. Saltation by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (325 pp.)

June
55. Travels with Herodotus+ by Ryszard Kapuscinski (275 pp.)
56. Song of Scarabaeus by Sara Creasy (354 pp.)
57. I Saw Three Ships by Elizabeth Goudge (75 pp.)
58. Sabriel* by Garth Nix (216 pp.)
59. The Enchantment Emporium by Tanya Huff (473 pp.)
60. Eye of the Crow by Shane Peacock (250 pp.)
61. Children of the Lens by E. E. "Doc" Smith (254 pp.)

May
48. Surrender None* by Elizabeth Moon (530 pp.)
49. Second Stage Lensmen* by E. E. (Doc) Smith (271 pp.)
50. The High King*# and The Foundling and other Tales of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander (231 pp.)
51. The Healing Powers of Chocolate by Cal Orey (294 pp.)
52. The Empress of Mars by Kage Baker (303 pp.)
53. The Blue Castle* by L. M. Montgomery (218 pp.)
54. Stopping for a Spell by Diana Wynne Jones (132 pp.)

April
34. Emissaries from the Dead by Adam-Troy Castro (387 pp.)
35. The Willoughbys+ by Lois Lowry (168 pp.)
36. Taran Wanderer* by Lloyd Alexander (138 pp.)
37. Beyond the Deepwoods# by Paul Stewart & Chris Riddell (278 pp.)
38. The Four-Story Mistake+ by Elizabeth Enright (177 pp.)
39. Gray Lensman* by E. E. "Doc" Smith (253 pp.)
40. Enchanted Glass by Diana Wynne Jones (292 pp.)
41. The Key to Rondo# by Emily Rodda (342 pp.)
42. Bitter Angels by C. L. Anderson (438 pp.)
43. House of Many Ways* by Diana Wynne Jones (404 pp.)
44. Sheepfarmer's Daughter* by Elizabeth Moon (506 pp.)
45. Divided Allegiance* by Elizabeth Moon (522 pp.)
46. Oath of Gold* by Elizabeth Moon (501 pp.)
47. Oath of Fealty by Elizabeth Moon (471 pp.)

March
23. Jane Bites Back by Michael Thomas Ford (299 pp.)
24. Galactic Patrol* by E. E. (Doc) Smith (237 pp.)
25. The Castle of Llyr* by Lloyd Alexander (111 pp.)
26. Cold Comfort Farm# by Stella Gibbons (233 pp.)
27. The Accidental Sorcerer by K. E. Mills (535 pp.)
28. Heartless by Anne Elisabeth Stengl (253 pp.)
29. When You Reach Me+ by Rebecca Stead (197 pp.)
30. Superior Saturday by Garth Nix (278 pp.)
31. Lord Sunday by Garth Nix (317 pp.)
32. Bound in Blood by P. C. Hodgell (296 pp.)
33. High Wire (Edgar & Ellen)# by Charles Ogden (189 pp.)

February
12. My Father's Dragon# by Ruth Stiles Gannett (87 pp.)
13. Elmer and the Dragon# by Ruth Stiles Gannett (87 pp.)
14. The Dragons of Blueland# by Ruth Stiles Gannett (88 pp.)
15. Precious Dragon# by Liz Williams (351 pp.)
16. First Lensman* by E. E. "Doc" Smith (252 pp.)
17. The Black Cauldron*# by Lloyd Alexander (127 pp.)
18. HaveMercy# by Jaida Jones and Danielle Bennett (431 pp.)
19. The Anubis Gates* by Tim Powers (pp.387)
20. The Phantom Tollbooth*+ by Norton Juster (pp. 256)
21. Soulless by Gail Carriger (357 pp.)
22. The Lost Fleet: Dauntless# by Jack Campbell (293 pp.)

January
1. The Riddle-Master of Hed* by Patricia A. McKillip (222 pp.)
2. Heir of Sea and Fire* by Patricia A. McKillip (207 pp.)
3. Harpist in the Wind* by Patricia A. McKillip (257 pp.)
4. Triplanetary* by E. E. "Doc" Smith (240 pp.)
5. The Book of Three* by Lloyd Alexander (129 pp.)
6. Iorich by Steven Brust (319 pp.)
7. The Phantom Lover by Elizabeth Mansfield (250 pp.)
8. The Book of Dragons# by Edith Nesbit (153 pp.)
9. Three Cups of Tea# by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
10. Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde (388 pp.)
11. The Sorceress of Karres by Eric Flint and Dave Greer (307 pp.)

Books entering my house (adopted):
January
1. Iorich by Steven Brust (Borders, 33% off coupon) READ
2. Powers by Ursula LeGuin (Borders, $3.99/hardback)
3. Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde (Amazon) READ
4. The Sorceress of Karres by Eric Flint and Dave Greer (Amazon) READ
5. The Alchemy of Stone by Ekaterina Sedia (Amazon)
6. The Phantom Lover by Elizabeth Mansfield (BookMooch) READ
7. The Healing Powers of Chocolate by Cal Orey (ER book)
February
8. Blackout by Connie Willis (Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore)
9. Except the Queen by Jane Yolen and Midori Snyder (Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore)
10. Soulless by Gail Carriger (Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore) READ
11. Lamentation by Ken Scholes (Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore)
12. The Accidental Sorcerer by K. E. Mills (Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore) READ
13. The Domino Men by Jonathan Barnes (BookMooch)
14. Murder of a Real Bad Boy by Denise Swanson (PaperBackSwap)
15. Murder of a Botoxed Blonde by Denise Swanson (PaperBackSwap)
16. Jane Bites Back by Michael Thomas Ford (Borders 25% off coupon) READ
March
17. Heartless by Anne Elisabeth Stengl (ER) READ
18. Oath of Fealty by Elizabeth Moon (Amazon) READ
19. Superior Saturday by Garth Nix (Amazon) READ
20. Lord Sunday by Garth Nix (Amazon) READ
21. Bound in Blood by P. C. Hodgell (Amazon) READ
22. Witches Incorporated by K. E. Mills (Borders 40% coupon)
23. Emissaries from the Dead by Adam-Troy Castro (Mysterious Galaxy) READ
24. Bitter Angels by C. L. Anderson (Mysterious Galaxy) READ
25. Changeless by Gail Carriger (Amazon)
26. A Wizard of Mars by Diane Duane (Amazon) READ

April
27. Enchanted Glass by Diana Wynn Jones (Amazon) READ
28. Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale (PBS) (read library copy last year, got this one to keep)
29. California Home Landscaping by Roger Holmes and Lance Walheim. (Books Are Fun)

May
30. Nine Gates by Jane Lindskold (Borders--33% off coupon)
31. Charlie Bone and the Red Knight by Jenny Nimmo (Borders--33% off coupon)
32. The Empress of Mars by Kage Baker (Amazon) READ
33. Smart but Scattered by Peg Dawson and Richard Guare
34. That Crumpled Paper was Due Last Week by Ana Homayoun
35. Stopping for a Spell by Diana Wynne Jones (PBS) READ
36. Storm From the Shadows by David Weber (Borders--$5 borders cash)
37. The Joy of the Snow by Elizabeth Goudge
38. I Saw Three Ships by Elizabeth Goudge (these two ordered used from SCOTLAND!) READ

June
39. The Secret Fiend by Shane Peacock (ER)
40. Still Life by Louise Penny (BookMooch)
41. Airborn by Kenneth Oppel (PBS)
42. Magic Below Stairs by Caroline Stevermer (Amazon) READ
43. Mouse & Dragon by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (Borders- 33% off coupon)
44. The Enchantment Emporium by Tanya Huff (Borders) READ
45. Academ's Fury by Jim Butcher (PaperBackSwap)

July
46. Saltation by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (Signed subscription)

Book # 31 Lord Sunday by Garth Nix (317 pp.)

I am going to have to wait until I go back and re-read the whole series to really evaluate this book fairly. Right now all I can say is, "Wow, what a ride!" The ending, in retrospect, is inevitable, but still quite a bit to grasp. Outstanding children's fantasy!

Found you again!

New thread and I haven't lost it. It must be a miracle!

found you :)

I know what you mean Roni now that all the Keys to the Kingdom books are out I'd like to go back and read them all in a row.Glad you enjoyed it!

Hallo!

Hi, everyone, and thanks for finding me. I just wanted to let you know that I submitted my official notice of resignation as of June 17 to the District Office this week! Now I will spend spring break (the next two weeks) filling out all the paperwork for the pension system and submitting it, along with doing taxes and mammograms and eye doctor visits and the like. All the things I cram into the breaks in the school year! For the last time...

Congratulations on your impending retirement, Roni!

Woo!

Congratulations and here's to more reading time!!!

Congratulations!

Wow! What an exciting change for you!

Starred you again :) Congrats on your upcoming retirement! Do you have any big plans for the future?

About six months of sleeping, I think. Interspersed with gardening, reading, and walking at the beach or zoo.

Sounds like a great plan!

Super great plan!

I think I could do the gardening, reading, walking thing, but if I tried to do 6 months of sleeping I think my body would think I was dead.

...or just hibernating, Stasia!

congrats on the retirement, and on having read more books than you have 'adopted' this year; that is certainly more than I have managed!!

Congrats on your retirement and I hope you enjoy some peaceful months over your coming summer.

Congratulations on the upcoming retirement!

Your retirement sounds wonderful, I hope you enjoy it!

But Stasia, you don't sleep. I am an 8-9 hour per night need my sleep person, and I have been operating on 6.5 to 7.5 hours of sleep for 30 years. It will take me a while to catch up.

>19 Chatterbox: So far is the operative term! I'm off to pick up two more today for group reads! But I finished another one, too.

Thank you, everyone, for the good wishes. It will, of course, give me more time to spend with all of you on LibraryThing!

Book # 32 Bound in Blood by P. C. Hodgell

I love this series. It takes her too long to write books, not helped by the fact that two publishers went out of business with her books (no, not DUE to them). So this series started in 1982 with the incomparable God Stalk, Dark of the Moon in 1985, Seeker's Mask in 1994, To Ride a Rathorn in 2006, and now Bound in Blood. Baen, her new publisher, has been reissuing the early books in omnibus editions, and has an e-book collection with all of them but the last under the title Godstalker Chronicles. But the books are good stories. There are so many threads interwoven, so many things still hidden from the protagonists, but such great characters.

Bound in Blood continues Jame's saga. She and her brother Tori continue to try to find their place in the Riverland, Jame back at Tentir to continue her Randon training, Tori at Gothregor to try to come to terms with what it means to be High Lord of the Kencyrath. Don't read this series without starting at the beginning! However, for those who have followed Jame thus far, here is another well-written, action-packed (with Jame, how could it be otherwise!), and thought-provoking addition to the story. Pat, you'd better be writing at full speed RIGHT NOW!

Edited to try and make touchstones work. Although the books show up on the right under Touchstones, none of them are working when I post it.

Oh sounds good. Maybe if I get the e-reader? I like Baen books. Hope they stay strong.

#23

God forbid how much time I will spend sleeping when I retire (in about 40 years!), given that I can sleep for 14-15 hrs a night and, of course, don't get that much. I fear I will appear dead for about 20 years before I actually am, because I'll just be asleep for the whole time.

#23 I never manage to get quite enough sleep in the week - I'm glad it's not just me. Although it is slightly scary to think how much sleep I'll be short of when I get to retirement age!

The P.C. Hodgell books sound really good. Looks like they're being rereleased in the UK as well :-)

And I also wanted to add that I am slightly dumb, I've been reading your LibraryThing handle as ronin-cats so far and it was only after your new thread and my husband helpfully pointing it out that I realised it's roni'ncats. Which makes so much more sense - why would it be ronin-cats??

#25 We could make you a Granny Weatherwax 'I aten't dead' card?

Congrats on the retirement, I'm jealous.

#26

Don't worry, your post has only just made me realise that!! I've been reading it as ronin-cats as well, for a long time. Glad to know there are people as daft as me :/

I think I need an 'i aten't dead' card at the moment, never mind when I am old!

>26 souloftherose: Heather, you aren't the only one, which is why I made the change on this thread to clarify matters! When I started using the handle, ronin was not a common word, and AOL eliminated the space in "roni ncats" as originally designed. Although little Samurai cats are rather an intriguing concept as well...

Yup, I thought it was ronin-cats too.

Also, I don't know how you all function with not enough sleep. I can never manage to go more than a week without catching up, at great cost to my productivity.

Ronin cats was my original reading as well. Why would you want to clarify things, ronin cats is a cool image IMO.

#23: I have been getting around on 3-5 hours of sleep a day for 48 years now. When I retire, I hate to think how long it is going to take me to catch up!

I bought God Stalk last year and am planning on reading it some time this one.

As far as your name goes, I have known how to correctly pronounce it for a while now, but still think of you as 'ronin cats,' lol.

#26 & 28 See, I did know that it's roni-ncats, but I actually quite like the idea of ronin cats, so I always read it that way anyway ;o)

3-5 hours of sleep a day. Wow. I can do that for a week or two, but at the end of it, I'd just collapse and sleep where I was for at least 48 hours!

Well I did once think it was ronincats, but I have known for a while it's Roni. I still think of you as a dreadlocked warrior living in the city of Atlantis in the Pegasus dwarf galaxy, Roni :)

And no doubt someone will tell me that is actually Ronan or somesuch spelling - but I don't care :)

For her retirement, Roni can train her cats to be ninjas.

Wow, happy retirement Roni! Just think of all the reads you'll read!

@23: I'm expecting to pick up my special order of Bound in Blood this week. I read the seven reviews on Amazon (though if people want to avoid spoilers, they should definitely skip at least one of them that consists entirely of a plot summary). I am really looking forward to it, since this is my favorite fantasy series.

Congratulations on the retirement. I'm afraid that's a milestone I can only dream about.

I rather like having a name that has a double meaning!

My cats already see themselves as being little warriors, I think. I don't think I'll be able to get them to tolerate wearing little ninja robes or samurai hats, however. Stephen, I love your image of me--don't change it one bit!!

Chris, this is a top favorite series for me as well. I have to confess that, after the absolute full-sensory, non-stop action and great characters, including Tai-tastigon as a character, of God Stalk, and not getting hold of the second book until nearly 10 years later, Dark of the Moon felt like a let-down. But now, seeing it in the context of the continuing series, I don't feel that way at all. This is such a rich and multi-layered story--I just really wish she would write faster.

Oh, and I was having so much fun envisaging these cats all dressed up in samurai garb, jumping out from behind doors with ferocious yells. Which, of course, the household felines here do, sans swords and funny garb, already.

I think if I retired, I'd shrivel up and die. But that's because my work involves asking questions, writing and reading. As the song goes, "who could ask for anything more?"

I'm only retiring from getting up and going to work for someone else every day. While I love my job, I am tired. I love working with the students, not so much with the adults, but I'm not doing my best for them any more. I need some cocoon time, during which I will read, play with my cats, garden, get out my craft supplies to sew, crochet, and make jewelry, take pottery and glass-making classes, get a proper amount of exercise at the gym and on my Wii, take time to cook healthy meals, and have my house look half-way neat and clean most of the time for a change. My husband will be happy that I do not have to write assessment reports in the evenings and on the weekends. When I get bored, I will volunteer, or consult, or teach at the university. I will go and have lunch monthly with different groups of my friends in the school district, so several lunches a month with friends. And if I feel like taking a nap in the middle of the day, I will. And cleaning out the attic will take months! ;-) Who know, if I'm not writing psychological reports all the time, I may even take up some other types of writing. Whatever, I'm not retiring from life or living.

Book #33 Edgar & Ellen: High Wire by Charles Ogden (189 pp.)

I have picked up a number of children's fantasies that I want to finish in the next two months so I can give what I don't want to keep to my students. High Wire is not one I will keep. Written at a frenetic pace with no character development, non-stop staccato action, imitating Lemony Snicket without the charm, this might be an entertaining light read for the 8-10 year old bunch, but not one they will want to come back to in the future. This is evidently the 5th book in the series, there is a game, a puzzle, a website--a money-making venture from start to finish.

#41: Sounds like one I can safely skip!

#40 Still sounds pretty busy! Not having to write assessment reports at weekends at evenings is definitely a good thing. My mum retired from her teaching job a few years ago and has been so much happier since. I really hope it's good for you too :-)

Think I'll also skip High Wire.

I'm half-way through Emissaries from the Dead for the SF Group read, and enjoying it. But I just had to announce that Changeless and A Wizard of Mars just arrived from Amazon in the mail right now. My husband says, "MORE new books?" To which I can only reply, "Why, yes." ;-)

#44: My husband just kind of shakes his head at me any more. I understand.

I can't find Emissaries from the Dead locally and I've been threatened with dismemberment if I order anything else from Amazon (in fairness, she did just buy me a new computer, so I feel I should make a strong effort not to disobey)...how are you liking it?

So far I like it. I'm right at midpoint, and it's an interesting mystery in a fascinating environment. Reminds me of some of my favorite SF mysteries, Deadly Silents by Lee Killough and Wrapt in Crystal by Sharon Shinn. Attenuated to some degree by a not so favorite trope of damaged female personality (a la Jani Killian or Jenny Casey). I'll let you know when I finish it.

But, but, but, it's for the GROUP read...

</i>But, but, but, it's for the GROUP read...

Yeah, I know, but there's that whole "donated book-buying budget to Haiti" thing plus the computer...I think I can let this group read pass. It hurts because this Castro guy's gettin' some good play. But my GOD! I have squads and fleets of unread books. I need to exercise some modicum of self-control!

*credulity strain approaches failure value*

#48: I need to exercise some modicum of self-control!

Since when?

>49 alcottacre: I am turning over a new leaf.

Stop laughing! I AM SO turning over a new leaf!

#50: Uh huh. You are turning over a new leaf. Yep, I believe it. Nope, just cannot do it.

I just have this picture in my head off a leaf flipping over repeatedly.

March Summary:

Books read:
23. Jane Bites Back by Michael Thomas Ford (299 pp.)
24. Galactic Patrol* by E. E. (Doc) Smith (237 pp.)
25. The Castle of Llyr* by Lloyd Alexander (111 pp.)
26. Cold Comfort Farm# by Stella Gibbons (233 pp.)
27. The Accidental Sorcerer by K. E. Mills (535 pp.)
28. Heartless by Anne Elisabeth Stengl (253 pp.)
29. When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead (197 pp.)
30. Superior Saturday by Garth Nix (278 pp.)
31. Lord Sunday by Garth Nix (317 pp.)
32. Bound in Blood by P. C. Hodgell (296 pp.)
33. High Wire (Edgar & Ellen)# by Charles Ogden (189 pp.)

11 books read: 2 rereads (both for group reads), 2 off the shelf.
1 library book, 1 ER book, 5 newly bought books.

2945 pages read.

Genre:
1 general fiction
1 science fiction
5 children's fantasy
4 fantasy

Authors: 6 male, 5 female

March Books acquired:
17. Heartless by Anne Elisabeth Stengl (ER) READ
18. Oath of Fealty by Elizabeth Moon (Amazon)
19. Superior Saturday by Garth Nix (Amazon) READ
20. Lord Sunday by Garth Nix (Amazon) READ
21. Bound in Blood by P. C. Hodgell (Amazon) READ
22. Witches Incorporated by K. E. Mills (Borders 40% coupon)
23. Emissaries from the Dead by Adam-Troy Castro (Mysterious Galaxy) (60% read)
24. Bitter Angels by C. L. Anderson (Mysterious Galaxy)
25. Changeless by Gail Carriger (Amazon)
26. A Wizard of Mars by Diane Duane (Amazon)

10 books, 4.6 read so far.
8 fantasy (3 children's), 2 science fiction.
This month I read one more book than I acquired.

Quarter Summary:

33 books read, 7982 pages read, average 242 pages/book.

Fantasy: 14
Children's fantasy: 11
Science fiction: 5
General fiction:1
Regency romance: 1
Non-fiction: 1

Male authors: 17
Female authors: 16

Three more books entered my house today, but they are library books and so don't count! They are The Willoughbys, The Four-Story Mistake, and To Ride Hell's Chasm. But I realized I forgot to tag who recommended them in my wishlist, although I think Stasia is to blame, er, responsible for the middle one and perhaps for the first.

#53: Linda (Whisper) must take responsibility for the first one, lol.

Nice summary Roni

Book #34 Emissaries from the Dead by Adam-Troy Castro

I thought the habitat development was quite good and original, liked the mystery element, and thought it was a good story. I do get tired, though, of men having primary protagonist as wounded warrior. Not quite as irritated when women do it. Anyhow, recommended.

I might prefer it to the arrogant Lord :)

#56: I will give that one a try, Roni, despite your reservation. Thanks for the recommendation!

Hmm, reading my message realized it wasn't clear. The wounded primary protagonist was a WOMAN, written by a man. A deeply flawed woman.

#59: Does he write her character well or no?

ah... I am tired of the wounded woman esp in SF....

>60 alcottacre: Most of the time the character is fairly well-written. He is a little facile, however, in his resolution of some areas near the end, and I think lacks some insight or depth into how a woman really might respond. As a generic protagonist, he does fine with her, but I feel a little something lacking.

Book # 35 The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry

This book is just clever and fun. Unlike most of Lowry's books, there is no depth of character, but the characters are all send-ups of various stereotypes found in books of an "old-fashioned type". The author kindly lists a number of such books, those specifically referred to, in an appendix. In this book, the children want to be orphans and the parents want to be childless, lost children are found, found children are lost, wanna-be Willy Wonkas meet polar-opposite to Mary Poppins nannies. I think the best part for me was the glossary--certainly this book will expand most children's vocabularies greatly. Very enjoyable.

The Willoughbys sounds like a lot of fun!

Book # 36 Taran Wanderer by Lloyd Alexander

This has always been my favorite book of the 5 in the series. I'm also pretty sure I know why, but don't want to discuss it until after the group read finishes the discussion of the last book next month. Suffice it to say that the last book is characteristically Welsh. That said, I definitely enjoyed this revisit to Prydain and watching Taran through the course of this book.

#62: I have that one home from the library now and will be reading it in the upcoming weeks. I am glad you enjoyed it, Roni.

I loved reading The Willoughbys too.

Book #37 Beyond the Deepwoods by Paul Stewart & Chris Riddell

I picked up books 3-7 of this series for $1 @ (in hardback) at a Borders sale last year. I knew The Edge Chronicles were a series similar to the Spiderwick series for kids, and figured at that price I couldn't go wrong. Now I need to get all these books I've picked up for my school library read so I can either donate them to the school library or give them to students before I leave in June.

I then picked up a paperback copy of book 1 in order to get into the series, and that is what I just read.

Twig learns he is not actually a wood troll after all, and after wandering off the path, is lost in the Deepwoods where he has a gazillion narrow escapes from death. Will he survive, and will he discover who he is?

I will say that the author is highly inventive. The grotesque creatures of the deepwoods are like nothing I've encountered before. I would think prepubescent boys would probably love them. I'm moving on to book 3 (suspecting that I will lost nothing major in skipping book 2, which I see no point in acquiring) to see if anything further develops. However, at this point, this is an action movie equivalent primarily for boys, nothing deeper than an exciting time while reading, especially for those who like to be on the brink of extinction throughout. Not recommended for adults.

#67: OK, I will skip that series. Thanks for the heads up, Roni!

Found and starred your new thread! Yay!

Hi, Marcia! Glad you found me.

Stasia, I'll let you know if I find any redeeming virtues in the later books, but life is too short to spend it reading books without such. I just have to vet them before I pass them on to their intended audience.

Book #38 The Four-Story Mistake by Elizabeth Enright (177 pp.)

Ah, now THIS was an old-fashioned story of the type that The Willoughbys poked fun at. What can I say? Certainly nothing of any import took place within the story--it is a gentle tale of a year in a new house. But it flowed along with love and interest, reminding me of old favorites like Five Little Peppers and Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. I don't know that today's youngsters will find it as enjoyable as I did...but it was a delightful way to while away a spring afternoon!

#71: I loved that one! I am glad you enjoyed it too, Roni.

Sounds like a great book to take on a relaxing afternoon. Onto the wish list it goes!

We had an Elizabeth Enright phase a few years ago, and read as many of her books as we could find. Loved all of the books of the Melendy Quartet. Glad you like her, too!

Book # 39 Gray Lensman by E. E. "Doc" Smith

This continuation of the Lensman series carries forth the story of Kimball Kinnison and his fight against the evil Boskone, with all the resources of the Galactic Patrol at his back. Discussion ensues over on the Spoiler thread for the group read.
http://www.librarything.com/topic/79055

I read all the Elizabeth Enright I could find as a kid. Cuffy was like my own (Japanese) nanny, so after we left California and I lost her, it was the only way I had to feel connected to her. I remember a scene, I think in The Four-Story Mistake, when the power goes out and the youngest boy is scared silly...he populates the dark with enemy soldiers and monsters and such...but he reaches for Cuffy's hand, finds it, "...and the enemy sank back, affrighted."

What, forty-two or -three years later and I still remember how intensely I felt with him in his relief...not bad writing, based on that evidence. I suspect today's kids would respond to it on that level, if they're going to be readers.

>76 richardderus: What a wonderful memory.

Yes, a great memory, Richard!

Book # 40 Enchanted Glass by Diana Wynne Jones

Pure DWJ enjoyment, a la Charmed Life and Witch Week, although not in the Chrestomanci series. I love her characters!

>76 richardderus:, My kids certainly do -- they read her books over and over.

That's another DWJ to add to the reading list! Maybe I should just add her entire oeuvre...

I skimmed two more of the Edge Chronicles series, books 3 and 7, and decided I could safely not read them and donate them to the school library. My comments above for book one will serve just as well for them, and since I skimmed through rather than reading them, they don't count. Life is too short.

I read another children's fantasy in my quest to clear out my backlog before the end of the school year in mid-June.

Book #41 The Key to Rondo by Emily Rodda

Nothing strikingly original here, but the children's characters are well done. An old music box turns out to be the key to a fantasy kingdom, which has a lot of elements we experienced readers can recognize and relate to, but not at all trite. Enjoyable!

ETA that I realized when I went to add this book to my library, that I have read two other books by Rodda, Rowan of Rin and Dragon's Nest, the first of the Dragons of Deltora series. This book is by far the best of the three, IMHO.

Those sound fun. I'm not familiar with Rodda.

#80 YES.

;o)

>81 ronincats: Roni, I have read Rowaan of Rin too, as well as a good few other books by Rodda. My daughter has been reading books by this author since she was 5 or maybe 6, and I tried a few of them. I found them unoriginal but good fun. My daughter, who had not previously been introduced to the riddles and plotlines Rodda succesfully re-uses, has loved these books and the Deltora Quest series was widely shared amongst her friends.

The books are written for a younger age than I usually enjoy myself, but a good writer for younger readers.

I have a copy of The Key to Rondo sitting around here somewhere, and I wondered if it was any good... I think I paid $3 for it at a book fair last year. Sounds like a nice, comfortable read!

Book #42 Bitter Angels by C. L. Anderson

A very interesting science fiction novel. A very complex plot, a really well-thought-out habitat construction and an eerie culture make for an engrossing read. Two of my group had trouble with the multiple viewpoint, but I thought it worked really well.

This was one of my new purchases this year. I have bought or mooched 28 books, and I have read 16 of them, making 58% of new purchases read in 2010. They comprise 36% of my reading so far, with books off the shelf making up 29% of my reading.

Great summary! And that book looks very interesting. Blessings!

Although I haven't read it yet, I know a lot of people have been reading Incarceron, and this interview looks interesting.
http://news.shelf-awareness.com/ar/theshelf/2010-04-22/catherine_fisher_a_societ...

@86: I've never heard of C. L. Anderson. Have you read other stories by this author, Roni? Admittedly, my science fiction knowledge isn't exactly up to date. I've been updating my fantasy reading lately. And even that is on hold while I tackle Don Quijote and dust off my Spanish skills. It is definitely worth it, though. Now that you're retired, are you planning on doubling your reading for the year?

Well, I'm not retired for another 8 very busy weeks, but then I hope to up my reading, for sure. This appears to be a debut novel for Anderson. I'm definitely impressed by the environment she created, and empathize with the characters, so I'll read her next book for sure.

Eight weeks until retirement!!! How I envy you! Good luck with your new life.

Regarding message #71, I recently read Four Story Mistake and found it delightful!

Wow, only eight weeks. That's super, roni! :)

Retirement in 8 weeks?! Wow, how exciting. Congratulations!

#86 Bitter Angels certainly sounds interesting - onto the wishlist! According to LibraryThing and wikipedia C.L. Anderson is a pseudonym for Sarah Zettel who also writes fantasy and science fiction novels. Most interesting (to me) was the fact that she apparently has a cat named 'Buffy the Vermin Slayer'!

Woo - retirement in eight weeks! Although not sure that eight busy weeks sounds quite as fun - hopefully they will be easier to get through knowing that the end is in sight!

Congratulations of your impending retirement, Roni!!!!! I can tell you with the authority of almost 2 years that it just gets better and better. I did catch up on my sleep and stay caught up!
I have put Bitter Angels down as I'm likely to do but will certainly finish it. It's just that I was possessed by things that I prefered at the time. (We have met at Almacks, by the by.)

>94 souloftherose: I had no idea, Heather, that Anderson was also Sarah Zettel!

Thanks, Ren and Caroline and Carolyn. It's finally my turn. Soon.

>95 LizzieD: Of course, Lizzie. There are so many people in this group that it's easy to lose track. Almacks is not nearly as busy a venue. I am looking forward to catching up on almost everything that matters!

Enjoy your retirement! I'm looking forward to that day, but it's a bit off in the distance yet. The thought of being able to read whenever I like...*sigh*.

Spent today putting in the tomato garden (15 plants, all different varieties, 7 hybrid, 8 heirloom). Yes, my husband really likes tomatoes, but also here in the coastal zone it does not get hot enough to have the rampant production per plant that one gets in the Midwest. So now I CANNOT settle down to a book to read, now that I have the time and desire. Bummer.

#98: Play a mindless game. Watch mindless TV. Then you will be ready for a book :)

#98 We have the daytime heat that tomatoes like, but our nights are too cool yet to put my plants out in the garden. Good luck with your garden.

So after a slightly headachy, scratchy throat Sunday during which I got NOTHING done, including any reading, and hoping it was just allergies, when I got to work on Monday to find the Language Arts specialist with a terrible spring cold that started with two days of sore throat, I knew that, after dodging the bullet for the entire school year, I finally had come down with a cold.

Book # 43 House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones (404 pp.)

However, knowing that, I picked a comfort reread for Monday evening. Inspired by all those reading Howl's Moving Castle right now, I picked up the sequel House of Many Ways. I read that as soon as it came out, in the devouring wholesale way that one does reading a new book by a favorite author, and then immediately shipped it off to my sister for her to read. Now I wanted to read it again in a more leisurely fashion, and appreciate the details. There was a lot I hadn't retained, and it was even more enjoyable the second time.

#101, I've been having a similar reaction to the DWJ reading of others (hence my re-read of most of the Chrestomanci books earlier this year) and have been thinking it's high time for a re-read for this one too. Being one of her newer books, I've only read it once and I'm sure, like you, there's lots that I'll have forgotten as I also tend to inhale her books as soon as they come out...

Sorry Roni. Seems I caught it too. Hope you're feeling better soon.

I hope you feel better soon, Roni! At least you had a comfort read close by :)

Thanks, Stasia. I've been staying home from work and taking good care of myself. So that I took on a project I had thought to wait till summer for. Elizabeth Moon just published a new book in her Deed of Paksenarrion series, the first since the trilogy was published in 1988 (June and October) and 1989 (January). I had not read the original books for years--I would have devoured them when they first came out, and reread them at least once in the next 5 years, but that would still have been at least 15 years, probably, since my last reading. So of course, I needed to do so before reading the new one. So, the last three days, that is what I have done.

Book #44 Sheepfarmer's Daughter by Elizabeth Moon (506 pp.)
Book #45 Divided Allegiance by Elizabeth Moon (522 pp.)
Book #46 Oath of Gold by Elizabeth Moon (501 pp.)

Looking at the publishing dates, so close together, this must have been written all at once as a complete story. And a good thing, as the second book ends on a complete cliffhanger. I don't know how I endured the three months or so before the third came out!

These books follow the progress of Paksenarrion from her running away from home at age 18 to join with a mercenary troop and be a warrior, through her development. I don't want to give away any spoilers, so I can't be specific. When rereading the first book, which tells of her training and first year or so of fighting, I thought that those who don't enjoy battles might not care for it, for there are a lot of them. And yet, the world-building, the character development over time, the twists and turns of plot over the three books, the inevitability of what takes you by surprise, how it is all woven together--this is still a great story told well, with love and passion. No, it hasn't dated, yes, it still deserves to be a fantasy classic. I'm sorry it is over, and now my fears are that the new book will not be as great, or that it will also end in a cliffhanger and I will need to wait much longer this time for the sequel. Oh, friends, you perceive me in torment...so I guess I'd better pull Oath of Fealty (no $3.95 mass paperback--covers flaking at the edge-here, but a beautiful hardback copy) off the shelf right now and dive in. Oh, the pain!

#105 Hope you start feeling better soon. I was suddenly hit with the headachy, scratchy throat feeling myself this afternoon at work and I'm hoping that an early night will stop it.

The Deed of Paksenarrion series sounds really good. I have The Speed of Dark by the same author on its way to me from bookmooch at the moment. Enjoy Oath of Fealty and rest!

Oh! I didn't know about Oath of Fealty. Thanks very much for the heads-up. I thought the elves in the last 2 of the Paks trilogy were the closest in feeling to Tokien of anything else I've ever read. I loved them, and I love anything by Moon. I was telling a friend about The Speed of Dark today, Soul!

>105 ronincats: I love Elizabeth Moon's storytelling!

Me, too, Richard, me too.

Heather and Roni...I hope you feel better soon!

Heather, I hope it's just allergies and not a virus! The Speed of Dark is very different from her other writing--near future our world versus fantasy and space opera SF, but I like the way she writes and, as Richard says, tells stories.

Susan, sorry to hear you've caught it too.

Thanks, Carolyn, for the well-wishes.

Susan...
Get better...fast!

I've never heard of Elizabeth Moon. Thanks for the recommendation Richard and Roni.

#105 Had to request the first book through ILL on that review...I can be a little wimpy about violence, but if I care about the characters and enjoy the world building I can always skim the battle scenes. :)

Book #47 Oath of Fealty by Elizabeth Moon (471 pp.)

It is absolutely amazing to me that, over 20 years later, Moon can come back and pick up this story with the same voice, not skipping a beat. Instead of following Paks' POV in this book, we follow that of characters we grew to know and care for in the trilogy, picking up the action as of the end of the final book of the trilogy. Because this is going to be another trilogy, much time is spent in this book setting up situations that are clear will be key in later books, but the character development of the four main POVs and the elaboration of their settings are well worth it. Truly a worthy sequel to a classic. Now I have to see when the next book is coming out. No cliffhangers, but also no resolution--again, the trilogy will be a single unified story, it seems. Heartily recommended.

#105/114: My local library has exactly 3 of Moon's books and none of them are titles you mentioned. *sigh*

Bummer Stasia. They're worth finding. Thx Roni for that review. one day...

Turns out mine is pharyngitis. On all sorts of meds, but still feeling yucky. But did manage to pull myself together for dinner and a movie last night, Avatar. sure was pretty.

April Summary

14 books, 4877 pages

6 re-reads
2 off the shelf
4 new purchases
2 library books

3 science fiction
6 fantasy
5 children's books

YTD 47 books, 13,330 pages

>115 alcottacre: Stasia, read Elizabeth Moon!!!!! Title doesn't matter all that much; I love whatever she writes, and fantasy is not her only strength.

ETA: Oh! Now I see......You're Roni and cats, not some transplanted Japanese warrior. (Paradigm shift!)

#118: OK, I put Remnant Population on hold at the local library.

I just added Elizabeth Moon to my wishlist. Thanks for the review, this is the first I've heard of her!

>119 alcottacre: *RP* is one of my personal favorites. I love the protagonist, an older woman who considers herself average, and proves to be anything but! Hope you enjoy!!! (The space operas are great fun too. They also feature women who are more than competent in various delightfully future settings.) (And The Speed of Dark rightfully won one of the major scifi prizes. It's a near-future about an autistic young man who has to decide whether to have his brain rewired so that he can be "normal.")

Just de-lurking to tell everyone to GET BETTER SOON! :)

Thanks, Faith. Staying home and taking care of myself worked wonders--just a light case and it never went into my chest. Back at work with a vengeance now.

Book #48 Surrender None by Elizabeth Moon (530 pp.)

Somehow, prequels never have quite the flow of the original. They need to explain the backstory, and how the legends developed around these characters. This is a gripping story, but also painful and torturous. Although moving at the end, it was a lot of hard work to get there. At least, on this re-read, it was for me.

So now, off to read Second-Stage Lensman and The High King for the group reads on the 8th and 10th respectively, and then Perdido Street Station for the Steampunk group read on the 15th, and then The Empress of Mars for my own SF Women reading group on the 18th. Hmmm, not a lot of leeway for the next 2 weeks, huh?

#123: not a lot of leeway for the next 2 weeks

I understand how you feel, lol. I keep asking why I do this to myself . . .

I've read Surrender None and Liar's Oath and though they weren't as good as The Deed of Paksennarion, I still enjoyed it. I am still hoping that the author will write a sequel to Liar's Oath.

Stasia, Remnant Population is one of my fav re-reads. A wonderful stand-alone. Enjoy.

So ROni, how many days left now? how exciting!!

#126: Good to know!

Susan, 6 weeks from today, and 29 working days left. Lots left to do, and clearing out 30 years of accumulation. I have 505 books with a "sale" tag on LT, and I still have more to enter in my school offices--maybe 100 more--that I need to get rid of. Plus about 150 games and puzzles. Not to mention, doing my job. ;-)

Emily, I enjoyed Surrender None and Liar's Oath when I first read them, too. It was just harder to get there this time. I cannot dislike a book whose epigraph, summarizing the theme of the book, is Solzhenitsyn's "Gradually it was disclosed to me that the line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties--but right through every human heart--and through all human hearts."

Glad you're feeling better!

Book #49 Second Stage Lensmen by E. E. (Doc) Smith

The fifth book in the series for our group read of classic space opera, we move up another level in the fight against the evil trying to take over our Galaxy. The purple prose continues to astonish and amuse.

Hi, roni, happy to hear you are feeling better. :)

Book #50 The High King by Lloyd Alexander (231 pp.)

The final book of the Prydain Chronicles, this book wraps up all the various threads from the prior books. This book is difficult for me because of the losses required, but still is a fitting conclusion to an excellent children's fantasy series.

This omnibus book also had 6 short stories set in Prydain included, which I am not counting separately but am including in the page count.

Thanks, Ren and Heather. I'm glad to hear from you, as well as happy to be feeling fine now!

Book #51 The Healing Powers of Chocolate by Cal Orey (294 pp.)

This non-fiction book was an ER selection. Mr. Orey mentions several times that he used to write those "mini magazines you find at the grocery store checkout stands", and the quality of writing is the same. This reads like a mini magazine stretched out into a book, and it seems like much the same information is presented several times over. In addition, much information, such as on the health effects of chocolate on different conditions, is not referenced. For a light pop look at chocolate, a listing of where to buy quality chocolate around the world, and a sprinkling of recipes, this would be your book.

#134: Since I have no interest in chocolate whatsoever, I will gladly skip it!

I hope you enjoy your next read more, Roni.

Book #52 The Empress of Mars by Kage Baker (303 pp.)

This science fiction book is only tangentially related to Baker's Company series--in the same universe but no character or plot overlap. Baker has created a vivid picture of a dying colony on Mars, with a nearly bankrupt corporation cutting their colonists off with nothing in an environment depicted with realism and depth. The characters are distinct and colorful, the plot lines intertwine, and the story moves along with vigor.

So why am I left feeling just a bit unsatisfied at the end? Even though this is very character-based, there is lots of action as well. Is it the rapid denouement? Or is it the feeling that we have just dipped into this reality for a slice of time, and leave before we are really ready?

Btw, there is a long and quite good review on the book page that gives a lot more of the plot line without spoilers, for those interested.

How are your tomato plants doing? I have yet to put some down myself ... I'll have to try and remember to get some plants and put them down this weekend if we are to have any good tomatoes by the summer.

They've been in for three weeks, Caroline, and are really stretching up. I'll put a picture up when I get home this evening.

I love heirlooms and I think that's what I'll grow this year.

I'm not a big fan of chocolate so I'm going to give The Healing Powers of Chocolate a miss. I do know someone who might like that book though, so I'm adding that to my gift book recommendations list.

Click on the pictures to see the full size. The bottom one is the new bed with the heirloom tomatoes.

#140: I am hoping to have a garden of my very own next year. I bought a couple of the books that Jasmine (Willowsmom) recommended, including one that gives step-by-step instructions so that I cannot possibly mess it up!

Lovely pics, Roni! I love the heirlooms.

I think that the reason Empress of Mars fell emotionally flat for me, is because the story looked like "the little guys win by merit of their virtue and grit and independence" and that ended up not being what was really happening.

It was like the book stole it's own victory away from itself.

>142 LShelby: That's a great point. The whole thing with the Heretic's "voice" just didn't fit in with everything else, and the little nudge at the end just came out of left field. And then departed the same way.

Wow, Roni, your tomato plants look healthy and happy. *sigh* Have you tried those upside down tomato planters? I wonder if they're all that they're marketed to be.

No, they aren't! I tried one, and it dried out way too fast and the roots got too hot when it was in the full sun that tomatoes require. I actually went to a class at the local greenhouse this year (mostly to convince my husband to stop over-watering) and they said they have never had success with the hanging planter either.

Oh that's really good to know. Thanks for the heads up, Roni. I was thinking of getting a couple of those because they made it look so easy and the tomatoes in the advertisement looked luscious and large. I will stick to right-side up tomato plants planted in soil the traditional way then.

I bought some tomato plants today, so I'm barging in: I got some San Marzano (heirloom paste), a Cherokee Purple (heirloom), a Japanese Black Trifele, and a Black Prince (heirloom)--all locally greenhouse-grown (from Ashland, Oregon and Etna, California). You should see the Cherokee Purple, it is HUSKY and has strange double blossoms.

#140 The tomatoes are nice but I preferred the pictures of the bookshelves!!

>148 souloftherose: LOL

My heirlooms are Hillbilly Potato Leaf, Rose, German Orange Strawberry, Speckled Roman, Moonglow, Moskovich, Black Plum and Green Zebra. The hybrids are Big Beef, Pineapple, Early Girl, Champion 2, Supersteak, San Diego, and Big Rainbow.

I'm lucky. I have both tomatoes AND bookshelves to appreciate!

#150 Me, too!

What spiffy heirloom names: Hillbilly Potato Leaf... So cool.

Book #53 The Blue Castle by L. M. Montgomery

I squeezed this in before starting Perdido Street Station, and it was worth it, just for the descriptions of the woods. A sentimental little story, I loved the characters of the Stirlings, and rooted for Valancy all the way! Thanks, Stasia, for reminding me to look this one up again. I hope you have some measure of the happiness that Valancy found with her proposal!

#152: Coming up on being married 22 years in June, Roni :) I am glad you enjoyed your read of The Blue Castle.

I do so hope that you enjoy *PSS.* It was one of my books of the decade when I read it. I am crushed when other people don't like it. And now I'm off to find the steam-punk thread......

I remember really enjoying The Blue Castle. A lot of L. M. Montgomery's heroines annoy me a whole lot, but I liked that one. :)

Book #54 Stopping for a Spell by Diana Wynne Jones

I know, I know, but this showed up from PaperBackSwap, and I had to read it. It's three short stories, really, aimed at the younger end of her audience. Recommended only for children or completists.

#156: Since my local library does not have that one, I do not think I will be going out of my way to acquire it.

Okay, I really slowed down in May. In large part, that is due to all the stuff I have to do to prepare to leave in three weeks, including paperwork and forms and working on a backlog of reports while keeping up with all my regular work at this time of year. But it is not a good time to be working on Perdido Street Station, which I have been bit by bit over the last 10 days--that book cries out for some concentration and appreciation. I may just let it pend for the next few weeks and finish it up after June 18.

May
48. Surrender None* by Elizabeth Moon (530 pp.)
49. Second Stage Lensmen* by E. E. (Doc) Smith (271 pp.)
50. The High King*# and The Foundling and other Tales of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander (231 pp.)
51. The Healing Powers of Chocolate by Cal Orey (294 pp.) ER book
52. The Empress of Mars by Kage Baker (303 pp.)
53. The Blue Castle* by L. M. Montgomery (218 pp.)
54. Stopping for a Spell by Diana Wynne Jones (132 pp.)

Seven books, three of them for group reads, only 3 of them new and not re-reads. One non-fiction, 2 children's books, 2 science fiction, 3 fantasy. 1979 pages--not too impressive. And only the one book off the shelf as I finally finished the omnibus of The Prydain Chronicles.

The sad part is, I acquired more books than I read. May's acquisitions are:

30. Nine Gates by Jane Lindskold (Borders--33% off coupon)
31. Charlie Bone and the Red Knight by Jenny Nimmo (Borders--33% off coupon)
32. The Empress of Mars by Kage Baker (Amazon) READ
33. Smart but Scattered by Peg Dawson and Richard Guare
34. That Crumpled Paper was Due Last Week by Ana Homayoun
35. Stopping for a Spell by Diana Wynne Jones (PBS) READ
36. Storm From the Shadows by David Weber (Borders--$5 borders cash)
37. The Joy of the Snow by Elizabeth Goudge
38. I Saw Three Ships by Elizabeth Goudge (these two ordered used from SCOTLAND!)

Nine books acquired vs. 7 read, but I am still ahead for the year, 54 read versus 38 acquired. MUST resist, MUST resist. And I want to be reading all of these RIGHT NOW instead of finishing up reports.

Okay, let's go find my copy of the Abhorsen Trilogy. That will keep me out of trouble, right?

I know what you mean about accumulating more than reading. I am a book addict...There, I've said it! I'm trying to avoid online sites. Stasia recently mentioned ABEbooks.com and I briefly visited, enough to know it is a very tempting arena for new purchases..drat.

I'm now afraid with your dislike of horror that you're not going to like PSS after all. I think there is more to it than that, but he does write some distressing stuff. (I read it when I was teaching an AP English Language class and was thrilled when Isaac made the distinction between explaining and analyzing. I don't know that my juniors ever got it, but I did!)
Have I mentioned how wonderful retirement is?
It is!!!!!
And yes, buying is a lot faster than reading.

I fear that it doesn't seem quite real yet, with so much yet to do! In only 3 weeks, I will not be getting up and going to work any more. (Well, maybe teaching a course up at the university in the fall, but only one!) Like a fairy tale. I have so much to do around here when I don't have reports to be done all the time!

I don't read horror as a genre, because I don't enjoy reading to be scared. But I have read sf and fantasy that is pretty horrific in the course of their stories. Although I also steer away from books there that are too gritty or that dwell upon torture and treachery, if there is a good story and a fairly positive ending, I can tolerate it. So far, and I'm only 5 chapters in, PDD seems to be a fascinating venue.

I think acquiring more books than reading is a common ailment suffered by many on LT. ;-) Despite the many books currently resting in my TBR Tower, I find myself unable to resist the lure of books on the shelves in bookstores, both physical and online.

#163: I know I certainly have the ailment!

Happy Retirement to you!

Woohoo!

Thanks, Linda and Nathan. 10 work days to go, and unfortunately about 20 days of work!

Okay, while browsing the ER books this month, I noticed a book that was the 4th of a YA mystery series of which I was unaware. Not that I read that much mystery, but I am a Sherlock Holmes fan. This series by Shane Peacock is on the boy Sherlock Holmes, with the books being Eye of the Crow, Death in the Air, Vanishing Girl, and the latest The Secret Fiend. I was curious about this and meant to ask if any of you mystery readers were knowledgeable about it. Then today I got the notice that I was getting it as an ER book (the last one). So now I REALLY want to know!

#167: I am going to be no help on the Shane Peacock books, Roni. Unfortunately I have not read any of them and my local library does not have them either.

I just read a very good Sherlock book though that I will recommend to you - Dust and Shadow by Lyndsay Faye. I do not know if you saw it on last week's post or not.

I've not heard of either of those Holmesian series. How fun!

I'm curious to see what you think of Shane Peacock. My friend's young teen daughter loved the Sherlock Holmes movie, but Doyle is a little hard going for her at the moment, so perhaps this could be a nice start for her

Help me, Rhonda! i finally found your thread...Stars and all!!

Hi Roni

Thinking of you as you come to the end of the week and your "working" career. All good wishes for a wonderful retirement!

Roni...since your last day is a mere 10 days away, I don't feel like a complete rat bastard for this: I've just finished and reviewed Date With a Sheesha, the seventh and latest Russell Quant mystery...what a wonderful, wonderful surprise and delight it was! The review is in my thread...post #11.

And you, my about-to-be-retired role model, are about the *perfect* reader for this series.

Ah, Richard, if you knew how overloaded my brain is right now, with 6 reports to write and two offices full of 31 years of accumulation to dispose of, plus files to organize and notes to leave for the person replacing me in the fall, you would not be so cruel as to dangle a new series in front of me yet!! Indeed I should be working on reports right now instead of reading threads in LT. Remind me in a fortnight, and I promise to seek out the first in the series.

Thank you, Linda. Right now there is so much to do it seems an eternity away, but it is approaching at light speed, ready or not.

Hi, Jude! Glad to see you here!

Luckily the ER book won't be here for a few weeks, and then I may have time to read the first books as well.

Not to mention the group reads coming up--next few chapters of Sabriel--reread, not a problem. The Once and Future King, The Aeneid, and another book for an off-LT group for the 22nd. And I'm still very slowly moving through Perdido Street Station and I'm almost done with the library book, Travels with Herodotus. Let me finish my glass of Gnarly Head red zinfandel (Yum!) and get back to work...

Book # 55 Travels with Herodotus by Ryszard Kapuscinski (275 pp.)

I heard about this book from Janet (in London) and requested it from the library. It was like an extended meditation on Herodotus' book during the author's own traveling as a Polish reporter. We got just enough of the latter to tweak interest, but not enough to sustain it. The selections from Herodotus were interesting, and it made a good bedtime book--to read a chapter or two and put it down for the next night. It was different and interesting, if not engrossing, and I enjoyed it.

"His book is yet another expression of man's struggle against time, against the fragility of memory, its ephemerality, its perpetual tendency to erase itself and disappear. The concept of the book, any book, arose from just this battle."

Good review, Roni! This one might make it onto the list before too long.

Wonderful review!

#175: I have had that one in the BlackHole forever. I just hope I can eventually get my hands on it.

Hope you manage to get everything wrapped up at work in your last few days Roni!

Three new books have come into my house through the mail the last two days. The first was my new ER book the 4th of the young Sherlock Holmes series, The Secret Fiend. The first two are waiting for me to pick them up at the library today.

Then yesterday I received Song of Scarabaeus for a book group read in a couple of weeks, and a brand new book out from Caroline Stevermer, Magic Below Stairs, a YA.

And TODAY's mail brought Still Life from PaperBackSwap and Airborn from Bookmooch! 5 books in 3 days--and I can't start really reading for another week (reports to do, 4 work days left!).

And now I have just returned from walking down to the library to pick up Eye of the Crow and Death in the Air, the first two of the young Sherlock Holmes series, and the Robert Fagles translation of The Aeneid.

Plus I went to the farmers' market that is across the street from the library on Saturdays and got Japanese eggplant, avocado, brussels sprouts, beets, leaf lettuce, apricots, cherimoyas, and three types of mushrooms. I feel a stir-fry coming on.

Congratulations on your retirement and what a great haul to start it with. I also noted Travels with Herodotus on Janet's thread but won't get to it for a long while.
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on Magic below stairs, I've only read her collaborations with Wrede.

Glad to hear you're getting in enough books to keep you busy when you finish work! I really enjoyed Still Life and Airborn so I hope you like them.

When is your last day at work? Tomorrow? Hope the reports are going ok.

Mmm, stirfry. I had to google Japanese eggplant - apparently it's Chinese? (If you believe wikipedia...)

I hope you'll enjoy Airborn. It's a really cute little series and the characters are wonderful. Have a great day! (And mmmm stir fry...this thread is dangerous right before lunch time!)

Thanks so much for visiting! Reports are slow--I've been spending all my time NOT at work working on them. I'm down to the last 4 now, and hope to finish them by my last paid working day, and the students' last day, Thursday. But, as I have spent the last 4 days NOT doing paperwork, cleaning up files, and leaving my two school offices in order, but rather pulling out 30 years accumulated games, puzzles, children's books, children's computer CDs, and school supplies, all those bought with my own money, and setting them out and selling them at a pittance to teachers, children, and parents, it is very clear that I will be going in next week to do the afore mentioned. But that means strolling in at my own leisure to wrap things up--IF I get the reports done so that when I leave the school, I leave the work. That's the biggie I don't want hanging over my head.

THEN--a reading orgy combined with major sleep-ins!!!

Wow, Roni, 30 years of accumulation is a big mountain of stuff to work through! Sending energy zaps your way...
bzzz--> bzzz --> bzzz -->
More energy yet?

Just finished one of the four reports--must be due to that extra energy, Ren! Thanks!

Here's some more for you, Roni!

Great, Stasia, but I'll save it for tomorrow's report--gotta go to bed now, and I'd never get to sleep after that! Thanks!

Well, here is my second book for June. Does that tell you how hectic this month has been? But now the kids are gone, 5 of my 6 reports due as of a week ago are gone, and although I still have to pack up my two offices and clear out files and leave notes for my successor--well, I can take my time at that and have my evenings free finally!

Book # 56 Song of Scarabaeus by Sara Creasy

I just finished this a few minutes ago and was thrilled that I had a reason to post! This is a debut novel full of action--practically nonstop. Some interesting work with cypherteck and world-building. But it seems like the new thing in science fiction is to throw some brain hardware in a spaceship, put a female in peril with a virile male in tow, and then set the bad guys loose. Kind of parallel to the vampire explosion in fantasy. And while some do it much better than others (Lois McMaster Bujold, Sharon Lee, Catherine Asaro), a lot do it fairly mundanely (Linnea Sinclair, Anne Aguirre)--entertaining but pretty much brain candy. And I think this stays at that level.

#191: I am a bit confused. Are you recommending the book or not, Roni?

Entertaining but pretty much brain candy. Definitely not top tier work, but fine for light reading. So as you would say, Stasia, guardedly recommended for those looking for that kind of read.

OK, thanks for the clarification, Roni!

Book #57 I Saw Three Ships by Elizabeth Goudge (75 pp.)

This children's book by Goudge is another of her exquisite Christmas fables, writ large and with illustrations, with a story wound around the carol, I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing In.

Book #58 Sabriel* by Garth Nix (216 pp.)

I re-read this for the group read this month. Although I've read it at least twice before, it's been several years and it was nice to come back to it and reacquaint myself with the story. This was my first Nix and really impressed me with his originality and story-telling.

#195: You remind me that I got The Cathedral Trilogy by Goudge in not too long ago. I really need to get it read since I loved the first book in that trilogy.

>195 ronincats: On YOUR say-so, Roni, I've checked Sabriel out of the liberry and started reading it. So far I don't want to put my eyes out with a hot poker, so it's waaay ahead of the usual fantasy book in my league tables.

On MY say-so, when ALL of your bosom buddies are racing through it ahead of schedule for the group read--oh, you flatterer, you! Smooochh!

That said, I've read the Prologue and Part 1 of Lirael and so am caught up there, and now have to turn my attention to the Aeneid for that read, AFTER I go down to my school and finish packing up my office at that school. See ya later.

I should really read the Abhorsen books again, I loved those books and read them too fast at the time, about 6 years ago when he came to New Zealand and gave a few talks about crossover fantasy.
Roni - have you tried Patrick Ness yet? I've just finished his Chaos Walking trilogy and am still in recovery and considering a reread.

Kerry, I read your review of the third book earlier. Now that they are all three out, I do want to read them. I only have the first obtained so far.

Join us for the Abhorsen books! You can catch up easily.

Roni : You're the first person I know who's read Song of Scarabaeus ... I'm so glad that you liked it. I saw it at a bookstore and have been debating whether or not I should get it ... the only real reason why I didn't was because I already had 7 other books in my basket.

Hello and Happy Summer to you!

Caroline, there are certainly many better books out there, but if you are just looking for some light reading, Song might hit the spot.

Hi, Linda! Happy Summer to you too!

Hope the packing goes well - nearly there!

The packing goes not well, but I hope to catch up next week.

TWO more books managed to inveigle their way into my house today. The Enchantment Emporium by Tanya Huff is out in paperback--surprise! AND I used my Borders 33% off coupon to pick up the new Liaden novel, Mouse & Dragon. Now I want to read these newest and latest, when I haven't gotten out of the introduction on the Aeneid and into the first chapter of Eye of Crow. Woe is me!

Oh, and don't forget the new mystery series, Roni...you know, Amuse Bouche, Flight of Aquavit...they're there waiting for you to succumb....

Book #59 The Enchantment Emporium by Tanya Huff (473 pp.)

This is an enjoyable urban fantasy, of the genre I would label equivalent to a cozy mystery. The family dynamics of the Gales in southern Ontario are unusual, to say the least. Alysha's gran, who has escaped the family corral, has apparently died and left her junk shop in Calgary to Alysha to run. Of course, once she gets there, there is more going on than meets the eye, as well as this steamy hunk guy...

Huff is an experienced writer. Here she is staying firmly in genre, taking what are established tropes and tweaking them just enough to tell an interesting story without going to the extremes of some of the newer writers in the field.

That said, one of the first to establish this genre, Emma Bull's The War for the Oaks is still every bit as enjoyable, and I think that Nina Kiriki Hoffman handles the family theme better in The Thread that Binds the Bones, one of my favorites.

Book # 60 Eye of the Crow by Shane Peacock (250 pp.)

I checked this book out of the library when I received the fourth of the series as an ER book this month. The series tells the story of the young Sherlock Holmes, prior to the time chronicled by Arthur Conan Doyle. In this first book, Holmes is 13 years old. By happenstance, he becomes involved in solving a gruesome murder in order to save an innocent man from hanging. We see how his powers of observation are emerging.

This is much darker, IMO, than the original Holmes canon. The life of a half-Jew in the London of his times, the street life, and the involvement of his family are alternately grim and tragic. It was an engrossing but not a pleasant story. Part of the reason for this is that Peacock is seeking to tell a story that explains why Holmes refuses to talk about his past and has no family or emotional entanglements when we meet him later.

I am not a fan of books written in third person present tense in general. However, I was able to get enough into the story to stop it intruding by midbook. I have the second book from the library as well, and will probably go ahead and read it before my ER book, which is the 4th book. The library doesn't have the third book. I would not classify this as YA, personally, although the age of the protagonist and the length of the book would argue for it--it just seems too grim.

Hey, Roni, just wanted to drop in and say hi and let you know I've caught up on your thread! Looks like you've done some good reading lately. :)

Thanks, Marcia! Good to hear from you.

I finished Book #61 last night to finish off June.

Children of the Lens By E. E. "Doc" Smith (254 pp.)

The sixth and last book of the Lensman series, this book finishes off the Eddorians in fine fashion. More comments on the group read spoiler thread.

I haven't managed to pull together my June summary yet, or a mid-year synopsis. I've been spending a lot of time working at my schools packing up and cleaning out and leaving the offices in shape for a new person next year. So I've been pretty much working full days, pretty strenuous ones, and then doing some reading when I get home. That is because I HAVE finished all my reports and so have nothing to do when I get home. ;-)

I'm so excited!! Are you officially retired, moved out, etc?! Wish we could get coffee (or something) and chat ... and talk crafstman, fantasy, cooking and gardening.

xoxxo

Cleaned out my home office yesterday--spent hours and hours, but now I have clear surfaces and floor space, hooray! And now I am ready with my June, quarter, and half year summaries.

June: Read 7 books, 2 were re-reads, 0 BOTS. 1 nonfiction, 2 science fiction, 2 fantasy, 1 mystery, 1 children's book.
Acquired 7 books, 2 science fiction, 3 fantasy, 2 mysteries.

2nd quarter: Read 28 books, 11 were re-reads, 3 were off the shelf. 2 nonfiction, 7 science fiction, 14 fantasy, 1 mystery, 3 children's books, 1 general fiction.

6-month summary: Read 61 books, 22 re-reads, 13 Books Off the Shelf. 3 nonfiction, 12 science fiction, 35 fantasy, 1 regency, 1 mystery, 7 children's books, 2 general fiction.
Acquired 45 books, of which 22 have been read. 4 nonfiction, 10 science fiction, 24 fantasy, 4 mystery, 1 children's book, 1 regency, 1 biography.

After consistently reading 11 books a month the first three months, I read 14 in April (spring break) and then 7 each the last two months--can you tell I was busy finishing up at work?

Currently reading:
The Aeneid--group read
The Once and Future King--group read
Death in the Air--prequel to an ER book
Perdido Street Station--was a group read--I'm behind
Lirael--group read

Wow Roni that's a mess of group reads!

Oooo cool, I'm doing 5 right now too! Better you than me on both The Aeneid and The Once and Future King—wasn't a huge fan of either of those.

I'm also reading PSS, way behind the group.

One more reader and we could call it a post-group-read group read.

I'm loving it, by the way.

I just get all warm and fuzzy when somebody enjoys PSS. I loved it! I'm currently getting into The City and the City, and I'm liking it more than any Mieville since PSS, I think.
And, Roni, I think that the only thing worse than third person, present tense narration is first person. ("I am running down the steps yelling at my little brother ....." No you aren't, you twit. You're sitting at your computer typing out that drivel.)
Congratulations on really, really, really retiring!

I hope you are enjoying your retirement. I'm not ready yet, but would really like to work four days a week and have long weekends. Though, really, I cannot complain, working in academia affords slower summers and down time.

Thanks for the link--I am now caught up. :-)

I'm glad you enjoyed the Prydain books. It has been a favorite series in our family since my boys were young and one Christmas after they were grown I gave both of them and myself a boxed set of the hardbound copies. However, I've never read the Tales even though it was included. I'm going to put it on the "short shelf" to read this year.

I didn't get a chanced to reread Sabriel last month but I hope to be able to read Lirael, which I've never read, this month while I'm in Chicago. I'm sure my son has a copy I can borrow.

Book #62 Lirael* by Garth Nix (324 pp.)

What I suspected--I posted this and my remarks on the Abhorsen group read page and forgot to do so here the other day. See that thread, however, for my comments!

I am on Book 7 of the Aeneid and into Book 2 of The Once and Future King, so making progress.

>217 LizzieD: & 218 Thanks, Lizzie and Linda. I'm not fully in retirement mode yet. We went down to the schools on Thursday with my husband's pickup and got the 25 boxes of stuff I ended up with and put them on the cleared off front porch. And I spent the last two days doing my annual season change of my clothes and doing some heavy duty clearing out of outfits I'm unlikely to be wearing. Unfortunately, I am as bad with clothes as I am with books and could stock a small dress shop myself, so it takes a while. But winter clothes are now packed away and summer clothes are out and in the front closet, so hopefully our winter temperatures in the low 60s with no sun will now go away and we will warm up--slightly, weather gods, slightly. 70s would be great! So I'm still in regular summer project mode, but hope to settle down into a routine now.

Carolyn, I hope you are able to read Lirael with us. You will be fine with only a general memory of Sabriel to support you, as this is a new story line with the next generation.

It sounds like you have been very busy getting things in order. That is exactly what I would do if I were retired. I'd start with the books and put them all in alpha order. then the attic would be next, then the basement, then the closets.

Roni--Hubby and I are on the way to Chicago this week to spend time with the grandsons (we'll probably visit with their parents, to) so I hope my son can find his copy of Lirael so I can read it while I'm there. I borrowed my other son's copy (he lives in the same town as we do so we see him a lot) but I don't want to take it to Chicago. I'm traveling "book lite"--my Nook and a paperback copy of The Brothers Karamazov. But don't worry about me--my son and his wife have about 1,500 books in their house and I've already downloaded 11 books on my Nook since I bought it about 10 days ago. :-D (bibliomaniac is I!)

#222 Linda--the problem is that you would keep discovering books you wanted to read--right now!--It will take the first 10 years of your retirement to get them in alphabetical order so the attic, basement, and closets will never get done. As long as you keep the doors closed you can avoid the guilt. :-)

I'm ahead of the game then, because my books are already organized, except for the TBR piles, and even they are organized by location!

Book # 63 Magic Below Stairs by Caroline Stevermer (199 pp.)

This children's fantasy is set in the household of one of the couples from the Wrede/Stevermer Sorcery and Cecilia trilogy, but is the story of a young boy. It is a good story for 9-10 year-olds, but doesn't really have the heft to be that interesting to adult readers of children's fantasy.

Congrats on your retirement! One of my favorite memories of bonding time with my mom was when she retired and I helped her go through all her picture books from work (she was a first grade teacher for 34 years). Very impressive with all the group reads! I always try to do them and never follow through.

Thanks, Marcia. Yes, I'm stretching a bit keeping up with both The Aeneid and The Once and Future King at once. The Abhorsen trilogy is an easy reread.

Book # 64 Saltation by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (325 pp.)

This signed book showed up in my mail yesterday because I subscribed to the book as they were writing it, before they had found a publisher. I love the Liaden series, and this is one of the latest. Did you know that "saltation" is "that which proceeds by leaps rather than by smooth and orderly progression"? And that is how the book proceeds, with chapters jumping large chunks of time to the point where the next significant thing happens. The book continues the story of Theo from Fledgling, and carries it up to the scene that completes I Dare!, setting the scenario for the next book. Very enjoyable, but read the other books first!

I really should seek out a copy of teh Once and Futire King. I had it as a child but I am not sure if I ever completed it! I certainly don't remember it well.

After your review opf Magic Below the Stairs I am in two minds. I may offer to get it for my daughter - but she will probably refuse unless its recommended by a friend - so that may be a book I skip, unless the library get it.

Just a progress report, to reassure myself I am not standing still.

Finished Book 2, The Queen of Air and Darkness, of The Once and Future King for week 2 of the group read.

Finished the Prologue, Part One, and the first Interlude of Abhorsen for this week of the group read.

Not sure where I am supposed to be in The Aeneid for the group read, but I am in the middle of Book 9.

Have finished 5 chapters of Death in the Air, Book 2 of the boy Sherlock Holmes series, in preparation for reading the ER book in that series I received last month.

So, although I have nothing new to report in my book count, I am making progress.

You certainly are! That's a lot of books to juggle at once. I'm loving The Once and Future King.

#229: So, although I have nothing new to report in my book count, I am making progress.

There are times I feel like that, so I know what you mean!

Hi Roni! I am very behind with everyone's threads...

#212 Nice 6 month summary - congratulations on reading more books than you've acquired! I wish I could say the same was true for me!

#216 "post-group-read group read" *chuckle*

#225 I've had the Sorcery and Cecilia trilogy on my radar for a while and now I have added the Liaden series too!

#229 I'm about halfway through The Queen of Air and Darkness. The Once and Future King is a reread for me and I'm realising how much I've forgotten since the last time I read it.

Whew! I'm all caught up with all 231 posts on your thread. I found a few things we have in common...retirement, sleep, tomato plants, Sherlock Holmes...and a few books! Also, a few friends that post on my thread occasionally.

I'm so happy to be able to congratulate you on your RETIREMENT. You have some terrific plans in store; be careful not to get too busy or you won't get caught up on your sleep. I'm one who values my sleep so I understand why that is a priority for you.

I only have two tomato plants - the lowly Big Boy variety - so we're not in the same gardening category. My husband won't touch them. All mine! I am going to harvest my first one tomorrow and will share it with my son-in-law who is driving down (I live in Springfield, MO) from Kansas City with my daughter and 3 grands as I type this.

Which brings me to my query. I see that you read a lot of children's fantasy. I have an 8-yr-old granddaughter that loves to read. I want to challenge her with some new books while she's here. Is there anything you might recommend to a 3rd grader in fantasy (or really any) genre? I've started her on some books by Roald Dahl which she loves. Thanks for any help.

Oh, I'll see you on The Once and Future King group read. This is a reread for me, and I'm enjoying it immensely. I need to get going on Part III.

(Oooh, company! Quick, let's put out the welcome mat and serve tea and cookies, maybe they'll stay a while!)

Hi, Heather. Good to see you. I'm still enjoying your thread, even if I don't post all the time. Liaden is better than Sorcery and Cecilia, but both are good. Start with Agent of Change and see if you don't fall in love with the turtles! The Once and Future King is a reread for me, too, but it was probably last read in the 70s, so I am finding lots I did not remember.

Hello, Donna. Thanks for the visit! Don't expect me to read all FIVE of your threads, though--I've now caught up on the last one, and have you starred for future reference! Yes, retirement, although it is brand new. I'm getting caught up on sleep--yes, a very important thing!

My tomatoes are growing gang-busters, and summer only arrived in San Diego this week finally, so hopefully the warmth will encourage pollination and growing bigger fruit! When I grew up in Kansas (central-Abilene) there was never any worry about tomatoes--you put them in the ground and then you harvested bushels for ages. Around here, in the coastal area, there's more fungus and less warmth, and it's dicey.

What kind of an 8 year old is she? (what are her interests?) And what kind of reading level? If she's still just graduating from chapter books, our school kids at that level love the Magic Tree House series. If she's more advanced, it depends on her interests. I know that I got into fantasy by reading some of the fairy tale collections and that might be a way to go. Let me know what she likes, and the reading level, and I'll come up with some specifics.

Thanks for stopping by. It's been a lovely visit!

Hi Roni, Sadie is my 8-year-old g'daughter and she loves the Magic Tree House books! She is almost through the series. I'm looking for something maybe a tiny bit advanced from that. She's a good reader. She read aloud from the newspaper today with very few mistakes and good comprehension.

She loves animals, sports (especially soccer), and fantasy - but nothing scary. They'll be here a few days and we'll be stopping by the library on one of our outings. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

San Diego...lucky you. My youngest son got his Master's of Accountancy from San Diego State. We enjoyed that whole area so much. Too bad he's living in Dallas now.

Thanks for stopping by my thread. Maybe I'll whip out the tea and cookies if you come back. Plus, I'll have some lefover birthday cake after tomorrow!

Hi Roni - can I confess here that I put my name down for the group read of The Once and Future King, purchased a nicer reading copy than the one I already owned, but still haven't got past the first paragraph of page one. Just reading too many other books at present - I really should just take all my library books back and stick to the books I already own.

How is your progress on Perdido Street Station? - I'm keen to try Mieville and several people mention this one though I'll have to tackle Un Lun Dun first as I read the first few chapters a while back.

Hi There!

I hope you are enjoying your retirement. I'm simply stopping by to wish you well and say I'm thinking of you.

Roni, I hope you don't mind me jumping in. Donna, my youngest daughter is 8, and a good reader. She reads everything she can get her hands on. Don't know if any of these will be right for your granddaughter -- I'm just going to throw out a list of books Marina loves.
Emily Windsnap -- series/mermaid
Little House books
Spiderwick books -- fantasy. May be a bit scary
A Cricket in Times Square
American Girl books. I think she's read each series, and now she loves the American Girl mysteries
Toys Go Out and Toy Dance Party. Two of our absolute favorite read-alouds of all time.
The Penderwicks and The Penderwicks on Gardam Street -- four sisters. Two of them are crazy for soccer
Pretty much anything by Eva Ibbotson. Our favorites are The Secret of Platform 13, Which Witch?, and The Star of Kazan.

That's just a start. If you need more I've got 'em!

Oh! Another favorite author is Cynthia Rylant. Her The Lighthouse Family series is about 3rd grade level. Very, very sweet animal stories with just the right amount of conflict and gentle humor.

Also, we love the animal stories in James Herriott's Treasury for Children.

*sincerely intends to stop hijacking Roni's thread*

No problem, Anne. Actually, I was going to suggest the Ibbotson books, myself (I love Dial-a-Ghost), and the others are great too. Also some of the younger Diana Wynne Jones--maybe Dogsbody or The Ogre Downstairs. Or Patricia Wrede's Dealing with Dragons. The Jungle Books by Kipling and then The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. Igraine the Brave by Cornelia Funke. Emily Rodda has some series that are just beyond the Magic Treehouse books, such as her Rowan of Rin books. The Ugly Princess and the Wise Fool by Margaret Gray. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle. Any Enid Blyton or E. Nesbitt or Edward Eager.

#234 Mmm, tea and cookies...

And last night we picked up one of my husband's favorites at Costco--pineapple upside-down cake! Yum.

Thank you SO much, Roni and Anne. Great suggestions! I started writing them down and, duh, my daughter the computer major says....Mom, just copy and send them to me in an e-mail. Now she has lots of books to go to when the Magic Treehouse series runs out, which will be soon. Who knows, we may have a new LT member someday!

Btw, I love pineapple-upside-down cake. My personal favorite for taking to church potlucks because my husband hates it and I don't need a whole cake for myself. :-)

Found you and starred you - looks like we've got a lot of books in common!

When I was an 8-year-old my favorite books were the Boxcar children series... don't know how those would hold up these days! :D

Retirement...sigh! I still have 3 kids to put through college.

I somehow lost your thread and had to come back and catch up. Congrats on retirement. I'm with you and Steve, a little bit late getting on the Perdido Street Station group read. Looking forward to diving in to it this week.

...mmm pineapple upside-down cake... mmm...

#242 Stop mentioning food! I haven't had pineapple upside down cake for years... Do you put glacé cherries in the middle of the pineapple rings?

I certainly do when I make it--however, the Costco one doesn't, and uses chunks instead of rings. Still yummy, though!

Pineapple upside-down cake? Yum. Haven't had that for years.

Better than baked beans, eh, Caty? ;-)

And you may find my third thread at:
http://www.librarything.com/topic/95180

Hope to see you there!

Better than baked beans

Definitely!

What *isn't* better than (vegetarian) baked beans?

254- I'm right there with you on the 'vegetarian' part! Yum...

Ahh--found you. My I be the latest to congratulate you on your retirement! And to warn you that it tends to be a busy time!! :-)