Take It or Leave It Challenge - April 2010

For those new to this challenge: More info and monthly index can be found in post #1 of this thread.

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The April 2010 TIOLI Challenge is to Read a Book of Short Stories.

Yikes!! Stop that groaning! I don’t want to hear about how you never read books of short stories. This is a time for you to e-x-p-a-n-d what you usually read. So, go to it!

The book of short stories you choose may be vintage or contemporary. It may be an anthology or a collection of stories by the same author. Hopefully, it will be a book you’ve discovered in your TBR mountain, but that’s not a requirement.

If you do not particularly like this genre, may I suggest that you pick a smaller book as some anthologies are quite lengthy. In addition, consider a short story collection by a favorite author of yours whose novels you’ve read and loved in the past. Alternatively, you could pick a book of short stories by trusting a book’s blurbs and know nothing about either the author or his subject. In this case, be brave.

When you’ve finished your book, please report back onto this thread with the title and a sentence or two about your favorite short story in the book you chose. See if you can entice others to choose the same book you chose... :)

To help you along, here are some books I’ve read and liked:
The Elephant Vanishes – Haruki Murakami
Interpreter of Maladies – Jhumpa Lahiri
Follow Me – Paul Griner
The Tiki Palaces of Detroit – Michael Zadoorian
Everything’s Eventual – Stephen King

I’ve not read these, but they look interesting:
Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri
Birds of America by Lorrie Moore
A Good Man is Hard to Find and Other Stories by Flannery O'Connor
McSweeney's Enchanted Chamber of Astonishing Stories – Michael Chabon, editor
20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill

Hope you have fun with this month’s selection!

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This thread is continued from here.

I don't know why I balk at short story collections! I usually end up loving them. I have a 1010 category for them and have some good ones picked out though.

Interpreter of Maladies is stunning.

I'd also suggest:
Ship Fever by Andrea Barrett
The View from Castle Rock by Alice Munro
Moral Disorder by Margaret Atwood
The Dew Breaker by Edwidge Danticat

I have The Portable Dorothy Parker, which is full of short (very short!) stories and essays and poetry. She was a remarkable writer, said so much in so few words.

I'll be reading the Atwood collection since it's also Atwood month in April for the 1010 group.

I will read An Elegy for Easterly, a collection of short stories by Petina Gappah, for the next issue of Belletrista, so I've added it to Challenge #1. I'll probably also read In Other Rooms, Other Wonders by Daniyal Mueenuddin later in the month.

One collection of short stories that I liked from last year's reads is A Better Angel by Chris Adrian.

I've created a second challenge, in honor of Poetry Month (per Madeline's suggestion), and I'm planning to read the five remaining collections in The Collected Poetry of Nikki Giovanni.

I've started reading short stories more regularly since last year thanks to the 999 challenge. Anyway I'll read a collection by a New Zealand writer, Opportunity by Charlotte Grimshaw or Forbidden Cities by Paula Morris.

I'll suggest a collection that was recommended to me and I still haven't read, though I've finally tracked down a copy - Robert Coover's Pricksongs & Descants

I've already changed my mind about which book to read, and it's not even been one hour. I'm switching to A Good Place for the Night, a collection of short stories by Israeli author Savyon Liebrecht. It just came in the mail now. :)

#5 - I still haven't tackled her Apples from the Desert - now you make me feel guilty! Well, I'll get to it sometime this year.

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That's such a *fabulous* book. You'll be truly delighted when you finally get to that book.

I was disappointed when I first saw the April challenge. No! I'm certain I do not have any short stories in the Tipping Tower of Tomes. I check just the same and am ecstatic to find Edith Wharton's Old New York 4 novellas! Whoopdee, Doo. I'm in!

#8, Carmene, I was just about to say that I don't own any books of short stories when I saw your post. If I can find my copy, I might read Old New York by Edith Wharton as well.

I may have a Rex Stout short story collection around here somewhere, too. Oh, now that I think about it, I definitely own a Jacques Futrelle mystery short story collection called Jacques Futrelle's The Thinking Machine. Futrelle is the mystery writer who perished on the Titanic.

I haven't even thought about coming up with my own TIOLI challenge for this month so this should work out well.

For this month's TIOLI, I'll read a book that was offered for Early Reviewers. There are about 1700 to choose from, including favourites like The Hunger Games and The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind.

For short stories, I think I have a book by Michel Faber lying around. I really enjoyed The Crimson Petal and the White when I read it several years ago, so I've been meaning to try some of his other work.

I'm so glad to see this challenge Madeline because recently I've read some great short story collections, the best of which was definitely American Salvage by Bonnie Jo Campbell. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. The stories are staying with me like no other short story collection I've read.

I will definitely read In Other Rooms, Other Wonders by Daniyal Mueenuddin and I also have Andrea Barrett's Servants of the Map, Jhumpa Lahiri's Unaccustomed Earth and one of Alice Munro's collections on my shelf.

#10, good idea about reading ER books. I am a bit late on one and just got another so I will aim to read at least the one I'm overdue on

Ian Sansom's The Bad Book Affair is the one I will aim to read in April. I just received How Lincoln Learned to Read: Twelve Great Americans and the Educations That Made Them by Daniel Wolff, though I won't mark that one down yet.

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Good idea, Zoe!

*scratches it off of my list of ideas*

*scratches it off of my list of ideas*

Hehehe.

You must have read my mind!! :)

I've been wanting to read The Vampire Archives, a collection of vampire stories from the 1800's to today, so that's the one I've picked for this month's challenge. It's about 1000 pages long, though, so it could be a challenge just to finish it...

I love short stories. It's also a category in my 1010 challenge!
I am going to read Follow Me, which has been well reviewed here (:
If I can squeeze it in, Unaccustomed Earth. I started that one about a year ago, and stopped after two stories. Time to pick it up again.
I also just noticed that my bedside table is holding a copy of The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway. Argh. So many choices.

I support the above recommendation for Interpreter of Maladies - it is stunning. I also really enjoy Flannery O'Connor.

Oh, perfect timing - I just took Steampunk out of the library, a collection of short stories that I thought I'd read for one of my 1010 categories. I might also read the ER book I'm due to review...

I've posted two new challenges -

A book with an animal in the title in honor of the EASTER BUNNY - try as I could I didn't find a book about or starring the Easter Bunny but instead of a Chocolate bunny I'm looking at a Chocolate Cat, Frog or Bear. By making it any animal I can include the 5th Naomi Novik - Victory of Eagles

then I wanted to recognize the change of season with the coming of warmer weather where we shed our coats and manage with just a sweater so the Challenge is a book with something related to sweaters in the title. I'm thinking of Died in the Wool, A Murderous Yarn or Death by Cashmere - something that makes you think sweaters or knitting.

I wanted something light and fun this month.

I'm going to read one of my Alice Munro books.

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Chèli, animal challenges are always fun!

*scrunches up mouth and scratches another idea off my list* :)

The sweater challenge may be a bit harder, though (by the way, it's still too cold for me in Maryland).

Including kidzdoc's poetry challenge mentioned in post #3, we have a nice variety of challenges to start us off into April. Aren't you glad spring is almost here (at least in the northern hemisphere...)?

My challenge is a book with a city in the title - I have two that I'm thinking of, Tokyo Cancelled and The Singsong Girls of Shanghai.

hmmm might join the city one as well... but luckily one of the books hubby got me for our anniversary was Mean Streets which is 4 short stories including one by Jim Butcher. Yay!

I am not even beginning to worry about April's challenge when I still have 4 to complete before the end of March.

I have a few short story collections in my TBR pile. I think I will start with Bluebeard's Egg by Margaret Atwood. And I have two Early Reviewer books still to be reviewed so I've added those to the list (good idea Zoe!).

Winter in Madrid has been sitting in my pile for a while and that fits wandering_star's challenge.

I had also thought about adding my own challenge this month but I might have too much to read now! Maybe I should save it for another month.

Hmm? Zoe's Early Reviewer challenge is filling up fast! Are TIOLI people feelin' guilt* about not completing their ER reviews yet?

*...she guiltily asks* :)

>26 Eat_Read_Knit:

Let's take a vote. I love to do polls!ETA: This poll ends April 30, 2010!
ETA 2: Wandering_star, your input would be good here as you started that challenge!

Larry Brown's book of short stories, Big Bad Love, is very good.

Is anyone else feeling the fun and excitement of the end of the month/the start of the new month as the new TIOLI challenges are presented? I do! I can't wait to see what challenges people will come up with. Those few days make me look at my library with very different perspectives.

OK, I lied. I am going to start thinking about this challenge. So for my short stories book, I am going to read Good Evening, Mrs. Craven.

Also, I am doing my own personal challenge that I call 'Opposites Attract.' I am reading The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, North and South, Husband and Wife and Music and Silence.

Also, I am doing my own personal challenge that I call 'Opposites Attract.'

Very creative!

#32: Thanks!

Those are cool. Very creative.

I think I will join this challenge as well - I have an Alice Munro on my TBR pile, as well as an Ian Rankin collection - so probably one of those two. I am not a big short story reader either, but do enjoy a few collections each year.

I'd like to add another challenge, if I may: books from the 2010 Orange Prize Longlist. I'm planning to read at least two or three from the list, and I'd like to encourage others to do the same. The full longlist is:

Rosie Alison: The Very Thought of You (Britain)
Eleanor Catton: The Rehearsal (New Zealand)
Clare Clark: Savage Lands (Britain)
Amanda Craig: Hearts and Minds (Britain)
Roopa Farooki: The Way Things Look to Me (Britain)
Rebecca Gowers: The Twisted Heart (Britain)
M.J. Hyland: This Is How (Britain)
Sadie Jones: Small Wars (Britain)
Barbara Kingsolver: The Lacuna (United States)
Laila Lalami: Secret Son (Morocco)
Andrea Levy: The Long Song (Britain)
Attica Locke: Black Water Rising (United States)
Hilary Mantel: Wolf Hall (Britain)
Maria McCann: The Wilding (Britain)
Nadifa Mohamed: Black Mamba Boy (Britain)
Lorrie Moore: A Gate at the Stairs (United States)
Monique Roffey: The White Woman on the Green Bicycle (Spain-Britain)
Amy Sackville: The Still Point (Britain)
Kathryn Stockett: The Help (United States)
Sarah Waters: The Little Stranger (Britain)

I've already read The Long Song and Wolf Hall. I own but haven't yet read Hearts and Minds, A Gate at the Stairs, and The Little Stranger, and I should receive The Rehearsal, Black Mamba Boy and The White Woman on the Green Bicycle from The Book Depository any day now.

Wow! With all these great TIOLI challenges, April will, of course, be too short. :)

Zoe's TIOLI challenge to read an Early Reviewer book (great minds think alike, you know the saying...) for April seems to be challenging my own! :/

*worried, but not afraid*

:D

I was planning on reading Bluebeard's Egg as part of the 1010's Atwood in April read, so I'll join souloftherose for that. I'll have a think about the other challenges - I'm sure I've got some books with animals in the title in my TBR.

#22, wandering_star, I love the idea of books with a city in the title. One of my 1010 challenge categories is books about Chicago and I've got several up my sleeve for that.

Cheli, surely I have a mystery or two with an animal in the title. More doubtful about having anything with sweaters but who knows. I will take a look.

Stasia, opposites attack is something to think about as well. A "day and night" book would fit into my day and night 1010 category.

Beyond the obvious ER book that I already owe a review for, though, I'm finding that it's not so easy to find ER books that I want to read. The best way to find books that others might be interested in seems to be to look at the books I share with the ER library. In addition to The Hunger Games and The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, other possibly interesting ER books are:

Life of Pi
The Things That Keep Us Here
Shiver
Black Ships and Hand of Isis
The Uncommon Reader
$20 Per Gallon

Oh, and sorting the ER catalogue by number of members also seems helpful:

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
The Elegance of the Hedgehog

etc.

For Chèli's Animal challenge, I've added The Silver Pigs. Speaking of guilt, this was a SantaThing book from 2008!

Thanks for that hint _Zoe_ - I found out that The Angel's Game (which I've got out of the library) was an Early Reviewer book. I've also got Life of Pi and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society in my TBR stack! Looks like April could be a bumper TIOLI month for me - if I manage to read them all ;-)

Arrgh! Is it April already??? I mean I knew we switched to Daylight Savings Time today but...

Anyway, here goes. For the short stories, I'll be reading Agnes-Marie Grisebach's Die Dame mit dem Schleierhütchen. I have never read anything by the author before but thought that a woman born in Berlin in 1913 who worked as an actress and a factory-worker and fled from east to west Germany a a single-mom with four children and started writing after she retired might have an interesting thing or two to say.

I like the animal in the title challenge, so I'll be reading The Hound in the Left-Hand Corner.

Can't resist the cities challenge, so here goes Der erste Zug nach Berlin, a story about a young upper-class American woman who ends up in post-WWII Berlin.

"Fortunately", none of the early reviewer books I won last fall ever arrived here (is this usual?), so I can at least pass on that challenge.

But, of course, there's Stasia with her opposites challenge and that's just too attractive. A good reason to pull Ivy Compton-Burnett's Parents and Children (touchstones not working) off the shelves, don't you think? Btw, ICB has a lot of titles along those lines: Brothers and Sisters, Manservant and Maidservant, Mother and Son, The Present and the Past etc., so if anyone is still looking for a title that would fit the bill...

Now, people, please stop posting interesting challenges!

Maybe we can fill an entire ark with animals to scare off April showers! Zoe's got the pigs and I've got cats and bears. Caty's bringing the hedgehog and elephants. I wonder how many different kinds of animals we can come up with in the titles?

I wonder how many different kinds of animals we can come up with in the titles?

Now that's an almost too tempting challenge to pass up!!

ETA: *notices more animals boarding the ark as time goes by* :)
ETA 2: How about if I read The Ark Sakura? Do I get double points? ;)

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I wonder how many different kinds of animals we can come up with in the titles?

Okay. I've succumbed. I'm bringing horses in Per Peterson's Out Stealing Horses.

Do teddy bears count as animals? If so, I will try to get to The Crafty Teddy by John J. Lamb.

Sre, Linda, I might even read that one too!

> 47

Okay, if we're doing edge cases, how about "The Apple" (i.e., New York) as a city name? Or do subtitles count?

Basically, I'm hoping to count Inside the Apple: A Streetwise History of New York City in the city category....

> 50

I voted yes because "New York City" is within the entire title (Okay, the subtitle...) of the book.

Speaking of animals and the ark:

LOL at teelgee!!

ETA: Didn't they have until the end of April, 2010, to board the ark? :)

Of course I forgot the caption: Why Dinosaurs Are Extinct.

#25 I've also got Winter in Madrid on my 'must read it this year' 1010 list, so I'll tentatively add it to this challenge as well. I was eyeing up The Year of the Shanghai Shark too, but don't want to commit to too many reads.

Good one teelgee. I must be exceptionally alert today as I figured it out before I saw the caption.

Since everyone seems to be doing multiple TIOLI's, oooo just thought of canoli's,mmmm, sure wish I had one. I'm also going to add my ER book which I wasn't looking forward to reading but this may light a fire under me, it is Romancing Miss Bronte.

Since everyone seems to be doing multiple TIOLI's, oooo just thought of canoli's,mmmm, sure wish I had one.

Little ADD going this morning Carmenere?

When food is involved, yes!

Wives and Daughters - would that count for opposites? I don't know how to do one of those poll-y thingummys.

Wow, the help page really helps!

The coding for a poll (for anyone else who would like to try it) looks like this:

<vote>Should Wives and Daughters count for opposites?</vote>

You can do it - if you can type!

Remember: all polls close the last day of the TIOLI month! I can't turn them off though. :(

...or do they leave us more confused?! :)

Haven't finished my last March Tioli book yet and now I am supposed to think about Aprils TIOLI... AND 62 messages in this thread + a few votes.
I hope I am done TIOLI-wise for today ;-)

#62:

There should be an "Not sure, but they're fun anyway" option.

#36: I am in for Wolf Hall and The Little Stranger. I think those are the only two on the list that I own.

Stasia, you could put Wolf Hall into the animal category.

I'm in for Bluebeard's Egg and Other Stories and Victory of Eagles as I expect to read vols 3-5 of the Temeraire series in April.

How do I find a list of ER books to see what books on my TBR may have been ER offerings?

I'm adding Wolf Hall too. Tutu had a great comment about it on her blog. I guess the # of great comments finally tipped the scale for this one.

You can see all the ER books here. I added a link in the wiki too.

edit: and on that page there's a link to see which of those books are already in your catalogue.

#66: Yeah, I could, but it makes me feel more intellectual if I add it to the Orange Prize challenge :) I need all the help I can get!

Aberystwyth - of course! Having looked through my shelves since I posted the challenge, I'm also thinking of Pompeii... I mean, it was a city once, right?

I haven't done any TIOLI yet but I just got two new ER books in the mail this week and bought The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime off a $1 shelf the other day. I'm gonna pass on the short stories though; I had my fill of those last month but I definitely recommend Bluebeard's Egg.

I'll take this challenge as a sign to move The boat by Nam Le up the list.

Another awesome TIOLI Challenge! I'd say it was the best one so far, except I really liked the LT Author challenge too. Blah, blah, blah, MadelineLove, blah.

I also have a short story category in my 1010 Challenge. I used to hate short stories because there wasn't enough story to them and I wanted more. But now I like that for that very reason. I think about them more and what would have happened next and what was left out. One of my red-spined options from February was a short story collection. My still unfinished McSweeney's #32 is a collection of short stories set in the near future. And I just finished and loved The Shipping News and wish to read more Proulx, who has several short story collections. Choices! Choices!

Oh! Zoe's challenge is also a great one. I have a lone unfinished ER book I could read.

And then there's Cheli's challenge too. I'm currently reading a red-spined book, which counts towards March's belated challenge, which if I didn't finish in March, I could count as an animal in the title. But I'll probably finish it in March.

Okay, reading a new TIOLI Challenge thread with lots of posts in it already is too exciting. And has taken my mind off the evil storm. And also on to cannoli. I want one. I have none. Maybe I'll make some tea. I haven't even gotten to the wiki yet. I love check in the wiki all month. On to the wiki it is!

Yup, I think I can say that this month is the best collection of TIOLI Challenges so far. Okay, you guys are probably thinking, "Chrine, just go to bed and sleep through the darn storm already. What time is it there anyways?" The answer is 3:12am. Oh well, at least I'm typing stuff and not making another USELESS POST.

>74 chrine:: I used to hate short stories because there wasn't enough story to them and I wanted more. But now I like that for that very reason. I think about them more and what would have happened next and what was left out.

Chrine, your late night/early morning musings expressed my exact sentiments about short stories. I find them very useful for reading on trips and for that in-between reading when you've just finished a great book and are unsure of what to follow it up with.

I have a growing collection of short story collections. I'll begin with Cheating at Canasta by William Trevor because I like the title and I've enjoyed the books that I've read by him. I'll also add Elementals: Stories of Fire and Ice by A.S. Byatt. I really enjoyed The Matisse Stories by her earlier this month and would highly recommend it, especially to art lovers.

#75: I have Cheating at Canasta around my house somewhere, so if I can locate it, I will read that one along with you Donna.

>74 chrine:
My still unfinished McSweeney's #32 is a collection of short stories set in the near future

The McSweeney collections are great! The caliber of the stories (bizarre fiction) vary because they're anthologies, but some of the good ones are very good. In McSweeney's Mammoth Treasury of Thrilling Tales, you'll be introduced to the writing of Stephen King, Dan Chaon, Michael Crichton, Neil Gaiman, Nick Hornby, Elmore Leonard, and others. I have another McSweeney's collection at home ready to read, but no time to read it. :(

And also on to cannoli. I want one.

I want a cannnoli, too, but it's not kosher for Passover. :(

Now back to baking an apple cake (which *is* kosher for Passover)...

Cheating at Canasta is wonderful - the title story just blew me away! Enjoy.

Has anyone done food in the title for a TIOLI challenge? I think we need to, especially with this group.

Has anyone done food* in the title for a TIOLI challenge?

Not yet, but I'm sure it won't be long before that idea grabs someone!

*especially* with this group.

Whatever makes you say that!? ;)

*types this in between making matzo turkey stuffing and compote (I almost typed compost!!) for Passover which begins at sundown tonight*

Madeline, Is mazel tov appropriate to say for enjoy your passover dinner? Cause that's what I want to say to you :)

Madeline, thank you for bringing alphabetical order to the wiki. I take it you took some German at some time? (I really wasn't trying to include all variations of the word "the", although it may look that way now that you added the comments... Should I be digging up something with dem and den, do you think?;)

OK, I reserve 'food in title' for May. Is that kosher? er, appropriate?

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"Mazel tov" means congratulations. It's appropriate for me (but not for Passover) because I just passed my home care credentialing exam (after having failed it twice first). I'm now certified in that nursing specialty - finally!

For Passover, just say Happy Holiday or (in Hebrew) Chag (gutteral sound for "ch") Sa-may-ach (again, gutteral sound for "ch"). Either would work.

Thanks, Lynda!

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I frown (see my face with the corners of my mouth pointing down) on announcing challenges ahead of time. Either add it to this month's list of challenges or suprise us with it in any other future month.

Answer: Not kosher! :D

OK, pretend to be surprised in some future month. I do not want to make you frown!

Happy Holiday!

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thank you for bringing alphabetical order to the wiki.

Hehe! I knew you'd eventually figure out that I was moving your entries to different places. I'm doing that to make it easier for me to spot duplicate entries.

I take it you took some German at some time?

My dad was born in Germany. My mom was fluent in German, although she grew up in the former Yugoslavia. German was spoken in our household when I grew up. I studied German in school, but don't reatin a working command of the language because I never really used it to converse with other people. I have a better fluency in Hebrew (I lived in Israel) and Spanish (I'm married to a Salvadoran). Now, due to a hearing impairment, I'm having enough problems simply understanding English. :(

Should I be digging up something with dem and den, do you think?

LOL!! I doubt it.

By the way, I think it's very cool that you're adding books written in German to the TIOLI challenge. If others are fluent in another language, feel free to do the same. I'll even give you TIOLI points, (when appropriate in counting) for reading the same book (even if in a different language). How's that for a challenge?! ;)

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:) See! I'm smiling now...

I guess I'm into the challenge because I'm currently listening to Kric Krac, short stories about Haiti, and reading The Elegance of the Hedgehog which has a hedgehog in the title and cats in the story. I have Shanghai Girls on my wish list. Guess I should make that wish come true.

I consider myself a Jew, just 'cause. I'm not religious, I don't come from a Jewish family or have many Jewish friends, I don' know what it is, but if you ask anyone who knows me if they know any Jews, they would always mention me. Maybe it's kind of like the US census. On the race question, the answer is whatever you feel yourself to be. A Mexican man asked me what he should answer on the question, white or African American, pointing to his arm indicating his skin which was quite dark. I think American Indian is closest, but told him to mark whatever he considered himself to be. Race is becoming a self defined category. Judaism isn't a race. Don't know why I identify so much. Anyway that was all pointing to the fact that I thought Passover always started on a Friday night. (Hanging my head in shame).

I think I'll join Stasia in her "opposites attract" challenge by reading Miss O'Dell: My Hard Days and Long Nights with The Beatles, the Stones, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, and the Women They Loved. This is totally not my usual cuppa tea but sounds wonderful and also helps with my 1010 challenge (night and day category).

This gives me six TIOLI books for April so I would appreciate it if no one else comes up with anymore interesting challenges.

#89: This gives me six TIOLI books for April so I would appreciate it if no one else comes up with anymore interesting challenges.

I can sympathize with how you feel - I am already slated for 9 in April, and if I find my copy of Cheating at Canasta will be reading 10. I am still trying to finish out March's challenges, too!

> 88

Wish you could join us for seder tonight. It's always such a warm occasion. Wa have many non-Jews at our seder as well as Jews.

On the race question, the answer is whatever you feel yourself to be

Funny thing about the census.
I listed myself as white, non-Hispanic.
My husband listed himself as white, Hispanic.
My daughter listed herself and white and other race (not specified - she refused to specify), Hispanic.
One son didn't tell me what he put.
The other son didn't know what to put and called me to ask. I didn't know.

Go figure!

I think it's time that race is eliminated from the census (unless they send along a meter to measure the melanocytes in an individual's skin).

> 89

...so I would appreciate it if no one else comes up with anymore interesting challenges.

ROFL @ Linda!

#74 chrine I loved The Shipping News too, so read several of Proulx's other books, Accordion Crimes and I think Heart Songs. I finally just couldn't take any more of the unrelenting depression.

Try Proulx's Postcards which I loved and although it was a long time ago that I read it, I don't remember it being terribly depressing.

Did you see the front page article in Sunday's New York Times about the Obama Seder?

Next Year in the White House: A Seder Tradition

I found my copy of Cheating at Canasta, so I will indeed be joining Donna in reading that one.

#95 kidzdoc
Great article, thanks. I like the fact that the Seder is kept informal and prominent rabbis aren't invited.

Oh boy, short stories! Now I'm almost glad I didn't get to read over the weekend. I brought a book of short stories with me on my weekend away but didn't have time for it... so I already have a book ready to go for this one! Huzzah! It's Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd by Holly Black. I've read the first few stories in it so far, it's fairly entertaining.

LOL, Bonnie. I was just going to tell Joyce in (Msg. 93) to stay away from Postcards because it was the most depressing Proulx book of all. I wonder which one of us has the worst memory? Or the most tolerance for depressing stories? I've liked all of her books; I just wouldn't want to read them too close together.

*grumble, grumble, sulk and mumble* .... I read 2 books on short stories last month.

BUT .... I do have an ER book I just received and I also like Darryl's idea of reading one of the 2010 Orange Prize nominees. Hmm.. maybe I'll do Zoe's and Darryl's challenge for April.

Terri : I love the comic strip! ... too funny

Hmm, Geektastic is tempting. I already had that one on my wishlist. Of course, the goal is to focus on the TBR pile, but I do make exceptions all the time....

Yeah, I'm doing something right! All five of the books for TIOLI in April are on my TBR pile. This will be a good dent if I can get them all done.

ALso, the 1010 Challenge group is reading The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny and that was an ER book so I have a sixth to be posted. (BTW any one can join in the group read if they want.)

>99 Donna828: Haha Donna, well I said I read it a long time ago; that could be another reread for me I guess. I'm not usually put off by dark stories either so maybe, for me anyway, it wasn't that depressing.

I've decided to read Going, Gone by Laura Crum, an ER book I received a couple of months ago. At least this will be one ER book I get to read and review in a timely fashion.

#77 Madeline
My husband gave me a McSweeney's subscription for my birthday last year and I am liking it very much. He's a fan of their magazine, The Believer.

#93 Citizenjoyce
I tend to prefer a bleak read to a pat happy ending one. Did you like any others of Proulx as much as you liked The Shipping News?

#94 Bonnie
Thanks! I'll make note that that might possibly be one of her books that I read next. I think the library might end up dictating my choice by their selection.

#99 Donna
Do you have a recommendation from among Proulx' other books, since you've read them all? I will probably wait a bit before reading another one. Plenty to read in the mean time.

PS I love that I mention The Shipping New and Proulx here and got comment and recommendation. You guys are great!

Two thumbs up for Accordion Crimes from me. I have one or two of her short story collections, but haven't read them yet.

I probably read too many Proulx too close together as Donna suggested not to do. I think I also read Postcards. I have to say, occasionally a little piece of one would come back but over all, I wouldn't recommend any. There was just no hope. I have never thought of myself as a Pollyanna, I can take some dark topics as long as there's some hope somewhere. Oh, oh, here it comes a terrible confession. After I read, and fell in love with, Octavia Butler's Xenogenesis trilogy the more I read of the rest of her work the less I liked it for the same reason. I don't need boy meets girl and falls in love and they have babies and everyone's happy. But I also don't need boy stabs girl in the eye and then the babies starve to death and the dogs eat them. I guess my limit is just lower than others.

I was living in Newfoundland when The Shipping News first came out. I remember that the "born" Newfoundlanders hated it, while us CFAs (come from away's) and the mainlanders (Canadians) living there thought it was great. I think the main problem was that people thought Quoyle was perpetuating the stereotype of Newfoundlanders as being a bit dense (they often feature in Canadian jokes much as the Ostfriesen do in Germany). I think the natives made their peace with it a few years later when the movie was shot on location and gave a boost to tourism. ("The Rock" is beautiful -- I recommend going there in June -- with a bit of luck you'll see icebergs and whales meet in St. John's harbour on their ways south and north respectively.)

At any rate, I remember loving The Shipping News and should probably give it a reread. The character that has stayed most with me was the aunt. I didn't notice her much while reading but afterwards she stood out as the strongest character of the entire book.

I read the first two of the Wyoming story collections but am not eager to get the third... the bleakness of it all does get to you after a while.

>105 chrine:: Like Terri (teelgee) I heartily recommend Accordian Crimes. It's a collection of stories about the many people that owned an accordian over the time span of a century. It was in my Top Ten Book of 1997 when I read it, and it has a permanent place on my shelves...just waiting for a reread.

I also liked (but not as well as Proulx's other books) That Old Ace in the Hole. I read it more recently, but don't remember it as well. It's set in the Texas/Oklahoma panhandle and has a cast of colorful, quirky characters.

Despite all the great challenges so far for this month and despite my claim of "no more," I am adding my own challenge: books with coffee or tea in the title.

I've been living on both beverages lately so this is a "tribute" to these beverages that help keep people awake.

I intend to include such things as fancy coffee drinks, such as mochas or lattes, as well.

#110: I will take you up on that one! Tea with the Black Dragon has been sitting unread in my library for a while now. Seems like a good time to finally get it read.

My book club is reading Three Cups of Tea in May. Maybe I'll get to it a little early.

Too bad I finished Three Cups of Tea a couple of days ago!

My college magazine listed a few authors from the MFA program and 1 had a book of poetry on the shelf at my library so I'm adding that to the poems by a living author challenge.

From the back cover - The Fractured World by Scott Owens "is a courageous examination of the long term effects of child abuse in our society. Owens' poems are at times heartbreaking, at times humorous, yet always triumphant."

yay yay yay, another tbr bites the dust, Unaccustomed Earth it is!

I have decided that I am in for the Animal challenge too. I have 2 library books upcoming that fit: Raven Summer by David Almond and Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff.

More good and helpful posts about Proulx. I read them all and wanted to say thanks. My eyes are too sleepy tonight to type replies though.

Cheli, I think I may also join you in the first in the series cozy, Died in the Wool. The Mary Kruger one.

I've already read Died in the Wool, the Ngaio Marsh one.

Some fun stats:

Top TIOLI books* according to tag numbers:

Doomsday Book by Connie Willis (2)
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry (2)
Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton (2)
Soulless by Gail Carriger (2)
Vernon God Little by DBC Pierre (2)
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (2)
Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (2)
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood (2)
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (2)

We all know these numbers are incomplete so why not add "TIOLI" as a tag to the books you use in your completed TIOLI challenges?

ETA: See post #142

Number of 75-ers who took part in March's challenge: 30

A request: Please only use your screen name when using the wiki. Some of you have occasionally been using your screen name and alternating it with your first name. If you stick to your screen name there, others who don't "know" you will at least know you're the same person (...plus it helps me not count you twice when I do my fun stats)! :)

Most popular author in March's TIOLI:

Hands down it was Naomi Novik who had a total of 18 of her books read in March! At the beginning of March, I thought the winner was going to be Colum McCann. Boy, was I ever wrong!

Number of books listed (As of 12:35 EST) for April's TIOLI Challenge which begins tomorrow: 76

..and that's no April Fool's joke! :D

Feel free to add your own FUN STATS as you find them...

I just finished El llano en llamas (The Plain in Flames) by Juan Rulfo. It's great, and it's really hard to pick a favorite story. Es que somos muy pobres (We're very poor) stands out in my mind. It's about a flood that sweeps away a family's cow, and the narrator worries that the loss of the cow will cause the youngest daughter to go down the same path as her bad older sisters.

It's available in English, but not too widely available.

I should really think about reading some short stories in Spanish. Thanks for giving me that idea, Matthew.

I'd probably not spend the time anymore to read a complete novel in Spanish, but I surely could manage a short story or two. I'll add the book you suggested to my wishlist. Who knows? It might just show up one day! :)

I'm in for the April short stories, plus I want to add a challenge: Read an Indian Writer.

There are a billion people living in India and a lot of them speak English. It would behoove us here in America to get to know the huge quantity of storytellers who hail from this immense and ancient place, many of whom write in our native tongue, if only because it's likely we'll be seeing so very very much more from them as time goes by.

Plus the vast majority of the Indian writers I've read have been really, really, really good (eg, Jhumpa Lahiri, Vikram Seth, Vikram Chandra, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni).

Break out of the Amerocentricity of our days! Adventure on the subcontinent!

I want to add a challenge: Read an Indian Writer.

An excellent challenge, Richard, and one that should provide some great reading for those who take you up on it!

Oh, and Madeline, I added "March TIOLI" to the relevant titles. Is that adequate to your purposes?

Take the "March" out. Just put "TIOLI". That will aggregate all of the TIOLI books ever read for all of our challenges.

>125 SqueakyChu: K

#122: I will join you in the Indian Author challenge, Richard. I am going to be reading Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh in the next couple of weeks.

Amitav Ghosh! I simply loved his book The Hungry Tide and would highly recommend that book for anyone else wanting to take up Richard's challenge.

Anyone satisfying multiple challenges with one book?

Say perhaps a book by a living Indian poet with an animal in the title that was offered on ER?

>129 lindapanzo:

Anyone satisfying multiple challenges with one book?


You can only list the "one book" with *one* challenge, although that book can be moved from one challenge to another during the course of the month.

#122: Great idea, Richard! I love Indian literature, and there are dozens of fantastic novels that are readily available. I thoroighly enjoyed A Sea of Poppies, which was my favorite of the books longlisted for the 2008 Booker Prize, and I hope to get to The Hungry Tide, Sacred Games, A Suitable Boy, The Satanic Verses, and The Moor's Last Sigh in the near future, amongst others.

As much as I'd like to I don't think I'll be able to join your challenge, unless I can find time to squeeze an extra book, maybe English, August: An Indian Story by Upamanyu Chatterjee.

Oh, what the heck. I'm adding it to your challenge...

Oh wow...I'd never heard of English, August before! Now I have to have it! "Thanks" Darryl. No, really. I mean it.

*grumbles off to wishlist*

It's a NYRB (New York Review Books) Classic, so it should be relatively easy to find.

This is the blurb from the back cover:

Agastya Sen, known to friends by the English name August, is a child of the Indian elite. His friends go to Yale and Harvard. August himself has just landed a prize government job.
The job takes him to Madna, "the hottest town in India," deep in the sticks. There he finds himself surrounded by incompetents and crazies. What to do? Get stoned, shirk work, collapse in the heat, stare at the ceiling. Dealing with the locals turns out to be a lot easier for August than living with himself.
English, August is a comic masterpiece from contemporary India. Like A Confederacy of Dunces and The Catcher in the Rye, it is both an inspired and hilarious satire and a timeless story of self-discovery.

*grumbles off to change list of planned reads for April*

*grumbles off to change list of planned reads for April*

:)

>120 msjohns615: that book isn't available at my library, but searching for that author brings up a collection of shortstories by him and others. I may try that one out. Sol, piedra y sombras edited by Jorge Hernandez.

I agree, short stories may be a little easier for my Spanish, than a long novel.

#118>> Linda, I didn't realize that there were two books with the same title until I tried to add the book, but I was talking about the Mary Kruger one.

#119>> My tags are all updated.

Thanks, Chèli.

Sorry, I'm going to be a rebel. The tag count is never going to be complete, so I think it's a waste of time. It would be much more productive to compile a master wiki list based on all the previous wikis.

Also, I refuse to acknowledge the underscores in my username. I'm hoping to steal the long-abandoned non-underscore version someday ;)

The tag count is never going to be complete

As usual, you have a valid point, Zoe.

Want to do the compilation? I don't.

Ooh, a challenge which I can join in - I was already planning to read an Akashic Noir anthology in April - debating which city or area to visit (Baltimore, Los Angeles, Queens, Manhattan). I might well try to squeeze in another anthology or single author collection as well - there are so many I really want to read.

#19 How about The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse by Robert Rankin? Someone mentioned it a few years ago on an email discussion group I'm in. I read it for the title but it's a lot of fun - Edward Bear investigates strange goings on in Toytown in this spoof of PI fiction.

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Thinking about this issue more, it's rather silly to list TIOLI as a tag, isn't it? Since we won't get any usable stats for it, it means nothing in the sense that a tag helps us classify what we read. If we individually want to track our TIOLI books, they could always be made into a collection (or still remain as tags).

I do remember getting tired of tagging such thing as "999 Challenge", "75 Books in 2010 Challenge", etc. For sure, I'll eventually get tired of adding TIOLI tags. :)

I'm going to do a reversal. If you'd like to tag your TIOLI books, fine, but it's not really necessary. It is fun to identify TIOLI books in some way, though, if we're reading them for a specific challenge, even if only to get some conversation going with other participants in the same challenge.

I'm joining Richard's Indian authors challenge and am currently reading The River Sutra by Gita Mehta.

I finished my first April TIOLI book, Re: Creation by Nikki Giovanni (1970), which is her third book of poetry and is included in The Collected Poetry of Nikki Giovanni.

ETA: My review is here.

Wow! That was quick, Darryl.

Stasia, I read most of the poems yesterday, and finished just after midnight.

#146: Ah! That explains it.

> 144

Wow, kidzdoc! You certainly don't waste any time. :)

Yup, I'll be happy to start compiling a master wiki. Hopefully I'll get a chance this weekend.

Aw, you're so sweet. Thanks, Zoe!

Just beware that, although I don't want them to be, the wikis are in a constant state of flux! :)

I'm adding two recently published books of poems to my challenge, which I'll pick up shortly: Morning Haiku by Sonia Sanchez, and Bicycles: Love Poems by Nikki Giovanni. I've also added My House, the fourth book of poems in The Collected Poetry of Nikki Giovanni.

Oh my! I'll probably join Richard's challenge as well... though it's a bit roundabout in a way, as the book I have by an Indian author (sitting right next to my pillow, in fact) is a biography of the actor Shah Rukh Khan, written by an Indian journalist. So, not fiction, but it still counts!

Darn it I was planning on reading my new ER book (assuming I get it before the end of the month) Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda for both the ER challenge and the Indian writer challenge but now I'm reading that I can't do that? Is that correct Madeline?

I LOVE Indian writers so it will be easy to substitute another one if I can't count my ER book for that. Actually I have another ER book to read so I'll just count Secret Daughter for the Indian writer challenge.

**thinking out loud**

I just noticed that the sixth Temeraire book is going to up for Early Reviewers in April! I know I don't have a chance at it, so I'm already jealous of the winners.

Ooh, I'm going to try for it - what a great ER book to get! I'm about to start vol 4 this week.

I finished my first April TIOLI book (it was a 79 page book of poems and I did start last night). I will be reading it again before I return it to the library. Thank you for this challenge, I wouldn't have found these poems otherwise.

The Fractured World by Scott Owens - recommended!

I think I will "take" the April TIOLI Short Stories challenge!

I've enjoyed the "Best American Short Stories" series, but I haven't yet read the 2009 version, which Alice Sebold (I think) edited. I've got it requested at the library.

I love the concept of TIOLI! Thanks.

Karen O.

--> 153

Is that correct Madeline?

It is indeed correct. You have to pick one challenge for each book, although you can move that one book from one challenge to another at whim.

You book technically could spend half the month under the ER challenge and then the rest of the month under the Indian challenge. :D

It will only gather points, however, if it's adjacent to another copy of the same book. It might be wise putting it under the better challenge to attract a second copy of that book. It's your call, Bonnie! :)

--> 154

Would you have better chance at it if that were the only book you picked for April?

Re #155

Thank you for this challenge, I wouldn't have found these poems otherwise.

Do you hear that, kidzdoc?

--> 156

I love the concept of TIOLI! Thanks.

You're welcome. Glad to have your participation, Karen!

>158 SqueakyChu: Nah, I just don't have enough of the similar books. I think I'd have better luck with a cold request to the publisher, which I'm actually tempted to try.

Hey, this thread is #5 in Hot Topics! I bet it was even higher when it started.

I just finished An Elegy for Easterly by Petina Gappah, a collection of short stories about Zimbabweans in and outside of the country, which won the Guardian First Book Award last year.

#155 & 159: That's great! The more poetry lovers, the better.

--> 161

If you write to the publisher and show the interest that we started in the Novik books here on the TIOLI challenge, perhaps you'd have a chance? It's worth a try! It's pretty obvious you're likely to provide a positive review.

--> 162

Yeah. We're hot!!

...but aren't we always?!

Sooooo....

Let's talk about short stories*:

1. What do you like (or dislike) about reading them?
2. Do you try to avoid them?
3. If you start a short story collection, are you apt to finish it or stop reading it in the middle?
4. Who are some of your favorite short story authors?
5. Do you think some authors do short stories better than they do novels? If so, who?

I was afraid that many of you were NOT going to like this challenge. My contention is that, if you think you don't like short stories, perhaps you're reading the wrong ones. Thoughts? Comments?

*Feel free to answer any or all of these questions.

ETA: By the way, fellow April challenge posters, feel free to start discussions about your own April challenges here on this thread as well.

--> 162

Hehe! BLT (before LT, *not* bacon-lettuce-tomato), when I was active on the Bookcrossing forums, I'd try to start topics on their Talk forum just to see if I could get my thread up into the Hot Threads. There they have a sidebar which keeps users informed of Hot Threads at all times. Here I don't watch the Hot Threads that much so it's fun to know that we're in the top.

I'm listening to Krik? Krak! by Edwidge Danticat, and I like these stories much better than I liked her novels. I usually don't like reading short stories because I like to immerse myself in a book, and stories just don't give me time. I guess I like the development of a plot, and perhaps short stories are more about characterization and less about plot? If I start a book of short stories, it's likely I won't finish. I kind of just use them as a short read in between novels. However, I'm liking Krik? Krak! so much I might listen to Margaret Atwood's Moral Disorder next. Oh, there you are, it just occurred to me. Maybe I'm liking these stories precisely because I'm listening to them rather than reading, so I spends a smaller chunk of time with each session.

Maybe I'm liking these stories precisely because I'm listening to them rather than reading, so I spends a smaller chunk of time with each session.

*That's* really funny. I purposely don't listen to short stories on CD because I want to be able to fully immerse myself into each one. It's like savoring a morsel of food rather than finishing a five-course meal.

Well, I am a bit of a hog, what can I say?

I'm sure the correct way to read a story is to read it, then when finished, take the time to think about it. When I'm reading a book, I just keep reading, so I think I don't take the time to savor each one. When I'm listening, though, it's easier to stop and give attention to one at a time. I'm always so surprised to find the many ways people are different (if I add "from me" it will seem so self-centered, won't it?)

I finished Primo Levi's The Periodic Table and have added it to the wiki.

Let's talk!

By the way, does anyone have a favorite short story he or she has read in the past? What is it? From which book is it? Who was the author?

One of my favorite short stories is actually from the collection that I'm reading now, Joe Hill's 20th Century Ghosts. It's a collection of ghost stories, and the title story, "20th Century Ghost," was a ghost story with real heart and soul. It really took me by surprise that Joe Hill could write something that ultimately is a really touching story, even if it is a ghost story.

For those who don't know, Joe Hill is Stephen King's son, and he decided to not write under his given name since he wants to be able to stand on his own and not be pushed along by his father's fame.

The April TIOLI Challenge is off and running. People have already selected 20 different books of short stories to read this month. Good job!!

Seventeen TIOLI points have already been accumulated as we share the books/reads we have in common in multiple April category challenges.

It looks as if the other most popular challenges this month are Zoe's A Book that was offered for Early Reviewers and Chèli's A book with an animal in the title in honor of the EASTER BUNNY. Coming up fast in popularity are also kidzdoc's The April Read-a-Living-Poet Challenge and wandering_star's A book with a city in the title.

This month's wiki has even more fun challenges so, if you've never participated before, here's your chance to check it out and jump in! It's not too late to join. Newbies are always welcome. Do NOT let the wiki frighten you! :)

--> 173

...and Joe Hill is an LT author, another reason to read his books!

#175 - I was actually reading his collection for the March TIOLI, and had to put it aside, so I think it was kismet that it also works for this month's TIOLI as well!

>166 SqueakyChu:: Let's talk about #1) "What do you like (or dislike) about reading them?"

Well, I like that they're short and I dislike that they're short. I'm not trying to be flip about this.

Sometimes I need just a "taste" of good literature without getting immersed in an unputdownable novel. I find they're wonderful for traveling or visiting my grandchildren because I have such a limited attention span then. I also like to read them at night so I can have a sense of completion before "lights out."

I dislike them because they're so short I feel cheated on the reading experience of immersing myself in another place, time, and/or situation. A good novel will always be my first choice for reading, but I'm slowly beginning to appreciate the short story genre as more of my favorite authors are offering short story collections.

I've joined the ER one. Assuming the March book I won, first since November 2008, arrives before April is over.

The Time of Terror by Seth Hunter

(none of the other 5-10 books I think I might read next line up with any of the other challenges; though "Changes" could have worked for any of the Spring ones if it hadn't been limited to clothing or animals; and Silver Borne involves coyotes and wolves, just not in the title)

I've added The Women and the Men by Nikki Giovanni to my poetry challenge. It's a combination of the poems in Re: Creation and 21 new poems, so I should finish it by this evening.

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I find they're wonderful for traveling

I love short stories for the beach because I can read one on the sand, then later one on the balcony of the beach house in the evening, then one in the morning with coffee, etc. Well, you get the idea! I often bring several books of short stories to the beach with me in addition to a few light novels.

--> 178

Assuming the March book I won...arrives before April is over

Hehe! One never knows...

--->166 SqueakyChu:: I like short stories, almost as much as novels. They're especially good if you are in one of those dreadful funks, where nothing pleases and every book is vile. They have the virtue of their vice: the brevity can lead the reader to invent a complete backstory to go with the text. Also, if an author seems a bit difficult, such as Faulkner or Joyce or even Henry James, the short story can be a helpful introduction to his/her work. Alternatively, an anthology of s.s. is an easy way to find new authors, without making the commitment to a novel.

Some favorite s.s. authors would be Lahiri, Faulkner, Saki. And Kipling, Poe, Joyce...well, you get my drift.

Oh, and another point: my brother, who is brilliant but has a short attention span, loves the s.s. form above all others.

Ok I will try this again since I was going on and on about short stories on Madeline's thread thinking I was on this thread.

I completely avoided short stories until fairly recently for the reason that they were short and I couldn't get completely enmeshed in the story because it ended too quickly. But recently I've read some excellent ones including American Salvage (finalist for the NBA last year) which right now I would have to label as my favorite collection ever. I can't stop thinking about this book and especially the story entitled "The Burn." I shamelessly promoted this book to whoever would listen making people think I had some sort of vested interest in its success.

To answer the other question, I think Jhumpa Lahiri writes wonderful short stories, much better than her one novel The Namesake. After I read Lorrie Moore's A Gate at the Stairs, which was just a so-so read for me, I read in several places that she was an excellent short story writer so I'm going to look for some of her collections.

--> 166: I was surprised to read your "Stop that groaning!" when you announced the short story challenge. I didn't realize so many people disliked them! I adore short stories. (I have a 75 short stories challenge for myself this year, concurrent with the regular 75 challenge).

I don't know if I've had enough coffee yet today to articulate why. There's no time for them to lag in the middle. There's no room for periphery characters who bore you when the action shifts to them. A really tight short story packs a punch it's hard to get from a novel.

My favorite book of short stories is Kurt Vonnegut's Welcome to the Monkey House. They can be absurd or dark or touching, but they're always funny - whether it's just a quick wry line that breaks the tension in a serious moment, or a story that has you laughing out loud all the way through. ("More Stately Mansions" and "The Foster Portfolio" are short story perfection.)

Dorothy Parker is my favorite short story writer. She's amazing at the form. I'd recommend any of her collections, but get the complete stories if you don't already have one. Some of my favorites of hers are "Song of the Shirt, 1941", "Horsie", "Cousin Larry", "But the One on the Right", "The Bolt Behind the Blue" ... oh there are too many! She's so witty, so dead on in her skewering of people, and she can just make your heart break.

If you like science fiction/fantasy Zenna Henderson's Holding Wonder has some of the most inventive stories I've ever read. I'm not sure if it's still in print, but it's well worth looking for. Stephen King can also write a mean short story. I enjoy his books, but I think he often blows the endings, and shorter fiction doesn't give him as much time to do that. Skeleton Crew is a great collection.

Angela Carter's The Bloody Chamber for fairy tale/fantasy lovers! Or Emma Donoghue's Kissing the Witch.

If you like surreal, Etgar Keret. He's very love-him-or-hate-him, but I'm in the former group.

Truman Capote! Flannery O'Connor! Roddy Doyle! Edgar Allan Poe! Roald Dahl! Guy de Maupassant! Katherine Mansfield!

I may have crossed over into too much coffee now ...

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I've wishlisted American Salvage, read and loved Lahiri's Interpreter of Maladies, and have a waiting copy of Lahiri's Unaccustomed Earth. What I don't have is more time. :(

However, I just happen to have a copy of Birds of America by Lorrie Moore. Based on what you said, Bonnie, I think I'll dip into that book this month as I've never read anything by Lorrie Moore before. I can't guarantee that I'll finish the whole book. That's just me, though.

I've finished my ER Challenge book, and reviewed Through the Cracks Fister by LT author Barbara Fister. I got the ARC from the author, and I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

I finished The Women and the Men by Nikki Giovanni for my poetry challenge, and reviewed it here.

I've added A Good Man Is Hard to Find and Other Stories by Flannery O'Connor to Madeline's short story challenge, after I finished the title story a few minutes ago. I'll leave In Other Rooms, Other Wonders on the list for now, and try to read it at the end of the month.

#172
Some of my past short story favorites are The Best of Roald Dahl and Behind a Mask by Louisa May Alcott. Roald Dahl because he is the master of the unexpected and of irony. Louisa May, probably because it felt like I was reading the "pulp fiction" that Jo in Little Women would have written.

If I had to pick a favorite from the above mentioned collection of Roald Dahl, I would say either Mrs. Bixby and the Colonels Coat, Lamb to the Slaughter, or Skin. My husband would like to say that Claude's Dog is the best. Personally, I don't recommend that if you have a hard time reading about ferrets, rats, and peoples clothing all together...

Finished my first TIOLI of the month A River Sutra by Gita Mehta. This was for Richard's Indian authors challenge. Review on the book page. Briefly - very good, I loved it!

I'll join Stasia with The Eagle of the Ninth and bought De zege van de adelaars (Dutch translation of Victory of Eagles) today, because my public library does not have it yet. Since I don't want to keep it, I will see if our library accepts donations, after I have read it.

I finished my fist TIOLI - old ER book The Charlemagne Pursuit. Hope the newest one when released is ER bound too!

>166 SqueakyChu: I absolutely loved Interpreter of Maladies, I thought it was just brilliant. But I thought her novel, The Namesake was pretty dull and would have made a much better short story. I'm looking forward to Unaccustomed Earth soon, don't know if I'll make it this month, but sometime in 2010. I think Lahiri should stick with short stories.

I don't remember the name of the stories, but the first one in Interpreter... was my favorite.

I first got into short stories seriously when I did a university course on the short story, mainly because it was the only one available in the very small Comparative Literature Department (I didn't really like the English department) as one of the two staff was on sabbatical. I wrote my dissertation on short stories by women writers and how they used it to write about, and in some cases challenge, women's experience. The writers I wrote about included Alice Walker, Colette, Toni Cade Bambara, Margaret Atwood, Ursula Le Guin, Katherine Mansfield and a lot of others. I had a bit of a struggle because there was just so much material I wanted to use and I only had a certain number of words.

My favourite short story writers include:

mostly or all short story writers: Mavis Gallant, Alice Munro, Grace Paley, Katherine Mansfield, Helen Simpson

novels too: Colette, Angela Carter, Toni Cade Bambara

Bambara wrote about her writing that she found short stories would come and tap her on the shoulder demanding to be told. She sadly died a few years ago.

Most recently enjoyed short story single author collections:

Roddy Doyle, The Deportees - stories originally written for a Nigerian community in Dublin newspaper by this native Dubliner, about immigrants from various places and the relations between them and Irish people.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, The Thing Around Your Neck - interestingly, several stories about Nigerians abroad as well as in their own country

Helen Simpson, Constitutional

Ali Smith, The First Person and other stories

#192 - I didn't like The Namesake as much as the short story collections either, but the film is really well done. Give it a try if you like movies. Bonus, the book wasn't a favorite, so the movie might not disappoint.

OH - and elkiedee - love your syllabus on short story authors. I'm copying it to my files. I have not read several of the authors. I love what you said about Bambara - it makes me want to read her right away.

I did read The Thing Around Your Neck last year. I didn't love the stories, but I thought the writing was amazing.

#192/195: I tried The Namesake a couple years ago and I got about 50 pages into it and gave up. I guess I should rather try her short stories instead.

Oh yes, Stasia, do try Interpreter of Maladies, it's exquisite writing.

#198: OK Terri, I will pick it up when next I am at the library.

Question - I finished my March TIOLI book last night (Mindy Klasky's The Glasswright's Apprentice) only to find I'm too late to post it. I did, however, read 'Anne of Green Gables' in March, but didn't realise until now that it's on the list. Does any of it count at all?
Eheu - will have to find another book to read. At the rate I'm going, I won't even make 50 books this year. Must try harder ...

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Add Anne of Green Gables to March's wiki since you did finish it in March but simply did not have a chance to post it yet.

Since you did not finish The Glasswright's Apprentice in March, you cannot enter it in March's wiki. Either enter it into an appropriate challenge in April, create a challenge to include that book in April, or do not enter it at all.

Hint: Be sure to check out each month's TIOLI challenge at the beginning of the month. Enter your planned reads at that time. Later during the month, you can always delete a book you decide not to read or realize you will not finish before the end of the month.

I'm answering your questions about short stories a little late but here goes...

I enjoy the short story form, and have since probably high school or so when I discovered O. Henry, who is still my favorite short story writer. I like that in a well-told short story, it's distilled - the characters, the plot - and the author doesn't have much time to make me care, so if they can do it, I admire that. I also like dipping into anthologies from time to time as a way to learn about new authors without committing to a full novel. I don't read enough short stories, so I made it a category for my 1010 Challenge this year.

Regarding finishing collections, I hadn't really thought about it, and I think the answer I have is partly a result of a the fact that I mostly read borrowed books. My answer is, of the few collections I've read over the past few years that I've kept track of my reading, I've only stopped reading one. It was The Complete Stories by Dorothy Parker. I stopped because as compelling as each story was, as real as the characters were, I found it just too depressing to try to read quickly enough to return it to the library on time. If I were reading a book I owned, however, I would have left the bookmark in and simply read a story here and there, between books or when I only had a few moments.

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Love your recommendations! I, too, greatly enjoy well-written short stories and hope to get more people interested in reading good short stories through April's TIOLI challenge.

*heats water for coffee*

I recently got into Kurt Vonnegut's writing (before he died) and am thoroughly entertained by his works. I haven't gotten to Welcome to the Monkey House yet, but I'll be sure to add it to my TBR list. I keep thinking that I have this book somewhere in my house.

I'm a big Stephen King fan although I think his writing is all over the place. His better books are excellent. My favorite book of short stories that he's done is Everything's Eventual. From that collection, I most like "LT's Theory of Pets", "Room 1408" (I have a clock that acts exactly like a picture - or was it the door - in that story), "Lunch at Gotham Cafe" (that waiter's tie that was "askew" told me something was really wrong!), and "That Feeling, You Can Only Say it in French".

*puts coffee and hot water in French press*

Speaking of Etgar Keret...

1. If you like Keret's bizarre flash fiction, have you yet discovered Barry Yourgrau? Same style. Same weird ultra-short stories. Less well known than Keret. Not Israeli.

2. If you like Israeli authors' short stories, have you read those by Savyon Liebrecht? Try Apples from the Desert to start. For this month's challenge, I'm reading her book A Good Place for the Night, have only read the first two stories, but have been blown away by both. Her stories pack a real punch!

Keep reading, everyone. I love hearing your thoughts (both good and bad) about short stories.

*runs off to press and drink her coffee*

Coffee again? It is going to stunt your growth!

Are you offering me something else this morning?

ETA: I'd like for it to stunt my width...

If you find something that stunts width, I need to know about it!

LOL!! I'll be the first to tell you.

#201 - Thanks SqueakyChu (yay re Anne).

Actually, it wasn't until I read April's TIOLI before I posted that I realised there was a wiki. Good to know I've met a challenge (my first?). Will have a look for this month.

So...short stories...I've spent most of my reading life perusing the annual anthologies from "The Best American" to the collections of SF award winners; then there are the subject-matter anthologies, and the Pushcart-type award anthologie and the little literary magazines that're so fertile a ground.

But very, very seldom do I read a single-author collection by someone still living. I've been burned on those a few too many times.

But very, very seldom do I read a single-author collection by someone still living. I've been burned on those a few too many times.

The question is, though, are you willing to give anyone else a chance?

I've spent most of my reading life perusing the annual anthologies

Do you read all the stories in these, or do you pick and choose only those you want to read?

Overall, I'm only willing to read single-author anthologies of stories if they're free...gifts, liberry...but invest in them? Nay nay, I say unto thee.

It can take ten years, but I'll ordinarily read all the stories in a given anthology. I use them as what rocketjk calls "between books"...those I pick up when I'm between major reads or sometimes when I need a quick hit before sleep.

What kind of coffee do you drink? I'm a Peet's man, myself.

All kinds. Today I'm drinking Trader Joe's Diner Blend (too lightly roasted). My favorite brand is Mayorga because that's a coffee roastery local to me in Rockville, was started by a local Hispanic family, has terrific coffee imported from many countries. Check them out here. It started out as a fabulous small company but is growing by leaps and bounds.

Just discovered what TIOLI stands for and been directed to this thread.

Strangely, I am in the middle of two short story collections already - one is The Allingham Casebook - not venturing into new territory here as I'm reading my way through all Allingham, and this is the second collection of her short stories that I've read this year.

The second is however a new challenge - a collection of short stories in Dutch called Man zoekt vrouw om hem gelukkig te maken (Man seeks woman to make him happy by Yusuf el Halal a Dutch writer of Morroccan origin. This was suggested by Boekenwijs when I asked for suggestions of something straightforward to read to brush up my Dutch. Easier than reading a longer novel in a foreign language I guess - I feel I've achieved something when I've managed a complete story. Only read one so far, so this challenge will encourage me to finish the book if possible during April.

On the whole I don't go for short stories very often, though I did have a fondness for the Father Brown stories eg Father Brown omnibus in my teens, and have read some Atwood bluebeard's egg and Sarah Maitland On becoming a fairy godmother.

I find I forget the details of short stories more easily than novels - they are not long enough perhaps to really get under my skin - although the general atmosphere of the collection does remain with me long after the details have been forgotten.

I think I'm unintentionally participating in this one. I just started today: "First World Fantasy Awards: An Anthology of the Fantastic Stories, Poems…"

Regarding like/dislike of short fiction: It depends on the short fiction. I tend to prefer a full-length novel for the immersive benefits. However, I've also read some really magnificient shorts that have just as much "after the read" mileage as a full-length novel.

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Just discovered what TIOLI stands for and been directed to this thread.

We're kind of hidden away here, aren't we?! Glad you found us...and welcome!

Need another consensus for Opposites Attract. >216 SqueakyChu: Almost seems like TIOLI needs its own group.

#217: I voted yes Terri, and since I set up the challenge, I am letting you in no matter what anyone else thinks :)

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Consideration had been given to making the TIOLI challenge its own group in the very beginning. The consensus was that we wanted to keep the TIOLI within the 75-ers so that it would not get too large and unwieldy. I tended to agree after I thought about it for a while.

#131, 132, English, August is a brilliant read! Highly recommended ... all your worst nightmares about bureaucracy come true, but imagine if you were actually stuck in them having to administer it!

I have started The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon - this is in Zoe's Early Reviewers challenge.

I finished Raven Summer this morning for Cheli's Animal challenge.

>219 SqueakyChu: Yeah, I much prefer having it within this group. I think it does a lot more to create a community feel that way.

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Another thing that I think is fun about the TIOLI challenge (although I tend to discourage this so as not to frustrate others) is that it sometimes becomes mysterious (when mentioned out of group), but later, when discovered, it proves to be yet another (not-so-easily-found) treasure within LT. Ha!

Tell it to the world other 75-ers!!

If you've hit upon an especially good book of short stories, why not tell other 75-ers what you've found in this thread?

I've finished my first Early Reviewer book for the month, Once in a Blue Moon by Leanna Ellis. Review is on the book page.

I love Laurie Colwin's short stories...

Am about to start Alice Munro's Too Much Happiness.

I finished Krik? Krak! with a little review here: http://www.librarything.com/work/1607177/reviews/58171876
I find I like her stories set in Haiti much better than the ones at the end of the book set in New York. Maybe it's because immigrant parents can be so hard on their American born children. They had enough antipathy for their home countries to leave, yet they resent their children for not sufficiently honoring those deserted countries. I guess I have a hard time with this dichotomy because I'm not an immigrant and have traveled to foreign countries for only very brief trips, so I've kept all my innate chauvinism.

Just want to share with the TIOLI Cannoli lovers that I finally had my Cannoli fix today. My sister-in-law purchased an incredible/eatable stuffed cannoli for my nephews birthday. It was 1 huge cannoli shell rimmed with chocolate and filled with cannoli's, about 50 of them. I saved some for the other guests but I was able to satisfy my cannoli craving sufficiently : }

Well, I had the odd but not exactly disappointing experience of reading a book that I thought was short stories, but turned out to be a novel, however torturous, complex, disjointed, and bizarre. Of course when we talk about Faulkner, that's what we get. So....deleting Go Down, Moses and will find...have already found...a book to replace it. BTW, Go Down, Moses, however strange and difficult, is well worth the read if you can stand not knowing quite where you are most of the time.

--->229Mmmmm....cannolis! Almost impssible to get where I live unless I drive a hundred miles. Sigh.

>229 Carmenere: Had to look up Cannoli on Wikipedia - never heard of them before, but they sound delicious!

The best cannolis I've had are from the Termini Brothers Pasticceria in Philadelphia, which has been in business for nearly 90 years. The one I usually go to is in the Reading Terminal Market in Center City; the cannoli shells come out of the oven, and the ricotta cheese filling is squeezed in by hand while you wait. Their sfogliatelles and pasticiottinis are also excellent. I'll definitely stop there later this week!

Ohhhhhhh stop!!!

#232: I'll definitely stop there later this week!

You are planning on sending some to your LT friends around the world, right Darryl?

#233: At least I didn't post any photos!

#234: Nope. You'll have to come to Philadelphia for them. They travel well (I've brought cannolis and sfogliatelles back to Atlanta several times), but they are so much better when they are eaten hot.

Did I mention Philly cheese steaks? Mmm!

(I'm still pushing for an LT gathering in Philadelphia. I'd be happy to be a tour guide!)

Sfogliatelle dripdripdrool

Errmm, I suppose this is an inopportune moment to mention Roe's Casa Dolce, a mile from my front door, and purveyors of the finest in Italian, French, and American pastries, cakes, and pies...such a cornucopia of baked yumminess...so much better than the other four Italian bakeries within a five-minute drive of my house.

I **love** New York.

#235: Oh, I see. Bribery of the highest order here, huh?

The mention of Philly cheese steaks is a low blow.

You all are making me sorry that I deserted my beloved Massachusetts for sunnier and warmer (and less taxed) climes. What I would give for a good pastrami on rye with a bit of good mustard, some riccota pie, bulkie rolls, real crullers...crap. I miss it all so much. Not to mention scrod, full-bellied fried clams, lobster stew, fresh flounder sauteed lightly in butter...sob.

I think we need to change the name of this group to The Food Network.

LT gathering with Philly cheese steaks? With cannolis? When?

Actually I think the best cannolis I've had were at a restaurant called Paolo's in Georgetown, DC. Smooth creamy ricotta with a sprinkling of chopped pistachios, one end dipped in chocolate.

I started and finished my first April TIOLI challenge book yesterday. It's a YA ER book, Going, Gone by Laura Crum . Reviewed here

The best cannolis I've ever had were made by my mother. My siblings and I would wait with great anticipation every Easter and Christmas for her to get out the rods, roll out the dough, wrap it around the rods and pop them into the boiling oil. Then we'd "help" her fill the cannolis with the special ricotta filling (with maraschino cherries and chocolate chips in it) and sprinkle with powdered sugar. The shells were as flaky as could be, not at all hard like most that you can buy at bakeries or restaurants. You'd take that first bite and an explosion of pastry and filling would fill your mouth and drip down your chin and you'd be covered with the wonderfulness of it all.

Unfortunately, I didn't pick up the skill and my mom is gone now so all I have are the very vivid and wonderful memories. And yes they were as wonderful and delicious as they sound :)

#240: You mean someone in the group actually read a book? I am shocked! lol

#237: Bribery? Me? Nah! (And then there's the great pizzerias and Italian restaurants in South Philadelphia...)

#240: LT gathering with Philly cheese steaks? With cannolis? When?

This Wednesday, actually. I'll take SEPTA (commuter train) to Center City, see the Picasso exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, get a cheese steak for lunch in the Reading Terminal Market, and pick up cannolis from Termini Bros. just before I take the train back to the 'burbs.

Unfortunately this will be an LT gathering of just one. But, in all seriousness, I'd love to get together with LTers in Philly or NYC in the future!

I finished my first collection of short stories for this challenge and it was a wonderful collection at that. In Other Rooms, Other Wonders by Daniyal Mueenuddin explored tales of love and loss and class differences in Pakistan. Highly recommended. My review can be found here.

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I think we need to change the name of this group to The Food Network.

LOL!

News flash!

Bluebeard's Egg and Other Stories by Margaret Atwood is now the most popular book of April's TIOLI challenges.

It's a good thing I didn't catch up on this thread before bed last night. I wouldn't have been able to sleep. Philly Cheese Steaks and Cannolis oh my.
I don't think I can get any good ones in Denver. Denver is NOT a foodie town. If you want a steak (cow, buffalo, elk) you're generally fine. Other than that, it's a crap shoot.

About time for another thread, Madeline?

I see a TIOLI food category in our future!!

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Nope. I run my threads through 300 (and please, please don't post 50 one-word messages on this thread). I don't want too many threads attached to the wiki. The less, the better. Thx!

ETA: If anyone is having difficulty loading this thread, please private message me. Thx!

#252: and please, please don't post 50 one-word messages on this thread).

You are taking all the fun out of the new thread thing you know!

Please please start pestering me about the new thread at about, let's say, post #299. :D

I have a feeling this may be one of those months where I abandon all my planned TBR reading and buy new books instead.

I just found out about the existence of Fast Ships, Black Sails, a pirate-focused short story collection including work by authors like Naomi Novik, Garth Nix, Elizabeth Bear, and Sarah Monette. It sounds much more appealing than the book I was planning to read.

I also got Lips Touch: Three Times from the library on Marcia's recommendation; it only contains three stories, so I don't know whether they'll be "short" enough, but that's also a possibility.

Speaking of short, I think you might be safe waiting until 310 posts, Madeline. Some of these messages are just one line, so that doesn't really count....

Also, we should definitely have an NYC gathering.

I have a feeling this may be one of those months where I abandon all my planned TBR reading and buy new books instead.

It seems as if, once I start a book, I always find something else more exciting to read. That's how come I always start off with one book, but then end up reading four books at the same time (like now)! :(

I think you might be safe waiting until 310 posts,

I'm willling to start a new thread (which is a pain) now, but only if this thread is already causing someone here to have a slow loading time.

It seems as if, once I start a book, I always find something else more exciting to read.

I have this same problem! Though of course, there are worse things than having too many good books that I want to read....

Speaking of which, I've just decided that I want to read Predictably Irrational ASAP. I don't suppose this counts for the Opposites Attract challenge?

Well, I happened to be at the library today. I was thinking about Darryl's Read-A-Living-Poet challenge. Really. I have no self control. I continued thinking about how much I like the poetry of Billy Collins. You guessed it. I checked out a book of poetry , and I've just added The Trouble With Poetry (an apt name, eh?) by Billy Collins to the month's TIOLI list. :)

I'm feeling ambitious this month ... well not really, but since I've already finished my challenge for April, I want to do another book ..... so that I don't keep thinking and drooling over thoughts of food that all you people keep talking about here!

I just can't decide which challenge to do next for this month. I've done the ER one, so maybe I'll do Orange or hmmm? I think I need to look over my TBR Tower of books and see what I have in there now that will fit in with one of the other challenges.

I finished one of my TIOLI challenge books, Sea of Poppies (Indian writers challenge), and now have moved on to another challenge book, The Eagle of the Ninth (animal challenge).

The Eagle of the Ninth is a wonderful book! Another childhood favourite of mine. Hope you enjoy it too.

#261: Thanks, Genny. So far, so good.

I finished and reviewed A Touch of Dead for the short stories challenge. It's cute, and it's worth reading for existing fans.

I finished Morning Haiku, a lovely and evocative collection of poems in haiku form by Sonia Sanchez, for my poetry challenge. I've reviewed it here.

Today I'll start reading Bicycles: Love Poems by Nikki Giovanni.

I've finished Bluebeard's Egg a collection of short stories by Margaret Atwood. My favorites were the two at the beginning where she's talking about her childhood. Very funny.

I also finished Victory of Eagles by Naomi Novik for a title with an animal in it. I'm enjoying this series, and this volume definitely moved in a different direction. I requested the next volume from Early Reviewers, we'll see if that works out. :-)

Next up is The Broken Teaglass for a book with tea or coffee in the title. I also picked up 2 more volumes of short stories to read.

I finished (and really liked) The Angel's Game which was offered on Early Reviewers.

#265 I've already got a lot of TIOLI books to read but I'm considering joining you in reading The Broken Teaglass by Emily Arsenault.

That one sounds terrific and, when I started the coffee/tea challenge, I hadn't even thought of that one.

I'm 80 pages in to The Broken Teaglass and enjoying it.

Boy, did kidzdoc ever snag me with his Read-A-Living-Poet challenge! First I started with a Billy Collins book and now I've moved on to Father Said: Poems by Hal Sirowitz. The book is hilarious!

Here's part of a poem called The Two Ends of a Cat:

Your sister says she loves the cat,
Father said, but it's your mother
who cleans her bowl & changes
her kitty litter. She does the dirty work.
Your sister does the enjoyable jobs--she
feeds and brushes her. She only deals with
the front of the cat & leaves the back half
for your mother. But a cat has both a front
& a back. By right she should be taking turns & not
leave your mother in charge of the most difficult part.

I've been trying to read some of the poems to my husband, but he already called it quits, saying that the poems I'm reading him are *not* funny. I definitely think they are. :)

That's the fun of poems. They can so easily be shared. (They also can be rebuffed!)

More poems by this author here.

I cannot do the Read-a-Living Poet thing. I am afraid if I start reading a living poet, they will die in the middle and then I will have ruined the challenge (not to mention the poet).

Oh, no!! How old were the living poets whose books you were deciding whether or not to read?

ETA: Maybe start with a younger poet? :)

Stasia, has that happened to you before? Is there a precedent?

I don't generally love poetry in large doses. Father Said is probably right up my alley since I found the above truly funny. It's kind of the same with kids sometimes... Dad gets all the fun and games and Mom gets all the poopy bums.

I got lucky (I think!) tonight. I just mooched another book by Hal Sirowitz called Mother Said: Poems off of BookMooch. I'm still waiting to see if I get it.

Hal Sirowitz} is an author whose poems were written up a while ago in a poetry column of the now defunct Washington Post Book World. I wrote down a poem I liked and got a copy of the book. It had been languishing on my bookshelf until trust old kidzdoc decided to throw that poetry challenge into the TIOLI mix this month! I'm glad he did.

I've been enjoying the poems I've read so far. It seems that not all of them are funny, but those that are resonate very much with me. My husband and I do not share a similar sense of humor anyway. What he finds funny, I rarely do. Now *that* is funny! :)

Do you ever wonder if EHarmony would match you up? LOL.

One of my favorite poetry books was A Poem of Her Own I picked it up at the library. I love this poem by Lucille Clifton.

HOMAGE TO MY HIPS
Lucille Clifton

these hips are big hips.
they need space to
move around in.
they don’t fit into little
petty places. these hips
are free hips.
they don’t like to be held back.
these hips have never been enslaved.
they go where they want to go
they do what they want to do.
these hips are mighty hips.
these hips are magic hips.
i have known them
to put a spell on a man and
spin him like a top!

1980

Just makes me smile.

I heard Lucille Clifton read that poem years ago. Talk about powerful! Do you know she died recently? (Stasia, were you reading her poetry???)

You see! I even think about reading someone's poetry and they die. Nope, not doing it.

Doug Anderson is quoted in the book In the Company of Crows and Ravens:

"Crows
Hunch in the trees
to gossip
about God and his inexorable
experimenting,
about deer guts and fish so stupid
you could sell them air
and how out in the deserts
there's a dog called coyote
with their mind
but no wings.
Crow with Iroquois hair.
Crow with a wisecrack
for everybody.
Crow with his beak
thrust through a bun,
the paper still clinging.
Crow in a midnight blue suit
standing in front of a judge:
Your honor, I didn't
kill him,
just ate him
and I wasn't impressed."

I''m not reading a poetry book, but the Early Reader book I just read for the challenge, By Heart: Poetry, Prison, and Two Lives is about the power of art, poetry in particular, to change your life. I just finished it and should write a review in a few days. Wonderful book!

Finished my short story TIOLI challenge.

I read Bluebeard's Egg by Margaret Atwood. It's hard to pick a favourite but, for me, the best of them are Loulou, or, The Domestic Life of Language - a tale of a woman and the men in her life and Scarlet Ibis - an incident from a vacation.

I love Lucille Clifton's poetry and yes, she did die recently (last month I believe). Hearing her read her poetry is the next best thing to heaven. Just wonderful.

I've also finished my short story TIOLI challenge, Opportunity by Charlotte Grimshaw.

I've finally posted my six-stars-out-of-five review of The Palace of Illusions over in my fifth thread ... #20

I can't express my feelings any more succinctly than, "It was magical to read a book so profoundly moving and beautiful."

You make it sound so good, Richard, I'm going to have to add it to the TBR list (thumbs up, btw).

>282 bell7: *rubs hands gleefully* My work here is done!

I received reports of slow loading, so this thread is continued here.