Musicmom reads 75 in 2010: 2nd quarter

1st Quarter Report:

Genre

Nonfiction: Biography 1 Read 1 Heard 2 Total
Nonfiction: History 2 Heard 2 Total
Nonfiction: Other 2 Read 2 Total
Nonfiction: Poetry
Fiction: General 5 Read 5 Total
Fiction: Classics
Fiction: SF/Fantasy 9 Read 9 Total
Fiction: Mysteries 23 Read 1 Heard 24 Total

Total
Nonfiction: 6; Fiction: 38

PL pages YTD 7,517
Other pages YTD 2,800
Total pages YTD 10, 317

Best in Jan.:
Fiction: Thomas, Will: Some Danger Involved
Nonfiction: Linde, Paul R. M.D.: Danger to Self: On the Front Line with an ER Psychiatrist

Best in Feb:
Fiction: Iweala, Uzodinma: Beasts of No Nation
Nonfiction: Linklater, Andro: An Artist in Treason

Best in Mar.:
Fiction: Tey, Josephine: Brat Farrar
Nonfiction: Winchester, Simon: The Man Who Loved China

2nd Quarter Report:

Total
Nonfiction: 4 (YTD 10); Fiction: 26 (YTD 64) Total YTD 74 books read

PL pages: 6,088 YTD 13,605
Other pages: 1,335 YTD 4,135
Total pages: 7,423 YTD 17,740

Best in Apr.:
Fiction: *Godden, Rumor: In This House of Brede
Nonfiction: Eames, Andrew: The 8:55 to Baghdad

Best in May:
Fiction: none
Nonfiction: Feiler, Bruce: The Council of Dads (ER for LT)
*Buechner, Frederick: Speak What We Feel / Not What We Ought to Say

Best in June:
Fiction: Winspear, Jacqueline: An Incomplete Revenge
Nonfiction: Goodwin, Doris Kearns: Team of Rivals

Books Read in 2010
* memorable reads: books that cause me to think and sometimes influence my world view

*Linde, Paul R. M.D.: Danger to Self: On the Front Line with an ER Psychiatrist 1/10
Feiler, Bruce: America’s Prophet: Moses and the American Story (Am. History) 1/10
*Granger, John: Unlocking Harry Potter (Lit. Crit.) 1/10
James, P.D.: Talking About Detective Fiction (Books about Books) 1/10
Heyer, Georgette: The Masqueraders (reread) (Historic fiction) 1/10
Zusak, Marcus: The Book Thief (Fiction, WWII) 1/10
McKillip, Patricia A.: The Riddle-Master of Hed (Fantasy) 1/10
McKillip, Patricia A.: Heir of Sea and Fire (Fantasy) 1/10
McKillip, Patricia A.: Harpist in the Wind (Fantasy) 1/10
Stout, Rex : Prisoner’s Base (reread) (Series Mystery #20) 1/10
Indridason, Arnaldur: Silence of the Grave (Series Mystery #2) 1/10
Gardiner, Meg: The Dirty Secrets Club (Series Mystery #1) 1/10
Robb, J.D. Purity in Death (Series Mystery #15) 1/10
Thomas, Will: Some Danger Involved (Series Mystery #1) 1/10
Linklater, Andro: An Artist in Treason (Biography, History) 2/10
Webster, Jean: Daddy Long-Legs (reread) (Fiction) 2/10
Heyer, Georgette: Regency Buck (Historic Fiction) 2/10
*Iweala, Uzodinma: Beasts of No Nation (African Voices, fiction) 2/10
Rowling, J.K.: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (reread) (Fantasy) 2/10
Juster, Norton: The Phantom Tollbooth (Fantasy) 2/10
Reeve, Philip: Mortal Engines (Science Fiction) 2/10
Rowling, J.K.: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (reread) (Fantasy) 2/10
Marsh, Ngaio: Overture to Death (Series Mystery #5) 2/10
Christie, Agatha: The Man in the Brown Suit (Mystery) 2/10
Marsh, Ngaio: Vintage Murder (Mystery Series #5) 2/10
Crispin, Edmund: The Moving Toy Shop (Mystery Series #3) 2/10
Tey, Josephine: To Love and Be Wise (reread) (Mystery Series #4) 2/10
Stout, Rex: The Golden Spiders (reread) (Mystery Series #22) 2/10
Crispin, Edmund: Holy Disorders (Mystery Series #2) 2/10
Christie, Agatha: Cards on the Table (Mystery) 2/10
*Winchester, Simon: The Man Who Loved China (Biography, History) audio 3/10
Stead, Rebecca: When You Reach Me (Fantasy, Children’s) 3/10
Bradley, Alan: The Weed That Strings the Hangman’s Bag (LT ER) Mystery 3/10
Christie, Agatha: The Secret of Chimneys (Mystery) 3/10
Crispin, Edmund: The Gilded Fly (Mystery) 3/10
Christie, Agatha: The Seven Dials Mystery (Mystery) 3/10
Christie, Agatha: Easy to Kill (Mystery) 3/10
Christie, Agatha: Towards Zero (Mystery) 3/10
James, P.D.: The Private Patient (Mystery Series # ) 3/10
Tey, Josephine: Brat Farrar (Mystery) 3/10
Christie, Agatha: Death on the Nile (Mystery series) 3/10
Christie, Agatha: Remembered Death 3/10
*Vowell, Sarah: Wordy Shipmates 3/10
Kay, Guy Gavriel: The Last Light of the Sun
Stout, Rex: The Black Mountain (Mystery series #23) 4/10
Stout, Rex: Three Men Out (Mystery series #24) 4/10
Stout, Rex: Before Midnight (Mystery series #25) 4/10
*Godden, Rumor: In This House of Brede (Fiction) 4/10
Yancey, Richard: The Highly Effective Detective (Mystery Series #1) 4/10
Christie, Agatha: Murder on the Orient Express (Mystery Series) 4/10
Christie, Agatha: The Mystery of the Blue Train (Mystery Series) 4/10
Eames, Andrew: The 8:55 to Baghdad (Travel) 4/10
Christie, Agatha: They Came to Baghdad Mystery Series 4/10
Stout, Rex: Might as Well Be Dead Mystery Series #26 4/10
Feiler, Bruce: The Council of Dads (ER for LT) (Memoir) 5/10
*Buechner, Frederick:Speak What We Feel/Not What We Ought to Say(Books/Books 5/10
Knudsen, Michelle : Library Lion Children 5/10
Webster, Jean: Dear Enemy (reread) Fiction 5/10
Reeve, Phillip: Predator’s Gold (SciFi) 5/10
Rowling, J.K.: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (reread)(Fantasy Series #3 5/10
Rowling, J.K.: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (reread) (Fantasy Series #4 5/10
Christie, Agatha: A Caribbean Mystery (Mystery Series) 5/10
Stout, Rex: If Death Ever Slept (Mystery Series #26) 5/10
Stout, Rex: Triple Jeopardy (Mystery Series #21) 5/10
Christie, Agatha: Murder in Three Acts (Mystery Series) 5/10
Goodwin, Doris Kearns: Team of Rivals 6/10
Christie, Agatha: The Hollow (Mystery series) 6/10
Eastland, Sam: Eye of the Red Tsar (Mystery Series #1) 6/10
Stout, Rex: Three for the Chair Mystery Series #29 6/10
Stout, Rex: And Four To Go (Mystery Series #30) 6/10
Christie, Agatha: The Under Dog (Mystery) 6/10
Stout, Rex: Champagne for One (Mystery Series #31) 6/10
Hillerman, Tony: Dance Hall of the Dead (Mystery Series #2) Audio 6/10
Winspear, Jacqueline: An Incomplete Revenge (Mystery Series #5) 6/10

Hi Carolyn! Drive-by hug

Found you again!

Lots and lots of great books for you so far this year, Carolyn. In particular, I'd like to read some Sarah Vowell and, of course, I still haven't gotten around to Brat Farrar. I wish I could've gotten to that in time for the group read.

>299 (old thread):

Yes, I liked Sarah Vowell's The Partly Cloudy Patriot. I've actually liked everything of hers, with Assassination Vacation and The Partly Cloudy Patriot probably on top. The Wordy Shipmates is my least favorite (though I still enjoyed it). I need to re-read Take the Cannoli as I read it so long ago that it's almost like comparing apples to oranges.

Ah, the time for new threads! (I just started one, too.) I have yours starred now!

Not join you and miss the Kay review? no way ;->

Great summary :)

Here I am! Got to go work on my review too.

I bought The Wordy Shipmates because I thought it was about the evolution of the English language. That's what I get for not even looking at the flyleaf. I had been reading a lot of political books, so I wasn't in the mood for version of history when I tried it out last year. I love her sense of humor on NPR, though, so I'm going to try it again...sometime...maybe...

Hey Carolyn, just came by to say hi.

Hi MusicMom! I love your thread and will now have you starred again. Jan

Carolyn

I enjoyed reading your list of books that influenced you in 2010.

I'm a bit behind on the threads. Our group is large this year and very active. Sorry that I haven't stopped by here as much as I would have hoped.

Hugs to you!

Happy Easter Carolyn to you and yours.

Hi! I just wanted to say that I read about P.D. James' Talking About Detective Fiction on your thread earlier this year, and finally got around to reading it. I absolutely loved it! Just wanted to thank you for mentioning it - I not only read a good book, but now I've got a list of books and authors to look for from it.

Hi Carolyn! I'm interested in what you thought of your lastest Guy Gavriel Kay book. I just finished reviewing Tigana, which I picked up partially thanks to your review last year.

Happy reading!

I'm baaaack! Since the month is nearly half over I thought I'd better "check in."

Thanks, Richard, I really need that hug!

Linda P--let me know how you like Brat Farrar--it was different from her other books I've read; more novel than mystery, but I loved it.

Tad--I definitely liked Wordy Shipmates well enough to try another of hers. Thanks for the recommendations.

Terri, Susan and Roni--I've been so busy I haven't had a chance to write a "review" of the Kay book--but I will post my comments today (I wrote them today!)

Bonnie--you might llike Shipmates better if you try it when you know more what to expect. I find that happens with me a lot!

sgtbigg, Jan, and Linda (Whisper1)--thanks for stopping by. I've been dooing some lurking on the threads but very little posting. I'm pretty far behind, too. Hopefully things will calm down a little now that Easter is over -- although I do have my student recital coming up in May!

Susan--we had a lovely Easter, thanks. I hope you did, too. I'm thinking of you!

ShanM816--Hi! I'm glad you dropped by. I delighted I was able to steer you to the P.D. James book. I've been on a real mystery "binge" since I read it.

Foxen--I'm about to post my comments, finally! my next GGKay book will be Song for Arbonne--which I won't read until summer when I will have plenty of time to relax and enjoy it.

Book 44:

Kay, Guy Gavriel: The Last Light of the Sun
Fantasy (3/31/10)
PL 496 pages
BoS Category 2: Books acquired in 2008 & 2009

I had some trouble getting into this book because I found it difficult to keep all the characters sorted out in my mind with their unusual names and belonging to three distinct cultures. I’m sure part of my problem stemmed from the fact that I started reading this book at my busiest time of the year, having to read it in short “snatches’ when I was tired. Another problem was that although this was supposed to be fantasy the book seemed more like the historical fiction (with the names of the cultures changed to protect the innocent? Or guilty?) The fantasy elements somehow didn’t seem to add anything to the story for me. After reading the first two parts I put the book aside for a couple of days until I had time to read part 3 in one sitting. This made all the difference and I must say that everything fit together so well at the end, especially the fantasy elements, that I ended up thoroughly enjoying it. I plan to reread this when I retire so that can enjoy all of it more thoroughly. Recommended—4 stars

Hey there Carolyn ... found and starred you.

I didn't much like Last Light of the Sun when I started it, and unlike you, while I read it to the end, it just never got into a groove with me.

Caroline--I didn't like it as well as Tigana--the only other of his I've read-- but I did like the way he resolved the questions about the faeries at the end.

Time to get some April books posted.

Book 45:
Stout, Rex: The Black Mountain
Mystery Series (4/1/10)
PL 143 pages
BoS Category 4: 50% of my reading from books I owned as of December 31, 2009.

A few years ago when we used this as an audio “car book” Jim liked it better than the other Nero Wolf we had heard, probably because this one has more action as Wolf travels to Montenegro (Yugoslavia) to avenge the murder of his best friend Marko who owned Rusterman’s Restaurant and to discover who murdered his (Wolfe’s) adopted daughter. I like the traditional ones where all Wolf has to exercise is his brain but this one is special for me because I like the setting and the references to what was going on in Yugoslavia at that time. I prefer to read books rather than to listen so when this was the next one in my “read them in order” project I decided to read it again.

Book 46:
Stout, Rex: Three Men Out
Mystery Series (4/3/10)
PL 150 pages
BoS Category 4: 50% of my reading from books I owned as of December 31, 2009.

This is a collection of 3 novellas: Invitation to Murder, The Zero Clue, and This Won’t Kill You. The best one was the middle one which involved math and statistics and I also like the 3rd one where Archie gets Wolfe to a baseball game and the Wolfe has to find out who murdered the star rookie player. These were a pleasant way to spend an evening.

Book 47:
Stout, Rex: Before Midnight
Mystery Series (4/5/10)
PL 149 pages
BoS Category 4: 50% of my reading from books I owned as of December 31, 2009.

This was one I hadn’t read before. It was a good puzzle about the murder of an advertising man who devised a nationwide puzzle contest to promote a perfume called Pour Amour. It was a good example of the “traditional” Nero Wolfe case.

#17: Nice review, Carolyn. You summed it up pretty well for me too.

Hope I get to read that one by Kay -- love the way you put your thoughts. Ah, Rex Stout... glad you enjoy them :)

Well, it has been a very busy 2 weeks and this is the first weekend day that I've had time to myself--so I will catch up with my posting.

#21 Thanks, Stasia. I'm glad I "stuck with it"--which I might not have done if I had read it alone.

#22 Susan, I'd love to hear what you think about it when you get to it. Rex Stout is definitely one of my favorite "stress relievers!"

Book 48:

Godden, Rumor: In This House of Brede
Fiction (4/11/10)
PL 376 pages
BoS Category 4: 50% reading from books I owned as of December 31, 2009

I read this book many years ago shortly after it was published and I have carried with me all these years the feeling that it was one of the best books I have ever read although my only recollection of the story consisted of the fact that it was about a woman who left a successful career at its height to join a cloistered monastery. I also remember the story leaving me the feeling that you don’t join a monastery to escape from problems because you will only have to meet a new set of problems. This book had an even bigger impact on me this second time around watching the sisters’ lives unfold as they seek to live out their vocation while learning to deal with the dynamics of interpersonal relationships in a community where you are continually together with little contact with the “outside” world. I felt a deep connection with many of the characters in this novel and found myself examining my own life as I was learning about theirs. Highly recommended—5 stars

Book 49:

Yancey, Richard: The Highly Effective Detective
Mystery Series #1 (4/16/10)
Library 294 pages

When I was checking out the “new books” section of my library this week I found a couple of mysteries that were second installments of new series. Fortunately my local library also had the first volume for this one so I now have found a new series to explore with a delightfully quirky main character. The driving force for this series is Teddy Ruzak, a man who has spent the first 33 years of his life going nowhere. He has worked 19 years as a security man on the night shift for a bank and has no life outside of that. When his mother dies he decides to break out of his rut and pursue his dream of becoming a detective. Unfortunately his greatest talent seems to be tangential thinking which doesn’t lend itself to deductive reasoning. However, as we get to know Teddy we discover that he has hidden depths and often wisdom that he doesn’t recognize—but we do. This book is an easy and fun read with lots of humor and much humanity which keeps the reader asking for more. Recommended—3 ½ stars

In March I started a book that talked about Agatha Christie and it led me on another adventure with her and her novels.

These two Hercule Poirot novels are discussed in that book:

Book 50:

Christie, Agatha: Murder on the Orient Express
Mystery Series (4/16/10)
PL 266 pages
BoS Category 4: 50% reading from books I owned as of December 31, 2009

I’ve been enjoying my Agatha Christie collection this year and this one is great. I picked it up last night on the spur of the moment because I’m currently reading a book written in 2004 in which the author traced the trip from London to Iraq that Agatha Christie took in the 1930’s which included riding on the Orient Express and he references this novel several times (more about that book when I finish it!). Although many years ago I saw a movie based on this novel and had a general idea of the plot it did not spoil the mystery for me because the details in the book were fascinating and I did not remember the specific characters. I also enjoyed seeing how this novel was influenced by Christie’s journey. I consider this to be one of her most interesting stories. Recommended—4 stars

Book 51:

Christie, Agatha: The Mystery of the Blue Train
Mystery Series (4/18/10)
PL 266 pages
BoS Category 4: 50% reading from books I owned as of December 31, 2009

This was another good puzzle by Christie that once again takes place on a train, this time on the route from Calais to Nice. The characters are interesting, there is a hint of romance, and although by intuition I suspected the villain early in the story the revelation of the puzzle was very satisfying with a lot of twists and turns. Recommended—4 stars

Here's the book that started the adventure:

Book 52:
Eames, Andrew: The 8:55 to Baghdad—From London to Iraq on the Trail of Agatha Christie
Travel (4/22/10)
PL 403 pages
BoS Category 2: Read 5 books I bought in 2008 & 2009 that I haven’t read yet.

This is a brilliant book that appeals on many levels. It is a travel book that also involves history, geography, and biography. It is also very timely because of the interest we have in the Middle East and in the Muslim religion.

In 2002 Andrew Eames set out to try to follow the journey Agatha Christie made in 1928 from London to Iraq—a journey that not only provided material for many of her novels but fundamentally changed her life. As he makes his journey he talks about the history and geography of each region, comparing conditions in these areas today with the conditions when Agatha made her trek. (As he mentions, travel in these areas were safer in Christie’s time.) He generously sprinkles his account with biographical details of her life and anecdotes of her travels as well as relating anecdotes of his encounters with the people in these countries.

I am currently reading one more mystery discussed, They Came to Baghdad. This one I had never heard of until now; it doesn't use any of her recurring characters.

Huh. That last one sounds interesting. Onto the TBR pile it goes...

Good to see you come up for some air and pop in, Carolyn! The semester should be over soon and hopefully we can see more of you!

#24: That one was a 5-star read for me too. I am glad you felt the same. Thanks for reading along with me!

#25: Adding that one to the BlackHole.

#26: I own the 2 Christies and the Eames book is already in the BlackHole.

I've got They Came to Baghdad and have read it a few times. Each time I'm not sure what I think of it. However, I'm sure I'd love Eames' book!

Since I love travel literature and Christie, the Eames book sounds like something to try.

I had not heard of the Eames book before, so I have a copy on order now!

In this house of Brede sounds interesting -- and we have it available at our library!

I bought the Eames book through The Book People, you're not the first person to remind me that it's one of so many fascinating non-fiction books lying around.

#27 Jim, I hope you get it--I think you might enjoy it.

#28 Roni, I only have to "survive" until May 28! I'll be interested to hear how you like retirement. Around this time of year I think I really should start thinking about I but by the middle of August I'm eagerly awaiting the beginning of the new year. I wonder if it will be the same this year now that Jim's retired?

#29 Stasia, you kept me going on the GGKay book. I might have not ever finished it if left on my own. I'm planning to read the second Yancy book soon (it's on the New Book shelf at the library so I have to "catch" it when it's available)--this promises to be an enjoyable series that will be "quick reads."

#30 Susan, What about Baghdad bothers you? I hope you get the Eames book--I found it very absorbing.

#31, 32 & 34 Tad, tapestry, and elkiedee, I hope you all will be able to get it--I'd like to see how other people react to it.

#33 Terri, I'll be interested to see what you think of it. I have a feeling that it is a book that most people would have a strong reaction to--either love or dislike.

Book 53:

Christie, Agatha: They Came to Baghdad
Mystery Series (4/25/10)
PL 266 pages
BoS Category 4: 50% reading from books I owned as of December 31, 2009

This was a stand alone book in the romantic suspense/thriller style of Mary Stewart, et al, which I remember from my youth. (Agatha Christie evidently paved the way for more than one genre in mystery fiction.) The daring young heroine is quirky and charming and the story is entertaining if somewhat predictable. One part of the story seems to be borrowed from her own life experience. This was another of the books discussed in Eames book The 855 to Baghdad.

The last book discussed in the Eames book is Murder in Mesopotamia which is also based in part on Christie’s life. I read it in 2006 because it was mentioned in a book I was reading then, Bruce Feiler’s book Where God Was Born. It is one of my favorite Christie novels and I will probably reread it this summer for a relaxing evening’s reading when the Giants have an off day.

edited to turn off bold

Book 54:

Stout, Rex: Might as Well Be Dead
Mystery Series #26 (4/29/10)
PL 266 pages

I spent another pleasant evening with Archie and Co. chasing after information for Wolfe, one step ahead of the police and managing to keep the client in line. An interesting case that started out as a missing person case that turns into a murder case in a uniquely clever way. It’s relaxing to spend time with “old friends.”

Although this book is in my personal library it can’t go in the Off the Shelf challenge because this is only the second in a compilation of 7 Nero Wolfe novels, so I have 5 more to read before it's Off the Shelf. “Throw me in the brier patch!” :-D

I'm now reading an Agatha Christie book, too, and hope to get back to a Rex Stout. I really need to sit down and figure out which ones I have not read.

Right now, I've got a Miss Marple one going. A Caribbean Mystery.

>38 MusicMom41:: This reading of yours is making me want to pick up Fer-de-Lance and start at Book #1 and go to Book #47, hitting all the novellas along the way.

#39 Linda, I have an old, used, fifty cent Bantam PB edition of that book which I haven't read yet. I just moved it the the TBR shelf--I'm finding myself regularly picking up mysteries at random just for relaxation this year. I think it is a reaction to the "mystery deprivation" I experienced last year when I was limited in my choices of reading by the 999 Challenge. :-)

#40 Tad, I started that "journey" shortly after I joined LT in 2008 and it has been fun. In the first few novels it was fascinating to see how Stout "tinkered" with his characters until they evolved into the ones we are familiar with in the later novels.

I just finished an Agatha Christie book up this week myself, Why Didn't They Ask Evans?, and I really liked it. I am going to have to find what I did with my collection of her books. I picked the one I read up at the library.

#42 Stasia, I really like that one, too. It's kind of a "Tommy and Tuppence" style mystery and as I remember I liked it even better than the T&T series. It's been years since I read it so it may be time for a reread! I'm playing "hooky" from Predator's Gold; I read a Nero Wolfe yesterday and I started A Caribbean Mystery that Linda mentioned today, but I'll finish PG before the weekend is over--I have about 100 pages to go. I feel like I'm back in college avoiding my homework! :-D

LOL!

I feel like I'm back in college avoiding my homework! :-D

I get that feeling sometimes, too. We have a book discussion group that may be rescheduled sooner rather than later (partly because of a schedule conflict for me, so I can't complain) and the prospect of trying to get the book done in time does feel quite a bit like homework!

Since this is the second day of May I guess I'd better get my April Summary done!

Book Talley for April:

Books Acquired:
1 (0 read)

Books Read:
PL 9 (Pages: 2,217) (3 reread)
non PL 1 (Pages: 294)

Total:
10 books, 2,511 pages
9 fiction; 1 nonfiction

Best in Apr.:
Fiction: Godden, Rumor: In This House of Brede
Nonfiction: Eames, Andrew: The 8:55 to Baghdad: From London to Iraq on the Trail of Agatha Christie

Hi Carolyn

Simply stopping by to say hello.

Plans for May:

1. Finish Buechner, Frederick: Speak What We Feel: Not What We Ought to Say
BoS Category 4: 50% reading from books I owned as of December 31, 2009

2. Finish Bradbury, Ray: Fahrenheit 451
BoS Category 4: 50% reading from books I owned as of December 31, 2009

3. Continue reread of the Harry Potter series—The Prisoner of Azkaban
BoS Category 4: 50% reading from books I owned as of December 31, 2009

4. Scott, Michael: The Magician (Book 2: Nicholas Flamel series) May fantasy reads
5. Scott, Michael: The Sorceress (Book 3)
BoS Category 5: Read 5 books that Marty has put on my TBR shelf so he can take them home.
(Books 1 & 2 in this BoS category)-- Fantasy reads for May

6. Kearns, Doris Goodwin: Team of Rivals (start around 5/15—Civil War summer read)
BoS Category 2: Books I bought in 2008 & 2009 that I haven’t read yet.

7. Stockett, Kathryn: The Help (Savannah Book Group read for 1st week in June)
BoS Category 3: Books acquired in 2010 (4/12?)

8. Fforde, Jasper: Shades of Grey (library book due 5/17)

9. At least one recently bought nonfiction book to read in May
BoS Category 2: Books I bought in 2008 & 2009 that I haven’t read yet.

This might be a little ambitious since May is one of my busiest "work" months (luckily followed by summer vacation!) -- but "a man's reach should exceed his grasp/ or what's a heaven for?"

At least with a plan, I should get some of this done. :-) Or, maybe, I'll just read mysteries until summer! :-D

I have 3 reviews to write--stay tuned.

edited to fix touchstones

Hi Linda--nice to *see* you. I'll bet you are looking forward to summer, too!

I'm very jealous that you have The Help in your future.

>36 MusicMom41: I'd have to re-read Christie's book to tell you. LOL

Sorry... I've read it twice in the last few years, so it probably won't be really soon!

# 50 NarratorLady--I assume you have already read it? I hope I will enjoy it as much as you obviously did. I'm looking forward to it--I just wish I could go to the discussion of the book in June. But I will send them my comments by email. None of them, unfortunately, belong to LT.

#51 Susan--Oh, shucks! Not even for me? :-D I wonder if it was because she told so many lies? At first I wasn't sure about her, either, but it came back to haunt her and she learned a valuable lesson.

Book 55:

Christie, Agatha: A Caribbean Mystery
Mystery Series (5/1/10)
PL 176 pages
BoS Category 4: 50% reading from books I owned as of December 31, 2009

Lindapanzo mentioned that she was enjoying this Christie so I picked it up last night for some light reading after a very stressful day. This was one I had never read and the first Miss Marple I’ve read in quite a while. It was interesting to see her having to operate outside her normal milieu of St. Mary Mead. However her powers of observation, ability to draw people out and her intuition don’t fail her even in this exotic location among strangers. It was an enjoyable mystery with interesting characters and good plot and although early on my intuition in picking out the villain proved to be a good instinct, I wasn’t really certain until almost the end. Recommended, especially for fans—4 stars

Congratulations on reading 55 books thus far!

Book 56:

Knudsen, Michelle : Library Lion
Children (5/2/10)
Borrowed

A friend from church received this book from her ddaughter as a gift for her 91st birthday and she brought it to church this morning for me to read. It is a charming picture book about a lion who wanders into a public library and the effect he has on everyone as he makes himself at home. It’s the children’s version of Dewey, the Library Cat. I plan to send a copy of this to my grandsons in Chicago. Highly recommended—4 stars

#54 Thanks, Linda. Mysteries are my "chocolate"--I can't read just one! :-D

Hi Carolyn...I've been lurking, but just wanted to say your May looks quite interesting. It's an eclectic sort, but even if you just go the fallback route and read mysteries, think how fun it will be. I'm almost ready to stack up the mysteries, and declare next year ( or maybe the 2nd half of this one!), the year of the mystery, but I've got 19 ARCs I need to get read and reviewed before I do anything else.

I'm just finishing Sixteen Pleasures tonite for a book club this coming week, so tomorrow I get to start On Hallowed Ground which just arrived ILL from the library. Looks like it's going to be a great non-fiction read. Everyone is raving. So if you're looking for a suggestion, perhaps....

Hope you don't overdo it and enjoy your May. Just stay hinged 'cause summer is coming.

Hi, Tina--

I'm so far behind on everything I'm going to need 3 summers to catch up! :-)

I really want to know what you think of Sixteen Pleasures--I have it in my library because it belonged to my mother-in-law but I haven't read it yet. Should I put it on the short shelf? That shelf is getting pretty long! LOL

Yes Carolyn, I read The Help last year and it was my second fave of the year. Top honors went to Sissy Spacek's reading of To Kill a Mockingbird, the best audio book ever.

I will be interested in your take on The Help, one I have had in the BlackHole for a while now.

Hi, Carolyn. You're a woman after my own heart, I see, and I have starred your thread. Mysteries - and later science fiction - kept me sane through my working years. Now that I have a year of retirement under my belt, I'm finally beginning to read a little more weighty stuff than before, but I have a pile of the fun stuff too. Bliss!

Just stopping by to say Hi, Carolyn. I have a new username now and wanted to make sure you'll still recognize me. Your reading looks great to me, as always...

Angela (amwmsw04)

#59 NL Mockingbird is one of my top 10 lifetime books and I recently bought the audio version with Sissy Spacek to use as a car book this summer. I'm anticipating really enjoying The Help.

#60 Stasia, I plan for that to be my "serious" fiction read for this month so hopefully you will know soon what I think. But you know how that goes for me! :-0

#61 Hi Lizzie! Glad you stopped by. I envy your year of retirement! Hubby retired last summer but I'm still working--although slowing down some. I find mysteries great stress relievers and I've really been on a mystery kick this year.

#62 Angela, I wondered what had happened to you! Can you give me a link to your book thread? Otherwise I will try to find it on my own when I finish teaching at the end of the month. I'm swamped right now! :-)

#61 Lizzie, I'd also like a link to your thread if you would--I'd love to get some ideas for new mysteries!

hmmm... Well Carolyn, we'll see :)

Oh, saw that the neighbor has To Kill a Mockingbird so I may borrow it once I return (and finish) the book of hers I have already. I saw it when she returned Skellig to me (unread) and while we were looking for the other book I loaned to her, The Uncommon Reader. I hope that one turns up as I'd really like to have it back!!

>64 MusicMom41: My pleasure, Carolyn, although you're more likely to get more ideas for old mysteries from my library. My thread is Lizzie Takes the Plunge. (I do feel compelled to say that right now I'm reading Susan Hill's Simon Serailler #4, The Vows of Silence with my usual blend of fascination and frustration. And there's a #5 out too.......)

64- I've missed you on my thread, but didn't realize you'd lost it, or I would have sent the link earlier...must have lost you when I started thread #2! I know you're very busy until summer.

Anyway, here's the link:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/88085

I really like Library Lion - wish we had one of them in our library.

I'm grabbing a brief moment in my chaotic RL to check into LT. If all goes well I should be able to get back on track after Thursday. Tomorrow I will be all day at the hospital with my husband.

Meanwhile here is a brief update.

Recently read--reviews to follow:

Reeve, Phillip: Predator’s Gold
Stout, Rex: If Death Ever Slept
Rowling, J.K.: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (reread)
Rowling, J.K.: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (reread)

Currently reading:

Christie, Agatha: Murder in Three Acts
Buechner, Frederick: Speak What We Feel

Taking to the hospital to read while I wait:

Webster, Jean: Dear Enemy
Stout, Rex: Triple Jeopardy

I hope to finally have a relaxing weekend to catch up with what everyone else is reading--and to get my "reviews" done!

Carolyn....hope everything is OK with hubbie. We will send prayers heavenward.

Best of luck at the hospital for both you and Jim!

Hope everything went OK at the hospital.

Thinking of you and wondering how your husband is doing.

How are you?

Thank you all for your concern. We had a long day Tuesday--about 11 hours in the hospital--but we are home now and Jim is doing well. He's glad that he will be able to drive again after today. I'm looking forward to Saturday when I will finally have a completely free day! The first one for me in a month.

I'm going to try to catch up on my thread today and then catch up on all of yours on Saturday. :-) I still have a couple of students coming this evening for make-ups but I have a few free minutes now.

Book 57:

Reeve, Phillip: Predator’s Gold
SciFi series(5/2/10)
Library 325 pages

This is the second volume in the “Hungry Cities Chronicles.” The story picks up two years after the end of the first book, Mortal Engines, giving time for Hester and Tom to have matured and to form a bond with each other. This time the city they are trying to save is Anchorage, in which the population has been decimated by a devastating plague leaving a teen aged girl as the surviving member of the ruling family having to deal with the many problems of keeping the city functioning while trying to avoid being “eaten” by a great predator city. The names have changed and some new characters—and cities—are introduced but the story is similar to the first volume.

I’m still having issues with this series. I seem to be feeling some of the kinds of vibes I felt when I read “His Dark Materials” by Philip Pullman, wondering what are the core values of the person telling the story. Tom is a likable character who seems to have a lot of compassion for people; Hester, on the other hand seems to have issues in her relationships, even with Tom, that makes one wonder if she will ever learn to look beyond her self absorbed point of view. I also wonder about a world where a person’s religion seems to be whatever the individual wants it to be and the belief that those who die go to “the sunless country.”

Even though these books are not as well written as the Pullman series and I sometimes feel like I’m “slogging” through them, I’m curious how Reeve will develop the characters in the future and I want to know what happens to a new character introduced in this book so I will read the third volume in the series—just not right away! I’m not rating the book because I’m sure that for many this book would be a great read and I can’t give it a fair rating on its merits alone.

Book 58:

Stout, Rex: If Death Ever Slept
Mystery Series #27 (5/3/10)
PL 178 pages

Another evening relaxing with Archie and the gang, this was a new one for me. It is a good example of a standard Wolfe case with a twist that kept me guessing wrong for a long time. This is another novel in the 7 book omnibus I have so it can't be counted as off the shelf yet as I have 4 more to go.

Book 59:

Rowling, J.K.: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (reread)
Fantasy Series #3 (5/6/10)
PL 317 pages
BoS Category 4: 50% reading from books I owned as of December 31, 2009

Book 60:

Rowling, J.K.: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (reread)
Fantasy Series #4 (5/8/10)
PL 317 pages
BoS Category 4: 50% reading from books I owned as of December 31, 2009

With these two volumes we are finally getting to the core of the series. I am really enjoying these rereads as I notice new details suggested by John Granger’s exploration of the series Unlocking Harry Potter: Five Keys for the Serious Reader.

These were "stress reliever" books for last week. :-)

Book 61:

Stout, Rex: Triple Jeopardy
Mystery Series #21 (5/12/10)
Library 216 pages

I had to read this one “out of order” because I don’t own it and had to wait for the library to send it to my branch. The three novellas in this collection are among Stout’s best efforts in this short form. Even though this is a shorter form these stories have many of the details that make the novels entertaining.

The first story, “Home to Roost” is set during the time of the Communist “scare” in the USA in the 1950’s. Was the murder victim a Communist or an FBI agent infiltrator into the Party?

In “Cop Killer” the investigation of a suspicious hit and run death leads to the murder of a police investigator in the barber shop that Archie and Wolfe patronize. Wolf is forced to go out for a haircut in order to solve the case and to avoid a problem with the police himself.

“Squirt and the Monkey” is the weakest entry in this collection, in my opinion, because the premise for the story seems unlikely. Archie goes to a client’s house to “plant” his gun in a desk from which the client’s gun, a Marley like Archie’s, has been stolen to enable the client to watch the suspects' faces to determine who is guilty when the gun is “discovered” in their presence . I just couldn’t buy that Wolfe would ever accept a job like that. However, this is the story that fooled me when it came to discovering the culprit before the denouement, which may make it the strongest story in the collection. :-)

This was my "hospital book" on Tuesday. I also got a good start on Dear Enemy and plan to finish that one tonight.

Congratulations on reading 61 books thus far. I send prayers to you and to JIm.

I am glad you have plenty of 'stress-reliever' books available to you, Carolyn. It sounds like you need them right now!

Hope you're both 100% soon!

Best wishes to you and your husband!

Hope things continue to get better from now on...

Hope you had some time to watch a few Giants games. Bochy is killing me. I can't count the number of different lineups he's fielded. I can't stand his platooning strategy. It doesn't give anyone a chance to settle in to their jobs. And his use of our pretty lousy bull-pen seems designed to give up games. Still, despite all of his best efforts, it seems the Giants are trying to hang in there.

Glad things went well for you guys with all of this hospital stuff.

Best to you and your husband, Carolyn! I hope you really enjoy your free day tomorrow!!

Dear Carolyn, how good to have the hospital behind you! I was feeling relieved to have a free day tomorrow because I've been busy this week! I am so spoiled..... Enjoy!

Thanks for all your good wishes. They are much appreciated. The doctors will be keeping a close watch on hubby's heart problem, but hopefully we'll have some time before he has to face surgery. I'm ready to face my last full week of teaching this week and final parties next week--and then SUMMER!

#83 BDB

At least there was good news this weekend for the Giants--even if we did almost have heart failure watching Wilson trying to get the final outs on Matzui on Saturday and today.! Let's hope they can now figure out a way to beat the PADRES! Go, Giants!

(Go, Padres) tiptoes quietly through

some more fluff reading--

Book 62:

Webster, Jean: Dear Enemy (reread)
Fiction (5/13/10)
Library 192 pages

This “companion” book to Daddy Long Legs is the story of Judy’s friend from college, Sally, when Judy and Jervis convince her to become the superintendent of John Grier orphanage where Judy spent her childhood. The story is again told through letters, written by Sally to various people. It is charming and enjoyable but more “dated” than the earlier novel. I had read it many years ago so I knew the basic story but enjoyed the many details I had forgotten. Recommended for fans of "old fashioned romances" of an amusing nature (it was first published in 1916). 3 stars

Book 63:

Christie, Agatha: Murder in Three Acts
Mystery Series (5/16/10)
PL 175 pages
BoS Category 4: 50% reading from books I owned as of December 31, 2009

This was a mildly interesting Hercule Poirot mystery involving “theater” people, among others. One wonders if Christie was influenced by Ngaio Marsh. Although this won’t be added to my “favorites” list it was a relaxing way to spend a Sunday afternoon after a stressful week. Recommend for fans and “completists”—I’m currently working my way leisurely through all of the Christie mysteries. This was one I hadn’t read before.

# 88 Hi, Roni--at least we can discuss books!

In our family this weekend the "good news" was that San Diego lost 3 games (allowing us to get closer to them) and the "bad news" was that it was the Dodgers who beat them.

It's time for me to do some "serious" reading so I will be starting Team of Rivals tomorrow (watching the movie African Queen tonight with my family--it''s finally out on DVD!). T of R will be a summer project. For fun I'm finally going to get back to the Nicholas Flamel series by Michael Scott that my son has wanted me to read. The Magician is the next one for me.

Almost forgot my favorite quote from Dear Enemy--the first part of it caught my attention because being a Coast Guard "brat" growing up I really identified with it!

"...The mere idea that you are not in a place for the rest of your life gives you an awfully unstable feeling. That's why trial marriages would never work. You've got to feel you're in a thing irrevocably and for ever in order to buckle down and really put your whole mind into making it a success."

Carolyn

I recently read Daddy Long Legs. I'll be sure to read Dear Enemy.

Carolyn,

I "discovered" Dear Enemy last year and was completely charmed by Sally. it was a real treat to read another book by this delightful author.

Carolyn, I hope you enjoy Team of Rivals .. it took me a while to get through it, but it was a really good book.

Echoing Caroline, I thought Team of Rivals was terrific.

Roni, it's hard to hate the poor Padres. So, no need to tiptoe. Beware all Dodger or Yankees fans though.

Thanks all for stopping by. "I've been gone so long..." Hopefully June will be a calmer month for me. I only read 2 books in the last two weeks and one of them was today.

I'm going to post my May summary even though I have to do the reviews for the last two books I've read.

Summary for May

Book Talley for May:

Books Acquired: 1 (ER read this month)
Books Read PL: 7 (Pages:1,881; 2 rereads)
Books Read non PL: 4 (Pages: 763; 1 reread)

Total: 11 books, 2,644 pages (9 fiction; 2 nonfiction)

Best in May:
Fiction: none
Nonfiction: Feiler, Bruce: The Council of Dads (ER for LT)
*Buechner, Frederick: Speak What We Feel / Not What We Ought to Say

I couldn't choose between these two nonfiction books--both were awesome. The best fiction books I read in May were rereads so I decided to choose the two nonfiction books as best.

The reviews for those two books will be posted as soon as I have time to do them!

I look forward to your reviews, Carolyn.

Carolyn, I'm glad to hear you say that you enjoyed The Council of Dads. I need to do a review of that for ER and I haven't been in the mood to read it. Not to mention that my last few ER books have been duds. Sounds like this one is much better.

I saw Speak What We Fell/ Not What We Ought to Say on the shelves and considered buying it. I look forward to your review Carolyn, to help sway my decision.

Good to see you come up for air! Is your semester over? Will work calm down for a bit?

Thanks, all, for stopping by. I'm taking this afternoon off to try to finish those reviews and then catch up a little on LT. Tomorrow I will be spending most of the day at the doctor's and I need to get something fun accomplished today. It's the yearly heart exam--not fun but I don't anticipate any problems except boredom. :-)

What's "PL," Carolyn?

Good luck for tomorrow, Carolyn. Do you have to go through a stress test? My husband just had his first one last week because he had been feeling rather tight in the chest ... and because he's a runner, his resting heart rate is relatively slow ... and the nurses were getting agitated waiting for his heart rate to go up even though he'd been on the treadmill for almost a half hour. It later turns out that they were agitated because they had tickets to a movie and unless his heart rate went up, they couldn't leave and might miss the movie. haha

But all turned out well .. tightness in his chest was found to be muscular strain because he bought a new set of exercise equipment for push ups and he was overtaxing his pecs. *sigh* - for that I had to worry that he was having a heart attack.

#103 Bonnie

PL stands for "Personal Library"--books I own. One of my goals this year is to have more than half of my reading come from books I already own so I keep track of what is "mine" and what is borrowed--either from the library or from friends.

#104 Caroline

I'm really glad everything turned out fine for your husband. I understand the stress you went through--and your frustration with the personnel more concerned with their after work plans than with the patient! Sometimes it seems like "assembly line" care.

Hope all goes well with the heart exam, Carolyn!

Just adding in my own hopes for a good exam!

Thanks for all the good wishes--I "survived" the test but won't get the results until the middle of August.

Since June is half over I guess I'd better post my last two May reviews! :-) I finally got them written today.

Book 64:

Feiler, Bruce: The Council of Dads: My Daughters, My Illness, and the Men Who Could Be Me (ER for LT)
Memoir (5/21/10)
PL 238 pages
BoS Category 3: Any book acquired in 2010 must be read in 2010.

What do you do when you make your living by “walking the world” and writing books to share your discoveries with others only to be told at the peak of your career that you might not be able to walk anymore, even worse that you will probably lose your leg and very possibly will die? In this personal and powerful narrative Feiler chronicles his “lost year” sharing his journey as he faces his mortality, deals with the stress his illness puts on his family and most importantly faces his biggest concern, how his three year old daughters will be able to remember and know about their father if he isn’t there with them. As he leads us through this most difficult year he also introduces us to six of his closest friends who each embody different aspects of his core values who are asked to be available for his daughters to talk to as they are growing up and learn about their father.

Ultimately this book is about living life to the fullest no matter what the circumstances, about the value of family and friends in all aspects of life, about finding joy in the midst pain and doubt. It is a story of hope, love and triumph in the face of pain and adversity.

A personal note:

Years ago when my sons were growing up in Savannah, Georgia they participated in a special city sponsored summer program called Art in the Park in which two leaders, one specializing in arts and crafts and the other in performing arts, traveled to the different city parks offering a week long program for school age children. One year the performance leader was a young man named Bruce Feiler who made a big impression on my two boys. Each day at lunch they related chapter and verse every thing this leader had done during the morning. When I met him I, too, was attracted by his charm, intelligence and his enthusiasm for the work he was doing with the children. Years later, when he started chronicling his journeys and adventures we felt a personal interest in his discoveries because of the impact he had on our family that long ago summer. This newest book has special meaning for me because ironically, the summer we encountered Bruce was part of my “lost year” fighting possibly terminal cancer.

Book 65:

*Buechner, Frederick: Speak What We Feel / Not What We Ought to Say
Books About Books (5/31/10)
PL 161 pages
BoS Category 4: 50% reading from books I owned as of December 31, 2009

I picked this book up because in it one of my favorite authors discusses my favorite works of four other favorite authors. Buechner feels these are works where each author has laid bare his feelings as he has struggled with his “dark times of the soul” and somehow survived. The works discussed are late sonnets, known as the “terrible sonnets” of Gerard Manley Hopkins, Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, The Man Who Was Thursday by G.K. Chesterton, and King Lear by William Shakespeare. In these essays he deepened my understanding of those works and revealed hidden depths of the authors who penned them. Highly recommended—5 stars

My "main read" for June is Team of Rivals which will take me most of the month. I also plan to start The Brothers Karamazov tonight so most of my other reading in June will be stuff that can be read quickly and/or carried easily when I'm on the go.

This is what I've read so far:

Book 66:

Christie, Agatha: The Hollow
Mystery Series (6/4/10)
PL 231 pages
BoS Category 4: 50% reading from books I owned as of December 31, 2009

This one definitely goes on my “favorite Christie’s” list. It started out in typical fashion for me as I read with one part of my mind and used the other part trying to figure out who the victim would be, but gradually I became completely absorbed in the story and especially the characters. The book was full of surprises for me, not only keeping me guessing but also keeping me utterly entranced. The biggest surprise for me was that for the first time with Agatha Christie, when I closed the book at the final page I was crying. Highly recommended—5 stars

Book 67:

Eastland, Sam: Eye of the Red Tsar
Mystery Series #1 (6/5/10)
Library 278 pages

Pekkala, once the most trusted agent of Tsar Nicholas Romanov, is brought out of prison by Stalin to investigate the deaths of the Romanovs. I enjoyed this interesting and well researched historical novel of suspense. It is the first in a projected series about Pekkela, an intriguing and complex character, and I will definitely be looking for the next one in 2011.

Book 68:

Stout, Rex: Three for the Chair (reread)
Mystery Series #29 (6/7/10)
PL 154 pages
BoS Category 4: 50% reading from books I owned as of December 31, 2009

A good collection of novellas. At first I thought I had never read it but in the middle story I immediately recalled what the clue was that solved the case although I didn’t remember who the victim was going to be. Of course as soon as the murder was discovered I remembered the solution. The first and third stories I hadn’t remembered at all. It’s always fun to spend time with Archie and Mr. Wolfe. One thing that caught my eye—a detective named Larry Bascom. I thought in other stories a detective called Del Bascom was mentioned. I’ll have to be on the lookout for this name as I continue to read these novels.

Book 69:

Stout, Rex: And Four To Go
Mystery Series #30 (6/9/10)
PL 200 pages
BoS Category 4: 50% reading from books I owned as of December 31, 2009
Four shorter mysteries featuring Nero Wolfe that make easy reading on the go and a break from the “tome” I’m reading for my summer nonfiction read.

Book 70:

Christie, Agatha: The Under Dog
Mystery (6/12/10)
PL 192 pages
BoS Category 4: 50% reading from books I owned as of December 31, 2009

This is a collection from various sources of 8 early short stories featuring Poirot and narrated by Hastings and one novella with just Poirot. Only one story was a reread and they made relaxing evening reading for me.

Book 71:

Stout, Rex: Champagne for One
Mystery Series #31 (6/17/10)
PL 153 pages
BoS Category 4: 50% reading from books I owned as of December 31, 2009

I always enjoy Nero Wolfe mysteries for relaxation and although this one was is not one of the strongest entries in the oeuvre it provided an enjoyable evening’s entertainment. It’s still better than most TV shows!

#109 Carolyn, thanks for your review of The Council of Dads. I've been slogging though this one, not liking it one bit. At some point soon, I will pick it up again and try to continue with it. This offers me some encouragement that maybe, in the end, I might like it, too.

Carolyn, The Council of Dads sounds interesting. Thank you for sharing that touching story about your family and Bruce Feller.

Linda--it is not an "easy" read and sometimes seems a little disjointed but I think it is worth the effort. I was especially pleased with his ending--how he felt about his "lost year" when it was over. I had a similar feeling at the end of my lost year. I also remember that my biggest worry was what would happen to my boys if I didn't survive.

Thanks, Violet--I really felt a connection to this book.

Part of my problem may be my own "lost year" in 1992-93 and my "lost quarter" a few years ago. Usually, in light of my own past issues, I respond well to these kinds of books. Not sure why I'm not doing so to this one.

#110: Adding that one to the BlackHole. My local libraries do not have it, but if you give it 5 stars, I really must track down a copy.

I heard about that book and I think it's just so great that Feller had friends who could give his children different perspectives on their dad and each give them support in their own special way. Your own story makes it easy to believe that he could have totally wonderful friends like that. Thanks for sharing what's going on with you--those yearly check-ups can be scary. That's a long, long time to wait for results, but glad the test, itself, went well.

>109 MusicMom41:: I've looked at that book several times, but I think it would leave me a basket case to read it. It's a fear of mine and reading about it would just play upon that.

>111 MusicMom41:: The Eastland sounds interesting. I'm always looking out for new mystery series...especially now that some of my old standbys are starting to peter out. It also reminds me that I must return to the Akunin books. I've had one sitting around for a long time.

I also wish you a good report!
The Buechner sounds very attractive. I like him so much, but I really, really, really can't get anything else right now both for $ and mental reasons. Onto the wishlist he goes.

Book 72:

Hillerman, Tony: Dance Hall of the Dead
Mystery Series #2 (6/20/10)
PL Audio 6.25 hours Narrator: George Guidall
BoS Category 4: 50% reading from books I owned as of December 31, 2009

This early Joe Leaphorn mystery has an intricate plot, interesting characters and lots of Indian lore, both Zuni and Navajo, which adds up to an entertaining listening experience. The masterful narrations of George Guidall make the Hillerman novels one of the few book series that I prefer to listen to rather than read. Recommended—4 stars

I'm so glad you rated Speak What We Feel /Not What We Ought to Say so highly. I thought it sounded interesting and was wondering if I should get this book. Off to the obese wish list it goes.

Caroline..my husband is a HUGE fan of Hillerman but I've never been able to get into them. Now, however, you tell me that my favorite talkie man in the whole world George Guidall does some of them....that makes a big difference. I shall try to find one and find out what all the buzz is about. I have often said that GG could read me the yellow pages and I'd give it 5 stars. !

I'm a Hillerman fan, partly because his desert is the real desert, even if his Navajo and Zuni characters are written with rose-colored glasses on. And he tells a good story.

Glad you liked Eye of the Red Tsar, I read an ARC a few months back. I'm also awaiting the next book in the series.

120/122: Caroline and Tutu: I'm reading and enjoying The Sinister Pig which is a very late entry in the Hillerman oevre but it's my first time reading him and I picked it up at the library on a whim, attracted by the Narrator King Guidall and the pretty, shiny cover. It looks like I'm going to have to go back to the beginning with Book #1 - which I understand was published in 1970!

I've been immersed in Team of Rivals --fantastic book, review to follow when I've had time to digest it--so have been neglecting LT the last couple of weeks.

#121 Caroline--I enjoyed Speak What We Feel a lot. Although sometimes I thought Buechner might be stretching a little with some of his conclusions I found the book enlightening and thought provoking.

#122 Tina, 123 bdb & 125 NL--Hubyy and I have found that we both enjoy the Hillerman books on car trips so I know I'll be getting more of them. BDB--rose colored glasses are acceptable in light fiction and the description of the Southwest are really wonderful--you almost feel like you are viewing it yourself.

#124 sgt--I just hope he doesn't wait too long to get it out. Maybe LT will get it for an ER book.

Hi
I'm sorry to have lost your thread.

Congratulations on near completion of the 75 challenge goal. Team of Rivals is indeed a good book. I've listened to Doris Kearns Goodwin on Sunday morning shows and I seem to remember her saying that Lincoln was her favorite president.

I'm planning to read Team of Rivals next year with a Lincoln/Civil War challenge(s). I think Doris Kearns Goodwin is terrific. I will drop what I'm doing to watch/listen to her being interviewed and, if she's written an op-ed piece or other article in a newspaper, will read that first.

#127 Hi Linda--Glad you stopped by. I'm so far behind on threads right now that I may have to start over. Summer has not been my usual "down time" this year. Maybe in July I can catch up.

# 128 Hi Linda, too. I hope you enjoy the book--it was a memorable book for me. I'm having trouble organizing my thoughts about it but I hope to get the review done tomorrow. Watching the Giants game tonight for relaxation--although lately they have been anything but "relaxing" for fans. :-D One nice thing about that review--I don't have to worry about spoilers because everyone knows how it comes out.

Book 73:

Winspear, Jacqueline: An Incomplete Revenge
Mystery Series #5 (6/26/10)
PL 303 pages
BoS Category 2: Read 5 books I bought in 2008 & 2009 that I haven’t read yet.

This is one of my favorite mystery series and it is holding up very well. It is summer and time for many of London’s poor to go into the country to earn extra money by picking hops. Maisie is also working on a job near one of the major hop picking areas and Billy manages to get his family attached to a farm in that area also. Thy mystery involves a town in which there have been numerous acts of vandalism, mostly involving small fires which the inhabitants insist are merely due to their own carelessness.

I enjoy this series especially for depiction of life in England after WWI and for the continuing development of the recurring characters as they adjust to life after the war. These are not “puzzle” mysteries; rather they are novels that contain an element of mystery in their plots. Highly recommended—but start with the first one, Maisie Dobbs, which isn’t a mystery at all, but sets up the series. Since I stayed up most of the night to finish it the day I started it, I guess I’d better give it 5 stars!

I have one more review to finish for June which I hope to finish tomorrow.

Book Talley for June:

Books Acquired: 1
Nook Bks Acquired: 5 (0 read)
Books Read PL: 7 (Pages: 1,990)
Books Read Nook 0
Books Read non PL: 1 (Pages: 278)
Audio Books heard: 1 (6.25 hours)

Total: 8 books, 2,268 pages, 1 audio; 8 fiction; 1 nonfiction

Best in June:
Fiction: Winspear, Jacqueline: An Incomplete Revenge
Nonfiction: Goodwin, Doris Kearns: Team of Rivals

Books Acquired:

Chesterton, G.K.: The Innocence of Father Brown & The Wisdom of Father Brown (Nook)
Radcliff, Ann: Mysteries of Udolpho (Nook)
Simonson, Helen: Pettigrew’s Last Stand (Nook)
Evanovich, Janet: One for the Money (Nook)
Hayek, F.A.: The Road to Serfdom (Nook)
Kalas, J. Ellsworth: Detective Stories from the Bible

I do love Maisie Dobbs and still remember how thrilled I was to discover her.
I hope you enjoy One For The Money which is the first in Evanovich's lengthy series starring Stephanie Plum. The early ones are the best and you're in for a rollicking good time - great, fun summer reads.
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand is my favorite read of the year so far and I'm just a little jealous that you have it yet to come.

You are ahead of me--I did my last review for June but haven't tackled my summary yet. Worn out after cleaning out files at my (ex) office all day--almost done!

I enjoy the Maisie Dobbs series too, Carolyn, but I am a couple of books behind. One of these days I will catch up!

I know what you mean about being behind on threads, I'm even behind on my own.

Team of Rivals is already on the tbr pile, as is The Road to Serfdom.

#132 NL--I'm catching up on Maisie. I'm now reading Among the Mad and when I finish that one I plan to buy the newest one for my Nook. We'll be traveling a lot in July & August and I'm going to be glad not to have to haul around a big bag of books! I've started One for the Money and agree it is very amusing. I'm saving Pettigrew for the travels.

#133 Roni--I hope you are enjoying retirement. You'll have more time for reading!

#134 Stasia--don't wait too long--you might forget all the ins and outs of the character! However, Winspear does do a good job a giving reminders of past events.

#135 sgtbigg--I'm just catching up on my thread now--this year seems to be a continual "catch-up" year for me! Read Team of Rivals soon. It is really fantastic! I'm hoping to get the The Road to Serfdom on our travels, although hubby want to read it, too. And so far we have only one Nook!

Book 74:

Goodwin, Doris Kearns: Team of Rivals
History, Civil War (6/29/10)
PL 757 pages
BoS Category 2: Read 5 books I bought in 2008 & 2009 that I haven’t read yet.

Sometimes a book so overwhelms me that I have a difficult time trying to describe the impact it has had on me. This is one of those books. In one of the Harry Potter books Harry goes back in time to witness actual events. Goodwin creates a similar experience for her readers as she vividly portrays events and reveals intimate details about the lives of the participants. Her descriptions give the reader the feeling of being present in these activities and her revealing of each person’s personality brings a life to historical events as I have never before experienced. This book has the power of great literature with masterful character development and a riveting plot. Highly recommended and a memorable read for me—5 stars.

Whew! That finishes June.

Currently I'm reading:

The Brothers Karamazov--slowly. It's the one actual book I will have to take with me on my travels.
Among the Mad--Maisie Dobbs which I should finish this weekend.
Duel Between the First Ironclads--a Civil War book I hope to finish this weekend, also.
The Innocence of Father Brown--a Nook book that use to read short stories in the evening before bed.
One for the Money--Nook book that I started to see how I would like the Nook for reading. I do! I should finish this one quickly, also.

I don't usually have this many books going at once--maybe that's why I'm so far behind! :-D

Congratulations, you are very close to reaching the goal!

>120 MusicMom41: & ff:

I tried a Hillerman once decades ago...can't recall which one...and didn't get into it. I don't know if it was the book, the time or whether I really just don't care for him. Perhaps I ought to try him again. Which would you recommend for starters?

The Winspear read is interesting. Several people have recommended Maisie Dobbs as something I might like, but have never been able to describe it. As a result, it has floated around my TBR for a long time, never quite making it to the top. You're pretty familiar with my reading...would you add your recommendation?

Team of Rivals...well, we've been chatting about this so your review comes as no surprise. I agree...one of my best reads for the year.

ETA re the Goodwin: One of the things that struck me that I didn't mention before was the very different time-sense about the war that Team of Rivals gave when compared to our read of Battle Cry of Freedom last year. Of course it makes sense given the very different purposes of the two books, but I was startled when Gettysburg came up in the Goodwin...my mind said, "What, already?" MacPherson's focus on the actual events had so many steps before that battle that it seemed to come later in the war, while Goodwin's focus on the political situation only had her skimming across the peaks of the battles.

#136: I will have to try and figure out where I put them all so I can get caught up again!

I need to try the Maisie Dobbs series soon...
Congratulations on the Nook, and happy traveling!

I love getting my history through really good biographies. I enjoy Doris Kearns Goodwin so much on Charlie Rose and other political talk shows, so know I'll like her book.

Hi Stasia, Angela, and Bonnie--Thanks for stopping by. I've been so "hit and miss" this year it's nice to know I haven't gotten completely lost! :-) Right now I'm taking a break from packing for our Chicago trip to post the last two books I read--over the weekend. Better late than never.

Book 75:

Winspear, Jacqueline: Among the Mad
Mystery Series #6 (7/4/10)
PL 318 pages
BoS Category 3: Any book acquired in 2010 must be read in 2010.

Maisie Dobbs is asked to work with a special task force in Scotland Yard to try to track down an anonymous person threatening to cause a major catastrophe in London. In this novel we get a good view of the devastating effects WWI had on the English people, both those who fought in the war and those who are impacted by the depressed economy after the war. One of the attractions of this series is the historical research Winspear uses to bring this era to life for the reader. It also looks as if this assignment brings about a turning point in Maisie’s life. Luckily the seventh installment is out—now I just have to get it! This one was very good but not as personally engrossing for me as the last one--4 stars.

Book 76:

Davis, William C.: Duel Between the First Ironclads
Civil War (7/6/10)
PL 194 pages
BoS Category 2: Read 5 books I bought in 2008 & 2009 that I haven’t read yet.

This small book gives the histories of both the USS Merrimack (aka CSS Virginia) and the USS Monitor from the conceptions of making the ironclads through their service and battles and to their demise. Due consideration is also given to both the men who were responsible for their construction and to the men who served on them. The battle between these two behemoths was actually indecisive and only one tiny piece of the history the ships which revolutionized naval warfare and whose influence is still felt today.

I picked up this book because Team of Rivals really put me in a "Civil War mood." Also, I'm way behind on my nonfiction reading this year and this was a short book. For me it was a good fit, especially since after reading TR I was familiar with many of the persons and events mentioned in this book which made it an easy and enjoyable read. Recommended--4 stars

I've not read anything from the Masie Dobbs series as yet. Should I start from the first or does it not matter if I don't read them in order?

Duel Between the First Ironclads sounds like one I'd enjoy! I'm sailing it onto my Ever-Expanding List.

ETA to add: And the county library has it!!!!

#146 Caroline--Maisie Dobbs is definitely a series which needs to be read in order. The first one is not a mystery but introduces vital characters and their backgrounds without which the series would lose much of its impact. The rest of the novels -- at least so far -- revolve around some kind of mystery that Maisie must solve but there are also running threads that go between books. If read out of order you would find "spoilers" as Winspear sometimes gives reminders of the back stories for her readers as they have to wait so long for each installment. :-)

I hope you enjoy them. One of the reasons I like them so much is that I like stories about "the long weekend" between the two Great Wars and Winspear has done a lot of research to make her stories authentic in that aspect.

#147 Terri, I think you will enjoy it and it is a "fast" read because you keep wanting to find out what happens next. I had heard about the Merrimack and the Monitor in school I had no idea the history of those ships was so fascinating and so pivotal to modern naval warfare.

#145: Adding that one to the BlackHole, Carolyn. Thanks for the recommendation.

Hi Carolyn! I'm way behind on threads, but just wanted to say that I loved your review of Team of Rivals. It's on my shelf and I'm going to get to it soon. My grandpa was a huge Civil War and Lincoln buff, so I always feel close to him when I read something about that era. Congrats on 75 too!

Re#75: The Mapping of Love and Death is the latest Maisie Dobbs and I think you're really going to enjoy it. Although our heroine grows and changes in all of the novels - which is the reason I keep on reading - this latest one changes the course of her life even more than the others. There, has that put it at the top of the TBR list?
It really would be a shame to read this series out of order.

Carolyn, just popping in to say hello---I'm just trying to catch up on threads and review copies (so many good ones) that I got this year. I've been using the audio books to cover my ME reads--those I want to read and don't have to get done by a deadline. I'm loading up the MP3 for our planned trip to California later this summer. Niece wedding in Los Gatos, so plane rides, long drives through the valley to visit relatives, etc, will give us plenty of time for ear reading. And I too promise to get to Team of Rivals some day-even if I never read another civil war book. I'm thinking i'd like to do it as I get closer to Lincoln in my President's reading, but I'm only at Monroe right now, so I have a ways to go.

Amy and Tina--I can't recommend Team of Rivals highly enough. It is going on my top "all time best reads" list and I know I'll want to read it again.

Anne--my biggest problem is that I own the first six books which I bought on bargain tables. I really want to read Mapping of Love and Death NOW but it is $25 which gives the Scottish heritage in me gives me pause. I can download it on my new Nook for $12 but then my shelf collection won't be complete. Ahh--life's difficult decisions! Or, as my husband sayw--I stress over the dumbest things! :-D

Book 77:

Evanovich, Janet: One for the Money
Mystery Series #1 (7/11/10)
PL Nook 189 pages

This is a new series for me which I have discovered because so many 75ers on LT seem to be reading it. I enjoyed this first novel although it took me a while to get into the rhythm of the story. The plot was okay but I found myself getting more interested in the characters as I went along. I agree with those who rave about the grandmother—she is a hoot! I will definitely read the next couple to see how the series develops. 3 stars

This was my first book on my Nook and I found I really enjoy reading on the Nook. I can select the font and type size which makes it a comfortable read. Because of this and the narrower width of the pages I find I also read faster on the Nook—a real bonus for me since I am a slow “right-brain” reader.

Shutting down and going to bed. We have an early plane to catch tomorrow to go see our grandchildren in Chicago. I'll be back on LT probably Wednesday. Happy reading everyone!

Safe traveling, Carolyn!

Yeah for you on achieving 75 reads!!!!
I have Team of Rivals on my bookshelf, just waiting for the right time and mood to delve into it.
I'm a great Hillerman fan but have not heard of Dance Hall of the Dead so I'll wishlist that as well as Speak what we feel, that idea sounds a bit frightful to me, but something I feel I should read.

One of these days, I'm going to try that Evanovich series. I've read Metro Girl and Motor Mouth by her -- which I loved -- but not the numbered series.

Have a great time with the grandchildren. Safe travels!

ETA to add: I never congratulated you on reaching #75! Congratulations!

Carolyn: I've never bought a Masie Dobbs book - I got them all from the library. I requested The Mapping of Love and Death and was surprised that I got it so soon. It must have been a fluke.

I very much enjoyed the Stephanie Plum series. I've stopped reading them (I think I got as far as number 10) and one is published every June which I think is an ideal time for them to come out. Very good, light, summer beach reads.

Congrats on reaching 75 books!! I am right behind you, finishing #75 at lunch today.

I'll read Team of Rivals next year, when I read the Civil War. I just love reading and/or listening to Doris Kearns Goodwin.

#156 Thanks Roni. We arrived safely and have been having a busy time with the family--especially the grandsons. They are 8 and almost 5 and a lot of fun--and a lot of energy!

#155 Thanks, Carmenere--this is the fastest I've ever reached 75. Probably because I had twelve week in the spring when I was fighting a respiratory virus and couldn't do much except read mysteries. :-0

#158--Hi, Terri--thanks for stopping by. This was my first Evanovich and it was a roller coaster ride! I had fun with it.

#159 Anne--The library? What a great idea. I just checked and my local branch even has it so I can read it now and buy it later when I find it on a remaindered table! I agree--Stephanie is really a great summer read.

#160 Linda--this was my first experience with Doris Kearns Goodwin and I will definitely be looking for more by her.

I hope you're enjoying your time in Chicagoland, Carolyn. We've saved up all our heat and humidity for you.

Carolyn - thanks for the positive comments on the Nook. My sister (Cheli AKA cyderry) just got one and loves it. I may have to break down soon and use my pin money to get one. I just keep thinking how convenient they would be in bed (so I might be able to read sans glasses with the larger print) and for traveling (so I wouldn't have to carry all those books.) Also, I get a lot of offers of galleys for review in e-format, and if I could put them on the Nook, instead of having to sit at the computer to read them, I might be more interested. Hope you have a good visit with g-kids.

I've been without a computer for a few days while my son overhauled and updated it and then reloaded all my programs, etc.. Now I'm trying to do the things I normally do on a computer to check to see if there are any glitches so he can fix them if necessary. We leave tomorrow to go back to California so I won't have time to catch up today but I can at least post the last two books I've read.

Book 78:

Chesterton, G.K.: The Innocence of Father Brown
Mystery Series #1 (7/17/10)
PL Nook 203 pages

I have been a fan of the Father Brown series since I was in Jr Hi but it has been quite a while since I’ve revisited them. I enjoyed this reread immensely because there several stories I didn’t remember at all. Although they are mysteries they are more about the great mystery of humanity in all its diversity. They range from funny, to sad, to thought-provoking and are among the most popular of Chesterton’s works. Recommended, especially if you like Chesterton—4 stars

Book 79:

Medina, John: brain rules
Science/Brain (7/19/10)
PL 280 pages
BoS Category 2: Read 5 books I bought in 2008 & 2009 that I haven’t read yet.

In 12 sections that Medina calls “rules” he discusses what we can do to help keep our brain active and healthy, what science currently knows about how our brain receives and processes information, how our brain helps us learn from the very moment of birth and several other related topics. One of the most important topics from my pov was the effect of stress on the brain.

Medina writes in an entertaining and understandable style for the layman without talking down to his readers. I noticed one ironic factor in this book: Medina demonstrates how scientists have determined that the most effective way to learn new material is pictorially but he only includes one picture in the entire book. However, there is a DVD included with the book which may remedy that omission. I enjoyed this book thoroughly and recommend it to anyone who is interested in how our brain works and what science has discovered and is still investigating about this vital part of the human mechanism. Highly recommended—4 stars

I will look for the Medina book. Thanks for the review and recommendation, Carolyn.

Safe travels tomorrow!

I use the Brain Rules with my students and parents all the time, Carolyn. Some of them would be perfect for your music students--especially the explanation for why it's better to practice for a short time every day than to combine all their practice into one session.

Just stopping by to say Hello to one of my favorite 75ers!

I finally managed to get The Complete Father Brown and I'm really glad I will eventually be able to read all the stories. I've read about a quarter of them so far. They are definitely different from most detective stories.

How about them Giants !

#167 Hi bonnie

One of the reasons I read so many books about the brain is to help with understanding how my students learn--"every brain is wired differently" is one of the sayings my students hear all the time. Many of them have said that what I've suggested to help them learn music has also helped them to understand how to study better in school. Brain Rules was a particularly helpful book for this purpose because it's geared to the lay person and my teenagers especially relate to much of it.

#168 Thanks, Angela. I've messed being able to keep up on the threads thi summer--I'll be anxious to see what you have read! I'm glad you like the Father Brown stories--it's nice to have another friend who appreciates them.

#169 BDB

It is August 12th, the game just finished a little while ago--and I have to agree with Kuyp: "Giants baseball--TORTURE!" At least we won. We'd better get our act together for San Diego, though.

I've been missing everybody these last few weeks I've been having a very busy summer--a couple of trips and major projects to complete up at the Vallejo house in addition to computer problems, which is why I haven't been on line as much as usual (as in not at all for about 2 weeks!). I doesn't look like things will be slowing down for a while, but as long as mu computer holds out I'll try to get on more often this month.

What do you mean, get your act together for San Diego? Huh?

We've missed you, regardless. Glad to see you checking in!

What do you mean, get your act together for San Diego? Huh?

We've missed you, regardless. Glad to see you checking in! I'm getting ready to prep for the class I'm teaching this fall, a new one, but everyone else is going back to work next week, and I DON'T HAVE TO! This is cause for much celebration on my part, especially given pay cuts and furlough days, etc.

It's always nice to see you when you get a chance to stop by...glad you are having a full summer, though!

I love the Father Brown stories. I was in one of those restaurants in the 80s that had books as decorations. I picked one up (a fluke as most were glued together! *pain*) and started reading outloud. We were enjoying the story so much (a Chesterton) that the waitress let us take it home :)

I just read my first Michael Jecks mystery which I enjoyed quite a bit. I'm thrilled I have another on hand :)

174- I miss those restaurants! The one we went to when I was a little girl was literally lined with books on every wall and around each of the tables. And they were REAL, not glued shut or 'book facades'. It closed down years ago. *sniff*

There used to be one near here called The Library. You could take any book as long as you left two. Sadly, it closed years ago.

The Halloween thread is up.

http://www.librarything.com/topic/98082&newpost=1#lastmsg

Did I miss the link to a 3rd quarter thread?

>176 TadAD: what a great idea!

Well, getting back more often last month didn't happen, but hope you can drop in THIS month! We miss you.

Hello?? Ollie, Ollie, Ox and Free!! (At least that's what I thought it was when I was little...)

I talked to Carolyn today. She promised she would be online on Thursday to catch up a bit!

*Crosses arms and taps foot impatiently* But Thursday is so FAR away!

Been channeling you even though I haven't seen you on here in awhile. I've been a wreck through the evenings watching the Giants play. Now the torture really begins, playing Phillie in Phillie. Go Giants!!!!

>181 alcottacre: Thanks Stasia for the update.

#184: You're welcome, Susan.

Ditto what Suslyn said!

>181 alcottacre: I'll believe it when I see it!! ;-)

Hey--Roni, believe it!

Thanks for the kind words everyone. I have been swamped and although I got some reading done I really got behind in recording it so I won't vouch for the accuracy ft the list I'm about to post.. I did read all on the list but I'm pretty sure I missed a couple more that I can't remember and dates of finishing are "best guesses"--not that anyone but me gets to excited about the accuracy of the reading lists: :-) LOL

BDB, Giants baseball has been the "fun" (should fun be painful?) I've been having the couple of months. It has been a bizarre and unbelievable season--a real roller coaster ride. Have I mentioned I'm not too fond of roller coasters? It will be fun to see if they can stand up to the Phillies. Do we believe in miracles?

Thanks, Stasia for the prod and for letting people know that I'm still around.

Now for a semi-accurate sketch of what I've been reading lately: (see next post!)

How nice to see you! Eagerly awaiting the next post.

August

Book 80:
Doyle, Arthur Conan: Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Mystery Series (8/5/10)
Nook 246 pages

Book 81:
Kalas, J. Ellsworth: Detective Stories from the Bible
Religion (8/6/10)
PL 140 pages
This author offered an interesting way of tracing certain stories, characters and/or themes through the Bible including both Old and New Testaments. It was especially interesting to see how many of these ideas are contained in both testaments.

Book 82:
Rowling, J.K.: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Fantasy series #5 (8/23/10)
PL Audio 27 hours

Book 83:
Rowling, J.K.: Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
Fantasy series #6 (8/29/10)
PL Audio 19 hours

Book 84:
Richter, Sandra L.: The Epic of Eden
Religion (8/30/10)
PL 259 pages
Sandra Richter is an Old Testament scholar and archeologist who taught the class we took at the August Family Camp at Redwood Christian Park. I was very impressed with her ability to bring to life the stories in the Old Testament so I bought this book to continue the study. I enjoyed this very much as Dr. Richter tells the stories of the Old Testament history, putting them into their historical context with what is known about the ancient world through ancient writings and archeological discoveries. Highly recommended for anyone wanting to get a good grasp the the historical context of the Old Testament. 5 stars

September

Book 85:
Doyle, Arthur Conan: Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes
Mystery Series (9/5/10)
Nook 209 pages

Book 86:
Doyle, Arthur Conan: A Study in Scarlet
Mystery Series (9/8/10)
Nook 136 pages

Book 87:
Doyle, Arthur Conan: The Sign of the Four
Mystery Series (9/15/10)
Nook 127 pages

Book 88:
Rowling, J.K.: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Fantasy series #7 (9/9/10)
PL Audio 21 hours--American Version

As you can see--this was definitely a "fluff" month. It was back to work for in in both my jobs and I was swamped!

October (so far)

Book 89:
Skloot, Rebecca: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Science (10/3/10)
Nook 344 pages
This was a well written, balanced account of a very controversial subject—how much leeway should scientists have to get material for lifesaving research without the patient's permission? Skloot deals with the human interest story, the fascinating scientific aspects of the story, and the ethics of the case in a way that the reader is allowed to form his own opinions. Since this is also history—covers the better part of a century—we also get to see how the strict privacy laws in the medical field has developed. Highly recommended—4 ½ stars

Book 90:
Tsoukalas, Steven: Christian Faith 101: The Basics and Beyond
Religion (10/3/10)
PL 107 pages
I read this book to decide if it would be a good resource for a small study group. Tsoukalas teaches Christian Apologetics as Wesleyan Seminary and uses this approach in presenting his study. By examining the unique aspects of the three Persons of the Trinity and the function of each, God the Father, God (Jesus) the Son and God the Holy Spirit he examines what it means to be a Christian and how it affects our lives. I would highly recommend this book for anyone interested in theology. It would make a good study book for those who want to go deeper in understanding the Trinity. 4 stars

Book 91:
Rowling, J.K.: Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
Fantasy Series #6 (10/5/10)
PL 607 pages—British Version

Book 92:
Chesterton, G.K.: The Incredulity of Father Brown
Mystery Series #3 (10/9 /10)
PL 195 pages
I enjoy these stories, although in this volume the emphasis seems more on the "puzzles" so they lack some of the charm of the first two volumes. However, I'm planning to read all 5 volumes--I'm a "completest" you may have discovered.

You may also notice a lot of "Harry Potter" in my life this year. At the beginning of the year my son and I started rereading the British version of the series t get ready for the release of the the lat film in November (at least the first half of it). This summer my husband wanted t use the last 3 books as our audio books so he could be reminded of the story before the movie came out. Since I had just finished the 4th book that was perfect timing for me. However, my son was highly incensed when we got back for our travels to discover that I had finished the series without him. So now I'm reading the British version of the last three books with him--we will be finished before the November deadline. "Throw me in the brier patch!"

Whew!! You were behind on your posts!!! Congrats on catching up. Well, I love Doyle and Rowling, so as fluff goes you picked great ones. Book #90 sounds interesting. I have a 1010 category on Philosphy/Soul Searching that I could use another read or two in...

Thanks for stopping by, Berly. I told you I was way behind!

I plan to put together a list for the rest of this month and post it so I can keep on track and also post in a more timely manner. However, right now I'm off to the library for the "Great Fresno Read" group that starts tonight.

Whew! You made it!!

Oh Carolyn....great to see you back..I was worried you were ill...First of all

GO GIANTS. My husband is thrilled that his 'old' team is once again showing some spunk, and since we don't have our RED SOX in the mix, it is nice to have a team with ties to the old homestead in their to take care of the dreaded Yankees.

Great batch of reading. I'm amazed that you were able to get them all listed in such order. I 've read several of them and truly enjoyed the Immortal Life of Henrietta. Hope to see you posting more frequently although I admit, it's always a dilemma about whether spend time on posting or time READING.

Good to see you - you've been reading some great books! I just read the Henrietta Lacks book as well.

Hi, Carolyn!

You've done some great reading! I found The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks quite fascinating -- and very balanced, as you said.

#188 My recent fun has been Phillies baseball, so we're on opposite sides of the diamond this week, I'm afraid.

Hi Carolyn,

I was wondering where you had gotten to....

--Tad

Hope you got to watch the game last night. though, as per usual, it was "torture".

But it was GOOD torture, right, Mac?

Glad to see you surface for a microsecond, Carolyn, but it leaves us wanting MORE!

Tina, Mac & Roni--I've been enjoying the "glow" of the Giants win of the first game--getting ready for tonight's "torture." Sorry Terri--can we still be friends? :-) I have too admit that I hope baseball will interfere with my reading time into November--I'll catch up on reading later.

Hi Angela--I'm hoping to find your thread this week and see what you've been up to reading wise.

Thanks for not giving up on me while I was swamped the last few months. At least for a while things should calm down. next post is my most recent read---

Book 93:

Winspear, Jacqueline: The Mapping of Love & Death
Mystery Series #7 (10/15/10)
Library 339 pages

This was anther enjoyable entry in the Maisie Dobbs series. It seems a though once again her life is going to have some major changes in the up coming books. Although this time I was fairly accurate in my guesses about her personal story I was very surprised by the ultimate answer to the mystery—maybe I wasn't paying enough attention to that part of the story. It will be interesting to see if Winspear continues her story of Maisie's life into the Second World War. One of the most fascinating aspects of this series is the her accurate portrayal of life in Britain following WWI. I look forward to the next installment. 4 stars

The ending of The Mapping of Love and Death really did leave me wanting more too. Winspear's great talent is creating the mood of a bygone era and making the reader believe that she is experiencing it. The storm clouds of WWII are certainly looming in this book and it doesn't seem that Winspear is getting tired of her delightful character, so I'm guessing that the stories will eventually advance into the 1940s.

So good to have you back Carolyn!

#203: I seriously need to re-read the Maisie Dobbs series so that I can read the latest installments. I am very behind!

I really need to START on the Maisie Dobbs series! :)

Thanks, Anne--I'm glad I'm having a little time for LT again. It's much more fun to share books than to read alone. You beautifully expressed exactly how I felt about Mapping when I finished. One of the reasons I enjoy your reviews so much is your knack for evocative expression.

Stasia and Angela--I agree, you really need to read these. If you start now you might be able to catch up by the time the next one comes out. I got behind and managed to catch up this year--I find them addictive!

Hi Carolyn. I've read the first Maisie Dobbs book and really enjoyed it. I need to get going in this series.

#207: Oh, I have read the first 5 or so. I just want to re-read them before I catch completely up with the series.

I guess I would need to start them also.

I started Maisie Dobbs last night. So far it's very good...

I love the Maisie Dobbs series too! Well.. I've only read the first two, but both were delightful!

Congratulations to your Giants winning the NLCS!

Our Giants did it again - and it was absolute torture. My wife worried about my sanity. From the other room she could tell that things weren't normal, as I was so quiet. I don't think I breathed for 9 innings!

Congratulations to your Giants from me as well (even though I am a Phillies fan!) I'm not too upset though, because my husband finally found a job this week after 1 1/2 years of searching, so that has helped me keep baseball in proper perspective, lol...

Now, I have to decide who I'm cheering for in the World series...;)

Just passing through to say, Hi, Carolyn!

Thanks for stopping by--I've been having trouble trying to keep up--the World Series has become my obsession lately. I vividly remember listening to the 1954 World Series on the radio in school (our elementary school always broadcast the World Series to all the classes every year--even though at that time California didn't have any major league teams). I was an avid Giant fan even then. If the giants pull this off this year--and I'm definitely not counting them out!--it may take of month to get my feet back on the ground.

I have been doing a little reading between games--

Book 94:
Stout, Rex: Plot It Yourself
Mystery Series (10/22/10)
PL 170 pages
Another fun entry in this series in which an investigation into a plagiarism scam turns into a murder investigation. Although I figured out the solution to the mystery before the “great reveal” it was fun to spend a relaxing evening with Archie and Mr. Wolfe. 3 ½ stars

I have two days to finish my October reads--I may have to relax and finish some n November. I hope to finish Hunger Games and Great Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe before the end of the month. I'm also reading Devil in the White City for my Halloween read so it would be nice to finish it also before Monday, but that may be pushing it a bit. After all, there will be World Series baseball on both Saturday and Sunday this weekend—the only thing that could be more important than reading. :-)

Devil in the White City is a dandy, Carolyn. I hope you enjoy it!

I can't summon even marginal interest in who wins the World Series, so I'll comment on the Stout. I need to do what you're doing: go back and re-read them. They are so much fun!

Tonight may be the toughest of all the nights for us, MM. With Sanchez on the mound, there is no telling what may happen. His last start was so volatile. But I'll be there glued to the game, just like you!

Go Giants!!!!

Hi Carolyn.

I totally impressed my daughter today...all because of that joint read Battle Cry of Freedom last year.

She came in and said, "I have to do a poster about the battle at Antietam, you probably don't know anything about it, do you?"

"Well," says I, "that's the Northern name, the South called it Sharpsburg after the town it was fought near. The North nominally won but the two sides took almost equal losses. In fact, though it wasn't the bloodiest battle in the Civil War, it was the bloodiest day of battle in American history with over 22,000 dead or wounded.

"McClellan, who was the Union general had an overwhelming number of forces but he was too hesitant and allowed General Lee to keep concentrating his forces until reinforcements could arrive from Harper's Ferry. It was really the beginning of a series of problems that led to Lincoln replacing McClellan.

"But, you might want to check the encyclopedia or one of the books on the Civil War in the library."

Her eyes popped. One just has to love burnishing the image of parental omniscience!

Tad--great story! As a daughter of an "omniscient" father (aka avid reader in multiple areas and genres) I can assure you not only was she impressed, but she will be telling that story to her children!

BDB--Sanchez really needs to be able to stand up to pressure--he should try to model himself after Cain whose face never gives a clue if he is winning or losing. But it wouldn't be the Giants if they made it look easy! I hope Baumgardner can continue to show the poise beyond his experience that he was able to do during the season.

I'm off to finish The Hunger Games before the WS Game starts!

The game came out about how I expected, with the Giants showing a little offense and Sanchez only flashes of his brilliance with lots of mistakes. I thought Ross and Torres showed what they're made of while the Panda and Pat the Bat looked bad. I've watached Lewis pitch all year because he was on my fantasy team and I knew he'd be tough.

Tonight I hope for more! And a new lineup without the free swingers.

Oh I know you're excited.....wasn't tonite's game just the 'bestest' ever. We certainly enjoyed it. Didn't get much reading done, but who cares?

You're rite, Tina--I'm a very happy camper tonight! Bumgarner was amazing, which also means if we have to go to game 7 I think we can guess who will pitch that game! Bochey will probably sleep well tonight!

Good luck to your Giants tonight. I hope the season ends tonight. I don't dislike Texas but I really do hope the Giants win it all.

Probably won't get a lot of reading done tonight, yet again.

221: That's hilarious, Tad! Have fun watching your games, Caroline!

We are doing the Snoopy dance! Isn't it fun???? Enjoy your celebration over that fabulous World Series victory.

Many, many congratulations Carolyn!

We Red Sox fans truly can appreciate your euphoria after so long a drought. It's awfully sweet!

AAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congrats to your Giants, Carolyn!

Congratulations to the Giants! :)

I'm late replying--after the celebrations for the Giants RL sort of overwhelmed me! But we did enjoy the euphoria of finally winning after 56 years! We get to do a little more celebrating tomorrow. The brother of a dear friend of mine who had been very ill for a couple of years died on the 3rd day of the series wearing his Giants jacket. We are having a memorial service for him tomorrow and we've been instructed to to wear our Giant colors--Take Me out to the Ball Game will be one of the songs for the service as we celebrate his life.

I haven't had much time to read but I will post what I've managed to finish--including the last book I read in October. (I'm really far behind!)

Finishing October:

Book 95:

Collins, Suzanne: The Hunger Games
Fantasy Series #1 (10/31/10)
Marty's Library 374 Pages

I read this first book in a trilogy with Stasia because I had heard a lot of raves about it on LT last year. However, I was concerned that I would have a problem with a story that was about teenagers competing in a game where they have combat to determine that the last one alive wins. I was really surprised at the depths of emotion explored in this compelling story and how the heroine learns to deal with the horror she faces. I'm eager to start the second book in the series! Highly recommended for teens and adults. 4 ½ stars.

Starting November--read mostly in doctor waiting rooms for my husband--heart test (we are pleased with the results) and eye surgery with followups (this was really a miracle; the eye that has been legally blind (although he could see fairly well with glasses) since he was young is now 20/20 for distance and colors are bright and clear.

Book 96:

Rowling, J.K.: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows—British Version
Fantasy Series #7 (11/5/10)
PL 607 pages
We are now ready for the movie.

Book 97:

Coleman, Evelyn: Shadows on Society Hill
Historic fiction, Children 's (11/6/10)
Library 181 pages

My 8 year old grandson Gerald read this book for a school project. The book is an historical mystery which takes place in Philadelphia just after the end of the Civil War. Here is Gerald's book report:

“Dear Grandma CC, In school we are doing a project where you read a book and write to your relative. I read Shadows on Society Hill by Evelyn Coleman. My favorite part was when Addy (the main character) finds her name on a yellow sheet of paper that was written by a mystery woman. I like it because it is scary. My favorite character is Addy because she is very important. She saved her family from moving to a bad place. I learned from the book that there was no slavery in Pennsylvania when Addy was a kid.”

I also enjoyed the book very much. It is well written and gives a good picture of what it was like for former slaves in the aftermath of the Civil War. Recommended for anyone who enjoys mysteries and historical novels. 4 stars

We are getting ready to go to Chicago next week to see that grandson and his younger brother and parents. We'll be there about 12 days and our other son, Marty, will fly out for Thanksgiving weekend. It will be fun to have the entire family together--we are a small family!

Have fun in Chicago!

Hallelujah on the eye doc results!!! How special that must be to have a dear one be able to see so well as so many years.

Congrats on the eye surgery! Almost seems miraculous after so long. Have a great time in Chicago. I, too, re-read Harry Potter and am eagerly awaiting the movie(s).

Have fun in Chicagoland, Carolyn. We've been having a mild fall but it's suddenly more seasonal.

Happy Thanksgiving, Carolyn!

We had a great time in Chicago--most fun was taking the boys to the children's museum at Navy Pier. They had a blast.

When we got home I had my year end rush with both my jobs- The choir Cantata was last Sunday and went very well and last night my student recital, which I do jointly with my friend who teaches flute, was really a nice evening. Everyone was pleased--both audience and students. Now all I have to do is get my Christmas cards done and get ready for Christmas. However, today after we got home from Christmas shopping I decided to try to figure out what I've read the last two months so I can get them posted. Sorry about the sketchy reviews but at least I'll be more or less caught up!

Hi, Carolyn! It's good to see a post from you! I'm glad your Chicago trip and your cantata and student recital went well. I look forward to seeing what you've been reading!

Finishing November:

Book 98:
Poe, Edgar Allan: Great Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe
Classic (11/15/10)
PL 406 pages

I read this for the “Great Fresno Read” book group at the library. This edition contains selected short stories and selected poems with detailed notes and commentary which added much to not only the reading but also the discussion during the 4 weeks of this book group discussion. Many of the stories were ones I've read before but several were new to me. I enjoyed them so much I downloaded the Complete Stories of EA Poe on my nook so I can read others I don't know. I've always been a big fan of his poetry, so those I just enjoyed revisiting.

Book 99:
Stout, Rex: Too Many Clients
Mystery Series # 34 (11/?/10
PL 188 pages
I read Nero Wolfe novels to completely relax and this one was a great way to spend an evening. One of my projects is to read all the Nero Wolfe novels in order of publication.

Book 100:
Doyle, Arthur Conan: The Hound of the Baskervilles
Classic Mystery (11/?/10)
Nook
I've downloaded the complete Sherlock Holmes (the B&N 2 volume version) on my nook and this completes the first volume for me. Most of these are rereads but it has been so long it's as much fun as I had when I read them for the first time as a teenager.

Book 101:
Yolen, Jane: Encounter
Historic fiction, Children's (11/22/10)
Borrowed 32 pages
This is a beautiful book with story by Jane Yolen and gorgeous illustrations by David Shannon. It tells of Columbus's first landing on the island now called San Salvador. It is told by a young boy of the Taino Indian tribe living there and conveys his dismay and distrust of the visitors. In the back of the book Yolen gives us more of the history of this event and how it led to the dying out of the Taino Indians. Highly recommended.

Starting December:

Book 102:
Bush, George W.: Decision Points
Memoir (12/2/10)
Nook

I enjoyed reading Bush's assessment of his accomplishments and failures during his time as president as well as the biographical information he provides. Seeing the events of those turbulent years from his perspective as president was fascinating. One of the biggest impressions this book gave was just how overwhelming the task of being president is and how he must juggle his time to be able to handle all the facets of that job. I also came away with the feeling that it is possible that, like Harry Truman, history may judge him more kindly than his contemporaries have.

Book 103:
Stout, Rex: The Final Deduction
Mystery Series (12/4/10)
Nook

Another relaxing evening with Archie and Mr. Wolfe. I suspected the culprit about halfway through (intuition, mostly) but got the motive completely wrong. It's fun when I'm surprised at the end.

Book 104:
Stout, Rex: Three for the Chair
Mystery Series (12/10/10)
Nook

I like this collection better than the other collections of Stout's shorter Nero Wolfe stories that I've read. I may have been more in the mood for novella length works or Stout may have gotten more skillful in this form as he went along. Recommended of fans of shorter mysteries.

Book 105:
Riordan, Rick: The Lightning Thief
Percy Jackson & the Olympians Series #1 (12/14/10)
Marty's Book 375 pages

This is a series I bought for my son as they came out and now I'm finally getting around to reading them myself in preparation for the new Olympians series that has just come out with the first book. This is an entertaining “set up” book introducing the main characters and providing a good quest story. Both Marty and Stasia assure me that the series gets better so I really looking forward to the next adventure.

Book 106:
Riordan, Rick: The Sea of Monsters
Percy Jackson & the Olympians Series #2 (12/17/10)
Marty's Book 279 pages

This story was even more entertaining than the first one as Percy learns to use his powers and realizes that he needs to work harder to develop his skill if he is to survive. I really enjoy the “mythical” aspects of the story as I hae always been a fan of the Greek myths. I'm finding this series to be among the more satisfying YA fantasy books I've been exploring lately.

Now I'm off to read Catching Fire -- letting Percy "catch his breath" for a couple of days. I have 3 weeks before I start teaching again and I hope to make the most of them, reading entirely for pleasure!

Hi There

I'm so sorry to be far behind on your thread.

Jane Yolen's book Encounter is now on my tbr list. Have you read Howard Zinn's book A People's History of the United States? He writes of how American history books painted Christopher Columbus as a hero, yet in reality was responsible for the demise of the Arowak Indians.

Hi Linda! You aren't nearly as far behind as I am! I'm looking forward to having some catch-up time before we all start 2011 threads. :-)

#242 Book 101, Encounter by Jane Yolen sounds very interesting. I'll be looking for that one. Ditto the George Bush book. And I agree with you on your assessment of how history will judge him.

I am adding Encounter to the BlackHole as well! Thanks for the recommendation, Carolyn.

Hi, Carolyn! Hope you can relax for a bit now. Yolen is one of my favorite authors.

Good to see you here again! Lots of us have already started threads in the 2011 group, but many (like myself) are resisting the new group until it is closer to 2011!

Merry Christmas, Carolyn

I've been reading some Rex Stout lately, too. Just finished Over My Dead Body (the one with Nero Wolfe's adopted daughter) and I'm now reading Black Orchids.

Carolyn,
Rex Stout sounds like some good reading for the Christmas holidays! Have a Merry Christmas and enjoy your reading.

Merry Christmas, Carolyn!

Carolyn, I hope you all are safe from all the horrible flooding, and that your Christmas will be a good one.



May your wishes all come true when you wake this Christmas morn. May all of us in this world struggling to achieve the peace we were promised on this wonderful day, have a New Year in which that struggle ends. 
Christmas Glitters Graphics
Blessings and best wishes

Tina

Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas, Carolyn!

I hope you had a great Christmas, and wish you a Happy New Year!

Hi and Happy New Year (almost), Angela, Linda, Regina, Stasia, Tina, David, Roni and Terri!

Thanks for not giving up on me. Obviously my New Year's resolution will be to try to organize my life better so I will have more time to spend on LT in 2011. I hope I can find you all on your new threads. I also hope I can start a new thread! Last year was a nightmare--I am so "un-techie!" :-)

I'm off to post my last reads--with brief notes. No time to write reviews as the ball is about to fall in NY in just a couple of hours.

First, I missed a book in October so I put it it's proper place on my "master list" which makes numbers a little funky. Not that anyone would notice but me! :-)

Stout, Rex: Three at Wolfe's Door
Mystery Series (10/22/10)
Nook PL 152 pages

I'm finding it harder to keep track of my reading now that I have a Noo. Usually I just stack the book I've read until I have to post them. With the Nook that isn't as easy. I was organizing my Nook on shelves this week and made a shelf for books read. That's when I found I hadn't entered this book on my list. This new shelf will help because I will put books read on it as soon as I finish them and then I can check to be sure I've entered them.

Now to finish December so I can try to start my new thread--and find everybody else!

Book 108:
Chesterton, G.K. : The Secret of Father Brown
Mystery Series #4 (12/18/10)
PL 172 Pages

I find the Father Brown stories interesting and many times “instructive.” My favorite story in this collection was “The Chief Mourner of Marne.” Although the mystery was not hard to figure out the emphasis of the story centered on the meaning of forgiveness. Chesterton has Father Brown give us a message with much food for thought about how we think of forgiveness. Chesterton was a theologian and I think one of the reasons these stories continue to be popular is because of the kernels of wisdom about life he weaves through the vehicle of his mysteries.

Book 109:
Collins, Suzanne: Catching Fire
Hunger Games series #2 (12/24/10
Marty's Book 391 pages

Book 110:
Collins, Suzanne: Mockingjay
Hunger Games series #2 (12/30/10)
Marty's Book 398 pages

These are the final two volumes in the Hunger Games series and they just continue to get more intense as the story progresses. This is a powerful series, compelling and well worth reading but I found myself needing to take breaks and not let it be the last thing I read before going to sleep. The story rings true and as I read I could see many metaphoric connections to our world today. Highly recommended--have Kleenex on hand!

Book 111:
Doyle, Arthur Conan: The Return of Sherlock Holmes
Mystery Series (12/26/10)
Nook 248 pages

I'm a big fan and am currently in the process of reading the complete works of Sherlock Holmes on my Nook. I can imagine the joy of his fans in Doyle's day when he resurrected his popular hero.

Book 112:
Christie, Agatha: Murder in the Mews
Mystery (12/26/10)
Audio Book 4 ½ hour

This was our car book for the trip north to Vallejo. In contains the novella Murder in the Mews read by Nigel Hawthorne and two shorter works, “The Incredible Theft” and “Triangle at Rhodes” read by Hugh Fraser. It was entertaining and made the trip go swiftly.

Book 113:
Stout, Rex: Homicide Trinity
Mystery Series (12/30/10)
Nook

Three more enjoyable novellas in the series. A nice way to spend a relaxing day overlooking the Bay.

Book 114:
Collins, Ace: Stories Behind Best-Loved Songs of Christmas
Music (12/31/10)
Nook

This is a delightful collection of stories behind many of the greatest songs of Christmas, both religious and secular. He includes backgrounds for the authors and composers, what led to their creation and why they became so enduring. It was a Friday Nook freebie from B&N and my “Christmas book” for this year. It made for inspiring bedtime reading during the season. Highly recommended.

I didn't read as many books as last year and read much more "fluff"--especially mysteries which is my "mind candy". I really fell short on my nonfiction goals but I discovered new fantasy series which is an area I'm currently exploring. On the bright side--everything I read this year gave me pleasure and what more can you ask! On my 2011 thread I'll make a list of "best reads of 2010"--it will take some time to this it down!

Happy New Year, Everyone!

Happy New Year to you dear one!

Happy New Year, Carolyn! I am looking forward to more great reading with you in 2011!

Happy New Year!!

Thans all. I have started my 2011 thread. With luck this should get you there. http://www.librarything.com/talktopic.php?topic=106028