BJ's 75 Books #2

Here is my second thread.




--BJ

Hey BJ! Found you again.

Thank you for stopping by my new thread. :) I need to finish a book so I can post here. I hope to finish one soon. Today I went by the library and got all of the books that I requested. Now the pressure is on to finish before they are due. Can I do it? I don't know. I am a slow reader.
--BJ

Gotcha BJ!! Looking forward to some reviews!

Hi, Mark!
Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope to have some soon. :)
--BJ

Hi BJ, Just catching up on your thread. I love dogwood trees - I grew up in a house with one on the front lawn and they are so pretty when they bloom.

My library will also send email reminders 2 days before a book is due and I also check my account fairly often to see what is due when. And my stack of library books is kept in a floor basket in the living room (except whatever I'm reading of course!). I tend to have 15-25 books checked out at any time so I really need to stay on top of them.

Checking in to star you!

Hi, Joanne and Roni!
Thanks, Roni, for telling me that I needed to start a new thread. Who knows when I would actually get to it?

Everything looks like Spring here, but now it is cold again. I could not believe that the cold came back. Luckily, I don't think that it is cold enough to hurt the dogwood blossoms. I lived briefly in Knoxville, and I truly fell in love with the dogwoods there. There were tons of them and they were beautiful.

My library actually mailed me a notice that one of the books was in. When I went to pick it up, they had all three. I asked them if they had my email address, because I thought it must be pretty expensive to mail the notice out. They said no, so I gave it to them. But they had emailed me to tell me to update my card, so why didn't they have it? They had my address and phone number. Who can understand computers? I guess it just ate it.

The three books that I checked out are: The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny, John Adams by David McCullough, and Buddenbrooks by Thomas Mann. My daughter got to hear McCullough speak when she was in high school, so I have always wanted to read a book by him ever since. Right now the books are sitting on the piano. But I like the basket on the floor plan. Maybe I can get a bag or basket to keep them in.

Joanne, does your dog sleep well at night? Ever since we have been traveling and she has been going to the kennel, she has started getting up between 3 and 4 every morning. It is making me nuts. I am thinking that maybe it has to due with the kennel being noisy at night. What do you think?

Y'all, thanks so much for stopping by! Have a great day!
--BJ

#8: I have not read John Adams yet but the other books of McCullough's that I have read (1776, Truman, Mornings on Horseback, The Great Bridge, The Path Between the Seas, and The Johnstown Flood) have all been either good or excellent. I hope you enjoy the Adams book. I look forward to seeing what you think of it.

Hi, Stasia!
You have read lots of his books, so that looks like a good sign to me! I had no idea he had written so many. I am pretty excited about reading it. I need to finish a few other books first: Taran Wanderer and The Affinity Bridge. I don't think it will take me too much longer to finish those two -- just in the nick of time. :)
--BJ

#10: I just read Taran Wanderer myself last night, so I know whereof you speak!

That's my fear about the library, I won't finish them in time and I'll feel added pressure of reading them.

Hi, Stasia and Julie,
I hope you liked it, Stasia. I am still mainly reading The Affinity Bridge.

Julie, I think that is one of the main things that worries me. I can probably renew them, unless they are suddenly the hot commodity. There were additional copies of all of the books, though. I will choose which to read first based on which I think won't renew. I wish I could read faster. :)
--BJ

I wish I had more time to read. ;) I know a lot of people read 2 or more books at a time. I can't do that.

I juggle books, but then I end up concentrating on one finally when I get closer to the end. Sometimes though I get confused about what is going on in what book if the books are at all similar. Juggling books usually takes place because of group reads. I thought about cutting back on them, but then the titles all sound so good that I sign right up. I especially like group reads for those really long books that I might not ever get to if I don't have that support group.
--BJ

26. The Affinity Bridge by George Mann. I read this book for the Steam Punk Reading Group. I enjoyed this book covering revenants, glowing murdering policemen, dirigibles that crash and brass automata. OK, I looked revenant up in my ancient dictionary and it means someone who has come back from the dead or a lengthy absence (in this case, they were dead). So that works, but my word is zombie. I have this aversion to zombies ever since Night of the Living Dead watched at home alone late at night. Creepy. My daughter loves zombie books, but I don't read them. Luckily, the revenants were not a big part of the story, so I was able to enjoy it other than one particular scene. The meaning of the book does not become clear until near the end, but it is worth the wait. Overall a fun read that appears to be the first book in a series.

Here is my reading for Lent:
27. Lent and Easter Wisdom from Fulton J. Sheen by Fulton J. Sheen with compiler Judy Bauer.
28. From Fear to Love: Lenten Reflections on the Parable of the Prodigal Son by Henri J. M. Nouwen
29. The Way of the Cross by St. Alphonsus Liguori
30. Hear Our Prayer, O Lord! The Word Among Us Daily Meditations for Catholics by The Word Among Us Press, Joe Difato, Publisher

Even though the cold has returned, we are in the midst of extreme pollen. The daily allergy meds are affecting my synapse speed, so I am going to look for some more light reading for tonight.
--BJ

I hope the allergies clear up for you soon, BJ!

Thanks, Stasia! If I did not have these terrible sinus headaches, I would try to skip the Zyrtec, but the Advil just doesn't cut it. It is the price we pay for all the beautiful blooming all around us this time of year and overall, I think it is worth it. :)
--BJ

#18: I have tried numerous allergy medications through the years and have yet to find one that I am not allergic to or that really works for me. Some day . . .

The very best allergy medicine for me is Benedryl. It almost always takes away the allergy symptoms. But after only one dose, I sleep for most of two days. So I only take it when I am totally desperate. And I am not there yet this time! :)
--BJ

#20: Benedryl does the same thing for me. I might as well be in a coma because I will not budge for at least 48 hours after I take it.

The Zyrtec makes me sleepy, too, just not as bad. I think I am going to read some more of Taran Wanderer and then hit the sack. Thanks for letting me talk to you on two different threads! It must be the synapse thing. Have a great evening! :)
--BJ

No problem! Get some sleep.

Hi, BJ. Our minister before last lent me Henry Nouwen's The Return of the Prodigal Son 7 or 8 years ago. Do you know it? How similar is it to what you're reading? I found it very thought-provoking and moving.

Hi, Stasia and Robert!
I am happy to report that my doggie slept until 5:20 (much better than 3 or 4!) and my wonderful husband got up with her, so I slept in until 6:30. I feel much better today.

The Lenten reflections by Nouwen that I read are excerpts from a recording based on The Return of the Prodigal Son and later made into the book Home Tonight. I became familiar with the painting seeing it in background on a show that I watch on EWTN (the Catholic network that I watch). I am definitely interested now in reading both books. I love the story of the Prodigal Son; we teach it in my Sacraments class that I teach to second graders for Sunday School. Funny, I never got the story at all as a child. Once I was a parent, I totally got it. A few years ago, I had some Advent reflections by Nouwen that I read, but now I can't recall what they were based on.

Tuesday is my last class for my Bible Timeline Bible study that I have been going to since September. I am going to miss that class, but I am hoping for a new one next Fall.
--BJ

Back to the allergy discussion - I have the same problem with the meds putting me in a coma. The only one that works for me is Chlor-Trimeton. It's a small yellow 4 hour tablet. My mom was allowed to take it during pregnancy because it's so mild. We buy the generic form, ChlorTabs, at Walmart because it's a lot cheaper.

I hate allergies!!!

Glad you got some sleep, BJ. :)

Hi, Angela!
I did not realize that ChlorTrimeton was still on the market. My husband used to take it when we were in college, and so I would, too, sometimes. I think that my allergies were worse then. I started taking the zyrtec because my kids take it daily and it is now otc and easy to buy -- not one of those restricted ones. At least, not the kind I buy. I think there is one that is restricted, but I stick with the less effective kind. Mostly, I put off taking anything until I absolutely have to, but sometimes that backfires on me.

Thanks for stopping by! And have a great day!
--BJ

#26: Unfortunately for me, that is one of the ones I am allergic too. Ironic, isn't it? being allergic to your allergy meds. I was also allergic to my allergy shots, which is why my mother (who used to give them to me) decided it was not worth the hassle, so I quit doing them 30+ years ago.

27 - Yeah, I take medicine as an absolute last resort too.

28 - That IS quite ironic! I'm allergic to so many things, I'm surprised it doesn't bother me too.

What would you do with allergy to your allergy medicine? That's scary. We have lots of allergies to meds, foods, animals, and pollen in this family. But luckily not to the allergy medicine.

The cold is gone and it is a beautiful day here. Yea! Y'all have a wonderful weekend!
--BJ

Huh. Seems I've been missing your thread. But I'm caught up on this one at least :)

Hi, Susan!
I have been missing some threads myself. I am glad that you stopped by and I hope you have a wonderful weekend. :)
--BJ

same to you!

Thank you! I am adding another Sunday School class tomorrow. One of the teachers is sick and can't finish the year. This is three in one day. Actually, two at one time and then another later. So I am actually a little frazzled. But our Sunday School follows the school schedule sort of, so I only teach for three more weeks. I am trying to decided if I am going to continue teaching next year. This year is the 19th year. Luckily, I have the whole summer to think about it.

And both my girls will be home for the summer this year! I can't wait!
--BJ

I survived my busy day of Sunday School. Just a few more weeks left. And I finished a book!

31.Taran Wanderer by Lloyd Alexander. This is the fourth book in the Chronicles of Prydain that I read for the 75 Book Challenge Group Read. This book was fantastic. It was the best of the Chronicles read so far. Only one book left, and I will be sorry to be through with them.

My dog liked the new dog treats that I got her so much that she decided to help herself to them. I have to watch her every second! 8D
--BJ

#35: Taran Wanderer has been my favorite thus far as well, BJ.

I hope your dog did not make herself sick!

No, I don't think so. I heard the suspicious crunching sound from the other room. I wonder how many she did eat? I am guessing just one or two. It must taste better than those weight control kibbles. But she likes those pretty well, too. Steak is her fav, of course, but she doesn't get much of that. (Neither do we, for that matter!)
--BJ

Who does, these days?

10 years of SS! wow. Taran Wanderer is prob my fav of the series.

my cat appeared in my lap. he'd prefer both hands petting him, but he'll just have to make do with one!

#39: I am currently reading through William Shirer's The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich and the first thought in my mind when I saw '10 years of SS' was 'What is BJ doing in Nazi Germany?' I really have got to pull my head out of the books a bit more often.

Hi, Susan and Stasia!
Actually it is 19 years of Sunday School. I have taught in the same classroom now for 12 years. Luckily, I really like the room. :)

I have been wanting to read that book forever. I can't wait to see your review, Stasia.

I think that this is the best year ever for the dogwood. Must be all that snow. The other trees are leafing out a little. I think that my allergies will improve soon.

Has anyone seen Robin Hood? Is it out yet? With Russell Crowe and Ridley Scott, it seems like it will be a good one. One of my favorite movies is Gladiator.
--BJ

It took me a minute, but I did realize that Susan was referring to Sunday School :)

I probably will not finish The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich until the end of the month. It is about 1200 pages long and with all the other books I am reading at present, I only read about 50 pages or so a day in it.

sorry... i'm definitely in shorthand mode today. my apologies.

#43: It was not your fault, Susan. It was just that at that particular time, I had my head in the book so it was what occurred to me when I saw SS.

BJ, maybe you and Stasia would like to try hookworms as a cure for your allergies? ;-) I heard the April 4th podcast of This American Life in which one of the stories was about how a guy who had serious allergies went about getting hookworm to suppress his immune system. And then how he sold hookworms to others until he was shut down in the US.

Supposedly, parasites and our immune systems have evolved over millions of years to work together and it's the lack of these organisms which leads to more auto-immune diseases like allergies, asthma, diabetes, MS, etc. I guess hookworms tamp down your immune response so that your body doesn't react as aggressively to whatever you're allergic to. The whole story sounded gross, but it made sense. Kidzdoc, do you want to comment?

Bonnie, I don't know what to think about that! I would like a cure for allergies, but I am not sure that I could go that route. Interesting, though. :)
--BJ

Given the choice between allergies and worms, I will take the allergies, thank you very much :)

Are hookworms the kind that make you lose weight too? I have a missionary friend I met in seminary. WHen I saw her years later she said, "I know -- I'm fat. I had a tape worm all those years!" LOL

I know that I don't want a tapeworm!
--BJ

#48: No, but I think anemia can be a problem. I was joking when I suggested this to BJ and Stasia, but the premise is an interesting one. I mean, what's with all the peanut allergies now? I ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich every day all through elementary school and it was standard fare for pretty much everyone else too and, as far as I know, people weren't having the serious reactions that they are now. What's up with that? Kidzdoc, where are you? ;-)

There's just too many people around. Multiply that by the tiny percentage of those with weird allergies and you get a decent amount of folks. A teensy percentage of a huge number can still be quite large.

Personally, I'm really lucky. Mosquitoes don't bother me at all and no poison ivy either. I've crushed it in my hands and rubbed it all over my legs, but I still avoid it and I'd never do that again. Bleach gives me a pounding headache just walking by the laundry aisle in a grocery store and I can smell it outside in the parking lot most days, so maybe that evens it out. Diesel exhaust is even worse.

Hi, Bonnie and DP,
You know I ate PBJ every single day when growing up, and then in college, I developed an allergy to peanuts. This made me really sad. But I don't have the violent peanut allergy that some have. When my daughter was 2 she tested allergic to peanuts, so I told her school not to feed her any. On the first week, they tried to. She told me about it, and the allergist said we should give her some in his office to be sure. So we fed her spoonfuls of peanut butter. She loved it. No problem. So I fed my girls lots of PBJ while they were growing up. So far, so good. But there are lots of food allergies on both sides of the family, so only time will tell.

I can't imagine being able to handle poison ivy. I have only known one other person who could. The first time I experienced it, I had to see a doctor and take meds with terrible side effects for a week. Now I keep a sharp eye out for it.

Tonight is my last Bible Timeline class. I am going to miss it, but it has been nice not having any homework. I seem to read so much slower than I used to. I wonder if it is all the allergy medicine that I am taking? However, summer will mean no allergies for me, so maybe then I will be able to read more.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!
--BJ

No problems here with pollen, peanuts or animals. My allergy is to pineapple. Friends think that it is very funny to order pizza for lunch with the dreaded pineapple on it and the flourish it at me. Joke's on them - I think pineapple is one of those pizza toppings that should be banned by an act of Congress, if need be.

#53: I think pineapple is one of those pizza toppings that should be banned by an act of Congress, if need be.

I am firmly with you on that one, Charlotte. Catey loves pineapple on her pizza - she must get it from her daddy's side of the family, he of the saltines and Miracle Whip combo, because I know it did not come from mine!

Saltines and Miracle Whip?!! That one deserves a big fat Bleeeech!!

#55: I cannot even be in the same room with him when he eats that combo. Ick.

I don't think I have ever had pineapple on a pizza. :) But when I was young, my dad always, always ordered anchovies on our pizza. I haven't had one of those in years, but I was kind of wondering the other day what it would taste like. But I don't know anyone who would share one with me.
--BJ

dunno... saltines and miracle whip sounds lovely. LOL (true!) I actually smuggle that back sometimes.

#57: Ick.

#58: Double Ick.

Anchovies on pizza is nasty. When I was a teenager I worked in a pizza place. Back then they came in a #10 can. Everyone at the store would argue about who had to open the can and make the pizzas. The fish smell would be on your hands all day! Yuck Yuck Yuck Yuck Yuck!!!!

Salted minnows? No thanks. Never eat your fish bait.
(Billiejean will need another new thread by next week at this rate, without finishing another book!)

Hi, Susan, Stasia, Tammy and DP!
I guess for the sake of the pizza workers, I won't order anchovy. :) I can't recall what they tasted like much except that they were really salty. I am really more of a pepperoni person. And I don't think that I will try the saltines and mayo. I like mayo in limited quantities.

DP, now the pressure is on to finish another book! For some reason, I seem to be reading more slowly these days. I think that it has something to do with the allergy medicine I am taking. Plus I am busier than usual at Church, but that is only for a few more weeks.

By the way, did you nominate for the next scifi group read? Any advice on those nominated? I just don't know how to choose over there. I used to ask my kids, but they haven't really been that much help. Too much homework to read for fun.

Thanks for stopping by everyone!
--BJ

I haven't had it in years, it doesn't seem to be a common topping here, but I really liked anchovy pizza when I could get it.

I keep hearing that the reason for allergies being more common now is that kids are being brought up in too clean and sterile an environment so their immune systems don't get the chance to practice on dirt and minor infections to learn the appropriate responses, so they go into overdrive over the slightest thing.

#63 - I don't think it hurts for a kid to get dirty and all that good stuff we did when we were kids either. We are also too quick to go to the doctor and demand anti-biotics. That doesn't let our immune system kick in either.

Hi, Robert and Julie,
The only thing is I can pretty much guarantee that my kids did not grow up in an environment that was too sterile and clean. Housekeeping does not appear to be my gift. The book in my library about children with asthma required some pretty stringent cleaning. I tried to do it, but I just did not succeed. And the girls had to go outside to play, so what was the point of getting every single speck of dust? I did buy an air cleaner, though.
--BJ

>>63 Robertgreaves:, 64, 65. My son has a peanut allergy which they think may be related to the immune system's need to fight an enemy. While we weren't crazily clean, it really is about the entire herd being too sterilized and protected from minor childhood illness.

Hi, Nancy!
Do you mean all the vaccinations? We have allergies and asthma going back for several generations. But I do hear that the incidence of asthma is increasing. I am hoping for a cure someday.

32.The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny (Library book). I read this for a 1010 Challenge group read. It is a murder mystery, and I loved every bit of it from beginning to end. This was book 3 or 4 of the series, but I just jumped into the middle with no problem.
--BJ

#67: BJ, the Three Pines series are really best read in order, if you can swing it. I hope you enjoyed your first venture into Three Pines. I love that series!

Hey, Stasia!
I think I will go back and read the series in order now. I jumped in so I could participate in the group read, but if not for them, I don't know if I ever would have read this book. I really liked the poetry in it, and from the acknowledgments, it looks like there must be some poetry in each volume.
--BJ

I think you will get much more enjoyment reading them in order, BJ. Let me know!

I was thinking about reading them in the order listed in the front of The Brutal Telling. I heard from Cheli that the first book is really great.

Well, our power went off last night. No alarm clock this morning. And the dog even slept in. The extra sleep was great, but nothing like waking up and finding out you don't know what time it is. :)
--BJ

Cell phone? Computer? Call Time & Temperature?

Our computers would have had dead batteries after 2 hours. The cell phones are regularly needing a charge which they get on the way to work in the a.m. and our phones don't work if there is no electricity. We do, however, have an extremely reliable battery operated travel alarm clock which I've used for well over 10 years :)

Actually, the power only went off long enough to mess up the clocks. We went to check the computer to get the time. But it is a little scary when you first get up. It is funny, but the electric lines are buried in our neighborhood. So we thought the power would never go off. But we lose power here more than anywhere else we have ever lived. I guess it is a Tulsa thing.
--BJ

In honor of Stasia and her quote of the day, I have a quote to add. I am reading John Adams by David McCullough and it says:

He (John Adams) acquired more and more books, books being an acknowledged extravagance he could seldom curb.

I have the same problem!

Writing about the things he missed when traveling the court circuit, John Adams wrote, "But above all, except the wife and children, I want to see my books."

Me, too!
--BJ

I have exactly that condition as well BJ, and I am sure that a lot of people here on LT can commiserate with us.

It also said that he wanted to collect a great library. That is also what lots of people here on LT want to do. I have been doing pretty well with not buying books, but I can tell that I am weakening. The email sends me coupons.

On the positive side, the lettuce is looking pretty good! Salads on the way! What a joy to seeing it growing so lovely with just a little water. I do think my husband put some miracle grow or something on it, too. Not sure, but whatever he did is working. Now we can plant some tomatoes and zucchini.

Hope you have a great weekend, Stasia! And soon it will be Sunday and the wonderful book list. I can't wait to see it.
--BJ

Congratulations on the lettuce! I am glad that last snow did not kill it all off.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend too, BJ.

33. Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood. I finally finished this book by Margaret Atwood, which is a fictionalized account of an actual double murder. I thought it was a pretty good book. I have been wanting to read it since my girls read it in high school.

Now I am back to The Plague and John Adams, two more really good books.
--BJ

So glad you're having a good run!

John Adams was the best book about a President that I've read--though have to confess that I haven't read that many biographies of past presidents. Plus, the most interesting parts of the book for me was before he was Vice President, especially when we got to hear what he thought about Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin in France.

Hi, Susan and Bonnie!
You're right, Susan, I am having a great run with the reading lately. Hope it keeps up. Planning to catch up on your thread soon.

Bonnie, I haven't gotten to that part of the book yet, but I have heard about it some. So I am looking forward to it. I am supposed to be doing the President's Challenge, but I haven't made much progress. Don't know why, because the first book I read about George Washington by Ellis was also excellent. I think that I just read biographies kind of slowly and then when choosing a book, I choose fiction. Anyway, I have on hand another book on John Adams, one on James Madison, The Federalist and Anti-Federalist Papers, and the collected writings of Ben Franklin, so I ought to read more on the subject. It has been a long time since I took American History!

I am enjoying watching the NFL draft. Makes me think that football is around the corner. :) And the lettuce will be ready to eat in a week or two. Our garden last year was a complete bust, so I am really pleased about this one.

Have a great weekend!
--BJ

Looks like I have to start liking Colt McCoy now that my Browns drafted him. He has the potential to be pretty good. Quick mechanics, good reads and all that. You've seen him play. The ironic thing is that the hated Bengals drafted Colt's golden boy Shipley and they are now sworn enemies.

Wasn't that funny? Quan Cosby also plays for the Bengals. He got accolades from one of the coaches for a kick return in which he made three tackles. The coach (I can't recall which, but I am guessing Special Teams) said it was the best effort by one player on one play that he had ever seen.

The thing about Colt is that he has the most amazing work ethic and will not quit ever. And he is a really good leader, too. I hope he turns out to have a great career. And how nice that Mack Brown got to call out his name!

It is too bad that Shipley is not on his team. Those two have some sort of radar between them.

OU sure sent a lot of players to this draft. Wonder what their team will be like next year? What do you think about Bradford going number one?
--BJ

I'm not sure about Bradford, but I thought the same about Matt Stafford last year going first. Stafford was shockingly impressive with power and great touch and I'll assume for now that Bradford will be the same. He was pretty fragile at OU, hopefully he won't regret not trying to make the pros as a golfer. I have heard that the Rams liked how he recovered from those shoulder injuries by bulking up to an NFL level, adding thirty or so pounds of muscle. He did look like a golfer as a freshman a few years ago. As to the Sooners team, they always seem to have about five or six highly touted NFL prospects on campus, but yet, when is the last time they won a conference or national title? Probably not that long ago, but on the bright side, they are always in it every year.

And at least Colt and Shipley won't be on the field at the same time as opponents. That is weird though.

How about that CMU quarterback going to the Bears? I think Cutler may be in trouble!
--BJ

He will be, when their shoddy line gets him cut in half, or after he gets pulled with four picks in the first half. Plus, LeFevour is from Chicago and drafting a home town boy is good press. Cutler is Elway-esque when he isn't fuming about the sucky team he's on.

The Browns got Colt McCoy? I don't pay much attention to football, but my son was watching the draft and kept hollering Colt McCoy, Colt McCoy. He was really mad that the Packers didn't take him.

Yeah, the Browns finally drafted him in the 3rd round. I think they will be happy. Colt was highly successful and had little or no O-Line support. Not one member of the UT Offensive Line was drafted. Of course, I am totally biased toward him after 4 years of tremendous effort and success. :)

DP, I have a whole other rant about Elway. I could no longer watch Denver after they drafted him, even when they won the Super Bowl. I thought once he retired I would go back to watching them, but I never have much. Although I liked that Selvin Young played there. And I was so glad to see Peyton Manning go to the Colts and turn them around in a spectacular way. I was probably being totally unfair, but I used to root for the Colts every single week.

34. The Plague by Albert Camus. The plague hits Oran, Algeria, and no one can leave. Although the book is grim, it is a powerful book and one of my top reads of the year.

35. Prayer-Walking: A Simple Path to Body-and-Soul Fitness by Linus Mundy. This delightful book has been sitting ignored on my bookshelf for 20 years! I am so glad that I finally picked it up. (Total opposite of the previous book!)
--BJ

I didn't like Elway either, just comparing his and Cutler's arm strength and agility. The Broncos really ruined my Browns' Super Bowl runs in 85 & 86.

36. Mary and the Christian Life: Scriptural Reflections on the First Disciple by Amy Welborn. I seem to be reading more religious books lately. Must be related to all the extra volunteering that I am doing at Church. In this book I learned that the Memorare prayer was written by a different Bernard than St. Bernard of Clairvaux. This really surprised me, so I might look into it some more.

I wasn't a big Cutler fan, either. But I wish him well. I saw LeFevour at one of those challenges on tv. (I can't recall the name of it now.) And he looked pretty good.
--BJ

I am still reading John Adams by David McCullough and here is a quote about Thomas Jefferson during his time in France:

"Paris booksellers soon found they had an American patron like no other. In the bookshops and stalls along the Seine were volumes in numbers and variety such as Jefferson had never seen, and his pleasure was boundless. To Madison he would describe the surpassing pleasure of 'examining all the principal bookstores, turning over every book with my own hand and putting up everything related to America, and indeed whatever was rare and valuable to every science.' There were weeks when he was buying books every day. In his first month in Paris, he could not buy them fast enough, and ran up bills totaling nearly 800 francs. Nor was the book-buying spree to end. The grand total of books he acquired in France was about 2,000, but he also bought books by the boxful for Washington, Franklin, and James Madison."

Suddenly, I don't think that I am doing too badly!
--BJ

Me either! Great quote, BJ. Thanks for sharing it.

I glad you liked it!
--BJ

Hey! BJ -- I found out about 1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up from xuesheng over in the 25 group. There is also a group set up based on the book. The sun is shining here!! Have a great day!!

Thanks for the info, Tammy! I am going to look for the group. It is raining here, but my lettuce plants are loving it.
--BJ

37. The High King by Lloyd Alexander. The epic conclusion to the Chronicles of Prydain. I loved this book, which brought the entire cast of characters together again.
--BJ

I forgot. I had a quote from the book that I wanted to include:
"Yet I will not let fear blind me to hope."
--BJ

> 92
Thomas Jefferson bought a lot of everything he liked. I have read that he stayed deep in debt all his life. After he died his creditors moved in and greatly diminished his estate.

Hi, Bill!
I have a bio of Thomas Jefferson around here somewhere to read. I have a feeling it is going to be really interesting.

I just read the part where John Adams is VP and sitting in the Senate, and the Senators are passing around notes making fun of him. Kind of raucous, like high school!! Thanks so much for stopping by!
--BJ

#98: I like that quote too, BJ!

Thanks, Stasia! As you can see, you are rubbing off on me in a positive way!
--BJ

Well, I certainly hope it is in a positive way :)

You probably know this but Jefferson and Adams both died in the same day, July 4 1826, the fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

#103 Absolutely! You are a positive person, which is so nice these days!

#104 You know, I think that I had heard that before, but I had forgotten. How interesting! This book is so interesting because it goes from raucous to serious in just a page or two. There are the words that we learned about in school all those years ago. I never dreamed I would find this book as compelling as I do. I felt the same way about the book that I read about Washington last year, although lots of people did not like that one (by Ellis). Anyway, I am not exactly going gangbusters on the Presidential Challenge, but I figure if it takes me more than four years, that will be ok.
--BJ

love the info on Jefferson and Paris. Reminds me that I need to read The Billionaire's Vinegar: The Mystery of the World's Most Expensive Bottle of Wine...

ETA I actually have it as I bought it for Steph who has managed to ignore it successfully for 2 years now

Jefferson liked the good things in life! I found it interesting to read about the experience of Revolutionary diplomats in pre-Revolutionary France.
--BJ

Jusst checking in. I haven't been too active in LT. DOn't want to loose touch with my friend BJ.

Hi, Jacx!
I am so glad that you stopped by. Hope that you are having a lovely Spring. We just got some squash and tomato plants to add to the little garden. Happy reading!
--BJ

Hi BJ! I have John Adams on my shelf - I know I'll get to it eventually!

BJ, I enjoy hearing about your garden. I went to a salad luncheon at church yesterday and one of my friends had some home-grown lettuce to give me. Her salad was delicious as well. I'm going to put out a few tomato plants next week, but that's it for me.

Hi, Joanne and Donna!
I think that tomato plants are the best ones to plant because the store ones are not even close! We don't usually plant them because my father-in-law always shares his, but now we are supposed to eat LOTS of salad! So, we decided to plant the tomatoes, too. :)

38. John Adams by David McCullough (Library book). The book was due back to the library today, so I stayed up until almost 3 to finish it. I have to say that I loved this book. Prior to reading it, I could not really remember that much about him from school. While I was reading it, I would read little snippets from it to my husband. Adams had quite a library and I loved seeing all the books that he read. I am so glad that I read this book; plus, it had just enough about Thomas Jefferson to make me want to read about him, too!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!
--BJ

Ron Chernow's biography of Alexander Hamilton is the same way. In fact, it paints a rather negative and petty picture of Jefferson. I felt that I had to study up on Jefferson after reading it. It was one of the last books I finished before I started posting my thoughts on my 50 BC one year ago today, in fact. Fifty plus thirty-six is eighty-six. Not bad for a year's work.

Hamilton was kind of interesting in this book about John Adams. Lots of political intrigue in those days. That was surprising to me. I have a book of Hamilton's writings and one of Jefferson's writings that I need to read. Amazingly, they all wrote lots of letters so you can see contemporaneously what they were thinking. Considering how bad the mail service was, I was surprised how many letters they wrote. Of course, no cell phones and computers in those days! What I found interesting was that Jefferson kept calling Adams a monarchist, while Jefferson was the one living lavishly, and Adams was living modestly within his means. So, Jefferson will be my next presidential biography. Hopefully, I won't wait an entire year this time.
--BJ

A triangle of three men who didn't agree with each other much on anything.

Yet, somehow, everything worked out ok.
--BJ

I am not going to finish another book for a long, long time. All the books that I am reading are LONG. Most are library books. How will I finish in time?

On the bright side, we planted the rest of the garden: 3 tomato plants, 4 yellow squash, and 4 zucchini. The lettuce looks good enough to eat. The thyme looks only so-so. Plus, the bestest part: tomorrow morning I am heading to Houston to pick up my younger daughter who has finished her first year of college. I cannot wait to see her!

Have a terrific weekend everyone, and Happy Mother's Day to all moms out there in LT land! :)
--BJ

Happy Mother's Day to you too, BJ!

Thanks, Stasia!
--BJ

Happy Mother's Day to all US Mothers.

BJ- Happy Mother's Day and have a great weekend! Good luck with those big books!

Happy travels :)

Your garden sounds wonderful, BJ!

Happy Mother's Day to you, too!

Happy Mother's Day BJ! It's nice that you get to spend it with your daughter!!

Happy Mothers day greetings all around...

Hi, Robert, Mark, Susan, Joanne, Tammy, and DP!!!
How wonderful to come home to so many wonderful messages for Mother's Day and happy travels! We got home just in time to make it to Church tonight. The dog was thrilled to see us! She is not letting anyone out of her sight for a minute! And I am so happy to have one of my girls back at home. In a couple of weeks the other one comes home, too.

By the way, Mark, Norwegian Wood is not too long of a book, so I guess I got a little carried away! And Robert, I am glad to hear from you after still more earthquakes in Indonesia. Susan, I have to admit that I lost my temper in the Houston traffic when I hit a brick that I could not avoid on the highway. I mean who leaves bricks on interstates? But otherwise, it was a good trip. :) Joanne, we are having the first salad tomorrow. I will let you know how it tastes. Tammy, you are so right that spending it with her is the best. And DP, I have been hearing more rumblings about Missouri deserting for your conference. Are you ready to face the Tigers in 2012? Are you going to break down and get a Big 10 (12) Championship Game? Is it cold there in Michigan? Because we came home to cold weather in Tulsa, which is weird for May.

Now that my daughter is home, we are going to learn how to rip out wallpaper. I want to rip it out of the whole house, but will start in a small room. Speaking of which, DP, did I ever tell you that we painted our laundry room burnt orange? It is such a cheerful place. :)

Now that the Spurs have lost, I guess I will root for Cleveland. If they also lose, I don't know who to root for.
--BJ

I'll assume the burnt orange goes nicely with a white washer and dryer. And stripping wallpaper is either really easy or really a chore, there is no middle.

I'd rather Mizzou stayed in the Big 12, I like things the way they are. Honestly, I'd rather have Iowa State so they can have a better rivalry with the U. of Iowa. There's nothing I can do about it so whatever happens will happen.

It is cold, but improving, one of those 'Jacket off, jacket on' days, as my mom put it. Warmish sun but a cold wind off Lake Huron, a lousy day to put the mast up on the parentals sailboat. The wind was pushing the boat and mast around, the gin pole was wobbling a bit and I got my rear chewed by dad as well as lightly slicing my hands on the steel cable. (A gin pole is a crane thingee with hand cranks.) Some things never change, and they wonder why I don't visit the yacht club more often.

Keep an eye on the sky monday for nasty storms. Maybe the forecast has changed since saturday though. Shameless Plug Alert - If you are stuck indoors, with TV and power, my Tigers are playing the hated Yankees on ESPN both monday and wednesday night.

Addendum- I'm almost done with Canticle for Leibowitz. You will enjoy it immensely. Do yourself a favor and grab a paperback copy at a used book store, you will probably pass it on to someone at church.

Yes, the Texas Fight Orange and White look fab! I am planning also to get football knobs (door pulls?) for the cabinets, too. I have a nice Longhorn magnet that used to sit on my washer, but then I got one of those front loading kinds, so now the magnet is on the refrigerator.

I hadn't even thought about the Iowa-Iowa State Rivalry! I like Iowa State. Seems like one of our coaches went to coach there. Wonder if he is still there? I also kind of like Iowa, too. I ran into an Iowa fan at the Grand Canyon wearing my tshirt from when we played them in the bowl game. On the same trip, while wearing a Tulsa tshirt, I ran into a smug Boise State fan who thought I was an OU fan. I said that I was glad we did not play them, because they were downright scary. I love that game, though, because it is the only time I have ever actually seen the statue of liberty play in action.

I will check out the Tigers on Wednesday.

It has been a long time since I have been sailing. We have a small AMF force 5. I got hit by the boom twice and had quite a headache. In the windy weather, you really have to watch the boom in a small boat.
--BJ

Such great conversations happening on your thread billiejean!

Thank you, Linda! I am so glad that you stopped by. I added about 5 books from your thread this week. A few years ago, I saw a skit for National History Day about the Kindertransport. I had intended to look into it after that, but I forgot when I finally got back home.
--BJ

BJ
It is a very powerful book. The power lies in the way in which the young girl told the story. It is amazing that 10,000 children were saved in a short period of time. It is ever so sad that more could not be rescued.

I haven't been comoing on here as often as I should but when I do I always enjoy catching up with bj. Sounds like eveyone has been experiencing some cold weather. I am up in Toronto Canada, where in April people wore shorts and got sun burn. Since May 5th we have been having unseasonably below record temperatures. On Mother's Day it actually snowed here for 2 hours. I was lucky to have been still in bed when this was happening but I heard so many stories about it. I think I would have cried if I had seen it.

I am half way reading a fairly big book myself. The first half was slow and difficult to get through. Now that I have passed that middle point things are looking up so I am hoping it won't take me as long as I had expected it to.

Happy delayed Mother's Day to all.

Hi, Linda and Jacx!
There are so many powerful stories about WW2. So many heartbreaking ones. But since this was about the children, it seemed especially powerful. I really need to read this book. Another book about WW2 that I have been interested in reading is the Mass Diaries. Have you read that, Linda?

Jacx, my daughter came home from college and could not believe how cold it was here. Thank goodness we did not have snow! We had big storms last night, but they did not affect us that much. We are lucky in where we live that the hilly terrain seems to kill the tornadoes. Amazing that you went from shorts to 2 hours of snow! Thanks for the Mother's Day wish, and I hope that yours was nice, too! Take care and thanks so much for stopping by!
--BJ

Two quick things-
1) Martin Goldsmith's Inextinguishable Symphony is another of those powerful WWII memoirs of loss, regret and sadness. He wrote what amounts to a biography of his parents and their time in the Kulturbund, an all Jewish orchestra and theatre group maintained by Goebbels' Ministry of Propaganda. It obviously ends in tears. (See! There IS a thriving Jewish community here in Germany. Now look away quickly. Nothing else to see here...)
2) If you get a chance to check out some of the Tigers tonight, keep an eye on Brandon Inge at third base. He is the best fielder I've seen in thirty years of watching baseball. The thing that makes him rather anonymous is that he makes tough hops and very hard plays look too easy. He also poaches balls to the shortstop because of his excessive range. That and the fact that he is at best a .270 hitter and struggles to stay near .250.

Hey, DP!
I added the book to my wishlist. Thanks so much for the recommendation.

The mark of an excellent athlete is when he makes what he does look easy. I am going to check the guide to find out what time the game is on. We are supposed to have more storms today, which messes up the reception. One thing I have found, though, is if it is on HD then try the next channel that is not HD. Those make is through the rain better. You know that commercial where they show tv reception in the middle of a hurricane? Not true, for us anyway.

And, on another note, we had our first lettuce last night. Lots more washing to do than when you get it from the grocery store, but it was delicious. Next salad is tonight! I wonder if we can grow a second crop in late Fall? I saw a magazine article about how easy it is to grow strawberries, so next year that is what I want to add to the garden. Love strawberries! We meant to plant blueberries, but we forgot to get them. Next year for those, too.
--BJ

Hope you didn't waste an evening watching that tigers game. That was one of their worst showings of the year. Second game of a doubleheader with half of our outstanding bullpen unavailable for both games, no Inge (his bad knees are clearly not fully healed), and the Yankees winning 8-0 with one hard base hit all night. Their bullpen led MLB with a 2.11 ERA, by far the best. The Twins were at 2.80 or so and third was 3.20 something. Leading any earned run category by that much is almost unheard of. Hopefully that lousy ninth that night by a rookie from Toledo won't ruin it too much. The Tigers did win 3 of 4 from New York and ESPN barely mentioned it. They showed more Yankees highlights than the Tigers, and on the Baseball tonight that I watched Wednesday, they only showed the score of that first tigers win, then had a five minute package on how the Yankees 'creamed' the Tigers in that night game. The one with the dribblers and sloppy hits. Actually, my biggest complaint with the Tigers this year is that they hit the ball too hard, lining right to defenders way too often, and don't get enough of the sloppy nibblers like the Yankees had that night.

On strawberries, as I recall they are high maintenance. Not hard maintenance, but just a lot of busywork. It could be because up here in Michigan, they needed to be raised up on a little berm and insulated with straw to keep them from freezing. My grandpa told me they were the most fragile thing that he grew, including flowers. You may not need to go to such extremes in Tulsa, but ask around at a greenhouse in your area.

Hi, DP!
I did watch the first hour of the game, then I had to cook dinner. You are so right about the commentators. The ticker on the bottom said something like, "Yankees play a great game, but still lost to Tigers." And all they talked about was NY. Except that they were really criticizing the Tiger's pitcher. But they were also kind of critical of Derek Jeter (I think it was.) I thought that the stadium/field looked nice. Maybe because NY won last year, they got all the hype? But no hype for UT after they won in 2005. But of course, we lost our best player.

If strawberries are high maintenance, then I probably can't grow them. We planted two hostas. They are lovely. If we don't get some sun, my tomatoes won't make any. Rain, rain everyday. Just like last year. I guess El Nino is still around.

39. Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami. There were parts of this book that I really liked. There were parts of this book that I really hated. I have no idea how to recommend it. If you like Murakami, it is worth giving it a try. His writing style is wonderful. Just not crazy about some of the plot points. But I am really glad that I participated in this group read, and I have been singing the Beatles for days! :)
--BJ

BJ

I haven't read the Mass Diaries. Thanks for your recommendation.

Hi, Linda!
I haven't actually read them either. I just heard that they were an interesting look at WW2 from the homefront in Britain.
--BJ

Don't be afraid of growing strawberries. They are perennials, so you don't have to start over from seeds every year and a lot of the monkey work is to keep them from freezing way up north. Plus, I think the straw also helps keep weeds from popping up in your berries. You'll be glad you got that rain now when August rolls around. Nothing helps a garden more than an extensive spring soaking. Not a flooding, but a good soak.

BJ -- I'm thrilled you love your new paint. I'm afraid, however, I'm going to have to pretend you said "maroon & white" ;->

I agree with DP. When I was a child everyone who had a garden had their own strawberry patch. Every year my mom would make freezer jam. I love strawberry jam!!!

I think that my father-in-law is growing some strawberries this year, so we can just see how it goes for him. We all love strawberries around here. We have raspberries, but the birds and bunnies steal most of them. It looks like it is going to be a good year for them.

We are supposed to get 2-5 inches of rain this weekend. So far, no rain today. We went out in the country and saw all the trees and signs down from the last storm. Wow!

Susan, my friend, are you an Aggie? I have lots of wonderful Aggie friends in Texas! The local school district (Jenks) where my kids went to school had the colors maroon and white, which was hard at first. Now I am glad that I can wear the colors!

I am over halfway through A Canticle for Leibowitz. It is a great read! Still slowly plowing through Ulysses. Totally different read! :)
--BJ

By the way, Tammy, how do you make freezer strawberry jam? The strawberries this year seem especially good -- even from Walmart! :)
--BJ

I will ask my mom. I only remember she made the kind you put in the freezer because it was easier then canning it.

After thinking about it I think she cooked the strawberries with sugar and pectin, then put it in little plastic containers and froze it. but I will ask her for sure.

40. A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller, Jr. I loved this book. This Cold War era novel of speculative fiction takes place in North America following a nuclear war and fallout. In three different, but interrelated stories about the local monastery in the Southwest territory, and covering three different time periods, the book questions how such a thing could happen and if history is bound to repeat itself. There were several times when I would reread a sentence a few times because it really made me think. I have seen lots of good reviews of this book and now I see why. :)
--BJ

#147: I am hoping to get to that one some time this year. Glad to see you liked it, BJ!

The intro to the book said that it had been continuously in print since published in 1959. (Of course, it was a library copy from about 2002, so who knows if that is still the case.) I thought that was a pretty good recommendation. :)
--BJ

Even in 2002, I would think it was a good recommendation - that is still 43 years!

My only problem is that I have been getting books from the library to save money, but I wish I had a copy of this one to reread later. And another copy to send to my brother. Well, I am going to Austin soon, so maybe a trip to HPB?

You had so many great books on your list, Stasia. I just love to see what you are reading these days.
--BJ

#151: If you are coming through Sherman on your way to Austin, let me know? We could do lunch again if you have the time.

Thanks for the compliment on my list. I owe the lists to LT for the most part though!

We will come through Sherman on Thursday, but I am not sure that we will leave in time for lunch. I will let you know. Even if I can't stop this time, maybe I could come down just to see you this summer?
--BJ

Sure! Just let me know when. That will probably work better actually than Thursday, because I have to work Thursday night, so I tend to sleep later on that day since I have to be up until 8am Friday morning.

Sounds like a plan!
--BJ

I lived in Texas for the 70s while dad was a prof at A&M. Graduated HS there. I kiddingly say I bleed maroon & white :)

Hi, Susan!
I was not far from you in the 70s. I graduated high school in Waco. How wonderful that your dad was a professor there! I went to a retreat in College Station for Engaged Encounter weekend. We had lunch at the Dixie Chicken. :) Which always reminds me of the song by Lynard Skynard, was it?
--BJ

A Canticle for Leibowitz is rather wonderful, isn't it. Well worth reading and re-reading.

Hi, Robert!
After reading it, I looked at the 1001 Books list, thinking that it must be on it, but no. This is one of my top reads of the year, maybe the top one. How could I have never heard of it all these years? Hope all is well with you. Is this the rainy season there? We were supposed to have big storms, but we did not have any. Take care and thanks for stopping by! :)
--BJ

In theory the rainy season should have finished about a month ago, but it seems to be taking longer than usual to peter out. Something to do with El Nino or La Nina, apparently.

I was wondering just how widespread this El Nino phenomenon was. For us, El Nino means more rain. Usually also means a milder winter, but that did not happen this year. I was wondering the other day if it is still going on.

Today we started ripping the wallpaper out of the girl's bathroom. This wallpaper is as old as the house, but it was kind of fun, even though tedious, to work on it. Still have a ways to go with it. It is seriously attached. :) Next, I need to decide what paint I want. This is kind of fun. If we get any good at it, I am going to rip it out of every single room of this place!!!
--BJ

Today the library had my request ready, so my daughter and I read this next book:

41. The Arrival by Shaun Tan. This graphic novel on immigration was beautiful. My daughter and I both loved it. We decided that we need our own copy of this book. Thanks so much for the recommendation, Mark! :)
--BJ

The Dixie Chicken LOL -- love those bottle caps. My folks became Christians on a Catholic ME weekend. Small world :) I love Waco. Can't believe how gorgeous the Brazos is there especially as contrasts with the way it looks in CS!

Hi, Susan!
I remember that we had a Spring celebration called Festival on the Brazos or something like that. I'm glad that you like Waco. :)
--BJ

BJ- So glad you liked it! Give The Invention of Hugo Cabret a try next!

I definitely will. It also looks terrific! Thanks for stopping by!
--BJ

B.J.

I've added A Canticle for Leibowitz to the tbr pile. Your high praise is enough for me to add yet another book to the ever growing mountain.

I hope you like it, Linda!
--BJ
ETA I am always adding books to my tbr from your list. And one of these days, I think I will also do that Newberry Challenge that you are doing.

Arrg! My local library still does not have any of Shaun Tan's books!

Do you mean there are more, Stasia? I read that it took 4 years to research and do the artwork for this book. I would definitely like to see more.
--BJ

The Red Tree and The Lost Thing are 2 of Tan's that Liz (jbeast) just read. I cannot comment on them since I have never read them.

Thanks so much for the tip! We will check them out for sure!
--BJ

No problem! I hope you enjoy them.

And here they are:

42. The Red Tree by Shaun Tan, a children's book that is somewhat dark but ends well. And . . .

43. The Lost Thing by Shaun Tan, a delightful story about a lost thing that needs help finding a home.

I liked both of these books, but The Arrival is still my favorite. Thanks, so much, Stasia for telling me about these books. :)

44. A Separate Peace by John Knowles. This is the story of a friendship between two boys in boarding school, facing the prospect of WW2. This is one of those books that my girls read in school that I had never read, so it was included in my quest to read them all, too. I really liked this book, and I am glad that I finally read it.
--BJ

#174: I am glad you enjoyed the Shaun Tan books as well as A Separate Peace.

I was thinking that I could rerequest the Shaun Tan books right before I come to Sherman and then bring them with me. You could read them in just a few minutes; they are not long. Then I could bring them back and turn back into the library. What do you think?
--BJ

As a Texas sports fan you should know that the PGA tour is in Fort Worth this weekend, the Ben Hogan Invitational. Actually it's the 'Insert Sponsor Here' Invitational, but it's still the Ben Hogan honorary tournament. Colonial Country Club is one of the best technical courses that the tour is on all year, and this is my favorite stop of the season. At least among the regular events. Holes 3, 4 & 5 loop around and behind the driving range and are known collectively as 'The Horrible Horseshoe', number 5 is exceptionally nasty with out of bounds on the outside of the dogleg and the Trinity River on the inside. All this and a blind tee shot over and around trees. Number 4 is a long 3-wood par 3 of about 250 yards. The field average is well over par for the stretch, I believe the highest three hole score versus par on the tour.

I'm glad you liked Canticle for Leibowitz, it was very thought provoking on several levels. I should sort out some comments for the group read page.

And, according to an article I read after I left the above message, Austin will build a huge motorsports complex to host a Formula 1 Grand Prix from 2012-2021. Done deal, FIA approval with glowing comments from officials and sporting governors, just like that completely out of the blue. This is such a surprise that I don't even know what to think about it yet. The last rumor I read about a USGP was that the FIA wanted to slap together a street circuit in New York City.

Hi, DP!
I will definitely check it out. Also on tv these days is the French Open which I like to watch.

By the way, I heard a rumor that Colt might get to play some this year. I think the plan was for him to just observe and train for a few years before getting into a game. Have you heard anything like that? I did not really hear this from a reliable source.
--BJ

Austin? Wow! I wonder where they will put it?
--BJ

'Wow!' and 'What?' seem to be the common responses, the only reference I found as to where the track will be built is a vague 'unclear', from an article on KVUE's website.

As to Colt, he shouldn't have much trouble being better than Jake Delhomme. I just don't want him getting waffled as a rookie, but getting some game time in is a must for the experience. Mike Holmgren is a savvy veteran coach, but he did just throw Brett Favre right in as a rookie in Green Bay way back when. Now as a general manager, I'd bet he will be a bit more delicate with the star rookies. Just my opinion, but there has been a series of rookie QB's having success over the last few years. The NFL should adopt a motto of 'Who Knows??', because that's about as far as you can go in projecting the NFL. I have even convinced myself that the Lions can be successful this fall.

#176: That would be great! Thanks, BJ!

LOL! This long-distance book exchange gives new meaning to "Bookmobile!"

BJ - I LOVED LOVED LOVED A Separate Peace all the times I read it in Jr and High School. I haven't read it as an adult because I'm afraid it won't speak to me as much as it did then.

I'm so happy you enjoyed it. Don't bother with the other book Peace... it's just not as good.

Julie

Hi, DP, Stasia, Donna, and Julie!
DP, I asked my daughter from Austin if she knew anything about the racetrack, but she had not heard about it. I cannot wait until football season starts. :)

Stasia and Donna, I thought it was a good method. We have to stick together!

Julie, I am so glad that you told me about the other book, Peace Breaks Out, because I was wondering about it. I also noticed that he wrote a book called Phineas.

Still reading Perdido Street Station and Ulysses plus Moby Dick and The Count of Monte Cristo.
--BJ

In case you do get to check out some golf at Colonial, Corey Pavin and Lee Janzen are in the running. Both were elite players in the early 90's, which shows that being crafty pays off in Ft. Worth. Pick to Click for the weekend - Tim Clark

I have finished another set of those Fred Saberhagen Lost Swords books. They are OK, but the rewards of reading Conan are much greater. I'm still plodding through them hoping that the whole is more than the sum of it's parts, like Terry Brooks' Shannara series.

I see that tennis is on as well.

I am still reading Conan, but I seem to have put it down for the group reads and need to pick it back up. Also reading Buddenbrooks which, alas, is due back at the library and no more renewals. Checking books out from the library is hard as slowly as I read.
--BJ

Hi BJ!

I'm also glad to see you liked A Separate Peace. I read it in high school and liked it, but I wondered if it would be a book that would lose appeal over time, a bit like A Catcher in the Rye.

Hi, Carly!
I have never read Catcher in the Rye either! I might be the only person who hasn't. I have to think back on what I read in high school, because my girls read totally different books. I know I read Absalom! Absalom! and Anna Karenina and Tale of Two Cities. Oh, yeah, and Tom Jones and Don Quixote (abridged). And I recall reading The Book of Job, which had a performance at the local University that year.

DP: I turned on the golf tournament, but they were past the holes that you mentioned, DP, so maybe I can catch some tomorrow morning. I did see an eagle followed by a birdie, so that was pretty exciting.

The iceberg lettuce is done. Guess that is why it is called iceberg! The red leaf lettuce is still around and gigantic. We are enjoying the fresh salad greens.
--BJ

#189: I have never read Catcher in the Rye either, BJ. I have never had a desire to read it and cannot say that has changed.

I love that book. Thanks for sharing.

I love Lloyd Alexander. He has great stories...

A lot of people seem to have different reactions to Catcher in the Rye when they read it for the first time as adults rather than teenagers. The protagonist is a very sympathetic character for teenagers, but apparently not so much for adults!

Hi, Carly, Stasia, and Lobstersurvivor,
I don't really know anything about Catcher in the Rye except that everyone supposedly reads it in high school. I used to have a copy of it here somewhere, but I haven't seen it in years. I will have to check it out sometime.

You are right, Lobstersurvivor, that the Lloyd Alexander books have great stories. I just loved them!

Still plugging away at Ulysses. If I have one more renewal, I might actually finish it.

I thought of another book that I read in high school: The Grapes of Wrath. That is one that my girls also read. :)
--BJ

I escaped from having to read the Grapes of Wrath! I also remember reading A Tale of Two Cities, but we read The Sound and the Fury rather than Absolom! Absolom!.

I loved A Tale of Two Cities. Absalom! Absalom! was quite difficult. I want to reread it and see what I think of it now. I also want to reread The Grapes of Wrath. Now that I live in Oklahoma, I might view it differently.

45. Catholic Book of Prayers: Popular Catholic Prayers Arranged for Everyday Use in Large Print edited by Rev. Maurus Fitzgerald, O. F. M. I used this during my prayer time.
--BJ

>176 billiejean: You crack me up. But, you know, that could work!

Hi, Susan!
They are really, really short books. So it could work!

I went swimming today for the first time this summer and boy am I out of shape!!
--BJ

46. Perdido Street Station by China Mieville. I read this book as part of the Steampunk group read. All the world building made the start a little slow for me, but after persevering, I was drawn into the story. Overall, a pretty good read.
--BJ

I still have not made it through that one. I have tried 3 times. I think it is just not a book for me. I am glad that you enjoyed it though, BJ!

>196 billiejean:: I have never read Absalom! Absalom!, but I'm guessing any Faulkner is pretty difficult for high schoolers, at least compared to the other reading list material. I remember The Sound and the Fury being confusing.

Hi, Stasia and Carly!
Stasia, I think three times is more than any book deserves. I find all the world building difficult to get used to because it takes so much time. I thought to myself, why not a little closer to earth so it doesn't take so long? And, at first, I did not quite like the writing style. But it grew on me. I did like it, but 150 pages shorter would have been better.
Carly, it was difficult but interesting. I can't remember it all that well, but I do remember the ending. I have a copy of The Sound and the Fury here that my dad let me borrow about 15 years ago. I need to read it and return it. :) Also, my kids read As I Lay Dying in high school, so I want to read that one for sure. I was thinking that if I ever finish Ulysses, I might give Faulkner another go. Not sure which one I would read first. By the way, are you keeping up with all the talk about UT changing conferences? Maybe Pac-10, maybe SEC?
--BJ

I have a copy of The Sound and the Fury here that my dad let me borrow about 15 years ago. I need to read it and return it.

Now that was funny!

Seriously, BJ, I've decided to get serious about Faulkner. ;-) I'm slowly making my way through the short selections in The Portable Faulkner. I also did the GR of Light in August earlier this year. So far, it is in my Top 3 reads for the year! I've decided it's all in the timing...and a little encouragement helps, too.

Oops!
I think that the book that my dad lent me was Light in August instead of The Sound and the Fury! I am so glad that you mentioned that, Donna. Wonder if I can find it?

You know, I hear nothing but good things about Faulkner. I have been thinking about reading him again for years. Maybe this Fall?
--BJ

Hi BJ- I have not tried Mieville before! I've heard good things about "Perdido" and The City and the City.

Hi, Mark!
I think you might like Perdido Street Station. I heard that his other book was in the same city but totally different characters, which would be nice because the world-building has already happened. When is The Once and Future King? I was thinking July. Thanks so much for stopping by!
--BJ

BJ- Yes, The Once and Future King will kick-off July 1st! It will be great to have you along. I'm toying with the possibility of doing a G.R. of "Blindness" by Jose Saramago in September. Let me know if you are interested!

I have been keeping up with that. UT and A&M keep making these carefully-worded denials that make me think the Big 12 really is doomed. I think going to the Big 10 would be OK, but it would be so much more travel, and none of the away games would be very close at all.

Hi, Mark and Carly!
Mark, I will be there for both. You have such great group reads! I am so glad that you decided to start them. :)

Carly, I miss the days of the old Southwest Conference. (Just think, TCU, Houston, and SMU have all been improving a lot! And I always loved the Rice game because of the MOB.) I thought that the travel for the Big 12 was a lot! But I don't go to too many games myself anymore. I would just rather that they play the teams that are around them. I do hope that they continue to play A&M, our Thanksgiving tradition for my whole life! We got tickets to the Rice game, because my younger daughter goes to school there. So I will be wearing both UT and Rice colors. I told her that I would cheer for Rice, but no way could I not cheer for UT. I would spontaneously erupt in cheers for my beloved Longhorns, no matter what I tried to do.

47. Living Icons of Christ: the Word Among Us Daily Meditations for Catholics by The Word Among Us Press. I read these meditations for reflections on the Bible readings at Mass, and for essays.
--BJ

I'll be at the Texas-Rice game, too!

The Houston paper has an article this morning saying that Texas, A&M, Tech, OU, OSU, and Colorado might be invited to the PAC-10, and then UH might go to the Big 12.

I'm more than a little late with this note in regards to Jefferson and Adams. I have a very interesting book on their correspondence. Titled The Adams-Jefferson Letters it covers the correspondence of Abagail Adams, Jefferson and John Adams from May 16, 1777 to April 17, 1826. The Abagail Adams letters are only those to Jefferson. Jefferson and Adams had a falling out around the election of 1800 and their letters are an interesting record of the renewal of their friendship. Now that I have starred this thread I will keep more up to date.

Hi, Bill!
Thanks for the recommendation of the book of Adams-Jefferson Letters. I have wishlisted it. The book I read had excerpts from some of their letters, and I would love to read them in their entirety. I wish that I wrote long letters like that these days. Email has pretty much ended the long, personal letter for me. It is also kind of amazing that all the letters have been found.

By the way, I really want to read those Dave Robicheaux(?) books some day. I saw that one movie and thought it was pretty good.

And Hi, Carly!
We have been following the Texas baseball team lately on the computer as no games on tv that we can find. Texas just beat Rice to move to the Super Regionals. I don't know who they play there.

I heard that Nebraska is the linchpin to the Big 12 staying together. If UH comes in to replace Missouri, then how would that work as far as the North-South Divisions, I wonder? Anyway, all this drama is making me crazy!
--BJ

#212: We have been following the Texas baseball team lately on the computer as no games on tv that we can find.

BJ, unless you have one of the sports packages on satellite, it is unlikely that you will find any of the games televised until the teams get to Omaha, at which time ESPN picks up the coverage. I love watching the CWS and try to watch every game every year.

Hi, Stasia!
We do have a Sports Pack on Directv, but still did not find the games. Lots of other sports on tv right now, though. How is LSU doing in baseball this year? Seems like I heard that a California team is #1, but I can't think who it is.
--BJ

#214: I wonder why you cannot pick up the games then. It does not make sense to me because I know Direct TV has been broadcasting them.

LSU did not make it past the regionals this year.

I am not sure who the top seed is, but both UCLA and Cal State Fullerton have advanced to the super regionals, so it could be either of them. My money is on CSF just because they have been so highly ranked in the past.

BTW - Are you planning on catching the draft today?

A few sports comments, nothing about books...
There is apparently a friday deadline for the Nebraska and Missouri folks to decide if they are staying in conference or leaving. My wager is that if they leave, the rest will bolt for that big PAC 10 expansion idea (as in #210 above). This has to be the weirdest sports story (on the field anyway) since I don't know when. Maybe Dennis Rodman's hair.

My brother has told me about the baseball draft a bit, the first pick should be this Brice Harper kid from Las Vegas. He's apparently the best hitting prospect in years but baseball prospects have a propensity for not panning out. From what I gather, he dropped out of high school as a sophomore, got his GED, toured the country to play in random tournaments and then attended some junior college, all so he could enhance his draft status for this year's draft. That and he had no competition in his local HS baseball conference. I recently read through the last twelve years of Tigers drafts out of curiosity and only recognized a few names, maybe one or two a year on average, much to my surprise. And this is out of a thirty some or more round draft. The vast majority of draftees never make it to the bigs.

Out of curiosity, I read a list of every Tigers first pick back to 1965. Out of 45 drafts, I knew who 23 of the draftees were, including the Tigers third base coach and the current Mets manager, only five I would consider great memorable players and five were total embarassing busts. Of course, this could be why my Tigers were the worst team in the league from 1990 or so until 2004.

Hi, Stasia and DP!
Stasia, I will have my husband check again on coverage. Now that we are to super regionals maybe we can get the game. Or maybe we just couldn't find it on tv. The sports channels keep getting scrambled. But really it is not as much fun following the game on the computer. I don't know if I will check out the draft or not. I don't follow the Major League play as much. However, if there are Longhorns in the mix, I might just check it out anyway.

You are right, DP, it is a totally strange story. Although I do think the Tiger Woods story is stranger even than Dennis Rodman. Ok, maybe not. So I guess by the weekend we will know. But will we really? If this remains the same but still with problems percolating, it could all come back next year. But my question is: Will the Big 10 still be the Big 10 if they have 12 or 13 teams? And how will the real number fit neatly in the logo like the 11 did?
--BJ

They've been the Big Ten with eleven teams for close to fifteen years-why change? It would be like General Motors changing their name to a more accurate 'Average Cars and Decent Trucks Being Dragged Into Electric Motors'.

Wouldn't GM now be "Government Managed"? ;)

Too funny, DP and Julie! That being said, my husband likes GM for a work truck. But he last traded in for an older car than the one he was driving. He preferred the older one to the newer one.
--BJ

48. Ulysses by James Joyce. I realize that I probably did not get most of this book; however, I thought it was great. I am so glad that I finally read it. Thanks to Blythe025 for encouraging me in this. I checked this out of the library, but I know that I will want my own copy of it.
--BJ

Hi BJ! I've been busy at work and a little tuned out of the college baseball tournaments and playoffs, but I saw that Texas moved on. It looked like ESPN, etc. were picking up random games from the conference tournaments and maybe the first-round playoff games, but I didn't see any Texas ones, either.

Congratulations on finishing Ulysses, billiejean! It belongs to my list of 'Books I Will Probably Never Read', but I have great admiration for anyone who manages to read it. Did you have any sort of guide to help you make sense of it?

Hi, Carly and Rebeki!
I think that the super regionals are usually covered on tv, but I haven't found out when the games are going to be yet. I am guessing they are this weekend.

Rebeki, I did not use a guide when I read it, but I did check it out on wikipedia. In retrospect, I wish that I had read The Odyssey again before reading this one, but I decided to just take it as it came. I did check out a book of literary criticism from the library, and I might read that now. I read it with a group on the 1010 challenge, and that is what kept me motivated. And even though it was a difficult read at times, I thought it was a great book and really enjoyed it.
--BJ

49. The Catholic Devotional: A Collection of Prayers and Inspiration for Every Catholic edited by Vance E. Lichty. I used this devotional during my prayer time.

50. Great Irish Poets: W. B. Yeats: The Last Romantic by W. B. Yeats. My daughter checked this out of the library, I decided to read it, too. Here is one example:

The Lake of Isle Innisfree

I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;
Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee.
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight's all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evening full of the linnet's wings.

I will arise and go now, for always night and day
I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;
While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey,
I hear it in the deep heart's core.

Anyway, I liked that one. :)
--BJ

Thank you BJ that is very nice. Poetry is such a beautiful use of language.
"for peace comes dropping slow,"
I will try to remember that line.
I listened to an audiobook edition of The Odyssey recently. The translation was done by Stanley Lombardo, who is also the narrator assisted by Susan Sarandon. I enjoyed it very much.

Hi BJ!
I finally asked my mom about the recipe for strawberry jam. She said it was so long ago she couldn't remember. So I looked for it and found it at cooks.com. It's called Sure Jell Easy Strawberry Jam. Sure Jell is the pectin that makes it gel. You should be able to find Sure Jell in the jello section of the store. I think the recipe might even be on the back of the box. You will have to let me know if you try it. I just might try to make it myself.
How is the garden doing? I planted some flowers today. My ex- mother-in-law is so nice. She thinned some of her flower beds and gave the plants to me.

Happy Reading!! ---Tammy

I just got back from the grocery store. I found Sure Jell by the canning jars not the jello.

#225 - That's interesting. I have The Odyssey at home, but am also a little intimidated by that. Maybe if I succeed in actually reading it, I should go one step further and try Ulysses!

ETA that I love the poem!

I think the Odyssey would be a much easier read than Ulysses, especially with a good translation.

Carlym, I'm sure you're right. I know lots of people have read and enjoyed it (and The Iliad), but I struggle a little with Greek mythology in the same way some people find the number of characters in Russian novels a problem.

Hi, Bill, Tammy, Rebeki, and Carly!
I am glad that you liked the poem, Bill. I really admire poets, the way they can say so much in a spare way. With just the right word or turn of phrase, they convey so much. I wish I could do that.

Tammy, thanks for getting back to me on the strawberry jam. Now is the time! Our tomato plants have started to make some little tomatoes. Maybe we will get to eat some from them this time!

Rebeki and Carly, I agree that The Odyssey is easier to read than Ulysses. One thing I did with Ulysses was to read the wikipedia page on it just for a little insight into it. You could do that with the Odyssey, just to get the order and characters straight. (I know that the teachers really don't like wikipedia, but just for a little background I think it is ok. Or some people read Sparknotes or Cliffnotes.) And I did not read Ulysses to make a big study of it, just to get what I could out of it. Plus, I read it along with others in the 1010 category challenge, which always helps. And I had read A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man earlier with the Group Reads -- Literature group to give me a taste for Joyce. Both The Iliad and The Odyssey have been on my tbr and I had hoped to reread them this year. It has been a long time since I read them. And sometimes things hit you differently at different ages. I have a book of literary criticism that I checked out thinking it was the actual book Ulysses that I am reading through now. I don't know if I will have time to finish it before it is due back or not. These people have deep thoughts, which I find pretty interesting.

Thanks so much, everyone, for stopping by. Hope you are all having a wonderful day.
--BJ

50. Boneshaker by Cherie Priest. I read this for the Steampunk Group in the 75 Book Challenge. I think that I read it ahead of schedule, because I ended up checking this out with Perdido Street Station back before we knew which book was next. Then I found out that we had a copy of PSS at home already, but I just kept on renewing this one hoping to get to it. Well, it is almost due for real now, so I read it. I don't want to give anything away since I am not sure that the group read of this has started yet, except to say: What a great read! And here is a quote from the Author's Note at the end:

I realize that the story is a bit of a twisted stretch, but honestly -- isn't that what steampunk is for?

So, I recommend this book for those following the steampunk bandwagon. Lots of fun. :)
--BJ

#234: I have had that one on the PBS wishlist for a while now. I am probably going to end up having to buy it since my local library does not have it yet.*sigh*

Glad to know you liked it, BJ!

Our library only had one copy. And let's just say that it has seen a lot of love. And snacks. Since there was only one copy, I just had to finish it. I wasn't sure that it would be easy to recheck. That Steampunk group has certainly introduced me to a lot of titles that I had never heard of before. Thanks for stopping by! (And I have finally gotten all caught up over at your neck of the woods, too!)
--BJ

#236: One of the things LT is very good for - introducing you to books you might otherwise not have read. Definitely a plus as far as I am concerned!

BJ, did you see the Super Regional game yesterday? That was quite the win for the Horns!

Hey, Carly!
I missed it! I saw the previous game -- which we lost. Now the game is not on tv yet, but we are following it on the computer. Not quite as exciting. I hope that it comes on tv soon and that we win! I am all in a stew about the conferences. Not good with change. :)

Hey, Stasia!
You are so right! I read a much bigger variety of books these days. And you always have the most fascinating lists of titles on Sundays. I love checking them out. Nice Hot Review, by the way. I enjoyed reading it.

Enjoy the baseball, ladies!
--BJ

Bad news, BJ, bad news on the baseball front.

Yeah, I hope the conference stuff works out OK. The Houston paper says that maybe A&M wants to split from UT so that they're not in UT's shadow, but I hope the bulk of the Big 12 South teams go together.

#239: Thanks, BJ!

I wish I had seen the 14 run win. Now who will I root for?

And what on earth is going to happen to my Thanksgiving, which has centered around football with A&M for my entire life? I used to also watch Dallas play, but I am not as big a fan of theirs anymore. I prefer college football. I guess I will have to follow destinyhascheatedme's lame movie for Thanksgiving plan, along with throwing popcorn at the tv. My dog would surely find that interesting!
--BJ

52. Bloom's Modern Critical Interpretations: James Joyce's Ulysses edited by Harold Bloom. I actually checked this out of the library accidentally, as I'm not really used to the online catalog. When I got there and found out that it was literary criticism and not the book itself, I decided to hang on to it. I read it after reading Ulysses and just in the nick of time, as it is due back tomorrow. Several of the essays, I liked and a few, I didn't. I am glad that I waited until after reading the book to read this as I knew the references in it. Interestingly, a number of the essays were published by the University of Tulsa right here in town in their James Joyce Quarterly. Overall, I am glad that I read the book.
--BJ

Moby-Dick, or, The Whale by Herman Melville. This is a book that I have wanted to read for a long time. Thanks to Stasia for setting up the group read of this book. I thought it was a terrific story, and I am so glad that I read it.

And, thank goodness, it looks like the Big 12 (9 or 10) will stay together saving my Thanksgiving. :)
--BJ

Hooray! You finished and before the stroke of midnight.

Thanks, Tammy! I was a little worried that I wouldn't make it, but the ending was quite compelling, and I couldn't put it down.
--BJ

#244: I am glad the rest of the conference is staying together. It will be interesting to see if any teams get added--maybe UH?

Me, too. There is no team in the Houston or Dallas area yet. There is not another school big enough in Oklahoma (unless TU, which is the size of Rice). Maybe Colorado State? That would be kind of funny after Colorado left. It all seems so complicated, doesn't it?
--BJ

Unfortunately sports is a big business and money dictates a lot of changes that leave the fan out of the equation. I read that the question now is whether or not the conference, with only 10 teams, will be allowed to have a conference title game.
Congratulations on finishing Moby Dick. One of my memories of the book was what I learned about the whaling industry. The ending was one of the greatest action chase scenes I can remember.

TCU would also be a decent addition, if they were willing to leave the Mountain West for a BCS conference. But maybe they do want to try to add more northerly teams.

Hi, Bill and Carly!
Bill, you totally hit the nail on the head about how I felt about Moby Dick. First, I learned everything, and I mean everything about whaling, and then an unbelievably fast-paced man versus nature scene at the end. I am definitely going to have to read the other two novels included in the volume.

And Bill and Carly, I guess you are right that it is a big business. But who are the customers? I think you are right that there will not be a title game if only 10 teams. Seems like it would be more of a round robin. But as long as I have my Thanksgiving intact, I am ok with that. TCU would be a good choice. They are really getting good at football and beating big teams. Still so much speculation but at least for now (until 2016) things will mostly stay the same.
--BJ

"I went swimming today for the first time this summer "

I figured out a way to read while I exercise (bicycle) in the pool :) Yes! LOL

That is amazing! My daughter was reading The Book of Three in the pool a few years ago and dropped it in! We still have the book, but no cover. It actually survived pretty well.

We are having so much rain that swimming is kind of hard. I thought El Nino was over, so I am surprised by these Spring-type storms rather than the quick Summer variety.

Have a great day, Susan, and thanks so much for dropping by!
--BJ

You ride a bicycle in your pool?!

Maybe you can explain to us, Susan. Is it like water aerobics, where you have a floating vest?
--BJ

53. Memories of Anne Frank: Reflections of a Childhood Friend by Alison Leslie Gold. Here are the recollections of Anne's best friend Hannali. I found the book to be quite moving. This was written for young adult.
--BJ

#256: I will look for that one. Thanks for the recommendation, BJ.

About time for a new thread?

LOL. i have a slightly deflated full body raft. I stand in front of it so together we form a lower case 't'. I scrunch up the raft and hook my elbows over it. Then I start 'bicyling' -- no real bike. Once I had my balance and was feeling secure with it, I added the book :)

Note: My method for reading while riding double on a motorcycle si quite different.

Hi, Stasia and Susan!
Stasia, I am hoping to wait until the end of the month for a new thread!

Susan, you have cornered the market on ways to read while doing other activities. I like the bicycling idea. I just swim laps. But I enjoy it much more than the elliptical. I really must become reacquainted with that machine!
--BJ

54. Sabriel by Garth Nix. I read this book with the group read of the Abhorsen Trilogy. I could not put this book down. It was terrific. Since I finished ahead of schedule, I won't give specifics. It is a young adult fantasy trilogy.
--BJ

BJ, you can go to the spoiler thread and talk about it up to the end of the current point, though. I outlined the plot--until Tuesday, we are up to the point where they are on the boat for the capitol. I'm only able to stick to the schedule because I've read it a couple times before!

#261: I'm only able to stick to the schedule because I've read it a couple times before!

I am only able to stick to the schedule because I have so many other books to read in the meantime! I understand your sentiment completely, Roni.

Good point, Roni! I will do that.

Stasia, you are the best at juggling books that I have ever seen.

By the way, Happy Father's Day to all dads out there!!!
--BJ

55. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling. I finally, finally read this book, and I thought it was a great read. Don't know why I took so long to join the rest of the planet.
--BJ

Yay! Another Harry Potter fan. I didn't start reading them until the third or fourth book came out, but then I was hooked. I hope you enjoy the rest of them.

Ummm I haven't even started reading any Harry Potter books yet. Afriad I may enjoy them and have the get them. My poor over stuffed shelves will hate me.

Hi, Carly and Jacx!
The Harry Potter phenomenon cannot be denied. :) I am glad that I finally decided to read them.

Now in addition to the College World Series, Wimbledon is starting!
--BJ

Friends had to twist my arm to read the Harry Potter books but I'm so glad I did. I don't think there will be anything like them again. I can't wait until my kids are old enough to read them. I've got a while to wait though. :)

Julie

Hi, Julie!
I am glad that you liked them, too. I haven't met anyone yet who doesn't like them.
--BJ

re: HP. I enjoyed them the first time through, read a couple twice. Before the last film's release I decided to re-read the series... couldn't even make it half-way through book 1. It seemed stupid, poorly written, etc etc. And I like HP! Bizarre.

Well, I probably have a reputation as a contrarian on 75, but on this one I'll agree with suslyn. I started the first one and was bored, tried to continue on and didn't make it to the halfway mark. This was years ago, so I can't give you details about what I didn't like. But I was sad to see that I didn't get what people were so excited about. I'm very glad that the series had kids reading, though. I loved it when the kids would line up at the neighborhood B&N at 11:00 at night, waiting for midnight and the newest release.

Tylan was born in '97, the year the first one came out. So I bought all of the Harry Potter books 1st editon in anticipation of him being able to read them. He does not like reading! How I ended up with a child who doesn't like to read is beyond me. So the books are mine and I've only read the first one. Oh and I use them to threaten Ty when he doesn't meet his required points for accelerated reading during the school year.

Hi, Susan, Becky and Tammy!
I can see that the first book is definitely written for children, and I could see being bored with it. My comment to my girls was that there was a lot of world building in it. That was almost the whole book. It was the setup for the series. However, I did like it anyway. It was a quick, fun read. I had seen the movie and the complaint I had about the movie was all the world building. I thought the book would be different, but it was just the same! But I hear that the books build in complexity as you read along, so I am thinking that I will like them, too. But I have never been one to read an entire series when the next book or movie comes out. By the way, when will the movie come out? I thought it was coming out last Christmas!

56. A Separate Country by Robert Hicks. I read this book for the Highly Rated Book Group. I took a little while to read this because the first half of the book was kind of slow and pretty grim. But the second half was much better, moved along at a clip and held my interest. It is the story of a Confederacy General and his society wife that are trying to move beyond what they have been and toward redemption.

One of these days, your non-reader might decide he likes to read, Tammy. It is so hard these days to compete with the computer and the video games and all the activities.

Thanks for stopping by everyone!
--BJ

BJ, are you heading Texas way any time soon?

BJ- Are you doing the Group Read with us? It's starts Thursday. Hope so!

Hi, Stasia and Mark!
Stasia, I don't know when I will next be heading to Texas. We have traveled kind of a lot the last year and have been trying to cut down on it. I will let you know if something changes. I might travel down there later in the summer.

Mark, I definitely want to join in on the group read. I will be ready on Thursday. I love that book!
--BJ

OK, just curious :)

57. A Glory of Unicorns compiled and edited by Bruce Coville. This is a collection of short stories for children (including one poem) about unicorns. They are not all sweet, happy stories, but I did enjoy it.

Stasia, I do love going to Texas. It makes me happy. :)
--BJ

Here is my new thread:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/94180#2062074

Hope to see you there!
--BJ