Coppers' (Joanne's) 2010 Reading Chapter 2

Thread #1 http://www.librarything.com/topic/80948

I thought this would be a good time to start a new thread.

My year so far:
January
1. The Frozen Thames by Helen Humphreys
2. You Were Always Mom's Favorite by Deborah Tannen (audio)
3. The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney
4. Coventry by Helen Humphreys
5. The Wordy Shipmates by Sarah Vowell (audio)
6. Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann
7. Noah's Compass by Anne Tyler

February
8. Murder with Puffins by Donna Andrews
9. A Good Fall by Ha Jin
10. Thereby Hangs A Tail by Spencer Quinn
11. Looking Back: A Book of Memories by Lois Lowry
12. Revenge of the Wrought Iron Flamingos by Donna Andrews
13. American on Purpose by Craig Ferguson (audio)
14. Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
15. One Amazing Thing by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
16 The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
17. We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
18. Why Manners Matter: The Case for Civilized Behavior in a Barbarous World by Lucinda Holdforth
19. Horns by Joe Hill

March
20. Making Toast by Roger Rosenblatt
21. The Patience Stone by Atiq Rahimi
22. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry (audio)
23. The Fur Person by May Sarton
24. Maus I by Art Spiegelman
25. The Various Haunts of Men by Susan Hill

April
26. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
27. Maus II by Art Spiegelman
28. Tinkers by Paul Harding
29. Mrs. Somebody Somebody by Tracy Winn
30. Skellig by David Almond
31. Whiter Than Snow by Sandra Dallas
32. Keeper by Kathi Appelt
33. The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny (audio)

May
34. The Sleeping and the Dead by Ann Cleeves
35. The Twin by Gerbrand Bakker
36. The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande (audio)
37. Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok
38. Translation is a Love Affair by Jacques Poulin
39. Where the Bluebird Sings to the Lemonade Springs by Wallace Stegner

June
40. The Last Child by John Hart
41. The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman
42. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Future by Michael J. Fox (audio)
43. Life Among the Savages by Shirley Jackson
44. A Test of Wills by Charles Todd

Congrats on Chapter 2! I'll be following along.

I was wondering if anyone would find me - thanks Anne!

Welcome to the multi-thread club!

I've got the new Susan Hill mystery on my TBR stack, just waiting for me -- The Shadows in the Streets. And I MUST read The Fur Person, since I have several of them chez moi...

27. Maus II: And Here My Troubles Began by Art Spiegelman



A continuation of Maus I and just as good. An interesting look at how Auschwitz influenced both the survivors and the subsequent generation.

#6: I agree - Maus I and Maus II were both very good. I am glad that you liked them, Joanne.

Hi Stasia - Yay me! :) Thanks!

Hi Suzanne - If you have cats you will love The Fur Person. I don't know how I missed it for so long. Oh and a new Susan Hill - lucky you!!

I just got back from seeing one of my favorite authors - Sandra Dallas. She is a Denver local with a new book so she is doing several talks/readings in the area. It was a lot of fun and she signed three of my books for me. I'm always so happy when I go to see an author and then wonder why I don't do it more often. Message to self: Try harder!

{/lurk}

Howdy do, Miss Joanne.

{lurk}

Howdy do to you too, Mr Richard.

Hi Joanne- Congrats on Thread 2!! I'll have to pick up Maus I soon. I started Tallgrass a couple weeks ago but there was something wrong with the audio I downloaded, so I'll have to try again. It's great you got to meet her!

Gotcha starred again, Joanne. My goodness, you people stay up late or, in Mark's case, get up early. If I'm up late, it's usually because I am lost in a good book!

I saw where you had added the newest Sandra Dallas book. I'll be interested in your comments. She's one of those authors that don't quite make my favorites' list, yet I've enjoyed her books as good, dependable reads.

27 books read already?! Way to go!

Hi Donna and Mark, Well remember, I'm actually 2 hrs behind LT time. It's the east coasters that are on remarkably late sometimes! Sandra Dallas has yet (!) to disappoint me and I have loved all her books. They aren't going to be great prize winners, just dependable comfort reads. I appreciate that. And since she lives in Denver, she has an occasional byline in the local paper and so they are interesting to read.

Thanks Andrea, but some were audio books and some were pretty short (only 100 pages or so). Still, I'm pretty surprised myself! :)

I have Tallgrass somewhere around my house. I guess I need to get it read :)

I read Tallgrass last year and really liked it. I have read a few books about Japanese Americans, Tallgrass and Snow Falling On Cedars by David Guterson are the 2 I liked the best.

Starred!

Audio books still count :)

tjblue - Snow Falling on Cedars was excellent, it's a shame the movie didn't live up to the book. Then again, it rarely does!

I know, Andrea, but sometimes it feels a little like cheating though! :)

Tallgrass and Snow Falling on Cedars were both good. I also liked When the Emperor was Divine.

I liked getting the different viewpoints and perspectives. We didn't hear too much about Japanese internment camps in my high school US History class.

Loved Snow Falling on Cedars; haven't read anything else about the Japanese internment camps.

Joy Kogawa's book Obasan is a great story about the Canadian equivalent.

I remember seeing a YA title that had the name of one of the camps, Manzanar, in the title.

>21 Chatterbox: Farewell to Manzanar by Jeanne Wakatsuki

Hi Suzanne and mamzel - Two new books to add to the list - thanks!

I was able to request Obasan from the library so I'll try that one first. I seem to have developed an affinity for Canadian authors.

>23 Copperskye: I seem to have developed an affinity for Canadian authors.

Me too! There are so many great ones to pick from too. Joseph Boyden, Wayne Johnston, Louise Penny, Alice Munro, Margaret Atwood, Michael Ondaatjie, the list goes on and on. I'm going to look for Obasan too.

You could also check out Margaret Laurence, who is a classic Canadian writer. For Quebecois fiction, the classic is Maria Chapdelaine by Louis Hemon. And don't forget Mordecai Richler, who wrote wickedly funny novels about the Montreal of the 50s and 60s -- The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz is one. Steven Galloway, author of The Cellist of Sarajevo, is Canadian, and has other books published. Marina Endicott's new novel is about to be released here, and then there is Katherine Govier, who wrote Fables of Brunswick Avenue, a v. good short story collection, as well as other good novels. There is the late, great Robertson Davies. Timothy Findley has written excellent books, like The Wars. There are what I think of as 'new Canadian' writers, like Rawi Hage and Rohinton Mistry. Jane Urquhart has written some great fiction; another classic Quebecois writer is Gabrielle Roy. There is Happiness by Will Ferguson.

Just to expand the list a bit more... :-)

I'm a fan of Mary Lawson. As far as I know, she's only written two books, but I loved them both: Crow Lake and The Other Side of the Bridge.

I'm big on Paul Quarrington...Whale Music was a laugh riot! Andy Juniper is good, too. St. Urbain's Horseman was a Richler novel I particularly enjoyed. He was a species of Peter DeVries's branch of caustically funny guys...Pierre Berton too.

Thanks (I think!) for all the recommendations you guys. I think I have a Jane Urquhart - Away - around the house. And I have read Crow Lake and loved it.

28. Tinkers by Paul Harding


I wish I had the eloquence to express how much I loved this book. George Washington Crosby, a teacher turned repairer of clocks, lies on his death bed remembering his father. We then learn about Howard Crosby, a tinker who suffered from epilepsy, and then about his father. The writing is gorgeous. This will be one of my top books of the year.

And such an unlikely pick for this year’s Pulitzer – a debut novel published by a small press. I love it!

Did you hear this NPR piece about Tinkers?

http://ow.ly/1zEIl

I read Tinkers quite a while ago based on a rec from a Powell's bookseller/friend rec. He told me to read it one day when I asked on Facebook what I should read next!

#28: I already have Tinkers in the BlackHole. I wonder if my local library will have it any time soon . . .

Hi Nancy! I did hear that interview on NPR this morning. Interesting to hear that Harding didn't know he won until he checked the website and then kept hitting refresh because he didn't believe it. You didn't say - did you like the book?

Hi Stasia! I was able to get Tinkers off the shelf at the library (and did so many times over the last 7-8 months) but now there is a hold list. I'm glad I finally read it. Enjoy!

#31: My local library seems to be at least 1-2 years behind on the new release front, so I figure maybe next year they will have Tinkers if they get it in at all. I put the book on my PBS wish list - I have higher hopes of getting it there than I do of getting it at the library :)

I have Tinkers on hold at the library. Joanne, I too wish I had more eloquence to relate how certain books touch my soul. I think the best we can do is be honest in our comments and recommendations. You have not led me astray yet and I appreciate your reviews.

Add me to the list. I reserved it last week and when I return (I'm at my son's in NC) I hope it's waiting for me.

I'm in the same boat as Stasia. My very large library system, also does not have the book yet. Hopefully we will get it sooner than 1-2 years. :)

I'm not able to obtain Tinkers from either of my two local libraries. I'll keep trying! It sounds wonderful!

Winning the Pulitzer should be just the nudge needed to get them to order it. And hopefully sooner than 2 years!

I always thought my two library systems were excellent (and they really are) until I joined LT. Now I’m so surprised when they don’t have what I’m looking for. Not having all the books in a series is particularily irksome.

Bonnie - Have fun with your son in NC!

29. Mrs Somebody Somebody by Tracy Winn



“Lucy Mattsen was nobody – like all the women I worked with – until the day the baby fell out the window”.

Thus begins Tracy Winns’ Mrs. Somebody Somebody, a series of interconnected stories which begin in 1947 and are centered on the mill town of Lowell, MA. Characters from one story, like people meeting on the street or on the job, turn up in a different story, sometimes in surprising ways. The individual voices were strong and it was interesting to see the decades-long changes in Lowell through the mill workers, mill owners and townspeople.

My two favorites in the collection were the first, Mrs. Somebody Somebody and the last, Luck Be a Lady. Sandwiched in between were mostly good stories – only one I felt was a little weak. But regardless, the book is meant to be read as a whole and, taken all together, this is a smart and perceptive read and very entertaining. I highly recommend it, especially for fans of historical fiction. I don’t often reread books, but just to be sure I picked up on all the connections, I am setting this one aside to reread. And just maybe I can figure out the shoes.

Joanne

Laytonoman3rd (Linda) recommended this book. It is on my tbr pile. Thanks for your excellent review.

#38: Already in the BlackHole and unfortunately, one my local library does not have. *sigh*

Just a reminder to those who have long waits at your library for Tinkers. If you don't want to wait, it is a nice little paperback, not hardcover, so it is a great value if you decide to purchase instead.

>37 Copperskye: I’m so surprised when they don’t have what I’m looking for
See if they have a place to give book suggestions. They might buy a book if they know someone wants to read it.

>42 mamzel: They might buy a book if they know someone wants to read it.

That's true. My library finally bought Wolf Hall after a lot of pestering from me :)

I've already got Mrs. Somebody Somebody on my pile Joanne but thanks for the great review which is making me bump it up.

Hi Nancy! Always the bookseller! ;) I may buy myself a copy.

My library has an online form to request purchases but it looks like they'll try to get it through an interlibrary loan before they'll just buy something. I like to use "but they don't have it at the library" as my handy excuse (to myself and others) to buy a book I really want.

Last summer, my son ordered up a book through interlibrary loan. It was a mass market paperback with a note attached saying they would bill him $50 if the book was lost or damaged. He turned around and dropped it back in the return bin.

My brother just randomly sent me the following, probably because we are readers. I thought it was interesting.

A lot of the people who read a bestselling novel, for example, do not read much other fiction. By contrast, the audience for an obscure novel is largely composed of people who read a lot. That means the least popular books are judged by people who have the highest standards, while the most popular are judged by people who literally do not know any better. An American who read just one book this year was disproportionately likely to have read ‘The Lost Symbol’, by Dan Brown. He almost certainly liked it.

— The Economist

For the record, I have never read Dan Brown, and not because I know anything good or bad about his books, it's just that his topics never really appealed to me.

Are you Jeffco? According to a librarian, requesting that books be acquired takes forever. They usually steer you toward an interlibrary loan just so you can get your book faster. I wonder which library sent your son's book. I was a bit daunted the first time I requested a prospector loan, but I've used that system dozens of times since. It's great for school reading!

Interesting quote! Certainly something to think about.

Hi Anne. Arapahoe. I do use the Prospector system quite a lot (and my son does too, mostly for music - he was just shocked that they'd charge him that much for a cheap paperback). There are more restrictions and sometimes it seems to take forever for the book to be delivered. (But then sometimes they come down from Ft Collins!)

But I have never asked that they purchase anything for me. I guess I'd feel like I'd have to justify it but I'm sure that's not the case.

I lost you somewhere in Chapter 1 but can see I'm going to have to go back and find it! I have Let the Great World Spin, Fingersmith and The Patience Stone all here waiting to be read.

Thanks for the review of Tinkers - I had heard that it won the Pulitzer but didn't know anything about it.

>44 Copperskye:: Thank you for posting that interesting quote from The Economist, Joanne. I worked briefly as a bookseller in the 90's and thought it odd that the person training me had such a "snobbish" attitude about Best Sellers. The short version is that she didn't read them because if they appealed to "the masses," they probably wouldn't appeal to her. After months of the domination of various incarnations of Twilight and Wimpy Kids books I'm beginning to adopt her philosophy!

Interesting conversation. I have never read Dan Brown either, for the same reason you give Joanne.

I was a bookseller for 20 years. Once in while, booksellers can make bestsellers by lots handselling... Those are worth reading. :)

Have I bugged you about Stoner yet? Remind me if I have or if you have already read it. Love that book.

>44 Copperskye: That quote just sums up how I've felt for years. People always have the same response when they ask we what I'm reading: "I've never heard of it." Of course you haven't. It's not a best seller.

Before the internet and online book stores (and wayyyy before LT) I used to go into Media Play and soak up the titles looking for the obscure ones that I might like by reading the first couple of pages. I knew what I wanted But I had to really work hard to find it. So much easier now.

If you don't mind, I might steal that quote.

Hi Cushla - Thanks for stopping by! You've got three great books waiting. The Patience Stone was interesting and I'll be curious about your reaction.

Hi Donna - Oh I know and I feel the same way sometimes.

Hi Nancy - Yes, we talked about Stoner a while ago and I have it on my shelf now. I just need to read it - thanks for the reminder.

Hi Bonnie - Have away - it's not mine anyway! I wonder about the people who don't read much - is it because they are only reading the so-so books that are popular and missing all the wonderful, obscure books that are out there? Not that there aren't wonderful popular books but you know what I mean. More crappy books = less reading?

Joanne, Thanks for the great quote! I try to stay away from books that are hyped to the hilt. Since joining LT in 2008, I've read so many obscure and very interesting books.

Hi Linda! - I don't mind reading hyped books if they are good books. Like you, I really do appreciate LT for helping me find some wonderful, albeit obscure, reads!

#51: Joanne, I read Stoner several years ago and really enjoyed it. I hope you do too.

>51 Copperskye:: I like your short version of the quote from The Economist:

"More crappy books = less reading?"

Now that one I can remember and use sometime when I'm in the right company!

ETA: With your permission, of course. :-)

>51 Copperskye: More crappy books = less reading?

Absolutely! Many, many years ago we knew this potato farmer. He claimed that he knew people who told him that they didn't like potatoes. He claimed that they were not eating the "good" potatoes (his!). If they had good potatoes, they'd love them. I think he was right and I think that applies to books and many other things in life as well.

I tried to read Dan Brown. Three times. After concluding I'd rather undergo a root canal than read it, the book is now in my PBS/BookMooch stack, to give away... I have never tried the Twilight saga -- just zero interest.

I agree that the more hyped a book is, the more wary I become. Sometimes that backfires -- but sometimes it's the right strategy!

Stasia - I know I need to read it soon!
Donna - Have at it!
Bonnie - I think you and the potato farmer are both right.
Suzanne - LOL! Yikes - three times? But you can't say you didn't try.

*blushing* I **LOVED** The Da Vinci Code and almost loved Angels and Demons. It was before they were hyped, or I wouldn't have read them. I remember nearly missing my bus stop when I was reading the DVC. Just hit the red cross next to my thread now...;)

Nothing to be ashamed of -- we're allowed to read any and all kinds of books! I also enjoyed The Da Vinci Code, and last year, to my chagrin, I became hooked on the Twilight series and had to read them all. I think of the Twilight books as literary popcorn, or my personal junky candy weakness: Hot Tamales.

Everyone has their own 'brain candy' books, as I call them, I daresay. No apologies needed by anybody.

(I have tons of BC books: Nora Roberts (gasp!), Christine Feehan, Nancy Atherton. . . the list goes on and on, lol)

I've got 'em too. Just not with Dan Brown or Stephenie Meyers (or whatever her name is) on the list.
I'll read Nora Roberts thrillers but NOT the romances (can't keep a straight face), James Patterson on plane rides, a lot of sentimental faves that are HF or even historical romance, like Constance Heaven or Jane Aiken Hodge. Literary content nearly zilch, but familiar stories that demand nothing of my brain whatsoever. I also love Elizabeth Pewsey's "Mountjoy" series, Michael Gilbert, and some better known mystery & thriller writers like Val McDermid.

I love Elizabeth Pewsey's Mountjoy books too.

Canadian writers: I particularly like Margaret Laurence and Alice Munro of those mentioned. I bought several Mordecai Richler when we visited Canada (Toronto and Montreal) a few years ago, still have to read them. I also like Mavis Gallant and want to read Carol Shields' work.

Hi everybody, I've been gone for a few days and have a lot of catching up to do!

Cushla, Anne, Stasia and Suzanne - I admit to having Twilight on my shelf!! I haven't read it yet though. everybody needs some snack books!

elkiedee - More Canadian authors to look up, thank you! I love Carol Shields' (as well as Alice Munro's) work. The Stone Diaries is wonderful if you're looking for a good one to start on.

30. Skellig by David Almond



Interesting YA book and a fast worthwhile read.

It took me about 1/2 hour to post the picture, yay me (I think). I need a strawberry shortcake break now!

Joanne

Congratulations on learning to post the covers. Tad was very helpful and kind when I was learning.

Enjoy your shortcake break -- you deserve it.

I'm glad you liked Skellig

Ummm strawberry shortcake!! Since Skellig is a fast worthwhile read did it take you longer to post the picture than to read the book? LOL. Anyway, good job.

Joanne, I listened to Skellig on my recent week end trip. It's a story that will stay with me. At the end of the book was a story written in the voice of Mina before she met Michael and part of the opera based on the book.

Your cover is a nice touch. It is kind of a pain to do, though, until you get used to it. I only post covers of 4.5 and 5-star books, but I find that if I'm at all ambivalent about a rating, I go with the 4 stars so I don't have to do all that hard work!

Has your snow melted?

Hi Linda, As I walked to the kitchen, I was thinking it's really not shortcake I was having but angelfood cake. And that seems rather fitting in relation to Skellig! I used Tad's html thread to walk me through the picture post. He's a good explainer!

Hi Bonnie - Almost, or it seemed like that anyway! :)I'm not very good at that html stuff...

Hi Donna, I bet it would be a good book to listen to. And I'm hoping just posting the first pic would be the hardest...we'll see! Last week's snow has melted as well as the dusting we got last night (fierce short storm last night, I was driving home from band volunteer duty and practically had white out conditions). I have a friend who lives in Monument and they got over a foot on Friday, but it melts fast this time of year!

31. Whiter Than Snow by Sandra Dallas



I love Sandra Dallas's books (I've read them all) and although this one won't be my new favorite, it was still a satisfying story with interesting characters and I enjoyed reading it.

#70: Adding that one to the BlackHole. Thanks for the recommendation, Joanne.

Congratulations on learning to post the book covers!

Hmmm I've never read anything by Sandra Dallas. Where would be a good place to start Joanne?

Wow, just reading this thread I have added 3 books to my wishlist. Yikes. Looking forward to reading Tinkers. I try to read each year's PP winner for fiction.

Hi Joanne- Somehow I lost your thread! Very strange but I'm back on it now! Still waiting to try Sandra Dallas. I have to get back to Tallgrass.
I'm loving Tinkers! It's going to be another gem!
I will not lose you again!

Well...look at you...you posted another cover. Truly, the more often you do this, the easier it gets.

Regarding Sandra Dallas, I read Prayers for Sale last year.

I've read two by Sandra Dallas: The Persian Pickle Club and The Chili Queen. Both good, easy reads. Very engaging. I probably liked Pickle Club better of the two.

>73 PetHairMagnet: - Hi PetHairMagnet! Thanks for stopping in and welcome to LT! Tinkers is wonderful - I hope you enjoy it!

Sandra Dallas' books are pretty much comfort reads for me and so I just really appreciate them.

>72 brenzi: - Bonnie, since you asked, my personal favorite is The Diary of Mattie Spenser which is a story told in a series of journal entries. Not everybody likes that style but I do. I also really loved Tallgrass for the historical aspect of the Japanese camp in Colorado during WWII. And I liked Pickle Club, too.

>74 msf59: - msf59??? Do I know you? :) Thanks for finding me again and welcome back!

32. Keeper by Kathi Appelt



This is the book cover that prompted me, finally, to work at posting covers. I love the cover on this book - the girl and her dog on the red boat, the mermaid and fish, and the seagull seemingly holding them close under a protective wing. I'd love a poster of it.

Oh yeah, I really loved the story, too! I posted a review on the book page and I wasn't going to repeat it here but now the touchstones won't point to the correct book, so:

On the night of a blue moon, ten-year-old Keeper sets out to fix a day that should have been perfect but instead went terribly wrong. Set on a sleepy strip of beach on the Texas coast, Keeper is a charming story for younger readers. It is full of magic and mermaids and likable characters, including a couple of dogs, a mysterious cat and a seagull with a heart. It's a book that older elementary school kids will want to read "just one more chapter" on past their bedtime; there is just the right amount of tension to keep the pages turning. It is a lesson in love and families and the consequences of the choices we make in life.

My only complaint is a line on page 205 which states that one of the main characters "would smoke her cigarette, the one she allowed herself each night, even though she knew it was bad for her". Really?? It was a line that was unnecessary in a book for fourth or fifth graders. It added nothing to the plot or the character and removing it would have been the wiser course. I'm hoping it didn't make the final cut. If not, a discussion about cigarette usage, no matter how limited, may be warranted.

Other than that, Kathi Appelt's Keeper is a charming book that I truly enjoyed. In fact, I loved it. The copy I read was an arc kindly sent from Simon & Schuster. The release date is May 18. Physically, the arc, at least, was a satisfyingly chunky book, thick and slightly smaller than a trade paperback and, oddly, it just felt good to hold. The book also contains some illustrations and the cover art, especially, is lovely.

#78: Have you read Appelt's The Underneath, Joanne? If not, please do. It is terrific!

I already have Keeper in the BlackHole. I cannot wait to get my hands on it.

Joanne- Keeper sounds good! Nice review! The cover art reminds me of Life of Pi.

>78 Copperskye:: was a satisfyingly chunky book, thick and slightly smaller than a trade paperback

That's a size I love, also. Some of Archipelago's books are like that and I always find them a physical pleasure. Mass market paperbacks always seem a little small and trade paperbacks a slight bit unwieldy.

>78 Copperskye:: Keeper sounds like a keeper, Joanne. I also love the cover; let's hope it doesn't change for the "real" book when it's released. I've seen that happen much too often. Oh yes, I agree with you on the cigarette reference. So not necessary in a children's book. Btw, I had to scroll down pretty far in the "others" list to find the correct touchstone.

>81 TadAD: Mass market paperbacks always seem a little small and trade paperbacks a slight bit unwieldy.

I personally can't stand mass market paperbacks; everything about them is too small, including the print (for an old person whose arms aren't long enough);-)

>78 Copperskye: Thumb on the review Joanne. Sounds like a wonderful book but that cigarette bit would be hard to explain away to 4th or 5th graders. The ones I know would be appalled.

About the cigarette line - was the character an adult? If not, then it really didn't have a place in the book. If the character was an adult, adults do bad things all the time and kids know it and expect it, even 4th and 5th graders. Adults drink alcohol, eat fattening foods, and in many books, beat children, kill people, use illegal drugs, steal, lie, etc. ad nauseum. That the character knew that it was bad for her was a rare concession and added to her character, IMHO. Not many (if any at all) of the adults who do bad things in kids' books admit to their wrong doing.

>79 alcottacre: I haven't yet, Stasia, but plan to.
>80 msf59: Hi Mark - I agree!
>81 TadAD: Tad - I have never heard of Archipelago Books before. As it happens, I ordered a book from the library today and one of my options was a copy printed by them. I need to check to see which one I put on hold. It may be the better choice - thanks!
>82 Donna828: I scrolled down and found it and then they froze!
>83 brenzi: Thanks for the thumb Bonnie! And I can rarely deal with a mm paperback. The print is way to small and close together for me.

>84 mamzel: Hi mamzel - I know, and yes, it was the female adult protagonist - the mother figure in the book and I guess that’s why it bothered me. Had it been any of the other adults in the story I probably wouldn’t have cared. I don’t mean to sound like I’m so rigid and judgmental on these real life issues because I’m really not. I don’t want to give too much away, so suffice it to say I thought there are lots of other issues to discuss in this story without throwing that one into the mix. :)

33. The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny



I love this series. A Rule Against Murder remains my favorite Inspector Gamache Mystery. With the first four books, I liked the next more than the one that preceded it. The Brutal Telling was good, but I missed hearing a Surete or a Gamache side story. I liked the new Agent Moran and hope to see him again. The new owners of the Hadley house are refreshing and the scene where the horse van pulled up to the house had me misty eyed. I loved those horses and any scene with them in it. Hopefully, these new characters are set up now for a recurring role. And I like getting an education along with my mysteries and this one had me googling Emily Carr (wow!) and the Queen Charlotte Islands of which I am woefully ignorant. Ah, woe…***But there is peril in that dreamy, I want-to-go-to-there quality that is Three Pines.***

A bunch of us are loading up a bus heading for Three Pines. Want to come along, Joanne? :)

>87 Copperskye:: With the first four books, I liked the next more than the one that preceded it.

Yeah, that about sums it up. I'm trying to save A Brutal Telling for vacation. We'll see if I manage.

I'm trying to stretch out the series Joanne. Is this the last one?

I'm packed and ready, Stasia!

Tad - Good luck. It's getting to be almost time for me to start picking my vacation books, too.

Hi Bonnie - Yes, but I think the next book is scheduled for a September release. Not too long.

>90 brenzi:, 91 Sadly, folks, there will be no sixth Three Pines book. It has been canceled.

No, no, no...don't believe it.

But I understand your point, Richard, having just finished The Brutal Telling.

Tad

Here are your choices...
a) Head with us on the bus to Three Pines..or
b) Go to Ireland

Go to Ireland Tad. My sister is going in May and I'm very jealous.

#92: What?! I had it pre-ordered on Amazon since I heard of its coming.

>94 Whisper1:: Linda, I'll go to Ireland, then get a return flight to Montreal instead of Newark and drive over...

>95 Copperskye:: Joanne, when is she going? We're going May 13-23. Tell her if she sees four people who don't seem to be able to pass a pub with stopping for "a pee and pint", that would be our little gang...

Just jumping into the middle of a conversation here - My family went to Ireland in 2006. Would go back in a second. For those of you who are going, where is your trip taking you? Of course Dublin is a must, but also loved Cork and Killarney area - we rented a cottage there and took day trips. The Dingle Pen. is fabulous.

>98 alphaorder:: We're flying into Dublin and out of Shannon with the in-between a loop down through Waterford and Cork, to Killarney for a couple days doing the Ring of Kerry and Dingle, then up toward Galway where we may go out to the Aran Islands on a day trip or not. :-)

It's very unstructured—we have hotels at the endpoints but are just going to do bed-and-breakfasts as the whim takes us. If we like an area, we may stay and skip something else. If it's not holding our attention, we'll move on. Other than only having 10 days, it's my favorite way to travel.

>98 alphaorder:: PS - Is there any specific recommendations you'd make in the way of "eat here" or "go see this thing which is often bypassed"? It's always fun to have those kinds of things. LTers clued me in to a couple great spots for a trip to London last year that I would have missed (I loved Cafe Below for those who recommended it!...thanks).

Looks like a very similar trip. I will consult with my sister and husband this weekend and see what we can remember. Lots of great places, that is for sure.

One thing I do remember is the market at Cork - a must. There is a great restaurant there too where we had a fabulous breakfast - all fresh food.

Won't matter so much to you - but our last night we found a pub called Paddy Quinn's pub. That was esp fun for us, because my brother-in-law is Pat Quinn.

Will get back to you - I will post on your profile page so we don't usurp Joanne's page.

>97 TadAD: Tad - They're leaving on the 15th and returning on the 25th or 26th. I don't know exactly where they are planning to be but I know they'll be spending a lot of time in Dublin and around Skerries because that's where our Dad is from and she's been doing some research.

Hi, Joanne!
I finally caught up on your thread. I also loved the scene about the horses arriving in The Brutal Telling. It was my first Three Pines book, and I just loved it. Hope you have a nice weekend!
--BJ

>102 Copperskye:: We shall probably pass them unknowingly in the streets. :-)

>103 billiejean: - Good Morning BJ! If you decide to read more of Three Pines, try to read them in order, starting with Still Life. They're a lot of fun and maybe you'll decide to hop on the bus with us. Thanks for dropping over - come back soon!

>104 TadAD: - Or sit next to them in a pub. Have a wonderful time!

34. The Sleeping and the Dead by Ann Cleeves



A stand-alone murder mystery by the author of the Shetland Island mystery series. This was a great mystery with interesting characters and lots of twists that kept me guessing right up to the end. I don't understand why this author isn't more popular! I'll be searching for more of her books while I wait for the last book in the Shetland quartet. 4 stars.

#106: I read Cleeves' A Day in the Death of Dorothea Cassidy last year, Joanne. You might give that one a try. It is OK, nothing to write home about though. My local library is limited with choices from Cleeves - it has exactly 2.

Hi Stasia, She has a couple of series that have gotten some good reviews. My library has the Shetland Island series and that's about it. I'll need to check on the state-wide system or buy them.

My local library does not have any of the Shetland Island series, just a couple of books in her Stephen Ramsay series.

Just thought I'd wish everyone a Happy Mother's Day, so "Happy Mother's Day" to all you wonderful Moms out there! Enjoy your day!

Thanks Joanne and the same to you. So my library has the Shetland sereis (all of them) but nothing else by Cleeves. Do yo rate this series as highly as Three Pines? I mean there are only so many places i can move to;-)

Happy Mother's Day to you as well, Joanne!

Happy Mother's Day! Joanne, hope you have a great day! I added The Sleeping and The Dead to my list.

Happy Mother's Day, Joanne! Hope it's a wonderful day for you!

Hi Bonnie - I like the Cleeves' series almost as much as Three Pines. I can almost guarantee, however, that you won't want to move to Shetland. :)

Hi Tammy - Hope you like it!

Thanks Mark!

Joanne.

"I like the Cleeves' series almost as much as Three Pines."

That is a very high recommendation.

::meekly waving arm:: What is this Three Pines series everyone seems to enjoy so much?

#117: The series was written by Louise Penny and starts with Still Life. It is a terrific mystery series. Give it a try - I bet you will want to move to Three Pines right along with the rest of us before too long!

>117 PetHairMagnet: PHM, it's very true what Stasia says in #118...it's addictive reading for the susceptible consumer, and I am one of them. It makes me all the sadder that her proposed sixth book will not be coming out.

What do you mean "won't be coming out"? Ever??

>120 brenzi: Sadly, Bonnie, the book will not come out. Ever. It can't. I've voodoo-dolled Louise Penny after the events in The Brutal Telling. Bad, bad things are happening right now. Bad. Barely sub-fatal. Much pain and suffering involved.

Let this be a warning to all authors...don't mess with the fat man....

PetHairMagnet – I believe Richard has very kindly illustrated just how appealing we find the Three Pines books and how invested we get in Penny’s characters and her marvelous sense of imagined place. We’re planning a meet-up in Three Pines as soon as we locate it on a map. And you don’t have to be a big fan of mysteries to enjoy the series. But if you do decide to read one, start with Still Life as they are best enjoyed in order (do not, under any circumstances, start with The Brutal Telling).

Richard – LOL! As a Three Pines fan, thanks for doing that. Now please unpin (depin?, unstick?, unhand?) Ms Penny and be nice – she’s sort of in charge… ;-)

I just wanted to recommend a wonderful PBS program I just watched, an episode of American Experience called "Into the Deep: America, Whaling and the World". Anyone who's read Moby Dick or In the Heart of the Sea or just enjoys learning about the whaling era would enjoy it.

#123: Cool! Thanks for the recommendation, Joanne. I wonder if it is available on Netflix? I will pass the recommendation along to the Moby Dick readers.

ETA: I checked Netflix and the show is not available through that source.

Joanne

A friend told me about the PS series and she raved about it. She particularly enjoyed the Civil War episode.

>123 Copperskye: It won't be on DVD until this fall.

Thanks Richard. That's not surprising since it's a 2010 production. It will probably be repeated sometime on local PBS stations, though.

35. The Twin by Gerbrand Bakker



Helmer is a reluctant farmer.

As a young man, Helmer heads off to college while his twin brother, Henk, works at home and plans to eventually take over the family farm. But Henk dies tragically and Helmer is forced to return home. And this is where he has stayed, living out his bleak, lonely life - perfectly matched to the flat Dutch countryside.

Now in his fifties, Helmer cares for the farm and his ailing father, with whom he has never gotten along. As their relationship further sours and as his father’s health deteriorates, his brother’s fiancé contacts him to ask if her troubled son can come and work with him.

Feelings of anger, loss, and longing permeate the narrative from page one and yet it is written and translated (from the Dutch) with a light, almost humorous touch. Altogether, The Twin is a beautifully written, marvelously spare, and ultimately uplifting book.

eta - Sorry but I can't seem to get the correct touchstone to stick around.

#128: Darryl sent me that one and I really must get it read! Thanks for the reminder, Joanne.

Hi Joanne- Good review! I will add this to my list! It reminds me a little bit of Plainsong for some reason.

Another good review, Joanne. I've been wanting to read this one, but my library doesn't have it. They are very happy to do ILLs, but for some reason, I am hesitant to ask unless it's a dire emergency -- especially since I know how much it costs them. I'm going to a book sale in Kansas City in a few weeks so will look for it there.

ETA: I just checked the local library website again. I could get the Harlequin version of The Twin about Texas outlaws!

>131 Donna828: They are happy to do ILLs, but for some reason, I am hesitant to ask unless it's a dire emergency

I'm ROFL at that one. Only a completely obsessed book freak like myself would consider getting a book from another library a "dire emergency". Hahahaha. Oh God Donna you are hysterical.

Great review Joanne. Onto the pile it goes.

Stasia - Move it up! I think you'll like it.

Mark - Thanks, and yes and no. It probably reminds you of Plainsong because of the brother aspect. This one is a lot edgier.

Donna and Bonnie - Thanks! You're both a riot! Libraries are charged for inter-library loans?? I thought it was just a reciprocal thing. Now I have to call my library and find out. I've had dire emergencies quite often lately!

And really, that Harlequin book sounds great, too! :)

Joanne

Your recent read sounds great!

>132 brenzi:: The sad part about your message, Bonnie, is that I get the "book freak" part (and am flattered rather than offended), but my goodness, what's so funny about a book emergency? I have them quite often!

I was running all over town Saturday looking for a certain Steinbeck story and was quite beside myself because I couldn't locate it when a fellow LTer (in our Stegner group) posted a link to the story. I nearly cried with relief.

>133 Copperskye:: Joanne, it is a reciprocal thing, but there are expenses involved as well for postage. I read about it on someone's thread.

>135 Donna828: Donna, I didn't mean to offend you as I'm also in the category of people who have had dire book emergencies. I just couldn't stop laughing because people who are not readers would think it crazy that a person could ever have a dire emergency involving the procurement of books.

>136 brenzi:: Bonnie, my response was written very much tongue-in-cheek. My dry sense of humor doesn't translate very well on the internet. I was almost ROFL. :~}

Donna’s comment above in post #131 had me concerned – not the “dire emergency” part because I certainly understand that - but rather the charge to the library for interlibrary loans. If other libraries were incurring costs, was my local library also being charged everytime I impulsively requested a book that was outside of their catalog?

Today I called my local library for some clarification on how they do things.

I already knew that my library is a member of the Prospector System, which is a group of around 20 libraries, mostly in Colorado and a few in Wyoming, who share a unified catalog for patrons to search and then borrow. The restrictions on renewals and costs for lost items are different/higher, but it’s all spelled out when you use the service. I was told today that there is no per loan charge, but the libraries do pay a fee to be a part of the system. That sounds reasonable and I feel a lot better now. Plus, what that tells me is that the more requests I make, the lower the per item net effective cost (based on the annual fee). The more overall requests, the better the deal!

I also asked about items not available through Prospector and for those they would do a traditional interlibrary loan. They try to use libraries that don’t charge a fee but if there was a fee involved, they would pass it along to the requester (with prior permission, of course). This is mostly non-traditional, research type stuff. You can also put in requests (up to 5 a week) for the library to buy items. I pretty much figure that if I can’t get something at least through Prospector, it’s time to just buy it myself.

So, my point was to see if my individual Prospector/ILL requests were charged back to my library system and they aren’t so all’s well here. So if you’re reluctant to make ILL requests, check with your own library about their procedures. Hopefully, you’ll also sigh a sigh of relief!

Now I’m going back to reading Girl in Translation which, unless it all falls horribly apart in the second half and I really don’t see that happening, a lot of my friends here should put on their lists!

Hi Joanne- Girl in Translation sounds very good! It's on the list!

Thanks for your research on ILL, Joanne. I'm going to check with my library about it. I liked this part of your post:

lPlus, what that tells me is that the more requests I make, the lower the per item net effective cost (based on the annual fee). The more overall requests, the better the deal!.

If that's true here as well, I can request The Twin (and other books) without guilt!

I think Girl in Translation looks great. My Bookpage daily book had a review of it today. I also requested it as an ER book but got the disappointing Secret Daughter instead.

36. The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande



As procedures become more complicated, how a seemingly simple thing like a checklist can help provide successful outcomes in medicine, aviation, and business. Much more interesting than it might sound. I chose the audio version and really enjoyed it.

37. Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok


Girl in Translation is a lovely coming of age/immigrant story. Kim and her mother, who had enjoyed a comfortable life in Hong Kong, immigrate to the US and find themselves living in a Brooklyn slum and working in a Chinatown sweatshop, both complements of a bitter relative. Some aspects of the plot shifted the credulity meter into the red but still a wholly engrossing read, filled with characters with whom you’ll find yourself caring about and rooting for. This a good book to settle in with and enjoy.

Nice review! I'll keep an eye out for the book.

Thanks Anne!

I have Girl in Translation in the BlackHole. I just need the local library to get a copy!

Joanne- Good review! This goes on the list! I have a Chinese-American friend I pass books onto. She loved Shanghai Girls!

Hello Joanne,

This sounds like a loveley read. I know some who got it as an ER book have enjoyed it too so onto the pile it goes.

Hi Stasia, Mark and Bonnie - It really was an enjoyable read and I'll be looking forward to Jean Kwok's next book. I love reading really good debut novels!

What would I do without you guys? I'd be talking to myself most times! :)

#149: I posted on another thread after you did about the Laurie R. King books, Joanne. I think you will enjoy them. The Beekeeper's Apprentice is a good start to the series (and one of the best books in it, IMHO.) I will be looking forward to seeing what you think of it.

Oh good, thanks Stasia! They do sound intriguing. But, really, there are just TOO MANY BOOKS!!! :)

#151: there are just TOO MANY BOOKS

I know exactly what you mean: I read them as fast as I can, but there are always MORE!!

>152 alcottacre: Now imagine reading several hundred less books in a year than you do now and you'll see the fix I'm in!!

Ah, such terrible troubles...

#153: It is at times like this that I really wish I was a speed reader. *sigh*

On the bright side, I will never run out of interesting books to read!

38. Translation is a Love Affair by Jacques Poulin


Jacques Poulin is a new author to me but I know I’ll be looking for more. In fact, silly me, when I saw this had been translated from the French it didn’t even occur to me that he was a Canadian author until I started it and found myself in Quebec. It was certainly a 'duh' moment.

There is also something about his writing, that for me at least, is a bit reminiscent of Paul Auster. And I like Paul Auster.

Translation is a Love Affair is so much more than the story of a writer, his young translator and a stray cat. This novella, which has the dreamy quality of a fairy tale, is a small gem wrapped in a beautiful package by Archipelago Books

#155: I already have that one in the BlackHole due to Tad's review of it (last year?) but my local library still does not have it. I may have to put it on ILL because I really want to read it. I am glad you enjoyed it, Joanne!

I had to get it from another library, too, Stasia. My library system has nothing by Poulin.

It was sweet and odd and I did enjoy it! I think you will too!

#157: I have had it on my PBS list for a while now - it will probably never show up there - so I imagine one of these days I will just break down and buy it.

The Archipelago Books are so lovely - if I could I'd buy every one!! (And a copy for all my friends!)

The only Archipelago Book that I own is White Masks, that I received just recently, and I would not really call it lovely (it is rather a bland tannish color), so my experience with them is very limited.

OK, so maybe they aren't all lovely! :(

Excellent review of The Twin! I appreciate the reviews that entice without giving too much of the story away, so that was perfect. Girl in Translation is already on my wish list and I've already read The Checklist Manifesto so I've come through unscathed. ;-)

You might try his Spring Tides, Joanne. I think I preferred Translation is a Love Affair slightly, but I really enjoyed both. Those are the only two of his that I've read so far...there does seem to be a shortage of Poulin in libraries.

Joanne, Are you doing a "translation" theme? LOL They both sound good and I have the second translation already on the pile.

You've been doing some very interesting reading, Joanne. Your thread is hard on my wish list! I've never read an Archipelago book so I can't comment on the "loveliness" of them.

It looks like I'll be reading The Beekeeper's Apprentice along with you...or maybe trailing a bit behind like I usually do. There's a short waiting list at the library for it.

Just chiming in to say the Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes books are great. I'm up to book 5 and treat them as comfort reads. When I don't really know what book interests me next, I fall back to these. They are always good. Although each time I read one I feel bad I haven't read any of the real Sherlock books, must get around to doing that.

>162 bonniebooks: - Thanks Bonnie and thanks for stopping by!

>163 TadAD: - I'll look for that one Tad, thanks!

>164 brenzi: - I noticed that Bonnie. A small variation on one of the silly games we play here! Could be an interesting challenge...

>165 Donna828: - Sorry about that Donna, just returning the favor. :) There's also a short wait at my library. I have a feeling you'll get to it before me.

>166 sydamy: Hi Susan, Thanks for the chime in! I've read several SH stories but it has been awhile - maybe 25 years or so (at least!). I was wondering if they were a prerec for enjoying this series but I guess not.

I'm having a great time reading The Last Child by John Hart - it's difficult to put down.

93 degrees F here this afternoon. Hot but dry and perfect for the start of Memorial Day weekend. Have a good one everyone and safe travels!

Hi Joanne- I just ordered a copy of The Beekeeper's Apprentice but I probably won't get to it, until later next month. It's great that a few of us will be reading it for the 1st time. I always enjoy that. The first part of June is reserved for The Girl Who Played With Fire. I just received Hornets Nest today from Amazon. Hey, Hey!!

Hi Mark - I still have The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo to get to this summer!! I'm so behind...

Girl in Translation sounds like something I'd enjoy reading. On to the (very long) list it goes!

And phew, I was positive I was the only person who has not yet enjoyed the Larsson books. I promise myself before the end of the year I'll have started that series.

I haven't read any of the 'yet' either....

Me either. So you are not alone Louanne. My husband is reading the 1st one now.

Hi Louanne, Lucy and Nancy - I feel so much better now! :)

39. Where the Bluebird Sings to the Lemonade Springs by Wallace Stegner



I picked this up because it looked interesting, I've never read Stegner, and there was a group read starting up. Well I kind of wandered away from the group read which, don't get me wrong, was lively and interesting but, alas, just not really for me. Reading this book of essays about the American West - its character, people, identity and landscape - slowly rather than all at once actually made it more enjoyable for me so it worked better that way. I felt Stegner's environmental voice really shined here.

I hope you get a chance to enjoy more of Stegner, Joanne. I really like his Angle of Repose and Crossing to Safety. If you are looking for more nonfiction by him, I would recommend his Beyond the Hundredth Meridian.

I'm glad to hear you liked Crossing to Safety, Stasia, as I seem to own two copies of it.

Girl in Translation just got moved up my TBR list...

The Shetland series is the only one I've read by Ann Cleeves, but I do have two more of her books, one that I found on Paperbackswap, and one that I ordered from the UK, on my physical TBR stack here to read. I wonder if she got a new publisher for the Shetland books, who is promoting them more heavily in the US? Richly deserved; it's an excellent series. (I found the first volume of that more captivating by far than the first Louise Penny book -- I know, I know, heresy...)

I've put a Stegner book on my 1010 list for this year.

#176: One for each eyeball! Smart thinking, Joanne!

Hi Suzanne, I was kind of hoping with the 4th Shetland Island book that some of her others would be available here. I recently bought The Crow Trap through the Book Depository. A mass market paperback so I must have been feeling a little desperate! And as much as I love the Three Pines books, I think Raven Black was better than Still Life.

Hi Stasia, LOL. I hadn't thought of that! Does it mean I can read twice as fast and twice as long before my eyes get tired? Or maybe it would go the other way....

40. The Last Child by John Hart


One year ago, Johnny’s twin sister, Alyssa, disappeared. Since that time, his parents’ marriage has disintegrated; his father has abandoned them and his mother is a stoned shell of her former self. And Hunt, the chief detective on the case, has seen his own marriage crumble and his relationship with his son deteriorate.

And still, separately and in their own way, Hunt and Johnny keep looking for the lost girl. And then one day, something happens. A break in the case, as they say.

I didn’t really know what to expect when I started this book. I was hoping I wouldn’t be following a precocious teenager around on his bicycle looking for his sister. Thank goodness it is much more intricate than that.

This really is a fine literary thriller, and a literary mystery/police procedural, as well. The writing is gorgeous, the characters complex, and the storyline is brutal and gripping. My only small quibble might be the coincidences that came into play, but the story was too good to dwell on that. I did not expect to like this as much as I did and I am absolutely looking forward to reading Hart’s earlier books.

If you’re looking for a great page-turner, this is it. I’m only sorry that I didn’t save it for a vacation read, but then, I never would have wanted to put it down.

#179: Read twice as fast and twice as long, of course. There is no advantage to it working the other way :)

#180: I already have that one in the BlackHole. I will get to it some time.

Well, of course, Stasia! Wish me luck.

#182: Well, it works for me. I am sure it will for you too, Joanne. LOL!

Ah-ha! So that's the secret!

Yes, I have been found out. My eyeballs actually move in different directions at the same time!

LOL!

We are feeling silly of a Friday night, are we not?

well, yes...

Me, too. I think it is a defensive mechanism for both the book I am reading and the documentary I am watching.

which are?

The book: True Notebooks by Mark Salzman

The documentary: Part 6 of War by Ken Burns

Not familiar with the book but the Burns doc. is wonderful (heavy but wonderful)! Enjoy!

Yes, it is very good. I am watching it in preparation for reading the book, which Linda (Whisper) gave me for a birthday present this year.

Great! And Linda is such a sweetheart!

Yes, she is definitely the treasure of the group!

Joanne- Good review! The Last Child sounds very interesting. I have wishlisted it. I read True Notebooks a few years ago and it's very good!
BTW- I'm wrapping up Columbine and it's shaping up to be my book of the year, so far! Outstanding!

I think you'd really like The Last Child, Mark.

Columbine is probably at the top of my non-fiction list - ever.

Joanne,

As I recall, The Lost Child was an ER book that I debated about and then passed on. I'm not too good at picking those. Anyway, I love that you called it a fine literary thriller so I'm adding it to the pile.

Hi Bonnie, I'm pretty sure that I also took a pass on The Last Child when it was offered as an ER book. Something about the description just didn't appeal to me.

I just found out that my brother is in the ICU in a CT hospital. They think it's Rocky Mtn Spotted Fever. Once again I find myself wanting to be closer to "home" (not that I haven't happily lived where I am for 23 years)...

Joanne -

I loved True Notebooks. And Stegner ranks among my favorite authors - You must read Crossing to Safety soon. One of my all-time fav novels. I read it every few years.

#199: I hope your brother is OK, Joanne!

Joanne- Sorry to hear about your brother! Keep us updated!

Joanne, I'm sorry to hear about your brother. I know that feeling of being far from family in a crisis. There's a bit of irony in his diagnosis. Has he visited you lately? I know, I know...those nasty ticks can go anywhere they want!

Oh Joanne, so sorry to hear about your brother. I don't know a thing about Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever but I hope he recovers quickly.

Joanne - I hope you brother recovers quickly. Thinking of you!

I am so sorry about your brother! Hope he recovers soon.

Stasia, Mark, Donna, Bonnie, Nancy and Anne - Thanks! No news this morning but I'll call them again when I get home.

Nancy - I guess I have to read Crossing to Safety since I bought two copies (used, thankfully!).

Crossing to Safety is a good read, Anne. I hope you enjoy it!

I hope the news about your brother is good and that he recovers quickly.

Well, my brother's feeling a lot better, thanks, but is still in the ICU. No, I didn't mail him any ticks. ;)

41. The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman



I loved this book of loosely connected stories revolving around the staff (and a subscriber) to an English language newspaper in Rome. I liked each story more than the one that preceded it until the last one which didn't completely work for me. But as a whole, I thought the book was great. Hard to believe this is a debut novel and I can't wait to see what else Rachman has up his sleeve.

*eta correct a dumb typo

Joanne

Thinking of you and your brother...Hugs coming your way.

Hi Linda! Thanks!

Joanne,

I loved The Imperfectionists too. How did you like the ending to the Abbey Pagnola (chief financial officer) story?? And how about Rich Snyder in the Cairo story? Didn't you just want to jump in there and strangle him?

Hi Bonnie - AP's story ending was a "yikes" moment for sure. Yes, and poor Winston, so hapless. I liked Craig Mendes' story and also that of the subscriber (I don't remember her name and my husband took the book with him on a plane today). My sister has worked as a reporter and editor at newpapers for most of her life. I can't wait to get her to read it. When I finished, I finally went back and read your review. You did a great job with it.

I'm currently reading Shirley Jackson's Life Among the Savages and laughing until I cry. There's something about it that's just hitting the right chord with me. Pure pleasure.

Tonight we just finished watching the final season of Battlestar Galactica on dvd. What a wonderful series that was (and I don't really like science fiction, or so I say)! Now back to the savages!

OK, The imperfectionists just went onto the wishlist. That's 3 recommendations for it from here! Sounds excellent.

Glad your brother is getting better but hope he is out of ICU soon. Ticks are new to us over here in Switzerland, and our son had one sucked into his skin last weekend. Luckily my husband got it off ok, and we had good instructions in the school newsletter, but it gave us a fright.

I already know that The Imperfectionists is available at my local library, just not sure when I will get to it.

I am very glad to hear your brother is feeling better!

Oh, Battlestar... how I miss it... *sniff* What a phenomenal series. The talent on that show was absolutely spectacular.

Joanne
I'm adding The Imperfectionists and Life Among the Savages to the tbr pile.

Thanks for your great comments and recommendation.

I bought my DH the Battlestar Galactica DVD set for Christmas. I've never seen an episode. I think we're saving it for retirement or the nursing home....whichever comes first!

Hi Cushla - Thank goodness your husband knew to look and found it!

Hi Stasia - I hope you like it when you get to it!

Hi Faith - We still have The Plan and Caprica waiting in the wings but I don't really know how they'll compare. Between finishing up BG on DVD and Lost ending, well, I am at a loss...I suppose I could...read! But seriously, I especially loved those two shows because they gave my son and I a great connection as he entered middle school and then high school. Neither of us ever watched an episode without the other.

Hi Linda - Oh good! I think you'll enjoy them both.

Hi Donna - No, don't wait!! It's great!!

I'm going to see if I can "Kindle" The Last Child. Your review was too good!!

Yes, The Imperfectionists IS that good, and I can't wait to see what he does next.

And I completely agree with you on Penny vs. Cleeves. (not that it has to be a race, or either/or, of course...) What I love about Cleeves is that in addition to a tremendous sense of place and character, she delivers a knockout crime. Not gritty, but these are real people, warts and all. I'm going to have to read her other books this summer. Along with Qiu Xialong's Inspector Chen books and the series set on the West Bank by Matt Beynon Rees, those are my mystery discoveries of the year.

Hi Suzanne - I hope you like The Last Child. It really surprised me.

I guess we're just glad to have two good mystery series to enjoy! I've heard of but not read any of the Inspector Chen books. I had to look up the Rees series and it looks interesting, too. And my library has the first one. Besides reading a Cleeves or two, I want to start Charles Todd's Ian Rutledge series this summer. Oh, but the summer slides by way too fast!

For some reason, we haven't watched Caprica or The Plan yet either... I think for a similar reason, I don't know how they'll compare and I'm secretly afraid that they'll be terrible and spoil my memory of the series. Of course, if that happens, I'll probably just go back and re-watch the entire thing. I did that once with the first few seasons and was surprised how much I got out of it on a second watching that I didn't notice the first time around.

How wonderful that the shows gave you such great bonding time with your son, especially at that age! I hope you're able to find other shows through the years that keep him coming back to watching & spending time with you -- I still go back to my parents' home every Sunday night to watch the Amazing Race with them, and it's become "our" bonding time now that I'm married and off living elsewhere. So I completely understand, albeit from the opposite perspective :)

>222 dk_phoenix: - That is such a nice thing to do Faith. I bet your parents really look forward to it!

42 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Future by Michael J. Fox


I listened to the audio, engagingly read by the author, while running errands over the weekend. Short and obviously geared towards the recent crop of HS grads, I enjoyed listening to it but I'm not sure that I'd actually buy it for anyone unless they were a real fan and I'm not sure I know any necessarily. That said, I liked it enough that I'm keeping it on my iPod to share on our upcoming road trip. The lessons he learned were interestingly told and the section on mentors and mentoring was very good.

eta: My current audio is Strength in What Remains by Tracy Kidder and it's also read by the author. I'm not sure I could have found two more different back-to-back audios!

Well, The Last Child is now residing on my Kindle! May not get to it for a few weeks, but it does sound like wonderful holiday reading.

dk phoenix - You should watch Caprica! It's really good!!

~~~~~

Hi Joanne!

>224 Chatterbox: - I hope you like it, Suzanne!

>225 PaperbackPirate: - Hi to you, too! Good to know about Caprica. Have you watched The Plan? BTW, did I hear something about Kingsolver winning some sort of prize today? ;) I was rooting for her. I haven't read The Lacuna yet but it's waiting on the shelf.

#226: Kingsolver won the Orange Prize today, Joanne.

Hi Stasia - Oh, I know, I was just teasing! :)

Oh, OK. Sorry.

No worries! :) I should have added that I thought it was the Apple or Plum or Strawberry Prize. That'd have made it a little more obvious! That's what happens when I type when half asleep...

Wake up! It's early yet.

Yes, and unfortunately that's what my alarm clock tries to tell me when it first goes off at 5:20 am!

I am still not in bed at 5:20am, so I do not have to worry about it, lol.

Joanne- It looks like you are reading some great stuff! I hope you like the Kidder book!

5:20 a.m.?? That's an ungodly hour to have to get up Joanne.

I couldn't agree more Bonnie! I am a big believer in the snooze button, though, unfortunately.

Welcome back Mark!

43. Life Among the Savages by Shirley Jackson


Domestic bliss 1950s style. Basically three essays, some parts are laugh out loud funny, a few are a little repetitious. Expecting her third child and packing for her 10 day (!!) hospital stay had me in tears, I skimmed over a couple of pages of children's dialogue. I enjoyed seeing a different side of Jackson - her inner Erma Bombeck (pre-dating Ms. Bombeck though).

#236: I had already put that one in the BlackHole when someone recommended it on my thread a couple of weeks ago. Sounds like I need to bump it up a bit.

her inner Erma Bombeck

You got me right there; onto the pile it goes.

Joanne, I might have to stop visiting your thread. I want to read every book that you've told us about the past few months!

Hi Joanne, I just finished Where the Blubird Sings to the Lemonade Springs. I liked it and agree with you it's better to be read slowly, to be able to take it all in and think about it.

Hi Stasia - As I was pulling into the parking lot at the library last week, a book segment started on NPR and they mentioned Life Among the Savages. It seemed like fate to then find a nice copy on the shelf. But I'm sure it sounded familiar because I saw it mentioned on your thread.

Hi Bonnie - Yeah it's funny, you'll like it.

Hi Donna - Well I like you visiting but I'm not giving up my books so I guess I could not mention my books, but then you wouldn't stop by since, after all, that's the point... Ah, it's a Catch-22. Sorry!! ;) (No, not really!)

Hi Tammy - Some books are better enjoyed in pieces. The group had some interesting discussions, though, so that was fun.

I finally started Charles Todd's Ian Rutledge series, the first book being A Test of Wills!

#241: Don't you just love serendipity?

Absolutely! I would have missed that very funny book.

Today might be an especially good day for reading, but alas, not outside on the patio. We may need to turn the fireplace back on tonight. Rain, temperature right now at 8:45 am is 44F. Brr...what happened to summer?

Joanne- Just swinging by to say hello! And I agree with Donna, you have been reading some excellent titles! Hope you are loving the Kidder book! I need to get back home and back in the reading groove!

Good Morning Mark! Thanks for swinging in! Funny thing about vacations, you think you'll have a lot of down time to read and then you don't. Vacations are just too short - have fun!

And I'm loving the Kidder as you knew I would.

#243: Summer is in Texas. After 10:30pm and it is still 86 degrees outside. Ick.

Ick is right Stasia. And I'm sure the humidity was just as high!

Back in the low 80s and sunshiny here...ahhh...so nice.

We're having a quasi-summer here, swinging between the real thing and cooler, sometimes rainy weather. Given that summer here can feel like Texas, I'm just as happy with that... :-) I'm not a high-heat & humidity afficionado. Temps in the high 70s are ideal for me, along with clear skies and sunlight!

Sounds perfect and kind of like our weather here today!

We had a rainstorm come through this morning and cool it off - 67 degrees at around 7:30am or so. Of course, by 6pm we were back up to 90+, but it was nice while it lasted!

44. A Test of Wills by Charles Todd



Good, good, good!!! The first book in the Inspector Ian Rutledge mystery series and I'm happy in the knowledge that there are another dozen or so already written and waiting for me. It's early yet, but Todd is right up there with Penny and Cleeves in my book.

So glad you liked this, Joanne -- I was thrilled to discover Ian Rutledge and think Hamish is one of the best characters in mystery-land... You have a real treat ahead of you, with so many books in this series to read.

Have you read Rennie Airth's books yet? The first is set in the immediate aftermath of WW1, and there are now three in total, I think, all big faves. When you finish with the Rutledge books, you might mosey on over there. Also, Charles Todd's stand-alone novel, The Murder Stone, is a good read, although his new series, just started last year, doesn't measure up to Rutledge, IMO.

#251: That one is patiently sitting on my nightstand waiting for me to get to it . . . one of these years!

Sounds good Joanne and since you haven't steered me wrong in the past I'm going to wishlist it :)

Hi Suzanne - I've not heard of Rennie Airth but my library has River of Darkness and it looks pretty interesting - thanks! I may try it in a few months. I only started reading mysteries a short time ago so there are a lot that I've missed. It was probably Kate Atkinson's Case Histories that got me started.

Hi Stasia - C'mon, move it up!
Hi Bonnie - Oh, I really think you'll like it!

The second book in the series, Wings of Fire, was just waiting for me on the library shelf so now I've started it.

Joanne dear and glorious reader-lady...at about 250 posts, I appear in my guise of Thread Angel to the Dial-Uppers and remind, ever so gently, the threadholder that it's an act of kindness and politesse to begin a new thread around this time.

(So much for that thread police stuff Stasia's always on about! Ha! Showed her!)

Um, yes, thank you. LOL what a picture - but wings and a halo are certainly better than a night stick and gun belt. :)

Next time I have my laptop available I'll take care of it. Doing anything complicated (and yes, I find starting a new thread to be complicated - pathetic, I know) on this little netbook is just too hard...

#256/257: 'Ever so gently' my aunt Fanny! He does not have wings and a halo, Joanne. Do not be lulled into a false sense of security!!

Before the Thread Police, I mean Thread Angel, returns, a new thread...

http://www.librarything.com/topic/93397