brenzi's Impossible Dream - Take 3

This is the third thread for 2010 for me, as unbelievable as that seems (to me anyway).

My first thread can be found here.

My second thread can be found here.

My 10/10 Challenge is here http://www.librarything.com/topic/79324







My Take It or Leave It Challenge for January:

Still Life by Louise Penny
Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Take It or Leave It Challenge for February:

The Liars' Club by Mary Karr
Ordinary Thunderstorms by William Boyd
American Salvage by Bonnie Jo Campbell

Take It or Leave It Challenge for April

In Other Rooms, Other Wonders by Daniyal Mueenuddin
The Lotus Eaters by Tatiana Soli

Take It or Leave It Challenge for May

Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurierre
The Leisure Seeker by Michael Zadoorian
Too Close to the Falls by Catherine Gilinder
Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda
No Great Mischief by Alistair MacLeod

Books Read This Year:

26. No Great Mischief by Alistair MacLeod - Canada - 5 stars
25. Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda - India - 3 stars
24. Too Close to the Falls by Catherine Gilinder - 4 stars
23. The Leisure Seeker by Michael Zadoorian - 4 stars
22. Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier - UK - 4.5 stars
21. Chess Story by Stefan Zweig - at sea - 4 stars
20. The Lotus Eaters by Tatjana Soli - Viet Nam - 4 stars
19. Tinkers by Paul Harding - 4 stars
18. The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny - Canada - 4 stars
17. The Plague by Albert Camus - Africa - 4.5 stars
16. In Other Rooms, Other Wonders by Daniyal Mueenuddin-Pakistan-4st.
15. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson-Sweden-5 st.
14. The Spare Room by Helen Garner - Australia - 4 stars
13. Dead Cold by Louise Penny - Canada - 4 stars
12. Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie - India - 2 stars
11. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Sloot - 4.5 stars
10. American Salvage by Bonnie Jo Campbell - 4.5 stars
9. Even the Dogs by Jon McGregor - UK - .5 stars
8. Ordinary Thunderstorms by William Boyd - UK - 4 stars
7. The Liars' Club by Mary Karr - 4 stars
6. Where the God of Love Hangs Out by Amy Bloom - 4 stars
5. Blame by Michelle Huneven - 3.5 stars
4. Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh - India - 4.5 stars
3. Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie -Nigeria - 4 stars
2. Still Life by Louise Penny Canada 4 stars
1. Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann - 5 stars

Thank goodness - a new thread. there are 169 messages in the old one and I can't bring myself to read it. Will try to do better...

You are a triple threat now, Bonnie!

Triple threads, triple chocolate cookies, it's all of a piece.

I'm not sure if everyone realizes this, but it's National Library Week. That should be important to everyone on LT. Libraries are in trouble nationally because they're the first thing the budget busters like to cut. Support your local library.

Hi, brenzi! Great plug for the library! I would add that using the library as a source for reading material is a lot cheaper than buying books (although there are great pleasures to be had in owning books).

I really enjoy your thread(s). I've just requested The Plague (from my local library!) based on your recommendation.

Karen O.

It looks like our library is going to get hammered. The state has decided to forgo mandating appropriate levels of funding, as they have in the past, and leave it to the town administrators to set the appropriate level. This is likely to be somewhat grim.

Even worse, from my perspective, is that the state deleted the funds allocated for sending books between libaries in a given county's library system. 95% of the books I read from the library come from other libraries in the county. Under the new system, I will still be able to reserve them, but will have to drive to the separate libraries to pick them up and return them. Not going to happen.

It just breaks my heart to see libraries being closed due to lack of funds. I owe my love of reading and learning to my early library experiences. Our local library is in good shape. I'm glad the voters in SW Missouri value this important resource. Our FOL (Friends of the Library) group does some terrific fundraising with library sales. We raised over $200,000 in 2009! In less than 2 weeks I'm going to be contributing my volunteer efforts and my $$$ as I purchase books that I need due to my bulging wish list.

I just happened to be in the book aisles at my Goodwill store today and just happened to stumble upon a very nice hardback copy of The Colony of Unrequited Dreams. Yea!!! I'm tempted to start it right now, but have some reading obligations to tend to first. Hate that!

I posted back in msg 6 about how much I value my library for my own reading. I realize that authors and bookstores are also affected by the economy.

I really do feel for them, but I can't afford to buy all the books I would like to read. I couldn't get by without my library and interlibrary loans. I live in a strong library state (Minnesota) and count myself very lucky.

Karen O.

Hi Bonnie- Yes, we need to support our libraries! I know we love ours!

Found and starred you again, Bonnie.

Thanks for the tip about this being National Library Week. What a coincidence. I've got a library book that's due at the end of this week. One of the librarians there is also having a birthday on Friday, so I was planning on going in to return my book and bring some birthday cookies for the staff. Might as well make them birthday/library week cookies that they can share with the other patrons too.

Thanks for bringing up National Library Week, brenzi. That deserves multiple postings. I'm off to spread it around in places where I generally sound off.

*star* Found you!

Thanks for the National Library Week plug! Libraries need all the help they can get in this economic environment. (Demand goes up, and funding goes down!)

>2 Fourpawz2: Welcome back Charlotte!

>3 alcottacre: Yes Stasia, triple, unlike the multi-many-quadro-octo threads you can proudly boast of:)

>4 richardderus: Yes Richard triple chocolate mmmmmm!

>5 brenzi: Hi Karen! I hope you enjoy The Plague.

>7 TadAD: Tad, Most of my library books come to our little library through inter library loan and having to go pick them up at other libraries would be nearly impossible. That's awful!

We're expecting the axe to fall here too because New York State is in so much budget trouble and, as I said, the library is always an easy target.

>8 Donna828: Hi Donna, $200,000?? Wow!! Very impressive!

>9 teelgee: Hi Terri! Got to love Goodwill.

have some reading obligations to tend to first

Check your spreadsheet! LOL

Our libraries are pretty secure here in Portland - it's about the last thing voters vote down, even in a crunch; we're such a bookie town. We have a well run system, lots of branches, easy access. I love our libraries!

eta: >17 brenzi: I did!! LOL. Yellow highlighted. How geeky is that??? Of course, I learned it all from Laura.

>10 klobrien2: I agree Karen. I'm sure the bookstores are suffering through the recession just like every other business. But there's no way I can afford to pay retail for every book I read. I use the library extensively.

>11 msf59: **waves** Mark.

>12 cameling: Hi Caroline, You are a very caring library patron :)

>13 laytonwoman3rd: Hi Linda, post away!

>14 tymfos: Hi Terri, I'm a library lover from way back.

>18 teelgee:: I learned it all from Laura.
Of course you did. And don't think you can make fun of me on a new thread and get away with it!

Hi Bonnie! Starred!! I like your timely library reminder. I love my public library systems and know I'm lucky to have them!

Although I complain sometimes about my local library not having all the books I want to read, I know that I am extremely lucky in my library system. I am a firm supporter - 93 books out and counting :)

>22 Copperskye: We're all lucky. In this day and age of copyrights and author's rights etc. if we didn't already have libraries set in place by Benjamin Franklin way back when, I don't think a library could happen. Can you imagine:

Buy one of my books and then lend it to any number of people in a public place and the author receives no compensation??? Not going to happen!

>23 alcottacre: 93 books out and counting

Why does that not surprise me Stasia?

#24: I dunno.

>24 brenzi: - Oh, but I think that would be nothing compared to the outrage of people not wanting “their” tax money spent on books and DVD’s and computers for the general public to share.

I love my library and the wonderful librarians who work there. They're always so cheerful and terribly helpful with recommendations.

>26 Copperskye:, yeah, those dang socialist libraries! And don't get me started on fire departments and road maintenance!

Hooray for LIBRARIES and Hooray for Bonnie Renzi for the reminder about National Library Week. It is so wonderful to be able to use the library system here in Leon County Florida. (Tallahassee) I would love to buy more books but I cannot, therefore, faithful patron of the LCLCPL.

Bonnie, I've just finished a book for my RL book club Here on Earth and am diving back in to The Colony of Unrequited Dreams, which is fascinating me (growing up a child of a Union member and organizer), plus I lived in Nova Scotia (I know, close, but no cigar) for a while in my early twenties and have a fondness for Canada and the people as well as the wonderful writers from Canada. My younger daughter was born in Lunenburg, N.S. Gorgeous historical town on the South Shore of N.S.

How long until school is out?

Love,

Ruth

Thanks for reminding us about National Library Week, Bonnie. I've been meaning to make a donation to my library--I guess this is the week to do it!

I love, love, love my county library. I would give it a big hug if I could and squeeze it until they say uncle. I hope the financial wizards in Columbus, Ohio find a way to reallocate funds so that programs we've lost can be brought back.

>26 Copperskye: and 28

I have to laugh when our property tax bill comes and my husband says to me "I see it cost us over $125 for you to be able to use the library." He's just so cute but I really would prefer they didn't spell it out on the bill because although he is joking, there are plenty of other people in our county who say things like, "if they can't support themselves, they shouldn't exist." And yes that's an actual quote.

>27 cameling: We have a fantastic staff at our local library too. It makes a huge difference because I have a friend a couple of towns over who now comes to our library as hers had some really cranky and rude staff. That's no fun to have to deal with.

>32 brenzi: - $125 - sounds like a good deal. If you're like me, you get your money's worth and then some!

Our librarians used to be on the cranky side until they moved into a new building last year. Now they are all much friendlier. Go figure...

>29 womansheart: Hi Ruth,

You must be feeling better if you're back with you RL book club. Good for you! I'm glad you're enjoying Colony of Unrequited Dreams. When I first heard about it, I thought, "What in the world do I want to read about New Foundland for?" Then I read the first page and I was gone.

>30 bonniebooks: Hi Bonnie! Good for you. We need more people to do that.

>31 Carmenere: Lynda, Good luck to you and all the library users in your county.

>34 Copperskye: If you're like me, you get your money's worth and then some!

Oh yeah, and then some!

$125 for a YEAR?!? Cheap! At twice the price, cheap!

#34/37: Oh, I definitely get my money's worth and then some. I have no idea what the tax is to support my local library here, but considering I routinely check out at least 400 books a year, can you imagine how bankrupt I would be if I bought them all? It does not bear thinking about.

I knew it was too good to be true that there were only 15 unread messages in your other thread! I've been out of the loop about Library Week, but I definitely love mine. Our library's website recently put up a calculator that lets you figure out how much money you saved by using the library's services and resources, and it is quite staggering when you actually look at the numbers.

#40: Our library's website recently put up a calculator that lets you figure out how much money you saved by using the library's services and resources, and it is quite staggering when you actually look at the numbers.

That is so cool! I wish mine did that.

Bonnie, for some reason your thread is in bold, it really stands out. Do you (or anybody else) know why that is? Does LT know we're twins separated at birth?

>42 bonniebooks: Bonnie, you can make your thread's title bold when you start a new one. It's the same as making a word or phrase bold in your posts: put a {b} in front of the text you want to make bold, and close it after the word or phrase by putting in a {/b}. And replace the curly braces with the carats, like I used before the number 42 above.

>38 richardderus: Yes very very cheap Richared.

>39 alcottacre: but considering I routinely check out at least 400 books a year, can you imagine how bankrupt I would be if I bought them all?

I shudder to think.

>40 spacepotatoes: and 41 I'm mentioning that calculator to my librarian. I really want that calculator. They have a calculator on PBS to show you how much you've saved and I assume it's something like that.

>42 bonniebooks: I guess we should let Tim know we were separated at birth but or you can follow Richard's directions in #43. I wanted it to stand out so I could find it easier but unfortunately it stands out to everyone. Oh well :)

Good to see you liked The Plague too, it was one of my best reads last year.

>47 PiyushC: Yes, it was a wonderful read Piyush.

>32 brenzi:: The problem really isn't the people who use the library; it's the people who don't. We're a small town, so it costs us a bit more than $125 to pay for the library...somewhere between $350 and $425 depending on the year. One of the librarians mentioned this in front of some people the other day and one elderly gentleman looked startled and said, "But, no one in our family uses the library. I'm just here to donate some old books."

He looked quite upset and I could see another voice has been added to the "down with the library" crowd in our town. :-(

>42 bonniebooks:: If a lot of people start bolding their thread titles, it's going to become a pain to skim through them. Why not just bookmark it instead so that you can find it easily but it doesn't distract everyone?

>49 TadAD: I agree completely Tad, it's those who don't use the library who are problem. All the library users are aware of how much they save by using the library. It's just like the philharmonic; those who don't go, don't see why culture should be subsidized by public funds. They feel the prices should be raised to the point where the venue is profitable and can stand on its own two feet. I, on the other hand, believe that culture needs to be subsidized so that future generations can appreciate it.

I had tried to go back after I bolded the title and change it when I realized everybody would be seeing it and could not find a way to change it back. Is there a way?

Bonnie, embrace your boldness! Be proud to stand out in the crowd! To my knowledge, there's no way to edit a heading. You'll just have to keep introducing topics like Library Week so that your thread fills up quickly. Or, I guess there's no law against starting a new thread before the 250-post police appear.

>51 Donna828: embrace your boldness!

Thank you soul sister!

>51 Donna828: - Donna - What a great reminder! Be yourself. Stand out. Begin anew. I love your remarks and appreciate you.

> 52 - Kindred spirit(s). Cut from the same cloth. Made from the same mold. Such a delight to find so many friends like that here on LibraryThing. It has reminded me how much I do have in common with other readers. (Such as yourself-ness).

loved your comment regarding supporting libraries! I'd be lost without the two I visit. And, like many, I discovered a love of reading because of hanging out at the local library when I was a small child. It was my haven! The Bangor, PA library is in my will! There won't be enough to build a wing, but I will give enough to buy many books for poor children (such as I was) who need a jump start in life.

>53 womansheart: Ruth you are such a dear. It brings a smile to my face everytime I see your comment box pop up.

>54 Whisper1: Hello Linda, I spent many happy childhood days lost in the local library too.

Attention all Small Island fans: the BBC production of Small Island for PBS' Masterpiece Classics will be on tonight at 9:00 p.m. and again next Sunday at 9:00. Here's the link for all who are interested:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/smallisland/index.html

Bonnie- Thanks for the heads-up on the Small Island production. I couldn't set the timer in time, so I'll have to record it later in the week. Let me know, if you watch it, if it's worth tuning in!

Thanks Bonnie - I saw your PBS note on time and have the DVR all set!

Bonnie, I finally added a link to my thread on my profile which makes it easy for both me and anybody else who wants to find my latest thread. It's been especially good for this year as I keep getting behind and my thread gets buried. Of course, now that I've done this, I want everyone else to do it too!

Oh, and thanks for the link! :-)

>57 msf59: and 58 I watched Part 1 last night and it was very good; not as good as the book, of course, but still worthwhile.

>59 bonniebooks: Well Sis, I already have a link on my profile page, but I only go there to update or read a PM. That is a better solution though.

18.



The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny 4 Stars

Another excellent mystery from Three Pines. No spoilers in my review.

I’ve just returned from another lovely trip to Three Pines, Quebec and since it is April, the cruelest month, I was forced onto Chief Inspector Gamache’s team and, instead of relaxing during my Spring Break, I had to help solve another murder mystery. So there I was with the Surete, investigating the case of a woman being “scared” to death in the old Hadley place. And there I was also with the lovely village residents, quirky characters all, soaking up the coziness of the tiny community that I have come to love. Why is it that whenever I come to Three Pines (this is Book 3 in the series) I am completely absorbed into this village and the life that pulses through it to the point that I think I am really there?

Read more here.

You keep making me want to read mysteries, even though I don't read mysteries. :)

>61 brenzi: I gotta get it! Good review Bonnie

>61 brenzi: - Great review, Bonnie! I've got The Cruelest Month sitting on my shelf. I'm saving it until life slows down a little and I can savor it!

I enjoyed your review Bonnie. I'm getting near the end of The Brutal Telling, the fifth in the series. It is interesting how we all seem to want to go to Three Pines. Penny makes the town and the residents so very appealing even though people seem to die there in mysterious ways...!

Bonnie

Another thumbs up from me for yet another excellent review!

I've up-gethumbed your review, Bonnie, you Hot Reviewer you!

Thanks for the review of The Cruelest Month. Apropos that you read it in April.

Miss you. Would love to check in sometime soon.

Ruthie

#61: Thumbs up from me for your review, too. I am definitely ready for a bus heading to Three Pines. I cannot wait for the next book to come out.

And I can not wait to begin reading this series. Soon, it will be soon. Three Pines sounds like the perfect summer escape. I'll join you there, Bonnie. Stasia, have that bus you're on swing by Springfield, MO on your way north!

>62 madhatter22: Shauna, I hadn't read a mystery in probably 20 years until Joanne got me to try this Three Pines series. You really should give it a go:)

>63 Carmenere: Well go get it girl!

>64 porch_reader: I'm saving it until life slows down a little. I believe you have two little ones Amy, so life slowing down? Yeah, that's not happening. LOL

>65 Copperskye: Yes, why is that Joanne?

>66 Whisper1: Thanks Linda.

>67 richardderus: Thank you so much Richard.

>68 womansheart: It is apropos but completely coincidental Ruth:)

>69 alcottacre: and 70 Get the bus revved up. I'm ready when you are.

>72 brenzi: - Because Penny is good, Bonnie. Very, very good! Makes you wonder what may be lurking around the corner though, no?

For non-mystery readers who remain on the fence, the Three Pines series is just as much a character study of the town and the Surete Officers as it is about the mystery. I know the books aren’t for everyone, but don’t let the genre keep you away.

I love Divine coincidence. Happens a lot in my life, too.

Cheers -

R

19.



Tinkers by Paul Harding 4 Stars

From my review:

Sometimes, all it takes for me to discover a good book is for it to win a prize. Any prize will do, as I’m addicted to the prize winners, but when it’s the Pulitzer Prize there aren’t that many that I haven’t read. Tinkers, the 2010 Pulitzer Prize winner did not disappoint. It is a nostalgic tale of a dying man’s remembrance of his father.

Read more here.

Hi Bonnie- I will be coming back to read the review, at the end of the week. I'm starting Tinkers tomorrow!

Tinkers sounds good, Bonnie! I broke my rule and read the whole review. Now I'm going to have to wait until I've forgotten it to read the book--not a problem, lately, with my memory (or lack of it). What are you reading next? (I can't believe that you didn't like Cold Mountain, btw. Have you seen the movie?)

>77 msf59: Ok Mark. Enjoy :)

>78 bonniebooks: Hi there Bonnie! I'm reading Stefan Zweig's Chess Story next. I'm hoping it's as good as Caroline, Belva and Darryl say.

Heh, heh, I knew that comment about Cold Mountain would garner some interest. It could be I just was not in the mood or something like that. I got wayyy into the book before I dropped it which I seldom do. I usually make a decision pretty early on, certainly within the first hundred pages, but with Cold Mountain I was probably a hundred pages from the end. I really should have liked it. It certainly sounded like my kind of book. It was along time ago so I don't remember why I didn't like it. I just remember it being a slog.

Chess Story has gotten a ton of great press lately. We usually like the same things, so I'll be looking forward to your comments. Re: Cold Mountain, you still haven't told me if you saw the movie. I usually just wait for the dvds when it comes to most movies, but I'm really glad I saw that one on the big screen. Anyway, I thought the book was such great writing, but also really clever the way it followed the Odyssey. I was really shocked that my fellow book club members didn't recognize the similarities (some of them were English Lit. majors!) but I'm sure I miss tons of references to classics since I haven't read that many of them, myself.

Both Bonnies! I also loved Cold Mountain. It's been over 5 years since I read it but I only remember positive things. The film version was pretty good too!
Caroline sent me her copy of Chess Story and I thought I would have got to it by now, it being so short but maybe this will inspire by me!

>80 bonniebooks: Oh the movie. I don't think I've seen it. Should I look for it on dvd? Yeah most of the time I don't pick up on literary references for the same reason. Oh right, I forgot, separated at birth ;-)

Great review, Bonnie. I'm really looking forward to reading Tinkers, especially since you enjoyed it so much!

Oh, and I wasn't a big fan of Cold Mountain :)

Hi Bonnie - I just knew you'd like Tinkers. It is one that I will probably reread at some point.

Cold Mountain, the movie, is pretty good, very entertaining and fairly faithful to the book (it's been a while since I read it or watched it). It's been out on DVD for quite some time and is totally worth the watch!

Great review of Tinkers. Thumbs up from me.

>83 lauralkeet: Hi Laura,

While I'm over at your thread posting, you're here on mine. LOL. Yes, you'll enjoy Tinkers I'm sure.

Did you finish Cold Mountain though??

>84 Copperskye: Joanne, I'm pretty sure I'll reread it too which is pretty easy since it's a one sitting read. I guess I'll look for that dvd. Thanks:)

>85 Whisper1: Thank you so much Linda.

I'll be reading Tinkers next week after Mark chimes in with how brilliant it is. We seem to have a reading chain going, and I seem to be the last link! Just once, I'd like to be on the cutting edge and read the book first. Have you gotten your copy of Secret Daughter yet?

>88 Donna828: No Donna I haven't and I'm wondering where it is. Hmmm.

HATED Cold Mountain.

Loved your review of Tinkers.

That is all. Resume normal activities.

Donna- You've been at the forefront on a few occasions, so don't underestimate yourself! Ruthie read Tinkers last year sometime, so she was way ahead of the curve!

>86 brenzi:: Did you finish Cold Mountain though?? Nope! I read it ages ago. I remember getting pretty far through it, but then just tiring of the whole thing.

>90 richardderus: Richard, Thank you for allowing the resumption of normal activities LOL.

>91 msf59: I had Tinkers on my pile since it showed up on a couple of the Best of 2009 lists. I just needed the prize to push it to the top.

>92 lauralkeet: Exactly.

Good Morning. Bonnie et al -

Just checking in to see what's up on your thread. The usual great group of friends plus Sir Richard, good deal. Richard knows how to pick 'em*. * good reviews, that is.

R

Nice review of Tinkers! (Thumb!)

Thumb for Tinkers and on to the wishlist it goes.

20.



The Lotus Eaters by Tatjana Soli 4.5 stars

I finished this one over the weekend but just got around to writing the review. Thank you so much to Terri (teelgee) for recommending this wonderful book.

From my review:

Tatjana Soli’s fabulous debut novel opens during the desperate days leading up to the fall of Saigon in 1975. The evacuation of the city is underway as Helen Adams, “Life” magazine photographer, and Linh, the Vietnamese man accompanying her, are frantically trying to make their way into the American Embassy.

You can read the rest right here.

>97 brenzi:: That sounds quite interesting.

Bonnie

You are the queen of Hot reviews...Another thumbs up from me (and many others.)

...up to her hips in the muck that is Viet Nam... You got me right there. Thumbs up to Queen Bonnie!

Good review, Bonnie. I added it.

> 100 - Donna, I probably would have written up to her "butt", but you know me!

R

Bonnie- I loved the review! It's on the list!

The Lotus Eaters, another to add to my wishlist due to a well written review.

Another thumb for ya, Bonnie. Excellent review.

Wow Bonnie, this one sounds good. Great review! I saw it listed as an ER but wasn't sure about it. Now I am!

I thumbs-upped this book, with an aggrieved mutter or two, because I am ***trying*** to reduce the TBR and plow through some of the 20+ liberry books that've called my name.

You, madam, are becoming as dangerous as Stasia and Darryl. Soon I shall be forced to ignore you simply to avoid causing further estrangement with The Divine Miss, who is in anti-book-buying mode.

#106: How would you know if I am dangerous, Richard? You never check my thread on Sundays! lol

>98 TadAD: Yes Tad very interesting. I didn't know much about Viet Nam and this was a good start. I have The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien coming from PBS.

>107 alcottacre: I don't just *look* like an elephant, I also *remember* like one....

>99 Whisper1: and 100 Uh no not Queen, uh uh no, don't think so.

>101 womansheart: Hmm, butt; Yep that would work too Ruth :)

>102 msf59:, 103, 104 and 105 Thank you all so much.

>106 richardderus: Richard I will never be as dangerous as Stasia, Darryl and , oh yeah YOU who makes my tower teeter more every time I troll your thread.

>111 brenzi: Moi? *batbatbat* I am the quietest li'l ol' mouse there ever was! Just because I am going to write a review of The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit that will launch you towards the Amazon button on your keyboard (I reprogrammed the useless MicroSoft button on my keyboard to take me directly to the books area) to make sure you get one soonest...such an amazing, wonderful book, deservedly a best-seller and faaar better than anything Updike ever wrote...why, you'd think I was doing something *wrong*!

Noooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I stopped at the library book sale on the way home from work and managed to pick up ten wee books that I have no room for and now this???

***scurries away to wait patiently for Richard's newest enticing review**

Oh Bonnie, The Things They Carried is amazing!!

Adding my accolades for The Things They Carried. He also wrote another great book I read In the Lake of the Woods.

I am with Joanne and Linda on The Things They Carried. Terrific book.

Interesting discussion about libraries - libraries here are being squeezed as well. The building I work in also contains a branch of the borough's public library service, but they want to sell off that half of the building and move the library somewhere else... hope it somehow doesn't happen (but fear it will). Unfortunately, they've also replaced lots of staff with dodgy "self-service" machines (no one could make them work the other day).

>>113 brenzi:: Well as long as they were only wee books ...

21.



Chess Story by Stefan Zweig

Thank you to Caroline, Belva and Darryl for bringing Stefan Zweig to my attention. I will certainly be reading more of his books. From my review:

Torture proponents pay attention! There is an effortless way to get information; much easier than the obvious and much debated waterboarding. Stefan Zweig reveals it in his 1942 novella, the disturbing "Chess Story." This is so much more than a tale of men playing a game. Think in terms of psychological warfare and the art of destroying a person's morale.

Read more right here.

I'd never heard of this book or this author, but your review sold me. Onto the list it goes!

Nice review, Bonnie! I'm glad that you liked it, too.

Hi Bonnie- I didn't read all of your review because I might try to squeeze this in, after Neverwhere but I will read it afterward! Sounds really good!

#119: I received that one for my birthday this year. I just need to get it read!

Just saying Hi to you from my new username!

Angela (amwmsw04)

>120 madhatter22: I'd never heard of him either until a few months ago Shauna.

>121Thanks Darryl.

>122 msf59: It's really short Mark.

>123 alcottacre: Great birthday gift Stasia :)

>124 BookAngel_a: Good thing you identified yourself Angela; a new username is sorta like going around ingognito;-)

Hi Bonnie - Hmm, Chess Story sounds rather intriguing.

125- Yeah, I know. I'm thrilled with my new username, but scared that everyone will forget me...:(
I'll have to keep signing my name like that for a while.

Angela

We will not forget you. Thanks for letting us know your new user name!

Bonnie...Yet another wonderful (hot) review. Thumbs up from me.

Fab review, Bonnie, and duly thumbed. I discovered Zweig this year myself, thanks to The Post-Office Girl which I received as a gift. You might want to post your review and/or comments in Author Theme Reads: Reading Zweig. I'm sure they'd love to hear from you!

>126 Copperskye: Yes Joanne, intriguing is a good descriptor for it.

>127 BookAngel_a: I agree with Linda. We won't forget you Angela.

>128 Whisper1: Thanks for the thumb Linda.

>129 lauralkeet: Laura, Thanks for the thumb and I have gone over to that thread and posted a comment and a link to my review. Yes I remember you liked The Post Office Girl and have wishlisted that one also.

128 & 130 - Awww, thanks, Linda and Bonnie! :)

I'm sure I'm not the only one to get this e mail. Does anyone know anything about this site?

Hey Bonnie,

My name is Angelo and I work for a new review website called Lunch.com. I found you in the 75 books for 2010 group on LibraryThing and wanted to reach out. How are things going for your goal? Congrats on the 21 books you've finished so far! I'm actually working with some fellow members on Lunch to start up a new community (http://www.lunch.com/cafelibri) of people who love to share reviews they've written on the books they read. Things are growing, and I'd be grateful if you'd consider sharing your reviews in our community! It's easy to join and test out the waters and see if you like the conversations we're having on Lunch, before you dive all the way in. Here is a link to one of the books you've finished recently, Chess Story by Stefan Zweig. Feel free to rate and review.

Thanks so much for taking a minute to check out our growing community! It's awesome to find people like you out there sharing great content on books. We think we can grow this into a pretty great place to share since it's really organized and also connects so well to other sites like Amazon, Facebook and Twitter.
Hope to hear from you soon,

Angelo

Bonnie- I got it too! The book of mine they mentioned was Norwegian Wood.

Bonnie, I can see where Richard and Laura didn't like Cold Mountain but I'm not finding your review. I didn't like it either, fyi.

>134 tiffin: And you won't find my review Tui. I read it way before I joined LT (Feb. 2009) and at that time, I wasn't writing reviews. I looked back in my journal, which I've kept for the last ten years, and all I wrote was "what a dreadful slog; two days of my life that I'll never get back."

>135 brenzi:: * snort *
I also read it pre-LT and wasted more than 2 days.

132- I got the email too. It's actually the second one from them in the last couple months.

Haven't checked out the site yet, though.

Angela (amwmsw04)

The email sounds suspicious. But, you do write such wonderful review Bonnie!!!

>135 brenzi:: pre LT too, *another snort* about wasting time over it. But all these years later, so good to hear that others didn't like it...everyone was going gaga over it and it was a solid meh for me.

You'll are breaking my heart! ;-) I see I'm going to have to skip over any references to Cold Mountain on your thread, Bonnie. I'm way more critical than my sis, though, so can't complain. This weekend, I gotta catch up on Norwegian Wood. How are you liking it? See you over there! :-)

--> 115

He also wrote another great book I read In the Lake of the Woods.

...and two more great books, Tomcat in Love and Going After Cacciato.

Tim O'Brien is an amazing writer and one of my favorites.

--> 132

I got the email as well. The "Lunch" site looks good, but, honestly, I don't have time for another book site and prefer to spend my time here on LT, at BookCrossing, and at BookMooch. That's it. No more!! :)

>136 lauralkeet: and 139 Snorters are always welcome (and encouraged) here:)

>140 bonniebooks: Well sis you hit the nail on the head. You are way more critical than me yet I still love you. I'm afraid I'm not reading Norwegian Wood right now. Long story short, I just wasn't up for another GR right now. Maybe I'll get to it this summer:)

>141 SqueakyChu: don't have time for another book site and prefer to spend my time here

Oh yes, that's my feeling exactly. Maybe that would give me some time to actually, oh I don't know, read!

>138 Whisper1: Oh Linda I almost missed you there. Thanks for the compliment, oh you of the #1 Hot Review, but I think they just sent the e mail out randomly.

Bonnie

Again, I want to say I'm very glad you joined the 75 challenge group.

22.



Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier

Thank you, thank you, thank you to Laura (lindsacl) for nudging me to this book with her great review last summer.

From my review:

There have probably been thousands of reviews done of the literary classic, Rebecca, since it was first published in 1938 so why does this reader feel the need to add to that number? Hasn’t everything that could be said about it, already been said? Well yes, probably. But after finishing the last few pages there were two choices. Either go back to the beginning and read the whole book over again; it was that good. Or write about it; hence, this review.

A naïve young woman, the narrator of the story, meets and marries a wealthy widower, Maxim de Winter, who owns an old English estate called Manderley, complete with a wide array of servants including Mrs. Danvers, a despicable woman who oversees all that transpires on the premises.

You can read morehere.

You've made me want to reread it! I haven't read this since I was a sprat. Gave you a thumb and you have given me the impetus to seek it out.

Bonnie- Excellent review! I read this a few years ago and was amazed by how smooth and accessible it was. Terrific story! Hitchcock's film version is pretty darn good too!

Great review, brenzi! I recently read Rebecca for the first time and was struck by how well DuMaurier captured the ominousness (is that a word?) of Manderley.

Karen O.

>145 brenzi:: Why have I never really thought to read this?? I love the movie and the books are better in almost every case. Onto my wishlist ...

Great review, Bonnie!

Finally caught up on your latest thread and I'm adding The Lotus Eaters to my tbr pile. Cold Mountain has never been in my reading radar thankfully.

Wonderful review...as always!

>146 tiffin: Reread away, Tui:)

>147 msf59: Yes I'm planning to look for the film Mark.

>148 klobrien2: Ominousness, yes, exactly Karen :)

>149 madhatter22: You will not regret it Shauna.

>150 kidzdoc: Thanks so much Darryl.

>151 avatiakh: Kerrie, I hope you enjoy it too.

>152 Whisper1: Thanks Linda.

Great comments on Rebecca! It is one of my favorite books. I'm glad to see another convert.

Yea! So glad you loved Rebecca! It is one of my all-time favorites (and due for a reread). Wonderful review, too!

I love Rebecca too, Bonnie, so I will chime in with the others.

Yay! Glad you liked it. Always happy to nudge books, too :)

Geesh where've I been all these years? I'm glad to be the last person on the face of the earth to read this gem :)

Better late than never, Bonnie! May I join in on all the accolades for both Rebecca and your review? You have inspired me to want to read it again. I'll add it to the TBRR pile!

I loved Rebecca and wasn't ready for it to end when it did - I wanted more...good review!

Happy Mother's Day, Bonnie!

Bonnie, Great review for Rebecca. If you enjoyed it then the wait was worth it!

>161 BookAngel_a: and 163 Thank you Angela and Lynda.

>162 msf59: Mark, thank you and it's been a wonderful day.

23.



The Leisure Seeker by Michael Zadoorian - 4 stars

Many thanks to Madeline for suggesting this terrific book. From my review:

As busy as Mothers’ Day weekend was, I found time to spend a few hours lingering over Michael Zadoorian’s bittersweet second novel. It was the most rewarding few hours I’ve had in a long time. But I was totally caught napping and unprepared for the sucker punch that was part of the package.

Read more here.

Fine review, Bonnie! Thumbs-upped you!

Thank you Richard. I hope you get to it for the TIOLI Challenge.

I had already wishlisted this when Madeline raved about it. Second thumb for your review as I like a good sucker punch now and then.

It's next up, Bonnie, and I might forego the rest of Mr Golightly's Holiday to make it next now! I think I *am* one of these characters.

I think you'll enjoy it Donna.

Great review, Bonnie. Thumbs-up from me, too. Sounds very bittersweet but worth reading. I loved that quote about how "tastelessness is a way of everyday life."

Pat

Nice review, Bonnie!

Thumbs..........UP! Already on my wishlist and I'm so looking forward to getting around to it!

Bonnie- Excellent review! I'm not familiar with the title or the author but I am now! On the list it goes! It reminds me of the film About Schmidt, which I loved.

Once again, Bonnie, another fine review! I had this one on my radar already. Just need to find the time...

Bonnie..Thumbs up from me (I'm #10) for your incredible review. I really enjoyed this book when I read it in Feb.

I love that you read Michael Zadoorian's book, Bonnie! So glad you enjoyed it. You gave it such a nice review, too.

Thanks to everyone.

>171 phebj: Hi Pat. There were many gems like that one in the book. He's a gifted writer and I'm going to look for more of his books.

>174 msf59: Oh Mark that's a great comparison. I never thought of that but you're right.

>176 Whisper1: I love that gif Linda:)

I believe this is just the kind of book that would have never found its way into my hands without LT. Completely off the radar, not being hyped by any of the online book stores or book reviewers, strictly a book recommended by one LT friend to another. How many of those have I had in the last year? Hmmm, that's worth investigating.

>177 SqueakyChu: Madeline, I went back and reread your review again and you summed it up beautifully in a few words: Theirs is a story of love, fear, determination, and joy.

The Leisure Seeker sounds good, Bonnie! Sounds like it would be an especially good read on one of those days when you're feeling grateful.

Or when you're not feeling grateful enough.

Here's the the LT author chat with Michael Zadoorian.

Thanks Madeline. I'm glad he pushed through from 2000 to persevere and complete The Leisure Seeker.

24.



Too Close to the Falls by Catherine Gildiner 4.5 stars

I've had this book on my shelf for awhile and the TIOLI Challenge to read a book that takes place in your state or hometown nudged me to read it and I'm so glad I did; a hilarious look at growing up in the 50's and 60's. From my review:

Originally, I thought I’d enjoy Too Close to the Falls because I grew up in the area and I would recognize many references to the region. But this memoir, about growing up in the 50’s and 60’s around Niagara Falls, is so much more than that. It’s a coming of age story told by Cathy McClure, an only child whose father owned the local pharmacy in the days when drugs were actually delivered to your home and whose mother didn’t fit the mold of the fifties Eisenhower housewife who cooked, cleaned and maintained a happy home. It’s also a hysterical look at small town life through the eyes of an innocent child. This reader was laughing out loud at page after page of uproarious anecdotes.

Read more here.

Loved your review of The Leisure Seeker and am so glad that I have that in my TBR Tower already. I'll have to move it up a little and shove some of the others down a step or two.

Hi Bonnie,

Great review of Too Close to the Falls. I took it out of the library about a month ago but didn't have time to read it. I've kept it on my wishlist because it did look good and after reading your review, I'll definitely take it out again.

I had forgotten that drug stores actually delivered the drugs! Oh, for the days of the independent drug stores. We have a Walgreen's on almost every corner out here and they're still building more!

>185 cameling: Caroline, I think you'll really like this book.

>186 phebj: Hi Pat, I use one of the few small independent drugstores left in this area. I'm not sure how they continue to thrive in this era of big chain drugstores like Walgreen's, Rite Aid and CVS.

Well, I must be older than dirt because I remember when doctors made house calls! This looks like a fun trip down memory lane and a great book, Bonnie.

Bonnie- Another good review! And another book I was unfamiliar with. On the list it goes. Wait, how's the blood and the body count? These things matter!

>184 brenzi:: I love a good memoir and hadn't heard of this one. Onto the wishlist it goes!

Added Too Close to the Falls, Bonnie. It sounds like a fun read--just what I'm looking for. I could have sworn I already added this book and made a comment about it here, but I don't seeeee it. I want to get to the future where we just have to think it and it's done! :-)

>188 Donna828: I'm right there with you Donna, in the dirt. I can remember the doctor coming to our house more than once. That made so much more sense than sitting in the germ-filled doctor's office LOL.

> 189 Not much blood Mark unless you count bloody noses from racing a hundred miles an hour down a snow and ice covered hill to the edge of the Falls.

>190 madhatter22: Shauna I guarantee you will laugh.

>191 bonniebooks: I think Apple is coming out with that app.

Hi Bonnie, Too Close to the Falls sounds great. I'll add it to the list.

When I was in high school my boyfriend delivered for one of the local drug stores (his brother-in-law owned the store). I think he worked for tips but I could be wrong about that. Can you imagine, today, teenagers delivering prescription drugs?!

Adding Too Close to the Falls to the BlackHole. One of these centuries I am sure I will get to it. Thanks for the review and recommendation, Bonnie!

>184 brenzi: Thumbs-upped, wishlisted, and Bonnie-shaped voodoo dolly sitting next to the Lousie Penny voodoo dolly awaiting juuust one more tempting review....

Bonnie, I'm glad my little Tioli challenge brought a smile to you. I enjoyed mine too. I liked finding out something about the area that I grew up in but never knew. I had hoped that more people would be interested in learning about the stories of their own area.

>197 cyderry:: Cheli, I would have been delighted to read a book about my hometown, but apparently I live in a boring area as no such book exists! I suppose I could have read one with a statewide setting, but have to save those books for the Missouri Reads group, and this is our off month.

Hey everyone,

If those names I brought up in the review are in any way familiar, I think you'd enjoy this book. Thanks to Cheli for coming up with the TIOLI Read a Book About Your Hometown or who knows how long this one would have sat on my shelf. I believe the sequel will be released in the US in Nov.

Bonnie
Too Close to The Falls is now added on the huge tbr pile.

edited for typo

>198 Donna828: Donna, you could read June's MO book ahead of time......

Too Close to the Falls sounds tempting. My husband's family is originally from that area, and he proposed to me at Niagara Falls. (And I have a category in my 1010 challenge that it would fit!)

Great review. I will look for Too Close to the Falls!

Too Close to the Falls added to the wishlist, thanks for the rec bonnie.

--> 184

Loved your review of Too Close to the Falls, Bonnie. It sold me on that book. Onto the wishlist it went. :)

>202 tymfos: How romantic! When I was in high school, a friend (who is still a little on the crazy side) and I used to go down to the falls where we would see people from all over the world speaking many different languages, and she would start speaking to me in made up gibberish that she was sure sounded like an exotic foreign language and I would reply in kind. Hahaha. We thought we were so amusing:)

>203 jadebird:, 204 and 205

Thanks so much. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Bonnie

Sounds like you and your friend had some fun times.

25.



Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda 3 stars

This was an ER book that was just a "meh" read for me. From my review:

This is a debut novel; a first time outing. Don’t come here looking for complex characterization. You won’t find it. Don’t try to find layers upon layers of intriguing narrative that the reader has to peel away to reveal an amazing story. It’s not here. Don’t seek a plot with twists and turns that turn the novel inside out and have you furiously turning pages; afraid not. Don’t look for all those things you expect to find in a novel from an established author. They’re not here. What is here is a simple story about the fickle finger of fate and some fairly preposterous coincidence coupled with some “good enough writing” that enabled me to actually finish the book and not hate it.

Read more here.

Bonnie, as always I love your reviews. It's almost a relief you didn't like Secret Daughter--one I don't have to get!

Well, I've wishlisted Too Close to the Falls and The Leisure Seeker but am going to give Secret Daughter a definite pass. Enjoyed (and thumbed) these reviews, Bonnie.

Bonnie

I don't have a lot of luck with ER books. They are usually pretty mediocre.

Bonnie, I can't believe I rated Secret Daughter half a star higher than you! I must be getting easier in my old age. It was a disappointment, wasn't it? I gave you a thumb earlier today but I couldn't post for some reason.

I've got The Leisure Seeker up next to be read.

Bonnie- Good review! Sorry it fell flat for you! See you should have tried the werewolves! hee hee!

Woof! Woof! for the Werewolves!

>210 phebj: Yay Pat you're safe this time.

>211 tiffin: Hey Tui, Those are two good ones I think you'll enjoy.

>212 Whisper1: Hmmm, you may be right Linda. I'm probably capable of picking mediocre on my own LOL.

>213 Donna828: I think I was feeling a bit surly. Hey, look at the calendar girl. It's the end of May and I'm counting the days just like the kids. Haha.

Hey Mark and Bonnie, werewolf lovers. Geesh!

OK, passing on Secret Daughter and hoping your next read is much better for you, Bonnie!

Happy Summer!

>219 Whisper1: Your post made me think of one of my favorite quotes by Henry James:

"Summer afternoon -- summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language."

Seem apropos for this early summer weather we're enjoying :)

It's NINETY ONE DEGREES FAHRENHEIT here now. You can HAVE summer, all of it, stem to stern, so long as you promise to keep it far, far away from me!!

Uh, excuse me I was commenting from my air conditioned office.

The dog and I are huddled in front of the AC in my room. She shoves me away from the direct path of glorious coolth, I shove her away, so the afternoon passeth...when it was time for her walk, she glared at me as if to say, "What are you, crazy? I ain't goin' out in THAT!" before sulkily going out the door, yanking me onto the boulevard across from the house, and rapidly performing her necessaries before yanking me back to the house. She beat me upstairs handily. She'd've closed the door on me, too, if she had opposable thumbs.

ETA typo

Hmmm not a Henry James fan huh?

My handy dandy Weather Bug says it is 89 degrees in Washington, D.C. I too am in my air conditioned office. I can only imagine what my not-really-air conditioned apartment will feel like this weekend.
And it sounds like the puppy does not like to share. Bad puppy.

I do not have air condition in my house and on a night as hot as tonight, I wonder what possessed the 2 of us to decide that we could survive the hot summer nights with just open windows and a piddly fan or 2! We must have been mad. Having said that, we are still dragging our feet over getting window units for the rooms ..... after all, hot hot summer doesn't last too long out here in New England .. *she says optimistically*

We just had a touch of hot weather a week or so ago and I thought, "Oh, I'm so not ready for summer." Somebody was listening, because it was pouring down rain today. At least when it's extremely hot or cold, you have a good excuse for sitting inside with a good book! Do you have a real summer, Bonnie? Or do you still go to school every day? Our principals here work pretty much through the whole summer.

I'm dying for some summer sun. In San Francisco summer doesn't come until September. I don't miss the days & days in a row of 100 degree weather I grew up with, but a little heat would be nice. (Of course the rare times it does get up to 90 we're all miserable b/c nobody has A/C! :)

It is highly unusual for us to have really hot weather especially this early. In Western New York we have a great big air conditioner, better known as Lake Erie, that provides cooling breezes (as well as tons of snow in the winter) to make summers here so enjoyable.

>227 bonniebooks: Bonnie, I guess I'm lucky. I am off from July1 till around August 6. Otherwise I would have ditched this job long ago. My husband likes to remind me that I've never worked a summer in my adult life:) He's always been the jealous type. LOL.

I've got about ten pages left in my current read No Great Mischief and I'm in heaven. I've found another wonderful Canadian author, Alistair MacLeod (new to me) who writes like a dream and has a whole passel of books I'll now be able to read. **sigh** This is what heaven feels like I think.

....*thinking of how I've never had a whole summer off once I left grad school*

#230: I loved that book when I read it a couple of years ago, Bonnie! I am so glad it has found another fan.

#230 - No Great Mischief looks like a good read, so I'm adding it to my wishlist.

26.



No Great Mischief by Alistair MacLeod - 5 stars

This was a beautiful book that I think will stay with me for awhile. Simply beautifully written. From my review:

Several years ago, while traveling through the Maritime Provinces in Canada, my breath was taken away by the natural beauty of the coastline that looks out on the Atlantic Ocean and Cape Breton. It is this same stunning region that serves as the setting for Alistair MacLeod’s remarkable coming of age novel.

Read more here.

Wow, this sounds fantastic Bonnie! I've wishlisted it and given your review a thumbs up.

Another one to add to the list, Bonnie. Thanks - it sounds great!

I've had three summers off in my adult life - two after being laid off, one after my son was born. They were all nicely timed. I envy you your time off!

My last summer off was...um...1976. Maybe. No, actually that's not so...probably 1974, when I was 13, the year we moved from New Jersey to Pennsylvania. In '75 and '76 my mother insisted that I take summer classes, even though my grades were fine.

Bonnie- Beautiful review! Sounds like a keeper!

Great Review Bonnie. We spent our honeymoon traveling around the Maritimes, and my husband and I both fell in love with the area. (We wanted to buy an inn and live there forever!)
Can't believe I've not read this one. Have to get it on the list!

Louanne, You should be tellling me about the great Canadian authors not the other way around ;-)

No kidding! Thanks for the Canadian rec, my American Friend!!! BTW, Have a great holiday weekend!

>237 kidzdoc: - :(

#234: I must admit, it feels weird to me that I read that book before you did, Bonnie, considering the nature of my reading as opposed to your always excellent taste. I am glad you enjoyed No Great Mischief. It was on my memorable reads list, too.

>243 alcottacre: Stasia, I'm not sure what you mean but every Sunday I look at your list in admiration of the vast range of your reading. I found the recommendation for this book in a Wall Street Journal Column called The Book Lover last year but just got around to reading it. I'm not at all surprised that you'd already read it, probably before I was one of your faithful followers.

#244: I did not know the WSJ had a column called The Book Lover. Maybe I should subscribe just for that column!

Hi B!! Thank goodness I do not subscribe to the WSJ: I do not need any more sources of good books! Behind, behind, always behind. (Course I hope to never catch up...)

What a great review, Bonnie. It's definitely made me want to read it ... so No Great Mischief flies into my obese wish list.

Wonderful review. I am the 7th person to give it a well-deserved thumbs up.

Ooh! I'm a sucker for coming-of-age novels.

Thanks to you all. Yes Bonnie, coming of age, like you I'm also a sucker :)

Glad you liked No Great Mischief, Bonnie. It was my number one read of 2008.

244/245: Forbes Magazine actually has a pretty good book blog, too, and it's not focused on business books: http://blogs.forbes.com/booked/

No Great Mischief = on wishlist and thumbed. Thank you, Bonnie!

>251 Fourpawz2: And I didn't know you in 2008 or I may have know about MacLeod sooner. Hav you read anything else he's written Charlotte?

>252 carlym: Thank you Carlym; I wasn't aware of the Forbes site but I've got it bookmarked now. Not that I need any additional book recs.

>253 LizzieD: Thanks Peggy.

And now, before the thread police harangue me ( yes Richard, I mean you) come and join me on my new thread.

No, I'm sad to say that I haven't. I think everything else he has written falls into the short story category and I am NOT a short story fan. However, perhaps I should make an exception for NGM was so very, very good. He seems to be retired now - maybe he'll write another novel.