brenzi's Impossible Dream - Take 4 - In the Summertime

This is the fourth 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 third 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

Take It or Leave It Challenge for June

The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett
Troubles by J.G. Farrell

Take It Or Leave It Challenge for July

The Lizard Cage by Karen Connelly
Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

Books Read This Year:

34. Fingersmith by Sarah Waters - UK - 4.5 stars
33. Mr. Peanut by Adam Ross - 4 stars
32. The Lizard Cage by Karen Connelly - Burma - 4.5 stars
31. Troubles by J.G. Farrell - Ireland - 5 stars
30. The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett - UK - 4 stars
29. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro - UK - 3.5 stars
28. The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell - Italy - 3.5 stars
27. The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman - Italy - 4.5 stars
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

WOO HOOO! I got here first. Today is a great day to start a new thread. My kids are packing up and getting ready to leave so thought I'd sneak in a quick LT visit. Great timing, eh?

Found you again, Bonnie!

Nice to "see" you Donna. I took a break from planting flowers and got my new thread going before I have to go back out to the humidity. Happy Memorial Day and thank you to all who gave their life for our freedom.

Welcome Stasia. I knew you wouldn't be far behind :)

#5: Thanks, Bonnie! I hope the gardening is going well. Post pictures!!

I was thinking No Great Mischief sounded familiar, Bonnie. I actually have read it, and have it in my willing-to-trade collection if anybody wants to trade books with me for it.

We have plenty of humidity here, Bonnie--lots of drizzle and only 57 degrees. Happy Memorial Day!

Happy Memorial Day, Bonnie!

Starred again! Hope to be a more frequent visitor. : )

Hi Bonnie- Congrats on starting your 4th thread! Woo hoo!

Roomier over here, isn't it? Just oodles more comfy.

coooo-eeee ....*setting up a nice comfy chair here, all the better for enjoying your new thread*, Bonnie.

27.



The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman 4.5 stars

This book came to me via the recommendation of the good people at Books On the Nightstand. From my review:

The genre of the minute seems to be a collection of interconnected short stories that share either a theme (American Salvage by Bonnie Jo Campbell), or a character (Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout) and although Tom Rachman’s new book is described as a novel by the publisher, for this reader, it met all the requirements of a short story collection. At any rate, what Rachman has produced is a cynical, raucous, wry, humor-filled book based on the slow-dying newspaper business and those who are employed in it.

Read more here."/

Nice review! I'd never heard of this, but it's now on The List.

Isn't that a simply great book, Bonnie? I loved it too...

I have decided that I can never go away for a week again, because there will be too many threads to catch up with on my return.

Thanks Shauna.

Yes to both your statements Suzanne. What a terrific read.

Going away is pretty much out of the question unless you just forget about keeping up because it's an impossibility.

Bonnie- BOTNS kicks butt, right? And so do you! I only skimmed the review because I plan on reading this sometime in the near future. One minute I'm chasing Donna and then I'm chasing Bonnie!

Love the review, The Imperfectionists was already on my tbr list after Suzanne's comments earlier this week, but this is looking like a must-read now.

Hi Bonnie - I found you! I'm only about 100 pages into The Imperfectionists but I have to agree, it's a good one!

Well I'm off to the biggest used book sale in our region--the annual American Association of University Women Used Book Sale. Picture an empty WalMart store loaded top to bottom with books. It was $10 to get in this morning, $5 this afternoon and free Thursday through Saturday. I want a good selection so I'm going this afternoon for five bucks.

$1 for hard covers and $.50 for paperbacks, this will be the most fun I've had since last year's sale. I'll let you know the results later.

*vibrates with jealous loathing*

Have fun!

#20: Wow! I cannot wait to see what you get.

My local system has their annual "Book-a-palooza" coming up in a week. I can't wait! Hope you find all of the books that you didn't even know you were looking for!

Karen O.

OMG! Hope you've got one of those fold-up shopping carts. My favorite new-and-used bookstore is going to have a 40% off on their used books (already discounted!) in a couple of weeks, so I'm planning ahead--even to the point of checking out ahead of time to see if they have some books on my wish list. And this time, I'm going to be there when the doors open. Looking forward to seeing your list, Sis! :-)

I got in on a $5.00-A-Bag sale today and picked some great books. So fun! Good luck on your book searches everybody!

Bonnie, I'd be turning green with envy, but I get to go to my second big book sale of the year next week. This one is in Kansas City which means I'll get to visit my grandkids at the same time. Win-win!

Your loyal followers are waiting with bated breath to see the treasures you found.

OH MY GAWD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My head is still spinning. First of all, I had to fight off the hordes. I wish they'd stop advertising this thing because the crowds are getting ridiculous and where are all those people who answer surveys and say laughingly, "No I never read a book." They must be lying because the place was jammed, in the middle of the afternoon yet! You'd think people actually took part of the day off work to go and buy books. (And no, I'm not counting myself.)

So I paid my five bucks and got stamped (yes, stamped. Apparently, after you shop to exhaustion you can go get something to eat to rejuvenate yourself and be able to get back in to spend what ever you may have left in your wallet.)

I head on in and (pretend there's music here like you would hear when a movie gets to the most wonderful part) lo and behold the books go on for as far as the eye can see, in every direction. Be still my heart.

Where to start....no, I mean I didn't know where to start. All the signs identifying mysteries, fiction, etc. where scrawled in pencil on a piece of construction paper. Couldn't they afford proper signage? I finally see what I'm looking for and realize I came in without any bags or anything and the checkout is a mile away. Back out to the car. Of course I had to park at the far reaches of the parking lot because as I already mentioned....everybody and their brother was there.

Back in, show my stamp, head back to the fiction area and start perusing the aisles. A very clever man is filling a box and pushing it along the floor, making it very inconvenient for me to get where I need to be. I doubt that he's considered how he will pick this box up.

Two hours and several trips to the car later, I emerge with my treasures and a very contented smile on my face. While I was checking out, the woman at the desk said to me, "Be sure to sign up for our mailing list." Confidently I said, "No problem, I'm already on it." She replied, "Well you'll just want to verify your address because we won't be here next year."

"What did you say?" I ask. "You're not going to be in this building, you mean?"

"That's right. We will be somewhere else because we need more room!

Titles in haul will be listed tomorrow.

Bonnie, you had quite an adventure today. Too bad you didn't get Bonniebooks' message about the folding rolling cart. Sounds like a must have for next year. I know Mark is trying to get up a group to go a BOTS retreat next spring, but I think I'll save my money for the trip to Buffalo in early June. Now if only I can get on that mailing list!

Bonnie : Sounds like you had an exhausting but fun day at the sale today ..... and just think, all those trips to the car and back provided you with enough exercise so you can justify slumping on the couch for the rest of the week with your lovely loot from today. Can't wait to see what you brought home with you!

*ngurmph*

Glad you had fun.

*curmudges off to drink his jealous loathing into submission*

Can't wait to hear what treasures you found today, Bonnie! What a day!

I am looking forward to see what you got today, Bonnie! I hope you get some rest tonight after the day you had.

Oh that sounds like my kind of heaven! Can't wait to see what you got.

Wow Bonnie, what an experience!

Sounds like fun! Eagerly awaiting the haul list...

Oooooh, heavens! That book sale sounds divine.

I'm looking forward to our area's AAUW annual book sale later this month, which is big but it's not nearly THAAAAT big. (They hold it in the common areas of a shopping mall.)

I look forward to seeing your purchase list!!

That sounds like so much fun. I can't wait to see what you got.

OK I'm going to attempt to list the haul from yesterday. I tried to do it earlier today but most of the touchstones weren't working so here we go:

Woman in White by Wilkie Collins - I have The Moonstone but haven't read it yet.

River Thieves by Michael Crummey - another new (to me) Canadian author

The Ministry of Special Cases by Nathan Englander - recommended by Madeline among others

Loving Frank by Nancy Horan - I love FLR architecture

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell - because it didn't win the Booker

All-Bright Court by Connie Porter - local author who wrote about the town my in-laws started their marriage in; looks like it's not in the LT catalog

The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett - recommended by Linda (laytonwoman) and Laura

The Sea, The Sea by Iris Murdoch - I should read this.

Horse Heaven by Jane Smiley - I liked A Thousand Acres

Looks like a pretty good haul!

Continuing:

The Outlander by Gil Adamson - recommended by Joanne

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas - recommended by Angela

The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith - I loved the movie.

Mr. Bridge by Evan S. Connell - I already had Mrs. Bridge so.......

The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney - recommended by Joanne

Case Histories and Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson - some of Mark's crime fiction

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield - an LT rec based on hmmm, can't remember

Hi Bonnie- Mighty haul! That should keep you busy for awhile! I have both Tenderness of Wolves & Thirteenth Tale waiting in the wings! And yes, The Outlander is very good!

Finale:

Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner - to reread one of my all time favorites

The View From Castle Rock by Alice Munro - because I haven't read any Munro yet

Fugitive Pieces by Anne Michaels - for orange July (or January)

Thunderstruck by Eric Larson - someone just read and recommended this (Richard? Terri (tymfos)? can't remember

Postcards by E. Annie Proulx - I must have picked this up by mistake when I was scooping up some other books because I read this years ago and it's not a candidate for a reread. Oh well.

There you have it. A mighty fine haul if I do say so myself. Oh yeah, total cost including the five bucks to get in...$25. Very satisfying.

Holey moley. That's an AMAZING haul!

Hi Bonnie, I've been away for a few days and am just catching up on threads. Loved your review of The Imperfectionists and may just have to get it in hard copy after hearing so many people chime in about how they loved it.

Also, cannot believe how great that book sale sounded and that you got such so many great books for a total of $25!!!!

I'm drooling over your new books. Wait a minute...I either own or have read most of them!. There were three titles (in Part One) that I am unfamiliar with. I'm going to attempt The Count of Monte Cristo for my Big Read this summer; although Colony of Unrequited Dreams is a pretty big book and I'm committed to that.

Enjoy your lovely new books. It's fun finding homes for them.

Nice!!!

What an amazing group of books! I'm smiling thinking of how much fun you had!

I'm impressed, Bonnie. That's a great stack of books! There's a nice range there. Behind the Scenes at the Museum isn't a murder mystery, by the way. Hope you like it; it's my favorite Kate Atkinson by far. We'll have to read Cloud Atlas together. I also want to read a Patricia Highsmith novel. The Talented Mr. Ripley was such an outstanding movie, maybe I'll read that one too. I'll be watching to see if we can match up our reading every once in a while this summer. What's the countdown, by the way?

I am beyond jealous! Boy, you got some great books there!! Congratulations, Bonnie!

Well done!!! Yes, Patricia Highsmith's Ripley novels are fab -- I think they are even better than the film (which was v. good).

I'm also planning to read my first Kate Atkinson tomes at some point this summer.

River Thieves also looks very intriguing... Lots of nominations, for prizes, interesting story. Let me know what you think!

What hours of marvelous reading you have stocked up! Horse Heaven is one of Smiley's 'funny' books -- Moo and the real estate one, title escaping me -- she loves horses, I know, from reading something about her. I loved it, but I am a big Smiley fan. One smart cookie. And diverse in interests. We read Moo aloud on summer hol while I was nursing my daughter and we would laugh so hard that, well, you can guess, nursing was a little challenging and the babe would get more than a little annoyed with me.

I love Kate A. and Collins and and and.... what a haul!
Brava!

The worst part of the experience was all the books I left there. I wanted to buy everything. It's so hard to exhibit some semblence of control. And I'd love to know how they manage to get so many high quality books. Nothing that screamed "ancient!" everything in such great condition that it made limiting selection nearly impossible. Luckily, I didn't bring my check book with me (that would have been suicide) so was limited to the cash in my wallet. Otherwise, the sky's the limit.

Then there was the problem of getting them into the house unnoticed by my better half; not an easy task. How to explain the addition of so many books, so soon after the Book Closeouts sale, when I have shelves and shelves of books, unread, awaiting their turn patiently, some languishing for months years. To someone who is not a biblioholic, this is a ridiculous thing and no explanation is acceptable. So the eventual sneaking in of the books, dispersing them onto varied bookshelves so the addition is not as obvious and only fessing up to a couple of acquisitions. There, only minor complaint and mocking. Phew, safe until the next time. Is this an illness? Seriously.

>48 bonniebooks: Bonnie, Huh, I thought Atkinson wrote crime fiction. Oh well. 15 days til the kiddies are gone but who's counting? Certainly not the principal;-)

>50 Chatterbox: Suzanne, I was actually looking for Michael Crummey's Galore which isn't available from the online bookstores when I stumbled onto River Thieves.

>51 sibylline: Lucy, I read and enjoyed Moo but somehow got away from Smiley after that. I also have Good Faith on my shelf so hopefully this summer I'll get to at least one of them.

ok yes I am ..... what a great haul, Bonnie! You know though, now you have all those treasures, we're out here waiting for your reviews! mwahahahaha....

I'm with Bonniebooks--Behind the Scenes at the Museum is my favorite Atkinson. I love the Ripley books too. Mr Bridge and Mrs. Bridge are among my desert island books, and I've finally convinced my husband to read them (he's not a big reader). He's reading them both at the same time--alternating books randomly. And you already know how I feel about Cloud Atlas. Great haul--you done good!

Bonnie...and other book lovers....would you believe that I found a table of used books for sale at our church conference? They were mostly theology textbooks, but I did spend $1.00 on Scott Peck's The Road Less Traveled (to replace the copy I sent to my son in Denver last week) and In Search of Stones. My 12-hour day wasn't a complete loss!

>55 arubabookwoman:: Deborah, I love Mr. and Mrs. Bridge -- abbreviating here because I'm tired. My daughter lives in Kansas City but she turned her nose at them because they sounded boring to her. Imagine that!

I am trying to imagine a book sale so big, so good and so un-tiring that you could find, and have time to find before you got exhausted, all those great books. I really can't picture it at all. The last book sale I went to, a couple of weeks ago, was advertised in the National Trust magazine (the NT has a million members, so this isn't just some little village thing), and went I got there it consisted of a couple of dozen cardboard boxes of randomly mixed together books, some on tables and some just lying on the grass. Cheap prices, but not much to choose from. I didn't buy ANYTHING. (of course, that did mean not having to find places to put them all....)

>57 JanetinLondon: it consisted of a couple of dozen cardboard boxes of randomly mixed together books, some on tables and some just lying on the grass.

That's the thing, Janet, these books were all separated into categories and in the fiction section everything was arranged alphabetically by the author's last name, just like in the library. They had tons of volunteers who were all over the place keeping everything very orderly. This one book sale funds dozens of scholarships for high school students and they appear to have it down to a science.

Yes Janet you did save yourself the inconvenience of having to find places for any books. LOL

Great stash of books and I sure know the feeling about sneaking books into the house.

That is just a riot! If the most your hubby has to worry about is you sneaking used books into your house, he's getting off easy!

And Atkinson does write crime fiction--just not that one. I wonder what you'll think of Postcards by Annie Proulx. It's dark, but I thought it was very good. I bet you'll like The Thirteenth Tale.

Bonnie,

I found where the LT recommendation was and it's for having Rebecca in my library, which I was wild about so The Thirteenth Tale has climbed up the pile exponentially.

I read Postcards years ago. I must have picked it up by mistake. I never realized it until I unpacked everything.

I am beyond jealous of that book sale. I want a Walmart-size building filled with books to choose from!!!
I would consider a road trip to a sale like that.

Hope you like The Count of Monte Cristo. I was just rolling along with it until I got sidetracked. Need to get back to it pronto!

B--Oh, I just loved catching up on your thread! I am trying not to drool on my keyboard--you totally scored at that sale. Since most of my books are still in boxes awaiting shelves, I could just sneak in a new box and my hubby would never know the difference. Actually, he contributes to my book mania, by bringing home books for me even though he doesn't read any himself! Happy reading.

bringing home books for me even though he doesn't read any himself! I am postively rigid with envy. The Divine Miss has given me precisely *one* book in the past two years, despite my pleas that birthday/Christmas gifts *not* be vases, picture frames, etc etc.

I just caught up too. I could weep. Nothing remotely like that happens anywhere near here. But congratulations on a wonderful cache!
I'm in good company, I see. I sneak books in and would confess at any time if DH asked me outright how many books I just bought, but bless him, he doesn't; he just continues to build bookshelves. Once, 20 years ago, he said, "---and when you fill up this one, Don't Buy Any More Books!" He doesn't say that now.

I'm lucky, I don't have to sneak. I brazenly plop the books down for inspection, and when the grumbles come, I point to her bloody bedamned expensive garden. Mutinous silence ensues.

>65 LizzieD: I have to laugh Peggy. The last time my hubby added some bookshelves he said (quite seriously too) "Now don't buy any more books until you read all these."

Snort, snort, guffaw. Um, sure, ok.

>66 richardderus: I'm lucky, I don't have to sneak. I brazenly plop the books down for inspection, and when the grumbles come, I point to her bloody bedamned expensive garden.

Well I have to say, he can't say too much because I have way too much ammunition such as the huge, giant tractor he bought himself that we had no need of at all. Just another toy.

You guys just made me want to go home and hug my husband. He gives me money to buy books when we go into a used book store! I think I'll keep him... ;)

#69 And mine has allowed me to plan an actual vacation stop to visit my favorite, huge used bookstore this summer . . . I guess I should be thankful!

28.



The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell 3 stars

I read this book for my own Take It Or Leave It Challenge - Read a Book by an Author with a Three Part Name.

From my review:

“The Jesuit scientists went to learn, not proselytize. They went so that they might come to know and love God’s other children. They went for the reason Jesuits have always gone to the farthest frontiers of human exploration. They went ‘ad majorem Dei gloriam,’ for the greater glory of God.” (Page 3)

As The Sparrow opens, in Rome in 2059, Father Emilio Sandoz is the sole survivor of a voyage into space and the reader doesn’t understand why he is so surly and reluctant to tell his story to his superior and the other Jesuit members of The Society of Jesus. His unraveling is told in flashback, morsel by morsel.

Read more here.

Don't you just love how the story begins, and then unfolds, though, Bonnie? To find out why people are so angry at him, and why he hates himself? I loved the book. Spoiler!But not the real icky torture parts. If that was the last 50 pages, then I agree with you. Thread of Grace was such a different book; I can imagine that anyone who read that first might be surprised and disappointed.

Excellent review, Sis. I'm going to go thumb you.

Bonnie

WOW! What an incredible review. Thumbs up. I read The Sparrow years ago as an ERC from a friend who was a manager of a bookstore and raved about it.

The book was haunting and deeply disturbing. In fact, I still get the creeps when thinking about it. I have a vivid imagination and thus I had a difficult time with some of the graphic violence.

Bonnie,

Thanks for the thumb. You know when a book is loved by millions and then you get to it way late in the game expecting to be completely bowled over?? And then disapointment sets in even though under other conditions you would probably have been very well satisfied? That's it.

BTW I'm going to be in Seattle in July. What should I be sure not to miss?

Oh hi Linda,

You and I must have been posting simultaneously. Yes disturbing; very.

Thanks for the thumb.

I'm going to be in Seattle in July. What should I be sure not to miss?

ME! :-)

Bonnie
Harmonic convergence is in the air. Not only did we post simultaneously, but in addition, after posting on your thread, I left a message for Mark regarding my experience in Seattle Washington!

The city is one of the most pristine and cleanest I've ever seen in the US! I highly recommend visiting Pike's Market.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pike_Place_Market

Hmm, The Sparrow is one of the books I wanted to get to for my BOTS challenge. I've been holding off because I'm afraid I won't like it (but I want to like it!). I didn't read your whole review but it seems like you were not thrilled?

The city is one of the most pristine and cleanest I've ever seen in the US! I highly recommend visiting Pike's Market.

Thanks, Linda! I guess I take Seattle, and the whole Northwest, for granted, not having seen very much of the rest of our country, myself. But I do love the combination of the green, the hills, the scenic mountains in the distance, and the water in Seattle.

So, Bonnie, when are you coming in July? And for how long? Do you have time to meet up? I'm a terrible hostess when it comes to knowing the places to go in Seattle. Everybody pretty much goes to Pike Place Market, it's true. There are lots of fancy/great restaurants in Seattle, but I don't go to any of them. My son when he comes to town likes to go to El Puerco Lloron--it's a little whole-in-the wall Mexican restaurant--very popular--next to the steps (most people sit outside) that take you from the Pike Place Market down to the aquarium/waterfront. Here's a description of it: The rickety old metal tables and chairs, the loud shades of blue and maize adorning the walls, the strings of gaily colored lights, and the wealth of imported knickknacks all holler "south of the border," but it's the initial glimpse behind the counter revealing the woman shaping and grilling handmade corn tortillas that lets you know for sure that El Puerco Lloron is true Mexican fare. The menu here is no-frills: Ten entrées—order by number, por favor—are all priced under $7.25. No bulging burritos or taco salads here, just classic meat dishes like carne asada and tacos. Taste the moist carnitas and you'll understand why the pig is crying.

Pioneer Square is an old part of Seattle (just a few blocks west of the International District) that was built up after a fire over a hundred years ago, so that all the entrances now are actually what used to be the second-stories of the old buildings. I couldn't really understand/visualize it until I went on the tour. Too bad Elliot Bay Bookstore finally moved out. It was a great old funky bookstore that everyone loved. But you could go see our Public library--it's totally cool!

Taking a ferry over to Bainbridge Island would be fun way to enjoy the scenic views on Puget Sound. You can walk on, and I don't think it's very many blocks to the town which has some good restaurants and a bookstore too.

I'll keep thinking and get back to you. I bet Deborah/arubabookwoman will have a lot of good ideas. You have plenty of time to plan, so I'll ask her.

Nice review of The Sparrow, Bonnie. I am one of the people who loves the book, but agree it is not for everyone.

I hope you enjoy your next read is better for you!

Hi Bonnie- I have had a copy of The Sparrow forever, I think I got it from a fellow LTer. With your 3 star evaluation, it might be a bit longer before I get to it!

>79 bonniebooks:: Seattle, Portland, and that whole area is luscious. I'm way overdue for another trip there. My husband has an office in Seattle and visits frequently. I could probably keep myself busy while he's working. :-)

>81 msf59:: Mark, I'll "ditto" Stasia's statement, but add that I think you would be one of the ones who likes The Sparrow.

Bonnie, I agree with everything you said about The Sparrow. I read it a few years ago and I'm still disturbed by it, while on the other hand, I loved much of the storyline and writing. I have Children of God, the sequel, and haven't gotten up the nerve to read it yet! Dashing over to give you a thumb.

I'm kind of curious about The Sparrow, even though you have mixed feelings about it. I've added it to my list. Also added A Thread of Grace, which our public library has. I'll keep in mind how very different they are.

I loved The Sparrow although, yes, there are some disturbing prisoner scenes. I like the sequel not as much. I will ask my sister-in-law about the must-see things in Seattle. Hugs from Portland!

Well I apparently don't know what I like. After swearing off dystopia and science fiction novels in general, and although I still wouldn't categorize The Sparrow in either of those genres, here I am totally immersed in another one. I'm reading Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro and although I had a hard time getting into it, at this point I'm both completely repulsed and totally fascinated.

Even though I was disappointed by The Sparrow I think it had to do with expectations and (especially) the fact that my previous experience with the author was so very, very diferent. I did give it 3.5 stars so in the larger scheme of things, that's still a worthy read.

Glad you're liking Never Let Me Go. I'm loving The Remains of the Day and will definitely read more by this author (Kazuo Ishiguro).

"completely repulsed and totally fascinated." What a great way to describe Never Let Me Go. I couldn't shake that book, long after I finished it. BTW- How are you?

Hi Bonnie,

Before I forget, I wanted to tell you about some things my husband and I enjoyed on a recent trip to Seattle:

Definitely go to Pike Place Market--it's like something from the 60s, lots of aging hippies selling all different kinds of stuff, fabulous produce and seafood, great place to get unique gifts, fantastic restaurants, I could go on and on and you could easily spend several days seeing everything.

One of the restaurants we loved there was Matt's in the Market. It's on the third floor overlooking the main entrance to Pike Place Market and they use the food from the market for their menu items. Very casual, on the small side (so reservations are a good idea) and fantastic food.

Also, right near the entrance to PPM is Sur la Table, a fantastic cooking store with very helpful staff. They're chock full of kitchen items and it can get busy but definitely worth it.

If you don't mind pricey hotels, The Inn at the Market is a great place to stay, again right opposite the entrance to PPM. My husband is an early riser and he would go out early and bring back coffee and hot fruit scones from the market--yumm!

Another restaurant we enjoyed was Serious Pie, a very nice pizza place. It's owned by Tom Douglas who has a number of excellent restaurants in Seattle.

Finally, Elliot Bay Books is a fantastic bookstore. As Bonnie mentioned it's no longer in Pioneer Square but it's still in Seattle, just in a new location.

Hope you have a great time on your July trip!

Pat

Ooh! I forgot to highly recommend the Seattle Public Library! It's pretty new and very modern (I think it's supposed to resemble a stack of books). It's like a museum of modern art--look for the art on the floors on the 1st fl. and on the walls of the escalators. Great view of Mt. Rainier and Puget Sound from the 10th floor. Also, a great little gift shop and coffee bar. For a book and library lover, a MUST see.

>89 phebj: Ten floors?? The library has 10 floors???? I may not be able to go anywhere else while I'm there. I guess it would be tempered by the fact that I couldn't actually check anything out. And the fact that I'm not traveling alone and my traveling companion will undoubtedly want to see other things ;-)

Thanks for all your suggestions everyone.

I go to Seattle every August for a convention, and I love just walking around the city, exploring... it feels so much safer and cleaner than a lot of American cities, and the people are very friendly (feels a bit like home in Canada, to be honest!).

We always stay at the Red Lion Inn and they've been fantastic. It's a bit pricey, but we get convention discounts and they do have a rewards program.

Pike Place Market is a lot of fun, great food and excellent coffee if you go independent. There's a FANTASTIC french pastry/coffee shop right on one of the corners, I wish I could remember what it's called... Boulangerie or something... (yes, I know that just means bakery in french, haha).

The aquarium downtown was very cute when we visited, and I hope to get to the zoo this year. The library was closed for construction last year, I think, but I hear it's lovely.

Thanks Faith. I'm traveling with my daughter who is going there for a conference and we'll have lots of time to just explore so I'm glad to hear that Seattle is a good city for that.

#90 Yes, the library has 10 floors and takes up a whole city block!

One thing to keep in mind in walking around Seattle is that it's very hilly. For example, the entrance to the 1st floor of the library is on 4th Avenue and the exit to 5th Avenue is on the 3rd floor, so in one block there is a difference of two stories in elevation!

When my husband and I first went to Seattle in our 30s we never noticed the hills but on our last trip, in our 50s, we were like "where did all these hills come from!?"

I love Ishiguro's writing, and have so far read Never Let Me Go, The Remains of the Day, and When We Were Orphans. But, it has to be said, the characters in his books are complete plonkers. Stevens in The Remains of the Day is a narrow-minded stuffed-shirt. Banks in When We Were Orphans is a pompous idiot.

>94 iansales: I can't pinpoint what it is about his writing. It's not lyrical at all in the way of Andrea Levy, David Mitchell or Wallace Stegner but there's something about it that keeps you glued to the page. I've read the same three as you Ian, and I'd have to say The Remains of the Day was my favorite and yes, the characters are so adroitly drawn in all his books.

Ishiguro's consistency, and constancy, of voice is impressive, but I do wish he'd write more sympathetic characters. You feel pity for them, but that's not the same. In When We Were Orphans, when Banks is in the warren, it's obvious the Japanese soldier he meets is not his boyhood friend Akira, but he refuses to see it. Why? We already know Banks is deluded because he imagines his parents can be rescued despite being kidnapped a decade before...

I simply must read more Ishiguro. Although I liked the writing, I didn't care for Never Let Me Go all that much. Thanks for helping me pinpoint why, Ian. I was so turned off by the limp characters that, in the end, I didn't particularly care what happened to them!

I'm looking forward to your thoughts on this one, Bonnie.

I think we should plan an LT convention for Seattle! So many seem to get here at one time or another, even though we're fairly remote.

A ferry ride is a must. Depending on how long you're here, whether you have a car, whether you're willing to devote a whole day to this--a day trip to Mt. Ranier is unforgettable. Freemont is a quirky neighborhood--I believe they have street markets every weekend. Ballard locks--you can watch the salmon swim upstream, and Ballard is a very Scandanavian neighborhood. I'll try to think of more.

Deborah, I like your idea for a Seattle convention!

29.



Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro 3.5 stars

From my review:

Creepy. Repulsive. Abhorrent.

Fascinating. Mesmerizing. Intriguing.

Much like the car crash that you can’t take your eyes off of, this novel had me stymied as to how I felt about it. One minute repulsed and the next fascinated. From “I really like this book” to “I hate this book.”

Read more here.

I can't remember any of the details of that book, Bonnie, but I've got it listed in my "willing to trade" collection, so I know I've read it. I'll go read the rest of your review to see if anything 'rings a bell.'

Nice review! I must get to this book this year...

Hi Bonnie,

Great review but it's makes me wonder whether I'd like the book.

Have you ever read The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist? It actually sounds like a similiar topic but not as creepy. I really liked it.

edited to fix typo

>103 phebj: I actually have The Unit on my teetering tower but don't know when I'll get to it. Hmmm maybe I don't want to get to it.

Hi Bonnie, not surprisingly we felt much the same about Never Let Me Go, although you were as usual more charitable than me with your praise. I got stuck on the totally flat characters and the fact that there was supposed to be this big surprise, but it was obvious from the beginning what was going on.

I think I will like Ishiguro's other books better! Btw, I rated the creepy book with 3 stars.

What's up next for you?

Bonnie- Good review! I liked the book a lot more but I can easily understand readers having mixed feelings. It's not for everyone. I think it's cool detached tone can be difficult but there's no question he can still draw you in!
I've had The Unit high on the WL for quite some time! It sounds excellent!

>105 Donna828: You know Donna I've never felt this way about a book particularly after finishing and having some time to think about it. I just threw 3.5 stars on it because it seemed fairly neutral.

I loved Remains of the Day. I'll start The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett tonight.

Mark, Yes when I went to the book's work page there it was listed in my tags: rec by Mark :0

I thought Never Let Me Go was OK, mostly for its unusual-ness, but I adored The Remains of the Day.

The Uncommon Reader is a treat, Bonnie. You'll fly right through it, but it's good fun.

Hi Bonnie - I have had Never Let Me Go sitting unread on my shelf for a couple of years now. It just doesn't call to me.

But, as #108 says above, The Uncommon Reader is a very good one and if you like it, try Bennett's The Clothes They Stood Up In.

Bonnie : Great review. I know what you mean about the creepiness of the book. When I read it and when I realized what was really going on, there was a growing sense of horror but I had to keep reading. It is definitely an unusual book, but it's this element that made the book really interesting for me.

Have read (and re-read) both Ishiguro's and Holmqvist's take on a similar topic/issue/theme. While the latter does a great job while making different points, I preferred Ishiguro, in part because of the way that the creepiness kind of sneaks up on you. It's like the children themselves -- later they find it hard to realize just when they realized they were different from others and what their purpose in life was; as a reader, the beginning of the book makes it sound like a coming of age story set in a boarding school, then you realize there is no mention of parents, isolation from the world, etc... I loved the book, perhaps because I love complexity in characters and situations. I don't need a sympathetic character to become engrossed in a book; often I prefer one who is well-drawn and as complicated as many of us really are. Ishiguro really gets beneath the skin of his characters, I thought. It's the banality of the abnormal/bizarre/horrifying situation that was so compelling.

#111: It's the banality of the abnormal/bizarre/horrifying situation that was so compelling.

That is exactly it!

Just popping in to say good morning!

I don't think Never Let Me Go would be my cup of tea.

But the Seattle Public Library would be right up my alley! ;)

30.



The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett 4 stars

I finished this absolutely delightful book last night. From my review:

If you have an hour or two to spare between books do pick up this charming little gem from British writer Alan Bennett. I can guarantee it will make you smile.

Queen Elizabeth’s rambunctious Corgi dogs veer off their normal path around Buckingham Palace and end up barking rowdily around the mobile library, parked in an area the queen never frequents. Stepping into the van, she expresses her surprise to the driver and the only customer, a boy who works in the kitchen. She feels obligated to take out a book, any book, even though she isn’t really a reader:

Read more here.

I so much want to read The Uncommon Reader. I know my library has it, but it's never in. I guess I could reserve it, but I always forget. Well, I'm sure copies will turn up second hand soon. Alan Bennett is such a good writer.

Oh, I loved that book soooo much. Especially the twist at the end.

The Uncommon Reader has one of my favorite 'book endings' ever...

So glad you enjoyed it, Bonnie!

It's a good one - glad you liked it Bonnie!

Sounds like a fun read, Bonnie!

Great review, Bonnie. I've never heard of The Uncommon Reader before but definitely want to read it now!

I have read The Uncommon Reader twice now and loved it both times. You tempt me to pull it down from the shelf once again, Bonnie.

I *love* The Uncommon Reader. You make me want to read it again, too.

Bonnie- Good review! I've had this on the radar forever!

I had to give it a ***** because it had Corgis in it.

Seriously, I think it is a gem of the first order.

Looks like The Uncommon Reader was another book I was just about the last person on earth to read. Oh well. Better late than never.

OK I was just on another thread and the discussion was about how people generally don't talk about the book they're reading until they're done with it and, I have to say, that's me. I seldom do that. But I'm going to do that now.

I'm reading Troubles by J.G.Farrell which won the Lost Booker Prize earlier this year because in 1970 they didn't award a prize. (Hmmm I wonder why?) Anyway, I'm about 100 pages into the 459 page book and it has struck such a chord with me. This is historical fiction at its best. The story is about life in Ireland in 1919, after the Great War and at the start of the "troubles" between the Sinn Fein/I.R.A. and the British army of occupation.

I don't know a lot about this period, so at the same time I'm doing a little research online to educate myself. But Farrell wonderfully is telling a story of brutality and passion on the part of the divided Irish people. They are welcoming home their sons, husbands and brothers from fighting on the side of the British and can't justify this new battle that pits them against those very same British.
The writing is exquisite and heavy with satire that is making me laugh out loud and I cannot put the book down.

I found you!

Troubles sounds good. I'll put it on my list. I recently found out while researching my g-grandparents on my mother's side that her grandmother was Irish. Whoa! It's going to take me awhile to get my head around that one, but certain things are starting to make sense, if you know what I mean. Thanks for the blurb about the book.

Hi Bonnie, I'm taking Becky's advice as well. Maybe we'll start a new trend.

You were not the last person to read The Uncommon Reader as I still have that treat in store for me. I think it's a book I want to own so I can read it over and over in much the way I read Ex Libris.

Troubles is not available at my library. I've also looked for it at the last two book sales I've gone to. I might as well buy it as I own The Siege of Krishnapur; of course, then I have to buy the third one in the trilogy!

Edited because I can't type and eat ice cream at the same time. :-)

#126: I'm reading Troubles by J.G.Farrell which won the Lost Booker Prize earlier this year because in 1970 they didn't award a prize. (Hmmm I wonder why?)

I can answer that question. The first Booker Prize was awarded in April 1969, and the books under consideration for the award were those that were published the previous year, in 1968. The 1970 award maintained that format, so the books published in 1969 were eligible. However, in 1971 the prize was awarded in November, and the award went to the best book published that year*. So, a sizable number of the books published in 1970 were not eligible for the award.

* The books eligible for the award are those that were published between Oct 1 of the previous year, and Sep 30 of the current year. So, this year's award will consider books published between 10/1/09 and 9/30/10. The 1971 award excluded all books published from Jan 1 to Sep 30, 1970.

#126: I am glad to hear that you are enjoying Troubles, Bonnie! It is very good, isn't it?

Bonnie, great to hear you are enjoying Troubles, since that means I will, as well!

I'll start Troubles today, now that I've finished the novel that I was reading.

Looks like The Uncommon Reader was another book I was just about the last person on earth to read.

I not only haven't read it, I somehow hadn't even heard of it! Your review intrigued me though. Hoping I can find this one sooner rather than later ...

I also thought The Uncommon Reader was a lovely little read. A perfect book for a quiet summer afternoon.

Well of course Darryl started Troubles after me but he's already done yet I have about 140 pages left. Unless the writer falls apart in these last 140 pages this will be a 4.5-5 star read. I can't say how much I am loving this book. My only question is, "why can't I read as fast as Darryl?"

Troubles must be very popular because there are long lists at both my local libraries. I'd like to read as fast as Darryl and Stasia...But, then I'd be like one of the characters in Never Let Me Go

#135: Hmm...am I a faster reader, or do I spend more hours of my off days reading? There are some days when I'm a very productive reader (in terms of number of pages read), like yesterday when I read over 300 pages of Troubles, and other days where it's a struggle to get 50 pages in, even for a book that I'm enjoying.

Ah great question Darryl, one that I often ponder myself. Some times I can sit with a book for hours and other times I'm restless and unable to read more than a few pages w/o getting up and moving around. This is even with a really great book.

>136 Whisper1: Linda, I can't imagine you as any of the characters in Never Let Me Go. You care about other people way too much to be compared to a bunch of clones. LOL

Those were v. human clones, however, who had to be socialized to think like clones...

I'm a fast reader as well, but not as fast as Stasia! I wouldn't enjoy being able to speed read, as some people claim to do when they devour books, simply because I don't think it's possible to ENJOY those books when reading them if you're focused on reading for speed... Some books require savoring...

Bonnie

You are ever so kind!

Suz
I am reading a book that I am savoring and hate to see it end. Stasia highly recommended that I read Freak the Mighty..It is a gem!

31.



Troubles by J.G. Farrell 5 stars

I discovered when I went to edit my tags that Stasia was the one who recommended this so I owe her a great big thank you because I absolutely loved this book. From my review:

In 1970, J.G. Farrell wrote an epic novel that is bound to land on many reader’s “Best Historical Fiction” lists. Sprawling, wonderfully contrived, beautifully written, filled with complex characters and dark, biting humor, the book is part of Farrell’s Empire Trilogy, and came to my attention as the recent winner of the Lost Man Booker Prize for 1970.

The setting is 1919 Ireland; the “troubles” are the result of the undeclared war between the Sinn Fein/IRA Catholics and the British army, “a war without battles or trenches (Page 171).” In Kilnalough, stands the once aptly named 300 room Majestic Hotel, owned by the aristocratic Spencer family. Now overrun by cats and vegetation, its glory days are over and it is in a continually increasing state of disrepair.

Read more over here.

Great review, Bonnie! Yes, Stasia was the first 75er to read Troubles this year, from what I remember. I'm glad that you also enjoyed it, and I'd definitely encourage you to read The Siege of Krishnapur if you haven't already read it. New York Review Books Classics has published all three books in Farrell's Empire Trilogy, including The Singapore Grip, which I'll read later this year.

Bonnie- Great review! Now that all the big LT Guns are onboard, I'm going to have to start looking for a copy. This book whirlwind never lets up, does it? Or do we not want it to?

Too. Many. Books.

Dutifully added. Thanks Bonnie - it sounds great!

Great review, Bonnie! I am thrilled that you loved it.

Well, with you, Darryl and Stasia all loving it, I will definitely be reading The Troubles soon. Great review, Bonnie!

Oh well, what's two more books to buy? I already have Siege of Krishnapur which I bought when it was nominated for Best of the Booker. This trilogy is sounding better and better with each review. Another good one, Bonnie. Now stop it! :-)

And I have lost my copies of *Krishnapur* and *Singapore* which I put together somewhere "safe" so that I'd have them when I was ready for them. I'm ready. They're really safe.

#149: LOL! That sounds so like me :)

>149 LizzieD: Yeah if you're like me they're in that safe place with those important papers that my husband said "keep these in a safe place." They are in a safe place; also in a hidden place; hidden from me. Oh well I hope you find them Peggy.

OK I just returned from a library book sale and I'm very disappointed. I'd never been to this library sale before but I thought I'd check it out. They apparently have no patrons who donate nice, slightly used books because all they had were ancient library books, finally removed from their shelves. Most people were gathered around the VHS tapes, which I had absolutely no interest in. Do they even make machines to play them on any more? So I ended up with a copy of Atlas Shrugged, which goes on and off my TBR list at whim, but at least I now have a copy with print that is readable, rather than print that you need a magnifying glass to read.

All in all a disappointing venture.

Sheesh! If a copy of Atlas Shrugged was the best you could do, you might as well have stayed home and read something good. I hate that to happen.

Oh I just HATE IT when I put something away in a safe place! Glad to hear it's not just me.

Oh well, Bonnie, just consider that you have more space on your shelves for the next, hopefully better, book sale and the treasures you'll find there!!

Sorry to hear that your library's book sale was so disappointing, Bonnie!

That's really too bad, Bonnie. You'd think a library could do better!

Awww...that stinks. But you do make me feel better about my library's book sales. Hope you get to a better sale soon!

Thanks everyone for the commiseration on the sale that wasn't. That's one I will just have to cross off my list for future reference.

Here we are, July 1 and I happily packed away another school year this morning and am looking forward to about six weeks of uninterrupted relaxation, er well not actually, more like less work than usual. But I will be ecstatically residing in the land of no alarm clocks and that is heavenly. Ahhhhhhhhh :-)

Seven days til Seattle....

Bonnie...Another great review..and another thumbs up.

Happy Summer!

I will be ecstatically residing in the land of no alarm clocks and that is heavenly. Ahhhhhhhhh :-)

Sounds like heaven to me, too!

Bonnie must still be sleeping! Or maybe deciding what to pack for the Seattle trip. We want and need to know what you're reading these "lazy" days of official summer vacation for you.

I commisserate with you on the terrible book sale. It reminds me of the very first library book sale I attended. It was when we were living in Colorado Springs in the 90's. I went with such high hopes only to find it was held in the dark, dingy basement of the library. Not only was it difficult to see the books and read the titles, there was absolutely no order to anything. Fiction and NF together on tables with too many people crowded around. I don't even remember if I found anything to buy. Hopefully, they have improved their marketing technique!

>160 tymfos: Yes Terri, I highly recommend it.

>161 Donna828: No Donna, not sleeping exactly. This morning we picked raspberries in our backyard, first of the season. Mmmmmmmm.

I finished The Lizard Cage by Karen Connelly, the first book for Orange July and I hope to get a review written later tonight. Before that though, we're off to a wedding. What a busy 4th of July weekend.

Have fun Bonnie! And enjoy your well deserved summer break (I'm soooo jealous!). :)

Hi Bonnie- Busy or not, I hope you have a great holiday weekend! Enjoy!

Bonnie - You grow raspberries too?! oooh... jealous. By the way, thank you so much for all the gardening tips you gave me at the beginning of summer ... my cucumbers and tomato plants are doing really well (so far) and I just spotted the first little tomato fruiting.

Enjoy the wedding and the rest of your long weekend.

32.



The Lizard Cage by Karen Connelly 4.5stars

From my review:

In The Lizard Cage, Karen Connelly tells the story of political prisoner Teza, held in solitary confinement in a Burmese prison, after being sentenced to twenty years. It’s a miserable existence, where he is denied basic life sustaining requisites. Even while utilizing Buddhist meditation, the physical and mental abuse is almost more than he can bear and then he suffers a particularly brutal beating that leaves him with a shattered jaw that completely alters the look of his face making it nearly impossible to eat or talk. At this time a young boy enters the picture and he, Teza and a sympathetic jailer work together against the corrupt prison officials to overcome injustice.

You can read the rest of the review here.

#166: Great review, Bonnie!

>165 cameling: You are welcome Caroline. We've had a garden for about 30 years so I've picked up a few tricks along the way. I'm glad your cukes and tomatoes are coming along. Our asparagus and rhubarb are just winding down. We're still enjoying peas though.

>166 brenzi: Thank Stasia. I think you'd enjoy it if you haven't already read it.

#168: I have not already read it, although it was already in the BlackHole. Unfortunately, the local library still does not have it yet.

>166 brenzi:: excellent review, Bonnie. I read The Lizard Cage a couple of years ago and it has really stayed with me.

Bonnie- The Lizard Cage sounds terrific! Good review! I haven't heard of this book. I see you are starting Mr Peanut. It also sounds like a winner. Hope you are having a great weekend!

Great review, Bonnie! I'll definitely add this to my wish list, too.

I'm the fifth thumb in the thumbs up category for your excellent review. I cannot read this one though. It would be too difficult to read of torture and starvation.

You are a brave soul!

#166: You might enjoy Connelly's Burmese Lessons. It's a memoir of her time in Burma and Thailand, when she was gathering material for and writing The Lizard Cage.

Thanks everyone. It was a very powerful read, and yes, Linda, hard to take at times but Connelly tells such an important story and really increased my awareness of the political injustice happening in Burma. If anyone is interested in the real story that's referred to in the book, here is Aung San Suu Kie's website: http://www.dassk.org/

>174 carlym: Thanks carlym. I actually received Burmese Lessons as an ER book and hope to get to it soon.

That's how I acquired it, too. It's one of the better ER books I've gotten, for sure.

Great review, Bonnie. Hope you're enjoying your holiday weekend and summer vacation time!

Breezing through Brenzi...Hi!!

Bonnie,

I also posted this message on my thread and the thread of those with hot reviews:

Quick...go to the hot reviews and you will see that of the ten reviews, our group is 10/10. Every hot review this morning is from a member of our 75 challenge group. I'm not sure, but I think this is a first for us.

The hot reviews are

lindsacl
Mrstreme
Mckait
sjmccreary
elliepotten
donna828
msf59
blackdogbooks
brenzi
and me

What a hoot!

How fun!

That's impressive! We are either a very insightful, articulate group, or we are all very loyal and vote for each other irregardless. LOL. I, of course, think it is the former case.

Well thanks Berly (and Linda for pointing this out) but I'm pragmatic. I'm pretty sure we all love each other in this group and, therfore, vote for each other's reviews in solidarity. Which is not a bad thing :)

33.



Mr. Peanut by Adam Ross 4 stars

This debut novel will have your head spinning, at least it did mine. From my review:

First of all, do you know what a Mobius strip is? Thought not. You will need a dictionary and access to Wikipedia before you start Adam Ross’ debut novel, Mr. Peanut, and even then you may scratch your head a number of times before you get to the last page. But please do persevere, for this is one cracker jack of a novel that is oh so entertaining. Filled with puzzles, dreams that cry for interpretation, quirky characters (one named, cleverly enough, Mr. Mobius) it’s a psychological mystery that reaches into the past and thrusts you forward into the future before dropping you, gasping for air, on the doorstep of the conclusion. Solve the puzzle and you will breathe a sigh of complete satisfaction. Not for the faint- hearted or the easily offended, the book includes a novel within a novel, passages filled with sex-fueled antics, an exploration of the hidden meanings in Alfred Hitchcock films, a case for the plight of the obese, an investigation of a murder that took place over sixty years ago and, most importantly, asks the question that faces many married couples, “Can marriage save your life, or is it just the beginning of a long double homicide?” (Page 309)

Read more here.

Bonnie, I just read and thumbed this review! All your reviews are fantastic but this one I really got a kick out of. Another book I would never have heard of if not for you. Onto the wishlist it goes.

Not sure I'm mentally energetic enough for Mr. Peanut in this heat!! But I'll keep it aside for the fall, when my brain whirs back into gear.

Separately, laughing so hard I have succumbed to hiccups at Lizzie's post in #149...

>184 phebj: Aw shucks, thank you Pat.

>185 Chatterbox: Good plan Suzanne. You do need some energy for it ;-)

Bonnie- I only skimmed the review but I have heard very good things about this one! On the list it goes! I'm following you around like a lost but very happy puppy!

Love your review of Mr Peanut, I'm adding it to my list of books to look out for.

You always write such great reviews! Thumbed you on Mr Peanut. It certainly sounds intriguing and I have no choice but to add it to my obese wish list!

Thanks Kerry and Caroline. Have fun!

Uh oh - Mr. Peanut sounds great. How can I get through the stuff on the shelves if people keep telling me about new stuff!!!!!

Hello Judy, well you can't just read the stuff on the shelves. That would put you at a serious advantage to the rest of us;-)

Thumbs up from me!

I'm giving Mr. Peanut a pass, but I enjoyed your review much more than the others (by critics) that I've read. It just looks too intense for summer reading. I have the second Louise Penny book waiting for me at the library. Now that's what I need to read right now!

#183: OK, I feel weird now because I did know what a Mobius strip is :) Nice review, Bonnie. I am duly adding the book to the BlackHole.

#183 - not sure I'm up for the book, but I loved the review!

>183 brenzi:: Hmmm, I can't decide whether that's one I'll love or absolutely hate. I guess that means I have to try it.

The thing about a Mobius Strip is that you can see it and understand the one-sidedness of it. Now a Klein Bottle...that continues to make my brain hurt! *grin*

My breathing began to quicken and my heart fluttered as I read about your latest booksale! (I know, it was quite some time ago, but I am way behind reading posts. That was a great haul. Can you imagine us 75ers all let loose at a booksale at the same time, same place? Pity the cashier!

>193 London_StJ: Thank you Luxx!

>194 Donna828: Donna, Yes I'll get back to Penny when I return from Seattle. She is good for the summer when you don't want to do a heck of a lot of thinking:)

>195 alcottacre: Stasia, well I'll admit I'd never heard the term before so I guess the book enlightened me in that way at least.

#198, can you imagine a booksale dedicate to the 75ers???? wow....

they'd be sold out in 10 minutes. Possibly less.

>196 JanetinLondon: Thanks Janet!

>197 TadAD: Tad, !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

>198 Carmenere: Oh Lynda, wouldn't that be great! LOL

>192 brenzi: Don't feel weird, Stasia. I know it too -- Physics class..... Dr. Mobius daughter was a classmate and friend in college, not that that has any bearing on the matter..... but maybe that makes me even weirder. Not only that but she was also descended from Tycho Brahe.

**waves**
Hi Bonnie! :)

I hadn't heard of Mr. Peanut but your review was intriguing (and entertaining), and so onto the Endless List it goes ...

#200 : Suz .. the mere thought made my pulse quicken and toes tingle!

Bonnie
Your reviews are consistently excellent! What a pleasure to have you as an integral part of the 75 challenge group!

Well folks, tomorrow I board a plane to fly across the country to Seattle with my daughter. She is attending what the State University system here in New York laughingly calls a "conference." The fact that they pay for airfare, hotel and all expenses (including up to $71 a day for meals, up to $75 for cab fare (no receipts required) for a for a five day conference and only require her to attend events on Monday morning and Tuesday evening says a lot about the way our illustrious state does business. She said to me, "Wanna go?" I saw a free hotel room and Mother-Daughter bonding time and said, "YES!" I just had to find a cheap flight (well, sorta). Done.

Back to the real story. In case you hadn't heard, New York State is drowning in debt and doesn't stand a snowball's chance in hell of figuring out a balanced budget. The taxpayers are beholden to a dysfunctional legislature that doesn't have a clue how to make cuts. We have a lame duck governor who tries to make cuts but is continually stymied by the aforementioned legislative geniuses. At any rate, I'm going to benefit from my own largesse, since I'm a taxpayer. Oh, I guess I forgot to mention that we NYers pay just about the highest combined taxes in the country (property, income, sales).

**rant over**

Anyway, coincidentally I am going to meet up with two Seattle LTers, Bonnie(books) and Deborah(arubabookwoman). I'm really looking forward to that.

I won't have much computer time so will be somewhat incommunicado until next Thursday. I don't know how I'll ever catch up on threads since I can barely stay caught up when I come on every day. Hastalavista baby!

Gee thanks Linda:)

Have a fabulous time, Bonnie! Enjoy my tax dollars!

xoxo

HAVE A SAFE & WONDERFUL TRIP!!!

Have a great trip, Bonnie .... see you next week when you get back!

Forgot to mention the books I'll take along: I've already started Fingersmith by Sarah Waters but I'm also taking Fault Lines by Nancy Huston and Fugitive Pieces by Anne Michaels, all for Orange July although Fault Lines also will go into Madeline's ISBN ending in 4 Challenge. I hope I don't get them all read. That would mean I was reading instead of having fun:)

Bonnie- Have a great & safe trip! Enjoy your visits with Bonnie & Deborah! That should be very special! Also enjoy those books!

What fun ... hope you take photos of the meetup!

I hope I don't get them all read...LOL.

Bonnie, I hope you have a safe trip, excellent bonding with your daughter, and lots and lots of book and girl talk with other Bonnie and Deborah. Turning a little green here, but happy for you! {{Hugs}}

Well, at least some of my tax dollars are going to a useful purpose.... :-)

Great review of Mr. Peanut!

Have a great trip!

Have a wonderful trip, Bonnie. I hope you have a great time meeting up with some of the 75ers too!

Have a great trip Bonnie!!

I know I said I wouldn't have much computer access but here I am flying over the Mississippi River using this airline's FREE wi-fi! How cool is that! They'll start charging on Aug. 1 but we got lucky. Great way to kill a five hour flight:)

#219: Very cool, Bonnie!

I hope the rest of your vacation is as full of nice surprises as your flight contained. Now, I will be shocked if you got a full meal. Unless you're traveling first class that is!

#219 VERY cool! Have fun!

How did I get 40 posts behind here???? Hope you're having even a better time than you wanted.....I like to see anybody's tax dollars well-spent!
Your Orange books look great.....I need Fault Lines!

So far this vaca is full of surprises. Here I am sitting in the Starbucks that's part of our hotel and who is standing here ordering a latte but Derek Jeter!! Oh yes, eye candy:)

(Bonnie, you're having an impossible dream.....)

Have a wonderful time in Seattle! Oh, how I love that city...

Derek Jeter?!! Did you take a photo? He's only my favorite baseball player ... and oh yes, he's definitely Eye Candy in capitals! I met him once in Boston when they were playing here and I happened to be attending a function at the hotel where they were staying .... I think I drooled

Woo, hoo! You are having one interesting vacation so far!

Derek Jeter?! How cooll is that! Hope you're having a nice little jaunt in Seattle but I need to tell you about something sort of unusual. I brought up my contacts on MS office this morning (which i rarely if ever look at) and a reminder pops up that says July 1st - Brenzi. I vaguely remember some sort of deadline regarding a book but it escapes me. Any recollection? ;o)

I'm here in the Starbucks attached to the hotel just checking in before I meet up with Bonnie and Deborah.....very excited as I talked to both of them yesterday and it certainly seems like we already know each other:)

>229 Carmenere: No photos of Derek I'm afraid Caroline but my daughter wanted to retrieve his latte cup from the trash;-)

>229 Carmenere: I'm not trying to dodge you Lynda but I've got the book (and you know darn well what it is) and I've got it scheduled for August because my August TIOLI Challenge is going to be based on it. No need to try and figure out what it is;-)

Ahh home sweet home. Or perhaps I should say home hot home since it's just as hot as it was when I left for Seattle. I had a great time on vacation and a wonderful time with Bonnie(books) and Deborah (arubabookwoman). It was as if we'd known each other all our lives! They were the most gracious hostesses as they showed me the bookish side of the Seattle area and its beautiful surroundings (including a peek at Bill Gates' home). We stopped at a new/used bookstore where we had lunch, discussed books and LT and the impact it's had on all three of us and then spent a considerable amount of time combing the shelves. I managed to come away with a dozen books that, along with three more purchased the next day at a different book store, somehow didn't put my luggage overweight:) I regret that we live so far apart because it was really a match made in heaven and so wonderful having people to talk with who have the same appreciation of literature that I do. I'm going to miss them but I think their comments will mean that much more to me now. (They said they would set up a cardboard image of me the next time they meet to talk books but that won't be the same from my point of view;-)

Seattle is my kind of city and I'm very jealous of everyone who gets to live there every day of the year. There is, literally, a bookstore on every corner. So very different from where I live which has, instead, a bar on every corner. That's more satisfying to the general population here, but for me, not so much.

Not surprisingly, I got hardly any reading done on vacation so I'm still plugging away at Fingersmith but wow oh wow, the last two hundred pages are looking to be nail biting, edge of your seat good:)

Ho hum lots of laundry to do...it's the post-vacation hangover.

Reality bites, doesn't it, Bonnie? Especially the laundry part!

I'm so envious of your LT visit with other Bonnie and Deborah. I just knew the three of you would have the best time -- and you did! Seattle is one of the coolest cities in the U.S. I must get back there soon before all the good books are bought up by the Bonnies and Deborahs of the world.

I'm nearing the end of Fingersmith, too. It has been quite a ride, hasn't it. I plan to read more of Sarah Waters' books in the future.

Oh, almost forgot. Welcome home!!!

Donna, you would have fit right in with us. I wish you could have been there.

How about me? Would I fit in? Glad you had a nice trip, Bonnie! I need to get to Sarah Waters one of these days, hopefully soon.

Welcome home, Bonnie. Glad you had a good trip.

>234 msf59: Of course you would fit in Mark. So would just about anybody on LT:)

>235 phebj: Hi Pat, it's good to be home.

How much fun was that, Bonnie! I am so pleased for you that you got to do this, and had such a good time too.

Signed
A Jealous Reader

Bonnie, I meant to ask--which bookstores did you go to in Seattle? The only one I really know of is Elliot Bay Books and I know they have a new location which I've never been to.

*sigh* I guess that you three know that you were standing in for the rest of us. I never go anywhere, but anybody driving down (or up?) I-95 should get in touch with me before you come. I covet a few minutes or a lunch or dinner or whatever --- no bookstores though, alas.

Hey Bonnie! Glad to see you made it home safe and sound.

(I am with Richard in being jealous though.)

Glad you had a great trip Bonnie! A bookstore on every corner! How do people have time to eat and go to work and sleep?

>237 richardderus: Dear Jealous Reader,

You would be just the person to organize an LT conference, somewhere mid-country, maybe Chicago, where we could all fly/drive in for a few days and do just what the three of us did in Seattle. God, what fun that would be!! Thanks for volunteering. Let me know when it's all arranged and I'll be there.

Signed,
A Grateful Reader

>238 phebj: Pat, We'll have to wait for Bonnie or Deborah to let us know the name of the bookstore we went to. I can't find my receipt, which would have had the name. The other bookstore was on Bainbridge Island and was called Eagle Harbor Book Co.

>239 LizzieD: Peggy, I might take you up on that when i head down to Raleigh to visit my son:) (No bookstores at all, not even the chains??)

>240 alcottacre: Thanks Stasia.

>241 tjblue: How do people have time to eat and go to work and sleep?

Exactly my question Tammy.

>242 brenzi: *blinks confusedly*

Oh dear. Unless you're going to the beach, you won't come my way without going out of the way. (Raleigh is north and west of me.) Nope. No bookstores of any kind. I'm vastly grateful for the Internet! I would also be vastly delighted to see you in person if you should come!!!
Oh, and Jealous Reader, how kind of you to facilitate a gathering for the faithful! I'll start saving my pennies now!

LT gathering in the making? I'm all for supporting your efforts organizing this, Jealous Reader!

That really was a treat to meet my LT "sis" and co-founding member of the "BonnieClub." The bookstore we went to was Third Place Books at Lake Forest Park which comes complete with a foodcourt including a bakery--yum! It's a community center, so there's musical entertainment on the weekends too.

And, Richard, I wouldn't even mind our LT conference being held in NYC since my son lives there. Are you taking reservations?

Came back to fix llnk.

>247 bonniebooks:: Wow! Cliffhangers are creeping out of the books and into the posts...

#242: I could do Chicago, I know I could! I am in!!

We could have an event where everyone shows off the books they hauled with them :)

So you'd travel to Chicago with a large U-Haul to hold your reading material for the trip, Stas?

#250: Yep!

I hope you weren't offended, Bonnie. I was just teasing about the partial post ending in the "The bookstore we went to was..."

...wonderful?

...giving away free books?

...filled with intruders from the 25 Book Challenge?

>252 TadAD:: No way! I thought your comment was hilarious, clever, and oh-so-quick-on-the-draw--something I've come to expect from my LT friends. :-) I had already fixed my posting before I saw your comment, so I didn't take the time to go back and comment again; in spite of you making me laugh, I get tired of LOL-ing. Seems too much and insufficient at the same time.

Okay, Bonnie, you win: Go here!