The 75 books in 2010 - real thread - Nittnut

If you've followed me here - thanks. It was very kindly brought to my attention that I posted my new thread in 2009.

1st thread: http://www.librarything.com/topic/80449#top
Oops in 2009 thread: http://www.librarything.com/topic/91939

Book #66
The Sheen on the Silk

Found you again despite your attempt to lose me! (hiding in 2009, for shame, lol)

Well, I gave it my best shot. (;

Anyone read The Elegance of the Hedgehog? I was thinking I saw it on Stasia's thread recently, but too lazy to go look. I started it yesterday, but I'm having trouble getting into it.

LOL, so much for my powers of observation.

I've read that several people (okay, more than several) had trouble getting into The Elegance of the Hedgehog but those that persevered ended up enjoying it. I'm not one of those. I loved it from beginning to end! I like books about quirky characters that have a philosophical slant. Please hang in there!

Re: your summer schedule on your Oops! thread...my daughter has a busy time carved out for her children that also includes potty training the 2-year-old. I'm always exhausted after a visit to Kansas City -- yet I keep going back for more! I'll be following my 8-year-old granddaughter's budding softball career when I'm up there next week.

okay Im here too :)

Hi ladies!

Thanks for the encouragement Donna. I will persevere. It's not that I don't like the characters, it is just kind of slow. Maybe it's a mood thing. I was reading it poolside and kept falling asleep. Not good when you're there with the 3 yr old. I should probably take something to the pool that keeps my heart rate up.

My little man appears to be daytime toilet trained. We've had no accidents to speak of, especially when we're out. Amazing. I'm still putting him in a pull up at night, much to his dismay. Lazy old mom doesn't fancy washing bedding every day. I wish your daughter good luck training a 2 yr old. My experience is if they want to do it, it doesn't matter how old they are. Same scenario if they don't want to do it...

I loved The Elegance of the Hedgehog. I join with Donna in hoping that you stick with it!

I thought I had seen it on your thread Stasia. I will stick with it.

Yeah, you saw it on my thread - I just do not remember which one :)

Stopping by -- I liked *Hedgehog* -- it is worth the trip.

I agree, Jenn - I thought The Elegance of the Hedgehog was a little slow starting too. It was only after I got to know the two main characters that I really enjoyed it.

I am now most of the way done with The Elegance of the Hedgehog. It probably helped that all my boys went camping last night. I am now really enjoying it. By the time I started the "grammar" section, I was in to it.

Book #67
Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, Illustrated

A fabulous book with amazing photos.

#13: Good! I am glad to hear that the book is working for you, Jenn.

#14: That one sounds interesting. I will have to look for it.

Book #68
The Elegance of the Hedgehog

This book started out slow for me, but around page 65, I started getting into it more. By the end I was hooked - and devastated.

My review: http://www.librarything.com/work/1753963/book/60808787

Here you are! I continue to resist the Hedgehog and don't know quite why - just too much other stuff going on, I guess. Anyway, I'm off to read your review.

Nice review of The Elegance of the Hedgehog, Jenn. I'm glad you liked it in the end.

#16: I am so glad you ended up liking that one!

Book #69
Kindertransport

A very nice story. I enjoyed it. It is definitely written to an 8-12 year old level. I am giving it to my 11 yr old to read. I think reading about the experience of someone his own age will be interesting for him, and maybe more personal than the account of an older person.

I have the film too - hoping to watch it tomorrow.

Book #70
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Larsson has an interesting style. I felt like for about 470 pages, the story ramped up and up, then backed down, then repeated the process. Finally, around page 470, things really got moving. It held my interest and I liked the characters of Salander and Blomkvist, but there were some seriously rough bits. Enough that I doubt I will read any further in this series. Way over my tolerance level in terms of sexual violence.

>21 nittnut::Way over my tolerance level in terms of sexual violence.

Mine too, Jenn. I watched the Swedish film which was very graphic. However, I got hooked on the story so I'm going to read The Girl Who Played with Fire. At least in the book, I can skim the parts that give me pause.

I'm off to see my grandkids tomorrow. I'll let you know how the potty training for the 2.5-year-old is going. I'm thinking he might have had a setback with last week end's fall at the neighborhood pool and the resulting 9 stitches in his chin! Griffin is just trying to keep up with his two older sisters who have each had a broken bone. Those kids are daredevils!

I'm glad you ended up liking The Elegance of the Hedgehog.

#21 I found the sexual violence in The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo a bit too much for me as well and didn't think I'd want to read The Girl Who Played with Fire. I read the second one in the end after my husband told me it wasn't as bad and there was a lot less of that sort of thing. In fact I can't remember any, but it's been about six months since I read it. If you enjoyed the non violent bits of book 1 I think I'd recommend trying book 2.

Maybe wait for Donna to read it to see what she thinks too!

I still need to read The Elegance of the Hedgehog!

OK - thanks Heather - I won't completely rule it out.

So, Donna, now you know, I await your review...

Donna...
Isn't it amazing that is seems like just yesterday when we were bandaging our own children and now their children are getting stitches and falling.

Book #71
A Guide to the Birds of East Africa

A thoroughly enjoyable book. It did have a similar feel to the McCall-Smith books, so I can see why people compare, but I didn't think it was that similar. I loved the scenes in the Asadi Club, and I really liked Mr. Malik. I enjoy bird watching, so I found the descriptions of the birds interesting. While it did not effect my enjoyment of the story, I did wish for more character development, and occasionally the order of things felt a bit random. I would very much have liked to read some of the Birds of a Feather columns.

Hi Jenn

I agree with you regarding a Guide To the Birds of East Africa..I liked the book very much, but there were sections that felt choppy.

I hope your summer is good thus far and that you have lots of opportunities to observe birds.

Book #72
Sabriel

It was OK. I'm not letting the 11 yr. old read it though. A bit heavy on the death and bringing back from the dead, etc., not to mention a brief interlude with two adults and a bathtub as heard through the wall of a hotel room...
I don't know that I feel very inclined to read more of this series. Anyone who has read further, please let me know what you think.

I haven't read the other books in the series but there's a group read of Sabriel this month if you want to share your thoughts on it. There's a spoiler-free thread and a spoiler thread. We are planning to read books 2 and 3 over the next few months.

Your son might enjoy Garth Nix's Keys to the Kingdom series which I just finished reading. I think they're suitable for younger readers (although my experience with books suitable for children is limited to remembering how I felt about books all those years ago! The first book is Mister Monday. I thought they were fun reads and there's no necromancy or adults in bathtubs!

Thanks for the thread Heather. I will go check it out.

My son has read the Keys to the Kingdom series. He liked them very well. I only read Mister Monday myself, and liked it about as much as Sabriel. I appreciate his creativity, but it just didn't grab me completely.

I wondered where you had gotten to, Jenn..... finally found you again and starred so I don't lose you

I think the sexual violence is more removed (i.e. not in the forefront) of the second and third books in the Larsson trilogy. I'd compare the overall level of violence to those in Val McDermid's books -- on the high side, but still in line with the plot and the characters. What Larsson was really trying to do with these books was shine a light on the seamy underside of today's Sweden, what lies beneath the gloss. A Swedish friend of mine agrees there is a lot that just doesn't get talked about in society, in the name of everybody getting along with each other.

That's an interesting point. On my one trip to Sweden, I found the city amazingly clean and the people amazingly beautiful. Not one ugly person in sight. I very much enjoyed my visit there. One wouldn't think of the seamy side.

Book #73
Lincoln: A Photobiography

Another to add to my list of Newbery Award winners.

A fantastic introduction to the life of Abraham Lincoln. The photos are amazing. I was especially amazed by the page showing President Lincoln at the beginning of the civil war, and each year thereafter. He aged greatly during that time.

That's what my husband said about Sweden too, Jenn .... that the only ugly people there were the tourists! haha..

Thanks for the recommendation. My husband loves everything Lincoln .. I have to get this for his birthday next month.

Hi Caroline.

If you are looking for more Lincoln...another book I read recently is Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address Illustrated. I got it for my kids, but I enjoyed it very much.

I've got that one already, Jenn. I got it originally for my niece but I started reading it too and ended up keeping it for myself and had to get another copy for her a week later.

ha. I've done that before.

Book #74
Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star

I reviewed it here - http://www.librarything.com/work/3037970/book/61184602

I think I might be the only person who didn't really like it...

Running off to pick a really good book for my #75.

Book #75
Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress

I liked it very much. I am happy with my choice for my 75th book!

Reviewed here - http://www.librarything.com/work/2354/61243192

Thanks Stasia! I like the little jumpy guy.

Me too. I have grown quite fond of him through the years :)

Congratulations, Jenn, on reaching 75!

Thanks!

Book #76
The Goddess of Fried Okra

Let's just say that I put this book down and read a different one so it would not be my #75.

Reviewed here - http://www.librarything.com/work/9764773/book/61267505

Congratulations! Just in time for some fun-in-the-sun books!

You did it! It's always fun when you reach the goal. Congratulations and enjoy the rest of your reading for the year.

Congrats!

BIG congratulations!!!! --- and a little envy.

#46-49 Thank you! It does feel good to reach this goal. Now I just have to get to work on the 1010 thingy.

Sadly, I think the 75 books I just finished only included about 5 from the bedside pile. There were 77, but I think it may have grown...

Hi, Jenn!
Even living on early retirement and SS, I can buy faster than I can read. I thoroughly understand about the growing bedside pile.....it's the Everest of Mt. Bookpile for me.

Congrats on reaching 75 already!

Echoing the congratulations! I'm glad no. 75 was a good one for you.

#52 and 53 thanks!!!

Peggy, I think I will have to dedicate the rest of the year to whittling down the bedside pile. Not forgetting 1010, of course, but I'm sure I can fit a number of them into that challenge. Perhaps I will call it 75x2, the bedside pile...

The trick will be not adding to it.

Hi Jenn! 75 already - that's fabulous!

Thanks Amy!

Book #77
The Sweetness At the Bottom of the Pie

I loved the quirky style of this story. I thoroughly enjoyed the dialogue, the literary and scientific references and the cheeky behavior of Flavia (the heroine). The mystery was unfolded gradually and I was able to piece it together along with Flavia, which was fun. I would definitely read another. I must say that I'm still struggling with the age of the heroine - 11 seems a bit young - but it didn't detract from the enjoyment of the story.

#57: I am going to get to that one soon. I hope I enjoy it as much as you did, Jenn!

Book #78
The School of Essential Ingredients

A great beach read. Of course, I read it on my couch and by the pool...

A chef and restaurant owner teaches cooking classes. We get a glimpse into one session. The process of creating delicious food in a warm and inviting atmosphere shifts something inside each class member and allows them to move on, heal, or accept something in their lives. I liked it.

A good reading weekend for me - two books, both off the bedside pile!

Congratulations on reaching your 75th goal ... and I'm glad to see you still continuing to read and add books to my obese wish list instead of abandoning us to take up knitting. ;-)

lol Caroline. As if I could stop reading.

Elizabeth Zimmerman could read and knit at the same time. I'll have to dig up the knitting book that has her comments about that. They are funny. I can't imagine doing both. I will have to continue to knit when reading is impossible. Like during World Cup games.

Congratulations to you on reaching, and surpassing the goal of 75 books read this year!

#59: I liked that one too.

>59 nittnut: - Two books off the bedside pile!! That is an accomplishment! Clearing some of my TBR pile was one of my 2010 goals. Hopefully, I'll do better with that one in the 2nd half of 2010.

#64: Hopefully, I'll do better with that one in the 2nd half of 2010.

Yeah, me too, Amy.

Book #79
Lirael

Second in the Abhorsen series. I liked this one better than the first one. Maybe the author has settled into his story better, I don't know. The next generation, the children of the hero and heroine of the first book are coming of age and must fight evil on their own merits, not relying on their parents. Also, a new main character is introduced - Lirael. I like her very much. She is a heroine in the style of Sabriel (first book) but more believable and I liked her much better from the start. The story is fast-paced and eventful, but I was occasionally allowed to catch my breath. The book ends suddenly. It left me hanging in the middle of Lirael's story, requiring a reading of the third and final book.
Per the 11 year old who wants to read this - No. The Clayr have a pretty relaxed moral code...

Book #80
Abhorsen

The final book in the Abhorsen series, Abhorsen continues the story of Lirael. She and Sameth (son of Sabriel and the King) must save the world from the Destroyer. Again, the story moves rapidly. I appreciated how Lirael and Sameth become stronger as they accept their destiny and their special roles. I'm still saying no to the 11 year old.

Book #81
The Real Thomas Jefferson

An excellent book. Beautiful detail about both Jefferson's personal and political life.

Favorite quotes:

"It is a part of the American character to consider nothing as desperate, to surmount every difficulty by reason and contrivance."

From the Kentucky Resolutions of 1798:
"Resolved, that the several states composting the United States of America are not united on the principle of unlimited submission to their general government; but that, by a compact under the style and title of a Constitution for the United States, and of amendments thereto, they constituted a general government for special purposes and delegated to that government certain definite powers, reserving, each state to itself the residuary mass of right to their own self-government; and that whensoever the general government assumes undelegated powers, its acts are unauthoritative, void and of no force."

I could go on and on, I highly recommend this book.

Thanks for the trip, Jenn. I have this one on my shelf and I've been meaning to bump it up. I've heard it's great.

#68: Thonk! That one just hit the BlackHole. Thanks for the recommendation, Jenn.

ETA: I went to add it to the BlackHole and discovered it was already there. I really must find a copy!

http://www.nccs.net/

Is where I bought my set. I feel like I'm contributing to delinquency though.

I am sure I pulled the Thomas Jefferson book from the 5000 Year Leap's bibliography section when I read that book and the website seems to confirm it.

I will not be buying any books for a long time unfortunately. If I cannot get something from the library or through ILL, I am just out of luck until Beth's surgery is paid for :)

I hear you. These books are more difficult to get through the library. That's why I ended up buying mine. My library has a copy of The Real George Washington, but not the others. It'll show up eventually, and meanwhile, you can probably find something else to read...

ETA: If only we were neighbors.

Yeah, somehow finding something else to read is not a problem for me.

Congrats on reaching 75... and beyond!

Belated congrats on the 75-book milestone! That will give me the oomph I need to get through my final tome, which is a v. serious non-fiction book...

#75 and 76 - Thanks!

Suzanne, I'm very curious to know what the "tome" is. Will return to lurking on your thread to find out.

It's a new book by Timothy Ferris, The Science of Liberty, which links the development of liberal democracy to the existence of strong/free scientific establishments. It's an intriguing argument; I think he's cherry-picking some of his supporting evidence and (as a scientist) tends to look at science through rose-colored specs (the atom bomb?) but the bit I'm reading now, about the Enlightenment, is engaging.

Ooh, I love that kind of thing. Adding it to my list. I have a science degree, and I think the "rose-colored specs" is one of the things that has always fascinated me about scientists. They (generally) tend to have a one-sided view of things, and it usually supports whatever they are researching. I often wonder how many truly objective scientists there are out there.

BTW - just listened to your interview. Well done. You seem to interview well. You don't have to comment on this - but your interviewer is not one of my favorites. She always sounds like she has an agenda and can't let go of it. Maybe that's just her radio voice.

Posting briefly because I somehow lost my own thread. Let's not dwell too long on that though.

I'll be away from the computer (gasp) from Thursday to Wednesday. I'd better get some reading done. Headed to small town USA for the 4th of July and my M-In-Law's 70th birthday party.

Have a great trip and a wonderful 4th, Jenn!

I'm fascinated by the book re. Thomas Jefferson. And, thanks for the link regarding where to obtain it.

Happy July 4th and happy 70th to your mother in law.

Happy 4th of July, Jenn! I hope you enjoy your trip. We're headed over to the Michigan side of Lake Michigan for the holiday!

Book #82
Anthem

Set in a time in the future when people live in collectives, a little bit like ants. They are raised in a group, then sent out to work at jobs they are assigned to by a committee. The narrator, raised as a part of this collective society, begins to discover his own individuality.The story is narrated in the plural, even when the narrator is talking about himself. This is a little disorienting, but also incredibly effective. We follow the narrator through his awakening process. It is a short book, but powerful.

Book #83
The Girl Who Played With Fire

The second in the series - we learn more about Lisbeth Salander. Still a little intense in the graphic detail area for me. At the same time, I am engaged by several of the characters.

Hey, Jenn! Welcome back!!

Hi Jenn, I'm not sure if I congratulated you on reaching 75 books--so CONGRATULATIONS!!! Hope you're enjoying your summer.

Jenn

Ayn Rand is an amazing author. I'm added Anthem to the tbr pile.

Thanks Stasia! I am soooo glad to be back.

Hi Pat - thanks! We are enjoying summer. We are mostly enjoying it by a pool, but not today, I think. Rainy and 50% chance of thunderstorms. I hope your summer is great too.

Linda - I hope you enjoy Anthem. It was my second Ayn Rand. I read The Fountainhead a long time ago, and have had Atlas Shrugged on my pile for months, but haven't got to it. I came across Anthem at the library on a playaway, perfect for listening while I work! I was mesmerized.

I really enjoyed Anthem when I read it last year. I'm glad you found it so moving!

Book #84
The Overton Window

I watch Mr. Beck's show occasionally, so I know why he wrote this book, and what he wanted to do with it. He wanted to show in a fictional setting how the concept of an Overton Window works, and perhaps worst case scenario what could happen. I think he also wanted to get some of the writings of the founding fathers out there in the mainstream. Unfortunately, the quotes from founding fathers were too long and the use of the quotes didn't always flow in a natural way. I often felt lectured - and I love history and the founding fathers.
Also, I felt he was unable to make his "Resistance" group convincing/normal. There were too many conspiracy theorists and survivalists in the mix for me to feel comfortable with them. On the other hand, his portrayal of the "Progressive" bad guys in government and business was pretty convincing. The book wrapped up fairly quickly and awkwardly in my opinion. I will give it a tentative 3 stars.

#84: Skipping that one! If I read that type of book, I do not want to feel 'lectured at' the whole way through - and I also love history.

The Lincoln books looks wonderful and the Jefferson grabbed my interest too :)

84 and climbing!

Hi! I'm glad you found something interesting!

I'm in one of those places where I'm reading about 5 books, but I don't feel like I'm making progress in any of them.
Throwing up hands and heading to the couch to watch World Cup recap.

Book #85
Dead Men Do Tell Tales

Recommended by Stasia as an interesting read if you like forensic anthropology. I found it fascinating. It is definitely not for the faint of heart or stomach or for reading while eating. My most favorite parts were his stories about getting to study historical skeletons, Pizzaro and Tsar Nicholas and family. What an amazing experience that must have been.
Mostly, I am very glad there are people who want to be forensic scientists. They do amazing work.

oh...drat...another book I cannot resist. I'm adding Dead Men Do Tell Tales to the tbr pile.

I hope you enjoy it Linda, just don't read it with a meal...

I have a quote to share from I Feel Bad About My Neck, which is hilarious BTW.

"The neck is a dead giveaway. Our faces are lies and our necks are the truth. You have to cut open a redwood tree to see how old it is, but you wouldn't have to if it had a neck."

>99 nittnut: funny quote! And true. The evidence is right there in my mirror. *sigh*

Book #86
The Lace Reader

Hmmm. This was an interesting book. It's about going home, learning to forgive, and crazy psychological along the lines of The Double Bind - meaning that the reader kind of never knows what is real and what is not. Mingled with the story is a (real? imaginary?) guide to reading lace and a history of lace making. I will have to look into that as it was probably the most interesting part of the story. 3 stars, maybe 3.5. Possibly influenced by the fact that I was listening to it on a Playaway, I stopped and put it down fairly often and the flow of the story was interrupted.

Another quote from I Feel Bad About My Neck on why you shouldn't serve fish at a dinner party.

"It's too easy to eat fish. Bim bam boom you're done with a piece of fish, and you're right out the door. When people come to dinner, it should be fun, and part of the fun should be the food. Fish - and I'm sorry to say this but it's true - is no fun. People like to play with their food, and it's virtually impossible to play with fish. If you must have fish, order it at a restaurant."

I also highly recommend the essay called Maintenance which I won't quote because I'd want to quote the entire thing.

Thanks for posting this - I've meant to read this and now I can add it to my to-read list. I've heard great things about this book.

Book #87
I Feel Bad About My Neck

A bunch of essays on life - some on life as a woman - most just on life. Ranging from poignant to funny, and most often, funny. Very, very enjoyable. If I'd been uninterrupted, I probably could have finished it in less than 2 hours. I'm thinking of buying this for friends on their 40th...

104: It sounds like a hilarious book, judging by the quotes! :)

#97: I am glad you liked that one, Jenn!

Book #88
Love Among the Chickens

Classic Wodehouse. Lots of phrases to enjoy, like one character referring to others as "old horse" and lots of tongue in cheek humor.
I listened to it on audio book and I really liked the narrator. He sounded just like he should.

Simply stopping by to wave hi!

At last, I've got through your thread (but not #1 or #2). I still haven't read the Stieg Larsson books - I'm gonig to be the only person left on LT soon! And I loved, loved, loved The Elegance of the Hedgehog and really enjoyed The birds of East Africa, but agree that a bit more character development of some of the others would've been better.

I've never read that Wodehouse. I binged on him a number of years back and had to back away. Maybe I'll try that one when I re-enter Wodehouseland.

I don't think I've ever read Love Among the Chickens, either. I must get round to that one - although Ukridge is not my favourite Wodehouse character so maybe not just yet.

Anthem intrigues me: I've never read any Ayn Rand, but I think I will give that one a go.

Hi Cushla - nice to see you. I know what you mean about the Stieg Larsson books - I like them with some serious reservations. Sometimes it's nice to be alone in a crowd (:

Tad - Wodehouseland - LOL that is definitely true. It is a place.

Hi Catherine! I agree, Ukridge is ucky. I can't imagine why he still shows up in stories with people who are willing to tolerate him.

Anthem is by far the briefest of the Rand tomes I have encountered...

Hi Jenn, I loved I Feel Bad About My Neck. Laugh out loud funny at times and so relatable (unfortunately!). The audio (read by the author) is excellent, too.

Book #89
Chasing Goldman Sachs

I am not well versed in finance, and so this was a challenging yet enlightening read for me. Wall Street is compared to a utility, which makes good sense in many ways. I learned a lot about how Wall Street operated in the past, and how that has changed, and how the changes contributed to the meltdown. Being naturally in favor of free market and less intervention by the Federal Government, I am not entirely certain that government regulation is a good solution here. That said, I don't know what the answer is. I certainly hope that the people who know, or think they know can operate in the best interest of the entire system rather than their own profit and interest.

#114: 'Challenging but enlightening' is a good description of Suz's book. I am glad you liked it, Jenn!

Very deep into Atlas Shrugged. I love it. I just want to curl up on the couch (amid noisy thunderstorm) and read and read.
I am adding Ayn Rand to my list of favorite authors. There really is no one like her.

I remember reading Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead many years ago. I was young and carefree at the time and I loved Ayn Rand. Wonder what I would think now that I have the wisdom of years behind me?

Jenn, I think it was you who recommended Free Range Knitter several months ago? I bought it for my friend who knits and reads. She loved it! She told me that she even underlined some things in it. If you knew my friend, you would know this is not normal behavior for her so it must have really made an impression. I struggle for the perfect little gift for her every time her birthday comes around. Thanks for the suggestion!

I keep forgetting that I want Free Range Knitter too! Just too many books and too little $. Shoot.

Wow Donna! I'm so glad the gift was a hit!
I don't know if I have the wisdom of years behind me - definitely more than when I read The Fountainhead though. In some ways her prescience is eerie. I feel like some of the things I am reading (written by Ayn Rand in 1957) are things I am hearing on the news in the evening. Got to hope it's not quite as bad yet as where things are heading in Atlas Shrugged. One of the things I love is that I am being given food for much thought without feeling lectured.

Oh Peggy, I hear you. The never ending struggle of the bibliophile. I have limited myself to my bedside pile (now neatly book cased) and library books for the rest of the summer. It's pure torture. I even find myself looking at books in the supermarket. (:

>117 Donna828:: Wonder what I would think now

I've read it three times. In high school, I loved the book and the philosophy. In college, I loved the book, but the philosophy left me feeling uneasy. Later in life, I loved the book, but had no trouble spotting holes in the philosophy...at least, holes from my perspective, that is.

Book #90
Atlas Shrugged

I am stunned and awed by Ayn Rand. She produces a text of no less than 1069 pages in the smallest possible font. She entwines the story of incredible people with instruction on the meaning of words such as virtue and love and morality. She takes on relativism, socialism and welfare. All this, and it wasn't boring or hard to read at all.

This story clearly defines the difference between producers and consumers. It describes the ability of man to make a conscious choice - to think and live by a true moral code as defined by ones own beliefs, or to follow a code defined by others. Without apology, Rand describes the decline of those who seek to live off of the efforts of others, who expect something for nothing. They lose the ability to make decisions, they lose their self-respect, and they begin to hate those who make their lives possible. Rand is describing this on a large scale - I've seen it in my own family. After reading pages and pages of struggle and decline, I was appreciative of the glimpses of hope. Those who truly love life and the earth and the possibilities contained therein will survive and rebuild.

Hi Jenn. Oh man, reading your comments about Atlas Shrugged makes me want to read it again. I'm just going to have to be strong until I get caught up with some of my books that I haven't read for the first time!

How are things in beautiful Colorado? My husband and I are taking a quick run out there next month. We'll be in Littleton (or whatever the suburb is by the Park Meadows Mall) on Aug. 20 -22. There has been a little talk between Joanne (coppers), Anne (AMQS), and me about getting together for coffee and a book chat. We hope you have some free time that week end to join us. I think Joanne is chief cat-herder so you could let either her or me know if and when you're available. It will be a minor miracle if we can find a convenient time/place for all four of us to meet. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Just picked up a copy of Atlas Shrugged at a library sale where the print is actually readable so I'm hoping that is the incentive I need to take it on. Your great review makes me want to read it but there are all these other books and...........

I know ladies - it sat on my bedside table for nearly a year because there are all these other books and........... they are sooooo much shorter. It was worth the read.

Book #91
The Independence of Miss Mary Bennet

Blech. Waste of an afternoon. At least it has alliteration, and therefore I persevered and finished it. Never again. If you love Pride and Prejudice don't go here.

ETA - you know - alliteration for the TIOLI challenge (:

#121: I want to read Atlas Shrugged, but no way can I deal with small print.

#125: I have put that one on the 'Do Not Read' shelf of the BlackHole :)

Atlas Shrugged made a deep impression on me when I read it, too.

>126 alcottacre:: Kindle and bump the font...

#128: Unfortunately, a Kindle is out of my price range at the moment. I will keep your suggestion in mind though, Tad.

I keep considering a Kindle or a Nook or something, but I still can't do it. I think the price is part of my problem too.

Started The Vagrants last night. Liking it.

>128 TadAD:: Some people already don't have a choice, they have to buy their books on Amazon, or wherever, because they don't have any bookstores in their area. I don't want that to happen to me, so I won't buy a Kindle or Nook-like device until I can buy my e-books through my independent bookstore. Why would I want to destroy the existence of one of my favorite places to be? Plus, you can't share a book, or buy one used. But! I do think that's a real plus for e-readers--that one can enlarge the print.

>131 bonniebooks:: I understand your points, Bonnie. I never try to argue people into an ereader.

Unfortunately, 100% of the independent bookstores in my area were put out of business by either B&N or Borders. I have four of those megastores within 10 minutes of my house. I don't particularly hold a grudge, but I also don't feel I owe them anything.

The Kindle works for me. The books are generally cheaper, though I still buy a "real" book if it's one I think I'll really want to keep. I'd say about 25% of my purchases are on Kindle right now...not including a fair amount of Gutenberg stuff I've been downloading. My wife and I share books on it since we have some overlap in the light end of our tastes. It's certainly convenient for travel.

So, I see it as an option but, as I said, I certainly can empathize with those who don't.

Hardly a day goes by without my partner mentioning Atlas Shrugged. It is his favorite book and when he is watching the news about our economy he looks at me and says "You need to read Atlas Shrugged!

That's how I feel Linda. It's eerie - but when (in the book) they talk about the "rich business owners" being evil because they have no "social conscience" it feels a little bit like I've heard that somewhere...

Book #92
The Vagrants

I will review this next week. I have to think.

One thing I do know - I am reading Chef and I really don't like it.

Book #93
Chef

ER book - I will review later. As I said yesterday, I didn't love it. Still.

>131 bonniebooks:: Wasn't try to make anyone feel bad, Tad, and you wouldn't have to argue much on behalf of an e-read, I would love one. I just have the option, as you said, of being one of the hold-outs. :-)

I have a quiet minute or two between swimming events.

The Vagrants
I was impressed by the author's ability to make the reader a part of the town and the lives of the people she was writing about. As with any story touching this subject matter, I was deeply affected by the fear and suspicion that dominated the lives of the people of Muddy River. While it was in some ways a difficult read, there were also some very bright moments. Some of my favorites were the Huas - adopting abandoned daughters, Nini - regardless of her disability, she had a sense of who she was and she valued her self. The death of Teacher Gu was also a bright moment. He took control of his destiny and did what he wanted to do. It would be easy to see Kai's and Jailin's lives as wasted in some ways. They gave their lives for resistance, and it seemed that nothing changed as a result, but perhaps that was not the case. I thought the book was well written and I am glad I read it.

Chef
The writing was not terrible, but in spite of the occasional passage of great beauty, I think the best part of this book was the recipes. There were only a few, but they look good. Unfortunately, there were a few too many comparisons between people and food. I also felt that the transitions from present to past were rough, I did not care much for the characters, and any point the author was trying to make was lost in the effort of making the point. I was interested in reading a book about the conflict between India and Pakistan, for me, this was not it.

Book # 94
Isolde Queen of the Western Isle

A retelling of the old tale of Tristan and Isolde. Assumes a fair knowledge of the tales of King Arthur. Takes a few liberties, but was fairly enjoyable.

Book #95
Savvy

A thoroughly enjoyable read. Imagine being just a little bit different than everyone else around you. Imaginehaving to be homeschooled after your 13th birthday because you got your "savvy" - a special skill or gift that you must learn to manage before being around other people.
A story of love and adventure and change and learning to listen to your own inner voice instead of the voice of the crowd. A favorite quote:
"Then I remembered what Lill had said just before falling asleep in the motel the night before. You never can tell when a bad thing might make a good thing happen. I realized that good and bad were always there and always mixed up together in a tangle. Though, at the moment, I wasn't sure that made me feel any better."

(Now I've read all the books I brought on this little trip and I'm going to have to start on my son's books)

Great reviews, Jenn. I have The Vagrants on my wishlist. Chef seems to be getting mixed reviews so I'll probably skip it but I loved that quote from Savvy and will have to check it out.

Enjoy your trip (and your son's books).

Pat

Just for fun - some book related geology near where we are staying...

Stretching nearly 200 miles from east to west, the Book Cliffs begins where the Colorado River descends south through De Beque Canyon into the Grand Valley (near Palisade, Colorado) to Price Canyon (near Helper, Utah). The cliffs are largely composed of sedimentary materials. The name comes from the cliffs of Cretaceous sandstone that cap many south-facing buttes that appear similar to a shelf of books. The Book Cliffs are within the Colorado Plateau geologic province.

http://protophoto.com/images/gj/DCP_5684.JPG

#142: What a neat picture! Thanks for sharing it, Jenn.

I already had The Vagrants in the BlackHole, but I am adding Savvy.

Happy Monday! It's good to be home, in spite of laundry etc.

Book #96
The Declaration
Another YA selection from the pile of books my son took on the trip. I had read all of mine.
In the beginning, this book feels somewhat similar to Never Let Me Go, but for YA readers. It deviates in that people are taking a "longevity" drug to enable them to live forever, and they have signed a "declaration" committing to not reproduce. Of course, there is resistance to the idea that one has a right to live forever and that nobody should bear children. Probably appropriate for the intended audience. I found it a bit weak in some areas.

On a personal note: We were in Grand Junction, CO over the weekend for the long course state championship swim meet. Long course means 50 meter pool (Olympic) rather than the 25 m pool, for those who may not know.
Our son's relay team got 7th in state in the medley relay and 4th in the freestyle relay. This is even more exciting for us because our son is one of the younger members of the 11-12 year old team. He also came in 27th in state in the 50m backstroke. 2 places out of the finals. A great performance for his first state championship meet! We are so proud of him.

On my list for today - probably above laundry and bathrooms - is making my TIOLI list for August and choosing books for Operation Paperback.
http://www.librarything.com/topic/95557

#144: Glad you made it home safely, Jenn! I hope you are feeling much improved and that the cold is gone.

Congrats to your son and his relay team!

Congratulations to your son on his successful state championship swim meet. My son swims competitively also, so I know what an accomplishment this is, and how much hard work has been involved in getting there. Kudos to him!

Wow! Congratulations to your son and his team! I swim laps as our high school team is practicing, so I know the level of commitment a trip to the state level means at any age.
Thanks for the look at the Book Cliffs - I had never heard of them, but they're well named.
I also have to say that you and I agree completely about Chef. I had great hopes for it and might be persuaded to try another book of his somewhere along the way because he can write. Again, I ask: isn't any publisher paying editors any longer?

I love the Book Cliffs!

Thanks everyone for the congratulations to my son. It is a lot of work getting them to this point. It's a family thing. We're all exhausted. It really is fun though.

I know Peggy - some parts of the story were so good, and other parts were just all over the place. *whiny voice* - WHY OH WHY can't anyone edit a book? Or a newspaper? Or a magazine? Honestly, I could do a better job, and I studied animals.

Congrats to your son, Jenn. Is he planning on continuing his swim competitions into HS?

I also snapped some pictures of the Bookcliffs while driving through Utah last month. They seemed like a good addition to my LT pics since they're "book" cliffs, after all!

Joanne - we certainly hope he continues to swim. Since he's only 11, it's hard to say. He likes the competition, but doesn't always like practice. Pretty normal. We're trying to find that balance between encouraging him but not pushing too hard. We are not those parents who think our kid should go to the Olympics (unless he really, really wants to). We'd love a college scholarship though... (:

We drive I-70 to Utah pretty often as we have family there. It always makes me happy to have a landmark about books. This trip we took a scenic drive through the Colorado National Monument. It was amazing. I highly recommend it as a nice scenic byway. It might add an hour to your trip, but it is worth it.

TIOLI Challenge - August - for my information (:

1. National Book Festival
America's Prophet (TBR)
Jacob Have I Loved(re-read, mine)

2. Other World
Un Lun Dun (new to me)

3. Weather??

4. I would like to be...
Nefertiti (TBR)

5. Man Booker
Parrot and Olivier in America (new to me)

6. No Letter E
John Adams (TBR)

7. I spy
Spies (TBR)

8. "Walk" in the title ??

9. Historical Mystery??

10. Classic
The Aeneid (TBR- group read)
Villette (TBR)

11. Genre seldom visited (poetry)
Mother Said (TBR)

12. Set in another country
Stones Into Schools (TBR)
The Hungry Tide(TBR)

13. Published before August 2010 >25 Whisper1: copies on LT ??

14. Book that starts with H
How to Read a Book (TBR)

15. Title contains name of author, book, character
Emily Dickinson is Dead (TBR)
A Dab of Dickens A Touch of Twain (TBR)

Wow ... nice set of books for your August challenge. I can't wait to read your reviews. I loved Stones into Schools. I think you're in for a real treat with that one.

It's an ambitious list, but most of these books have been looking at me from a bedside pile for at least a year. Time to get moving right? I am really looking forward to Stones Into Schools. I really enjoyed Three Cups of Tea. Regardless of the editing issues, the story is inspirational.

#97
Villette

Similar in some ways to Jane Eyre, a young girl finds herself alone in the world and in need of an occupation. She takes all she has and travels to France and there finds work in a school. She is the narrator and the only one who can interpret the actions and feelings of the other characters in the book. She is perhaps a bit too introspective for my taste. There are two men who feature in her life, an old friend and son of her godmother, and the professor associated with the school where she teaches. After many ups and downs and long searching for love, or even a place to call home, she finally finds happiness (maybe, because it is left a little to the imagination) with the professor. I had a hard time really getting into this story. I liked Jane Eyre much better.

Book #98
The Maid of the White Hands
What with the running to and fro and hither and yon by Tristan and Isolde, the many trials and tests of their love and all the drama and whatnot, I am just exhausted. I think I'll take a long and sober break before reading the third in this series.

I have The Green Dwarf sitting on my shelf, and a whole list of Bronte texts I haven't read yet. Jane Eyre is tough to beat, but I want to reread Villette.

Still working on The Aeneid - book 8. I've never been a big fan of descriptions of war in any book, so this is not my favorite part...

Also reading Beatrice and Virgil.

Book #99
Beatrice and Virgil

Well, this was an interesting book. I am not a philosopher, and I don't deal well in intangibles, generally speaking. Most of this book is very intangible and philosophic. It appears to be an allegory of the Holocaust, using animals (as seems to be the author's method) to illustrate a point. I have read a reviewer who felt that it was about survival and what one would be willing to do to survive. I am not sure I agree. I thought it was about whether one would be more horrified if the "Horrors" were happening to animals rather than people. Of course there is a bizarre twist at the end that changes the whole story - at least it changed my perception of what it was about significantly. Most powerful to me was the section at the end entitled "Games for Gustav." Probably a standard exercise in a philosophy class, very interesting tool at the end of this book. Well worth a read if it brings about constructive discussion of the value of human life.

Book #100
The Aeneid

I am not sure that I would have read this had I not decided to join the group read. It was a great experience for me to read along with people who have studied this story and are very familiar with not only the story, but with the time period in which Virgil lived. I have read (listened to) the Odyssey, and enjoyed it very much. It was really interesting to read the Trojan point of view.
Aeneas struck me as a much more human hero than Odysseus. He struggles with certainty of his mission and requires a lot of reminding, he falls in love with a very unsuitable female, he has favorites among his crew, he is occasionally over-optimistic. He also has the difficulty of having lost his wife in the siege of Troy, and his father afterward, and has his young son with him. I think when a parent is in difficult situations, whether they have their child there with them or not could affect their decisions.
I liked the pace of the story, periods of furious activity or great danger interspersed with periods of rest. Then the build up to the great battle at the end, which builds even further to the great face-off between Turnus and Aeneas. Then, the end. A great read - or listen.

Congratulations on hitting 100, Jenn!

I know - thanks! And what a book to hit 100 with. (:

Wow, I am so impressed with the No. 100 book! I read part of The Iliad with a real life group awhile ago and enjoyed it, but usually the classics I enjoy are the more recent variety; i.e., 1800's and beyond. Congratulations on your amazing achievement, Jenn.

Congratulations on hitting 100 books, in early August no less. Glad you liked The Aeneid, getting through that seems like a big accomplishment, too.

Thanks (: Like I said, I never would have managed it without the group read.

Book #101
Freak the Mighty

I loved this book. It was inspiring and heartbreaking. It is the story of two misfits (Max and Kevin) who become friends. Max is a large kid whose father is in prison. Kevin is very small due to a genetic disease. They help each other - it seems they are uniquely suited to fill each others needs. I keep thinking of how different Max's life might have been if he hadn't become friends with Kevin.

Favorite quotes:

I already mentioned a few of the names I've been called, but until the robot boy showed up, nobody had ever called me earthling, and so I'm lying on my mattress there in the great down under, and it comes to me that he's right, I am an earthling, we're all of us earthlings, but we don't call each other earthling. No need.

Freak sighs and rolls his eyes. "Ah, yes," he says. "Television, the opiate of the massives." For about the eleventh time I go, "Huh?"
"Opiate, a drug," he says. "Massive, that means large and heavy. Thus television is the drug of fat heads. Opiate of the massives."

Freak goes, "You don't need a time machine if you know how to remember."
Which is something I'll always remember, him saying that and me trying to figure it out.

#163: I loved it too! I am glad you did as well.

Congratulations on finishing The Aeneid and for your summing up of your experience.

Already 100 books, I'm jealous....

I've added Beatrice and Virgil to my wishlist, as I did like Life of Pi a lot.

165 - I wish I could articulate better what I thought after reading The Aeneid. I have so enjoyed reading all the well-studied comments from you and others.

166- hi there. I hope you enjoy it. I think I liked Life of Pi a little better, but I thought Beatrice and Virgil was a really interesting and unique way to deal with a difficult subject. It would be very interesting to have a discussion with someone else who has read it. Come back when you're done. (:

I liked your comments on The Aeneid. Congratulations on finishing it. Will you go back to The Odyssey, or read/listen to The Iliad? I think I might do both of them when I finish, although definitely not to the level of detailed attention I have used with the Aeneid!

I think I will need a tiny break before tackling The Iliad. It is definitely on my list though. I am reading The Myth of the Cave right now in preparation for a classical education conference I'm attending this weekend. I'm feeling quite immersed in ancient texts.
I would love to sit in a classroom with you and Lucy and a few others, Peggy maybe and just listen to you discuss.

That's very nice indeed. And in a way we are doing just that!

Over 100... did you have a goal for the year? Glad to see you're enjoying your classics.

Hi Susan!

Well, I thought getting to 75 books in a year would be good. Clearly I had no idea how much I really read. Adding in the TIOLI challenges and my personal challenge to read Newbery Award winners is moving me right along. I'm really having a good time, branching out a bit (Virgil) and maybe getting to some of the TBR pile.

I'm about 3/4 of the way through 2 books right now, and struggling a bit with both, but I will persevere...
America's Prophet - interesting but desperate for editing
Parrot and Olivier in America - odd, but mostly fun, voice takes some getting used to.

I'm glad you liked Freak The Mighty. I found this one on Stasia's Sunday list and felt compelled to get a copy that week. It is wonderful!

Hi Linda! How are you?

My 11 yr old read Freak The Mighty yesterday and really liked it as well.

I'm looking forward to reading Flour Babies. It brings back some funny memories of high school.

Book #102
America's Prophet

Overall, this was an excellent book. I struggled in the first 100 pages - as maybe the author struggled to choose a tense or a voice. He jumps from 1st person to third, then engages in conversational dialogue. It kind of drove me crazy. However, eventually we hit a stride. The discussion of how the story Moses has been evoked throughout American history was fascinating. I most enjoyed the sections on emancipation and the civil rights movement.

A couple of interesting quotes:

"Rousseau describes freedom as giving the law to yourself," he said. "And that's what supposedly happens at Sinai. When Moses comes down from the mountain, the people say, 'All that the Lord has spoken, we will do.' That's when they become a free society. They had been Pharaoh's slaves, and now they are God's servants. In biblical Hebrew, the same word, ebed, is used to describe the Israelites' relationship to Pharaoh and later their relationship to God. There's a kind of bondage in freedom."

Speaking of Cecil B. DeMille and the making of The Ten Commandmentswith DeMille's granddaughter:
"Because Moses is a more universal story than Jesus, and in the fifties a more relevant story. Moses is the antithesis of communism, and Grandfather hated communism. He said terrible things happened to countries who had no God."

#175: I already had that one in the BlackHole due to Carolyn's review, but my local library did not have it at the time. It looks like they have it now though, so hopefully I can read it in the near future.

Book #103
Parrot and Olivier in America

It really took me awhile to get into this story. I struggled with Olivier's voice. I think the idea was to set up the story and also develop this sense of convolution and intrigue in the lives of the nobility of France during this time period. It was a bit exhausting - not the writing - the people. The writing is wonderful.

The story really gets moving once Parrot and Olivier are on the boat to America. Then it is an amusing romp through New York and the surrounding states peppered with allusions to Tocqueville. In fact, if I had not read Tocqueville prior to reading this book, I think I would have missed out on a lot of fun.

While I never really warmed to Olivier, Parrot became more interesting as the book progressed. He was the character who really embraced the idea of America, the new-ness and the opportunity. He was also an incredibly loyal person, without having any real reason to be so.

Some passages I particularly enjoyed:

Olivier: Oh monumental figures of the Revolution, great figures of our past. Oh mammoth fools, mighty sansculottes, elephantine dupes.

Olivier: Here in this compartment perfectly constructed for the contemplation of the American sublime, was placed the inevitable machine, that awful monument to democratic restlessness - a rocking chair.

Parrot: He stood. We embraced. He gave me the cup, the brandy pretty much untouched. A screech owl cried, despairing, hauntingly lovely. He sighed and walked up to the house alone, poor sausage (and that's the end of the book).

Great review, Jenn. Thanks for including the recommendation to read Tocqueville first and those quotes--they made me more interested in reading the book after hearing such mixed reviews of it.

Book #104
Emily Dickinson is Dead

All sorts of people running around impulsively considering killing other people. Only one certain murderer in the group, but my goodness. I'm not sure I will ever be able to comfortably attend a literary symposium. Altogether a really fun book.

Dodging book bullets here! Parrot and Olivier is already in the BlackHole and I have read Emily Dickinson is Dead recently. Whew!

LOL Stasia. I'm off on a camping trip now, so you should be safe from me for the rest of the week (:
Not that I'm terribly dangerous.

Have a great time on your camping trip, Jenn!

>177 nittnut:: Parrot and Olivier is an excellent example of why I read more than the suggested 50 pages of a book as advised by Nancy Pearl. Some books just need more time to get into the story! The only time I quit on a book early on is when I'm offended by something...and I'm not easily offended. Of course, I know my tastes by now and do a little research on a book before I even begin reading which pretty much guarantees that I'll like the book I choose.

Have fun camping! Looking forward to seeing you and the gang on Sunday. :-)

Nice review of Parrot and Olivier. I'd been debating that one. Your review makes me lean toward putting it on the tbr, but I'll remember to be patient with it.

Hope camping goes well. Are you tent camping?

Hello Donna - Hooray! I will see you tomorrow! I will tell you all about camping - because I just know you want to know... (:

Hi Amy. We did tent camp. All was wonderful except the air went out of my air mattress in the night, which made me feel very old. We went to the Great Sand Dunes (http://www.nps.gov/grsa/). It was fabulous. It's quite a hike to the top, but all my kids made it, even the 3 year old. Not that there wasn't a lot of complaining ALL the way up. I understand it's even nicer in the spring time, as long as it's not windy. In the spring there's a lovely creek/small river that runs through and is shallow enough to play in very safely. There should be blog photos by tomorrow night if you want to see. Too tired tonight.
www.mylavenderave.blogspot.com.

Now we're home and digging the sand out of our ears, etc.

Book #105
Pure Fiction

Disclaimer: I checked out this book because I needed an easy one to take camping, and it was about a book club.

It was definitely fiction and definitely not pure.

Your camping trip sounds marvelous. And, I envy your get together tomorrow! I send all good wishes to my LT friends!

Welcome home! I'm so glad to hear you had a fabulous time (complaining aside, of course - but what's a family vacation without a little toddler-whining?).

Glad you are back safe and sound, Jenn!

Oh good, you're home, Jenn. And I won't be the only tired one today! I don't do well sleeping away from home. Guess I should get out more! See you in a few hours.

Tents? *Shudder* I wouldn't stay in one for fun - there would have to be no alternative - but I'm glad you've been having fun.

Glad you had such a splendid time, Jenn! I'll certainly look forward to pictures on your blog. Your comment here reminded me of how proud I was to conquer Jockey's Ridge at Nags Head when I was 8 or 9. Now I have to do a little research to be sure that it's still there!

Hi Peggy! I had to go look up Jockey's Ridge. I am adding it to places I want to go someday. It looks absolutely beautiful. I am very impressed you climbed it at 8 or 9! Did you complain as much as my kids?

Book #106
A Summer Affair - I should have known?

The second in a pair of ill-advised selections for light reading while camping. I am pretty straight-laced when it comes to the marriage relationship. I think if you are in a bad marriage you should get out before you get with someone else. I'm just saying. I suppose I should be glad that in the end, the main character ends the affair, but overall, the book did not sit well with me.

ETA: By the way, there are at least 5 other books with the exact same title that came up when I searched this one. Proceed with caution.

#193: OK, skipping that one!

A little quiz I copied from Stasia's thread...

In school I was: Savvy

People might be surprised I’m: The Girl Who Chased the Moon

I will never be: The Girl Next Door

My fantasy job is: How To Be A Zen Mama

At the end of a long day I need: The Help

I hate it when: Dead Men Do Tell Tales

Wish I had: Comfort Food

My family reunions are: North and South

At a party you’d find me with: The Willoughbys

I’ve never been to: The School of Essential Ingredients

A happy day includes: Living to Tell the Tale

Motto I live by: Predictably Irrational

On my bucket list: Sew U

In my next life, I want to be: Where the Bluebird Sings to the Lemonade Springs

"A happy day includes Living to Tell the Tale" Hoooeee, does it ever! This is a good one that I'll have to try when I've added another book or two!

I had a great time yesterday visiting with Joanne, Donna and Anne. It was great to get to know them better. I would post a photo (like Joanne), but my camera battery died right after 1st day of school photo this morning. Thank goodness it was after.

That's a fun quiz, isn't it, Jenn? Love your answers! That's one thing that we didn't talk about yesterday. :-)

I'm glad you got the picture of your kiddos this morning. I hope their first day went well. Sounds like you're in for some cooler weather this week.

I so enjoyed our conversation yesterday and look forward to future visits. I posted a picture of our gathering on the "kitchen" page.

It sounds like you all had a lovely time yesterday!

Here's to future LT meet ups! I hope you all do it again in the near future.

Book #107
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

I listened to the audio narrated by Janet Song. It was fantastic.

A wonderful story of a girl who goes on a journey to change her family's fortune. Along the way she learns about being happy with what you have, where you are.
Sprinkled throughout the story are Chinese folk tales, which add a great deal of charm to the story. One of my most memorable reads this year.

#201 This sounds great--I'm putting it on my wishlist. Thanks for the recommendation.

Jenn

I note that Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a Newbery winner....so, naturally, I'm adding it to the list.

Hi Jenn! Where the Mountain Meets the Moon sounds great! I'm off to see if the library has it.

Yes - Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a Newbery Honor book. Deservedly so.

Adding Where the Mountain Meets the Moon to the BlackHole. Thanks for the recommendation, Jenn!

Book #108
Jacob I Have Loved

It has been quite a while since the last time I read this. I had forgotten a lot of the story. It is a beautiful and heart wrenching story about growing up in the shadow of a sibling and the struggle to become separate and unique. I know that the things that happen to us as children shape us, whether we really understand them or not, and whether things are as we perceive them. Sara Louise struggles mightily, but eventually finds her place and it is perfect.

Personally, I'd rather die than turn out like Wheeze's grandma.

>207 nittnut: Oh, wow! I read that book at 13 or so. I need to read it again.

#207: I am not sure I have ever read that one. I will have to give it a go. Thanks, Jenn!

Hi Anne - For me it was a completely different read now than at 13 or so, which was probably the last time I read it as well. I didn't really relate to the main character at 13, but probably more so than now. Obviously now I was seeing the parents point of view as well.

Stasia, it pleases me no end to add to your TBR pile now and then (:.

Stasia, it pleases me no end to add to your TBR pile now and then.
Score!

>207 nittnut:: I remember that book (probably when my children read it), but I don't remember the grandmother. Oh well, I'm too old to change. I'll just continue to do my best as a "grand"mother!

Oh Donna - there's no way you'd be this grandmother. She followed her daughter-in-law around the house with a Bible quoting scriptures on adultery. She was nuts.

Book #109
84, Charing Cross Road

An absolute gem of a book. Comprised of a series of letters written between Helen Hanff and the employees of a book shop. Helen writes first in 1949, requesting books she cannot get in the U.S. The letters continue over the next twenty years. The letters are wonderful. I feel sad that we no longer correspond by snail mail, as a rule.

Favorite lines:

I was talked out of learning Early Anglo-Saxon/Middle English by a friend who had to take it for her Ph.D. They told her to write an essay in Early Anglo-Saxon on any-subject-of-her-own-choosing. "Which is all very well," she said bitterly, "but the only essay subject you can find enough Early Anglo-Saxon words for is 'How to Slaughter a Thousand Men in a Mead Hall.'"

"The reader will not credit that such things could be," Walton says somewhere or other, "but I was there and I saw it."
That's for me, I'm a great lover of I-was-there books.

I remember years ago a guy I knew told me that people going to England find exactly what they go looking for. I said I'd go looking for the England of English Literature, and he nodded and said: "It's there."

#212: I love that book! I am glad you enjoyed it as well, Jenn.

I loved the book. I almost cried from joy that it was so good - and I almost cried from frustration that she never made it to England.

I finished it and went immediately and dropped it off at the home of a good friend of mine (my husband calls us the book snoots) so she could read it and be happy too.

84, Charing Cross Road is an all-time favorite. So glad you loved it, too. All book snoots deserve happiness, don't you think?

We should just have one big book snoots gathering and let the rest of the world go do their thing - we will be perfectly happy, lol.

Book Snoots...I like that! And I loved 84, Charing Cross Road. I wish every book could leave me with that joyful feeling.

My son's middle school is doing world geography and they are trying to get postcards from everywhere. I thought it would be kind of cool if he got the most, and I thought of all of you here at LT. Here's the blurb.

Please help North Star Academy Middle School students with our "Postcard Project". All you need to do is send one (or more) postcards from where you live to this address: North Star Academy 16700 Keystone Blvd. Parker, Colorado 80134
Join our facebook Group "2010 NSA Postcard Project" to keep up with all our news! Encourage your friends to also post as their facebook status for at least 24 hours. This could be amazing!!
If you want to be specific, my son's name is Jonah.
THANK YOU!
Jenn

Book #110
Stones Into Schools

I really enjoyed this book. I liked it even better than Three Cups of Tea. I think the writing was better, and it had good momentum. If you are looking for an inspirational read, this is a good one. I do think the title is somewhat ponderous. Something about the whole "Promoting Peace with Books, Not Bombs, in ..." just begs to be edited.

This is the continuing story of the Central Asia Institute and their efforts to build schools for girls in Pakistan and Afghanistan. They have made a lot of progress and have expanded into women's literacy and vocational centers as well. In my opinion, one of the things that makes them so successful is their ability to work within the community, with respect to the needs of the community, and truly allow the school to belong to the community.

Memorable quotes:

The Pashtuns say that when Allah was finished creating the world, he cobbled together all the leftover bits and pieces, and it was from this pile of rubble that he fashioned Afghanistan.

If you teach a boy, you educate an individual; but if you teach a girl, you educate a community.

Love that last quote!

Obviously I should try to find a moose postcard --- but I will try to send a very Vermontish one as soon as I can!!!!!

Thanks Lucy! He will love it.

Pat - isn't it great? It reminded me of a short documentary I watched on micro-loans a couple of years ago. They said that if you loan a man a small amount of money, he will use it to further his own needs or wants. If you give the loan to the woman, she will improve the situation of her entire family. I thought that was very telling about the differences between men and women, especially in non-Western cultures.

Book #111
Montana 1948

A very memorable read. It reminded me a little bit of Plainsong in the way you see everything from the viewpoint of a young boy. It is perfect for discussion. There is no end to the issues available for discussion. Most interesting to me was the end result - the narrator's total distrust of history - the knowledge that the story you are told is never the whole story.

Hi Jenn. I also loved Montana 1948 and that section about not really ever knowing the whole story when you learn about history.

Jenn - I'm so glad you loved Stones into Schools. It is definitely one of my best reads of the year.

The postcard project sounds cool. I will try to find an Iowa postcard, although I'm not sure that they have anything exciting on them. Likely corn!

#223 : I wonder if I had watched the same documentary, Jenn. Was it about the women in India and the businesses they all developed ?

Hi Amy! Any postcard is great - even corn (: They are most interested in the post mark.

Hi Caroline - maybe it was. There was a long piece about India, and then some other pieces about the Philippines and Laos/Vietnam, etc. I remember there were women collecting hair and paying kids with little toys to bring their mom's hair, and making a living doing that. It was very cool.

My kids' school is participating i micro loans through Kiva foundation. They are earning something like $2300 for their first loan. It's great because they get to make the loan and then see it get paid back so they can make another one.

#219: I agree with you, Jenn. I thought Stones Into Schools was definitely the better of the two books (although some sloppy editing in it really set my teeth on edge.)

#224: I still need to read that one!

#228: I have been doing loans through Kiva for a couple of years now. I am glad to see a school taking part too!

Just got home from my book group. We read The Friday Night Knitting Club, which is a great beach book. Then we did some knitting. Great fun. At least 5 ladies were new to knitting. We were having so much fun, we didn't realize it was so late. I hope we do it again - the knitting.

Clearly I had no idea how much I really read.

I know exactly what you mean -- I had no idea pre-LT. I would have said 'a lot' (maybe). Now that I know I just keep thinking I need to read fewer books! So far I'm not doing really well on that one!

Loved your quiz answers

>230 nittnut: that sounds like a lot of fun!!

Hi Susan! Nice to see you. Let me know if you find a way to read less...

Book #112
The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane

I thought this was a great read. I was interested right away. I liked the main character (Connie) and I liked how the author introduced her in a very stressful situation and then developed her character from there. I also liked how Connie's research also led her to learn about herself and her own family history. This may parallel the author's life experience somewhat, as she is also completing a PhD in American and New England studies. For me, the ending of the book was a little over-dramatic, but since I have no constructive suggestions for alternative endings, I will leave it at that.

#233 I picked up a copy of that one recently, so I'm glad to hear it's a good read. Don't know when I'll get round to reading it, though.

#233: I have had that one in the BlackHole since before it came out! I really need to get it read.

>233 nittnut: - I also couldn't resist buying a copy when I saw it on sale several months ago but I haven't read it yet. Thanks for the good report!!

Just catching up on your thread. I'm currently reading and enjoying Where the Mountain meets the Moon, I added it to my tbr when it won the children's Mythopoeic Fantasy Award in July.

I hope you like The Physick Book Stasia and Joanne!

I am so glad you are enjoying Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. It will definitely make my list of memorable reads.

Book #113
The Elephant Keeper

I liked it. The narrator is the elephant keeper, who can read and write, but is not educated beyond those basic skills. I like seeing the elephant through his eyes. Over time, the relationship between the keeper and the elephant develops an almost marriage-like quality. They pass through the hands of many owners and some hard times, and eventually disappear together into the fog...

I've had The Physick in my TBR Tower for some time now ... I forgot all about it until I read your review. I need to dust it off and move it up a few rungs so I read it this year, I think.

The Elephant Keeper sounds interesting. I'll have to add this to my obese wish list. Thanks for the tip, Jenn.

#238: Adding The Elephant Keeper to the BlackHole. Thanks for the recommendation, Jenn.

Jenn
You are clipping along with your reading. Congratulations on reaching #113 books thus far!

Hi Linda! I hope you are well. It's funny, I thought when I reached 100, wow, I should slow down a bit. Famous last thoughts...

Book #114
Esperanza Rising

I listened to this story this week while I was working in my studio. I really liked it. It takes place during the Depression and is the story of a young girl (Esperanza) who lives on a prosperous ranch in Mexico. A series of tragedies occur and she immigrates (legally) with her mother to America. Their former servants help them to find work and a place to live. Esperanza grows so much throughout the story. What I also liked about her was that she did not accept her situation. She occasionally shows anger at the unfair practices of the growers and local government and refuses to accept being thought of as less than she is. While the story does not ignore some of the challenges they face; strikes, illness and prejudice, it focuses on hope.

The story describes a world that I am somewhat familiar with. I grew up in Southern California. We lived in a house in the middle of the orange and avocado groves. I went to school with the children of the people who picked the fruit growing around my house. For the most part, I have never known a harder working, kinder, more family oriented group of people. Many of the parents of my friends had received a good education in Mexico. Unfortunately, their credentials were not acceptable in the United States and it was very difficult for them to learn English and return to school because the jobs they could get were hard work, long hours and small pay. They sacrificed and worked at any job they could to provide an opportunity for their children to have a better life. I am glad to know them.

ETA: We didn't own the orchards - just lived in them.

#242: I already had Esperanza Rising in the BlackHole. I will have to bump it up. I wondered if Esperanza's name had any bearing on the title and your review confirmed my suspicion (it focuses on hope.)

What kind of studio, Jenn?

#243 Hi Stasia!
The name absolutely has bearing on the title and story. My recording had a nice note from the author at the end and she talked a lot about hope and about her grandmother. She did base the story on experiences her grandmother had when she immigrated.

It's a sewing/design studio. I have a sewing business. I have a little shop on Etsy, and I also have a fairly healthy little custom sewing business for a few select customers, making all their wildest dreams come true (LOL). I have been toying with designing some patterns of my own, but that truly takes more time than I have. No matter what I do, striking the balance between work, play and family is always the challenge. I feel blessed to have a spot in my home devoted to my work.

>233 nittnut: I am in complete agreement with you about The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane. I also thought it was a great read, loved the historic background, and I thought that the ending was over-dramatic.

>242 nittnut:Esperanza Rising sounds interesting to this California native also, so I am adding it to my TBR list.

I got a cue-cat months ago, and I've been playing, scanning bar codes. It's fun! (I am such a geek)

I'm gonna need something like that when we get back to France. Well, I did add the 1500 or so here manually, but I don't wanna do it again :)

#244: I have purchased things on Etsy before. Let me know what your 'little shop' name is and I will peer in :)

Book #115
Work Song

Although I have not read the first in this series (Whistling Season) I felt like this book stood on its own just fine. I found it fascinating to read about Butte, still a wild west type town even after WWI. It was not clear to me even at the end that we were meant to take sides. The good guys were clearly the miners, but not necessarily their union. I thought the author did a great job presenting all the sides and the challenges using one main character who does not have all the information everyone else has. I followed him around and worried about him and was really interested to see where he ended up. I really liked the characters. I think my favorite minor (tee-hee) characters were Hoop and Griff. Morrie is entertaining and pedantic and charming, yet not infallible. I wanted to get to know Grace a little better. I was kind of surprised by the end - not shocked, but a little surprised.
I'm giving this 3.5 stars because while I enjoyed it and would recommend it, I wasn't totally enthralled. I will go back and read Whistling Season for sure.

Book #116
The Bad Beginning

Need I say more? It was vastly entertaining (vastly here means greatly or very) in a disturbing sort of way. I especially enjoy when the author engages in extremely obvious "foreshadowing" and tells you that if you don't like sad and awful things to happen to orphans, you should quit reading the book. The narrator, Tim Curry, does a fantastic job. When he is reading Mr. Poe who always has a cough, his coughs make you think of Mucinex ads.

We are (apparently) listening to the entire series in the car as we drive to and from school. My thoughts on The Reptile Room should appear sometime next week.

#249: I think I liked Work Song just a smidge better than you did, Jenn, since I gave it 3.75 stars. I wish my local library had Whistling Season as I would really like to read that one too. I agree with you about wanting to get to know Grace better.

I bought a used copy of Whistling Season a couple of months ago and have been looking forward to reading it but something else always edges it out. I have been hearing alot of people on LT lately who like Doig's books so I hope to get to it soon.

One thing I thought was interesting, but forgot to mention above was that there was a clear distinction between the Union and the IWW or wobblies. The IWW was communist and they didn't like them, the "union" was the mine worker's organization - their own. I also thought the references to Wilson and his policies were interesting. I would probably have missed them completely if I hadn't done some reading about W.Wilson and WWI this year.

>250 nittnut: Tim Curry reading Lemony Snicket? Sounds wonderful. Enjoy!

Jenn -- I am feeling pleased with myself; I've bought a nice postcard of VT (fall foliage etc) and I have written a note and so all that is left is the stamp and the trip to the P.O. Things are looking good!

Is there still time to send postcards? I'm heading to the local bookstore and I think they have postcards, so I will go ahead a get a few to send. What a fun project!

Karen O.

Jenn

I added Esperanza Rising to the tbr pile. I enjoy your comments!

Thank you everyone for taking time to send postcards. There is still time!

Hi Linda! Nice to see you. I hope you have a lovely weekend!

Book #117
Mockingjay

*Spoiler Alert* Because I can't do this without spoiling it.

The third book was a real flop for me. The issues that have driven me nuts about Katniss I was willing to forgive in Hunger Games. She's young, she's in this stressful situation, she's doing her best... In Catching Fire she seems to be heading in the direction of strength. She begins to show some qualities I would like to see in a heroine (other than the Peeta/Gale thing, which I'll get to in a minute). In Mockingjay she pretty much falls apart. She allows herself to be a tool, to be used and manipulated. I really had hoped she had moved beyond that. I'm really not buying the mental breakdown bit in this series. It doesn't fit with what we've seen her do in the earlier books. Also, I really didn't like the whole "it's all my fault, I'm a bad person" business. Boring. Old. Moving On.

When Katniss begins to move around Section 13, I appreciated her initial suspicion of Coin. That was a good thread that was dropped pretty quickly, then picked up again conveniently at the end. Getting into this book was like trying to start a finicky lawn mower. Things would rev up, like Katniss and Gale going into battle in Section 8, then the engine would sputter and die. It's true that Katniss performs her best when she has no alternatives, and that is one area where her character could have been developed better. It really bothered me that she found herself in basically the same situation - media icon - as in the previous books, only with different people. I think I would have sent her out with Gale and a couple other good people on an espionage mission and just let the motor run.

The revenge theme makes sense, to a point. Something about the way Katniss reacts to attacking Section 2 really doesn't sit well with me. Isn't her hesitance to support a full scale attack the same reason we keep losing land wars in Asia? Yes, war is bad. We should avoid war as much as possible. When we are in a war, do the thing. Get it done. Finishing wars quickly and decisively saves more lives than trying to fight a "humane" war. What is that anyway? I'm with Gale here.

OK the Peeta/Gale thing. Argh. Clearly Katniss is relatively clueless about men. Clearly she is the last to know when someone has feelings for her. Unfortunately, she is also the last to know when she has feelings for someone. I like both guys, both have some great qualities. Pick one. Stick with it. Of course committing to someone would effectively eliminate options, but good grief.

This has turned into a bit of a rant has it not? I should have fun with this at book group. I may be the only person in it who didn't love this series. (: Yep, should be fun.

Love to join your rant on Katniss! I think it was sirfurboy who posted what I was also thinking - the book being written from Katniss' POV just didn't seem to work as well in this volume. I felt that the action was always somewhere else that I'd rather be, than with Kat stuck in a closet feeling sorry for herself. I also felt there was too much death surrounding Kat in this book.
What I have enjoyed about the book is that it's stirred my feelings up enough to go off and read lots of discussion about it and comparisons to other books. I know I've read more satisfying endings. I think the Ellie Chronicles by John Marsden is a good comparison, if you want to compare two fighting heroines dealing in rebel action. I'm pretty sure that I preferred the wrapup in the Marsden books, though it's been a few years since I read them.

I posted another two postcards today, I wasn't so happy with the selection available with the first one I sent.

#259: Skipping the review since I have not yet read the book!

Jenn, when does your son's postcard project end? I'm traveling next month and can send some postcards from Singapore and Australia if his project is still on.

My postcard is in my bag and even has the right stamp on it. With luck I'll post it on my way home (I'm at the local library).

Yes, the postcard project will be ongoing. It may be for the entire school year. I'm not too clear on that. Probably due to the 6th grader not being totally clear. My husband keeps asking when the 6th grader will get it together. I finally gave up trying to excuse the scattered behavior and told my husband that I hoped he would have it more together by the time he's 25. I think that's a good goal.

Kerry, I am chuckling a little bit - I don't know very many people who would worry about the postcard they sent not being nice enough and send more. How thoughtful. They will love it.
I will have to take a look at the Ellie Chronicles. I like a strong heroine and a satisfying ending, and both were lacking in Mockingjay IMO. It was pretty depressing.

Caroline, postcards from Singapore and Australia will be very much appreciated.

Lucy, thank you! I don't think they have one from Vermont yet.

Book #118
Cutting For Stone

I was fascinated by so many things in this story. So many people who had crossed paths in another place and time came together at Missing Hospital. I found the references to an ancient, already existing, thriving Christian community with some Jewish roots as well very interesting, and I want to know more about that. Historically, it seems so typical for the missionaries of the 19th century to arrive somewhere and be surprised that there were Christians, and then to try and change the people to the "right" version. I loved the way that Hema and Gosh created a beautiful family and how the twins thrived in their care. The descriptions of the food made my mouth water. The descriptions of the medical conditions and ailments common to the people of Ethiopia broke my heart. A credible job was done highlighting women's issues as well.
While I never forgot that I was reading a novel, it read like a biography too. The end was terrible and wonderful at the same time. An excellent illustration of forgiveness, and how it comes in its own time.

Favorite quote:
The key to your happiness is to own your slippers, own who you are, own how you look, own your family, own the talents you have, and own the ones you don't. If you keep saying your slippers aren't yours, then you'll die searching, you'll die bitter, always feeling you were promised more. Not only our actions, but also our omissions become our destiny."

When you start your new thread (and, no, that's not a hint! LOL), pls do re-post the postcard info :)

ETA Just read your info on Cutting for Stone -- looks good. Reminds me of a brocante (this one an 'upscale flea-market') in which there was a booth of Ethiopian church art. Gorgeous, arresting, compelling. It must have also been pricey or I would have snagged some!

Yay! Nothing from Vermont yet! If he needs one from Montreal/Quebec let me know, I know where to apply pressure..... Also I could maybe get my bro to send one from Canberra, Australia.... He is the quintessential absent-minded professor dude, so it might not be realistic, but i could always try.

Gorgeous quote from C for S. I'm still hoarding it. Silly.

#265 - Nice review of Cutting for Stone! It made me want to re-read the book. What a great quote!

#266 - I was thinking, since Richard doesn't come here (that I know of) I would be safe from thread police...

#267 - I don't know if his class has one from Montreal/Quebec, but I would say go ahead and apply pressure. We'd love to get some from Canada.

Cutting for Stone is already on my list after reading Verghese's The Tennis Partner earlier this year. Nice review!

Hi Pat, I just skipped over to read more about The Tennis Partner. I will be adding it to my pile. It looks amazing.

Never Let Me Go
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kymQcM4ej3w

In theaters September 15 (except not where I live). If anyone sees it, I'd love to know what you think.

Jenn, I'm so glad you liked Cutting for Stone -- one of my favorites! I'm also on the lookout for The Tennis Partner.

And, I'm glad to know that your 6th grader is a tad bit 'scattered.' Maybe he won't notice that I got his name wrong (but fairly close!) on the three post cards I mailed. I wanted to get one from K.C. when I was there over the week end, but it's hard to pull away from my three grands and the only place we ended up going was the soccer field. Next time!

Hi!

I saw your sons school project mentioned on Stasia's thread. I collected post cards when I was a kid and I still like getting postcards. There will be a postcard from New London, WI in the mail tomorrow. --Tammy

Hi there, Enjoy reading your reviews and have just been reading about your son's postcard project also. Will get one out this week from Whangaparaoa, New Zealand, hopefully that will be a new place to add to the list.

274&275 Thank you, thank you! He says that so far he has the most post cards of anyone - thank you LT!
Tammy, he says there are no postcards from WI yet.
Kiwi - how do you even say that?? We looked it up on Google Earth and it is definitely on our list of places we'd like to go, but we can't say it.

Jenn... I can't find the post with the address for the Postcard Project on it and of course when I was writing out my postcard for him a month ago, I didn't think to write it down and keep it somewhere in case I was going to send another. Would you mind posting it again, please? I promise I'll write it down in on a memo pad this time.

Postcard from Pittsburgh coming soon! Likely to have a Steelers logo on it considering the way our city works.

I'll try to get one from my mom in Jensen Beach, FL too. She loves to send cards!

I'm delighted to hear of a school doing Kiva micro loans. I have so much fun doing them and think it is a great idea to use them to help kids make a difference and connect to the world.

I used to manage a feminist restaurant/bar here. Before that it was a gathering place for wobblies called Wobbly Joes. I should probably seek out some history on the wobblies and their relationship with the unions. I suppose there are few wobblies left which is probably why we inherited their bar...

Yeah, it can trip a few tongues up. 'Wh' is pronounced like an 'f' so phonetically we are talking fonga-par-row-ah. The 'r''s are rolled on the tongue as well to give the word a lyrical sound. It's a beautiful language but it takes some getting used to. Beautiful town too, I look out over the Hauraki Gulf which blends into the Pacific Ocean and today the view is really stunning.

Thanks Nancy! I am unaffiliated as regards professional football (sorry) so I can live with a Steelers logo. ;)

Kiwi - you should know that we are all walking around calling out FONGA PAR RRRROW AH now. It really does roll off the tongue. I'm sure at some point our friends and loved ones will ask us to stop...

New thread here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/98572

I have posted the address and info for the postcard/geography project there too. Thanks!

Ok, I read your rant and disagree with most of it.

She allows herself to be a tool, to be used and manipulated.

Katniss realizes she's a very effective tool. She certainly can't bring the government down by herself. If being the front person is the best way to get people to act in unison against the enemy, she's willing to do it.

I'm really not buying the mental breakdown bit in this series.

Collins is addressing the terrible mental, psychological and neurological effect war has on those involved. I think she does a good job describing PTSD: Annie, Katniss, Haymitch; and the physical effects of brain injury on Katness and Finnick.
Also, I really didn't like the whole "it's all my fault, I'm a bad person" business.

I'm not fond of the unearned guilt either, but that's her character perhaps it goes with trying to be the adult in her family at too young an age and fearing, knowing, she makes mistakes.

When Katniss begins to move around Section 13, I appreciated her initial suspicion of Coin. That was a good thread that was dropped pretty quickly, then picked up again conveniently

Katniss was completely politically naive. Coin's district saved her life and the lives of friends and family. She was bound to be confused and conflicted between what she sees as possibly just a personal dislike and the evidence of of Coins power and the possibility of remaking the world.

It really bothered me that she found herself in basically the same situation - media icon - as in the previous books, only with different people. I think I would have sent her out with Gale and a couple other good people on an espionage mission and just let the motor run.

Of course you would. And that's what was finally done, more or less. But remember Coin wanted Katniss to succeed as her pawn and didn't want her making her own decisions and gaining more power, and she was the one in charge.

Something about the way Katniss Isn't her hesitance to support a full scale attack the same reason we keep losing land wars in Asia? Yes, war is bad. We should avoid war as much as possible. When we are in a war, do the thing. Get it done. Finishing wars quickly and decisively saves more lives than trying to fight a "humane" war. What is that anyway? I'm with Gale here.

And I think this was the point of the book. Giving up your humanity in the name of expedience is what lead to the hunger games in the first place. The expedient proposal to have one final hunger game in order to show the transfer of power to the new regime is what lead to the end of that regime. Katniss is not willing to be inhumane. Only by refusing to be inhumane can we end war.

And the Peeta - Gale thing. Well, Petta planted primroses and Gale devised the inhumane final weapon that killed her sister. It just took 3 books to figure that out.

LOL - all good points you make - I can't wait for the discussion in my local book group. It's bound to be a lively one.