SqueakyChu's 75 Books for 2010 - Chapter 4

The thread police got me, so here's thread number 4. :)

My previous thread is here.

An FYI: The Take It or Leave It Challenge (TIOLI) will be directly incorporated into my 75 Books Challenge. Join me, if you'd like. Hint: Always check your TBR pile first when choosing a TIOLI book!



My 2010 goal is to read a wild variety of books for fun!

August 2010

35. Eating Animals - Jonathan Safran Foer - TIOLI: a 2010 National Book Festival author
36. River of Glass - Deborah Bergman - TIOLI - Less than 25 books on LT and published before August 2010
37. South of Broad - Pat Conroy - TIOLI: Title without an "e"
38. Homo Faber - Max Frisch - TIOLI - Book Title starts with an "H"
39. Hell - Yasutaka Tsutsui - TIOLI - Book Title starts with an "H"
40. Still Alice - Lisa Genova

TIOLI Books: 5
YTD TIOLI Books: 27

September 2010

41. Chi's Sweet Home - Konami Kanata - TIOLI: Possessive Apostrophe in Title
42. A Working Girl Can't Win and Other Poems - Deborah Garrison - TIOLI: Three Letter Combination in the word "LibraryThing"
43. Being Dead - Jim Crace - TIOLI: Three Letter Combination in the word "LibraryThing"
44. The Power of Now - Eckhart Tolle - TIOLI: Standard Deviation is greater than 1.0
45. House of the Sleeping Beauties and Other Stories - Yasunari Kawabata - TIOLI: Three Letter Combination in the word "LibraryThing"
46. The White Tiger - Aravind Adiga - TIOLI: the word "white" in the title
47. Dr. Haggard's Disease - Patrick McGrath - TIOLI: Title with a Title

TIOLI Books: 7
Total TIOLI Books YTD: 34

October 2010

48. Fragments - Binjamin Wilkomirski - TIOLI: Author with a Long Last Name
49. Farmer Jane - Temra Costa - TIOLI: A Book from the 21st Century
50. The Earth Hums in B Flat - Mari Strachan - TIOLI: One Syllable Words in Title
51. A Long Way Gone - Ishmael Beah - TIOLI: A Book from the 21st Century
52. The Catcher in the Rye - J. D. Salinger - TIOLI: Book whose author died in 2010
53. Reef - Romesh Gunesekera - TIOLI: Author with a Long Last Name

TIOLI Books: 6
Total TIOLI Books YTD: 40

Found you again!

November 2010

(moved to the next thread)

December 2010

(moved to the next thread)

Stasia! You found me?! You *made* me come here!! :)

It was for your own good. Richard will hound you ceaselessly. I just ask nicely :)

And by "Thread Police" you mean "Richard," right?

I think Stasia's his deputy, though...

I just saw that. They need t-shirts.

They need t-shirts.

They do! Love it!!

Well, too bad you and Luxx will not be around when Richard and I are hanging out together up in NY, Madeline :)

OMG!! I hope everyone shortens their threads before that happens. :)

I am thinking of running mine up to about 500 posts just to see if he notices :)

hello.

Hi, nittnut!

>16 alcottacre: - He'll never let you get away with it

#19: It may be a good thing he was not in the group in 2008. My first (and only) thread for that year was well over 500 posts, lol. Nowadays, I cannot seem to convince anyone to let me do that.

I always feel bad because I tend to post pictures, and I know my thread must take awhile to load for those with slower connections. I can't imagine how long a 500-post Stasia Thread must have taken for someone with dialup!

How many posts are you up to this year? Over 5000, I would guess.

#21: How many posts are you up to this year? Over 5000, I would guess.

Umm, I don't know and am afraid to find out!

36. River of Glass - Deborah Bergman

(No image available)

This is one weird book! I read it for MikeBrigg's TIOLI Overlooked book challenge. I have the only copy and the only review on LibraryThing. I found the book in 2008 at The Book Thing in Baltimore. The novel starts out with a young American female glass artist living in Spain encountering political activists from Argentina. That got my interest right away. From there, it was pretty much downhill, albeit an intriguing journey along the way. More here.

Rating - 3 stars

#23: I think I will give that a pass, Madeline. You may keep your status as the only owner of the book on LT :)

I think that I'd have to give River of Glass even higher marks of confusion that Nicole Krauss's The History of Love. At least I could make sense of Krauss's book by the time it ended! :)

I just found an interesting book I'm about to hop (no pun intended) into. It's translated from German, is by Swiss author Max Frisch, and is called Homo Faber. As it starts, the protagonist, annoyed by another passenger on an airplane flight, finds out that he has even more trouble when two of the plane's four engines conk out midflight...

*tosses aside several other books to read this one (which starts with an H) instead* :)

#26: I tossed other books aside to bunker down with 84, Charing Cross Road since everyone is reading it this month and it is one of my all-time favorites :)

Found your new thread and starred! =)

Stasia, when are you going to be in New York?

Also, hi Madeline! Good timing for a new thread; now I can pretend I'm all caught up ;)

> 28

Thanks for stopping by, David.

> 29

Hi, Zoe!

#29: I am going up there for Richard's birthday party on September 11th. I will be up that way for the weekend.

37. South of Broad - Pat Conroy



I thoroughly love reading books by Pat Conroy. I get carried away by the scope of his stories, the way he describes relationships between his characters, and the attention he gives to the environment in which those individuals live. South of Broad is a tale of one man's love of his hometown of Charleston, South Carolina. Despite awkwardness as a child, Leo King, also known as Toad, gradually develops a close circle of friends who battle difficult issues. (...more)

Rating - 4 stars

#32: I am going to be reading that one this month too, Madeline. Glad to see you liked it!

It took me forever to finish this book as I started by listening to it on CD each weekend in the car. After two months, I figured that it was about time to finish it so sat down with the hard copy of this book.

My husband liked South of Broad as well, but I have a friend from Charleston who didn't like it. I'm now going off to read her review to see why she didn't like it.

38. Homo Faber - Max Frisch



I discovered this great new-to-me author on my own bookshelves. This came about because of the "Starts with an H" TIOLI challenge. Frisch was a well known (to others) Swiss novelist. I happened to still have this book of his that I got from a bag sale years ago so I thought I’d give it a try.

What a delight this book is! It begins with Walter Faber, a Swiss engineer who is deeply concerned with maintaining control of his environment while being aware that unforeseen circumstances keep popping up over which he has no control. We learn that Faber does not want to be tied down to any woman but yet he fancies himself a womanizer. (...more)

Rating - 4.5 stars

#35: Adding that one to the BlackHole. Thanks for the review and recommendation, Madeline.

Congratulations on hitting the halfway point of the challenge!

Congratulations on hitting the halfway point of the challenge!

Hehe! Thanks! Too bad it's not June 30th. :)

Oh, well. You do what you can do, right?

>35 SqueakyChu:: Homo Faber was one of the few books I've ever re-read quickly after the first reading. I read it in German for school and then, not sure how much I had missed, re-read it a couple months later in English. It really is an enjoyable book.

If you want to know more about him, he wrote a semi-autobiographical story, Montauk.

Homo Faber sounds very good Madeline. Thumbed your excellent review. and I'll add it to the teetering tower. I gave up on South of Broad after about fifty pages. I thought it just too verbose. I loved his Prince of Tides though.

> 39

Thanks for the recommendation, Tad. I, for sure, will try to fit more books by this author into my future reading, including the book you suggested.

> 41

Bonnie, I think I was abe to get into South of Broad because I was introduced to the characters by listening to the story instead of reading it. I can see how all of its characters would be a bit much for straight reading, though. Not only was the book verbose (I didn't mind that), but it covered so many topics (let's say mini-stories) about a multiplicity of characters.

I don't usually want to read books like that, but I'm hard of hearing, and this particular CD was so clearly read by such an excellent narrator (sorry, I don't have the CD handy to tell his name) that I got pulled into the novel with no chance of not finishing it. Note that it took me a long time to get through it, though!

>>38 alcottacre: - great review on Homo Faber. Adding it to my wishlist

It was such a great read, Patrick. I know you'll really like it. I gave away my copy to a friend at the beach this week.

Funny how I just happened to pick up that book at random and tried to give it away at a Bookcrossing meeting where no one wanted it. I'm glad it stuck around with me and grateful for that "H title" TIOLI challenge. :)

#35 Adding that one to the wishlist. Great review, Madeline.

Thanks, Catherine!

*grumpy*

I have to read an ER book I'm thinking is boring. I'd sooooooo much rather read another TIOLI challenge book as I could "leave it" if I didn't like it. :(

The book is Displaced Persons. I sure hope it gets better!!

ETA: It seems as if others like it much more than I do. Oh, well!

You see that's exactly how I feel about most ER books. I want to read what I want to read and yes, TIOLI books fill the bill better for me.

Now, if only all of our ER books were TIOLI books, and good ones at that... :)

ER books - I've quit requesting for awhile. Most have been duds. Either I'm terrible at choosing, or there are just a lot of duds.

I'm picky about choosing so they are about 50% okay and 50% good. Occasionally I hit a great one. My favorite was Loon by Jack McLean.

39. Hell - Yasutaka Tsutsui



I've been getting pretty lucky lately with books by new-to-me authors. This one is another clear winner!

Translated from the Japanese, it's the story of three friends (at least they started out as friends) who end up in Hell together. The Hell in this book is not like what we would imagine. In this story, people sort of move into Hell without any clear break from their real life. They continue to see people they know, but don't have any feelings about them once in Hell. More here.

I'd be willing to bet Darryl would like this book!

Rating - 4.5 stars

#52: Well rats, the local library does not have that one!

You're right Madeline; "Hell" sounds like my kind of book! I've added it to my Amazon wish list, and I'll either order it soon or look for it next month. I did see Tsutsui's book Salmonella Men on Planet Porno at City Lights last month (needless to say the title was quite memorable), and my local Borders has it in stock, so I'll probably buy it this weekend.

"Hell" sounds interesting--I like it when authors explore concepts like that.

I thought Hell was so much fun to read. It's really light, but you do need a master list of the characters. No kidding! I listed most of them on LT's Common Knowledge so, if anyone gets the book, just print out the list and make notes next to the names as you need to!

The book reads really quickly. I must say that I was sorry to leave Hell when the story was done. :)

> 54

Hehe! I'd already put "Salmonella" on my wishlist prior to your post. Not the organism, the book! :)

Let me know what you think of Tsutsui's writing, Darryl. I love it. It's my kind of reading, too!

> 54

Darryl, have you ever read any books by Amélie Nothomb? Hell reminded me a bit of her book Fear and Trembling in that both books deal a bit (in a satirical way) with the psyche of Japanese businessmen.

I haven't read any of her books, Madeline. I've heard of Fear and Trembling (the Nothomb, not the Kierkegaard), so I'll add that to my wish list as well.

Darryl, please don't stop with Fear and Trembling, though. Read all of her books! They're short and *bizarre*. You'd love them. She's an author who is Belgian by nationality, was born in Japan and writes in French (translated into English, of course). Go figure! My favorite of her books (and perhaps the most bizarre of books I've read in my life) is The Stranger Next Door. It's soooo weird, but I *loved* it. :)

Hi There Madeline

Thumbs up from me for your excellent review of South of Broad....
And, while I'm trying to refrain from adding to the tbr pile, oh, hell, I'm adding "Hell."

Happy day to you!

Hi Linda!

You'll love Hell. It's easy and fun to read (...with your notepad handy, though)!

Thanks for the thumb, Linda.

My husband and I simply love reading books by Pat Conroy. I adore how he brings a sense of place to his writing. I think he creates the most memorable settings of any author I read.

My husband is now re-reading Conroy's Beach Music and had to stop reading it to remind me about parts of it (i.e. the part about Lucy and the hatchling loggerhead turtles). I'm also getting him copies of The Lords of Discipline and The Great Santini for a re-read. Yeah. I can see re-reading both of those books as well. I even read Conroy's cookbook!!

Hell sounds like an intriguing book: thanks for that review, Madeline.

You're welcome, Caty!

I'm a few days late, but I agree with you about ER books! I'm struggling through Rewired right now. I read a few pages before bed and it helps me fall asleep! I think the problem is that ER books are untested; a lot of the books that get published just aren't that good, but usually we manage to avoid those ones by choosing books based on reviews or recommendations. I know I should stop requesting them, and yet the descriptions always sound so interesting....

You know what my problem really is? I'm so interested in the TIOLI challenges that have been created that I now just want to read only books I find exciting. At least the TIOLI challenge encourages me to toss aside any book that doesn't interest me. I love that!!

I still haven't gotten back to my ER book. I carry it around from place to place a lot, though. :(

>52 SqueakyChu: I can't believe I'm the first to say this but here goes: it sounds like a helluva good book Madeline. Onto the pile it goes.

:)

#67 *groans*

40. Still Alice - Lisa Genova



One of the things I like most about novels is that they work better than fiction if they are well written because they make you feel what is real rather than just state facts. Lisa Genova's novel of a fifty-year-old woman who was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's Dsiease brought me to tears time and time again as she and her supportive family tried their best to cope with the advancing illness. It's an amazing book, well worth your reading. More here.

Rating 4.5 stars

#70: I read that one earlier this year and it made my 'memorable reads' list for the year. I am glad you thought it was an amazing book too, Madeline.

Two excellent books in a row. I struck it rich!!

That does not happen often! I am happy it did for you. Are you going for 3 in a row now?

I'm going to read Eckhart Tolle's book, The Power of Now next because I borrowed it from a friend. I wouldn't mind if it rated 4.5 or 5 stars by the time I finish it.

By the way, I've just listed Still Alice on BookMooch if anyone wants to grab it.

http://bookmooch.com/m/detail/1439102813

#74: I have never heard of the Tolle book, so I will be interested in seeing if your string of success holds out with that one!

I loved Still Alice when I read it last year too Madeline. The range of emotions was incredible.

I read The Girl Who Runs Through Time, an interesting manga series by Yasutaka Tsutsui. Hell sounds like something I would enjoy. So thanks for the recommendation, Madeline.

Noe *that's* interesting...to learn that Tsutsui is also known for manga. I'll have to check it out!

#77 - was that a movie as well? I seem to remember watching an anime dvd like that.

41. Chi's Sweet Home - Konami Kanata



It's cute. My manga-collecting son thought I'd enjoy this book so he lent it to me. It'll go into his manga collection when I return it. More about the book here.

Extra: A video about Chi. :)

Rating: 3.5 stars

42. A Working Girl Can't Win - Deborah Garrison



I just read my copy of A Working Girl Can't Win. It didn't really appeal to me that much. There were two poems ("The Widow's Sex Life" and "Fight Song") that were okay, but, other than those, Garrison's poetry just didn't "speak" to me. That's poetry, I guess. It's very personal. Some poetry just endears itself to the reader; other poetry leaves its reader cold.

Excerpt of "The Widow's Sex Life"

Two summers after he died, it began.
She had coffee with a man
from the other side of the tracks:
he'd been in the navy, worked on the line
at the auto plant.
We hated his hick talk:
"So I says to her, I says..."
He'd never read a book!
Now she'd pay for raising snobs.
My sister was still young enough to cry,
to slam her bed room door
and rage for the ironical ghost of our father...

Excerpt of "Fight Song"

Sometimes you have to say it: Fuck them all.

Yes fuck them all--
the artsy posers,
the office blowhards
and brown-nosers;

Fuck the type who gets the job done
and the type who stands on principle;
the down-to-earth and understated;
the overhyped and underrated;...

By the way, this book had been recommended to me by joannasephine for a previous month's TIOLI Read-A-Living-Poet challenge. I'm using this book for my own TIOLI challenge (Three Letter Combination in "LibraryThing") this month. :)

ETA: This book had been described to me as "sassy" and "funny". I guess it is sassy, but it doesn't at all strike my funny bone in a way which I find amusing. Different strokes...

Rating -- 2 stars

Poetry doesn't often appeal to me, so I think I'll skip that one and stick to bawdy dead Brits.

I am not a poetry person either sadly.

I hope you enjoy your next read more, Madeline!

43. Being Dead - Jim Crace



If writing about death can be beautiful and lyrical even as one watches two bodies decaying, this is the book that does it. I'd seen this book often and finally succumbed to reading it after being intrigued by its title for the umpteenth time. The writing reminded me of that of Ian McEwan in the Cement Garden, a bit macabre, but mesmerizing nonetheless. My full review is here.

Rating - 4 stars

I'd seen this book at the stores for a bit, but it was your review that intrigued me, Madeline. I'm going to add this to my wishlist.

Caroline, the writing is really excellent. It was quite a treat to read.

I'm always skeptical of British writers, but this book passed my "enjoyable reading" test. I definitely will be on the lookout for more books by Jim Crace. Being Dead is a short book (196 pages) so, if it doesn't appeal to you, not much time is lost while reading it.

The ultimate temptation for me to pick up this book was that I needed an *interesting* book for the TIOLI Three Three-Letter Combination challenge this month. Being Dead fit the requirements.

Why are you skeptical of British writers, Madeline? I grew up reading mainly books by British authors and while their styles are certainly different, I have enjoyed many of them, especially those with dry humor.

I think it's the humor I can't understand. I could never stand those Brit-coms that my friend would always want me to watch on TV. Sorry! :)

44. The Power of Now - Eckhart Tolle



If you've never heard of this guy, you've at least got to take a gander at this book simply to find out what all the hoo-ha is about! Some of his philosophy is good (and some bad) in my way of thinking. Here's my review.

Rating - 3

ETA: I especially like BTRIPP's review of this book!

Madeline, I also found the book repeating much of what was said in A New Earth, but also like you, found it to be useful stuff for the most part. That 'ego' is a hard thing to overcome! I wish I had the patience (and time) to get into meditation.

I also enjoyed Being Dead and thought the writing was just beautiful.

Well, Being Dead just made its way to the top of my Tower. It's going to crumble and bury me one of these days.

It's looking more and more like Being Dead is going to be my choice for the 3 letters in LT Challenge. Wasn't Eckhart Tolle one of those Oprah-made authors? I think I'll pass.

Being Dead was a delightful read, so I'd say go ahead to anyone else who wants to read it this month.

> 92

Yeah. Eckhart Tolle was pushed ahead by Oprah. I was all set to dislike him when I watched the first two Oprah segments, but I was fascinated by him rather than put off by him.

I just can't agree 100% with his philosophy. I think it leaves out too much that is good about the future and the past. I know he doesn't think we should allow ourselves to live in the world of opposites. I kind of like the present, past, and future...both with tis good and bad.

> 90

Donna, I have no desire to get into meditation. I'm so sorry that so many "new agey" things insist that meditation be done. I was considering signing up for a creative writing class until I saw that a large part of that class was meditation time. Why should I pay someone else for me to meditate (if I even wanted to)?

ETA: The writing in Being Dead was indeed beautiful...even the part about the decaying bodies! :)

45. House of the Sleeping Beauties and Other Stories - Yasunari Kawabata



Wow, can this author write! I'm always surprised by the beauty he instills into various themes. This is a small volume and well worth reading. Here's my review.

Rating - 4.5 stars

#95: That one sounds too good to miss! Thanks for the review and recommendation, Madeline.

Great review, Madeline. I've got that one in my TBR Tower .... time to kick it up a step or 2.

You're right, Caroline! It's a quick read, and this author writes so beautifully. Be sure to tell me what you think of it when you're done.

*does happy dance*

My TIOLI frog shirt from Donna (donna828) arrived today so I get to wear it to the National Book Festival!

If you plan on being there, just look for me in my TIOLI frog shirt. I'll be wearing a Bookcrossing button with my screen name of SqueakyChu. I do plan on meeting up with everyone at 2pm on the steps of the Museum of Natural History (domed building).

More information on LT Local. Hope to see some of you there. It's a fabulous festival and well worth attending.

I'm cross-posting this to the TIOLI thread!

Wow! That sounds like one weird book Madeline. But at the same time intriguing and somehow interesting. I think I'll look for it.

I like weird. Usually authors who write such odd books eventually end up on my list of favorite authors. This is the first weird book by this author that I've read, though. I didn't even know he did "weird"!

The last book of Kawabata's that I read was The Master of Go, a book that had been recommended to me by a friend on the Bookcrossing website. That was a straightforward story of an old master of the game Go. It was a wonderful novel without weirdness. Here's my review of that book which I read over a year and a half ago! (BT: before TIOLI) :D

It seems to me that I've also read a book of Kawabata's short stories*. I've always been impressed by the sheer beauty of this author's writing. Perhaps it's because his books all originate in Japanese? I'm really not sure, though.

*I just went to see which book of short stories I already read. It was First Snow on Fuji. I don't know when I read it, but I wrote a note to myself that those were "beautiful, poem-like stories".

Ha, I love the "BT" designation!

Madeline, I'm not going to make it to DC this weekend. I forgot that I signed up to volunteer on a hike this Sunday in New Hampshire. I'll have to make a note of the dates for the next one next year, and put it in my calendar ahead of time so I leave the entire weekend free.

> 102

Ha, I love the "BT" designation

LOL!!

> 103

Okay, Caroline. I'll look for you next year then.

Have a great time in New Hampshire. Hope the weather stays as nice as it's been recently.

#101: I just picked up The Master of Go the other day at the library. I hope I like it as much as you did, Madeline!

I think you will, Stasia.

Simply stopping by to wave hello to you!

Hi, Linda! It was fun seeing you partying in New York. :)

How I wish I could meet you this weekend at the book fair. Unfortunately, I'm still experiencing a lot of neck pain and need to take it easy.

I hope you have a wonderful time.

Do rest and relax, Linda. I'm sure there will be a time that we'll really be able to meet.

46. The White Tiger - Aravind Adiga



This is a fun read! It's not the best book I've read, but I understand the reason of its being the 2008 winner of the Man Booker Prize. It's an entertaining story with an underlying message by an Indian author who really would like to be able to present his country in a better light. If you like satire, you do need to read this book. Here's my review, folks!

Rating - 4 stars

Great review Madeline!

Thanks, Linda. I really enjoyed this book.

#112: Nice review, Madeline. I am going to have to move that one up in the BlackHole.

That was a nice and succinct review of The White Tiger, Madeline. I enjoyed it, as well; I'll have to get to his latest novel, Between the Assassinations, sometime soon.

I'll be at the book festival this weekend. I don't have anything to identify me as a LibraryThing member, but I'll look for Madeline in the frog shirt.

> 115, 116

Glad you enjoy the review. I find reviews kind of hard to write. They never say exactly what I want, but I'm glad they're appreciated nevertheless.

Darryl, I'll be looking for between the Assassinations now. Adiga's writing is very easy to read.

>117 carlym:

Carly, Our official meet-up time and place is 2pm on the right side of the (bottom of the) steps to the Museum of Natural History (the domed building). See you there!

I remember that book being laugh out loud funny in parts. Very entertaining but I didn't think it deserved the Booker that year when you think that The Sea of Poppies was nominated. Great review though Madeline.

Bonnie, I didn't think it was a five star book, but I think it was given a prize because of its combination of funny, effective writing/storytelling and political satire. In other words, it was great entertainment and had a message. That makes it prize-winning material. I, personally, would not have given it the prize, but I do understand why it won the 2008 Man Booker prize.

This is an FYI to anyone I've "unfriended" on GR. It's not a personal thing. I've unfriended everyone there except one person (a relative and librarian). I'm sick of people trying to transfer LTers into GR. If anyone wants to follow my reads, it will have to be on LT, Bookcrossing, Facebook, or email. NOT on GR!!

What precipitated this reaction was this thread.

Grrrr!

ETA: I just deleted all of my books (including my ER books) from GR. They have no need to be there anyway. They're all either on LT or Bookcrossing.

Huh... that is kinda weird. I don't think I understand why the person is so adamant about starting an LT group on GR. Oh well, looks like one has started, but if I want to follow what LTers are reading or commenting on, I'd check their posts on LT, not GR.

I don't understand it either (and to each his own), but I've tried too hard to help build up LT to be bringing my own comments and reviews to GR which, in turn, just builds up that website.

The only reason I use GR at all is to keep the BlackHole. LT did not start with Collections until after I had started the BlackHole there and I do not feel like transferring 8000+ books. No idea why someone thinks it is necessary to have an LT group on GR. I have all I can handle with this one :)

I have no problem with people using whatever site they want for whatever reason they want. That particular person just p*ssed me off because she seemed to want to lure people away from LT. GR has lured enough people to it. I want people to be lured *to* LT, not *away* from LT. GR does NOT (I'm shouting now!!) need an LT group. That's for sure. That person private messaged me - which doubly p*ssed me off.

I can understand being upset with people trying to lure others away from LT. As far as I am concerned, LT beats GR any day.

Well that was interesting. I must say, I love it here on LT and can't think what would entice me to switch but it took me about six months after I started to really figure out threads and conversation, etc. I think it was just me. I'd never done anything like it before so was not familiar with posting, etc.

I first discovered LT through a book critics column in the Wall Street Journal. She never mentioned GR but in my research they showed up and I did join but found LT really easy to catalog my books so I never really used GR for much of anything. Not sure what the draw is there or what the reason would be for an LT group on GR. That's a head scratcher.

Tutu rushes in breathlessly.....................I'm finally catching up on some long neglected threads...............

#37....Love Pat Conroy - in fact I've been on a real Southern Fiction kick this year....should've made it a category in the 2010 challenge. LOL

#70 Still Alice - how did I miss that one? Onto the TBR pile it goes

And as for GR vs LT....no comparison. LT wins hands down in my book. No site is ever going to do everything single thing every member wants (at my church we call that state "heaven"). I have a GR account, but do not friend anyone, didn't join any groups, didn't do any of the social stuff. I use it like Stasia - to keep track of books I want to look for - not necessarily want to even put in a wishlist or TBR collection on LT--just want to be able to put them on a list that they caught my eye and bear further looking at. E.G. Still Alice is on my GR list. If I decide i really want to get it from the library or buy it, then I'll just enter it into GR. How hard is that?

Do I want to export/import all books to each site? Good grief no...I have enough trouble maintaining three or four group threads, a blog, and my own reading. And that's Tutu's Two Cents for the day.!

Thanks for sparking an interesting conversation.

It was fun meeting you in RL today at the book fest! Did you make it to see Martha Grimes? She was pretty funny! I thought I saw you sneaking into the Peter Straub talk afterward...

Yeah. It was great fun, but we really need to get a group together somewhere cooler and with better seating! :)

If we could ever find a small core group, we could meet quarterly or something like that and do a book exchange over coffee. Real informal. I think it would be fun. I'd come up to Columbia or Baltimore as I have a very good friend who lives in Ellicott City. I'm up there all the time anyway.

Too bad I have other plans for tomorrow. It would have been fun to get together with another LT group up in Baltimore. Hope all goes well.

After our meet-up, I went to see Allegra Goodman. She was so animated and darling. I read one of her books, Kaaterskill Falls, and thought it was okay, but after her talk, I'm eager to read some others.

After that, I was really wowed by Michele Norris Washington Post reporter, who talked about the book she wrote about her family. She had me in tears. She's a light-skinned black - a bright and beautiful woman who found out only recently that her dad had been shot by police in Birmingham, Alabama, after returning home from the war in 1947, and that her grandmother had spent her youth traveling the northwest as an "Aunt Jemima" character. After Michele's presentation a woman stood up in the audience who said she was the first black teacher in Michigan and that she had met and spoken to Michele's grandmother. How karmic is that?!

It was a fabulous day. I'll put more notes later on the Book Festival thread, but now I need to eat dinner! :)

P.S. Read my book! :D

P.P.S. I would have liked to have seen Peter Straub but I couldn't do everything! I would also have liked to have seen Isabel Allende, Orhan Pamuk, etc. Oh, well!

> 128

Hi Tina,

Welcome to my thread! I haven't seen you here in ages!

Have you ever read any of Greg Iles' mysteries (since you love southern fiction)? He's from Natchez, Mississippi, and his love for the south shines through his books as well.

Still Alice is an amazing book. I keep thinking about it. Tell me what you think of it after you read it. Although it's fiction, it really presents an understanding of how dementia develops. It is so sad.

Do you want to know a great place to have a wishlist? BookMooch! That's where mine is. If a book from my wishlist comes up, I can mooch it. I also ship out books as it's a book swap site, but I think that's part of the fun.

"Thanks for sparking an interesting conversation."

Hey, that conversation about GR, as interesting as it may be, is one that I wish had never been sparked. It just makes me mad.

This is for Donna (Donna828). It's me at a RL LibraryThing Meet-Up. We're all at the National Book Festival in Washington, DC. You'll recognize the shirt! :)


Left to right: gilroy, Tanneitha (partially hidden), drneutron, SqueakyChu, VoraciousReader, jmaloney17, carlym, veborder

#130: Sounds like you guys had a great meet up today! Where are the pictures?! Inquiring minds want to know.

#132: Ah, there you are! We must have been posting simultaneously.

Greg Iles is another one of those authors who is on my TBR pile. He is quite popular at our little library, so I'll have to check him out. Thanks for the nudge.

My sister Cheli (cyderry) lives right there in Olney, and next time I head down to the Balto (where Mom lives) DC (rest of family) area, We should try to do an LT meetup.

You all looked like you had a great time.

We should try to do an LT meetup.

Absolutely!

It was really fun at the National Book Festival, but just a bit too hurried. I didn't get a chance to talk to everyone before we all scattered to see more of the authors.

I tried to figure out if there were some way we could meet in another venue at another date, but everyone came from too far away! Now if I could only remember which face went which which screen name.

I did have chance, though, to actually sit down and talk at length to Andrea (forgot her screen name). That was great! (She's not pictured.)

I owe Cheli one for designing the TIOLI tee shirt I was wearing at the Festival. If the three of us eat at the Olney Ale House, lunch will be on me. Just tell me when you're coming!

> 133

Ah, there you are! We must have been posting simultaneously

LOL at Stasia who wants to keep me to my promises. :)

#136: If I have to have pictures strewn all over of me, then it is only fair!

Haha!

Funny, I always see LT-GR comparison threads as a great opportunity to point out key features that LT might be missing. I'm not worried about people actually moving over to GR.

As for what to do with not-necessarily-a-wishlist books to watch, I realized that what I eventually want to do is use the LT List feature for that. Whenever Tim gets around to developing it.

> 121

Tim's response to that thread referred to in message 121 was thoughtful and gracious. Much better than mine.

I still see GR as in direct competition (different from our relationshsip with BookMooch, Book crossing, etc.) with LT even though GR's features are somewhat different. As much as I'd hate a GR group here, it would certainly counter-balance the LT/GR group on the GR website. I'm curiously waiting to see if that person is willing to follow up on Tim's advice.

I think it humorous that Tim wants that group specifically here when he often does not want to copy some of GR's features (at least those that I want, such as comments on reviews, pages read, or lists) to LT. GR has always copied from LT.

Funny, I always see LT-GR comparison threads as a great opportunity to point out key features that LT might be missing.

Do great minds think alike or what? We both were thinking of the same thing -at the same time!!

> 139

I realized that what I eventually want to do is use the LT List feature for that. Whenever Tim gets around to developing it

...and how long have we been asking for that?! Although I do concede that Tim's priorities have to do with other situations (i.e. working on LTFL, the money-making part of LT, dealing with Chris' absence due to his wife's illness, etc.).

>132 SqueakyChu:: Loved the picture and hope everyone gets identified eventually. Looks like you were a standout, Madeline, in your frog shirt. Did you have to answer any questions about the frogs?

I'm not leaving LT for anything. I don't see a thing offered by GR that I want!

Oddly enough, I did not get one question about the frog shirt, but the other LTers used it to identify me! :)

ETA: I love that shirt soooo much!! Thanks again to you and Cheli.

It is great to see so many smiling LT member faces!

What a great picture ...but who are the ??s? ;-) Nice t-shirt too, Madeline. Maybe we should consider having LT t-shirts and bags for sale?

I'm still waiting from the last two women to add their screen names. I can't remember them. The others I updated a bit earlier today.

The shirt was designed by cyderry (Cheli) and created by donna828 (Donna). Donna says she has a few more of those shirts left to sell. If you want one, private message her. The logo that Cheli made is on this page. You may make it up into a tee shirt or bag on your own (or in groups). It would make a cute coffee mug as well.

I still wish Tim & Co. would redesign their LT logo tee shirt to make it more lively and fun to wear. That's what I especially like about Cheli's design.

The one on the right in red shirt is CatyM, I believe.

That's what I thought, but wasn't 100% sure. Thanks!

I wasn't there, but I thought CatyM lived in UK....did she come to the party and I missed her? I'm really going to be bummed....

The person that was here that I thought was CatyM said she was from Texas. That's why I'm not sure. I'm waiting for the real CatyM to speak up! Are you out there?

I figured it out. Top right is carlym, not CatyM!

One screen name is still missing.

I just got back in town or would have spoken up sooner! The woman next to me is voraciousreader. It was great to meet you in person.

I was just writing to you in the TIOLI thread! ...and wondering if you were back in Texas yet. How funny.

Thanks for identifying voraciousreader. She was the last person whose name I couldn't remember.

It was fun to meet you in real life. I wish we'd have had more time to just sit and chat, but no one wanted to miss those great authors. It was such a super day.

Who did you like the best of the authors you saw? My favorite was Chang-Rae Lee because I've always been a fan of his.

Hah, I just replied to you in the other thread. If my group had gotten there earlier, we would have hung around to chat more. Steven Roberts being interviewed by Cokie Roberts was pretty entertaining. I also liked talking to the people from the Library of Congress who do book restoration. (It would also have been great if the cool front had come through a day earlier!)

Hey, don't knock the weather. Last year the Meet-Up was broken up by rain. bfertig couldn't find us because we'd all run into the Pavilion of the States for shelter from the downpour! :)

My favorite was Peter Straub. He was a fun speaker and had an interesting take on writing. My son's a writer and English major, and I'm going to dig up the video on the LoC website and send him the link. I think he'd get a kick out of it.

Doc, send me the link too, please. Straub is an interesting writer, though I don't always connect with him. But I love listening to authors talk about writing.

Waving hi as I go by....

Hi, Ren. Thanks for stopping by.

47. Dr. Haggard's Disease - Patrick McGrath



This is it! The book I like best so far this year. It's creepy and dark. I like those kinds of books. What I especially like about this one is it's psychological thrills. Take a deeper look at it here in my review. I'm now outta here to go look for more books by this author! Bye!!

Rating - 5 stars

Oh! Before I go, I'd like to add this:

I think that either Spider or Dr. Haggard's Disease, both by Patrick McGrath, would make excellent reads for October's TIOLI category of "Not Quite Horror". Consider them.

#161: Great review, Madeline!

Thanks, Stasia. Read that book if you can find it!

Great review Madeline! Thumb! I have Asylum, which I had heard about from someone else, sitting on my shelf. It was hard to find but I finally picked up a used copy from B&N. Off to add Dr. Haggard's Disease to my wishlist:)

Thanks, Bonnie.

I've read Asylum which was okay, but I don't think it can compare to Dr. Haggard's Disease or Spider.

48. Fragments: Memories of a Wartime Childhood - Binjamin Wilkomirski



This book overwhelmed me.

WARNING: Do NOT read my review of this book or other reviews of it before you read the book itself if you've never heard of it before.

We can always talk about it later...

Rating - 5 stars.

#167: I will have to see if I can track down a copy of that one. None of my local libraries seem to have it. Thanks for the recommendation, Madeline!

Dr. Haggard's Disease is not on the tbr pile. And thumbs up for your excellent review!

Dr. Haggard's Disease is now on the tbr pile. Thumbs up for your excellent review!

Thanks, Stasia and Linda.

This book overwhelmed me.

WARNING: Do NOT read my review of this book or other reviews of it before you read the book itself if you've never heard of it before.

We can always talk about it later...

Now There's a way to sell books! I'm on my way to check it out.

:)

You'll see why I wrote this later...after you read the book, which you will then follow by the reviews.

49. Farmer Jane - Temra Costa



I doubt if others will find this book quite as exciting as I did, but I thought this book was fabulous. I must tell you that I'm a "foodie", a supporter of healthy, local food, and editor of a CSA newsletter. This book was a treasure trove for me. Disregarding the fact that this book was only about women, I took in the information it presented with great interest, always thinking about how I will later expound on what I learned and even use what was written to further my knowledge in the area of sustainable agriculture. Here's my full review.

Rating - 4.5 stars

#174: Thanks for the review and recommendation of that one, Madeline. I think I will add that to the stack of books my sister is getting from me for Christmas.

Madeline....thanks for highlighting Farmer Jane. I have become a recent CSA supporter and have been trying to plow through a pile of 'foodie' books already filling almost an entire shelf, but I'm sure, after your great review, I can find room for one more.

I am such a big CSA proponent. This is my third year with CSA, and I love it. The only complaint I have is that I get too much food! My frig is stuffed with fresh, organic veggies. I was thinking of splitting a share with another family, but then backed off doing that because I didn't want to miss any of the share weeks.

Farmer Jane has great information in it. It directs the reader to all sorts of places to begin further involvement with the sustainable agriculture movement.

I don't like all "foodie" books, although I try to read lots of them. My favorite would have to be The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan. I just like what he has to say. He's very practical and realistic in his outlook. Have you read that book, Tina?

When you say "supporter", do you mean you support CSA or do you actually participate in a CSA?

We have a CSA farm here in town. They have a great program where I buy a share and get a credit ($$ share +10%) at the farmstand. So I get to pick how I want to spend the share. I generally just stop there 2-3 times a week, and get stuff to eat right away, then get tons of tomatoes to put up for sauce, a bushel or so of apples, quarts and quarts of berries and other fruits for jams, and freezing. she also has fresh farm eggs, local honey, great fresh baked bread, and gorgeous plants. In the fall, she has potatoes and squashes, and if I have anything left over, she has beautiful handmade local balsam christmas wreaths... It's a wonderful program. I like knowing I'm supporting a small family farm, I'm getting good fresh food, and we're keeping the business here in this small town.

Haven't read Polan's stuff yet, but it's on the TBR list. I did enjoy Animal, Vegetable, Miracle tho.

Thumbs up on the review Madeline. One of our school families run a CSA farm and are continually sold out very early on every year. It could be because there are so few of these farms around and also the increased interest every year.

> 178

Sounds wonderful, Tina! Which farm is it? Ours is Calvert Farm in Cecil County, Maryland.

I actually read Animal, vVgetable, Miracle throughout one CSA year as I had also planted a vegetable garden that year (which now I still do as well). It was a fun way to work through that book.

> 179

I'm glad about the increased interest in CSA. Perhaps that will eventually translate into growth of small family farms.

Ours is Weskeag Farms. Very small, totally shoe string op, but good stuff. And they do reasonably priced mail order for the balsam wreaths!

Congratulations on your hot review of
Farmer Jane

Thanks, Linda.

> 182

Weskeag Farms looks super, Tina! Thanks for sharing the link.

One of the things that our farmer Pam Stegall did for us was to adapt her farm share to a Jewish population as she serves CSAs of several synagogues. So...no wreaths for us! She does, however, send us apples from the orchards of cooperative farms near her and honey from her own apiary for Rosh Hashana (the Jewish New Year) as well as decorative gourds to hang in our sukkoth (booths) during the Jewish holiday of Sukkoth (Festival of Booths - commemorates wandering in the desert for 40 years).

She also had to separate some hens from roosters for us as fertilized eggs are not kosher! I really appreciate all that she does. In return, I hope we help support her farm.

Tonight, I just ate some butternut squash soup from the veggies of her CSA box and am thinking about what to bake with some of her apples.

> 176

Tina, after reading about your CSA, I'm sure you will *love* reading Farmer Jane. It's a terrific resource for those of us who are into helping small farmers bring back a healthier way of eating for everyone.

OK, for the ignorant among us (that would be me) what is CSA? And how do I find out if there is such a thing locally to me?

CSA = community supported agriculture

CSA is explained and availability can be checked through Local Harvest.

#188: Thanks for posting the link, Madeline. I discovered that there is a CSA farm here in Sherman! I will investigate further when I am home from work.

Should you decide to give CSA a try, read up about it carefully before you join. CSA is *not for everyone* so be aware of possible pitfalls before your commit you money. That being said, I know Tina has as much fun with her CSA produce as I do with mine.

Last night I ended up making an apple bread pudding. Today I get to pick up a new share box and see what I'm going to be cooking this week! :)

#190: It looks as though this particular CSA also has a small market through which I could purchase their produce too, so I may take that route to begin with. I am so excited to have found this! Sherman does not have a farmer's market, so this could be a great solution for me.

If you do this, do let Tina and me know how you like it!

I sure will.

CSAs that I know of around here wouldn't make sense for me -- too much stuff, and too little variety per delivery for someone on their own. I'd end up with a very monotonous diet, which is fine if you have no option and you do have lots of time to preserve the food, but doesn't if you work 10 hours a day. If I could find a way to get CSA $$ to spend at a greenmarket, that would be great. I'd get eggs, a variety of fruit, etc. etc. and end up supporting an array of farms vs. just one.

ETA: I also may be a bit jaundiced by the fact that I've been on waiting lists for six different CSAs, some for three years. I keep being told that I'm one person, high income and thus low priority. One CSA told me I could afford to buy from Wholefoods, so why didn't I just do it and leave the CSA for those who needed it? Or organize my own? (Yeah, with a 60-75 hour workweek, I have time for that...)

A CSA share would definitely be too much for one person alone. It's too much for three of us (my daughter eats very little of it, though), but I still opt to do it. Most people in this situtation split their share. Two families either split their share in half after picking it up or pick up on alternate weeks. The produce keeps very well as as it's picked fresh just prior to shipment.

Some CSAs actually work the way you describe (give credit at a farmer's market). This, too, is very supportive for small farms but involves more work on the part of the farmer without the knowledge of whether or not expenses will be covered.

After reading your "ETA", I can see why you'd be upset with them, Suzanne. I haven't heard of such an attitude being projected at CSAs in my area. The only way we reject (or, rather, delay) is if the cut-off date is past because our farmer has to know for planning purposes exactly how many share members she has each season. She serves not only share members in different venues but also does a farmer's market in Baltimore.

I don't see that income has anything to do with whether or not a person should be accepted into CSA. In addition, Wholefoods, while it is a nice (and pricey) store is *not* comparable to a CSA. Who *are* these insensitive people telling you such "rubbish"?!

I spent a couple of hours investigating CSA's in my area, Madeline--thanks for the reminder. Unfortunately, the ones who will deliver (I'm choosing to not own a car right now) aren't as wholly committed to local farms, but I think it's a great idea. I guess it's Whole Foods for me!

I like to shop at Whole Foods, Roots, and Trader Joe's. I also like having my own vegetable garden. But I *love* the idea of and my share in CSA. :)

ETA: I don't like shopping at Shopper's Food Warehouse, Safeway, and Giant, but sometimes I'm forced to do this anyway.

Speaking of my own vegetable garden we're now picking acorn squash, butternut squash, buttercup squash, concord grapes and pumpkins; still to come cauliflower. Oh and btw, next week we have to plant garlic for next year.

I have enjoyed your CSA discussion. We were members of a CSA for 2 years and split it with another couple. There was so much food! It was interesting to try new vegetables - I had never had kohlrabi before. The first year we did a share, there was an abundance of vegetables. Last year, we had a lot of spring rain, so it wasn't a great growing season as there was an outbreak of blight. This year we opted out because we had a lot going on, but I hope to buy a share again next year. So, it can be chancy depending on the weather and growing season, but I think it was well worth it.

Simply stopping by to say hi.

> 198

What a great fall harvest you're getting, Bonnie! My vine plants didn't do too well this year, but we have quite an abundance of hot peppers (four different kinds) which I'm drying and using for crushed hot peppers. My husband has been getting some fresh and frying them up on olive oil. We use both the dried hot peppers and the fried hot peppers to season our food.

What is buttercup squash? I've never heard of that.

Have you ever planted or eaten delicata squash? Boy is that good! I have a simple, but tasty recipe for delicata squash if you want it. I had it for dinner tonight.

> 199

Hi, Jess. It's so nice to hear about your experiences with CSA. I'd have to agree with you that the biggest porblem is the abundance of food. Can you imagine?!

We have the option of donating those foods we'd rather not have to a food kitchen. We also have a swap box at pick-up so that we can trade produce we don't like for produce we like better. For example, I traded away my beets for some huge red radishes which my husband loves in salad.

To those of you who do CSA shares, feel free to post any recipes here in my thread. Let me know if the recipe is yours or if it's from another source, though. I'm always looking for seasonal recipes to put in my CSA's Newsletter.

> 200

Hi, Linda. Thanks for stopping by!

>201 SqueakyChu: I had to google delicata squash Madeline because I'd never heard of it. It says it's also known as sweet potato squash so I think I'd like it since I love sweet potatoes. I'll have to look for it.

Buttercup squash is a dark green squash with a light green turban. It's sweet like acorn but drier than acorn and we like it better than acorn.

Here's the recipe for delicata squash. It's sooo delicious!

2 Delicata squash, halved and seeded
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon lime zest
salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place squash, cut side down, in a baking dish. Add water to a ¼-inch depth. Bake until squash pierces easily with a fork, about 45 minutes. While the squash is baking, whisk together butter with lime juice, chili powder and lime zest in a small bowl. When fully roasted, remove squash from baking dish and turn open side up. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon the lime-butter mixture into the squash and serve while hot.

This is a recipe I adapted from one submitted to allrecipes.com by FARMMOM

> 24

I'll have to look for buttercup squash. How do you prepare it, Bonnie?

How about butternut squash? Anyone have any good recipes for that? I recently made one into soup which came out really good.

We had delicata squash last night...it was yummy...so sweet my hubs thought I'd mixed apples in (I didn't)....recipe available - send a PM if you want it.

I recently made a butternut squash soup too. I really enjoy apple stuffed butternut or acorn squash.

You split and scoop out the squash. Then, peel & dice an apple or two, mix with cinnamon & maple syrup. Add pecans or walnuts and spoon it into the squash. Roast it for about 45 minutes - until everything is soft.... It makes a tasty side dish.

Sounds great (as well as quick and easy to prepare)! I'll add that idea to this week's CSA newsletter. Thanks, Jess!!

We cut the buttercup squash in half, scoop out the seeds and bake for about 45 min. at 350. Then we add some butter and brown sugar or maple syrup and bake for a few minutes more. Mmmm. Really good.

We make a really delicious butternut squash soup too. I think that's probably the most common use for it.

I'm going to have to look for the delicata squash. Your recipe sounds delicious.

Your garden sounds so lovely, Bonnie. I'm redoing my back yard next spring and trying to decide if I really want to plant vegetables since most of the ones I buy now end up as compost. I love butternut squash just plain with butter, but I cut myself badly one time (knife broke) just trying to whack it in half, so don't buy it as much as i used too. Any suggestions?

#205
Thanks for the great receipe!

I'm posting a glossary (source: wikipedia unless otherwise specified) here for The Earth Hums in B Flat...

black dog: Winston Churchill's name for his depression (healthieryou.com)
Black Jack: an aniseed flavored chewing gum
distemper: an early form of whitewash
doolally: gone mad, crazy behavior
faggot: a kind of meatball
gymslip: a sleeveless tunic with a pleated skirt, most commonly seen as part of a girl's school uniform.
inglenook: a small recess that adjoins a fireplace
mince: meat finely chopped by a meat grinder
scullery: a room in a house traditionally used for washing up dishes and laundering clothes
Toby jug: a pottery jug in the form of a seated person, or the head of a recognizable person (often an English king).

50. The Earth Hums in B Flat - Mari Strachan



This was a very original story told in a unique voice of a young girl in Wales. As a debut novel, it shines! There were lots of nooks and crannies in this novel that I found especially fun: a mystery to solve, oddly-spelled names to pronounce, words to decipher, and Toby jugs to watch. I can see why so many readers are fond of this novel. You can read more about this sweet story here on my review.

Rating - 4 stars

#214: I am going to skip your review for now, Madeline, since I am going to be reading the book shortly, but I do want to offer my congratulations for you hitting 50 books this year!

Thanks, Stasia. This is really a good rate for me. I usually only read about 50 to 55 by year's end, but I'm ahead of schedule.

I think you're going to really love The Earth Hums in B Flat. It is truly a sweet story about a flawed family.

#216: Yay for being ahead of schedule!

Thanks for the input on the Strachan book. I think I am going to love it too.

I think what I liked most about this book is that is was quite a bit different from the kinds of stories I usually read.

Cool!

Nice review :)

Thanks, Sally.

Excellent review of The Earth Hums in B Flat Madeline. I loved the book and adored Gwennie.

Thanks, Bonnie.

I, too, thought Gwennie was a most believable and charming character. My favorite characters in this book, though, were the Toby jugs. :)

I had no idea what a Toby jug even *was* before I read this book!

Today's my 63rd birthday. Thought I'd share this quote from Barbara Kingsolver's High Tide in Tucson:

"We can still do everything we could do when we were twenty...except now it hurts."

I could not do all that much at 20!

Happy Birthday, Madeline! Hope you have a great one.

Loved the quote! Happy Birthday again -- I wished you the same on the TIOLI thread.

I guess I'm going to have to join the pack on The Earth Hums in B Flat so I'll be in the know on Toby jugs. Yay! My library has a copy and I don't have to wait for it. Instant gratification!

Thanks, Roni and Donna!

> 277

Yay! ...about The Earth Hums in B Flat. It's a really nice book. Glad you're joining the crowd.

Happy Birthday, Madeline!! Hope your day was wonderful!

Thanks, Lynda!

My kids just left. The day was fun.

> 224

Happy Birthday - loved the quote :)

Thanks, Sally.

51. A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier - Ishmael Beah



I was very glad to have read this book as I'm trying to educate myself a little more about the individual countries of Africa. This is a such a sad but well-written book. It's the memoirs of a young man who had been forced by the situation in his country of Sierra Leone to become a child soldier. The author, Ishmael Beah, is the resiliant young man who overcame devastating odds to survive his country's brutal wars and eventually leave his county to establish a decent life for himself elsewhere. My review is posted.

Rating - 4.5 stars

I'm trying to educate myself a little more about the individual countries of Africa.

Thumbed you! I've got the same goal, but these kinds of books are sure tough to read.

This one is, but you know in the beginning that this guy succeeds in escaping his past (to the extent that he can).

I think it's really important to read such books, though, as it is much easier to just skip them and never learn the extent of the true atrocities that take place elsewhere in the world. How can one speak out against them if they are not even aware of them happening?

I've got the same goal,

Bonnie, you might find this Africa thread of interest.

#233: I have had that one in the BlackHole for a while now. I really need to get to it. Thanks for the reminder!

I actually listened to it on CD from the library although I had the book in hard copy. I enjoyed hearing the story told. It was truly sad what this young man had to endure. It's amazing he survived at all, let alone having finished his education and achieved success as an author.

>235 SqueakyChu:: Well said, Madeline!

52. The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger



So I finally got around to reading this classic, and I really enjoyed it. I don't know why I fear reading classic books so much. I always think they're going to be "stuffy". This book was anything but that. I posted my thoughts about this book here on my review

Rating - 4 stars

I just wanted to add that, after looking at the reviews of The Catcher in the Rye, that it seems to be one of those books that people either really like or really don't. Glad I'm one who liked it!

For some reason, Catcher in the Rye is a book I have never had a desire to read. I still don't. Maybe one day I will change my mind, but not right now.

Thanks for making it a shared TIOLI read Madeleine. It would probably have gone back on the shelf if you hadn't:) and it wasn't at all what I expected. I really liked it!

> 241

*nudges* Stasia to read The Catcher in the Rye*

I'm with calm about this book. It wasn't at all what I expected, either. I thought it would be a dusty old book about a teenager who cusses. :)

I found it very entertaining and quite funny. It read very much like any contemporary book that I might pick up today about a teenager . I hope you change your mind, Stasia, and read it sooner rather than later.

How about this? Read one page and *then* decide if it's for you or not. My guess would be a definite "yes"!

#243: I might try one page. My daughter Catey tried it last year and did not care for it at all. I do not think she even made it to 50 pages.

Good review, Madeline. It was especially interesting to read your thoughts about the book because I'm one of the people who really didn't like it.

Your final point partially helped me realize why I didn't like the book: It would work especially well for someone with a close relationship to a teenager or even for someone who likes to think back on how difficult being a teenager really was. The problem is that when I think back on being a teenager, it was nothing like this, nor were my friends like Holden. I didn't find being a teenager particularly difficult; I have fond memories of high school; and I have little sympathy for obnoxious people like Holden (though I don't really remember the details of how he was obnoxious).

And yet despite all this, your middle paragraph (especially the second half of it) made me appreciate the book more. So again, great review; it made me think more about the book and also gain a bit more appreciation for a book I didn't like!

> 244

For what it's worth, my 24-year-old daughter hated it. That only made me laugh! :)

I just read more about The Catcher in the Rye. It was first published in 1951 and still sells a quarter of a million copies a year! Isn't that amazing?

#246: It is amazing. Obviously someone likes the book!

> 245

Your final point partially helped me realize why I didn't like the book:

In reviewing the book, I felt it was necessary to add the line about why my daughter didn't like it. In reading other reviews of this book after finishing it myself, I was surprised to see how radically different (polar differences, really) the other reviews of this book were.

I have fond memories of high school

I don't have exceptionally fond memories of high school. I liked my college (er, nursing school) years much better.

I have little sympathy for obnoxious people like Holden

I didn't find Caulfield particularly obnoxious. I think what could have been off-putting to readers were his thoughts, but, when it came to action, he acted a bit more appropriately.

it made me think more about the book and also gain a bit more appreciation for a book I didn't like!

Yay! I think the book does come across as brash, but feel it there is an underlying message. The same can be said for some teens as they "act out" and work their way into becoming more settled and compliant adults. I've seen my three kids all go through the "adjustment" phase in theri teens(although none were like Caulfield), each in a different way. I found there was "a light at the end of the tunnel", and they've all (ages 24, 28, and 30) turned into shining adults of whom I'm proud.

BTW, Zoe, our brief discussion here could easily have been "comments on reviews"! :D

There is so much to say about this book and about its reviews as well.

More fun facts (I'm now reading about J.D. Salinger on wikipedia):

1. His dad was a Lithuanian Jew who sold kosher cheese. His mom only passed as Jewish. J.D. Salinger, himself, didn't find out he wasn't Jewish until after his bar mitzvah! :O

2. He dated the daughter of playwright Eugene O'Neill, but she dropped him in favor of marrying Charlie Chaplin! :/

3. "Initial reactions to the book were mixed" -- so nothing has changed in over 50 years! :)

BTW, Zoe, our brief discussion here could easily have been "comments on reviews"! :D

Yup, you know I was thinking it! :D

53. Reef - Romesh Gunesekera



A quietly beautiful book about a young houseboy and his master in Sri Lanka. My review has been posted.

Rating - 4 stars

#251: Great review, Madeline!

BTW - You might think about another thread before 'you know who' notices :)

*slips off to work before "you know who" gets here*

LOL!

I inadvertently deleted my biggest collection of books with reviews here on LT by mistake. I am so bummed!

I quickly tried to copy all 169 reviews to my pc, but I'm not sure I got all the information. That was my worst LT nightmare, and now it happened. I have an email in to Tim to see if he or someone at LT can put that collection back. I hate to bother them with my stupidity, but the reviews were tons or work to write, I like to have those notes, and I appreciate the thumbs from people who liked the reviews. I also have lots of Bookcrossing links pointing to them.

Damn my stupidity!! :(

Oh, Squeaky, that sucks!

I'm sure that Tim et al. will be able to figure something out. Just take a deep breath for now.

Karen O.

I just tweeted him so that hopefully he can catch the mistake before the cache updates. The information is currently still there but will disappear if no one intervenes. I hate bothering Tim et al with something so stupid!

I'll leave my complaining here, hope for the best, and move on to my next thread.

Holding my thumbs for you.

Thanks, Karen. Whatever happens, I'll live with it.

Does anyone know if there's a simple way to copy the list of all my reviews to a document page on my computer before they all disappear from LT?

Madeline

I'm sorry to have missed your birthday. October 18th is also the birthday of my oldest daughter. It snowed the day she was born.

I hope your day was as lovely as you are!

Hi Linda!

I'm so happy to see you're back on LT. You have no idea how much you were missed by everyone! You're truly a star here.

Thanks for the birthday greetings. I'm still the same age today that I was on my birthday two weeks ago. :)

How cool that I share a birthday with your daughter! That's such a nice thing to know. I don't often meet people who share my birthday. One of my friend's dad who lived to be in his late nineties shared a birthday with me. It was always fun for us to greet each other with birthday greetings for the same day.

My birthday was quiet but very nice. I worked that day so my husband brought home pizza from our favorite pizza place. My favorite gift was from my daughter who gave me a beautiful recipe card box. She decorated the top herself with a picture I'd taken of some sushi we'd made together (she rarely does anything with me) and added the words "Madeline's Recipes". It was truly a perfect gift.

How did your daughter celebrate her birthday?