Sundays on the Acre, Take 24

Having overextended my last thread, I thought it best to get a new one going before some people start complaining!

A note about my rating scale:

3 stars or below - Not Recommended

3.5 stars - Guardedly Recommended

4 stars - Recommended

4.5-5 stars - Highly Recommended and you best get the book in hand now!

For the masochists among you, Sundays on the Acre begins here:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/78996
http://www.librarything.com/topic/82207
http://www.librarything.com/topic/83662
http://www.librarything.com/topic/84472
http://www.librarything.com/topic/85051
http://www.librarything.com/topic/86242
http://www.librarything.com/topic/86988
http://www.librarything.com/topic/87831
http://www.librarything.com/topic/88858
http://www.librarything.com/topic/89413
http://www.librarything.com/topic/89880
http://www.librarything.com/topic/90536
http://www.librarything.com/topic/91896
http://www.librarything.com/topic/92416
http://www.librarything.com/topic/93114
http://www.librarything.com/topic/93695
http://www.librarything.com/topic/94235
http://www.librarything.com/topic/94930
http://www.librarything.com/topic/96476
http://www.librarything.com/topic/97161
http://www.librarything.com/topic/97880

For those interested in my wiki, it is here: http://www.librarything.com/wiki/index.php/User:Alcottacre, but I do not really recommend it, as it is boring. All the action takes place on my threads :)

Books Read from My Personal Library in 2010



Pages Read 2010



Memorable Reads for 2010:

Nonfiction
The National Parks: America's Best Idea by Dayton Duncan & Ken Burns
Larry Burrows: Vietnam by Larry Burrows
The Morville Hours by Katherine Swift
Waterlog by Roger Deakin
Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder
Slavery By Another Name by Douglas A. Blackmon
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebekah Skloot
At the Hands of Persons Unknown by Philip Dray
On Hallowed Ground: The Story of Arlington National Cemetery by Robert M. Poole
The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich by William L. Shirer
Roosevelt and Hopkins: An Intimate History by Robert Sherwood
Provenance by Laney Salisbury and Aly Sujo
The Poisoner's Handbook by Deborah Blum
Hellhound on His Trail by Hampton Sides

Fiction
Salvation by Sholem Asch
The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami
Britten and Brulightly by Hannah Berry
The Party by Rudolph Von Abele
The Egyptian by Mika Waltari
Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill
The Straight and Narrow Path by Honor Tracy
Little Boy Lost by Marghanita Laski
The War of the End of the World by Mario Vargas Llosa
Winter Rose by Patricia A. McKillip
Silence by Shusaku Endo
In This House of Brede by Rumer Godden
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson
Still Alice by Lisa Genova
The Postmistress by Sarah Blake
Troubles by J.G. Farrell
The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
Oblomov by Ivan Goncharov
To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes
Music and Silence by Rose Tremain
The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver
The Betrayal by Helen Dunmore
Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham
Life With a Star by Jiri Weil

Young Adult
Genesis by Bernard Beckett
Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
Airborn by Kenneth Oppel
The Four-Story Mistake by Elizabeth Enright
Briar Rose by Jane Yolen
Good Night, Mr. Tom by Michelle Magorian
Iqbal by Francesco d'Adamo
Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick
The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

A note about my memorable reads: I am not a book critic. My memorable reads list is just that: books that are memorable to me - that for some reason or other resonate with me. I do not review books as many people here do for the simple reason that I am a terrible book reviewer!

Home again, home again! It is great to be back. Of course, it may take me the rest of the week to catch up on threads :)

Highlights of this past weekend (at least for me!):

1. Getting lost with Terri and Linda. I have never had so much fun being lost.

2. The party to end all parties. I just wish everyone could have been there!

3. The Strand. Enough said!

4. The beauty that is eastern Pennsylvania.

5. The opportunity to meet 75ers both Saturday and Monday.

My all-time highlight of the weekend though (no offense intended to anyone) was walking off the plane in Allentown and seeing Linda there waiting for me.

Welcome Home!
--BJ

Thanks, BJ!

Ah, new thread:) Found you again, and welcome home:)

Thanks, Bente!

Welcome homes...sounds like it was a great party :)

#7: Thanks, Jess! (and the party definitely was)

Hey, Kath!

Welcome home Stasia, glad you had fun meeting everybody this weekend;)

A for you!

Thanks, calm! Yes, we did have a blast at the party.

Glad you had a good time, Stasia!! :)

yeah... me too.. glad you had such a nice trip!

#13: Thanks, Stephen! You really must make the next one.

#14: You too, Kath. I would really like to meet you.

15: *shrug* As quiet of a person as I am I don't really add much to any social gathering of any kind. Still, it would be nice to meet some of you some time! Even if I just sit back and watch most of the time...

#16: We would probably just be sitting back and watching together, Stephen. People were surprised (and commented on) how quiet I am - and how talkative Linda is. They expected the reverse to be true :)

Stasia- Welcome home, my friend! Sounds like you had a wonderful time! Love the photos!

#18: Thanks, Mark. Yes, I did have a wonderful time!

Sounds like a great trip, glad you're home safely!

#20: Thanks, Cushla!

Ah Ha! I knew when your thread wasn't to be seen near the top of my starred threads that you must have created another...but I found ya.

#22: Remind me to hide it better next time. . .

Good to read that you had a great trip and a wonderful party!

Your getting lost reminded me of a trip to Amsterdam years ago with 3 friends (all women...). We got terribly lost because one of them believed she'd find the hotel 'by instinct' (!) instead of reading the map. Great success: we ended up on the wrong side of the city. But it was fun!

#24: But it was fun!

Sometimes getting lost is not so bad after all :)

Ahh, getting back on track, finally... I missed an entire thread of yours, so I'm happy to see a fresh one that I can try desperately not to fall behind on... haha.

So glad the party was fantastic! From the sounds of things (and the looks of things in the photos) you all made some memories to last a lifetime. :)

Glad to "see" you safely returned after an unbelievable weekend Stasia.

A huge sigh of relief! Stasia is back and all's right with 75!
Welcome home!
(My husband and I refer to getting lost as "side trips." Sometimes they have been the best part of travel; sometimes they have also been the worst.)

Yeah!!! Stasia is back.. I am so glad you had a wonderful time.. I wish I could have joined in the party with all of you. I enjoyed all the pictures and news from the visit you all had. Maybe next time I could visit as well. Sounds like a wonderful time. I am quiet at times and talkative at other's depends on my surroundings. So who knows how it would turn out... :) But either way it would have been wonderful to meet everyone... So glad you made it home safely Stasia.. :)

Hello.

Welcome back. As Lizzie said (she beat me to my line), now all's right with the world. But wasn't it a wonderful interlude? We all enjoyed sharing it with you all so much.

Stasia, so happy you made it back home safely. It was quite a change of pace this weekend to be seeing your lovely face instead of reading your warm comments. I'm glad the party was a success and that everyone had such a good time. (Including many of us stuck here who gobbled up every comment and picture posted by the party-goers.)

So, my main question is - how many books did you read on the trip? ;-)

Excellent question, Sandy. And welcome home, Stasia.

I loved your comment about getting off the plane and seeing Linda. I could tell in each picture of the two of you how happy you both are in each other's company. Maybe you were separated at birth?

Welcome back, Stasia.

#17 Sometimes quiet and talkative are present in the same person, such as me. Depending on mood.

I always considered myself an extroverted introvert, if that makes sense.

Hi Stasia - found you once again!

34 - That makes total sense to me. I think I'm one of those too. If I have something to 'hold onto', figuratively speaking, I'm outgoing and bubbly. If I'm out of my element, I can be shy.

Confirming that Angela is wonderfully outgoing and bubbly..

Confirming that Linda is a feisty displaced New Yorker...

Welcome home, Stasia!

>2 alcottacre: - Your trip sounds amazing! I can't even decide which of your highlights I'm most jealous of.

Welcome home!

36- Which just goes to show how comfortable I felt with the two of you! :)

Welcome back, Stasia! Glad you had such a good time. Hope to eventually meet you some day.

Thank you all for the welcome back! I wish that I could take the feeling of comraderie that we all had at the party and bottle it so that it could be shared among the group. We had such a good time but I could not help but regret those of you who could not make the trip. I wish I could meet you all in person. I wonder if LT is interested in hiring an ambassador? I could do that!

As far as my reading goes, I did read while I was up there, but did not finish anything. I have 5 or 6 books going now on my Nook, which I still love, but probably will not finish any of them soon unless it would be The Chick and the Dead, just to get it out of the way. There may not be a 'Sunday on the Acre' report this week either, lol.

Referring back to Donna's comment that Linda and I were separated at birth, I think it is a distinct possibility :)

For those of you who are wondering (and even those who are not wondering) about what books I acquired while up NY way, here is the list:

Borrowing from Suz:
Paganini's Ghost by Paul Adam
Magnifico by Miles J. Unger
The Passage by Justin Cronin
The Finkler Question by Howard Jacobson - I read the first 50 or so pages while I was in PA and already love it

Given to me by Linda:
Pre-Raphaelites by Heather Birchall (there appears to be no Touchstone for this book, imagine that)

Given to me by Richard:
Bury Your Dead by Louise Penny (I am seriously thinking of throwing my husband over and marrying Richard)

Given to me by Angela
A Reading Diary by Alberto Manguel
Classics for Pleasure by Michael Dirda

Bought at the Strand:
One that I cannot name because it is going to someone here in
the group
3 Manga books for my daughters

Purchased for myself
Kristin Lavrandsdatter by Sigrid Undset (my local library has the first book in the trilogy, but not the other two - what is up with that?)
The Lampshade by Mark Jacobson
The Prince of Frogtown by Rick Bragg - I bought this today here in Sherman at the Big Lots for $3, but I am including it here just for the heck of it.

Books purchased for the girls
True Crime: New York City by Bryan Ethier - bought for Beth who tells me she wants to be a cop in NYC
Persuasion and Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen - the two books Catey needed to complete her Austen collection

No, I did not carry all of these books home with me. Linda kindly shipped them my way

Oh, and I forgot: I had everyone at the party (and Angela Monday night) sign the ARC of Suzanne's book, so I have a truly one-of-a-kind keepsake.

I am seriously thinking of throwing my husband over and marrying Richard

That's very high praise indeed for Richard because I know your husband is a good guy from all the great things you've said about him (not the least of which was the gift of the Nook).

I'll be interested to see what you think of the Kristin Lavrandsdatter books. I've read the first two but somehow have never gotten to the last one. Also looking forward to your thoughts on The Finkler Question.

Welcome back Stasia, it sounds like you had a great time. Looking at your newly acquired books list I find we have yet another thing in common, Manga reading daughters. Do yours constantly produce stunning manga drawings as well?

#43: I will keep you updated, Pat!

#44: Thanks, Leonie. Nope on the manga drawing daughters, just manga reading ones in my house.

(I am seriously thinking of throwing my husband over and marrying Richard)

No one could blame you.

And if anyone is qualified to be the LT ambassador it is you!

#46: Thanks, Luxx. I wonder if Tim would consider the idea? lol

Welcome back from me, too!

#48: Thanks, Sacil.

Great list of books...and they arrived already!

I'd vote for you to be LT's ambassador, definitely. :)

Ooh....nice haul! If Bury Your Dead shows up on the Sunday post, I'm closing my eyes and scrolling, but I'll be interested in seeing what you think of A Reading Diary when you get to it. :)

Stasia, I'm only 3 or 4 essays into Ex Libris but I have to thank you already for bringing it to my attention. I don't want to put it down, but I don't want to finish it either! I can see why you gift this book so often - I already have a list in my head of people I need to get this for. :)

Starred- glad you had such a lovely time!

#50: Yes, Linda was kind enough to have them sent overnight. She is a sweetie.

#51: I know what you mean about the reviews of Bury Your Dead. I keep doing the same with reviews of both it and Mockingjay.

#52: I am glad you are enjoying Ex Libris, Shauna!

#53: Thanks!

Hi Stasia! Just catching up on threads. Glad to see that you made it to NYC and back to Texas safely. From the photos it looks like everyone had a great time.

#55: Hey, Kelly! Yes, I think everyone did have a great time, especially me - the proverbial fish out of water.

Morning Stasia- Hope you have a good day!

Thanks, Mark. You too!

I've just been waiting...waiting...

So glad you're back here at 75'ers. Just not the same without you. But I was very glad for all of you that got to the party and enjoyed it so much.

Wait...aren't you already the LT Ambassador? That's how I think of you...

#59: Now if I could just get LT to pay my way around the country so you can ambassadorize everyone :)

Thanks for the kind words, Gail.

Hi Stasia! Just stoppig by so you end up on the right page!

Morning! *smooch*

#60: And you also have to travel abroad to be LT's ambassador (ambassadress?)!

>63 kidzdoc: Madame Ambassador!

(#*#@*)^#%^%^) I spend one evening reading a little and Stasia's thread is un-catch-up-able when I come back. Never mind! Thanks for the list of your new acquisitions! I was coming over mainly to ask.... It has to be almost 40 years since I read Kristen Lavransdatter, but I remember being immersed in every one of the trilogy. I hope they stand up for you! The rest look intriguing as usual. Just what I needed!

Looks like everyone had a great time at Richard's party! =)

I vote for you, Stasia! Let's make it a world tour...or at least American-European tour for the LT ambassador!:)

I'll be interested to know what you think about Sigrid Undset. I have to admit I have never read the books, even though I have them on my book shelf. Hmm, maybe I'll queue them up for my 75 book challenge 2011.

And...it is very important to have a complete Jane Austen-collection, so that was a lovely gift for your daughter:)

Fantastic haul Stasia. I envy anyone who still has Bury Your Dead to look forward to.

#61: Hey, Tammy! Thanks for stopping by.

#62: *smooch* right back at your, RD!

#63: One country at a time, Darryl. I need to make my way around this one first :)

#64: Thanks, Roni. *sigh* I only wish it would happen.

#65: No reading allowed in this group, Peggy, don't you know? lol

#66: Oh, yes indeed, David!

#67: I am not sure when I am going to get to Sigrid Undset, Bente. I will keep you posted. Thanks for the vote, too!

#68: Thanks, Bonnie. The only bad thing I can think of in reading Bury Your Dead now is that I have to wait another year for the next one!

Glad you had fun in New York, Stasia - looks like you got lots of interesting books. I read the first Kristen Lavransdatter book and enjoyed it.

#70: Thanks, Abigail! I am glad to know you enjoyed the first book. I think it will take me a while to get through all 3.

Hi Stasia, just passing through & waving. I've enjoyed following you and the other LT'ers on the birthday-trip to Richard. Looks like you all had loads of fun. Also glad to see the meeting in real life was working out great.
How about organizing an LT-tourbus travelling (part of) the world, where LT'ers can hop on and off and meet each other from far and away. Book-shops might be the obvious stops along the route...

#72: Hey, Monica! I had a great time. I like your idea of the LT-tourbus! Sounds perfect. I can be the bus driver.

I'll be the navigator! No. Wait. Maybe not...
Unless, of course, we're touring West Virginia. I know how to get there!

#74: Hey, TLo! You can be the navigator - but I will be investing in a GPS system for sure :)

An official LT trip to New Zealand sounds like a great idea for an ambassador. I think a round the world tour should be up for discussion maybe, I'll drive the bus on this leg.

#76: Sounds good to me, Leonie!

Can I be secretary to the ambassador? I'm really good at secretarying *cheesy grin*

I have a question - is Kristen Lavransdatter the entire collection and do the three books have other names? I am trying to find at my library and I find 3 books, just not Kristen Lavransdatter. Thanks.

#78: Yes, Kristen Lavransdatter is the entire collection. The three books are The Wreath, The Wife and The Cross.

Sure, you can be secretary, Jenn. Now all we have to do is get LT to foot the bill for ambassador, secretary, bus. . .

Thanks! I am putting a hold on them right now.

You are welcome, Jenn.

As a scandinavian Kristin Lavrandsdatter is of course on my to-read-list - and has been for some years now. I must get to it soon.

Good to be reminded of it again.

Stasia, I saw that you have Maisie Dobbs in your library. What did you think of it? I'm reading it right now.

I'm glad your trip to Richard's was so much fun. The pictures were great.

#83: I have enjoyed the Maisie Dobbs series, Carrie. I hope you do too!

Yes, I had a great time up in the northeast. I would not have missed it for anything.

Quote for the day from Life with a Star by Jiri Weil:

"I knew that when the fire went out I would lie on the mattress, in the sleeping back, with a book in one hand, and I would read, and then, when my fingers grew numb from the cold, I would stick out the other hand. I would read until my eyelids began to droop and then I would sleep for a long, long time."

I read until my eyelids begin to droop too.

(Posted to the Kitchen as well)

Morning Stasia- Loved the quote! I'm loving Blindness! Have a good day!

>85 alcottacre: That is such a perfect quote! I do that, too, all winter long.

Another great quote. I also read until my eyelids began to droop, and then beyond because my husband told me he moved my book off his pillow (again) before he went to bed last night.

I have been known to wake up with the outline of a book imprinted on my cheek. That's because the cats couldn't care less whether or not the book was filling in for a pillow for me, as long as they are comfortable!

Oh my, Stasia, that is a perfect quote for reading in the winter. It is quite chilly in our bedroom at night so I have to do the switching hands routine!

I also read myself into oblivion. However, I usually manage to move the book to the nightstand and turn out the light. Jenn and Suzanne...be careful there...no drooling in books! ;-)

It's not the drooling that is the problem - it's the dropping of large-ish books on your head when you fall asleep.

(Does it have to be winter? That's pretty much the procedure for every single night.....and I have to say that it's not the bang on the head so much as the bang on the floor that wakes me up that I object to.)

Stas, 2 days away from LT and a new thread sprouts and 92 posts to catch up on .... whoooeee.... I'm glad you're home and that you had a such a great trip. I guess I'll have to stock up on those emergency rations I'd mentioned in your last thread in preparation for your Sunday list.

*trembling in anxious anticipation*

#92 I often get woken up by the bang on the floor, too.

The time that worried me was when I knew I'd fallen asleep reading the night before ('only 20 pages to go... I'll just try to reach the end...'), but in the morning found my book neatly reshelved on a high shelf (the wrong shelf) over my bed. I must have put it away it in my sleep.

not even trying... just visiting..

Stasia, you are very quiet today...should we be concerned?

Stasia, you are very quiet today...should we be concerned?

It's the quiet before the storm. Sunday's post is going to be HUGE! ...

Sunday's post is not going to be huge because while I have been reading, I have not been finishing! lol

Don't kid us, Stasia, eyes 3-7 have been scanning relentlessly, haven't they? Oh, and I am really sorry about Stella and eyes 9 and 12. She didn't know.

Stella I will forgive - she is just too cute not to!

I've been gone for a few days and have enjoyed catching up on your threads. It sounds like everyone had a great time and picked up some nice hauls. Happy homecoming & happy reading! I look forward to reading your posts.

Hi!

Hey, Lynda!

I gave up on two books last night, a rarity for me. I read about 90 pages of The Last Day and 50 pages of The Keep and neither one of them was doing anything for me. *sigh*

I hate nights like that!

The haul from today's library book sale:

The Golden Notebook by Doris Lessing (PB)
Women in Evidence by Sebastien Japrisot (PB)
We Were the Mulvaneys by Joyce Carol Oates (PB)
A Circle of Quiet by Madeline L'Engle (PB)
All 4 books of the Raj Quartet by Paul Scott (PB)
The World, the Flesh, and the Devil by Reay Tannahill (PB)
A Many-Splendored Thing by Han Suyin (PB)
Two Under the Indian Sun by Jon and Rumer Godden (HC)
China Court by Rumer Godden (HC)
The Heaven Tree Trilogy by Edith Pargeter (HC)
The Child from the Sea by Elizabeth Goudge (HC)
The Crippled Tree by Han Suyin (HC)
and one other hardcover for someone here in the group.

On top of the ones I have listed, Catey got 6 hardcover and 3 paperback books. Total for all: $18.50! Not bad at all.

Good Morning and Wow! Great haul, not to mention price!

Thanks, Joanne. I thought so too!

That is amazing! You have good sales for sure at your library. I need to find out when our library has a sale.
--BJ

#108: I got extremely lucky this go round. This is the third of the book sales in a row that Catey and I have made and my best haul to date.

Library book sales are the best. Win-win...they raise money and we get books! Great haul, Stasia.

I've had The Raj Quartet on my wishlist for two years and haven't gotten a one of them yet. Our sale is next month and I will be there with my big hopes and sore back and neck from scouring the tables full of wonderful surprises.

#110: Good luck in finding books at your sale, Donna. I was amazed to find all 4 of the Raj Quartet books together!

That's a great book haul Stasia. I'll look forward to your thoughts on some of those, especially the Pargeter - I'm still looking for that one myself:(

Oh wow...China Court at last! Can't wait to hear what you think of that one. Assign eyes six and seven to it, and let me know by lunchtime, yes?

Great haul, Stasia, and for $18.50!!!

You did not give up on the Glenn Klier book?!?!?

oh my .. I LOVE that book. LOVe it.

Having said that , I haven't picked up a book in a week..
nothing appeals.

Looks like you got some good finds from the library, Stasia.

Besides a twice-yearly sale, ours has a regular section with books for sale. If I think of it, I stop there and browse. It's on the honor system and you put your fifty cents or whatever in a lock box for the Friends.

I've got to head over as my Worldcat book (about William Henry Harrison) came in (though not from the Abraham Lincoln museum.

Nice haul, Stasia! The Raj Quartet was a real find.

You got a nice group of books at your library sale, Stasia. I hope you enjoy all of them. Happy reading!

Great haul, Stasia! We need to plan our trip to Texas to coincide with the next one!

Stasia

Be forewarned. If Terri is driving and I'm navigating, we will be in Alaska way before we find Sherman Texas.

oooooooooo Alaska! I would love to see Alaska!

>120 Whisper1: I thought you were planning a 75-er Alaskan cruise?

Nice Haul!!

I would go to Alaska with you and Terri, Linda! The library book sales here are semiannual. The next will is in April.

Richard, I have already read China Court. Now I have a copy for my very own.

Thanks for all the congrats on the haul!

Nice library sale haul. I've also been on the look out for China Court but no luck so far.

Good for you in the library sale department!!! *Raj Quartet* is one of my favorite series - the others being *Dance to the Music of Time* and *Poldark Saga*. Just typing the words makes me want to reread all of them now. I won't do it though.
I'm sorry that you didn't continue with The Keep. I thought that it was very clever. You, however, know what you like. I was fascinated by her construction - very interesting when the plot threads finally merged. (Do threads merge? I think it's time for bed.)

#125: Thanks, Kerry.

#126: I think all of the threads merge at night, Peggy, and become one very big thread :)

Good haul from the library. Hope you found something better to read today.

Thanks, Jenn. Yes, I have found something better to read today.

Great haul, Stasia! I'll be interested in your take of the Raj Quartet, in particular.

Thanks, Darryl. I am not sure exactly when I will get to the Raj Quartet, but since I have been wanting to read it for a while now, suspect it will be in the not-too-distant future.

I bought Staying On by Paul Scott, his Booker Prize-winning novel that followed the Raj Quartet, which is also set in India and concerns at least a couple of the characters from the Raj Quartet.

Quote for the day from Tinkers by Paul Harding:

"This is a book. It is a book I found in a box. I found the box in the attic. The box was in the attic, under the eaves. The attic was hot and still. The air was stale with dust. The dust was from old pictures and books. The dust in the air was made up of the book I found. I breathed the book before I saw it; tasted the book before I read it."

I love that last line!

(posted to the Kitchen too)

Why doesn't the NYPL ever seem to HAVE sales??? Sure, there is usually a little truck with books for sale -- but nothing appealing on it. That's a good haul, Stasia -- esp. the Rumer Godden books. They are getting harder to find. Will be interested to hear what you think of The World, the Flesh and the Devil, which is one of my fave historical novels. (sigh, touchstones defunct apparently...

#134: I have been extremely lucky with some of the older hardcovers that no one else wants any more. These make the second and third Godden books that I have found at my library book sale (the first being In This House of Brede).

The reads for the past 2 weeks:

442. Don of the Dead by Casey Daniels - rather fun mystery about a gal who, after a blow to the head, can now see dead people; one appears to her and wants to find out how he was murdered; no depth here, just fun; guardedly recommended Mine

443. The Penderwicks and 444. The Penderwicks on Gardam Street by Jeanne Birdsall - juvenile; these books, although contemporary, rather reminded me of old-fashioned books and I really enjoyed getting to know the Penderwick family - thanks Mary for the recommendation!; recommended

445. If Books Could Kill by Kate Carlisle - the second book in Carlisle's Brooklyn Wainwright series, about a bookbinder who stumbles across yet another murder; I liked this one less than I did the first; not recommended Mine

All of the books listed above were last week while I was waiting to go to PA/NY and my brain had already decamped.

446. Gilead by Marilynne Robinson - am I the last person in the group to read this beautiful book? I thoroughly enjoyed this quiet, introspective book - a letter from a dying man to his young son; recommended

447. Life With a Star by Jiri Weil - a huge 'Thank You' to Peggy for sending me this book!; the story of a Jewish man in Germany who knows that his time before discovery is short-lived because 'they' are coming to get him - the Nazis are never named in this book, they are always referred to as 'they' or 'them' which adds to the sense of paranoia the narrator creates; highly recommended, and on my memorable reads list for the year Mine

448. The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie - I read this in honor of Dame Agatha's birthday a couple of days ago; it is the first book in which Hercule Poirot makes an appearance; recommended Mine

449. The Contract with God Trilogy by Will Eisner - graphic novel; Stephen did a terrific review of this trilogy of books, so I have nothing more to add; if you have not tried graphic novels, this is a good place to start - Eisner's drawings are terrific, especially the faces, the storylines are filled with both humor and angst; recommended Mine

450. Stiff by Mary Roach - nonfiction; it only took me 3 years to finally get around to reading this book, an interesting (and funny at times) look at what can happen to humans after death; if you read the book, do not miss the footnotes as there is more interesting (and funny) info contained therein; recommended Mine

I was not kidding when I said earlier in the week that although I was reading, I have not been finishing a bunch of books. I am currently reading An Army at Dawn (700+ pages), 2666 (800+ pages), and The Count of Monte Cristo (900+ pages), as well as a very good book of essays from which I sample on a daily basis, The Miss Dennis School of Writing. I am also getting my business launched, so I expect next week's list is not going to be all that long either :)

Hurray for Mary Roach! I'm glad you liked it, of course.

Also glad you liked The Contract with God Trilogy. I'll be reading New York: The Big City after I finish my current book, I'm looking forward to it! :)

#137: I will be looking forward to seeing what you think of New York: Life in the Big City, Stephen. I cannot get my hands on that one yet though, so I almost wish that you hate it :)

Haha, just think of all the books I can't read due to my tiny public library, and we're even!

I share your frustration about not getting all the books you want from your public library. I have the same problem with mine.

The reason my wallet is so frequently empty is because my library either just doesn't have the books I want or if it is new there are about 100 holds before me.
2666 is not a quick read, especially the part about the crimes which I had to take breaks from just because it was heart wrenching, it was like reading the iliad and hat long list of soldiers and the detailed ways they died but way more immediate. I have finally started Witz which is 800 pages of dense post modern prose but I love Joshua Cohen so there you go. Good luck getting the business launched.

Nope.. I have never read Gilead by Marilynne Robinson

#141: Thanks, Yolana!

#142: I am going to read more of her books, that is for sure. I hope you get a chance to read Gilead, Kath.

>136 alcottacre:: I've added the Weil even though I'm a bit surfeited on Holocaust literature lately...you make it sound worth it.

#144: The book definitely is, Tad. Weil was a Czech Jew who actually faked his own death to escape the Nazis during WWII.

I haven't read Gilead either, only Housekeeping which I found good, but somehow creepy. And 2666 is also on my tbr, but I am a bit scared of it. Will be interesting to see what you say about it.

#146: Considering that 2666 is only 2 pages shy of 900, it might be a while, Deern!

Life with a Star has been on my TBR list for close to 20 years, so you may have inspired me to finally read it. I will be interested to know what you think about 2666 when you finish it.

As for The Keep, it was not really my kind of book but I kept at it because I was impressed by Jennifer Egan's imagination and writing and ended up liking it more than I expected, and certainly enough to get her latest, A Visit from the Goon Squad, which I really loved. Can't remember whether you've read that or not, but if not, you shouldn't let not liking The Keep stop you from trying it.

#148: Only 20 years, huh? No rush then :)

No, I will give A Visit from the Goon Squad a try yet, Rebecca. I am not writing Egan off as an author just because I did not care for one of her books. Shoot, I gave Terry Pratchett at least 4 shots!

I have been wanting to read Gilead for about a year now! It sounds like I should read it sooner rather than later.
--BJ

#150: I think you would like it, BJ! Give it a shot.

#136 I'm very behind on posts so will say very quickly (and belatedly) - new thread and welcome home!

Some nice reading over the last couple of weeks. You are definitely not the last person to read Gilead. I have a copy but haven't got round to it yet, glad you enjoyed it.

The Eisner and Roach are both already on the wishlist thanks to Stephen. And at some point I want to reread all Agatha Christie's novels in order. 2011? 2012?

Great haul from the library sale!

I haven't read Gilead yet either, although I do have a copy in the TBR pile somewhere.

#152: Thanks, Heather. I had not considered reading Christie's books in order. There's a thought. Are you planning to include her Mary Westmacott books as well?

#153: Thanks, Caty. I thought so too. Now, go get around to Gilead!

Sounds like I shouldn't rush to read If Books could Kill. Thanks for the warning.

#155: You might like it better than I did, Cheli. It is rare for me to like the second book in a series less than the first book, but for some reason, in this instance I did.

Stasia

I'm adding Life With a Star and Don of the Dead. I'd like to say welcome home to Texas, but it has a hollow ring to it because we had such a wonderful time in NY and PA.

Morning Stasia- I loved Gilead too! You'll have to try Home. It's also very good. Stiff is all-ready on the list. I have a brand new copy of 2666, sitting on the shelf. I think it's size has prevented me from picking it up, although that's a pretty lame excuse.

Somehow Life With a Star has jumped onto my wishlist Stasia. Yesterday I stopped at the library looking for anything by Mary Roach. Strangely, the only one not checked out by another patron was Packing for Mars so I'll be starting the when I finish the book I'm now reading.

Morning Stasia!!!! I've wanted Gilead for a long time but never actually wishlisted, it is now. Also Stiff and Don of the Dead, which sounds like a hoot.

Good luck on getting your business launched! Does it have anything to do with books, or speed reading lessons for slower than snails in tar readers like me? *hoping, wishing, praying*

BTW: Have a great weekaroo!

Why, it must be Sunday morning: here we are altogether at Stasia's thread1

I absolutely loved Gilead; it's on my top 100 list, so moving and very true-to-life in its quiet, unassuming way. I'm very glad that you liked it as well.

Mysterious Affair at Styles is one of my favorite Christie novels. The whole post-war ambience and the country-house story are just charming.

Added Life With a Star to the Wishlist (you know, sometimes I actually manage to move one or two from there to the "Read" list), as it sounds wonderful.

Keep us posted on the new business venture, as we're all pulling for you to be successful and not too stressed.

Sorry to hear that you didn't like the second Kate Carlisle mystery. I read and liked the first one and will get around to the second one sometime. Sometimes, an author will take the extra time to make the first one extra good and then drop off with each successive book. More often, though, the subsequent mysteries are better.

#154 I haven't read any of her Mary Westmacott books so perhaps that would be a good idea!

I also forgot to add my best wishes for your new business.

Gilead and Home are such wonderful books. I hope every LTer gets a chance to read them soon!

Wow, Stasia. You're reading some loooong books these days. How do you keep those monsters separated in your head? I would probably have the Count in Mexico during WWII if I were reading these tomes at the same time. ;-)

NO NO NO! I stumbled in here on a *gasp* Sunday and look what happened...I got hit by a book bullet!

*flees screaming*

Got me again!

Nice library sale haul - gotta love those sales! :)

Hi, Stasia. I logged onto my LT homepage this morning to see all these people had added Life with a Star to their libraries. Now I know why!

I need to give Gilead another try. I probably got 50-75 pages into it and put it aside about 4 years ago.

Happy dance again to know that you enjoyed Life with a Star!! Now I need to go read my copy! And you will surely want to read Staying On when you have finished the Quartet. The only thing is that all 4 of those are pretty much chunksters too. (I'm also "reading" 2666 thanks to my friend - which means that I may get to 10 or 20 pages a day. I really have to finish something so that I can move on, but like Stasia my current books are mostly long ones ((War and Peace and 756 pages of science fiction in Absolution Gap)) and unlike Stasia, I don't speed-read. Ain't life grand!)

I haven't read Gilead or Home either; I must change that soon.

I like your reads this week!

I have been wanting to read Gilead too, but have not gotten around to it yet. The same with 2666. I also have Stiff and Bonk on the wishlist.

There was an interesting interview with Mary Roach yesterda on NPR. She discussed the research of her books, talked about Packing for Mars, and took a quiz on Super Mario Brothers.

>165 richardderus:

Teehee!

. . If books could kill! Bwahahaah!

Great list - I'm mostly safe though - for now. I hope you enjoy The Count of Monte Christo. It's one of my lifetime favorites.

#157: Linda, the copy of Life With a Star will be on the way to you this week. I hope you enjoy it.

#158: I will definitely be reading more of Robinson's books, Mark, so I imagine I will get around to Home eventually.

#159: Somehow it jumped on to your wishlist?! Somehow that happens to me too, Bonnie! I am going to have to get my hands on Packing for Mars. Hopefully my local library will get a copy soon.

#160: No, Lynda, no speed reading lessons - I wish someone would teach me how to do it! I hope you enjoy Gilead as well as the other couple you chose. Don of the Dead is lightweight fun. I am now up to book 3 in the series.

#161: I know exactly what you mean about moving books from the wishlist to the 'read' list, Gail. I hope you get to Life With a Star sooner than later though.

#162: I know, Linda, about what you mean in the subsequent books being better which is why I mentioned it is a rarity for me not to like the second book better. I will probably read book 3 when it comes out just to see if the second book was a glitch.

#163: Thanks, Heather.

#164: The books are so very different, Donna, that there is no chance to get them confused although I must admit, I kind of like your premise for a book :)

Just catching up. Glad you had so much fun on your trip and picked up some nice book hauls. I already have Stiff on my list, but maybe I'll actually try to acquire a copy. I read Mysterious Affair at Styles recently and also really liked it. My fav Christie is still And Then There Were None. That book blew me away as a young girl.

#165: Which book bullet, Richard? Come back and tell me! lol

#166: Not you too, Sandy. Not telling me what I got you with? Totally unfair!

#167: Yes, I do, Angela!

#168: Yes, I am the guilty party. I do not feel guilty though, it really is a good book :)

#169: Peggy, you have not read it yet? Go, get with it woman! BTW - Stasia does not speed read

Stasia

I was thinking of you today and our wonderful time at Richard's party.

I thought of the firsts

. first time you ate a cheesesteak
. first time you traveled via plane in over 20 years
. first time you visited Bethlehem/Easton, PA
. first time you saw Lehigh University
. first time you saw NYC
. first time you saw The Strand
. first time you saw ground zero in NYC
. first time you were in the Lincoln tunnel
. first time you met your LT friends

Hopefully you will return soon!

#170: I hope you enjoy them, Darryl.

#171: Thanks, Jess. I wonder if the Mary Roach interview is the one I saw. It was a hoot.

#173: I am thoroughly enjoying The Count of Monte Cristo, Jenn. I have finally made it past the 50% point of the book. I have so many books going at the same time that that particular book seems to be in slow motion.

#176: Thanks, Karen. I had a great trip. The trip of a lifetime for me. I know what you mean about And Then There Were None. I still like that one.

#178: We are going to have to come up with some more firsts for the next trip, Linda! I am just hoping it is not another 20+ years before I fly again.

LT withdrawal is setting in already. . .

I haven't read Gilead yet either...

I do have Stiff here to read and am looking forward (?) to reading it since everybody seems to have loved it!

Time's almost up - good night Stasia!

#182: Joanne, I think you would really enjoy Gilead - at least I hope you do!

Stiff was good and I look forward to reading more of Roach's books. I am not sure why it took me so long to get to that one - I owned it 3 years before I read it.

Good night, Joanne!

Ah, LT back up again after only 2 hours and 27 minutes. Not that I was paying attention or anything :)

Quote for the day from The Love of Books by Richard de Bury:

"The written truth of books, not transient but permanent, plainly offers itself to be observed, and by means of the pervious spherules of the eyes, passing through the vestibule of perception and the courts of imagination, enters the chamber of the intellect, taking its place in the couch of memory, where it engenders the eternal truth of the mind."

What he said!

(posted to the Kitchen too)

Morning Stasia- That quote is quite a mouthful! hope you are enjoying the G.R.! Have a great day!

Great top-of-the-day (for Californians) quote, Stasia. :)

You know, with all the recommendations floating around for Mary Roach's books over the past few years, you'd think I'd have got around to reading one of them... but no... I really should try harder to find one!

Ah, LT back up again after only 2 hours and 27 minutes. Not that I was paying attention or anything :)

Had to laugh at that! Good morning, Stasia!

You got me with Life With a Star. I'm not going to let you take credit for Stiff since I honestly believed that THAT was the Roach book that was already on the wishlist.

Oh, I need to read Stiff! Thanks for reminding me of it. :)

Stas - I did a double take when I read your Sunday reading list this morning. I was so expecting about 50 books to add to my obese wish list and I had my emergency rations all at ready .... only to only need to dig into about a third. Oh well .. I guess I won't need to go grocery shopping for the rest of the week then.

I'm so glad you liked Stiff .. that was my first Roach and I just absolutely love the way she wrote about a pretty gruesome subject.

I haven't read Gilead yet, but with so many LTers raving about this, I'll make a concerted effort to get a copy soon.

#187: Thanks, Ren.

#188: Yes, you should, Faith.

#189: Good afternoon, Pat!

#190: I have no problem with not taking credit for Stiff. I will take the credit for Life With a Star since it is the better book, IMHO :)

#191: No problem, Ine!

#192: I warned everyone ahead of time that the list was going to be short! Yes, do get a copy of Gilead soon. I will be interested in seeing what you think of it.

I've never read anything by Mary Roach but would like to read her new book, Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void.

#194: I am looking forward to reading that one too, Linda. I am not going to read either Spook or Bonk, but I definitely want to read the Mars book.

I am not going to read either Spook or Bonk

Worst news I've heard all day! :(

#196: I am just not interested in either ghosts or the science of sex, Stephen. It has nothing to do with Mary Roach as a writer.

#193 : True, Stas .. you did warn us, but short from you is usually nothing less than 12 so this was an astonishing surprise. On the other hand, my obese wish list wiggles in thanks

#198: Wait until I hit you with the big guns I am currently reading. Your obese wish list will be sighing under the strain :)

Ahhh.... but I still have my emergency rations ... I'll just save them for Sunday then when I come back from my hike. Thanks for the warning, Stas.

#200: It is highly unlikely that I will get all 3 heavyweights done this week, Caro, so you are fairly safe for a bit yet.

If you want another heavy weight try the Richard Pevear (sp?) translation of The Three Musketeers I wish he would do a translation of the count since I love that book as well.

#202: Pevear is translating from the French as well as Russian? Wow, what a multi-talented man he must be. Thanks for the mention, Yolana.

too many posts... :P
just passing through...

He does the Russian with wife Laura something I can't spell, and the french on his own, but both are great. I prefer his Russian translations to those of constance garnet or Garet I can't remember her name now, but she's my second favorite russian translator though she can be a bit old fashioned.

Stas, I second Yolana's suggestion to read Peaver's translation of The Three Musketeers. It's an enjoyable tome that's well worth the time, IMO

#205/206: I have read 3 of the Pevear/Volokhonsky translations now and enjoyed them all, so I am definitely interested in reading the Pevear translation of The Three Musketeers - I just have to finish TCoMC first!

Just stopping in to say I have Gilead going in my car right now. With my reputation, I'd better find Home pretty quickly...

*diabetic coma abates* Wha...? Linda...Linda did it...*back into diabetic coma*

okay... I fell behind and you kept going! :)

#208: Yes, you had better!

#209: I knew it was Linda's fault!

#210: No, I did not keep going, everyone else did :)

I'm keeping my distance before I cough or sneeze on anyone. I hate these late summer colds.

Sorry to hear you have a cold, Linda. I hope it clears quickly!

I'm sorry to hear you're under the weather, Linda. I hope you've someone to help nurse you better.

Just checking in to say hello...

Hey, Kath! Thanks for checking in.

This is a very late response, but here goes...
Glad you liked The Penderwicks! I thought they were both sweet, old-fashioned stories and enjoyed them.

Gilead is already on the ever-growing TBR list, but it's moving up on your recommendation, and I will move Stiff from the pile of "this looks interesting but maybe not for me" (I tried reading it once in my teens, but probably too many times while I was eating? I didn't get very far and don't really remember why) onto my TBR list.

#217: I am hoping that Birdsall will write at least one more book with those characters. I agree with the 'sweet, old-fashioned' assessment.

I hope you enjoy Gilead and Stiff when you get around to them, Mary!

Okay, The Penderwicks has now officially gone on my wishlist.

>214 cameling: Oh my gosh, I used to have so many magnets and greeting cards with that style of mouse drawing! I'm not sure where they came from. Is this something well-known?

Hi, Stasia. I was in my local used bookstore today and saw The Children's Blizzard and remembered "Stasia liked that book!" So I now own it. Thanks for the recommendation!

#220: I hope you enjoy it, Pat!

The discussion here gave me an idea for next month's TIOLI :)

Hmmm. No clues?

Nope :)

#224: How about sending me a PM? It is my thread after all :)

I have a copy of The Children's Blizzard too, (thanks to a lovely LTer) and hope to squeeze it in at some point! Have a good day, Stasia!

#224 Zoe: Challenge #2 Read a book recommended by Stasia? That would probably be the most active challenge EVER!

Has anyone suggested the impossible and highly experimental challenge: Read a book Stasia hasn't got in the black hole?

228: I don't think that would be possible. As soon as you posted that you were reading something, she would at it to the list, and so it wouldn't count any more! :P

just popping in to say hi, Stas

#226: It is a good one, Mark. Move it up!

#227: Good guess, but no.

#228: Considering how many books there are in the world compared to how few there are in the BlackHole, I do not think that would be all that difficult, Monica.

#229: I do not think that would be a problem, Stephen :)

#230: Hey, Caro! Thanks for popping in, especially with Eeyore, my favorite.

I bet I've got quite a few obscure baseball books that are not in the BlackHole. They would have to be pretty obscure, of course.

>227 Carmenere: Read a book recommended by Stasia? That would probably be the most active challenge EVER!

Oh boy and the easiest! Who doesn't have a book recommended by Stasia?

I hope that somebody will do it!

#233: Who doesn't have a book recommended by Stasia?

Me.

LOLOL

I bet there are tons of other people too.

#234 Hmmm, I'll give that some thought, Lizzie

>235 alcottacre: Couldn't you recommend a book to yourself? Like..."Hey, I remember really liking 'Book X'...maybe I should really read that again...I recommend that I do!"

At any rate, I'd certainly participate in that challenge!

#239: Good suggestion, Karen. I could probably do that - my problem would be narrowing the list down of books I would love to re-read!

Just stopping in to say hello...

Thanks, Kath! Hello right back at you :)

Stasia, you recommended The Shadow of the Wind to me and if you own it also then you do have a book recommended by Stasia. ;)

#243: Yes, and I already re-read that one this year, Leonie!

Aha! HERE you are, Kath.

Hi, Stasia!

#245: Hi, Richard!

yep... I have been around here and fb already...
have you looked in on yellowdog granny today?

I just looked at this and your previous thread with reads written up on 5 September to see if you had any TIOLI reads - I saw at least 3 though it's possible that you finished South of Broad and God of Small Things in August. Anna Karenina must count as a chunkster. Does Ghostwalk count in the paranormal section?

#248: Yes, I did finish both South of Broad and God of Small Things in August, as well as Ghostwalk, which I do not consider paranormal. Anna Karenina is the only one that I finished in September.

Morning Stasia- Have a great day!

240: my problem would be narrowing the list down

Exactly our problem!! ;)

Quote for the day from The Love of Books by Richard de Bury:

"A library of wisdom is more precious than all wealth, and all things that are desirable cannot be compared to it. Whoever therefore claims to be zealous of truth, of happiness, of wisdom or knowledge, aye, even of the faith, must needs become a lover of books."

That says it all!

(posted to the Kitchen too)

...need I summon Officer 254?

I can't resist taking the place of Officer 254

YE GODS AND LITTLE FISHBASKETS!

Quick, quick, hide it before Stephen comes in here and blows an important cerebral vein!

I should post a link to my favorite shoe store on his thread ...

>256 London_StJ: LOL yeah, but remember that his Internet connection is powered by lethargic hamsters on a rusty wheel. Reduces the impact when one has to wait 1.5-2 hours for it to load.

Good point

#252 Love the quote. And that shows the importance of preparing for the World Wide Book Famine. We are the last best hope for all mankind.
--BJ

*prays Stasia doesn't make a new thread*

257: Nonsense, there's always enough connection speed for such pictures. Besides, you could always paste the url to the picture as a LINK that I can click on. Hurry!

New thread (before Stephen injures himself): http://www.librarything.com/topic/99134