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Book a Week in 2014 - BW20


Robin M
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Happy Mother's Day my dears!  :grouphug:    Today is the start of week 20 in our quest to read 52 Books. Welcome back to all our readers, to all those who are just joining in and to all who are following our progress. Mr. Linky is all set up on the 52 Books blog to link to your reviews. The link is below in my signature.

 

52 Books Blog:  Armchair traveling through the 16th CenturyThe sixteenth century, the high Renaissance period,  which ran from 1501 to 1600, was an time of extraordinary change.  The beginning of the modern era of science -The first flush toilets appeared,  Leonardo Da Vinci designed a horizontal water wheel, Conrad Gesner invented a graphic pencil, and Copernicus published his theory that the earth was not the center of the universe. 

Literature wise, many brilliant authors were born and buried during that period of time including the creator of Don Quixote, Miguel De Cervantes, (born 1547), English playwright Christopher Marlow, (born 1548), William Shakespeare (born 1554), Italian author Ludovico Ariosto (1474 - 1553), French author Francois Rabelais(1483 - 1553) and Sir Thomas More (1478 - 1535).

Philosophers include Michel de Montaigne, (1533 - 1592), one of the more influential writers during that time period.  His Essays were published in 1580 and are regarded as the predecessor of the modern essays.  Also Niccolo Machiavelli, author of The Prince (1469-1527), published 5 years after his death in 1532.  Other notables include Francis Bacon, and theologians John Calvin and Martin Luther to name a few.

What about the women you ask:  Notable women of the century includes Queen Elizabeth of England, the Queen Mother Catherine de' Medicis of France, Queen Jeanne d'Albret of Navarre, and Mary Queen of Scots.

Currently in my backpack are Montaigne's Essays,  along with the historical fiction story, Grania: She King of the Irish Seas by Morgan Llewelyn. More than enough to keep me busy this month and plenty of rabbit trails to keep anyone occupied for years to come. 


Join me in exploring the 16th century.

 

History of the Ancient World Readalong:  Chapter 13 and 14

 

What are you reading this week?

 

 

 

 

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I'm going to steal Amy's phrase flufferton abbey and westernize it a bit with Flufferton Way. Not being in the mood for anything majorly heavy,  visited flutterton Way this past week with Cleo Coyle's Espresso Shot (coffee house mystery) and Kay Hooper's Haven from her Bishop/special crime series.  Yesterday I started a historical romance  The Apothecary's Daughter by Julia Klassen which is interesting so far and a bit more up abbeyish than wayish.  :lol:

 

Lillian Haswell, brilliant daughter of the local apothecary, yearns for more adventure and experience than life in her father's shop and their small village provides. She also longs to know the truth behind her mother's disappearance, which villagers whisper about but her father refuses to discuss. Opportunity comes when a distant aunt offers to educate her as a lady in London. Exposed to fashionable society and romance--as well as clues about her mother--Lilly is torn when she is summoned back to her ailing father's bedside. Women are forbidden to work as apothecaries, so to save the family legacy, Lilly will have to make it appear as if her father is still making all the diagnoses and decisions. But the suspicious eyes of a scholarly physician and a competing apothecary are upon her. As they vie for village prominence, three men also vie for Lilly's heart.

 

 

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I finished Allegiant, Galway Kinnell's The Book of Nightmaresand Philip Levine's News of the World

 

The Book of Nightmares was interesting and had some parts that I really loved. I think there's way more there than I got, and I'd like to spend more time with it some other time, but since I got it through ILL, I'd have to buy it. So - maybe sometime.

 

News of the World is one I grabbed off the library shelf looking for a poet that was new to me. I loved the first poem I read from the book, "On Me!" and I'll try to come back and post it here later today when I get home, but as I read, I only really liked one or two others and "On Me" turned out to be my favorite. The other poems seemed a little dull and weak to me. 

 

I've started Barry Hughart's Eight Skilled Gentlemen and some poetry by Robert Frost.

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21. John Stuart Mill, On Liberty

 

It strikes me how much modern liberalism focuses on rights, while Mill was primarily interested in liberty, and how that apparently subtle difference leads to very different conclusions. And how his views on what constitute personal liberty are so much more expansive than those of contemporary liberalism. I think this is a book I'd love to discuss, if anyone else wants to read it (or re-read; I imagine I'm not the only one here who was first introduced to Mill as an eager freshman).

 

Several books on the TBR pile; which one to choose? It's high time for some poetry, and I got started on the Edda, but was distracted; then there's the Mauriac, unfinished from my Lenten reading; and this strange book from the dollar shelf, called The Romance of Leonardo da Vinci, published in Russian in 1900, with nothing but five-star reviews on Amazon and a claim that Dan Brown took much of The Da Vinci Code from this book. Oh, and Gibbon keeps calling me from the shelf, reminding me of my resolution to read him....

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Still working on I Served the King of England.

 

One of the most authentic incarnations of magical Prague, an incredible union of earthy humor and baroque imagination. -- Milan Kundera

 

Also, I know I've seen a few of you mention Wool by Hugh Howey. I noticed the first one (of the trilogy?) is free for Kindle:

http://www.amazon.com/Wool-Part-One-Hugh-Howey-ebook/dp/B005FC52L0/ref=la_B002RX4S5Q_1_28?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1399833377&sr=1-28

 

--------------------------
My Goodreads Page
My PaperbackSwap Page

 

My rating system:
5 = Love; 4 = Pretty awesome; 3 = Good; 2 = Meh; 1 = Don't bother

2014 Books Read:

 

01. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt (5 stars). Around the World – North America (USA).
02. This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper (3 stars).

03. Aiding and Abetting by Muriel Spark (3 stars). Around the World – Europe (England).

04. Sunjata by Bamba Suso & Banna Kanute (5 stars). Around the World – Africa (Gambia & Mali).

05. The Lunatic by Anthony C. Winkler (4 stars). Around the World – Caribbean (Jamaica).

06. The Joke by Milan Kundera (4 stars). Around the World – Europe (Czech Republic).

07. One Hundred Years of Vicissitude by Andrez Bergen (3 grudging stars). Around the World – Asia (Japan).

08. The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches by Alan Bradley (5 stars).

09. The French Connection by Robin Moore (4 stars). Around the World – North America (USA).

10. The Way Through Doors by Jesse Ball (4 stars).

 

11. Eat for Health by Joel Fuhrman, M.D. (4 stars).

12. Lotería by Mario Alberto Zambrano (1 star).

13. Fantômas by Pierre Souvestre & Marcel Allain (3 stars). Around the World – Europe (France).

14. The Ways of White Folks by Langston Huges (5 stars). Around the World – North America (USA).

15. Asleep in the Sun by Adolfo Bioy Casares (3 stars). Around the World – South America (Argentina).

16. Reaper Man by Terry Pratchett (5 stars).

17. Boy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyeyemi (5 stars).

18. Boxer, Beetle by Ned Beauman (3 stars). Around the World – Europe (England).

19. Blood Oranges by Kathleen Tierney (3 stars).

20. Atmospheric Disturbances by Rivka Galchen (4 stars). Around the World – South America (Argentina).

 

21. The Clockwork Scarab by Colleen Gleason (3 stars).

22. The Fig Eater by Jody Shields (5 stars). Around the World – Europe (Austria).

23. Broken Verses by Kamila Shamsie (4 stars). Around the World – Asia (Pakistan).

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Robin, the link isn't there in Week 19. I don't need it now that I found this one, but if others are like me the easiest way to find the new thread is through the old one.

 

Thanks for letting me know. I fixed it.

 

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 Yesterday I started a historical romance  The Apothecary's Daughter by Julia Klassen which is interesting so far and a bit more up abbeyish than wayish.  :lol:

 

I picked up the Kindle version for free in April 2012 but it got lost among so many other TBRs in my digital "pile". I'll keep an eye on your comments and what you think. It might move up in my list the next time I'm looking for some flufferton ( I like that term too).

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I got Ken Follett's Winter of the World from the library this week.  I've been waiting a bit over 2 months for it, so I'm thrilled it finally came.  I've put Sanderson's The Way of the Kings aside so I can read Follett's book.  I'm 200 pages into The Way of the King, but that's only 20% of the book.  Follett's book is also long, over 800 pages.  I can't seem to get away from these long books. :)  Follett's book is like popcorn.  The pages go fast, much faster than Sanderson.  I'm enjoying both books. 

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I've read a number of books recently all of which I've enjoyed.

 

A Novella Collection by Courtney Milan (she's one of my favorite historical romance writers)

 

Far Gone by Laura Griffin (romantic suspense)

 

"To save her only brother, Andrea Finch must face down a criminal mastermind, the FBI, and her own demons in this thrilling novel from the author of the bestselling Tracers series.

Police detective Andrea Finch is a rising star in her department until a split-second decision derails her career. Disgraced and disillusioned, she’s on leave from her job when she gets an urgent call from her younger brother. She’d prefer to ignore his latest plea for cash, but this time instinct tells her something is very wrong. Andrea’s search for answers takes her to a dusty Texas border town where danger lurks in plain sight and nothing is quite what it seems.

FBI agent Jon North is working undercover in west Texas investigating an unsolved murder that may be linked to a broader plot. But when the evidence points to Andrea’s brother, Jon finds that persuading the stubborn cop to help will be harder than cracking his toughest case.

Andrea must find a way to do what’s right while protecting her only sibling. As the clock ticks down on a deadly plot, Andrea and Jon race to confront a heartless killer who will stop at nothing to deliver a final, terrifying message."

 

 

This is the most recent book in a linked series of books; it stands alone well however.

 

Regards,

Kareni

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A few more titles all of which I enjoyed reading:

 

Snow-Kissed by Laura Florand (contemporary romance novella)

 

"Voted the Biggest Tearjerker of the Year in the annual AAR reader poll (you were warned). Named one of the best books of 2013 by Dear Author and Romance Novels for Feminists. DABWAHA nominee (Dear Author Bitchery Writing Award for Hellagood Authors).

Once they had been the happiest couple in the world. Once serious, restrained Kurt had fallen hard for a laughing, easy-going woman who filled their lives with joy.

But when loss struck them, Kai went down under the avalanche of grief. She threw their marriage away, and she left him, fleeing the world for this cabin high in the mountains.

Now, as the two find themselves snowbound over Christmas, Kurt has to convince his wife that while she may have lost everything else, she never lost him. Now he has to show her the true strength of one man's love."

 

 

The description above of the book as a tearjerker is apt as I sniffled through much of the book.

 

The Collector by Nora Roberts

 

"When professional house-sitter Lila Emerson witnesses a murder/suicide from her current apartment-sitting job, life as she knows it takes a dramatic turn. Suddenly, the woman with no permanent ties finds herself almost wishing for one. . . .

 

Artist Ashton Archer knows his brother isn’t capable of violence—against himself or others. He recruits Lila, the only eyewitness, to help him uncover what happened. Ash longs to paint her as intensely as he hungers to touch her. But their investigation draws them into a rarified circle where priceless antiques are bought, sold, gambled away, and stolen, where what you possess is who you are, and where what you desire becomes a deadly obsession. . . ."

 

 

Night Broken (Mercy Thompson) by Patricia Briggs

 

"An unexpected phone call heralds a new challenge for Mercy. Her mate Adam’s ex-wife is in trouble, on the run from a stalker. Adam isn’t the kind of man to turn away a person in need—and Mercy knows it. But with Christy holed up in Adam’s house, Mercy can’t shake the feeling that something about the situation isn’t right.
 
Soon, her suspicions are confirmed when she learns that Christy has the farthest thing from good intentions. She wants Adam back and she’s willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen, including turning Adam’s pack against Mercy.
 
Mercy isn’t about to step down without a fight, but there’s a more dangerous threat circling. Christy’s stalker is more than a bad man—in fact, he may not be human at all. As the bodies start piling up, Mercy must put her personal troubles aside to face a creature with the power to tear her whole world apart."

 

This is the eighth book in a paranormal romance series.  I enjoyed it very much, but I highly recommend starting with book one in the series, Moon Called.

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

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I just wanted to pop in a complain about a book.  

 

I stayed up until 2 am the other night finishing Watery Grave by Bruce Alexander.  It was the third in a series about a blind magistrate in 18th century England and his adopted 14 year old son.  A cozy historical mystery.  I loved the first two books and I loved this one until the last paragraph.  Literally the last paragraph of the book dropped it from four starts to 1 star.  Ugh.  It was a tragic, unfair, horrible ending.  I loved this series and I'm so mad that I won't read any more of the books.  Cozy mystery FAIL!

 

That is all.  I will be back to my happy self in a day or two. 

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I got Ken Follett's Winter of the World from the library this week.  I've been waiting a bit over 2 months for it, so I'm thrilled it finally came.  I've put Sanderson's The Way of the Kings aside so I can read Follett's book.  I'm 200 pages into The Way of the King, but that's only 20% of the book.  Follett's book is also long, over 800 pages.  I can't seem to get away from these long books. :)  Follett's book is like popcorn.  The pages go fast, much faster than Sanderson.  I'm enjoying both books. 

 

Looking forward to your review of Winter of the World.  I keep looking at it on the shelf at the library.  Someday......

I'm going to steal Amy's phrase flufferton abbey and westernize it a bit with Flufferton Way. Not being in the mood for anything majorly heavy,  visited flutterton Way this past week with Cleo Coyle's Espresso Shot (coffee house mystery) and Kay Hooper's Haven from her Bishop/special crime series.  Yesterday I started a historical romance  The Apothecary's Daughter by Julia Klassen which is interesting so far and a bit more up abbeyish than wayish.  :lol:

 

 

I picked up the Kindle version for free in April 2012 but it got lost among so many other TBRs in my digital "pile". I'll keep an eye on your comments and what you think. It might move up in my list the next time I'm looking for some flufferton ( I like that term too).

One of my projects this week is a minor pile clear out and return to the library.  Apothecary's Daughter was in the return pile.  Then I saw Robin was reading it and liked it,  BF loved it which is why I had it.  Moved it back to keep.  Floridamom saved me,  I have it on my kindle too!  Back to the return pile !  :lol:

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Sitting in the green room before a 2pm matinee and posting on (from?) my phone. It was hard to leave my backyard patio where I was reading today to get dressed and drive downtown! I'm reading Jo Walton's Farthing and am totally absorbed barely 5 chapters in. Thank you to Eliana for introducing me to this author!

 

And happiest Mother's Day to my BaW friends!

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Thinking of you, Rosie :grouphug:

 

This was the first week since we started this year that I didn't finish a book. I'm 65% of the way through The Invention of Wings, a sad and compelling read. I'm 60% of the way through the audio version of CPE's Mother Night : Myths, Stories and Teachings for Learning to See in the Dark I love listening to her read, her voice is its own transmission and the material itself is wonderful as well. I'm continuing to dip into various Tarot and Lenormand books and I've got a stack of several library books waiting for my lens. After those get read I'm going to focus primarily on my 5/5/5.

 

Mother's Day blessings to you all

 

 
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I finished Sue Monk Kidd's The Invention of Wings which I enjoyed. I kept expecting something bad to happen, thinking it would be like The Kitchen House, but was pleasantly surprised that there wasn't some horrible event. If I had been reading a paper book instead of the kindle, I would have just peeked at the ending and then read the book stress-free. I was also surprised at the end of the book to find that it was based on a real person's life.

 

Stacia (I think) mentioned several months ago that All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr would be coming out in May. I was the first person to request that the library buy the book, so I get to be first to check it out. I started it Friday and am really enjoying it. I read 125 pages on Friday! I pick it up with pleasure and say "oh, just one more chapter" (they're short) before going to bed. Nice contrast to The Goldfinch which I had to make myself keep reading.

 

Caught up on History of the Ancient World--had to read 5 chapters to do that. Need to find another treadmill book--ATLWCS is a bit too fat.

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I just wanted to pop in a complain about a book.  

 

I stayed up until 2 am the other night finishing Watery Grave by Bruce Alexander.  It was the third in a series about a blind magistrate in 18th century England and his adopted 14 year old son.  A cozy historical mystery.  I loved the first two books and I loved this one until the last paragraph.  Literally the last paragraph of the book dropped it from four starts to 1 star.  Ugh.  It was a tragic, unfair, horrible ending.  I loved this series and I'm so mad that I won't read any more of the books.  Cozy mystery FAIL!

 

That is all.  I will be back to my happy self in a day or two. 

I didn't want to like a fail, but thank you for the review.  Goodreads has recommended that series to me but couldn't find it.  Anyway :grouphug:

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I managed to catch up on reading History of the Ancient World.  It keeps being moved to th bottom of the nightstand stack......

 

Started Monument Men this morning and am really enjoying it thus far.  Plan to try and read it slowly.  I think it deserves it. :)  

 

I spent the rest of my reading time today on Silent in the Sanctuary by Deanna Raybourne.  It has been a rather slow moving(no one died until after page 200) historical mystery. The characters are charming but I keep wondering if it will be like the first in the series and finish with a rather eye popping conclusion.  

 

Another book I finished this week was Harlan Cohen's Missing You.  It was a stand alone that may be the first in a new series.  I liked it.  Some of the same momentum in the story that his first couple of books had.  Rather hard to put down, I had to finish it in order to go to bed.

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On Me!

Philip Levine

 

In the next room his brothers are asleep,

the two still in school. They just can't wait

to grow up and be men, to make money.

Last night at dinner they sat across from him,

their brother, a man, but a man with nothing,

without money or the prospect of money.

He never pays, never tosses a bill

down on the bar so he can say, "On me!"

At four in the morning when he can't sleep,

he rehearses the stale phrase to himself

with a delicate motion of the wrist

that lets the bill float down. He can't pace

for fear of waking his mom, who sleeps

alone downstairs in the old storage room

off the kitchen. When he was a kid, twelve

or fourteen, like his brothers, he never knew

why boys no older than he did the things

they did, the robberies, gang fights, ODs,

rapes, he never understood his father's

wordless rages that would explode in punches

and kicks, bottles, plates, glasses hurled

across the kitchen. The next morning would be

so quiet that from his room upstairs

he'd hear the broomstraws scratching the floor

as his mother swept up the debris, and hear

her humming to herself. Now it's so clear,

so obvious, he wonders why it took

so long for him to get it and come of age.

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I forgot to add that ds finished The Night Circus several days ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. He felt as I did, a little at loose ends once it was done and in that betwixt and between place until a new book comes along. We've had some great discussions about the various characters, the trajectory of the plot, the setting, themes and so forth. Lots of fun!

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I'm going to have to switch to Audible this week since I am doing major decluttering and closet clean-outs. Luckily I downloaded Night Circus so I'm going to give that one a second chance. I'm also planning an in-home curriculum sale next weekend if anyone wants to drive to FL to peruse all my shelves. :laugh:

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I finished my 52nd book ta couple of nights ago - "Provence, 1970: MFK Fisher, Julia Child, James Beard, and the Reinvention of American Taste." It was a lovely read. I read a fluffy book after that from the Southern Quilt series which was a bit predictable and...odd. It's apparently the third book in a series that will be continuing. I will not read another one. :0)

 

Right now I'm reading "Marshlands" by Matthew Olshan. So far I'm really enjoying it!

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Another book I finished this week was Harlan Cohen's Missing You.  It was a stand alone that may be the first in a new series.  I liked it.  Some of the same momentum in the story that his first couple of books had.  Rather hard to put down, I had to finish it in order to go to bed.

 

I'm glad that you liked Missing You,  I am waiting for it to make its way to my library.  I love Coben's  books.  They are my guilty pleasure.

 

Happy Mother's Day, everyone!   I hope that everyone had a joyful day..  My kid's  forgot that it was Mother's  Day until last night  so I was given a half-eaten chocolate Easter bunny, $20 and a mani-pedi given to me by my girls.  I giggled at the bunny.  I am not proud when it comes to chocolate, I really don't  care what form the chocolate comes in as long as it is good chocolate;  and this was.

 

I finished reading  Till We Have Faces  by C.S.Lewis.  I loved this  book but the ending  confused me but most Lewis' books has that effect on me.  I am now  reading  Radical Hospitality  by Father Daniel Homan  and Lonnie Collins Pratt (the book uses St. Benedict's  Rules to discuss hospitality)  and  Mrs. Poe  by Lynn Cullen.

 

Thinking of you, Rosie.  :grouphug:

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And I am finally done with Hild.  In many ways a richly fascinating book, but also very slow moving and a little distant.  The mosaic effect was well done, but I am unsure whether I will want to read the next volume - and the sexual topics, including an incestuous marriage were squicky for me.  I did love how evocative the book was of time and place... but the characters themselves didn't have as much depth or reality as the setting.

...and I am dubious about a central character sketchily based on a Xtian saint who, so far at least, has no signs of any religious convictions.  Perhaps that will come in the next book, but, despite the genealogical table at the front with the fictional characters distinguished from the 'real' ones, there is little to substantiate the historical interpretations...

 

******

 

..Rosie, I love hearing about your Marek. 

 

I'm not saying this right... sorry.  ...should it offer you any solace, I think we would all love to hold memories of your beautiful boy.

Hmm! Thinking I'll now have to be 'in the mood' to read this one.  I was just thinking of starting it the other day, but too heavy for me right now.

 

And yes, I agree with Eliana - anything you care to share we'll be here to listen.  :grouphug:

 

I finished Murder at the National Gallery. It was my 3rd Margaret Truman and my favorite so far. The artist in focus was Caravaggio. Since he is from the 16th century, does that count?

 

 

I'm currently reading The Art of Happiness by The Dalai Lama with Howard Cutler.

In a roundabout way, it could count since part of the subject matter is about the 16th century and now you've given me another author to check out. 

 

I just wanted to pop in a complain about a book.  

 

I stayed up until 2 am the other night finishing Watery Grave by Bruce Alexander.  It was the third in a series about a blind magistrate in 18th century England and his adopted 14 year old son.  A cozy historical mystery.  I loved the first two books and I loved this one until the last paragraph.  Literally the last paragraph of the book dropped it from four starts to 1 star.  Ugh.  It was a tragic, unfair, horrible ending.  I loved this series and I'm so mad that I won't read any more of the books.  Cozy mystery FAIL!

 

That is all.  I will be back to my happy self in a day or two. 

Shoot, I really hate that when the ending totally messes up the story. So sorry to hear that and hopefully you'll find another book that redeems the cozy mystery for you.

 

Sitting in the green room before a 2pm matinee and posting on (from?) my phone. It was hard to leave my backyard patio where I was reading today to get dressed and drive downtown! I'm reading Jo Walton's Farthing and am totally absorbed barely 5 chapters in. Thank you to Eliana for introducing me to this author!

 

And happiest Mother's Day to my BaW friends!

What movie did you see and did you go willing or were coerced?  :laugh:

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Mother's day.    Through no planning on either one of our parts, met up with my sister at the cemetery to visit mom for mother's day.  My guys are cooking Filet Mignon and  sauteed mushrooms for dinner. Plus James made me a card which is a first.  Bookwise, they gifted me with Niccolo Rising and The 3AM Epiphany (writing book). 

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Today I finished Living Buddha, Living Christ by Thich Nhat Hanh.  Very interesting and thought provoking, particularly the last chapter.  I would have liked a bit more about the how-to of meditation and other such Buddhist principles, but I suppose that would not within the scope of this particular book and that's okay.

 

I still need to finish up Insurgent, but I've got about 50 other books that I'm drooling to start.  We'll see where I land tomorrow.  :)

 

 

1. The Wednesday Letters by Jason F. Wright

2. Winnie Mandela: Life of Struggle by Jim Haskins

3. Herbal Antibiotics by Stephen Harrod Buhner

4. When Did White Trash Become the New Normal? by Charlotte Hays

5. Family Herbal by Rosemary Gladstar

6. Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare

7. Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner's Guide by Rosemary Gladstar

8. The Hot Zone by Richard Preston

9. War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells

10. The Time Machine by H.G. Wells

11. The Telenovela Method by Andrew Tracey

12. Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman

13. The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean

14. Divergent by Veronica Roth

15. Buddhist Boot Camp by Timber Hawkeye

16. Living Buddha, Living Christ by Thich Nhat Hanh

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I would be interested in how a religious Xtian responds to this depiction of the early life of a saint, and, for that matter, the early development of Xtianity in England. It is very not religious in its tone, and I didn't see genuine religious experience or expression in anyone, which bothered me more than a little. ...it is my perception that religion in that era, whether Xtian or not, had more to it than I saw in this book.

 

I'm not likely to be reading the book in question (that TBR pile ain't gettin smaller!), but if you have any interest in that slice of history, you might look at Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English People, written in the early eighth century and the most significant primary source for England in that period.
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Just for fun ...

 

How many books are on your TBR list?  Right now.  No cheating and paring it down before you post.  

 

As a follow up ...

 

How many books are on your nightstand right now to be read?

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How many books are on your TBR list?  Right now.  No cheating and paring it down before you post.  

 

I have 128 but not all are for me.  Some of those are board books that y'all recommended for DS last week.  Thank you!

 

How many books are on your nightstand right now to be read?

 

I have six.  I really want to read all of them so I'm hoping I have enough library renewals left to start/finish them all.  

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Another book I finished this week was Harlan Cohen's Missing You.  It was a stand alone that may be the first in a new series.  I liked it.  Some of the same momentum in the story that his first couple of books had.  Rather hard to put down, I had to finish it in order to go to bed.

 

I've read all the Myron Bolitar books and the first Mickey Bolitar, but for some reason have never read any of Coben's stand alone books. One of these days I'll get around to trying one or more of them.

 

I finished my 52nd book ta couple of nights ago

 

:hurray:    :party:

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Just for fun ...

 

How many books are on your TBR list?  Right now.  No cheating and paring it down before you post.  

 

As a follow up ...

 

How many books are on your nightstand right now to be read?

 

1. There are 71 on my Goodreads TBR list, but it's incomplete. I probably have 10-12 more in my head (and on my Kindle cloud or library wish list) that I just haven't officially put on any lists yet.

 

2. I read almost exclusively on my Kindle, so my nightstand is cluttered with charger cords and other stuff. :) I think there are 5 or 6 on deck to start as I finish some of the books I'm currently reading.

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Re: Hild. It has taken me a long time to finish this one - long enough that it had to go back to the library and then I had to wait for my turn on the hold list again... and I have finished it just in time not to have late fees on it...

 

...but I wouldn't call it heavy.. it is dense.. and slow... lots of rich descriptions, very inward... there isn't a lack of action, but with a few exceptions, even the action is paced sedately and w/ a lot of atmospheric setting.

 

You might consider starting it and just reading it in bits and pieces - it seems to have, at least for me, some natural breaking points where a building action bit gets resolved and then we go back to evocative descriptions and slow building again.

 

I would be interested in how a religious Xtian responds to this depiction of the early life of a saint, and, for that matter, the early development of Xtianity in England. It is very not religious in its tone, and I didn't see genuine religious experience or expression in anyone, which bothered me more than a little. ...it is my perception that religion in that era, whether Xtian or not, had more to it than I saw in this book.

 

...but the flavor of day-to-day life and society is very well depicted... though it is a mosaic effect, lots and lots and lots of tiny little pieces...

A friend gave me her copy of Hild which is now accumulating dust next to my bed. My plan is to read it before the year is over. By the way, my friend felt that the first half of the novel was not as compelling as the second--and the second wowed her.

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How many books are on your TBR list?  Right now.  No cheating and paring it down before you post.  

 

Physical books that are in the house and are waiting (impatiently) to be read is probably about 200 (or so ... or more.   Probably more ... quite likely a lot more.  Can you say book-a-holic?)

 

 

How many books are on your nightstand right now to be read?

 

My nightstand has about ten books on it right now.  They're all books that I started reading some time ago and put aside.  Odds are I should just send them off to the used book store.  If I haven't picked them up in six months, I'm probably not going to do so anytime soon.  And, hey, it might be nice to see what my nightstand looks like again.

 

Regards,

Kareni

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How many books are on your nightstand right now to be read?

 

None, but that's only because I'm moving house. There might have been two boxes of my own reading and two boxes to read to dd. I won't commit to that though in case there are more I haven't packed yet.  :laugh:

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TBR list:

 

My Goodreads to-read list is 102.

 

I have a pad of paper filled w/ pages of books -- no idea how many that would be....

 

Plus, there are always various ideas meandering around in my brain that aren't written down anywhere.

 

On my nightstand:

 

None. I don't keep them there. LOL.

 

I have 2 in my still-to-be read library stack on my desk.

 

My bookcases at home have many I've never read that I suppose I'll read someday. I also have various books downloaded to my iPad that I may read someday. I can think of 2 or 3 for sure of those that I'd like to get to this year.

 

And, I have 'hold/request' lists in progress in two different library systems (probably about 15-20 books total), but I've staggered the dates I'll get them so I actually might have a chance to read them once I pick them up.

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What movie did you see and did you go willing or were coerced?  :laugh:

 

No movie for me this afternoon.  The matinee I was referring to was a gig I had to play!  I was in the musician's green room waiting to head into the pit.  But it was only a 2 hour show with good music and a friend and her daughter were in the audience.  I came home and read more of my book, watched Game of Thrones, and with my dh and 2 boys closed down a favorite Greek restaurant.  A good Mother's Day!!

 

Just for fun ...

 

How many books are on your TBR list?  Right now.  No cheating and paring it down before you post.  

 

As a follow up ...

 

How many books are on your nightstand right now to be read?

 

You know, the numbers are smaller than I thought they'd be...

 

TBR:  There are about 50 titles on the list I keep of intriguing titles from these threads

 

There are only 6 my bookstand (I had to move furniture for new flooring in the last few months so the stack is hasn't built back to its former teetering heights. 

 

And there are 10 unread titles on my kindle app on my iPad.

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I keep forgetting to post in weekly threads.

 

  • Read the latest Anne Lamott book "Stitches". Very good, as usual, but short.
  • Finished "I will never be French", recommended in one of the threads. Loved it! Quick read and had me laughing out loud.
  • I'm deep in the Discworld series. I :001_wub:  Terry Pratchett. Utilizing the highlight feature of my Kindle to the fullest. :D
  • I can't believe I've read 69 books so far.
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I have a lot... partially because I had a rough day today and went out with a girlfriend. We ended up in Barnes and Noble and woo boy did I use a little book therapy. I came out with 6 books for me (most of the TBR fiction on the list) and 2 for her. This is after I bought 4 books on my Kindle earlier because they were such a good price compared to paper copies. Those would be the top 4 on my To-Read Kindle list. Haha.

 

On my night stand and will likely be read in the next few months include:

 

Fiction:

Blood and Beauty - Sarah Dunnant

Aunt Dimmity's Death and Aunt Dimmity and the Duke - Nancy Atherton
The Fault In Our Stars - John Green
Orphan Train - Christina Baker Kline
Down The Darkest Road - Tami Hoag
Midnight Crossroad - Charlaine Harris

 

Non Fiction: Which I have purposely shoved to the side right now...

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - Rebecca Skloot

Raising Boys By Design - Gregory L. Jantz and Michael Gurian (A friend asked me to buy it to read with her like 6 months ago... I haven't touched it.)

Red Hot Monogamy: Making Your Marriage Sizzle - Bill & Pam Farrel

Charlotte Mason Companion - Karen Andreola (also been on my nightstand for months and I've read a few chapters but not the whole thing yet.)

 
 
Kindle Fiction:
The Book Thief - Markus Zusak 
Hounded - Kevin Hearne
The Goldfinch - Donna Tartt
Moms Who Drink and Swear: True Tales of Loving My Kids While Losing My Mind - Nicole Knepper 
Dead Witch Walking - Kim Harrison

 

Kindle Non Fiction:

Faith Unraveled - Rachel Held Evans

Quiet - Susan Cain

7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess - Jen Hatmaker

Tune In: Hearing God's Voice Through The Static - Jen Hatmaker 

 

Plus a biggity million other books on Kindle that aren't top priority right now... yes, I have a bit of an addiction. I can't help it! 

 

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I have 90ish on my GR tbr list. I have at least four library books in hardcover checked out to read. Half a dozen other hard copies of my own that are pressing on me in a most insistent way. I'm guessing about 15 on my overdrive list and more than 130 on my Amazon list though I need to go through and weed that out. On my kindle I've got likely 15-20. So basically I have an impossible situation :lol:

 

My plan is to finish up what I'm reading now. Read the library books. Continue with my non-fiction esoterica and while so doing plunge in to my 5/5/5s since we're almost half-way through the year and I've only read 3.5 of them :leaving:

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I've read all the Myron Bolitar books and the first Mickey Bolitar, but for some reason have never read any of Coben's stand alone books. One of these days I'll get around to trying one or more of them.

 

 

:hurray: :party:

Just in case you decide to read the stand alones Tell No One, No Second Chances, and The Woods were probably my favourites.  I have read Tell No One several times, I really like that one.  :)

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The Revenge of the Radioactive Lady - 3 Stars - the cover is not very blue, but blue enough . This book started off as very funny and entertaining. There were parts that had me laughing and other parts that were quite disturbing with all the family dynamics/drama. I would give it 4 Stars, but the ending was very sudden, hard to believe, and I just didn’t feel that enthusiastic about it anymore.

Logavina Street - 4 Stars - Not as good as Nothing to Envy – which is one of my favorite books ever. The names are also confusing and there aren’t enough photos, which don’t help with remembering who is who - moving and heartbreaking nonetheless. Reading this made me angrier than ever at world politics, politicians, and the UN.

The Man Who Left - 5 Stars - Like her other book, The Orchard, this one really and truly touched my heart. I love this author. This should be read before The Orchard.

 

9780385510646.jpg 9780812982763.jpg  9780985362911.jpg

 

 

 

MY RATING SYSTEM
5 Stars
Fantastic, couldn't put it down
4 Stars
Really Good
3 Stars
Enjoyable
2 Stars
Just Okay – nothing to write home about
1 Star
Rubbish – waste of my money and time. Few books make it to this level, since I usually give up on them if they’re that bad.

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There are 12 books on the chair next to my bed. They are mostly paperbacks from the thrift store and book exchange. I dip into those stacks between library books or when I am in the mood for a particular one. There are two library books on the floor next to the chair.

 

There are 89 books on my Good Reads want to read list. These are books recommended for me on that site that appeal to me.  I have about 150 on a list I keep on the computer. They are ones I would like to read that I get from these threads or other sites I visit on the web. The problem with my lists is half the books I want to read are not in my libraries or are out of print. But that just makes finding them more of an adventure.

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Here is my current book in house inventory:

 

16 on my shelves that I really would like to read soon

 

11 on my nightstand (5 are very fluffy emergency books)

 

15 on my kindle that I honestly intend to read soon 

 

36 from the library that I can't deal with now -- at least 8 are 16th century which I requested for this month rather obsessively

 

5 that are in the process of being culled

 

5 that I have actually decided to return unread

 

Yep, by quick count that is 88.  I have several on hold.  Pages of handwritten list.  Really long wish lists all over the place.

 

I just want to explain that this is not total greed.  Due to the whole library closure issue in my area I have been actively increasing my volume.  Two systems where I have been trying to run at least 10 books through each system each week. To keep one open(I failed) and make sure the other doesn't get marked for closure due to low volume.  The big problem is I like what I check out so hard to return them. ;)  Dh keeps suggesting that I just leave them in the bag and return the whole bag but I can't leave them alone.  

 

My village library is definitely being converted to volunteer. To say I am unhappy about that decision is a bit of an understatement.  Some positive news is our librarian is staying as a volunteer.......personally joyful but infuriated that she will be doing her formerly paid job for free.  Yes, I have also found myself with a volunteer role in all of this which will be taking up quite a bit of my time during the conversion to volunteer in late summer.  Afterwards, hopefully, relatively little.  Positive side Dd is looking forward to her volunteering which wasn't really possible before.

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Oh, mumto2, you remind me of the main character in Bellwether who obsessively checked out library books just so they would stay in circulation. I'm sorry your efforts didn't pay off. It makes me sad to think of the future. The best moments of my life have been spent sitting on the floor in the aisles of libraries , just perusing the shelves for something that catches my interest.

 

In my area, the trend is to forgo deliberately educated librarians for part time workers.

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Just for fun ...

 

How many books are on your TBR list?  Right now.  No cheating and paring it down before you post.  

 

As a follow up ...

 

How many books are on your nightstand right now to be read?

 

Oy.

 

This has forced me to recognize a systems problem that I had managed up to now to push out past the frontier of consciousness...

 

 

It's kinda like what Stacia says...

TBR list:

 

My Goodreads to-read list is 102.

 

I have a pad of paper filled w/ pages of books -- no idea how many that would be....

 

Plus, there are always various ideas meandering around in my brain that aren't written down anywhere.

 

On my nightstand:

 

None. I don't keep them there. LOL.

 

I have 2 in my still-to-be read library stack on my desk.

 

My bookcases at home have many I've never read that I suppose I'll read someday. I also have various books downloaded to my iPad that I may read someday. I can think of 2 or 3 for sure of those that I'd like to get to this year.

 

And, I have 'hold/request' lists in progress in two different library systems (probably about 15-20 books total), but I've staggered the dates I'll get them so I actually might have a chance to read them once I pick them up.

 

 

There's no one consolidated system.  

 

I have a paper list at the back of my journal, which includes who recommended (or in the case of IRL book groups or community reads, scheduled) a book.  Right now that has 18 titles for me and 9 for my daughter.

 

But sometimes I get a suggestion that sounds intriguing when my journal isn't at hand.  Those I plonk into an Amazon "wait list" for later organization.  I have 38 on that.  I don't like this system because I can't retain who recommended it, but it's quick and gives a price comparison.

 

When I have a block of time, I go through my lists against my library, to put on hold there what they have in hard copy and to go on the WL for what they have electronically.  Sadly, though, this entails going through 3 separate databases, so it's slow going; and I often don't go back and delete something that I've put on hold, since I wont necessarily actually get it; and sometimes I WL on multiple lists; so there's lots of overlap.  I probably have, I dunno, 50 titles there, but there's overlap between them and the Amazon list.

 

When I take library books out, they stay in my backpack unless they're actually being read in the moment.  I have 5 in there now.

 

And then I have towering stacks beside my bed (easier reads) and in the sitting room I usually read in (heavier reads).  Probably 20 in each place.

 

<snip>

 

11 on my nightstand (5 are very fluffy emergency books)

 

 

 

15 on my kindle that I honestly intend to read soon 

 

<snip>

 

 

My village library is definitely being converted to volunteer. To say I am unhappy about that decision is a bit of an understatement.  Some positive news is our librarian is staying as a volunteer.......personally joyful but infuriated that she will be doing her formerly paid job for free.  Yes, I have also found myself with a volunteer role in all of this which will be taking up quite a bit of my time during the conversion to volunteer in late summer.  Afterwards, hopefully, relatively little.  Positive side Dd is looking forward to her volunteering which wasn't really possible before.

 

OK, the idea of categorizing them in this way has made my day.  Especially the "emergency" book concept!!

 

 

:grouphug: about your library.  Grrrr.

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Oh, yeah, I forgot about my books "stored" on amazon lists...

 

I know there is some overlap between my various lists.

 

Plus, when I got to visit my sister, I troll through my lists because her library system (different state) has some books that I can't find at my libraries.

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How many books are on your TBR list?  Right now.  No cheating and paring it down before you post.  


I have 106 on my goodreads list and about 40 on my ebook library loan site. 


 


As a follow up ...


 


How many books are on your nightstand right now to be read? 4


 


 


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And, last week was really good gardening weather, so... not so good for reading.  All I finished were Helen Oyeyemi's Boy, Snow, Bird , which I think Jane recommended (?  see above, where my so-called "system" fails me).  This was an interesting and well-written delve into issues of race, parenthood, and how the damage wreaked by violence and betrayal carries on down through the generations... it included not one, not two, but three incidents of monstrous betrayals by parents / parent figures, which made it difficult for me to read and impeded my enjoyment of it (as also happened for me with Saffron Kitchen and Night Circus -- I seem to be encountering this a lot lately!).  But definitely well done.

 

And my daughter and I finished Jacqueline Green's Out of Many Waters, a YA historical fiction with a Jewish/Portuguese narrator, set first in Brazil and then recounting her flight adventure when the Inquisition arrived there.  The writing was only OK but it was interesting to have a bit of insight into this bit of history.

 

 

 

Still in progress: Naipul's Beyond Belief (OK, I didn't actually crack its cover all week); Horowitz' Hard Thing About Hard Things; and the audio version of Allegra Goodman's Cookbook Collector, which is making me laugh out loud every time I get in the car.

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