Book a Week 2015 - BW35: stifled september

[Pam in CT]

re: Good Man Jesus and Scoundrel Christ:

I agree. And it was much less irreverent than Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28881.Lamb?from_search=true&search_version=service

 

Re: Pullman - after finishing my re-read of His Dark Materials, I picked up this - Killing the Imposter God: Phillip Pullman's Spiritual Imagination in His Dark Materials - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36667.Killing_the_Imposter_God?from_search=true&search_version=service

 

 

The authors spend a whole book developing the off-the-cuff idea i dropped last week, that Pullman's series certainly doesn't read like an atheist manifesto, despite his contentions about his own beliefs.  Against organized religion, yes, but not against the notion of a creator (where did all the angels come from, anyway?)  or a world with a whole lot of spirituality in it.  This book is written from a liberation theology POV.  I don't get liberation theology.  I mean, I get what it is, but I don't get it.  Anyway, it's interesting to read a well-developed argument for my nebulous idea.  So far anyway.

 

Interesting.  I'm not sure I have the oomph to invest in a whole BOOK analyzing the Dark Materials, but I agree that they never read as "atheist" to me -- an alternate framework to a certain brand of Christianity, for sure, but not atheism.

 

I exhorted each of my kids to read (or in my son's case, listen to) the Pullman trilogy back-to-back to the Narnia books -- to me, they are two sides of the same coin, and each is better understood in contrast to the other.  My eldest dutifully did just that; my son bailed on Boy and His Horse (  :lol: ) and abandoned Lewis with his fingers in his ears thereafter... and took several years before he found his way to Pullman; my youngest listened through the whole of Pullman at the same time that he did but thus far has declined to taken on Narnia.  So much for my carefully thought through literary analytical plans.

 

 

Re: liberation theology: yeah.  Well, I don't get "relativism" or "materialism" either, and I think (??) that the Dark Materials draw on them too.  I mean, I know what people who are opposed to them say what they think the words mean, but I always have this uneasy sense that the opposition has taken over the dictionary.  But as you know I'm a philosophy dropout...

[Kareni]

This sale priced Kindle book might be of interest to some.  It's currently $1.99.

 

The Penguin History of the World: 6th edition by J M Roberts and Odd Arne Westad

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

[Jane in NC]

I have been remiss in not thanking Stacia for the link to the $1.99 Kindle deal on The Martian.  My husband is being thoroughly entertained by the book and forwarded a link to share with other fans of both The Martian and Neil deGrasse Tyson:

 

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi1631040281?ref_=ttvi_vi_imdb_3

 

How do you tackle the ending of a book that you find to be remarkable?  Do you read breathlessly to the final page or do you drag your feet a bit, not wanting it to end?  I tend toward the latter. I knew that I would finish Volume One of Knausgaard's My Struggle today and I did so unwillingly which is rather ironic since Volume One is only 430 pages of the 3500 that compose this series. Knausgaard had this reader in the palm of his hand.  What a triumph!  What a book!

 

And what in the world do I read next to follow such a book?  Something completely different, I think.  Something by one of my favorite authors, E.M. Forster.  In the inside jacket of The Hill of Devi, we read:

 

E.M. Forster first visited the Indian state of Dewas Senior--"the oddest corner of the world outside Alice in Wonderland"--in 1912 at the invitation of its brilliant young Maharajah.  Nine years later he returned, as a member of the court and Private Secretary to the Maharajah  By then he had begun the novel which was to appear in 1924:  his masterpiece, A Passage to India.

 

 

I have read four of Forster's novels but none of his non-fiction. 

[prairiegirl]

I'm not sure I'd say that's one I'd pick for someone who isn't a big Gaiman fan.  They're great short stories, but they're very Gaiman-esque! I'm listening to the audio of it and it's good (plus his amazing voice). What else have you read of his?  

 

 

 

I have read The Graveyard Book and The Ocean at the End of the Lane.  I've finished the first short story and quite liked it so I will push onward with some trepidation.

[Kareni]

An intriguing post from BookRiot on

Making Maps for Books: Two Cartographers Tell Us How It’s Done

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Stacia]

FYI, Terry Pratchett's The Wee Free Men is $1.99 for Kindle. Great deal. It is one of my favorite books. Suitable for YA & grown-ups.

[Violet Crown]

Much later than I had thought, finished at last with Selected Stories of O. Henry. Yes they're quick and easy reads; but 500+ pages of William Sydney Porter's very short stories comes out to an awful lot of stories. I confess to a weakness for his writing, despite his literary second-rateness (maudlin wallowing, easy laughs, predictability); probably in part a matter of home-town loyalty, but anyhow a guilty pleasure that I can't quite apologize for. I'm sure I've mentioned that my nom de forum comes from an O. Henry story.

 

Meanwhile, I'm more than halfway through Saul Bellow's Herzog. Dh has been meaning for a while to read it so at last I've gotten in ahead of him, while he's distracted by Cassandra at the Wedding, not to mention having to waste time working to put curriculum on the table. Herzog won the National Book Award once upon a time. Herzog feels a little dated by a 60s sensibility, but good writing is timeless:

-------------

In the bathroom, Herzog turned his tie to the back of his neck to keep it from drooping into the basin. This was a luxurious little room, with indirect lighting (kindness to haggard faces). The long tap glittered, the water gushed forth. He sniffed the soap. Muguet. The water felt very cold on his nails. He recalled the old Jewish ritual of nail water, and the word in the Haggadah, Rachatz! "Thou shalt wash." It was obligatory also to wash when you returned from the cemetery (Beth Olam--the Dwelling of the Multitude). But why think of cemeteries, of funerals, now? Unless... the old joke about the Shakespearean actor in the brothel. When he took off his pants, the whore in bed gave a whistle. He said, "Madam, we come to bury Caesar, not to praise him." How schoolboy jokes clung to you!

 

He opened his mouth under the tap and let the current run also into his shut eyes, gasping with satisfaction. Broad disks of iridescent brightness swam under his lids. He wrote to Spinoza, Thoughts not casually connected were said by you to cause pain. I find that is indeed the case. Random association, when the intellect is passive, is a form of bondage. Or rather, every form of bondage is possible then. It may interest you to know that in the twentieth century random association is believed to yield up the deepest secrets of the psyche. He realized he was writing to the dead. To bring the shades of great philosophers up to date. But then why shouldn't he write the dead? He lived with them as much as with the living--perhaps more; and besides, his letters to the living were increasingly mental, and anyway, to the Unconscious, what was death? Dreams did not recognize it. Believing that reason can make steady progress from disorder to harmony and that the conquest of chaos need not be begun anew every day. How I wish it! How I wish it were so! How Moses prayed for this!

----------------

By the way, is it helpful to anyone for me to post excerpts from books? I get a much better sense of how much I'll like, or not, a book by reading a paragraph or two from it than from a description or general (dis)recommendation, and I suppose I assume others do, too; but tell me if I'm wrong. Maybe I'll change.

[idnib]

How do you tackle the ending of a book that you find to be remarkable?  Do you read breathlessly to the final page or do you drag your feet a bit, not wanting it to end? 

 

To call it "dragging" would be generous. I have many books with just a few pages left, some from years ago.  :leaving:

[mommymilkies]

FYI, Terry Pratchett's The Wee Free Men is $1.99 for Kindle. Great deal. It is one of my favorite books. Suitable for YA & grown-ups.

I think I have two copies, but I probably need this.

[Kareni]

By the way, is it helpful to anyone for me to post excerpts from books?

 

Well, I certainly enjoy them.  (I clearly have the sensibilities of a schoolboy as I enjoyed the Caesar humor.  And now I'm remembering "... des livres à lire d'une seule main..."  You post some intriguing tidbits, VC!)

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

This evening I read a novella by Marie Force which is a prequel to her romantic suspense Fatal series.  I've read all but the last book in that series which is now at book eight, so this was a treat for me.  I enjoyed it.

 

One Night With You: A Fatal Series Prequel Novella by Marie Force.  It's currently FREE to Kindle readers.

 

"Since the debut of Fatal Affair in 2010, Fatal Series readers have been wondering about that “memorable†one-night stand between Sam Holland and Nick Cappuano that took place six years before Fatal Affair opens. Well, wonder no more! One Night With You tells the story of Sam and Nick’s fateful first meeting in which all the chemistry and heat we have come to expect from them is on full display from the first moments they meet."

 

Some adult content.

 

The author has another free Kindle book currently available ~

 

Maid for Love (McCarthys of Gansett Island Series, Book 1)

 

also available in Spanish:

Criado para el Amor (Los McCarthys de Gansett Island nº 1) (Spanish Edition)

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Jane in NC]

Still reeling from Pam's list of summer reading!

 

By the way, is it helpful to anyone for me to post excerpts from books? I get a much better sense of how much I'll like, or not, a book by reading a paragraph or two from it than from a description or general (dis)recommendation, and I suppose I assume others do, too; but tell me if I'm wrong. Maybe I'll change.

 

I for one love the excerpts you offer.  While I am often familiar with the books you are reading, your excerpts give context--and giggles. 

 

To call it "dragging" would be generous. I have many books with just a few pages left, some from years ago.  :leaving:

 

It is not unusual for me to finish a book then then reread the last chapter or the last few pages veerryy ssslllooowwwyyy.  It is as though I want to savor the experience--the soul of the book--for as long as I can. 

[Chrysalis Academy]

By the way, is it helpful to anyone for me to post excerpts from books? I get a much better sense of how much I'll like, or not, a book by reading a paragraph or two from it than from a description or general (dis)recommendation, and I suppose I assume others do, too; but tell me if I'm wrong. Maybe I'll change.

 

Yes. You pick good ones!

[Stacia]

I for one love the excerpts you offer.  While I am often familiar with the books you are reading, your excerpts give context--and giggles. 

 

I agree, Violet Crown. I enjoy the excerpts & it's fun to see which quote(s) you choose to highlight.

 

Of course, I'd also love to hear more of your comments about the actual books because, by quotes alone, I don't know your true opinions on the book. 

 

So, I want the best of both worlds -- the quotes AND more of your personal opinions too! I'm greedy like that.  ;)  :laugh:

[shukriyya]

----------------

By the way, is it helpful to anyone for me to post excerpts from books? I get a much better sense of how much I'll like, or not, a book by reading a paragraph or two from it than from a description or general (dis)recommendation, and I suppose I assume others do, too; but tell me if I'm wrong. Maybe I'll change.

 

My dear VC, you are our living link with books that had their being in and before the 19th century. Posting excerpts allows them to live on here and reading them is like dropping into a conversation that is circumscribed by such nebulous things as linguistic integrity, restraint, economy of spirit and the thrilling paradox of concise luxury.

 

Still reeling from Pam's list of summer reading!

 

 

Yes, my reaction was similar :willy_nilly:

[shukriyya]

Re Pullman, ds is onto book Two now of the 'His Dark Materials' series. I feel some trepidation for his sensitive self having learned here that there is much sadness in book Three. I've said nothing about that as of yet and am undecided whether I'll mention it or not for various reasons. He wants to watch 'The Golden Compass' movie this weekend. I'm ambivalent. Apparently quite violent among other things. Can anyone here advise on that?

 

On another note I listened to a fascinating podcast with Egyptian-born Harvard scholar Leila Ahmed talking on "Muslim Women and other Misunderstandings." Not just her erudition but the sense of inner rhythm she carries--slow, considered, even her silences felt articulated--drew me in. She's written a number of scholarly books on the veil and on gender in Islam but she's also written a memoir called A Border Passage which I'm in line for at the library. This is just my kind of book. The excerpts read during the interview didn't disappoint.

[Jane in NC]

Re Pullman, ds is onto book Two now of the 'His Dark Materials' series. I feel some trepidation for his sensitive self having learned here that there is much sadness in book Three. I've said nothing about that as of yet and am undecided whether I'll mention it or not for various reasons. He wants to watch 'The Golden Compass' movie this weekend. I'm ambivalent. Apparently quite violent among other things. Can anyone here advise on that?

 

 

The film was a complete disappointment to me.  I think Lyra's Oxford is so alive in my imagination that any portrayal would be a disappointment to this reader.  Or any cinema version of the armoured bear for that matter.

 

Ugh.  Everything about the film just seemed wrong. 

 

[Chrysalis Academy]

I didn't like the Golden Compass movie. I don't actually remember how violent is was, but I watched it with the girls when they were fairly young and I didn't feel overly disturbed. What I didn't like about it was how it changed the ending - it ended before the big climax scene - Lord Asriel's betrayal of Lyra - and so it turned the story into something completely different.  I'm sure at the time they were intending to make another movie, and decided more people would watch Movie #2 if the first one had a happy ending, but to me this is the worst sort of violation of a story in a story-to-movie transition - change the ending from tragic/disturbing to a rah-rah happy heroic thing?  Ridiculous.

 

Anyway, if he has already read the book and wants to watch the movie, I think it might be a good chance to talk about how stories are changed between books and movies.

[idnib]

----------------

By the way, is it helpful to anyone for me to post excerpts from books? I get a much better sense of how much I'll like, or not, a book by reading a paragraph or two from it than from a description or general (dis)recommendation, and I suppose I assume others do, too; but tell me if I'm wrong. Maybe I'll change.

 

I love the excerpts!

[Kareni]

I enjoyed this post that was on the Tor site this morning.  Those of you with pre-teens should also read the comments as there are more titles mentioned there.

 

Four Classic Children’s Books That Are Pure Magic by Ilana C. Myer

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Violet Crown]

Okay, excerpts will continue then.

 

Well, I certainly enjoy them. (I clearly have the sensibilities of a schoolboy as I enjoyed the Caesar humor. And now I'm remembering "... des livres à lire d'une seule main..." You post some intriguing tidbits, VC!)

 

That reminds me, I need to resume The Worm in the Bud, which got dropped when our holidays ended.

 

Still reeling from Pam's list of summer reading!

 

Yes indeed, reading Pam's list I felt like I'd just had my own mini-course for the summer term.

 

I for one love the excerpts you offer. While I am often familiar with the books you are reading, your excerpts give context--and giggles.

 

One of my implicit reading goals is "be as well-read as Jane." (It would be "as Eliana" except I don't think my lifespan will accommodate that.)

 

I agree, Violet Crown. I enjoy the excerpts & it's fun to see which quote(s) you choose to highlight.

 

Of course, I'd also love to hear more of your comments about the actual books because, by quotes alone, I don't know your true opinions on the book.

 

So, I want the best of both worlds -- the quotes AND more of your personal opinions too! I'm greedy like that. ;) :laugh:

Yes, good. Here, nutshell reviews--

O. Henry stories: Fun popular classics, not great literature, Like.

Saul Bellow's Herzog: literary, excellent writing, not for those who expect a plot, Like.

[Chrysalis Academy]

I enjoyed this post that was on the Tor site this morning.  Those of you with pre-teens should also read the comments as there are more titles mentioned there.

 

Four Classic Children’s Books That Are Pure Magic by Ilana C. Myer

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

 

Ooo, I never even heard of The Velvet Room, but it sounds lovely. Will have to add it to our read-aloud list!

[Jane in NC]

One of my implicit reading goals is "be as well-read as Jane." (It would be "as Eliana" except I don't think my lifespan will accommodate that.)

 

Flattery will get you everywhere. But I believe that you win the prize for reading more pre-20th century literature.

 

One of the VC recommended selections that I am working on this year is the 13th century best seller The Golden Legend. In VC fashion, let me share an excerpt, this from the tale of The Seven Sleepers, seven saints from Ephesus who like Rip Van Winkle awoke to find a new political reality. At the end of the vignette, Jacobus de Voragine offers the following note, a wonderful example (I think) of the medieval mind:

There is reason to doubt that these saints slept for 372 years, because they arose in the year of the Lord 448. Decius reigned in 252 and his reign lasted only fifteen months, so the saints must have slept only 195 years.

 

[Pam in CT]

Also never heard of Velvet Room, also interested.  Thanks, Kareni... has anyone read it?

 

Also didn't enjoy the Compass movie.  The audiobook version, OTOH, is great.  It's unabridged but has different actors read the characters' voices.  My son, daughter and I (plus dog) did the whole trilogy a couple years ago on an extended road trip.  Sometimes we'd stop for lunch but hang out in the car until the chapter was finished...

 

 

 

 

...
----------------
By the way, is it helpful to anyone for me to post excerpts from books? I get a much better sense of how much I'll like, or not, a book by reading a paragraph or two from it than from a description or general (dis)recommendation, and I suppose I assume others do, too; but tell me if I'm wrong. Maybe I'll change.

 

My dear VC, you are our living link with books that had their being in and before the 19th century. Posting excerpts allows them to live on here and reading them is like dropping into a conversation that is circumscribed by such nebulous things as linguistic integrity, restraint, economy of spirit and the thrilling paradox of concise luxury.

:iagree: Yeah, what shukriyya (and others) said.  Love the quotes.  And in addition to nebulous things such as integrity restraint economy etc., you are especially gifted IMO in bringing out the Comic, which I sometimes forget to look for in deeply literary books beyond a certain age....

 

[shukriyya]

Re The Velvet Room...ds has read a number of this author's books, The Bronze Pen and The Egypt Game being particular favorites.

[Kareni]

...  In VC fashion, let me share an excerpt, this from the tale of The Seven Sleepers, seven saints from Ephesus who like Rip Van Winkle awoke to find a new political reality.  At the end of the vignette, Jacobus de Voragine offers, the following note, a wonderful example (I think) of the medieval mind:

 

There is reason to doubt that these saints slept for 372 years, because they arose in the ear of the Lord 448. Decius reigned in 252 and his reign lasted only fifteen months, so the saints must have slept only 195 years.

 

 

Well, it seems inappropriate to call the saints slackers since they hadn't slept as long as they'd actually said.  Should we instead call them liers who lied? liers who are liars? lying liers?  The mind boggles!

 

Regards,

Kareni

[mumto2]

VC - I haven't had a chance to post today but I love the quotes too!!!

[Maela]

Just finished book #20 by Soleil Moon Frye.  I liked hearing about her childhood.  Not something I'd really recommend though, unless you were really into Punky Brewster.  Mostly it's a parenting book, and definitely not one of the best I've read.  It's called Happy Chaos: From Punky to Parenting and My Perfectly Imperfect Adventures In Between.  

[Violet Crown]

Flattery will get you everywhere. But I believe that you win the prize for reading more pre-20th century literature.

 

One of the VC recommended selections that I am working on this year is the 13th century best seller The Golden Legend. In VC fashion, let me share an excerpt, this from the tale of The Seven Sleepers, seven saints from Ephesus who like Rip Van Winkle awoke to find a new political reality. At the end of the vignette, Jacobus de Voragine offers, the following note, a wonderful example (I think) of the medieval mind:

Makes sense to me; we have to be accurate about dates if anyone's going to believe these stories.

 

Trivia: The Seven Sleepers show up in the Qu'ran; the earliest hint at this ancient legend is in Aristotle's Physics ("But neither does time exist without change; for when the state of our own minds does not change at all, or we have not noticed its changing, we do not realize that time has elapsed, any more than those who are fabled to sleep among the heroes in Sardinia do when they are awakened"). It's a shame they were taken off the Catholic calendar in the 1960s after lasting for millennia.

 

The next book on my stack is from the 14th century, so I will join you in the Middle Ages.

[Pam in CT]

Just finished book #20 by Soleil Moon Frye.  I liked hearing about her childhood.  Not something I'd really recommend though, unless you were really into Punky Brewster.  Mostly it's a parenting book, and definitely not one of the best I've read.  It's called Happy Chaos: From Punky to Parenting and My Perfectly Imperfect Adventures In Between.  

Well, I must say I do admire the title! :laugh:

[mumto2]

I just finished a good historical romance by a new author. Kelly Bowen's I've Got My Duke to Keep Me Warm was a book I enjoyed but thanks to the title am really glad I was reading on my Kindle. It contained spousal abuse so potential trigger but the heroine was trying to save others after her abusive marriage.https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21857233-i-ve-got-my-duke-to-keep-me-warm?from_search=true&search_version=service

[Kareni]

There are some lovely posters, notebooks, and totes with bookish quotes to be found here.

 

Some examples,

 

tote ~ "I have always imagined that paradise will be a kind of library." - Jorge Luis Borges

 

print ~ "An idea that is not dangerous is not worthy of being called an idea at all." - Oscar Wilde

 

print ~ "Once you learn to read you will be forever free." - Frederick Douglass

 

print ~  "If a triangle could speak, it would say that God is eminently Triangular." - Baruch Spinoza

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

[Kareni]

I bought, read, and enjoyed this back in March and see that it is CURRENTLY free to Kindle readers ~

 

Coming In From the Cold (Gravity Book 1) by Sarina Bowen

 

"He can’t have her. And he can’t tell anyone why.

Ski racer Dane "Danger" Hollister does not do relationships, though he keeps his reason a secret. The real-life curse he's inherited from his mother will eventually cost him everything: his place on the Olympic ski team, his endorsement income, and his ability to fly downhill at top speed.

Reluctant country girl Willow Reade meets Dane by accident. Literally. Her skidding truck forces him off the road during a blizzard. Stranded together in his Jeep as night falls, the two loneliest people in Vermont find themselves sharing more than they'd planned. And not just conversation.

Yet neither can guess how their unlikely tryst will threaten Dane's frightening secret and Willow's tentative peace with her own choices. Only mutual trust and understanding can end their pain and give them a hard won shot at love."

 

Adult content.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Nan in Mass]

I am summering, and haven,t really kept track of my books. I,ve read some Ngaio Marsh mysteries, some fantasies (most recent-Summers at Auburn Castle), some painting books, and a book called Crucial Conversations. That last I can in no way recommend as well written, but it has pretty clear instructions for having conversations instead of fights. It is a good peacemaking book, I think.

 

Nan

[Jane in NC]

I am summering, and haven,t really kept track of my books. I,ve read some Ngaio Marsh mysteries, some fantasies (most recent-Summers at Auburn Castle), some painting books, and a book called Crucial Conversations. That last I can in no way recommend as well written, but it has pretty clear instructions for having conversations instead of fights. It is a good peacemaking book, I think.

 

Nan

 

Hello dearest Nan!  I have missed you here.

 

Sending you and your family lots of love,

Jane

 

[Nan in Mass]

Back after my oatmeal. SaAC was borderline romancy for meand rather hmmm obvious? but summery.

 

Kareni, I love the quotes. Maybe heaven won,t be so bad if it contains lots of escape reading. A version of Lord of the Rings that goes on forever. Infinite Angela Thirkels. Or maybe a memory wipe, so one could reread indefinitely.

 

Nan

[Nan in Mass]

Hello dearest Nan! I have missed you here.

 

Sending you and your family lots of love,

Jane

 

Thank you! This has been a very strange summer. Everyone is back at school now and we are feeling rather breathless as we wait to see how semesters are going to go. Everyone but oldest. He is moving a sailboat down the coast. We,ve been guessing about his location until yesterday, when someone got a text photo of him with an ear to ear grin holding up a large fish. Woke up to all this northeast wind this morning rather wishing we didn,t know where he,d spent the night. I sure hope that anchor held and he had plenty of swinging room and he,s not high and dry. The lee shore there is mostly shingle, so even if he drags and goes aground the boat will probably be fine, but if the harbour was full and he had to anchor out in the mouth, it could be bad. The entrance is full iof rocks. We,re wondering if he,ll stay put or reef down and fly down the coast this morning. I hope he knows how to reef that boat. Ours is different. I hope your summer is going ok. Is your heat breaking? Nice of Erica to peter out, hunh?

 

Nan

[Nan in Mass]

Arg. Reading this thread backwards from the end and finding it tantalizing but I am supposed to be packing for a possibly acrimonious weekend in Vermont. (Jane, as usual, I find myself making cookies to bring in the pitiful hope that they will miraculously ease the situation. I think of you now every time I do this and feel a bit less silly.)

 

Maybe there will be internet there so I can figure out what everyone is talking about. : )

 

Nan

[Jane in NC]

Thank you! This has been a very strange summer. Everyone is back at school now and we are feeling rather breathless as we wait to see how semesters are going to go. Everyone but oldest. He is moving a sailboat down the coast. We,ve been guessing about his location until yesterday, when someone got a text photo of him with an ear to ear grin holding up a large fish. Woke up to all this northeast wind this morning rather wishing we didn,t know where he,d spent the night. I sure hope that anchor held and he had plenty of swinging room and he,s not high and dry. The lee shore there is mostly shingle, so even if he drags and goes aground the boat will probably be fine, but if the harbour was full and he had to anchor out in the mouth, it could be bad. The entrance is full iof rocks. We,re wondering if he,ll stay put or reef down and fly down the coast this morning. I hope he knows how to reef that boat. Ours is different. I hope your summer is going ok. Is your heat breaking? Nice of Erica to peter out, hunh?

 

Nan

 

Yes, it was nice of Erica to peter out. 

 

The heat and humidity have lessened from the unbearable to the uncomfortable.  Progress, I suppose.

 

The archaeologist was signed into Skype in the early afternoon yesterday.  I sent a message asking what was up.  Dreadful day, he reported. One of his colleagues stuck a shovel into a yellow jackets nest.  The Boy got off lightly:  two stings on the face.  Apparently two colleagues were in far worse condition.  It is all in an official safety report so I figure their condition will be monitored.  When I suggested that the lad get some antihistamines, he just growled.  Unnecessary he said.  "I'm fine." Well I am your worry-wort Mom, so there.

 

[Nan in Mass]

Oh my! Dreadful is right! I carry a tube of benadryl ointment in my pocket in summer. Applied instantly to stings, even mosquito bites, it eliminates or significantly reduces the after effects. Perhaps a care package item? I,d be pushing antihistamine, too. Maybe he just growled because you were the umpteenth person to recommend that and he,d already done it. One can always hope...

 

Nan

[Kareni]

Oh, and The Incident series by Neve Maslakovic was fun too.

 

I'd never heard of this author, Sadie, but the books certainly look interesting.  Thanks for the mention.

 

And, if anyone is interested, I see that The Chronicles of St Mary's Boxset Vol 1 by Jodi Taylor which contains volumes 1, 2, and 3 of the series is available for $5.99 for Kindle readers (or free for those having Kindle Unlimited).

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

Last night I finished Lori Handeland's Heat of the Moment (Sisters of the Craft) which is book two in the series.  I enjoyed it.  While it could be read as a standalone, I'd suggest starting with book one.

 

Trigger warning: Animal sacrifice and Satanism feature in the story.

 

"A spell that tore three sisters apart is broken four hundred years later, when the magic in their blood reunites them. Now, one of them will discover her gift-and reignite a love long thought lost...

Flame-haired Becca Carstairs was born to be a veterinarian. Since childhood, her affinity for animals has been special, and her healing touch nothing short of magic. But only Becca knows the truth-that she alone can hear the creatures' voices. She's always trusted her sixth sense...until a string of missing pets, an attempted murder, and a face from her past converge into one explosive mystery, with her at its center. Is haunted Owen McAllister, the boy who broke her heart ten years ago, related to the sinister crimes that have peaceful Three Harbors, Wisconsin, on its guard? Or is his reappearance part of the answer to questions that have troubled her all her life? As Becca delves into her strange heritage, she'll have to fight for her life...and the man she will always love."

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Maus]

38. "The United States Enters the World Stage: from Alaska Purchase through World War I" and "The United States in World War II" by Christopher and James Lincoln Collier.  Really need to get these.  But, wahoo!  I went to the quarterly library book sale Wednesday, and scored five of the 23 volumes, and even better:  I was there the last hour when they changed the price from $1.00 a book to $5.00 a bag!

 

37. "Indians, Cowboys, and Farmers and the Battle for the Great Plains" and "The Rise of Industry" by Christopher and

James Lincoln Collier.

 

36. "Slavery and the Coming of the Civil War" and "The Civil War" by Christopher and James Lincoln Collier.

 

35. "The American Revolution" and "Hispanic America, Texas, and the Mexican War" by Christopher and James Lincoln Collier.

34. "Pilgrims and Puritans" and "The French and Indian War" by Christopher and James Lincoln Collier.

33.  "Flygirl" by Sherri L. Smith.

32. "mockingbird" by Kathryn Erskine.

31. "The Survival Guide for Kids with Autism Spectrum Disorders" by Elizabeth Verdick & Elizabeth Reeve, M.D.

30. "Asperger's and Girls" by Tony Attwood.

29.  "A Veiled Antiquity" by Rett MacPherson.

28. "As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust" by Alan Bradley.

27. "Counting by 7s" by Holly Goldberg Sloan.

26. "Temple Theology: An Introduction" by Margaret Barker.

25. "Walking With the Women of the New Testament" by Heather Farrell (LDS). 

24. "Cub Scout BEAR Handbook."

23. "How to Read Literature Like  a Professor for Kids" by Thomas C. Foster.

22.  "Women and the Priesthood" by Sheri Dew (LDS).

21. "No More Meltdowns" by Jed Baker, Ph.D. 

20. "Amazed by Grace" by Sheri Dew (LDS).

19. "Teaching from Rest: A Homeschooler's Guide to Unshakable Peace" by Sarah Mackenzie.

18. "How to Become a Straight-A Student" by Cal Newport.

17. "Eight Plus One" by Robert Cormier.

16.  "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand.

15. "How to Train Your Dragon" by Cressida Cowell.

14.  "As You Wish" by Cary Elwes.

13. "The Giver" by Lois Lowry. 

12. "My Louisiana Sky" by Kimberly Willis Holt. 

11. "Things I Overheard While Talking to Myself" by Alan Alda.  

10. "When I Was Your Age" edited by Amy Ehrlich.

9. "Freak the Mighty" by Rodman Philbrick.  

8. “Broken Things to Mend†by Jeffrey R. Holland (LDS)

7. “When You Can't Do It Alone†by Brent Top. (LDS)

6. “What to Do When You Worry Too Much†and “What to Do When Your Temper Flares†by Dawn Huebner, Ph.D.â€

5. “Tales of a Female Nomad†by Rita Golden Gelman.

4. “Heaven is for Real†by Todd Burpo.

3. "Your Happily Ever After" and "The Remarkable Soul of a Woman" by Dieter F. Uchtdorf. (LDS)

2. "Cliff-Hanger" by Gloria Skurzynski and Alane Ferguson.

1. "Rage of Fire" by Gloria Skurzynski and Alane Ferguson.

[Pam in CT]

:seeya: Hi Nan!

 

 

 

I am summering, and haven,t really kept track of my books. I,ve read some Ngaio Marsh mysteries, some fantasies (most recent-Summers at Auburn Castle), some painting books, and a book called Crucial Conversations. That last I can in no way recommend as well written, but it has pretty clear instructions for having conversations instead of fights. It is a good peacemaking book, I think.

Nan

Well, peacemaking is a darn worthy cause, I expect.  Thanks - I'll look for it.

 

 

... Kareni, I love the quotes. Maybe heaven won,t be so bad if it contains lots of escape reading. A version of Lord of the Rings that goes on forever. Infinite Angela Thirkels. Or maybe a memory wipe, so one could reread indefinitely.

:lol: OK, this reminds me of a long circling back-and-forth I once had with albeto (who I often wish dipped into the BAW world) in which we both speculated rather idly about what an afterlife would look like, if there were one, and we eventually came around to the idea that nothing, nothing at all, not harps and ambrosia, not chips and beer, not even kilts and Shakespeare, could possibly remain interesting in the face of eternity, and thus (in the event that there really is some sort of eternal afterlife) we are all, all of us, doomed to a hell of eternal BOREDOM....  :lol: ... but, a memory wipe would fix that right up.

 

 

 

 

Thank you! This has been a very strange summer. Everyone is back at school now and we are feeling rather breathless as we wait to see how semesters are going to go. Everyone but oldest. He is moving a sailboat down the coast. We,ve been guessing about his location until yesterday, when someone got a text photo of him with an ear to ear grin holding up a large fish. Woke up to all this northeast wind this morning rather wishing we didn,t know where he,d spent the night. I sure hope that anchor held and he had plenty of swinging room and he,s not high and dry. The lee shore there is mostly shingle, so even if he drags and goes aground the boat will probably be fine, but if the harbour was full and he had to anchor out in the mouth, it could be bad. The entrance is full iof rocks. We,re wondering if he,ll stay put or reef down and fly down the coast this morning. I hope he knows how to reef that boat. Ours is different. I hope your summer is going ok. Is your heat breaking? Nice of Erica to peter out, hunh?

Nan

Oh dear.   :grouphug:   There sure are a lot of hazards in this world.  Holding Boy in the light.

 

 

 

 

ETA "who" rather than "whom."  My daughter would shriek in dismay.

[Nan in Mass]

 

:lol: OK, this reminds me of a long circling back-and-forth I once had with albeto (who I often wish dipped into the BAW world) in which we both speculated rather idly about what an afterlife would look like, if there were one, and we eventually came around to the idea that nothing, nothing at all, not harps and ambrosia, not chips and beer, not even kilts and Shakespeare, could possibly remain interesting in the face of eternity, and thus (in the event that there really is some sort of eternal afterlife) we are all, all of us, doomed to a hell of eternal BOREDOM.... :lol: ... but, a memory wipe would fix that

Maybe this is what enlightenment is - an instant to instant memory wipe.

Or maybe we are in heaven but we don,t remember that we are.

My bil is a mathematician. On his fridge is a comic. The title is Falling into an Endless Pit. The first panel shows two falling men screaming. The second one says One Month Later and shows them lying on their sides with their heads propped on their elbows looking bored.

 

I think if boy had landed on the rocks, we probably would know by now. Or done a flying gybe or something and dismasted himself. No news is good news. Phew!

 

Nan

[Pam in CT]

Maybe this is what enlightenment is - an instant to instant memory wipe.

Or maybe we are in heaven but we don,t remember that we are.

My bil is a mathematician. On his fridge is a comic. The title is Falling into an Endless Pit. The first panel shows two falling men screaming. The second one says One Month Later and shows them lying on their sides with their heads propped on their elbows looking bored.

 

I think if boy had landed on the rocks, we probably would know by now. Or done a flying gybe or something and dismasted himself. No news is good news. Phew!

 

Nan

 

:lol: OK, this just gets better and better.  I often despair that my (truly beloved, though ever-exasperating) son LIVES in an instant-to-instant memory wipe.  Fact is, though, he is BY FAR the most contented of us all.

 

Good news re: no news re: sailing son.

[Butter]

In the last couple days I've finished The Rabbit Ate My Homework by Rachel Elizabeth Cole (read it to the little guys) and Miracles and Mayhem in the ER by Dr. Brent Rock Russell.  I gave both of them 5/5 stars.

 

The Rabbit... is really cute and funny.  It kept the little guys' attention well (it's for middle grades and not all aimed at that age do).  In that one two kids find a bunny abandoned on the side of the road and keep it even though their parents have a no pets rules.  They hide it in the 11 year old's closet, but the rabbit repeatedly escapes and destroys things leading the parents to believe they have rats.  It addresses bullying and friends and making choices and honesty, but not in a pushy way.  I really liked it.

 

Miracles and Mayhem covers the time when the author was a resident through the first few years of being an ER doctor.  He is honest about his doubts, fears, and worries.  He weaves the story of his best friend being sued and the court case with the stories of people who crossed his path (as well as other doctors' and a paramedic friend's).  The stories are sometimes funny, sometimes scary, and sometimes amazing.  The description of the court case had me biting my nails in the pages leading up to the verdict.  I'm a sucker for hospital stories anyway (I am an RN, though I do not work at this time).  This book did not disappoint.

[Nan in Mass]

:lol: OK, this just gets better and better. I often despair that my (truly beloved, though ever-exasperating) son LIVES in an instant-to-instant memory wipe. Fact is, though, he is BY FAR the most contented of us all.

 

So maybe that proves Buddha got it right and we should all be spending our days meditating rather than reading? That is going to be awfully boring until we manage to achieve that instant by instant memory wipe. Unless, of course, you opt for the Nipponzan Myohoji type. I,m about to go to a family reunion in Vt. Some of my bils are Buddhist, the Tibetan type. Maybe I,ll ask them lol. It might be a more cheerful topic of conversation than who hurt whose feelings or the stupidity of American politics (some of the family is Canadian) or global warming. And it would be interesting to see what they say.

 

Nan

[mumto2]

Nan, Glad to have you back!

 

I finally came to the top of my hold list (started at 998) for the Girl on the Train. The overdrive library that I use had over 130 copies. I signed up back in March.

 

The last couple of days have been hectic here. Our horticultural show is this weekend and everyone has been frantically getting their entries ready. Mine were already done, some stuffed animals, so I just facilitated the dcs. Making sure we had plenty eggs etc took tons of effort ;) :lol: and I am resting until judging is over.

[Kareni]

Yesterday I finished Shannon Stacey's Heat Exchange (Boston Fire)  which is the start of her new contemporary romance series featuring firefighters.  I enjoyed it.

 

"Lydia Kincaid left Boston to get away from the firefighting community—but family is number one, and her father needs her help running the pub he bought when he retired. Soon, Lydia finds it hard to resist the familiar comfort and routine, and even harder to resist her brother's handsome friend Aidan. 

Aidan Hunt is a firefighter because of the Kincaid family. He's had the hots for Lydia for years, but if ever a woman was off-limits to him, it's her. She's his mentor's daughter. His best friend's sister. The ex-wife of a fellow firefighter. But his plan to play it cool fails, and soon he and Lydia have crossed a line they can't uncross. 

As flirtation turns into something more serious, Lydia knows she should be planning her escape. Being a firefighter's wife was the hardest thing she's ever done, and she doesn't know if she has the strength to do it again. Aidan can't imagine walking away from Boston Fire—the job and the brotherhood are his life. But if he wants Lydia in it, he'll have to decide who's first in his heart."

 

Regards,

Kareni