Robin M Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 (edited) Happy Sunday dear hearts! This is the beginning of week 38 in our quest to read 52 books. Welcome back to all our readers, to those just joining in and 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 also below in my signature. 52 Books Blog - September Equinox: I've got James Taylor's You Got a Friend running through my brain today. When you're down and troubled and you need a helping hand and nothing, whoa, nothing is going right. Close your eyes and think of me and soon I will be there to brighten up even your darkest nights. You just call out my name, and you know where ever I am I'll come running to see you again. Winter, spring, summer, or fall, all you have to do is call and I'll be there, yeah, yeah, you've got a friend. La la la la ~~~~~~ *grin* As of Thursday, it's Fall here in the Northern Hemisphere, and for those in the Southern half, Spring. It's all about the leaves, springing forth to brighten our lives or changing colors and decorating the earth. ~Beautiful either way~. Since I have music running through my head, let's run with it and see where it goes. My trusty thesaurus gives me for lyrical: melodious, soulful, passionate, dulcet, agreeable and orchestral to name a few. Feeling a bit poetical as well as epic, dramatic, song-like or tuneful yet? What about the melody of crackling leaves, the romance of flowers, the wind whistling through the trees, the song of birds and odes to the moon. Hmm! There seems to be a number of directions to go, so pick a musical word or theme and see where it leads you. My meanderings lead me to K.M. Aul and his Senses Novels #1 Aura and #2 Dulcet. Have fun! *************************************** History of the Renaissance World - 65 and 66 **************************************** What are you reading this week? Link to week 37 Edited September 18, 2016 by Robin M 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted September 18, 2016 Author Share Posted September 18, 2016 (edited) I still in Claire and Jamie's world and 85% done with An Echo of the Bone. Edited September 18, 2016 by Robin M 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 Well, not sure if this counts for last week's challenge, because I had heard of this book before and thought it sounded interesting, but . . . I was in the library on Friday and saw, on the New Arrivals display, this book, which definitely caught my eye based on its cover and title: I started reading it yesterday, and I'm enjoying it - it's not my usual fare in the sense that it's a contemporary novel without any speculative/fantasy/sci fi components whatsoever. It's a novel that exposes what is/may be going on in boardrooms and small towns near you and me, as we speak. But the characters are good and the story is compelling and it's an issue (fracking) that I care about at one remove. So I'm glad I picked it up! As y'all know, I don't usually pick books based on their covers, but the challenge made me look twice, so thanks, Robin! Other than that, I'm immersed in The Great Gatsby (which I'll be teaching soon), and loving it, it's one of my favorite novels. I'm also reading So We Read On and Gatsby: A Cultural History. and have Great lined up too. Getting lots of good teaching ideas from What's The Big Idea, and of course the WTM 4th ed. which I'm close to finishing. I recently completed a couple of Heinrich von Kleist short stories - The Marquise of O, which I disliked thoroughly and implacably due to the basic premise - a woman is raped while passed out during an attack on her father's castle, becomes pregnant without knowing why, and is later wooed by her rapist. It's a story that I can appreciate on one level as a work within its time, but it doesn't translate well into the modern era at all. OTOH, The Earthquake in Chile, while also a horrible story, was also quite wonderful in its treatment of how people behave during and after a crisis - the good, the bad, and the horrifically ugly. That one was worth a read. It's quite biting re: the Church, and no social class comes out unscathed. I'm also reading The Taming of the Shrew with Shannon, and I have to say, I'm enjoying it a lot more than I have in the past. I think I'm able to see nuances in how Shakespeare wrote his characters, particularly Katherine and Petruchio, which I wasn't able to see in the past. Essentially, this is because I'm starting with the premise that Shakespeare knew what he was doing, and he didn't write stupid, stereotypical characters, so what is actually going on here? And I'm enjoying the farce. Hence I did *not* enjoy the Zefferelli film (the Taylor/Burton production) which I think did a terrible job with both Kate and Petruchio, relying way more on slapstick physical comedy, violence and threatened violence, and Liz's heaving bosom for its effect. Note to directors: the way to do Shakespeare well isn't to cut all the best passages and rely on the star appeal of your main characters. We'll be watching other versions (including Kiss Me, Kate) and hope to find one we like better! 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 Yes, I recommended James Rollins and happy you enjoyed his writing. I've read the sigma series out of order. They work quite well as stand alone and no harm in bouncing around. My black eye is finally fading, but still feel like I have perpetually filled sinuses with an achy face. Was just telling hubby tonight that having a hurt nose makes you quite cognizant of the location of said nose when opening doors and cabinets, leaning over, etc. :laugh: I thought it was you! And I'm glad because I couldn't wait and started The Judas Strain last night though I have other books going :D I feel for your nose. Around 27 years ago when dh and I were dating, I hit my nose on the corner of the car door. I did not go to the Dr. but my mom believed it was broken or very close to it. For 27 years the darn thing is ridiculously sensitive to any bump. It makes me cringe. So I had to smile at your saying how cognizant you are of the location of said nose! Even the girls know and will say "oh no don't hit the nose!" 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErinE Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 (edited) . Edited November 8, 2016 by ErinE 16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 I finished Anna Lee Huber's latest As Death Draws Near. It was quite good and rather interesting because of it's setting in Ireland as opposed to England/Scotland during the early 1800's. Lots of Protestant/Catholic sentiment and discussion about the overall society being portrayed. It was still fluss but different fluff than normal. ;) I also read the first book by a new to me cozy author that was recommended by someone on the Mystery Reader thread we had linked here a couple weeks ago. Denise Swanson's Murder of a Small-town Honey was good. I really couldn't figure out how I missed the entire series because it was a bit dated than I looked and published in 2000. Not much library action that year because I was pregnant and on bed rest. After 2000 I didn't really hunt for new series because I was having a hard time keeping up with ongoing favourite series.https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/219646.Murder_of_a_Small_Town_Honey I am currently reading a new to me author Jeanne Dams that someone here recommended back in British Cozy week. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/363082.The_Body_In_The_Transept. The Body in the Transept is great. Totally enjoying it and have already placed the second on hold. 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 Hello everyone! I have not done a lot of reading the past few days (hanging head in shame). There have been some social distractions but I think that Internet was more of a time waster for me. It happens. The two books I am reading now are Elspeth Huxley's Murder on Safari (which Onceuponatime sent me--thanks again!) and Anita Lobel's memoir, No Pretty Pictures. Let's start with the latter. Lobel is an award winner illustrator of children's books who was a five year old child living in Krakow when the Nazis invaded. She spent the next four and a half years with her brother and a nanny, attempting to avoid being sent to a concentration camp. No Pretty Pictures tells this story of survival from the child's perspective. This book was a finalist for the National Book Award (Young People's Lit) and would be an excellent home school addition for your middle school or early high school student. Let me know if you are interested in having me send it your way when I am done. Trivia note: Anita Lobel was married to Arnold Lobel who endeared himself to millions as the author and illustrator of the Frog and Toad books. When Onceuponatime offered Murder on Safari to the group, I was quick to raise my hand to this classic mystery from 1938. I thought that I had read it years ago but I was mistaken. The author Elspeth Huxley has a familiar surname (she was Aldous Huxley's cousin) but it was not until after the book arrived that I realized how I knew her name: The Flame Trees of Thika! I have not read Flame Trees but I recall that it aired on Masterpiece Theater before some of you on this thread were born. (Cough, cough.) Flame Trees is going on my TBR list. A few chapters into Murder on Safari and I can report that this tale with its "Great White Hunter" and racial stereotypes is dated. But this is a Christie sort of mystery which sits well with me in terms of style. 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 I read The Fairy Tale Girl - 5 Stars - This is the first in a trilogy of Susan Branch’s memoirs. However, it’s the second book that I’ve read since she wrote them out of order. I have fallen in love with her gorgeously illustrated books. Gosh, I wish that I was as talented as her! Not only are her books a visual treat, but the stories behind them are wonderful also. I didn’t want the book to end, yet I was eager to read what would happen next and am looking so forward to reading the sequel. I’m thinking of getting her cookbooks. Her love for cooking and all things home-y are ever so inspiring to me. Some of my favorite quotes: “Fresh interests will lead to happiness.†-- “’Less is a bore,’ wrote Robert Venturi about modern architecture and design. I could not agree more. Less can be pretty; some could think of it as restful. If you wish to hide your true soul, this is the way to go; because it’s a very private sort of decorating. But if you are a heart-on-your-sleeve person, you won’t be able to do it. Soon photos of loved ones, quilts, candles, flowers, and treasured books will begin to leak into the picture. Add a teapot or two and it’s all over.†-- “One day I called my grandma … I asked her if men were the same in her day as they were in ours … She said yes, she thought they were about the same ~ ‘but women don’t pay attention.’ She told me she’d realized with my grandfather that women ‘should pay less attention to what men say, and watch what they do.’ She said this worked with all people, but especially boyfriends, husbands, and politicians.†-- “I’d seen up close how difficult and demanding it was to raise children when I was growing up as the oldest of eight. I was not spurning ‘God’s greatest gift’ but I understood what kind of commitment it took. And as far as I was concerned, if you were married, having a baby was a joint decision. Both people had to want it. Babies should be the center of the universe; both parents needed to be thrilled, excited, and wildly involved. You can’t have someone standing in the corner pouting while you’re trying to take care of a baby.†-- “My brothers and sisters and I were blessed with our mother’s incredibly happy disposition: She sang us awake in the morning, she sang in the car, and she sang all day while she worked around the house. Along with the Shirley Temple movies she taught me to love, my mom’s singing was the soundtrack of my childhood.†-- “We aren’t in control of the circumstances of our childhoods. I might have liked college and a reading list, sophisticated travel, finishing school, and a cultured environment, the things you read about in books; but we all get what we get, count our blessings, then do the best we can. My parents did that. They did the best they could with what life brought them, and I’m so grateful for every moment of my happy, carefree, innocent childhood. Looking back, of all the gifts I’ve been given, this one is my most treasured. I wouldn’t change a thing.†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. 18 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 Books read last week: Mr. Monster by Dan Wells. Horror. A few months after saving his town from a serial killer, John Cleaver adjusts to his new hero status and his awakened dark side. I'm still wondering how I can feel sympathy for this character. He wants to be normal, but he struggles with the monster inside him. I really liked the book for the character study, but it's not everyone's cup of tea. Highly recommended, if you can handle books with a potential serial killer. This is part of that "I Am Not a Serial Killer" series, isn't it? I may try this... I just started Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier and I'm really enjoying it. I've always passed on it because I thought it was set in Jamaica and didn't bother to read anything further about it. LOL Du Maurier is such an atmospheric writer, I love her. Next up is a thriller by John Farrow who writes the Emile Cinq-Mars series and I'm stumped as to where to begin with this author. Technically, his first novel with this character is from 1999, but The Storm Murders (which I just got from the library) starts a trilogy to sort of restart the series? Maybe? lol Our library doesn't have any of his earlier works, surprisingly. I'm getting into Canadian authors because I'm trying to brush up on my French, focusing on the Quebecois dialect. Perhaps I'll finally figure out how to type letters with their proper accent marks, too. LOL 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 Last week I finished Young Goodman Brown and Other Short Stories by Nathaniel Hawthorne. I've started The Fingerprint, a Miss Silver mystery, by Patricia Wentworth. I find that I must have read it before, even though I checked my lists. It is very familiar, plus I think I know who the murderer is. 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mothersweets Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 Hello everyone! I have not done a lot of reading the past few days (hanging head in shame). There have been some social distractions but I think that Internet was more of a time waster for me. It happens. The two books I am reading now are Elspeth Huxley's Murder on Safari (which Onceuponatime sent me--thanks again!) and Anita Lobel's memoir, No Pretty Pictures. Let's start with the latter. Lobel is an award winner illustrator of children's books who was a five year old child living in Krakow when the Nazis invaded. She spent the next four and a half years with her brother and a nanny, attempting to avoid being sent to a concentration camp. No Pretty Pictures tells this story of survival from the child's perspective. This book was a finalist for the National Book Award (Young People's Lit) and would be an excellent home school addition for your middle school or early high school student. Let me know if you are interested in having me send it your way when I am done. Trivia note: Anita Lobel was married to Arnold Lobel who endeared himself to millions as the author and illustrator of the Frog and Toad books. When Onceuponatime offered Murder on Safari to the group, I was quick to raise my hand to this classic mystery from 1938. I thought that I had read it years ago but I was mistaken. The author Elspeth Huxley has a familiar surname (she was Aldous Huxley's cousin) but it was not until after the book arrived that I realized how I knew her name: The Flame Trees of Thika! I have not read Flame Trees but I recall that it aired on Masterpiece Theater before some of you on this thread were born. (Cough, cough.) Flame Trees is going on my TBR list. A few chapters into Murder on Safari and I can report that this tale with its "Great White Hunter" and racial stereotypes is dated. But this is a Christie sort of mystery which sits well with me in terms of style. I read Lobel's memoir many years ago and it has stuck with me. Her writing style was direct and simple yet conveyed so much, a heartbreaking story with a hopeful ending told so beautifully. It truly deserves a wider audience. Have you ever seen her children's book illustrations? Princess Furball A New Coat for Anna 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mothersweets Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 I just finished a wonderful mystery! Still Life:A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel by Louise Penny. from Amazon - Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Surêté du Québec and his team of investigators are called in to the scene of a suspicious death in a rural village south of Montreal. Jane Neal, a local fixture in the tiny hamlet of Three Pines, just north of the U.S. border, has been found dead in the woods. The locals are certain it's a tragic hunting accident and nothing more, but Gamache smells something foul in these remote woods, and is soon certain that Jane Neal died at the hands of someone much more sinister than a careless bowhunter. I read this on a recommendation from the Modern Mrs. Darcy blog and am so pleased to find a new series. The writing is so good with well-developed characters and a good mystery. Can't wait to read the next one - there are eleven in the series - yay! 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethel Mertz Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 This week's challenge: Death of a Baritone (A Music Lover's Mystery) - Karen Sturges. I just requested it from my library. Last week I read 3 more of Leslie Meier's mysteries. I'm almost done with the series and have found that her books get progressively better. I also finished Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry. I wrote down several pages of quotes and will choose one for here: QUOTE Pigeonville College had a much better library ... and I spent a lot of my time there, reading in books and magazines. I'd had the idea, once, that if I could get the chance before I died I would read all the good books there were. Now I began to see that I wasn't apt to make it. This disappointed me, for I really wanted to read them all. But it consoled me in a way too; I could see that if I got them all read and had no more surprises in that line, I would have been sorry. - p. 47 ----- I remember feeling that way as a kid when I walked into our local library. I wanted to read every single book on the shelves. Perhaps this explains why my To Be Read list on Goodreads is over 1500 books long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 Earlier this afternoon I finished the contemporary romance Rookie Move (A Brooklyn Bruisers Novel) which I enjoyed. It's by an author who's a favorite of mine ~ Sarina Bowen. This is a book that I'll be re-reading. The book is a spin off from the author's Ivy Years new adult series, but it stands alone well. (Some adult content) "In high school they were the perfect couple—until the day Georgia left Leo in the cold... Hockey player Leo Trevi has spent the last six years trying to do two things: get over the girl who broke his heart, and succeed in the NHL. But on the first day he’s called up to the newly franchised Brooklyn Bruisers, Leo gets checked on both sides, first by the team’s coach—who has a long simmering grudge, and then by the Bruisers’ sexy, icy publicist—his former girlfriend Georgia Worthington. Saying goodbye to Leo was one of the hardest things Georgia ever had to do—and saying hello again isn’t much easier. Georgia is determined to keep their relationship strictly professional, but when a press conference microphone catches Leo declaring his feelings for her, things get really personal, really fast...." ** Tomorrow morning I leave home to keep my mother company for several weeks. My mother recovered fairly well from her fall in January, but she is having other challenges such as anxiety and forgetfulness. My sister who lives nearby does a tremendous amount for my mother for which I'm grateful. Since my sister is going on a vacation, this seemed like a good time to visit. I don't know yet what amount of internet access I'll have; I'll be reading and will post when I can. Happy reading! Regards, Kareni 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 (edited) On the list that Kareni posted on last week's thread, I didn't recognize any of those expressions. My reading time remains almost non-existent. I am still working on Promise of Blood (at least I'm past the 100-page mark right now) & really liking it. It's quite well-written (better than many in the category) & it's a compelling story. My dd & I don't often overlap on book likes & I'm almost wondering if this is more my style book than hers. It has received a starred review from Kirkus & from what I've read so far, I'd really have to agree. I think it stands above others in the genre. I rarely read series books, but this may be one series I actually read. (Of course at my glacial pace, it may take awhile as these are large/long books.) First of a fantasy trilogy, sort of a French Revolution with wizards; McClelland’s debut packs some serious heat. “The Age of Kings is dead...and I have killed it†declares Field Marshal Tamas, having overthrown the self-indulgent and utterly uncaring monarch who not only bankrupted the state of Adro and left his people starving, but intended to sell what was left to powerful, warlike and covetous neighbor Kez. Tamas, a powder mage, one who eats or snorts gunpowder in order to gain magic powers, slaughtered the monarch’s royal cabal of Privileged mages and now proceeds to guillotine the remaining aristocracy, feed the people and set up a ruling council. He asks Adamat, a retired police inspector with a perfect memory, to discover what the mysterious Kresimir’s Promise might mean. Tamas must still deal with assaults by royalist fanatics, power struggles among his supposed allies (the church, workers unions and mercenary forces), and his own disaffected son Taniel, a powder mage and master marksman. Taniel’s companion is Ka-poel, a young, mute barbarian female whose powerful magics are unlike those of other mages. Julene, posing as a hunter of Privileged, turns out to be something else altogether. Mihali, possibly quite mad in claiming to be the son of a god, indeed proves to be a master chef, evidently with the ability to conjure food out of thin air. If that’s not enough, Adamat discovers there’s a traitor among the ruling council. And then the Kez attack. This is a stew of splendidly diverse and flavorsome ingredients, outstanding action sequences and well-handled, relentless if sometimes overelaborate plotting, despite some worrisome indications than McClellan hasn’t fully thought all the concepts through. A thoroughly satisfying yarn that should keep readers waiting impatiently for further installments. I also realized I need to get started on The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks as my book club is coming up very soon. Mostly, though, you can tell how my life is going that I'm recommending that I read picture books for banned books week. :leaving: My best hope for reading time will be when I have to sit at another of ds' long orthodontist appointments this week. I did walk in a little local parade yesterday representing the county library system. That was fun (but maybe not the best for my foot). Edited September 18, 2016 by Stacia 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawneinfl Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 Reading books, just not finishing anything. A little local library trivia...the cost for out of county library cards is going up from $40 to $100 per year this month. A little too steep including a 30 minute drive. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 Robin, I hope you've recovered from your happy dog injury (and you too, Stacia). Fall and spring are just dates on a calendar in my neck of the woods. It's still hot and humid and will stay that way for about another month. Then the temperature will drop to the low to mid-80s. :D Add me to the list of BaW'ers who haven't done a lot of reading lately. I'm still finishing books I started. Audio book - The Lake House, Kate Morton Hardcover - Tricky Business, Dave Barry Kindle - Between the World and Me, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Die Trying, Lee Child (Jack Reacher #2), Alexander Hamilton, Ron Chernow, and yes still The Voyage of the Beagle (Congrats Rose for finishing it). My book club's next book will be The Art of Racing in the Rain. I've avoided this book for years and am not sure if I can handle it. I don't know for sure if the dog dies but I'm pretty sure he does and I don't like any stories where the dog dies. :( 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 And...I just received a library notice that Countdown City (The Last Policeman #2) is now available for me to download. I haven't had it on hold for long. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 I just finished a wonderful mystery! Still Life:A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel by Louise Penny. from Amazon - Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Surêté du Québec and his team of investigators are called in to the scene of a suspicious death in a rural village south of Montreal. Jane Neal, a local fixture in the tiny hamlet of Three Pines, just north of the U.S. border, has been found dead in the woods. The locals are certain it's a tragic hunting accident and nothing more, but Gamache smells something foul in these remote woods, and is soon certain that Jane Neal died at the hands of someone much more sinister than a careless bowhunter. I read this on a recommendation from the Modern Mrs. Darcy blog and am so pleased to find a new series. The writing is so good with well-developed characters and a good mystery. Can't wait to read the next one - there are eleven in the series - yay! This may be in my top 3 mystery series. They are ALL good! I'm slowly collecting all of the Inspector Gamache novels through library sales, etc. lol 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 And...I just received a library notice that Countdown City (The Last Policeman #2) is now available for me to download. I haven't had it on hold for long. I really liked these. The trilogy has been optioned for a tv series (ABC?) but I'm not sure where it is in terms of production yet. The author wrote a book called Underground Airlines, published this year, which is a speculative fiction story about the U.S. if the civil war had not occurred and he (a white man) writes as a black narrator, which some people thought interesting...or not so much. lol I haven't read it yet, but would like to. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 Reading books, just not finishing anything. A little local library trivia...the cost for out of county library cards is going up from $40 to $100 per year this month. A little too steep including a 30 minute drive. Liked your post but not the fee increase. Yikes! 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 Reading books, just not finishing anything. A little local library trivia...the cost for out of county library cards is going up from $40 to $100 per year this month. A little too steep including a 30 minute drive. Wow! That is quite the price hike. We don't have a county system where I live. Each city has its own library or not. I have a card to our city library which is supported by our property tax. I do pay for a library membership in the larger city that neighbors ours. The cost there went up to $130 per year which is painful but still worth it for me and mine. Regards, Kareni 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 Jane, The Flame Trees of Thika is on my TBR list too. We pay a token $1 to be members of a neighboring county's library system. We, and other people in our county, offered to pay a different neighboring county, with an exceptional system, up to $100. They refused us. It was obviously political and funding oriented. They had made a better deal with another county that gave them a large sum of county money to allow all their citizens to be members, instead of purchasing individual subscriptions. Our poor rural county could not afford that. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faithr Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 To whomever posted about this book, I thought the Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks was fascinating. I hope you enjoy it! I just read the 3rd book in my little P.G. Wodehouse jag, Blandings Castle. It really is a collection of short stories, not a novel at all. But I enjoyed it as I can only handle light stuff since I am reading so much heavy theology. I am also still working on Life of Samuel Johnson on audio. I had stopped listening for a few weeks but got a chance to listen to a lot more. I am now on Ch. 29 and he's 71 so it has got to end soon doesn't it? I think he dies when he is 72..... This coming weekend I am going to camping. I am a complete give me A/C or give me death/I hate mosquitoes/how did anyone survive before indoor plumbing kind of person. I decided the way to handle this was to make sure I had a good book charged up on my kindle though I have no idea if I'll be able to read or not. But anyway after hunting around I got this book The Blueberry Years. It sound nice and country-ish - good for when spending time in the great outdoors. I am looking forward to starting it just as soon as I get all my theology out of the way. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faithr Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 I read The Flame Trees of Thika a long, long time ago after the miniseries came out maybe in the late 1970s or early 1980s. Anyway, it is a wonderful book! I bet it would make a great reread. Might put that on my tbr list. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethel Mertz Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 Reading books, just not finishing anything. A little local library trivia...the cost for out of county library cards is going up from $40 to $100 per year this month. A little too steep including a 30 minute drive. Wow! Too high for me for sure! I did discover, however, that in my state, any resident could get a free library e-card for the library located in the state capital. So, when my local library system doesn't have an e-book, I can check the e-books in the capital city. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethel Mertz Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 I meant to add - I am reading the 2nd book in the Miss Dreamsville series and am enjoying it immensely! Funny, charming, entertaining, and deals with contemporary issues. First Miss Dreamsville Book 2nd Miss Dreamsville Book Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 LOL I've read the whole trilogy (and Love in the Time of Cholera, but that one was ages ago), so now you're making me feel like I have staying power. :) Although I have never gotten past the second page of A Hundred Years of Solitude. And only a few chapters into Don Quixote... :leaving: I actually really liked The Shadow of the Wind, but I did like the first one in the trilogy best. The second one is pretty trippy - you don't really figure out what was really going in the second book till the third book clarifies the issue. If you don't like trippy, you can skip the second one - it's a prequel; the third one is a sequel to the first. Hang on! It's a trilogy? Sigh. I'll decide when I finish if I want to read the other books. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angelaboord Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 Faith - I read The Blueberry Years a few years ago. I enjoyed it. It kept me company when I was pregnant and couldn't sleep. Made me realize we had planted far too few blueberry bushes, though. Stacia and Robin, glad to hear your dog injuries are on the mend! I'm putting my name on the "wish I was reading more" list, too. My dd took The Complete Stories of Flannery O'Connor into her room, so I will probably never see it again. I'm about halfway through To Kill a Mockingbird, which I'm hoping my dd will also read, and my dh has been giving me a hard time because it's one of the few novels he's read that I haven't. (He doesn't read much fiction.) I don't know how I escaped school without reading this book, but I did, and now I'm wondering why it took me so long to get around to it, it's so good. But we have all been sick this week (including me and the baby) and I've spent the past several days researching math curricula for my dyslexic 13 year old and this has apparently sapped all my reading ability. I did finish reading aloud Homer Price to my 6 and 9 year olds, but then I checked my Goodreads challenge data and realized that most of my books for the year are read-alouds I wouldn't actually count toward my yearly total. So I'm actually only at 32 countable books for the year. [emoji13] I've got a couple of new books in my stack for the week, though. My 2nd Book of the Month delivery arrived. This month I picked The Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. It's set in 1922; the main character is a Russian aristocrat sentenced to live his life in a Moscow hotel or be shot on sight if he sets foot in the street. I like books set in Russia and I like reading the Interwar years, so I have high hopes for this one. I'm not sure it will live up to them, but I have to say that it is nice having someone narrow my choices to 5 and send me books I wouldn't ordinarily have chosen to read on my own. I have one more month in my membership before I have to decide whether to renew. Oh, and I couldn't resist adding Circling the Sun by Paula McLain to my order. This is the book I should have chosen last month but didn't for some reason. It's the fictionalized story of Beryl Markham, the author of West With the Night. The author chose - riskily, I think -- to tell the story in 1st person, but I'll reserve judgement until I read the whole thing. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 (edited) As for banned picture books, I am picking up Walter the Farting Dog for my youngest. Actually, I'm getting the series. Apparently, Walter farted in many places and it warranted more than one book. For my middle ds I'm thinking Sign of the Beaver and I need to decide with my high schooler want he would like to read. Perhaps Fahrenheit 451 I always get them each a banned book. Last year we did In the Night Kitchen, Tom Sawyer, and Brave New World. Oh, and I picked up Julie of the Wolves the other day and didn't realize that it was a banned book. There are some Dr. Seuss books on the list. That can be read with only 2 brain cells. Although, Seuss can run deep if you really ponder. Edited September 19, 2016 by Mom-ninja. 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mothersweets Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 This may be in my top 3 mystery series. They are ALL good! I'm slowly collecting all of the Inspector Gamache novels through library sales, etc. lol Oooh! I'm so happy to know they are all good - yay! 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 Shel Silverstein's A Light in the Attic! That would be a great kids' book to read for banned books week. I just bought it. Each of my kids is going to pick a poem from it to memorize for their memory work. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 Apparently, Walter farted in many places and it warranted more than one book. :lol: Well, at least I did read Beyond Magenta from the 2015 most challenged list. I will try to add more but see how the remaining couple of weeks of September go for me. I sat down & propped up my foot & made good headway into The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. I'm loving it so far. Really fascinating on many levels. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 As for banned picture books, I am picking up Walter the Farting Dog for my youngest. Actually, I'm getting the series. Apparently, Walter farted in many places and it warranted more than one book. Are any of your children studying Latin? My daughter had fun reading Walter Canis Inflatus: Walter the Farting Dog (Latin Edition) by William Kotzwinkle and Glenn Murray. Regards, Kareni 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 Almost finished with RLS's Kidnapped. Like Treasure Island with Jacobites instead of pirates. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 so pick a musical word or theme and see where it leads you. And my pick is...... Silence. I've played 5 shows, 2 church services and 1 rehearsal this weekend, and have been sprawled on the couch since I got home over an hour ago, unable to move. Reveling in the quiet of the house. Still in the black dress I put on 14 hours ago... As for banned picture books, [snip] There are some Dr. Seuss books on the list. That can be read with only 2 brain cells. Although, Seuss can run deep if you really ponder. Oh good, then I'm covered for banned books week as I'm buried in all things Seuss with a 6 week run of Seussical the Musical! On the book reading front, this has been a decent week. I started and have almost finished Dispatches from Pluto, a memoir about the author's experiences in moving from New York to live in an old plantation house in the very poor, very rural Delta in Mississippi. He is a white liberal, originally from England, but he fell in love with the Delta and he sets about trying to understand the poverty and racial relations of the area while learning to handle guns and hunt deer. It is quite excellent. I'm almost done with Kim, and have gone down a few rabbit trails to learn more about Kipling. Among the articles I found is this recent column from the Washington Post, In Defense of Rudyard Kipling. I also started a detective novel -- a Los Angeles female private detective, Dead Soon Enough, by Steph Cha. So far, so good. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loesje22000 Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 I finished this book this weekend: https://www.amazon.com/Wicked-Company-Forgotten-Radicalism-Enlightenment-ebook/dp/B0046A8SDG/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1474270236&sr=1-4&keywords=Philipp+blom I like it very much as it doesn't presume a lot of required knowledge of philosophers and explains a lot in the text without being long winded? I also read 'Thomas More' last week, from the Flemish author Joris Tulkens. As the book works with different 'portrets' (persons who reflect on their relationship with More) it is helpful to have read other books from this author about Pieter Gilles and Erasmus. 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErinE Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 This is part of that "I Am Not a Serial Killer" series, isn't it? I may try this... Yes. I read the first one and it was interesting enough that I decided to read the second and plan on reading the third. Wells creates empathy for a disturbing character. The second book is much darker than the first; Cleaver makes poor choices and begins to embrace his inner monster. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErinE Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 DH and I watched the movie Everest over the weekend. After it was over, he says, "That's it! I'm climbing a mountain!" while I'm curled up in my chair wiping away tears. I started crying with one hour left because I knew the ending, having read Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air. Highly recommend the book if you are interested in tales of survival. The movie was good as well. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 As for banned picture books, I am picking up Walter the Farting Dog for my youngest. Actually, I'm getting the series. Apparently, Walter farted in many places and it warranted more than one book. For my middle ds I'm thinking Sign of the Beaver and I need to decide with my high schooler want he would like to read. Perhaps Fahrenheit 451 I always get them each a banned book. Last year we did In the Night Kitchen, Tom Sawyer, and Brave New World. Oh, and I picked up Julie of the Wolves the other day and didn't realize that it was a banned book. There are some Dr. Seuss books on the list. That can be read with only 2 brain cells. Although, Seuss can run deep if you really ponder. Ahh, this brings up warm memories! My grandmother bought this book for my dds. She was in her late 80s at the time. We all get warm fuzzies whenever we pull it out. I realize that these sentences may be construed as puns or jokes, but I don't mean them that way - sincerely love the Walter books and my grandmother for being cool enough to appreciate them! 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 (edited) My next book is Arrowsmith, not the band Aerosmith, the Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Sinclair Lewis. That was our book club pick and I want to get it out of the way early so I can devote the bulk of October to my fall reads. Do I get points for the title having some sort of musical reference, even if it is in a round about way? Edited September 19, 2016 by Onceuponatime 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 My next book is Arrowsmith, not the band Aerosmith, the Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Sinclair Lewis. That was our book club pick and I want to get it out of the way early so I can devote the bulk of October to my fall reads. Do I get points for the title having some sort of musical reference, even if it is in a round about way? Only if you walk this way while reading it. I finished Kidnapped, and it was certainly engaging enough, though the end was left a bit hanging, presumably with the sequel Catriona/ David Balfour in mind. 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 My next book is Arrowsmith, not the band Aerosmith, the Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Sinclair Lewis. That was our book club pick and I want to get it out of the way early so I can devote the bulk of October to my fall reads. Do I get points for the title having some sort of musical reference, even if it is in a round about way? Only if you walk this way while reading it. Nicely played, VC. And for more on music and books, here is another "5 books about" post from Tor.com, Five Sci-Fi Books That Make Use of Music 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 Back from a quick trip to California to celebrate my dad's 80th birthday. Finished 50 Successful Harvard Application Essays earlier this week--made for good treadmill reading. Dd will be immersed in college application essays in a year, and I wanted to know what a good essay would be like. I liked this book; I also got her a book on how to write your college application essays, but I think I may learn more from just reading examples than a how-to book. For each essay, there is analysis at the end by a staff member of The Harvard Crimson. I was about 3 or 4 essays into the book when I got to one that made me think, "This isn't a very good essay." And sure enough, the analyst also pointed out the problems with the essay. So it's not all glowing, perfect essays from perfect people. I appreciated that. There are some where you think the essay is so good it may have gotten them admitted, but others that make you think the student must have other talents that got them admitted! For my random read from last week, I just finished a book on my kindle by Andrea Host called The Silence of Medair. I loved her Touchstone trilogy so bought this one (actually bought the duo version, so I will be starting book 2 immediately) without knowing much about it. Loved it! I will probably end up buying all of her books. Her stories grab me and I love the strong but flawed female leads. Also started Looking for Alaska by John Green as my banned book pick. I loved his The Fault in Our Stars but found his Paper Towns too YA. So far this one is more in the Paper Towns category for me, but I'll finish it (after Medair!). 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 #90 Dr. Bird's Advice for Sad Poets by Evan Roscos. It was... okay. The main character is severely depressed for reasons he can't figure out. The parents are abusive. His sister was cutting and then got expelled from school and kicked out of their house. Dr. Bird is a pigeon therapist the main character made up in his head. He sees a therapist a few times and magically gets better. Mostly it was just stream of consciousness spewing from the author's brain. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 I finished the WTM 4th edition, and I'm very impressed. This edition is a significant improvement over the 3rd edition, incorporating many changes that have been discussed in recent years on the Forums! The science sections have been revamped, and the writing sections as well, and in general there is less of a focus on curriculum recommendations and more of a focus on how to actually teach the subjects, which is great. Kudos to Susan for creating a really meaningful revised edition. I also finished reading Gatsby, for the 3rd time. I'm buying another copy so I can read it *again* and annotate it before I turn Shannon loose on it. I absolutely adore that book. Wow. That is just about all I can say. Wow. I finished listening to Classic American Short Stories. A few were very good, but O Henry does get tedious when you listen to a bunch of his stories in a row! I'm now listening to Alice Munro's collection, Runaway. She certainly is a remarkable writer, but her characters can really make me squirm. I'd hate to know her IRL and wonder if one of her characters was modeled on me. They are almost too realistic, she definitely scrapes away the varnish we all have, even over our own self-images. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 Are any of your children studying Latin? My daughter had fun reading Walter Canis Inflatus: Walter the Farting Dog (Latin Edition) by William Kotzwinkle and Glenn Murray. Regards, Kareni That is awesome sauce! Must buy it. I've gotten farther into The Shadow of the Wind and WHOA I did not see that coming. Those who have read the book will know what part I just got to. Blind sided. That was quite the twist to the plot. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 Okay, just found out that I was right. I knew who the book burning devil man was shortly in. The twisted love plot thing was a surprise though. I had everything figured out except that part concerning the relationship between those Julian and Penelope 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 A quick post - Overall my travel day yesterday was pleasant save for about four minutes of the worst turbulence I've ever experienced. I was sitting one row from the back of the plane and could see all the heads before me whipping to the left and right as we bumped about. I was hanging on to the seat ahead of me with both hands, and I know that prayers were being said as I said a few. I was happy to land and get back to solid ground. I'm with my sister now for a couple of days before moving in with my mother on Thursday. On the plane I read Marie Force's Fatal Frenzy which I enjoyed (Some adult content). I've forgotten how to copy and paste on my sister's computer so here's the link: https://www.amazon.com/Fatal-Frenzy-Book-9-ebook/dp/B00TOVKUZ6#nav-subnav The prequel novella to the series is currently free if you'd like to experience the series: https://www.amazon.com/One-Night-You-Prequel-Novella-ebook/dp/B00S5J5ZG2/ref=la_B001JS34LY_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1474390336&sr=1-3&refinements=p_82%3AB001JS34LY%2Cp_n_feature_browse-bin%3A618073011#nav-subnav ETA: and read some 100 pages of Toni Aleo's Blue Lines before putting it aside as it wasn't grabbing me. https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Lines-Assassins-Toni-Aleo/dp/0345546679/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1474390637&sr=1-1&keywords=toni+ALEO+blue Regards, Kareni 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 Kareni, Glad you arrived safely after your scary experience. When I was young I loved flying now not so much. Enjoy your time with your mom. Before your internet time is interrupted I am finally reading a book I think you recommend occasionally Jennifer Ashley's The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie. I did finish a really light cozy The Cat, the Quilt, and the Corpse. It's the first in a series that has been recommended repeatedly by one of my overdrive accounts. It was OK and actually a new mystery idea but not enough quilts for my taste. :lol: I know that doesn't make much sense but it wasn't a craft cozy and I was expecting one so disappointed. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6238524-the-cat-the-quilt-and-the-corpse 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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