Thank you so much. This is so helpful.

I LOVE mine.

Kareni, I believe that it was you who recommended "A Christmas Memory" by Truman Capote on the Christmas books thread. I can't find that thread. This book has been on my wish list for a while. Quick question: is it illustrated? If so, I should probably get a hard copy. I need to know if I can get a Kindle version or if I should get the hard copy. Thank you!

Going to look into the Mark Hyman book. Thank you for the suggestion!

Kindle book on sale.

Thank you all for your kind and sweet words re: my pictures.

Robin, thank you for this wonderful thread, as always! I have yet to read any of the Daniel Silva books. I think that I have a few, but would prefer to read them in order. I read Mapping Manhattan: A Love (and Sometimes Hate) Story in Maps by 75 New Yorkers - 1 Star - I thought that this would be a fun read and loved the idea, but it just ended up being “meh”. Most of the maps and print were too small and/or illegible. Most of the stories and poems were boring also. Everything I Need to Know About Christmas I Learned From a Little Golden Book - 3 Stars - This series (for adults, mind you) is pure nostalgia and cuteness. Although this one wasn’t my favorite, it would still make a nice gift for anyone who loved the Golden Books as a child. Pachinko - 5 Stars - I recently read and reviewed The Lords of Discipline and said that it was my favorite read of the year. Now, this book is my new favorite. I have a soft spot for multi-generational family sagas. Evergreen is another one that comes to mind. I read that one earlier this year (and loved it also). This gorgeously written story deals with the displacement of Koreans in Japan across a fifty-year time period. So much of it was truly eye-opening. It’s the sort of book that I could barely put down. I became obsessed with the story and felt irritated any time that I couldn’t read. I love books like that. My only complaint is that the ending felt a tiny bit rushed and there were a few unresolved stories, but honestly, that was relatively minor. All in all. I absolutely loved this book. My favorite quotes: “You want to see a very bad man? Make an ordinary man successful beyond his imagination. Let’s see how good he is when he can do whatever he wants.” “...a God that did everything we thought was right and good wouldn't be the creator of the universe. He would be our puppet.” “a man must learn to forgive—to know what is important, that to live without forgiveness was a kind of death with breathing and movement.” “Patriotism is just an idea, so is capitalism or communism. But ideas can make men forget their own interests. And the guys in charge will exploit men who believe in ideas too much.” “There's no such thing as a benevolent leader. ... Those communists don't care about you. They don't care about anybody.” “For people like us, home doesn't exist.” Some more pictures from our time in Sevilla. Sorry if this is all getting a bit boring and repetitive. You might recognize the last one from a scene in one of the Star Wars episodes.

Kindle book on sale today.

I read The Lords of Discipline - 5 Stars - My favorite read of the year! Pat Conroy wrote beautifully. I’ve read a few of his books and have loved them all so far. This one is probably my favorite, or at least a close tie with Beach Music. This is the story of a cadet at the Carolina Military Institute in Charleston during the turbulent 1960s. It’s based on Conroy’s own experiences at The Citadel. I read that when Conroy first published this book, his alma mater shunned him for thirty years. While reading this, I couldn’t help but wonder how much of the story is based on fact. Just to prove how great of a writer he was, military stuff would normally not interest me one bit. This book had me hooked! The friendship between the protagonist, Will, and his three roommates is just lovely. Parts of the story are truly painful and raw at times, especially all the awful and monstrous freshman hazing rituals. Those descriptions are not for the faint of heart. They’re intense and gruesome. After all that, the story is incredibly powerful and moving. Conroy’s rich descriptions of Charleston make me want to visit there more than ever before. “Though I will always be a visitor to Charleston, I will always remain one with a passionate belief that it is the most beautiful city in America and that to walk the old section of the city at night is to step into the bloodstream of a history extravagantly lived by a people born to a fierce and unshakable advocacy of their past. To walk in the spire-proud shade of Church Street is to experience the chronicle of a mythology that is particular to this city and this city alone, a trinitarian mythology with equal parts of the sublime, the mysterious, and the grotesque.” “No city could be more beautiful than Charleston during the brief reign of azaleas, no city on earth.” I’m sad that I finished this book and can’t stop thinking of all the characters. They seemed so real. As with most fabulous books, whatever I read next will likely pale in comparison. Some of my favorite quotes: “Honor is the presence of God in man.” “… the world needs more roses far more than it needs more basketball players.” “Young girls have an infinite capacity for being attracted to the wrong sort of men.” Some pictures from Sevilla. We visited where part of Game of Thrones was filmed. My dh and dd loved that. I'm not a GOT fan, so I just enjoyed the place. We also went to a fabulous flamenco show.

What a beautiful gift. Mumto2, that's just gorgeous!

Thank you, Laurel. What a lovely anniversary you had! Also, how lovely that your brother got to experience living there.

Happy Birthday Robin! Yesterday was my dh's 50th. Hope that you have a wonderful birthday week! I didn't get much reading done last week. I read The Ladybird Book of the Hangover - 2 Stars - This one wasn't as funny as others in the series. It may be because I’m not the intended audience. I’ve loved all the other Ladybird books for adults. Oftentimes when I need a good giggle, I pick one of them from our shelf and laugh to the point of tears. I love that feeling! Some more pictures from our time in Sevilla.

Kindle book on sale today (politics/biography/memoir)

Thank you all for your kind words both re: the pictures, and, my diagnosis. Thank you for all the prayers. I'm slowly making changes. I slept with wrist braces for the first time last night. It wasn't the most comfortable and I know that it will take some getting used to.

I read Jayber Crow - 3 Stars - For me, reading this book was all about the time and setting, and not so much a connection with any of the characters. As soon as I started to develop a connection with a character, the story would meander once more. I didn’t necessarily mind that. There are many books that I have loved that are not character and story driven. I also enjoyed going back to a simpler time in rural Americana. The writing was beautiful, but it was probably towards the last third of the book that I felt that much of the narrative became repetitive and dragged on somewhat. Oh, I enjoyed reading his thoughts on Troy Chatham! I’m related to someone like that. Berry describes that sort of person perfectly: “He was the kind of boy who always assumes that people are watching him with admiration. He had reason for assuming so, but that in itself made me unwilling to give him the credit he expected. He was a show-off; with the other boys, he was a braggart and a bully. He was not making up for any felt inferiority, either. His faults, if he knew them, never laid heavy on his mind.” “Maybe he thought that since he liked himself everybody liked him.” This was the first Wendell Berry book that I’ve read, I’m happy that I did, but I’m not sure if I’ll be reading more. Some of my favorite quotes: “I don't believe that grief passes away. It has its time and place forever. More time is added to it; it becomes a story within a story. But grief and griever alike endure.” “You might be thinking by now that I had a lot of aunts and uncles, but that was just the courtesy of those days; children were not allowed to go around first-naming older people.” “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.” In other news, some of you may recall my problems with my neck and hands (cervical spondylosis) and not being able to read much, etc. Well. my husband and I flew to Trinidad (30 minutes flight from Grenada) on Thursday. I saw a few different doctors, had my very first MRI, and a nerve conduction test. It turns out that I have bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome. What a relief! No need for surgery (hopefully!). Yes, I do have cervical spondylosis (osteoarthritis in the neck), but that's quite common in our age group anyway. Carpal tunnel is far more manageable. The best part is knowing what it is. Now I have to be vigilant about what to do. It makes sense. I didn't have any symptoms when we were on vacation. That's when I wasn't on the computer and didn't do any housework. Thank you all for your loving thoughts, prayers, and for caring. Finally, a few pictures from our first afternoon in Sevilla, Spain. The first one was one that I was all excited about. I had never seen jacaranda trees before. They were all over Sevilla! The second picture is of a patio. Andalusians take great pride in their patios.

I don't believe that I've ever voted, since I have seldom read any of the books.

I read The Importance of Being Earnest - 4 Stars - I don’t believe that I’ve read a play since high school, more than thirty years ago. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this. My daughter recommended it to me, and I thought to give it a go, since it’s short and she knows my taste. I’d never read anything by Oscar Wilde before and I envy his wit and cleverness. I could fully relate to Algernon and his love of food! This was such a fun read and I would love to see the play someday. Some of my favorite quotes” “I hate people who are not serious about meals. It is so shallow of them.” “When I am in trouble, eating is the only thing that consoles me.” “Never speak disrespectfully of Society, Algernon. Only people who can’t get into it do that.” “Once a week is quite enough to dine with one’s relations.” “You should get married. A misanthrope I can understand – a womanthrope, never!” “I am not in favour of this modern mania for turning bad people into good people at a moment’s notice. As a man sows, so let him reap.” “If one plays good music, people don’t listen, and if one plays bad music people don’t talk.” - “How you can sit there, calmly eating muffins when we are in this horrible trouble, I can’t make out. You seem to me to be perfectly heartless." "Well, I can’t eat muffins in an agitated manner. The butter would probably get on my cuffs. One should always eat muffins quite calmly. It is the only way to eat them." "I say it’s perfectly heartless your eating muffins at all, under the circumstances.” - Sharing some more pictures from Spain. While we were in Ronda, we visited some of the pueblos blancos (white villages) nearby.

Happy Belated Birthday Lady Florida!

Kindle book on sale today - memoir/spirituality

Robin, I love the Mr. Macklin poem. I read: Moments with Baha'u'llah - 4 Stars - This was probably the third time that I read this short and beautiful memoir. This is yet another book that would only be of interest to Baha’is. A simply beautiful read. Bibliophile: An Illustrated Miscellany - 3 Stars - The author of this gorgeously-illustrated book starts off by saying, “The goal of this book is to triple the size of your To Be Read pile.” Since my to-read list is already way out of control, I am grateful that this didn’t happen! I ended up adding only three books to my wish list. What I Loved: Beautiful illustrations – I simply loved browsing through this book – especially favorite bookstores, libraries, pets in bookstores, and so on. This book is engaging and fun! What I Did Not Particularly Care For: I noticed that many of the titles lean heavily towards books that are strong on one side of politics and all the usual reactions to the 2016 presidential election, political correctness and all that. Had it not been so noticeable, I would likely have given it a higher rating. At times, I felt that I was browsing in the Strand bookstore in Manhattan, or in Powell’s in Portland. There’s nothing wrong with either, but I would have preferred more neutral titles, or at least, fewer book suggestions that are geared towards only one side of politics, being progressive, and all that. Talking about bookstores – I was recently in New York and visited three bookstores. Of the three, the Strand was my least favorite, Rizzoli was second, Three Lives and Company was my all-time favorite. But I digress. All the political stuff is tiresome and divisive. Some parts of the book had very small font, which made it difficult to read. My favorite quote: “I know that any book, when read at the right moment, might make my life better, might give me a greater understanding of the universe and all the other people in it.” What Shall I Wear? - 3 Stars - I heard about this book from Tim Gunn, whom I simply adore. The author, fashion designer Claire Mc Cardell, changed American fashion in her time (1905-1958). She made women’s dresses more comfortable, practical, while maintaining style and elegance. Her dresses had pockets, which few dresses at the time had. Sad to say, dresses with pockets still seem to be a rarity. She also popularized the use of ballet flats. Some of the advice in the book is obviously dated, things like dressing to please your husband, but me, being traditional and all, have no problem with that. This book is like stepping back in time and the illustrations in this book are just lovely. Two of my favorite quotes: “Never too much, never too little, never undue exaggeration, never downright carelessness. Ask yourself first of all: ‘Have I done my best to keep myself trim, without the danger of starvation diets, overexercise? Am I weight-conscious? Do I ever walk?’ Now if there are certain serious disproportions after you have done your part, you will obviously need the support of firmer underthings. But this does not mean punishing, rigid, unrelenting foundations.” “Don’t drive your husband and your friends crazy by talking about your diet all the time.” Everything I Need to Know I Learned From Led Zeppelin: Classic Rock Wisdom from the Greatest Band of All Time - 3 Stars - My daughter has this book and I will find any excuse to read anything illustrated/graphic. The only song that I know and love by Led Zeppelin is “Stairway to Heaven”. This book is geared more for die-hard fans. It would have fitted in perfectly with the movie “School of Rock” (Jack Black)! It’s cute, the illustrations are all vintage and an absolute delight. MY RATING SYSTEM 5 Stars The book is fantastic. It’s not perfect, since no book is, but it’s definitely a favorite of mine. 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. -- More vacation pictures from Ronda, Spain. We loved Ronda! The first one is from the pool at our hotel. It faced the oldest bullfighting ring in Spain.

Kareni, I recently ordered this and it's on its way. I used to live in NYC. Looking forward to reading it.

Hi Robin and thank you, as always, for my favorite thread! I read The Forever House - 5 Stars - This is the second book that I have read and loved by Veronica Henry. I adored this one right from the get-go. It is a chick-lit romance, but not overwhelmingly so. It’s about a family living in a home called “Hunter’s Moon” set in my favorite part of England, the beautiful Cotswolds. Although it’s all a bit predictable, it was a truly heart-warming read. I already miss some of the wonderful characters. Some of my favorite quotes: “So often there was sadness and grief lying underneath perfection.” “If this bloody disease has taught me anything, it's to spend more time with people you like.” “She reflected that there was nothing more satisfying as a mother than to see your children settle with someone who felt right.” Here are some pictures from our time in Ronda, our favorite place that we visited in all of Spain. - MY RATING SYSTEM 5 Stars The book is fantastic. It’s not perfect, since no book is, but it’s definitely a favorite of mine. 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.

I read The New York Stories of Edith Wharton - 1 Star - I should have known better. Short stories are usually not my cup of tea. In all fairness, I got a Kindle sample and the first story in this collection of twenty, was good. I figured that based on that sample, the rest of the stories would be good also. Well, other than the first story, I didn’t care for any of them. The ones that I did care for, ended all too abruptly. MY RATING SYSTEM 5 Stars The book is fantastic. It’s not perfect, since no book is, but it’s definitely a favorite of mine. 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. -- I forgot to share photos last week. Here are some from our time in beautiful Granada.

Robin, nice to know that I'm not the only one! Shawne, nice to see you here! I've missed you.

Robin, thank you as always for this fabulous thread. I don't think that I'll be reading any spooky books this year. Last year, I read two of Shirley Jackson's books and didn't care for them one bit. I'm sure that I have some others spooky books on my Kindle or on my shelves, but I just can't be bothered to read them right now. Not that I have anything against October reads in general, they're just not my priority at the moment. Mind you, I'm generally terrible with keeping up with themed books. I have a tendency to read them at any old time. I read a Baha'i history book that I have read before - once in my teens and again in my twenties. I've been having some vivid dreams lately and I take them to mean that I need to focus more on the spiritual. I know that might sound a bit weird - 5 Stars - It’s a fascinating and readable history of the beginnings of the Baha’i Faith. As far as the history books of the early days of the Faith go, this one is the most readable. There are others, but they are lengthier and more intimidating for some. The author, the late William Sears, is one of my favorite Baha’i authors. I would only recommend this book to Baha’is or to those who want to know more about the early history of the Faith. My favorite quote: “We know that the Bab especially commended politeness and the most refined courtesy in all social relations. ‘Never sadden anyone, no matter whom, for no matter what,’ he enjoined, ‘I have taught the believers in my religion, He says Himself, ‘never to rejoice over the misfortune of anyone.’” MY RATING SYSTEM 5 Stars The book is fantastic. It’s not perfect, since no book is, but it’s definitely a favorite of mine. 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.