The Iliad is finished. What does one say about The Iliad? There are parts I imagine I will recall for years. Other parts are a blur of names and ways to die in battle. (I found myself starting to rank mortal wounds on a scale of desirability in the margins...) I'm glad I read it. I'm glad it's over. (Those aren't the sum total of my thoughts on The Iliad, but they will suffice for this post. ;) ) The Odyssey will need to wait until spring or summer, most likely.

I'm in a similar place, albeit perhaps for different reasons. I'm coming to the realization that I've been reading so many books I feel like I should be reading that I've forgotten what it feels like to be reading what I want to be reading. Sometimes the two overlap, of course, but I think I need a clean slate for a bit while I sort out motivations.

Great ideas!

Sometimes it's 4x5. That means all the credits listed above, plus 4 credits of a foreign language.

Early Decision: Based on a True Frenzy by Lacy Crawford. It's fiction, but perfect for this time of year.

I think this is the only one my daughter read too. Or at least it's the only one that stands out in my mind. I remember getting the book in the mail and looking through the illustrations. Where does the time go? Has it been that many years? :crying: It seems hard to believe she recently finished The Iliad (ahead of me.... :blushing: ) .

Ah! I didn't pre-read everything, so that didn't even occur to me. Thanks!

Just out of curiosity, why do you keep reading her books if they are dull and slow much of the time? One reason I ask is because I think I'm going to abandon The Thirteenth Tale. Again. After asking about it last year, I decided to put it away to try again later. I keep wondering if I'm just missing something in it. I'm around page 100. Am I close to something that might suddenly draw me in? Maybe I should put it away for next year and try again. Obviously it's a different author, but your comment about Sutcliff's books being dull and slow most of the time made me curious why you keep reading them.

Several books in progress, but my main goal is to finish The Iliad and the related Vandiver Great Courses lectures. Mixed reactions thus far.

I have Home Comforts as well. It's my understanding that a good part of the laundry book is taken from the laundry section of Home Comforts. Flipping through Laundry by Monica Nassif (the book I posted a cover picture of), I found this: Once your laundry is loaded into the machine, you have almost an hour to call your own. This time is utterly guilt-free--after all, you're still accomplishing something. So resist the temptation to multitask, and use the time wisely to take care of yourself. You can brew a cup of tea. Curl up with a book. Pick up your knitting. Call an old friend. Laundry is a wonderful excuse to stay in and enjoy all the cozy comforts of home. Who knew? I've clearly been approaching this incorrectly for years. I see A LOT of laundry in my future... ;)

Lest you be accused of being off topic.... (I have no memory of buying this book. I'm not quite sure why I still own it, but I do. :001_huh: )

I must confess to "neatening the house" almost immediately after putting the book down. (Partly because of the frequent mention of it in the story, but mostly because by the end I was so thankful to have a home to neaten.) Reading about breakfast in the garden, tea in the afternoon, and wanderings through the woods made me wistful for the early childhood years of mothering. The drawing of the curtains and checking of the doors were familiar as well. Takeaways from We Have Always Lived in the Castle: 1. More breakfasts and teas out-of-doors 2. Neaten the house more regularly 3. Be kind 4. Have cardboard, hammer, and nails at the ready for those times when curtains just aren't enough 5. NO SUGAR Thanks for mentioning Grey Gardens! I'm adding it to my list now! Me too. I love the dimension he brought with him and the tenderness he evoked. Interesting! Thanks for mentioning this! I will look into the biography.

I finished We Have Always Lived in the Castle. After reading the posts about it, I should have known to clear my schedule and hide myself in the study with a mug of spiced apple cider. (Not berries and sugar, mind you--I've sworn off sugar for good... :ack2: ) Just reading the book straight through one evening would have made it even more enjoyable. I hated stepping away from it. I don't always feel this way... some books I like to read and ponder over a period of months and months; they become like friends. Not sure I want to be friends with any of the characters in this book... Although.... Did anyone else get drawn in by the daily, weekly, seasonal rhythm? In some ways the most disturbing part of the book was that I could relate to so much of what was written...it seemed so ...normal....

I was on the fence about reading the book. You've just pushed me off. Thanks! (I think. I'll let you know when I've finished it... ;) )

:laugh: Sorry to disappoint!

Oh dear...poor wording on my part.... Just choosing which edition of the book I wanted to buy based on cover art took me more time and mental anguish than I dare admit. The thought of actually choosing the cover art for the book makes me feel faint... :svengo:

Funny you should mention this! I spent quite a bit of time deciding on the perfect Turn of the Screw cover. In the end, I was persuaded by the selection of extra stories. The cover was one of my top choices anyway, which made the decision easier.

Well said. So very true...

Has he read the Sherlock Holmes books? I'm not sure where your line of too graphic/morally corrupt is. It's tricky when you throw criminology in the mix. Has he tried Agatha Christie? Again, I'm not sure where your line is. I'm presuming Crime and Punishment doesn't meet your standards, but it would fit psychology/criminology.

Speaking of the writing craft and spooky books... here's a little seasonal serendipity... Ray Bradbury discusses his writing journey, which started when he was twelve, in an essay titled "May I Die Before My Voices". It is the forward to The October Country.

I checked - June 2015! :laugh:

That is the whole first sentence! You did it! (Which puts me in an awkward position...don't I still owe you chocolate from a pop quiz regarding The Forsaken Inn several months ago??? Oops! :lol:

Bonus points and bonbons to the one who finishes the sentence!

This is one reason I'm afraid to reread my du Maurier favorites. I read a du Maurier book a while back that had been taken from bookshelf to bookshelf since college, but had not yet been read. It was good, but not a favorite. It was OK not to love it - it didn't crush me. Rereading an old favorite and not loving it might do serious harm to my psyche... :zombie: I still have a few du Maurier books I'm reading for the first time, but I don't know that I'll ever revisit Manderley - except in my dreams, of course. Last night....

Thanks for the detailed update!