.

I agree. There's not much narrative arc. I finally forced myself to read a set amount of pages a day which helped me get through it. I'm glad I finished. I'm contemplating reading Moby Dick this year. I think it's the next one I haven't read in The Well-Educated Mind book list.

My first month's poetry read is In Praise of Defeat by Abdellatif Laabi which I started several months ago. I can't read too much at once. Someone talked about brain bleach - the poet was imprisoned and tortured, an experience central to many poems. It's tough to take in big chunks. I like Shel Silverstein's poetry. I think there's often great wisdom in the absurd Invitation If you are a dreamer, come in. If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar, A hope-er, a pray-er, a magic bean buyer . . . If you’re a pretender, come sit by my fire, For we have some flax golden tales to spin. Come in! Come in!

. I cheated. I pre-ordered when she first announced it. Does that count as buying now when the initial purchase was months ago? I would like to not buy any books for four months since I know I have enough books on hold and by my bedside to last.

I’m posting from my mobile otherwise I’d add a laughing emoji. I have a four year old and a three year old. Nothing is just so except the pantry and that’s because it has a lock. I added one after I discovered my younger two tossing handfuls of sugar in the air. I did spend many years creating client presentations. Old habits die hard.

2018 PLANS Goals, goals, goals. I set stretch goals for myself last year and met only two out of four. So this year I’m hoping to make my goals more approachable, but less anxiety producing. Read 200 Books: I met my Goodreads goal last year and then some. For health reasons, I’ve cut out most other activities other than reading and internet browsing so I’m actually hoping I read less next year. More exercise, more writing, less reading. I’ve set the goal at 200 books. Explore Monthly Interests: I enjoyed most of rabbit trails this year (horror was a bust), especially when I read the books in a short period of time. It helped me make connections between each author’s thesis and really delve into my thoughts. I actually ended up with a long list of to-be-read books for each subject so I’ll explore a new one each month, using the month’s end as a psychological stop to move on. I may follow the BAW themes. I may not. Read NPR Fantasy/Sci-Fi 100: I’ve read many of the books on the NPR list, but not all so I’ve decided to read the list from C.S. Lewis to J. R. R. Tolkien. I read a few sci-fi reads as part of the Great Courses How Great Science Fiction Works, but didn’t find all the books compelling. I’m hoping the NPR list will be more interesting. There’s many series listed which when totaled summed to at least 250+ books. To keep my sanity, I’ve limited series reads to three books to give it a chance, which means re-reading the first two Malazan books. Oof. My bookshelf is here. Read One Poetry Book a Month: I’m not drawn to poetry, but when I read a good poetry book, I’m pleased. So here’s my unrealistic stretch goal. I figure I need just one. I’ll start off with our forum host’s Rethinking School by Susan Wise Bauer which comes out January 9th. The front section of The Well-Trained Mind made me think about my own views on education, and I’m interested in seeing what she has to say in a stand-alone book. I also have several of her other books in progress; perhaps I should take this year to finish them. All other books are subject to whim as my interests dictate. For nonfiction, I’ve made Michael Lewis and Stephen Jay Gould my focus authors. Black Swan led me to Benoit Mandelbrot, fractal geometry, and the misbehavior of markets which means I have several additional books to explore. My focus fiction authors are Catherynne Valente and Terry Pratchett. Plus, the NPR list above will likely lead to more authors. Books read last week (up to 12/31/2017): Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett. Fantasy. A wizard is reincarnated as a woman and no one knows what to do with her. I enjoyed this more than Wyrd Sisters. Genghis Khan and the Remaking of the Modern World by Jack Weatherford. History-Mongolia. The history of a Mongolian tribal lord and his influence on Europe and Asia. Thud! by Terry Pratchett. Fantasy. Sam Vines, the only righteous man in Ankh-Morpork, struggles to prevent ancient hatreds from erupting into outright war. In View from the Cheap Seats, Neil Gaiman wrote an essay refuting a fan's comment that Pratchett was “a jolly old elf.†While the Discworld books can dabble in the funny and absurd, it’s clear, especially in this book, that Pratchett is angry - at injustice, at stupidity, at blind hatred - and rightly so. This is one of my favorite Pratchetts. Highly recommended, but I’d advise reading Guards! Guards! first to introduce the characters. The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy 2017 edited by Charles Yu. Short Stories - Science Fiction and Fantasy. A collection of recent short stories with contributions from Cathrynne Valente and N.K. Jemison. What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami. Memoir. A short memoir of Murakami’s relationship with running and life. I used to run until my dance-ruined knees made it clear that if I wanted to keep my original joints, I needed lower impact exercise, but I could relate to much of what Murakami felt when it came to running. Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. Science Fiction. Six interwoven short stories presented in an interesting structure. Signs Preceding the End of the World by Yuri Herrera. Modern Fiction. A young woman crosses the Mexican-USA border, but are the boundaries real or imagined? We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families by Philip Gourevitch. History-Rwanda. A collection of testimonies from survivors of the Rwandan massacre, covering the events leading up to the killing and the aftermath. The author is rightly angry and frustrated with the international response to the massacres and ultimately has more questions for what can be done to prevent similar events in the future. One of the survivor’s stories was the basis for the movie Hotel Rwanda. Highly recommended. The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman. Fantasy. In New York City, three siblings deal with death and love while managing their magical abilities. I liked Practical Magic and this sequel was just as lovely and poignant. I’m finishing up The (Mis)behavior of Markets, Monstrous Regiment, Patient H.M., and Strange Weather. I had several books in progress just to make sure I kept my 2017 books read a prime number because I can sometimes be weird about numbers.

Congratulations to you both!

You're welcome! The Death books count among my favorite Pratchetts with the exception being Soul Music (which is still a good read). Going Postal is great as well and my kids enjoyed the BBC "movie" (really two 45-minute episodes).

This is me every time! That's usually when someone stops and offers assistance. I do know how to jump start a car but I always read the manual first to double check!

I've known how to change a tire since I was sixteen. Every single time, I end up on the side of the road struggling with the lug nuts until a man stops and helps me. Even when I lifted weights, I've never been able to remove them on my own.

Congrats on the reads! My number didn’t total either so I think it’s a problem with Goodreads. I spent waaaaay too much time confirming my books before removing the infinite scroll option and doing simple arithmetic with the page numbers.

The issue with this scenario is that many of the better places will refuse initial placement if the potential resident's health has declined past a certain point. We ran into this with relatives and we've found 24-hour in-home care is far more expensive than a nursing home. There are less-ideal places where they could be placed, but that's not desirable right now. Planning ahead is important.

I agree. Blade Runner is more violent and less thoughtful than Androids. I wouldn't say the author is a great writer in his prose, but his books' premises tend to stay with me.

2017 REVIEW I’m calling 2017 done. I’ve gone through my 2017 books and grouped them into categories. I couldn’t pick a top five so I’m cheating and picking five in each category. I bounced all over the place throughout the year, my interests usually triggered either by a Great Courses series or book discussions here. I was able to complete the Bingo as well as the A-Z challenge, but felt burned out on the exercise by the time I reached my last book. I did enjoy The Razor's Edge read along, even if I ended up dropping out of War and Peace. In my first review of the year I set out four goals: Read 200 books: According to Goodreads Year in Review, I read 263 books so I met this goal and finished with a prime number. Broaden my reading with more translated books, literary authors, and poetry: I think I read more translated books, but not as many literary authors as I’d hoped and definitely very little poetry. I couldn’t get into the right headspace for it. I think I failed at the specifics of this goal, but did broaden my reading in different directions. Tag along with Rose on Big Bingo: I failed at this one. I was so focused on following my rabbit trails that I couldn’t work up the effort to follow Big Bingo. Failed. Buy fewer books: I used the library much more than I have in years past. I usually had several physical library books out at one time, plus a few electronic books and an audiobook. I did purchase a few more books than I wanted to, but most were used and nearly all were “keepersâ€, meaning I want them on my bookshelves. I’ll say I met this goal. So I met two out of my four goals. I knew broadening my reading would be a tough one as the poetry and literary genres aren’t my typical interests. The Big Bingo tag along fell by the wayside as I followed new topics that popped up. I’ll need to consider my own limits as I think about my 2018 goals. I know I won’t be planning bingo reads next year, letting my reading develop as I discover new interests. As the year progressed, I felt pressure to finish my planned books, which is my own fault, and it made reading feel like a chore. NONFICTION Economics/Finance Inspired by the BAW finance week, I picked up several finance books and I've planned to read several more for 2018. My favorites were: The Big Short - a history of the sub-prime mortgage crisis of 2008 Broke, USA - a look at predatory lending in the years leading up to 2008 The Quants - another 2008 history on how mathematical gurus and their computer models nearly destroyed financial markets. When to Rob a Bank - an explanation for counterintuitive human behavior. The Undoing Project - one of my favorite nonfiction reads of the year and the best of category. Michael Lewis writes about two psychologists studying irrationality in markets, economics, finance, and humanity.I particularly enjoyed the deliberate deceptive structure as my initial impression of the two men changed as I read the book. History My top history reads this year: A History of Russia and A History of Eastern Europe: two wonderful listens as the lecturers had an obvious love for the subject without turning away from the harsher realities. That led to picking up a dusty read Gulag, which has languished on my shelves for too many years, and Red Famine. I plan to use the coursebooks to find additional books in 2018. The Butchering Art: a history of John Lister who brought hygienic practices to Victorian era surgery. The Burning: a history of the Tulsa Race Riots of 1921, which is well-written, harrowing, and a critical read for students of US history, inspired by a YA fiction centered on the event. We Wish to Inform You that Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families: testimonies from survivors of the 1994 Rwandan massacre as well as a history of the events leading up to the massacre and the aftermath. The author’s anger and frustration with politicians and international organizations seep through each section. It was a tough listen (as I knew it would be), but there’s a direct link between what happened in Rwanda and the events covered in the book below. King Leopold’s Ghost: the best of category, I highly recommend this brutal history of the Belgium exploitation of the Congo, inspired by the classic Heart of Darkness and the alt-history Everfair. Science My five star science reads were: Understanding Human and Cultural Geography: how humans influence and are influenced by geography (I found this while exploring criticisms of Jared Diamond’s Guns, Germs, and Steel which I recommended in the past, but now don’t). Life on the Edge: an intriguing combination of quantum mechanics and biology, highlighting research on photosynthesis, migratory behavior, and smelling roses. Being Mortal: for all the reasons mentioned by everyone else. A must-read for those dealing with chronic illness and aging. The Soul of an Octopus: an exploration of consciousness in intelligent invertebrates. Full House: a look at the development and complexities of biological systems. Being Gould, baseball analogies are included. I plan to make Gould a focus author for 2018. FICTION Fantasy/Science Fiction I can’t pick just five books so I’ll pick five authors instead: Terry Pratchett: This is the year I finally read Pratchett! I had planned on finishing all the Discworld books this year but didn’t. I think I still have another twenty or so to read, but my favorites were Mort, The Wee Free Men, A Hat Full of Sky, Reaper Man, Hogfather, Thief of Time, Going Postal, and Thud!. We also watched Going Postal from the BBC, which was an enjoyable short series. Ben Aaronovitch: I think JennW inspired me to pick up the Peter Grant series, an urban fantasy set in London. I only read two, Rivers of London and Moon Over Soho, but I plan to finish reading the remaining books. V. E. Schwab: I read and enjoyed all three of her books A Darker Shade of Magic, A Gathering of Shadows, and A Conjuring of Light. Robin Hobb: I’d read her Assassin series, but I actually enjoyed the Liveship Traders books more: Ship of Magic, The Mad Ship, and Ship of Destiny. Cathrynne Valente: My favorite fantasy author. I haven’t read her entire catalog, but every book I have read feels like she’s pushing herself to create something strange and powerful. Deathless was a beautiful, brutal book and fit perfectly with what I imagined a modern telling of a Russian fairy tale would be. One of my favorite reads of 2017 and I’ll likely re-read it in 2018. Literature I’ll group my favorite reads in this category by location: Japan: Norwegian Wood was my second Murakami read and more enjoyable than 1Q84 though I’ll admit it might be because I didn’t know what I was getting into with the latter. I also enjoyed Pachinko, about three generations of a Korean family in Japan. Russia: Classics of Russian Literature was a charming survey of Russian literature and a definite recommend if you or someone you know likes BARBs. The lecturer has a lovely speaking and singing voice and usually translates the Russian line-by-line then sings or speaks the Russian all in one go so you can hear the music of the words. As my sibling and I share an enjoyment of Valente’s books, the suggested The Master and Margarita was an engaging read, where the devil comes to Soviet Russia and has a grand time. I had planned to read-along War and Peace, but life and laziness caused me to set it aside. I finally finished just before the end of the year and very much enjoyed the Pevear/Volokhonsky translation. England: With the announcement of Kazuo Ishiguro’s Nobel Prize in Literature I worked through his unread novels as well as a re-read of The Remains of the Day, which remains one of my favorite books. Frontiers: A Dream in Polar Fog which is actually set in northern Siberia, but counts as a frontier story. From the BAW recommendations, I enjoyed News of the World and found delightful the audiobook True Grit as read by Donna Tartt. It’s planned for our family’s next road trip. Is this the real life/Is this just fantasy?: The magical trippy Mr. Fox as recommended by Stacia. Just a lovely book and I plan to read more from Helen Oyeyemi. STATS For some reason, the books I downloaded aren’t adding up to the final 263 number. I don't feel like pouring over the spreadsheet to find the missing books so I'll say the breakdown below is close enough. ETA (12/30/17): It was bugging me that the numbers weren't adding up so I double-checked every book. The Goodreads final number is wrong. I only read 262 books so I'll finish up a fantasy book in progress before the end of the year to bring my total to 263. Authors Male - 167 Female - 88 Group - 8 Genres Fiction Literature - 49 Science Fiction - 38 Fantasy - 69 Western - 3 Horror - 10 Romance - 9 Mystery - 6 Poetry - 1 Nonfiction HIstory - 24 Memoirs - 9 Biography - 2 Science - 15 Food - 2 Finance - 10 Mythology - 12 Writing - 4 Pages >500: 45 <200: 27 Total: 96,389 Average: 366 Published Year 1600s: 1 1700s: 1 1800s: 7 1900 -1950s: 7 1960s: 9 1970s: 4 1980s: 18 1990s: 29 2000s: 49 2010s:138

Your link works!

To fix the Goodreads issue, you need a link to the url with your number as opposed to "user". Here's the code when I click on Year in Books: "www.goodreads.com/user/year_in_books/2017/". This will take you to the generic user, usually your own year in books. If you click on the links to share (pinterest, twitter, or facebook), a pop up should appear with the http code to your specific Goodreads link. There should be a number in the code. As an example, mine says "www.goodreads.com/user/year_in_books/2017/3592215". Copy everything from "www" to the end of the number and update the link in your post. It should fix the problem.

I use Goodreads. You can link it to your Amazon account, but I don’t. It’s definitely expanded my reading possibilities. It seems there’s a list for everything.

There can be no BAW failures - just posters who pop in and out of the thread. I post the books I’ve read plus a review if I liked it. I don’t always participate in the conversations. I notice many posters do the same.

I'll answer the question in a bit, but I wanted to put up my weekly post. Books read last week: The Burning: Destruction and the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921 by Tim Madigan. History-American. In 1921, a white woman claimed a black man attacked her, sparking a white mob to enter the black section of Tulsa and kill people, loot homes, and burn buildings. Over 34 city blocks were destroyed. Madigan writes in a novelistic style, immersing the reader in the thoughts and actions of many different participants: a scared young girl, a racist man, an older businessman and more. The time period covers the city’s founding, the riots themselves, and the event’s erasure from history. I knew about the riots, but this is my first read dedicated to the event, inspired by the YA novel Dreamland Burning. Highly recommended, even if it requires an interlibrary loan. Full House: The Spread of Excellence from Plato to Darwin by Stephen Jay Gould. Science - Evolution. A look at the development and complexities of biological systems and baseball. I first discovered Gould in college and for a few years, I read several of his essay books. My children’s arrival and his death caused his name to fall off my preferred authors list. This book served as a reminder that he was an excellent thoughtful scientist and philosopher. I highly recommend this book, and he will be a focus author for next year. The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson. Historical Fiction. Before the Great War, an educated woman arrives in town to tutor the local students in Latin. The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the World by Niall Ferguson. A history of the creation and use of financial instruments. The latter half of the title more accurately captures the book’s focus: a history of finance. Jack Weatherford’s History of Money is a better history of fiat currency. In Ascent, Ferguson breaks the history into six parts: money as a means of exchange, bonds and debt, joint stock companies and equity, derivatives, property and capital, and the future of finance. Despite a few shaky claims (particularly a simplification of Hernando De Soto’s The Nature of Capital), I found this an engaging read. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, translated by Pevear and Volokhonsky. Literary Fiction. Russian families deal with the turmoil caused by Napoleon’s invasion of Russia. I finished! I hauled this doorstopper everywhere, including the pediatrician’s office where the doctor asked, “Did you think your wait would be that long?†I laughed and told her no, but having the book with me helped me finish before the end of the year. Tolstoy ends with several pages of philosophical musings on the nature of war and progress of history, which combined with Gould’s Full House gave me plenty to consider. Written in My Own Heart’s Blood by Diana Gabaldon. Historical Fiction - American Revolutionary War. Eight books and 7000+ pages later, Jamie and Claire still aren’t done with history. I’ve charged myself with finishing my Currently Reading shelf so I have The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers, the Finnish epic Kalevala, and four short stories from Anton Chekhov. I’m also trying to work through a few other books from my library stack. I’m reading aloud The Best Christmas Pageant Ever and Pratchett’s Hogfather.

The "may not" is ambiguous as it could be denied permission or uncertain status. I would have said "cannot" if I didn't want the child to have the item.

Congratulations! What a fantastic achievement!

Good luck!

Personal health issues and four kids forced me to consider a minivan when I'd sworn in my youth I would never drive one. I tested all three and ended up with a Pacifica. Chrysler was running some excellent deals for the 2017 models. My thoughts: Honda Odyssey - tops in this category with tons of amenities, a nice ride, and a thoughtful layout. The price reflects this. Toyota Sienna - a good minivan, but nothing special Chrysler Pacifica - a good minivan with more amenities and upgrades than the Sienna, but not as good as the Odyssey. I was able to get a good price because I bought one of the last 2017 models. I've had it for several months and I love it. No regrets. ETA: The Pacifica is based on the old Town and Country minivan. Chrysler retired the T&C name and branded the minivan with the old crossover name Pacifica. It's confusing and a terrible marketing decision, but I think the new Pacifica rivals the old T&C vans in quality.

My copy is still available. I'd be happy to send it to you.

My preference - overnight for two reasons. Things always take longer than I expect and I prefer the dessert cold. DH prefers banana pudding warm *shudder*. I prefer it cold. I don't make it very much because I end up eating it at every meal.