I also finished Outrageous Fortune: Growing up at Leeds Castle by Anthony Russell. I found it fascinating in the sense that the author seemed to see how odd his childhood really was. It was such a mixture of excess mixed with a lack of control because his grandmother controlled their whole world. His father was a distant figure who had been labeled as the Russell baby with huge scandelous media attention at birth. I am not going to link because there is a definate "ick" factor and I know many of you will be happier not knowing (I probably would have been), while others........can google. I wasn't going to mention it in my review but it came up when I looked up the book to link. It was even in the poor father's obituary. The book touched on how so many of the great British estates came to belong to the National Trust and English Heritage. The previous lifestyle so incredibly lavish and excessive. Taking an insiders peek at one of my favorite places was fun but to be honest the book made me sad. I think I may have learned way to much........

Yes, I would. Although I do think if I had read Wind Up Bird first I might have liked it better. My expectations were very high so it had a long way to fall and still be adequate. :lol: The negative to 1Q84 is it truly is chunky, twice the length, but things felt basically resolved at the end. Although I remember closing that book and wishing for the next installment because there was a whole new story all set up and ready to be written. Really glad to hear that you are loving The Historian. I couldn't believe how many new layers I found the second time through. I love that book.

Violet Crown -- Just wanted to let you know the Hawthorne post which I shared with dd apparently inspired her to download some of his short stories. She read one yesterday that she absolutely loved!

I finished Wind Up last night after carrying it all over the place so I wouldn't lose the flow of the last 70 or so pages. It was a poor shadow of 1Q84 if I am being honest. That being said I did enjoy it and plan to read Kafka on the Shore in April or May. Wind up was a very strange book which needs some really big leaps to tie things together. I could make a really long list of questions that I have guessed the answer to due to a word or two. I thought I would have a bit more confirmation. Then there is the cat......I really wish I understood the cat. No amount of cat mythology makes that cat make sense. I can't believe I am saying this but I think all the extra pages in 1Q84 are what this book needs. Robin, I totally agree the end was a bit "that's it?" Which had me checking that I hadn't somehow broke my kindle and lost the last really good chapter. That really was it. Dd happened to come in my room when this ending was happening, she feels bad for me but thought it was pretty funny. I just complained quite a bit about something I did like :lol: because it could have been so much more. I suspect 1Q84 was Murakami 's redo with the more included.

The My Father's Dragon series was my ds favorite. He also loved the original Boxcar Children books -- make sure the first three or so are read in order.

For economics we are using intro courses on Coursera.

Let's just say I will be utterly amazed if I try to read Confessions. Part of me wishes that I could motivate myself. Please keep the discussion here not over on Goodreads. Really do want to read the comments just not participate. Maybe you will motivate me. ;)

Robin -- Just wanted to let you know I "bought" Dreamlander. Looks interesting. Thank you.

FWIW I think you did the right thing. The whole story went a bit beyond normal.

The Spy who came from the Sea was a good one. It bought it onto American soil which intrigued the dcs. You might want to look at the Veritas Press list which is where I found that one.

I finished my next Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes book by Laurie R. King. A Letter of Mary was really good. Pretty much read it all today. A fun diversion from Wind Up Bird which I need to finish before the e library takes it back! I have a few more day but I always worry when I go under the week mark which is silly.

Your post made me smile and remember my father telling me I was welcome home anytime and to come more often. I was a bit startled because my dad was a bit of a grouch and in my twenties I brought a very poorly behaved dog into his cat loving home when I visited. It became a madhouse, lots of hissing and barking. He quickly fessed up and admitted that the food was sooooo good when I came home. My mom made all my favorites which he loved too! :lol:

Praying :grouphug:

For the Wind Up Bird readers I have recently crossed the 70% mark and the dots are have started connecting nicely. I am having problems putting it down but I must. For me reading Murakami's books requires lots of breaks. Only 2 or 3 chapters at a time. During 1Q84 I became a huge fan of a particular character (some of you did too) so I was happy when he made his appearance in this book. Right now I don't like him much but hopefully he will redeem himself. ;)

Maybe I will make it to Antarctica! This sounds interesting. I look forward to your review.

I also finished one of the stack, Curtsies &Conspiracies by Gail Carriger. It is the second of the Finishing School series which is being written as a prequel of the very mild YA variety to the Parasol Protectorate series. This one was good, I liked the first one in the series but this one was better. Some beloved characters make quick appearances which I enjoyed. Dd quite liked this one too and since she hasn't read the PP series they obviously stand alone for the younger set just fine. These books are a very gentle intro to steampunk and the fun boarding school setting I loved as a teen. I used to read a very gothic setting boarding school suspense book every year or so that I can't remember the name of. I think it had "dark hall" in it but that isn't working for me google wise. I would love some suggestions for that type of storyline for dd. I think she would enjoy a couple boarding school books.

We love Stephen Fry. He does great documentaries. This one is http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=O6KmzuULPmQ&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DO6KmzuULPmQ one of our favorites. If my link doesn't work google stephen fry guttenburg and you should get his history of the printing press. That one we watched a few times. Kareni, the library has is book so I have reserved it. Thank you.

I was so glad to read your update. Will continue to pray.

I love your angry old smiley face. :lol: I'm another old one.

Clicking on this made me feel pretty good, I have actually read a few of them. I guarantee that last year I would not have even heard of the books on this list. Thank you. :)

Thanks for posting this. I have always disliked paying abekas postage charges.

http://www.usborne.com/catalogue/book/1~H~HG~565/greek-myths-for-young-children.aspx This one was ds favorite. He took it everywhere for a year or two. :)

Praying for you today! :grouphug:

Congratulations!!!!

You might want to see if your library has any Practice Made Perfect books for french. Dd has used the Complete French Grammar copies owned by the library for practice a few times. These books seem to be a really good series.