I'm going to try sneaking back in here. I'm reading "Sarah's Key" and so far it's OK. Not great but OK.

I just started Frances Mayes "Swan" which was her first (and maybe her only?) novel. So far, it reminds me of John Berendt's "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil".

I finished Sara Gruen's "At the Water's Edge" last night. At one point, I almost quit the book because I was so disgusted with some of the characters' personalities but Sara wrote them that way for a reason. She tight roped that portion of the book just long enough to get some conflicting vantage points across before focusing on more like-able characters. I really enjoyed the book and it was a quick read. I also enjoyed "Like Water for Elephants".

I can't like your post Stacia. That would be frustrating. Hope you are well. :seeya: I finished Susan Vreeland's "Lisette's List" and thoroughly enjoyed it. The pacing is gentle, her characters are well thought out and she's poetic without being flowery. I'm a little bummed the library doesn't have another Vreeland electronic book that I could just zip over here. There were not any recipes in it however! Next I start Sara Gruen's "At the Water's Edge". This is the same author who wrote "Like Water for Elephants".

I finished Jodi Picoult's "Nineteen Minutes". If you have a loved one in a public school, I don't suggest it. It is well written. Next I start Susan Vreeland's "Lisette's List" which supposedly has recipes, art and some history all rolled into one story about pre-World War II in southern France. It comes to me highly recommended by a friend so I have high hopes that this will be a good one to curl up with.

Hugs Kareni and mom22es. I'm in the easy reading crowd with Jodi Picoult's "Nineteen Minutes." I keep putting it down to search the web for poems that are read aloud and recipes. It's cold out and I want to eat warm food and have someone tell me a story).

I had a friend explain that authors were sometimes paid by the number of words in their work- thus Don Quixote gets a bit wordy at times.

I finished Steven Brust's "To Reign in Hell." The copy I read has been passed around, smells of smoke and there were business cards and other items falling from the pages as I read. The story is a fantasy telling of the revolt of angels at creation and is cleverly done. My younger self would have loved this and at this age I find it interesting (I'm not big in to science fiction or fantasy at this age in general). Jane and I are on the same wave length as far as thinking about censorship this week. I've been thinking about it on a broad scale while listening to Noble Peace Prize speeches and I've been thinking about it in my own life as I debate censoring my own voice. But I am reminded of all those who did not censor, who were brave and stood up and spoke even when it was ugly and hard to do so. I'm especially taken with this poem by Shane Koyczan: ;)

There are changes to alot of the characters and the way the story unfolds but I still like the movie. Mr Crawford looks absolutely wretched in the movie at one point. The acting is well done but it is different from the book.

I could seriously kiss you for this Nan. I liked Edward in the movie better than in the book.

I finished Mansfield Park and loved it. I relate to Fanny perhaps a little too much in not wanting to draw attention to myself but still be useful. LOL I've known Brusts for most of my life and so am going to finally read a Steven Brust novel- the one he wrote when he was 19(I think), To Reign in Hell. I haven't a clue if I'll like it or not.

Starting of the year with Mansfield Park. :)

Couldn't you just look up the "one year bible blog"? It has biblical text and interpretation for you.

I think I'm going to read Wuthering Heights as my brain is Swiss cheese right now. It really is and I'm stuck waiting it out (2weeks per the doctor) so hopfully an old staple like Wuthering Heights will hold me over until I can think and function like an intelligent woman. I'm learning slowly but surely and this is actually a peaceful thing to learn. Life seems so much simpler all of a sudden. And I finished reading the Bible😊!

Jane came to visit and I ended up in the hospital of all things. I read , "Mr Darcy takes a wife" which I liked but don't remember and then read "The Middle Place" by Kelly Corrigan which is a humorous account about growing up and having cancer. Hospitals must do something to the brain because I don't really remember either book that I read all that well.

Beautiful pictures Stacia! Every couple weeks, Dh brings up moving to Hawaii and I always wonder how we could make it work and so the dream is put away for a couple weeks again.

I tried posting earlier today but we are having internet issues. I finished Mansfield Park this morning and appreciated that the unobtrusive, shy, modest character triumphed and that the charismatic, self promoting characters were proven to be not worthy of attention in the end. I started "I know why the caged bird sings" by Maya Angelou. Please excuse any typos as I'm on my phone.

I own a lot of grey clothes and typed in a search for "grey women's fashion" on Pinterest one day to get ideas. All these images of beautiful older women came through the search. Our culture often depicts women as not being pretty or healthy looking after a certain age and yet there are women in my life that are older and beautiful. So yes, I think we can be pretty.

I'm still working on Mansfield Park and added Treasure Island into the mix (Why did I do that?). I might add some poetry if I can find something suitable on our shelves. I'm trying hard to read what's in the house for the moment and not raid the used bookstore knowing full well there isn't time currently to read what I carry out.

I think there's going to be an "Emergence of the Modern Middle East part II" so you could be on the watch list for that. I tried a Shakespeare class last night but it's has too much reading and I need my hands and eyes free to work. Maybe a myth lecture course?

I am just starting Mansfield Park and finally finished the lectures for Coursera's "The Emergence of the Modern Middle East." (The course ended a month ago so I'm a bit behind). I haven't studied the political history of the middle east before and the lectures were enjoyable, easy to follow and the professor has a soothing voice. I'm uncertain what lectures to listen to next.