6packofun Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 I just started Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan. With a title like that, how could I pass it up?? Just finished A Death In Italy, which is "the definitive" account of the Amanda Knox case. Intriguing AND baffling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaglei Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 http://allrecipes.com/recipe/apple-cranberry-and-pear-crisp/ I used almond flour instead of the walnuts and it seemed better with 3 pears/3 apples. So good with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side! Oooooohhhhhh - my mouth is watering! Thank you so much for linking the recipe. :) I will definitely be making this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Fiction bought to life. People swear they see ghosties there. That's hardcore fiction, isn't it? The little blighters jump out of nowhere! It'd be the suddenness not the wallaby itself that would scare a horse. We drivers of cars have the same problem. We have the Macedon Ranges, so the country isn't as flat as a pancake, but basically you're right. Ooh. Sharing a part of my country (loaded phrase) is so exciting. I only wish you could smell the heat, dust and eucalypts! Oh no. It makes me need a therapist. I'm a sensitive soul. ;) Well, I agree -- that's pretty hardcore when fiction can make you think that it was (or might have been) a real event. Do you expect to see a ghost or two when you take your picnic there? Is there a spooky vibe there? Dd used to ride horses, so I know smaller, jumpy critters will scare a horse. I just never thought about a wallaby being the critter. :lol: I bet they're cute, though. (The wallabies, not the spooked horses. ;)) I'm sure I'll have more questions as I go along, Rosie. I'm finding it pretty fascinating to read about this area of Australia. I guess I've rarely (if ever?) read Australian-based books, especially ones that give a good description of people & places. (Any others to recommend?) Ok, and should I admit that, as an American, I'm chuckling at how many times Albert refers to girls as sheilas (sometimes multiple times on a page)? It keeps making me think of Crocodile Dundee. :tongue_smilie: And, I agree w/ you on dystopian fiction. I don't feel better, just worse. :001_huh: I just started Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan. With a title like that, how could I pass it up??Oh, I've had this on my to-read list for a bit so I'm really looking forward to your review! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paisley Hedgehog Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Well, I agree -- that's pretty hardcore when fiction can make you think that it was (or might have been) a real event. Do you expect to see a ghost or two when you take your picnic there? Is there a spooky vibe there? No I don't. How can fictional people become real ghosties? :lol: There will be a spooky vibe because I'll have recently read the book and I'll know you'll want me to report one. :D Dd used to ride horses, so I know smaller, jumpy critters will scare a horse. I just never thought about a wallaby being the critter. I bet they're cute, though. (The wallabies, not the spooked horses. )Oh yeah, they are. We've got some down the front of our property. For some reason they don't come up the back here, only the roos do. I'm sure I'll have more questions as I go along, Rosie. I'm finding it pretty fascinating to read about this area of Australia. I guess I've rarely (if ever?) read Australian-based books, especially ones that give a good description of people & places. (Any others to recommend?) I'm glad it's being an experience for you! And ask away! I'm hoping others who have good books located in their areas will post similar challenges. For more Australian based books, 'A Town Like Alice' is not all located in Australia, but it is flavoursome. 'For The Term of his Natural Life' is sometimes tragic and sometimes outright horrible, but is a classic for a reason. Flavoursome of the time period, but not for those who've become more tender hearted with age such as myself. ;) 'Robbery Under Arms' is another good one. 'Alice on the Line' is flavoursome, a narrative non-fiction work. I'm not up on modern Australian literature, really. I'd like to be able to recommend something else like 'Picnic to Hanging Rock' which is located in Victoria. Most classics are tied up in our country's foundational myths which look north. I'm not sure if there are any other Aussies on this thread who might have some ideas. Ok, and should I admit that, as an American, I'm chuckling at how many times Albert refers to girls as sheilas (sometimes multiple times on a page)? It keeps making me think of Crocodile Dundee. :tongue_smilie:Oh yeah. That's a crack up of a movie. I remember being on the overnight train to Adelaide and that was playing. All the Aussies were nearly wetting themselves laughing and the tourists just sat there, completely missing the humour. They didn't even laugh when he used the welding flame to make toast. :001_huh: I can't find any photos of Russell Street police station from 1900, but it was opposite the Old Melbourne Gaol which is still standing but wasn't called Old back then. :tongue_smilie: More or less what Spencer Street Station looked like back then. The photo taken eleven years earlier that our story is set. This is what it looks like now. It was redone under the last state government and renamed. A politician's equivalent of piddling on a lamp post, I suppose. Enough of that :) Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Just finished A Death In Italy, which is "the definitive" account of the Amanda Knox case. Intriguing AND baffling. Does it go into the Italian justice system at all? I read The Monster of Florence a few years ago, and was appalled at the way some things were handled. I guess I expect those kinds of things to happen in a third world or a former Communist Bloc country, but not one that is supposed to be a Western country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostSurprise Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Does it go into the Italian justice system at all? I read The Monster of Florence a few years ago, and was appalled at the way some things were handled. I guess I expect those kinds of things to happen in a third world or a former Communist Bloc country, but not one that is supposed to be a Western country. :iagree: The crazy prosecutor in Monster is the same one who did the Amanda Knox case. After reading Monster it gave me a lot of doubts without ever discussing that case more than in passing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 I finished Linda Howard's Prey last night. I enjoyed it. "Thirty-two-year-old Angie Powell has always spoken her mind, but in the presence of Dare Callahan she nurses a simmering rage. Three years ago, Dare returned home to rural Montana and opened a hunting business to rival Angie’s own, forcing her to close up shop. The infuriatingly attractive Iraq war vet even had the nerve to ask Angie out, not once but twice. Before Angie leaves town, she organizes one last trip into the wilderness with a client. But the adrenaline-fueled adventure turns deadly when Angie witnesses a cold-blooded murder and finds herself on the wrong side of a gun. Then a bear comes crashing through the woods—changing the dark game completely. Luckily, Dare is camping nearby and comes to her aid. Forced together for survival, Angie and Dare must confront hard feelings, a blinding storm, and a growing attraction—while a desperate killer and a ferocious five-hundred-pound beast stalk their prey." Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maus Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Completed: Book #54 - "America: The Story of Us, Book 2 - Creating the West" by Kevin Baker. Book #55 - "America: The Story of Us, Book 3 - A House Divided Cannot Stand" by Kevin Baker. Quick Reads, good overview of U.S. before I tackle it with the kids, but guess I'm done for now, as Book 4 isn't a free download. Book #53 - "Oliver Twist" by Charles Dickens. Book #52 - "America: The Story of Us, Book 1 - The World Comes to America" by Kevin Baker, et. al. Book #51 - "The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains" by Nicholas Carr. Book #50 - "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen. Book #49 - "Gulliver's Travels" by Jonathan Swift. Book #48 - "No Regrets: How Homeschooling Earned me a Master's Degree at Age Sixteen" by Alexandra Swann. Book #47 - "What to Read When" by Pam Allyn. Book #46 - "60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Salt Lake City" by Greg Witt. Book #45 - "Freeing Your Child From Anxiety" by Tamar Chansky. Book #44 - "A Nation Rising" by Kenneth C. Davis. Book #43 - "The Pilgrim's Progress" by John Bunyan. Book #42 - "The School for the Insanely Gifted" by Dan Elish. Book #41 - "The Eye of the Sun - Part One of Blackwood: Legends of the Forest" by Les Moyes. Book #40 - "The Fallacy Detective" by Nathaniel Bluedorn and Hans Bluedorn. Book #39 - "Don Quixote" by Miguel de Cervantes. Translated by John Ormsby. Book #38 - "Organizing Solutions for People with Attention Deficit Disorder" by Susan C. Pinsky. Book #37 - "Growing Up: A Classic American Childhood" by Marilyn vos Savant. Book #36 -"A Young People's History of the United States" by Howard Zinn. Book #35 - "Organizing the Disorganized Child: Simple Strategies to Succeed in School" by Martin L. Kutscher & Marcella Moran. Book #34 - "Turn Right at Machu Picchu" by Mark Adams. Book #33 - "The Lightening Thief" by Rick Riordan. Book #32 - "Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog, And the Triumph of Trust at Ground Zero" by Michael Hingson. Book #31 - "America's Hidden History" by Kenneth C. Davis. Book #30 - "The Diamond of Darkhold†by Jeanne DuPrau. Book #29 - "The People of Sparks†by Jeanne DuPrau. Book #28 - "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins. Book #27 - "Well-Educated Mind" by Susan Wise Bauer. Book #26 - "The Prophet of Yonwood" by Jeanne Duprau. Book #25 - "City of Ember" by Jeanne Duprau. Book #24 - "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch. Book #23 - "Who Moved My Cheese" by Spencer Johnson. Book #22 - "Deconstructing Penguins" by Lawrence and Nancy Goldstone. Book #21 - "Stargirl" by Jerry Spinelli. Book #20 - "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins. Book #19 - "Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins. Book #18 - "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" by Jonathan Safran Foer. Book #17 - "Frozen Assets: Cook for a Day, Eat for a Month" by Deborah Taylor-Hough. Book #16 - "Miserly Moms: Living Well on Less in a Tough Economy" by Jonni McCoy. Book #15 - "The Highly Sensitive Person" by Elaine N. Aron, Ph.D. Book #14 - "Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking" by Susan Cain. Book #13 - "Chasing Vermeer" by Blue Balliett. Book #12 - "The Highly Sensitive Person" by Elaine N. Aron, Ph.D. Book #11 - "Extraordinary, Ordinary People" by Condoleezza Rice. Book #10 - "The Pig in the Pantry" by Rose Godfrey. Book #9 - "The Virgin in the Ice" by Ellis Peters. Book #8 - "The Leper of St. Giles" by Ellis Peters. Book #7 - "St. Peter's Fair" by Ellis Peters. Book #6 - "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother" by Amy Chua. Book #5 - "Monk's Hood" by Ellis Peters. Book #4 - "Flash and Bones" by Kathy Reichs. Book #3 - "Spider Bones" by Kathy Reichs. Book #2 - "One Corpse Too Many" by Ellis Peters. Book #1 - "A Morbid Taste for Bones" by Ellis Peters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Bay Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 (edited) Belles on Their Toes is rather serious compared to Cheaper by the Dozen. I'm a Neal Stephenson fan but I haven't read Reamde yet. Anathem is interesting in an academic monks/mystery/parallel cultures and religions kind of way, but its slow going. Its not as focused as Cryptonomicon (excellent) or The Diamond Age (one of my favorite sci-fi books of all time). Okay, perhaps I'll take out Cryptonomicon when I go to the library tonight, even though I haven't totally give up on Reamde yet. I have finally found a character I like (not that I hate the other protagonist, just am not yet rooting for him). On a food note: No doughnuts, but I made apple, pear, cranberry crisp last night. Oh, it was good! Today I made plum kuchen because the in-laws were stopping by and with Scandinavians if you have coffee and cake everything is just fine. So we could make it a crisp week, since dd did a double batch of the apple crisp. I froze one of them (cruel wife/mother that I am bwahahaha--wait, I did buy ice cream for it, & I rarely buy ice cream. Now you're all wondering just how austere we are, if I rarely buy it, but we just don't do many desserts is all). Yes, coffee & cake is very good with Scandinavians, although Norwegians often serve those little waffles when you visit, too. My mother often made coffee cakes, including an Icelandic Coffee Cake. I suspect that one is really Icelandic-Canadian Coffee Cake. Our favourite was this Icelandic-Canadian version of a layered traditional Icelandic (thin, think layers--lots of work to make). I don't know if this is exactly like my mother's copy of the recipe, but here's one I found online http://etherwork.net/ejmtph/recipes/vineterte.html for the Canadian version. Here's a video on how to make it . Don't you just love the internet;)? Here's what it looks like, and that is the correct way to cut it (my family must have it correct, right;)? After all, my great grandparents came right off the boat, and so my Amma learned from them, and my mother from her...Actually, perhaps my Amma's Amma came off of the boat, but my Afi's mother came right off the boat. One of my mother's grandmothers refused to speak English if she didn't have to (or perhaps both were like that.) Okay - the bolded part - did you make THREE different crisps - or did you make ONE with all three fruits? If the latter, how about sharing the recipe (if it's not a family secret . . .) :) Thank you! :) Please do--I'll get my middle dd to make this one, too. Edited October 9, 2012 by Karin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAMom Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Thank you! I'm going to look for this book; request it at the library if necessary. Is it a fairly new copyright? Copyright is 2010. :) I'm reading my library's copy now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughing lioness Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Finsihed The Rich are Different by Howatch. Dawn was right- loved it. Taught WWS week 29 at Tutoring Center today- notes and paper on the life of Ceaser. What a simple, small homeschool world I live in, eh? Off to find "Sins of the Father" (pt 2). Should we re-name this thread the "Book a Week and Eat 2012"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Bay Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Should we re-name this thread the "Book a Week and Eat 2012"? :lol::lol::lol: Now I know why some book stores sell food in little cafes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 (edited) Does it go into the Italian justice system at all? I read The Monster of Florence a few years ago, and was appalled at the way some things were handled. I guess I expect those kinds of things to happen in a third world or a former Communist Bloc country, but not one that is supposed to be a Western country. It does a bit, but not as much detail as I was hoping for. I found the writing odd in a few places, and I'm thinking that maybe English is not the author's first language. The way things were translated must play a huge role, too, IMO--for example, Amanda Knox being asked a question (in Italian), her responding to a translator in English, the translator telling the detective or judge what she said in Italian and then all of that being translated BACK into English (I assume) for the book makes you wonder what nuances were just totally lost in this case! The author was very obviously trying to be objective, but he does not go into very much detail about the Monster of Florence prosecutor's habit of wild speculation and ignoring all other evidence. You can SEE it, though, in the author's description of opinion after opinion of all those involved. Mignini seems to love a dramatic, sex or drug fueled scenario--but he's not the only one. The amount of speculation and unprofessional "profiling" (only a woman would have covered the body with a quilt because--after killing Meredith--she wouldn't have wanted to see another female in that position, etc. Huh?) is just incredible. This never would have gone on so long in America. Just baffling. And I say this not 100% convinced of Knox's innocence because she seems very bizarre! Again, though, much could be lost in translation. (Not kissing your boyfriend and cuddling during a murder investigation or doing cartwheels and yoga in the police station! But that's not PROOF of anything.) Edited October 9, 2012 by 6packofun add Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Finished 13. St Augustine, City of God All 1,091 pages of it. I feel like I just finished a very heavy meal. I may have to lie down for a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 :smilielol5::smilielol5::smilielol5: Oh, wait. One more question... does your picnicking gear for Hanging Rock look like what these guys are sporting? No, more like this for us girls: with a tactical sneak attack by the boy: (Google pics, not my kids.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladydusk Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 Finsihed The Rich are Different by Howatch. Dawn was right- loved it. Taught WWS week 29 at Tutoring Center today- notes and paper on the life of Ceaser. What a simple, small homeschool world I live in, eh? Off to find "Sins of the Father" (pt 2). Yay!:hurray::hurray::hurray: Don't read Cashelmara. Too sordid and wicked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 I enjoyed Tempting the Bride by Sherry Thomas; it's a historical romance and the third in a series. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughing lioness Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 Yay!:hurray::hurray::hurray: Don't read Cashelmara. Too sordid and wicked. So what is the one SWB likes so much about Church Hx? And Sins is over $20 (ACK) In paperback at B & N AND I have to order it! Double ACK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ariasmommy Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 Finished 13. St Augustine, City of God All 1,091 pages of it. I feel like I just finished a very heavy meal. I may have to lie down for a while. :party: Congratulations! I am hoping that someday I will have the courage and brainpower to tackle it. It was referenced a couple of times in the book I just finished, From the Garden to the City: The Redeeming and Corrupting Power of Technology by John Dyer. I found it to be both a convicting and encouraging (and balanced!) look at technology from a Christian viewpoint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 :party: Congratulations! I am hoping that someday I will have the courage and brainpower to tackle it. It was referenced a couple of times in the book I just finished, From the Garden to the City: The Redeeming and Corrupting Power of Technology by John Dyer. I found it to be both a convicting and encouraging (and balanced!) look at technology from a Christian viewpoint. Well I'll tell you right now, skip or skim roughly the first ten books, in which Augustine refutes the claims of Roman paganism. At excruciating length. In fact, the last half dozen books are the most ineresting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paisley Hedgehog Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladydusk Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 So what is the one SWB likes so much about Church Hx? And Sins is over $20 (ACK) In paperback at B & N AND I have to order it! Double ACK. SWB is a fan of the Starbridge Series according to the page that lists her favorite books. You're introduced to some of the characters in the St.Benet's books (of which you read the middle one in The High Flyer). Howatch's Wiki page is quite complete and informative. As I understand it, Howatch was born and raised in England, moved to the States where she married. When she divorced, she moved back to England and became more involved with the church and Christianity. Starting with the Starbridge series, she explores more themes directly related to Christianity. I can't imagine that any Christian bookstore would carry them, though, because she delves into sinful behavior - not to wallow there, but to see it for what it is. But it can be relatively graphic, IYKWIM. She has three writing eras. The first is the pretty clean, straightforward gothic novel. Similar to Mary Stewart or Victoria Holt but set modern (1960s, when she was writing them), not historically. Then she writes these massive family sagas. Finally, she writes the "church" books, Starbridge & St. Benet's. The Starbridge Books are: The Starbridge Series Glittering Images (1987) Glamorous Powers (1988) Ultimate Prizes (1989) Scandalous Risks (1990) Mystical Paths (1992) Absolute Truths (1994) My library actually has these. I bought Penmarric and Cashelmara from Amazon used this summer. I picked up Sins of the Fathers at a library sale for cheap. There are a bunch available used on both ABE Books and Amazon (direct links to the used pages). I wouldn't pay $20! IIRC, Jane in NC read the Starbridge books last year. It's been several years since I read them with nursing babes and toddlers about. I don't remember a lot about them other than liking them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 IIRC, Jane in NC read the Starbridge books last year. They were by far my favorite reading of 2011. Engaging and thought provoking although one could just read the novels for the stories alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore was a real treat! It's cute and funny and not what I was expecting. A very optimistic, fairy-tale like story (with a little mystery) about how the love of books, both traditional paper books and new electronic formats, can help us find our way. :) I laughed out loud many times and thought the writing was very good. I loved the melding of modern and archaic (in a good way) in so many aspects of the story. I stayed up late to finish and was sad to put it down! But I tend to love books about books/bookstores/bibliophiles anyway. LOL I'd give it a strong B+. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladydusk Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 They were by far my favorite reading of 2011. Engaging and thought provoking although one could just read the novels for the stories alone. I lose track of the years ... I couldn't remember if it was 2011 or 2010 :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-M- Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 #104 Equivocation (Bill Cain; play) We saw a production of this wonderful play earlier this month at the Victory Garden Theater. In London in the year 1605, a down-and-out playwright called Shagspeare (yes, it’s him) receives a royal commission to write a play promoting the government’s version of Guy Fawkes’ treasonous Gunpowder Plot. As Shag navigates the dangerous course between writing a lie and losing his soul, or writing the truth and losing his head, his devoted theatre troupe helps him negotiate each step along the way. At once an explosive comedy of ideas and a high-stakes political thriller, Bill Cain’s award-winning Equivocation deftly reveals the cat-and-mouse games in politics and art, and the craft of learning how to speak the truth in difficult times. I tracked down a copy of the manuscript through the Dramatist's Play Service. Terrific stuff, both onstage and on the page. CECIL: You make them happy, but not so happy as to make them reject their unhappiness. You make them angry, but not so angry as to inspire action. You reduce all of reality to spectacle, making action unnecessary, even impossible. You are the perfect civic religion. (deep admiration) Your work will outlast the Bible -- which it resembles -- but you've improved on it. SHAG: How? CECIL: You've kept the willing suspension of disbelief and gotten rid of the moral demands. #103 The Playdate (Alice Millar; fiction) If you like Ruth Rendell / Barbara Vine, you may enjoy this competent psychological thriller. I did. #102 Electra (Sophocles; play) What an intense drama! I thought Oedipus Rex was the height of Greek tragedy and the "filial horror story" genre. Heh, heh, heh. Was I ever wrong. The Misses and I read this in anticipation of Elektra at the Lyric Opera, which is getting some good press. I've got too much in progress to predict with any accuracy what I will finish next. (*wry grin*) You'll find my complete list of books read in 2012 here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostSurprise Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 Okay, perhaps I'll take out Cryptonomicon when I go to the library tonight, even though I haven't totally give up on Reamde yet. I have finally found a character I like (not that I hate the other protagonist, just am not yet rooting for him). Does Stephenson switch between a bunch of different characters in Reamde or stick with one or two? Cryptonomicon is a monster of a book with tons of characters, different point of views, often there seems like there's nothing to hold it together. One character is like an action hero. Another you spend time wondering if he has Aspergers. The book covers WWII, Japanese internment camps, code breakers, secret corporations, geeks, the beginning of computing. Its fairly crazy, but every time I got tired of it another great chapter would pop up. So we could make it a crisp week, since dd did a double batch of the apple crisp. I froze one of them (cruel wife/mother that I am bwahahaha--wait, I did buy ice cream for it, & I rarely buy ice cream. Now you're all wondering just how austere we are, if I rarely buy it, but we just don't do many desserts is all). Yes, coffee & cake is very good with Scandinavians, although Norwegians often serve those little waffles when you visit, too. My mother often made coffee cakes, including an Icelandic Coffee Cake. I suspect that one is really Icelandic-Canadian Coffee Cake. Our favourite was this Icelandic-Canadian version of a layered traditional Icelandic (thin, think layers--lots of work to make). I don't know if this is exactly like my mother's copy of the recipe, but here's one I found online http://etherwork.net/ejmtph/recipes/vineterte.html for the Canadian version. Here's a video on how to make it . Don't you just love the internet;)? Here's what it looks like, and that is the correct way to cut it (my family must have it correct, right;)? After all, my great grandparents came right off the boat, and so my Amma learned from them, and my mother from her...Actually, perhaps my Amma's Amma came off of the boat, but my Afi's mother came right off the boat. One of my mother's grandmothers refused to speak English if she didn't have to (or perhaps both were like that.) Please do--I'll get my middle dd to make this one, too. That looks like a Vienna cake. Lots of sponge layers with fillings? I know the Danes have them, and I've seen them in Norwegian/Swedish books. Is it different from the standard Vienna version? Amma=Grandmother? Afi=Grandfather? I love hearing those words in other languages. We have dear friends where the husband is called Morphar (Swedish) to eliminate some 2nd marriage awkwardness. I linked to the crisp a page or two back. Its on Allrecipes if Googling is faster. I used fresh cranberries (not dried), extra pears and apples, and almond flour instead of walnuts. It was delicious, and not overly sweet. I ate the rest with Greek yogurt the next day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 I finished The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde today. I enjoyed the story. I really enjoyed the language. The words just seemed to flow. It was very poetic. I think that brings me to #37 so I'm still 4 behind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNC Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 I wanted something more uplifting after Casual Vacancy but my library holds came in: Gone Girl (p. 120 so far and good, but too many cusswords, like CV) Unbroken - my husband's favorite book the Winter Sea by Susannah Kearsley on my Kindle from library Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 I just finished Picnic at Hanging Rock. Hmmmmmmm. Are we going to spoil it for others if we discuss it now? (Is anyone else reading it or planning to...?) If anyone else would like to read it, let me know & I can pass on my copy to you next.... I can't figure out if I feel it's sad, tragic, creepy, or sinister. Maybe all of them. A fitting enough read for October too.... Rosie, are you brave enough to climb the rocks when visiting there? Even though the book is fiction, I can see how pieces of it seem like reporting from 100 years ago &, therefore, giving it a veneer of truth. Did you read the final book/chapter that was removed from the main book? The final chapter supposedly clears up some of the mystery. (Warning: spoilers in link about the final chapter.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 Rosie, are you brave enough to climb the rocks when visiting there? I haven't been there in years, but no, I won't be bush-bashing with my two little kiddies. Did you read the final book/chapter that was removed from the main book? The final chapter supposedly clears up some of the mystery. (Warning: spoilers in link about the final chapter.) Nope. It sounds like it'd spoil the story so I have no plans to read it. Funny that they mention tensions between Aboriginal and white Australia in the Wiki article. In many Aboriginal cultures the entitlement to knowledge is very different to the Western world's. For them, there is a great sense that if you don't know certain info, then it's none of your business, because if it was, you'd know already. I feel rather like that with regards to this chapter. :tongue_smilie: I haven't quite finished reading it to dd yet, but we should get close to finishing tonight. :) Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 Sharing a part of my country (loaded phrase) is so exciting. I only wish you could smell the heat, dust and eucalypts! I wish I could too! Since I suspect a scratch-n-sniff book wouldn't do things justice, I just need to start planning a trip! :D I finished The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde today. I enjoyed the story. I really enjoyed the language. The words just seemed to flow. It was very poetic. I agree. I loved it & thought it was beautifully written (surprised me a bit considering the subject matter, kwim?). Nope. It sounds like it'd spoil the story so I have no plans to read it. Funny that they mention tensions between Aboriginal and white Australia in the Wiki article. In many Aboriginal cultures the entitlement to knowledge is very different to the Western world's. For them, there is a great sense that if you don't know certain info, then it's none of your business, because if it was, you'd know already. I feel rather like that with regards to this chapter. :tongue_smilie: I like that philosophy. Imo, you're not missing much by skipping the 'missing' ending. I don't feel like it necessarily fit the story well & I think the publisher was correct in suggesting that she ax that last chapter. The open ending (as well as quite a few open/unresolved items throughout the story) leave things very wide open for interpretation. I guess that's yet another reason people could believe it's real -- real life is often not wrapped up so neatly as many plotlines; this one being open & ambiguous better reflects reality, I think. On the topic of Australian books, I still want to read Walkabout. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted October 11, 2012 Author Share Posted October 11, 2012 I just finished Picnic at Hanging Rock. Hmmmmmmm. Are we going to spoil it for others if we discuss it now? (Is anyone else reading it or planning to...?) If anyone else would like to read it, let me know & I can pass on my copy to you next.... I can't figure out if I feel it's sad, tragic, creepy, or sinister. Maybe all of them. A fitting enough read for October too.... Rosie, are you brave enough to climb the rocks when visiting there? Even though the book is fiction, I can see how pieces of it seem like reporting from 100 years ago &, therefore, giving it a veneer of truth. Did you read the final book/chapter that was removed from the main book? The final chapter supposedly clears up some of the mystery. (Warning: spoilers in link about the final chapter.) I just started listening to it today so will stick my fingers in my ears and lalalal my way past your posts. :) Happy to say I finally finished Journeys on the Silk Road. It was interesting learning about aurel stein, buddhist monks and finding evidence of the first written word, plus all the scrolls and the diamond sutra. How archaeologists managed to plunder, err take what they did before China realized what they had and why it may have been important. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 I just started listening to it today so will stick my fingers in my ears and lalalal my way past your posts. :) Happy to say I finally finished Journeys on the Silk Road. It was interesting learning about aurel stein, buddhist monks and finding evidence of the first written word, plus all the scrolls and the diamond sutra. How archaeologists managed to plunder, err take what they did before China realized what they had and why it may have been important. We can wait to discuss until after you're done, Robin! Anyone else reading it too? :bigear: (If you'd like my copy of it, PM me & I will send my copy on to you if you want to hop into the discussion too.) The Silk Road book sounds fascinating. I wish my library had it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 Imo, you're not missing much by skipping the 'missing' ending. I don't feel like it necessarily fit the story well & I think the publisher was correct in suggesting that she ax that last chapter. The open ending (as well as quite a few open/unresolved items throughout the story) leave things very wide open for interpretation. I guess that's yet another reason people could believe it's real -- real life is often not wrapped up so neatly as many plotlines; this one being open & ambiguous better reflects reality, I think. That's the feeling I got. Who needs a sequel to spoil the original? We can wait to discuss until after you're done, Robin! Anyone else reading it too? :bigear: (If you'd like my copy of it, PM me & I will send my copy on to you if you want to hop into the discussion too.) I have a spare copy too, found in a thrift shop the other day. I couldn't leave it there, you know! Of course if you are outside Australia, you'd have to wait a week or two for it to arrive. On the topic of Australian books, I still want to read Walkabout. That does look interesting. "Walkabout" is such a good word. I love that word. :) Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paisley Hedgehog Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeganCupcake Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 I just finished Picnic at Hanging Rock! The more I think about it, the more I liked it. Oooh, Journeys on the Silk Road sounds right up my alley. I will look for it. One of the books I just read mentions a lot of the same stuff and covers the same area. Packing for Mars is hi.lar.ious. I am actually laughing out loud as I listen. It seems like too much fun to be a "science" book--I feel like I'm eating donuts instead of kale. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-M- Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 My library doesn't have a copy of the book but they do have a dvd of the 1975 Peter Weir movie. Weir's Picnic at Hanging Rock and Peter Jackson's 1994 film Heavenly Creatures will be forever twinned in my imagination because I borrowed both from the library on the same weekend and watched them with my son and husband. Both films were creepy, thought-provoking, and memorable. The Jackson movie is based on actual events (the 1954 Parker-Hulme murder), and I remember wondering if Picnic were true, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 Packing for Mars is hi.lar.ious. I am actually laughing out loud as I listen. It seems like too much fun to be a "science" book--I feel like I'm eating donuts instead of kale. :tongue_smilie: I enjoyed that one too. Very fun & interesting. Weir's Picnic at Hanging Rock and Peter Jackson's 1994 film Heavenly Creatures will be forever twinned in my imagination because I borrowed both from the library on the same weekend and watched them with my son and husband. Both films were creepy, thought-provoking, and memorable. The Jackson movie is based on actual events (the 1954 Parker-Hulme murder), and I remember wondering if Picnic were true, too. I wonder how closely the movie follows the book? Maybe I'll have to get the movie from my library & watch it.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 I finished book #38 a little bit ago. Camille by Tess Oliver. It was a YA bit of fluff that I got free for my Kindle app. Though it was a bit of fluff, I couldn't put it down. :001_smile: Premise: young girl in England hunting werewolves with a love story. I couldn't put a date to it, but I'm guessing somewhere in the 1800's. It wasn't very scary, but it did contain werewolves so it also can count toward my Scary Reads October ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 Finished Stiff: The Curious Life of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach and I'm going to count it for my October scary read - it wasn't scary so much as gruesome though. It started off great, I would have given the first chapter or two five stars and then it fell away. I had to force myself to finish and kind of regret doing that because the chapter on cannibalism might have scarred me. Ugh. The writer's humor was hilarious initially and then became too much. A little humor goes a long was in a book like and she overdid it. In progress: White Stallion of Lipizza by Marguerite Henry (read aloud) Hounded (Iron Druid Chronicles) by Kevin Hearne (book club) Tom's Midnight Garden by Phillipa Pearce 2012 finished books: 109. Stiff: The Curious Life of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach (**) 108. Mrs. Sharp's Traditions: Reviving Victorian Family Celebrations of Comfort & Joy by Sarah Breathnach (****) 107. Beauty by Robin McKinley (*****) 106. Time and Again by Jack Finney (****) 105. The First 20 Minutes: Surprising Science Reveals How We Can: Exercise Better, Train Smarter, Live Longer by Gretchen Reynolds (**) 104. Gone-Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright (***) 103. Carry on, My Bowditch by Jean Lee Lantham - read aloud (*****) 102. Outlining Your Novel by KM Weiland (****) 101. Living in a Nutshell - Posh and Portable Decorating Ideas for Living in Small Spaces by Janet Lee (***) 100. Very Good, Jeeves by PD Wodehouse (*****) 99. All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot (*****) 98. How to Get Your Child to Love Reading by Esme Codell (****) 97. Harris and Me by Gary Paulsen (***) 96. The Cat Who Played Brahms by Lillian Jackson Braun (****) 95. Bringing Up Bebe by Pamela Druckerman (**) 94. Surviving Hitler by Andrea Warren (****) 93. The Lady in the Lake by Raymond Chandler (***) 92. Playful Learning by Mariah Bruehl (***) 91. The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern by Lillian Jackson Braun - audiobook (****) 90. The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie (***) 89. Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman - YA (****) 88. The Mirror Cracked Side to Side by Agatha Christie (***) 87. The Princess Bride by William Goldman (*****) 86. Crocodiles on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters (***) 86. The Tattooed Potato and Other Clues by Ellen Raskin - YA (***) 84. Supermarket by Satoshi Azuchi (**) 83. Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto (*****) 82. Stein on Writing by Sol Stein (****) 81. Order from Chaos by Liz Davenport (**) Books 41 - 80 Books 1 - 40 Amy's Rating System: ***** - Fantastic, couldn't put it down **** - Very good *** - Enjoyable but nothing special ** - Not recommended * - Horrible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Bay Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 (edited) Finished 13. St Augustine, City of God All 1,091 pages of it. I feel like I just finished a very heavy meal. I may have to lie down for a while. Congratulations on finishing! :smilielol5::smilielol5::smilielol5: No, more like this for us girls: with a tactical sneak attack by the boy: (Google pics, not my kids.) :lol::lol: It looks like you have a lot of fun. Does Stephenson switch between a bunch of different characters in Reamde or stick with one or two? Yes. He switches between only 2 characters for nearly 1/3 of the book, but now he has 4 he's switching from. [ETA (if you read this after I've come back), actually there are 6 POVs now, and there was a brief other one early on, but most of them are intertwined in part of the story & so it's not so difficult to keep track. I'm about 1/2 way through now.] I am interested in 3 of them, but find one of the very important ones not so interesting. This story is different in that it's all taking place in the same small amount of time other than a bit of background to help you know the characters better. Reamde is a virus that works in this virtual game, so one of the POVs is the guy who got the idea for this & founded the company, another is his niece who works for the company but got kidnapped by a Russian gangster along with her not-so-smart ex-boyfriend (don't want to say why, but the Reamde virus is involved with that problem), and the two newest POVs are people involved with the part with the latter characters. I'm not quite 1/2 way through, so there may be more POVs. I'm interested mainly in the niece & one of the criminals. That looks like a Vienna cake. Lots of sponge layers with fillings? I know the Danes have them, and I've seen them in Norwegian/Swedish books. Is it different from the standard Vienna version? Well, what do you know, I just did a google & sure enough verneterte is Icelandic for Vienna Cake & is probably really 2 words. What seems to be different is the filling. Doggone it, it's not even originally Icelandic--shocking, considering that Icelanders are 60 percent Norse genetically, were ruled by Denmark for centuries, are 40 percent Irish genetically (all those slaves) & were big travellers ;). Apparently I'm descended from the baby born in Vinland, and sometime after that his mother did a Pilgrimage to Rome (women had a lot more rights in Iceland than in most European countries.) Hmm, something must be truly Icelandic besides the sheep, the totally seamless sweaters & the horses (bred to thrive in that environment, & the sheep almost always bear twins.) Amma=Grandmother? Afi=Grandfather? I love hearing those words in other languages. We have dear friends where the husband is called Morphar (Swedish) to eliminate some 2nd marriage awkwardness. I linked to the crisp a page or two back. Its on Allrecipes if Googling is faster. I used fresh cranberries (not dried), extra pears and apples, and almond flour instead of walnuts. It was delicious, and not overly sweet. I ate the rest with Greek yogurt the next day. Yes, those are grandparent names. When I was little I had an Amma & Afi on one side of the family, and an Oma & Opa on the other, but we had to start saying Grandma & Grandpa for the two O ones because one of them still had one or more living parents who were Oma & Opa (but I wasn't happy about te switch.) I'll have to find the crisp recipe, but I'm allergic to almonds, so don't have them in the house. Perhaps I'll get the walnuts. We have a few gallons of frozen wild cranberries from 2011 bumper crop. I must have missed the link, but can easily find it. Edited October 13, 2012 by Karin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 (edited) I want to play, too!! My library doesn't have a copy of the book but they do have a dvd of the 1975 Peter Weir movie. I've been lalalala through the discussion so far trying to avoid spoilers, so I don't know if any differences between the two have already been discussed. I will go back for a closer read through the thread when I have something to contribute. Oh, I haven't seen the movie in years so I can't discuss differences. I can, however, contribute some pics of what the parrots mentioned in the book probably were: Crimson Rosella Sulfur Crested Cockatoo, commonly known as a cocky. Galah We have the first two on our property and plenty of galahs in town. :) If you want a postcard, you'd better pm me your address. The weather is cheering up and we'll be able to go a-picnicking soon! Edited October 12, 2012 by Rosie_0801 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 Wow, the Crimson Rosella is GORGEOUS. Cockatoos I know (have at least seen in person); Galahs look pretty neat too! Thanks for putting the bird photos, Rosie. I love bird-watching. Be sure to let us know what beauties you see when you're at Hanging Rock. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 Finished 13. St Augustine, City of God All 1,091 pages of it. I feel like I just finished a very heavy meal. I may have to lie down for a while. Congrats! You deserve to read a lovely brain candy book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted October 13, 2012 Author Share Posted October 13, 2012 Finished 13. St Augustine, City of God All 1,091 pages of it. I feel like I just finished a very heavy meal. I may have to lie down for a while. Congratulations! Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore was a real treat! It's cute and funny and not what I was expecting. A very optimistic, fairy-tale like story (with a little mystery) about how the love of books, both traditional paper books and new electronic formats, can help us find our way. :) I laughed out loud many times and thought the writing was very good. I loved the melding of modern and archaic (in a good way) in so many aspects of the story. I stayed up late to finish and was sad to put it down! But I tend to love books about books/bookstores/bibliophiles anyway. LOL I'd give it a strong B+. I do love those types of books as well. Added it to my wishlist I just finished Picnic at Hanging Rock. Hmmmmmmm. Are we going to spoil it for others if we discuss it now? (Is anyone else reading it or planning to...?) If anyone else would like to read it, let me know & I can pass on my copy to you next.... I can't figure out if I feel it's sad, tragic, creepy, or sinister. Maybe all of them. A fitting enough read for October too.... Rosie, are you brave enough to climb the rocks when visiting there? Even though the book is fiction, I can see how pieces of it seem like reporting from 100 years ago &, therefore, giving it a veneer of truth. Did you read the final book/chapter that was removed from the main book? The final chapter supposedly clears up some of the mystery. (Warning: spoilers in link about the final chapter.) I just finished listening to the story. It got to the end and I went "that's it." Now I want to read the book. Spooky, mysteries, lots of questions of who did what. Thanks Rosie for suggesting it. I haven't been there in years, but no, I won't be bush-bashing with my two little kiddies. Nope. It sounds like it'd spoil the story so I have no plans to read it. Funny that they mention tensions between Aboriginal and white Australia in the Wiki article. In many Aboriginal cultures the entitlement to knowledge is very different to the Western world's. For them, there is a great sense that if you don't know certain info, then it's none of your business, because if it was, you'd know already. I feel rather like that with regards to this chapter. :tongue_smilie: I haven't quite finished reading it to dd yet, but we should get close to finishing tonight. :) Rosie I checked out the link with the missing chapter. I like the story better without it. Leaves a bit of mystery. I want to play, too!! My library doesn't have a copy of the book but they do have a dvd of the 1975 Peter Weir movie. I've been lalalala through the discussion so far trying to avoid spoilers, so I don't know if any differences between the two have already been discussed. I will go back for a closer read through the thread when I have something to contribute. Now I want to see the movie. I just finished Picnic at Hanging Rock! The more I think about it, the more I liked it. Surprisingly I enjoyed it more than I expected. Weir's Picnic at Hanging Rock and Peter Jackson's 1994 film Heavenly Creatures will be forever twinned in my imagination because I borrowed both from the library on the same weekend and watched them with my son and husband. Both films were creepy, thought-provoking, and memorable. The Jackson movie is based on actual events (the 1954 Parker-Hulme murder), and I remember wondering if Picnic were true, too. I'll definitely have to be on the look out for the movie. Oh, I haven't seen the movie in years so I can't discuss differences. I can, however, contribute some pics of what the parrots mentioned in the book probably were: Crimson Rosella Sulfur Crested Cockatoo, commonly known as a cocky. Galah We have the first two on our property and plenty of galahs in town. :) If you want a postcard, you'd better pm me your address. The weather is cheering up and we'll be able to go a-picnicking soon! Beautiful birds. Thanks for sharing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 For more of my October spooky reading, I've started John Dies at the End (finally, it came in at the library!). I've plowed through the first hundred pages or so very quickly & find it's an unusual mix of horrifying grossness & weird happenings that's pretty darn hilarious in parts -- I don't know, maybe a blender mix of Fargo, teen slasher movies, Jon Stewart, and Kick-Ass. So far, a very fun October read... (at least if you have a warped sense of humor ;)). (I see that there was a movie made which played at Sundance this year. Will be curious if it gets released for a wider audience....) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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