Stacia Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Robin, glad your ds was found quickly and safely. I agree! Â I'm so happy too! :grouphug: :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 I haven't been online much but I'm still reading. When I have to choose between the two, reading wins hands down. Â Anyway, I finished Track of the Cat (the first Anna Pigeon novel). I think I'm going to like this series, and my library has quite a few of the ebooks. I'll fill in the others with paperback, which is also available at the library. Â Beloved came in (ebook again). At first I though I was going to add my name to those who abandoned it (it's on that Goodreads list), but I kept going and am glad, I'm about halfway through. The writing is very different and takes a while to get used to. It's almost written like a long poem. Â I'm also reading the next Myron Bolitar novel by Harlen Coben - Back Spin. These are quick, easy reads. I save Beloved for when I have time to think about what I'm reading, and read this one when I can only grab a bit of reading time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 I've been trying to read Gone Girl this week but I think I will have to return it to the library tomorrow unfinished. At another time of year I would have read the whole thing, but I have to say I probably won't bother to check it out again. I know a lot of people enjoyed that book a lot, but I don't care about the protagonists at all and while well-written, Â I read it earlier this year, after having been on the waiting list for a very long time. I did finish it, did not like the characters, and found the ending unsatisfying. I'm not sorry I read it, but you aren't missing out by skipping it. Â Is this a British mystery? The British love to have their cast of fifty people in a mystery and in the last chapter they all sit around in the library to find out who the murderer was. I know exactly what you're talking about with having a hard time keep track of people because I do the same thing. "Now who was George?" *rapidly flips back 50 pages* "Oh that's Sir Cheswick! Whoa. And he's married to Donna. I was wondering who the heck she was." Â LOL! I have a confession - dh and I have started watching Midsommer Murders on Netflix. While we're enjoying the series, I will tell you that British tv mysteries are just as complicated as their written ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justme824 Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Â I was waiting for Robin's list of questions, but I have already done a 2012 Year In Books Review on my blog with all my favorite reads of the year. It is too long to copy and paste or I'd repost it here. Pretty please pop over and take a look? :blush: Â I guess I should be working on typing up my giant list of books finished (an all-time personal best!), but I just don't have the energy. Â Thanks for the link. I marked several books on my list for next year :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Some very light reading: Â 20. Graham Greene, Our Man in Havana http://www.amazon.com/Our-Man-Havana-Penguin-Classics/dp/0142438006 Â An amusing send-up of the spy-thriller genre. A scene where a British agent, meeting with his superior, begins to realize that the vacuum cleaner salesman he's recruited to spy on the Cubans may not be sending such reliable intelligence: Â "I want photographs, Hawthorne." "That's asking a lot, sir," "We have got to have them. At any risk. Do you know what Savage said to me? I can tell you, it gave me a very nasty nightmare. He said one of the drawings reminded him of a giant vacuum cleaner." "A vacuum cleaner!" Hawthorne bent down and examined the drawings again, and the cold struck him once more. "Makes you shiver, doesn't it?" Â ------------- Â Fluffy mission accomplished. Back to Ariosto. Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Â Â Below Stairs, a memoir of life as a kitchen maid and cook back in the old days, when servants got one afternoon off a week if they were lucky. Great stuff. The author is very sharp and insightful. Â Â I read this earlier in the year and I really enjoyed it! I found it on a list of "If You Like Downton Abbey You'll Like This..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 Some very light reading: Â 20. Graham Greene, Our Man in Havana http://www.amazon.com/Our-Man-Havana-Penguin-Classics/dp/0142438006 Â An amusing send-up of the spy-thriller genre. A scene where a British agent, meeting with his superior, begins to realize that the vacuum cleaner salesman he's recruited to spy on the Cubans may not be sending such reliable intelligence: Â "I want photographs, Hawthorne." "That's asking a lot, sir," "We have got to have them. At any risk. Do you know what Savage said to me? I can tell you, it gave me a very nasty nightmare. He said one of the drawings reminded him of a giant vacuum cleaner." "A vacuum cleaner!" Hawthorne bent down and examined the drawings again, and the cold struck him once more. "Makes you shiver, doesn't it?" Â ------------- Â Fluffy mission accomplished. Back to Ariosto. Â Â Check out the film version of Our Man in Havana sometime. It was filmed on location and stars Alec Guiness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 And Maureen O'Hara! Right then, I must swing by the video store pronto. Thanks for the tip! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted December 19, 2012 Author Share Posted December 19, 2012 Hey Chicka's: Here's the list for the books versus movies and the Oh Canada challenge. Once Karin gets me her mother's list, we'll update it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangermom Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 Check out the film version of Our Man in Havana sometime. It was filmed on location and stars Alec Guiness. I was just learning about that movie today! I was showing the kids pictures of Alec Guiness after we watched "Oliver Twist" (where he played Fagin in a ton of awful makeup). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted December 19, 2012 Author Share Posted December 19, 2012 Robin, so glad everything turned out okay. How scary! I'm glad to hear that your son is safely home, Robin. Robin, glad your ds was found quickly and safely. I agree! I'm so happy too! :grouphug: :001_smile: Â Thank you guys. Coming on top of the Connecticut thing, it was a really emotional experience and happy to say my hubby kept it together since I was the one falling apart. I had James show me the route he took today and he had walked 3 miles in the rain. This from a kid who hates the rain and hates walking. His legs are really sore today - serves him right. We're working on security system plus talked to his doctor today. We're having lots of growing pains emotionally and physically. The combination of a rebellious teenager and aspergers is a bit more difficult that we expected. Things will work out - taking it one day at a time. Â *hugs* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 Thank you guys. Coming on top of the Connecticut thing, it was a really emotional experience and happy to say my hubby kept it together since I was the one falling apart. I had James show me the route he took today and he had walked 3 miles in the rain. This from a kid who hates the rain and hates walking. His legs are really sore today - serves him right. We're working on security system plus talked to his doctor today. We're having lots of growing pains emotionally and physically. The combination of a rebellious teenager and aspergers is a bit more difficult that we expected. Things will work out - taking it one day at a time. Â *hugs* Hugs back at you. The Slaughter of the Innocents has had all of us reeling. Â Just want to tell you Robin that I think you are amazing. Â Jane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 I plowed through John Barrowman's autobiographies this week so far, no idea what to read next. They were delightful, honest, funny, sweet and full of family stories that made me laugh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 Hey Chicka's: Here's the list for the books versus movies and the Oh Canada challenge. Once Karin gets me her mother's list, we'll update it. Thanks! Maybe people will be inspired to team up some reading with some screen time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Robyn Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 Some very light reading: Â 20. Graham Greene, Our Man in Havana http://www.amazon.co...s/dp/0142438006 Â An amusing send-up of the spy-thriller genre. A scene where a British agent, meeting with his superior, begins to realize that the vacuum cleaner salesman he's recruited to spy on the Cubans may not be sending such reliable intelligence: Â "I want photographs, Hawthorne." "That's asking a lot, sir," "We have got to have them. At any risk. Do you know what Savage said to me? I can tell you, it gave me a very nasty nightmare. He said one of the drawings reminded him of a giant vacuum cleaner." "A vacuum cleaner!" Hawthorne bent down and examined the drawings again, and the cold struck him once more. "Makes you shiver, doesn't it?" Â ------------- Â Fluffy mission accomplished. Back to Ariosto. Â Graham Greene keeps coming up when I'm looking for/at books. This snippet you posted makes it seem like it's right up my alley, and you posted it at exactly the right time for me. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 Glad to be of service. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 Ugh. Am I ever going to finish a book again? I've been working on my Agatha Christie book for at least a week. And it's only 200 some pages. I want to read. I want to get absorbed in the story. I don't want to do all this other boring stuff that's taking away from my reading time. Â Deep breath. Â Alright, back to your regularly scheduled discussions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted December 20, 2012 Author Share Posted December 20, 2012 Read 4 chapters of Pride and Prejudice - yeah me! Christmas shopping led to cleaning up my amazon wishlists to browsing the interwebz and discovered Flavorwire. Of course I couldn't resist a couple christmas gifts to myself - Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Book store and If On a Winter's Night a Traveler. We'll just say they are gifts from Santa. :)  Found what Bill Gates read this year. Interesting lot of books. More non fiction than fiction and he's written a few reviews. Will keep you busy for a while and just may have you adding a few to your wishlists.  10 new must reads for December includes the Forgotten Writings of Bram Stoker being released on christmas eve.  What is the President reading? eta: Stephen Toope - president of University of British Columbia  He has Michael Ondaatje Cat's Table and David Mitchell's Black Swan Green in common with Gates.   Had enough torture, err fun yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 Of course I couldn't resist a couple christmas gifts to myself - Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Book store and If On a Winter's Night a Traveler. We'll just say they are gifts from Santa. :) Â If on a Winter's Night a Traveler is one of my favorite books, one of a bunch of Calvino books living on my shelves. Â I finished Rennie Airth's 2nd John Madden mystery, The Blood Dimmed Time. Fair. It did not grab me as much as the first. Â Already moving on to the Dusty Book challenge. I read the first two stories in Kiss, Kiss, a short story collection for adults by Roald Dahl who is far better known for his children's books. Most of the stories in the book were published in The New Yorker or Esquire prior to the publication of the collection in 1960. The humor is perhaps not that different from his children's stories, just geared to a different audience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawneinfl Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 Just checking in to say "hello". I've been off the boards for about 2 months. Lots of craziness here but things are calming down now. I turned into crafty mom instead of reading mom for a few weeks. I was supposed to teach my daughters needlecrafts for an American Heritage Girls badge and I found a cross-stitch I started 10 years ago but never finished. Well, I began a mad marathon to finish the project before Christmas and it's finally done. It was a fun diversion and now I'm ready to hit the books again. I'm reading through the threads and putting way too many books in my tbr list. I won't get to 52 but that's okay. I've enjoyed the year with you ladies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 Just checking in to say "hello". I've been off the boards for about 2 months. Lots of craziness here but things are calming down now. I turned into crafty mom instead of reading mom for a few weeks. I was supposed to teach my daughters needlecrafts for an American Heritage Girls badge and I found a cross-stitch I started 10 years ago but never finished. Well, I began a mad marathon to finish the project before Christmas and it's finally done. It was a fun diversion and now I'm ready to hit the books again. I'm reading through the threads and putting way too many books in my tbr list. I won't get to 52 but that's okay. I've enjoyed the year with you ladies. Â Â Glad to see you back and thanks for letting us know what you've been up to! Now that you mention I think I might have a 10 year old cross stitch project around her too. I'll leave it in the craft basket for another year or two though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 I've started one of Dickens's christmas stories Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeganCupcake Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 Read 4 chapters of Pride and Prejudice - yeah me! Christmas shopping led to cleaning up my amazon wishlists to browsing the interwebz and discovered Flavorwire. Of course I couldn't resist a couple christmas gifts to myself - Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Book store and If On a Winter's Night a Traveler. We'll just say they are gifts from Santa. :) Â Found what Bill Gates read this year. Interesting lot of books. More non fiction than fiction and he's written a few reviews. Will keep you busy for a while and just may have you adding a few to your wishlists. Â 10 new must reads for December includes the Forgotten Writings of Bram Stoker being released on christmas eve. Â What is the President reading? Â He has Michael Ondaatje Cat's Table and David Mitchell's Black Swan Green in common with Gates. Â Â Had enough torture, err fun yet? Â Â Oh dear, I added a whole bunch to my TBR pile after looking at Bill Gates' list. Â The president linked seems to be the president of the University of British Columbia? Am I mistaken? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 Read 4 chapters of Pride and Prejudice - yeah me! Christmas shopping led to cleaning up my amazon wishlists to browsing the interwebz and discovered Flavorwire. Of course I couldn't resist a couple christmas gifts to myself - Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Book store and If On a Winter's Night a Traveler. We'll just say they are gifts from Santa. :) Â Found what Bill Gates read this year. Interesting lot of books. More non fiction than fiction and he's written a few reviews. Will keep you busy for a while and just may have you adding a few to your wishlists. Â 10 new must reads for December includes the Forgotten Writings of Bram Stoker being released on christmas eve. Â What is the President reading? Â He has Michael Ondaatje Cat's Table and David Mitchell's Black Swan Green in common with Gates. Â Â Had enough torture, err fun yet? Â Â Keep going with P&P. We all expect a five minute oral report when you are finished. :) Â If I was the president of an university I don't think I'd want my reading list public. I just wouldn't feel comfortable posting that I was currently reading Harry Potter (again), two cooking books, a Regency romance, and a Nancy Drew that DD left laying on my bed. I'd make stuff up. Actually I'd post whatever Violet Crown is reading as my reading list. Her stuff always looks like it could be read by uber intellectuals. My stuff looks like it should be read by 5th grade girls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted December 20, 2012 Author Share Posted December 20, 2012 Â Oh dear, I added a whole bunch to my TBR pile after looking at Bill Gates' list. Â The president linked seems to be the president of the University of British Columbia? Am I mistaken? Â Oh geez! No you aren't. See my brain was so totally wrapped up in writing the Canada challenge stuff that I went with a Canadian university president and didn't even notice. Ha! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted December 20, 2012 Author Share Posted December 20, 2012 Just checking in to say "hello". I've been off the boards for about 2 months. Lots of craziness here but things are calming down now. I turned into crafty mom instead of reading mom for a few weeks. I was supposed to teach my daughters needlecrafts for an American Heritage Girls badge and I found a cross-stitch I started 10 years ago but never finished. Well, I began a mad marathon to finish the project before Christmas and it's finally done. It was a fun diversion and now I'm ready to hit the books again. I'm reading through the threads and putting way too many books in my tbr list. I won't get to 52 but that's okay. I've enjoyed the year with you ladies. Â Hi - good to see you! Â Glad to see you back and thanks for letting us know what you've been up to! Now that you mention I think I might have a 10 year old cross stitch project around her too. I'll leave it in the craft basket for another year or two though. Â Hee hee - I came across a craft project the other day in a box of stuff stored in the garage. Started and never finished. Come to think of it we all probably one of those type of projects lying around somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 Browsing through Bill Gates read list for the year I noticed he and I are interested in very different books but then I saw this and had to laugh. How nice that there's a book on how to spend money just for him! Â Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughing lioness Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 Reading the $100 Startup by the guy who wrote The Art of Non-Conformity. It's 4-hour work week-ish with heart. I gotta come up with something or consider getting a real job-which makes me about break out in hives. Â Robin- so glad you found your boy!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladydusk Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 Browsing through Bill Gates read list for the year I noticed he and I are interested in very different books but then I saw this and had to laugh. How nice that there's a book on how to spend money just for him! Â Â Â That is funny. Â I thought it was cool that I read one book the same as Bill Gates this year ... Moonwalking with Einstein. Â There were a couple others on his list I'd be interested in, but not a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 Stacia and Negin - I think I'm going to borrow your rating system. Love the lists and will be perusing them and adding to my wishlist. Don't know how I missed some of them. http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/public/style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/thumbup1.gif And I'm finally, lazy butt that I am, writing postcards from Hanging Rock. I have one for Stacia, VeganCupcake and Negin writtenVery cool. Thanks again, Rosie. So, I guess we can finally discuss the book further now??? By now, I've forgotten names of characters, but here are my first questions that pop into mind.... Did the headmistress kill the girl at the end & stuff her in the bushes? Why?  What really happened at Hanging Rock? (What is your opinion of what happened? I read the supposed ending that wasn't published & wish I hadn't. If I hadn't read the original ending, I'm not sure what I would have thought....) Would love to hear what everyone's theories are....  Did you find the story magical? Mystical? Creepy? Scary? Tame? ???  I have already done a 2012 Year In Books Review on my blog with all my favorite reads of the year. It is too long to copy and paste or I'd repost it here. Pretty please pop over and take a look? http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/public/style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/blush.gifAwesome! (Will be adding some more titles to my to-read list, such as... -----------> Nice wrap-up! Your blog post reminds me to put The Stockholm Octavo on my TBR list. Indeed a beautiful cover!<---------> ... this one. I am having a rough week in terms of reading. I started Ian Kershaw's 2 part Hilter bio. I think both books are about 600 pages. I got to about page 300 of the first one and thought "WHY am I still reading this?". But you know, it's the end of the year and there's all this pressure to get my numbers up http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/public/style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/laugh.gif. I hate to have read 300 pages of a book and not finish it! The book was just so....boring, ironically. Dull. Then I realized that I had already read a huge book by him earlier this year called The End which was also tough to get through. He needs a proofreader or something. His books are like encyclopedias. Then I started The Princess Bride. I didn't like the movie, so it makes sense to read the book....I think I am just burnt out from life in general and need to sit in front of the TV and eat Cheetos. A funny thing happened to me this week. I was waiting in line at a bookstore, reading the back of a book. A woman came up to me and said, "Oh, that book was SOOOOOO good!" and I said to her, "Yeah, I was standing her trying to remember if I have read it or not!" And she laughed and laughed, and I thought, only a true reader would find that hilarious.Great post. Love that you're plodding through boring just to meet your numbers, esp. when you have the siren call of TV & Cheetos! Hang in there & hope you find some FUN, Cheeto-like reading soon! (In case anyone must know, I found the awesome Cheeto photo in a post titled Do not mock the Cheeto.) http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/public/style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/rofl.gif  I finished The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. The main character is a young woman who has aged out of the foster care system.Have you ever read White Oleander by Janet Fitch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 Woke up this morning not sick with the flu. What a wonderful and novel feeling.... Anyhow, last night I finished 19. Ariosto, Orlando Furioso, vol. 1 My initial take on this - as if the Arthurian romances were written by an Italian with ADHD, and maybe some help from John Cleese - is unchanged. Â So glad you're feeling better. Love the summary! :smilielol5: Â Oh, and I am listening to Hogfather while I'm in the car. I first listened to it last year, I think, and I'm cracking up all over again. Â I must say, you have excellent taste in holiday reading! :thumbup: Â Stacia: Thanks for that article by the translator. Literary translation is a fascinating subject. And I highly recommend Beckett; while I was reading your linked essay, I thought about how Beckett wrote in a non-native language (French) precisely to avoid stylistic nuances that a native speaker would have present in his writing. ETA: Guilty pleasure confession: I used to watch Quantum Leap in college with friends, and whenever Sam Beckett would portal somewhere, we'd shout at the screen "I can't go on, I'll go on!" Yes, we had no lives then. I recommend reading Krapp's Last Tape while watching Quantum Leap on Netflix. Â You're welcome. I thought it was fascinating too & I enjoyed her info about finding the poetic/artistic translation vs. doing just a literal translation. Side story: Our wedding invitations were in two languages. We had asked dh's parents to translate the verse for us & his mom did it. During our final check before printing, his dad looked over things & then said it was all wrong because, certainly, we wanted the feeling of the sentiment rather than a literal translation, right? (My mil is very literal while my fil is more poetic...). We ended up changing it because he was right -- we wanted the feeling of the sentiment rather than a word-for-word translation. The author's interview brought that back for me.... Â I love other languages (there are so many beautiful languages in this world!) too & wish I had more fluency.... Â For a list of all the books I read this year, read my list on my blog. It's too long to post here. I'll hit 200 by Christmas. Â :w00t: and :thumbup1: Â Some very light reading: 20. Graham Greene, Our Man in Havana http://www.amazon.co...s/dp/0142438006 An amusing send-up of the spy-thriller genre. A scene where a British agent, meeting with his superior, begins to realize that the vacuum cleaner salesman he's recruited to spy on the Cubans may not be sending such reliable intelligence: Â Love it! Greene is another author I've never read (but want to, along w/ Beckett and many others).... Â Things will work out - taking it one day at a time. *hugs* Â :grouphug: and :001_smile: Â We'll just say they are gifts from Santa. :) Found what Bill Gates read this year. Interesting lot of books. More non fiction than fiction and he's written a few reviews. Will keep you busy for a while and just may have you adding a few to your wishlists. 10 new must reads for December includes the Forgotten Writings of Bram Stoker being released on christmas eve. What is the President reading? eta: Stephen Toope - president of University of British Columbia He has Michael Ondaatje Cat's Table and David Mitchell's Black Swan Green in common with Gates. Had enough torture, err fun yet? Â :001_smile: Â (Regardless of what President...), I loved The Cat's Table (one of my faves this year that will definitely be showing up in my end-of-year list). Black Swan Green sounds great too (esp. since I loved Mitchell's Cloud Atlas). Seems like, from the description, The Cat's Table and Black Swan Green might be great comparison/contrast books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 Already moving on to the Dusty Book challenge.Me too (with Chinese Letter and my current read of Pratchett's Lords and Ladies). Just checking in to say "hello". I've been off the boards for about 2 months. Lots of craziness here but things are calming down now. I turned into crafty mom instead of reading mom for a few weeks. I was supposed to teach my daughters needlecrafts for an American Heritage Girls badge and I found a cross-stitch I started 10 years ago but never finished. Well, I began a mad marathon to finish the project before Christmas and it's finally done. It was a fun diversion and now I'm ready to hit the books again. I'm reading through the threads and putting way too many books in my tbr list. I won't get to 52 but that's okay. I've enjoyed the year with you ladies. http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/public/style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/seeya.gif , Shawne! Good to see you around again! I just wouldn't feel comfortable posting that I was currently reading Harry Potter (again), two cooking books, a Regency romance, and a Nancy Drew that DD left laying on my bed. I'd make stuff up. Actually I'd post whatever Violet Crown is reading as my reading list. Her stuff always looks like it could be read by uber intellectuals. My stuff looks like it should be read by 5th grade girls. http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/public/style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/lol.gif (and I totally agree w/ you about co-opting Violet Crown's list...; I would do the same thing... http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/public/style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/biggrin.gif)  Oh geez! No you aren't. See my brain was so totally wrapped up in writing the Canada challenge stuff that I went with a Canadian university president and didn't even notice. Ha!Maybe you need ...a Cheeto? http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/public/style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/wink.gif http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/public/style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/lol.gif  Browsing through Bill Gates read list for the year I noticed he and I are interested in very different books but then I saw this and had to laugh. How nice that there's a book on how to spend money just for him!Great catch. That is hilarious! P.S. (Here's my public service announcement. You can quote too many posts in your own post & then the boards will not let you post. Did I put enough posts in that sentence? So, that's why you have so many darn posts from me right in a row. http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/public/style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/tongue_smilie.gif ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paisley Hedgehog Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 .  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 Okay, I have 161 books on my TBR list. That doesn't include the list I have saved at the library. Oy. How will I get through them all when you all keep posting more and more books that look interesting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawneinfl Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 Hi - good to see you! Â Â Â Hee hee - I came across a craft project the other day in a box of stuff stored in the garage. Started and never finished. Come to think of it we all probably one of those type of projects lying around somewhere. Â Â Okay Robin, maybe we could start a challenge called "Listen to an epic audiobook while working on a long-lost needlecraft project". :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 Anyone want to give me some crib notes about Animal Farm, To Kill A Mockingbird, and Our Town?  Here's one for Animal Farm: http://www.rinkworks.com/bookaminute/b/orwell.animalfarm.shtml  :laugh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paisley Hedgehog Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 Yeps. I loved the first Airth book but couldn't make it through the second one. I have moved on to my dusty books too. I started historian Barbara Tuchman's The March of Folly about how governments routinely pursue policies contrary to their own interests. Her definition of "folly" consists of "assessing a situation in terms of preconceived fixed notions while ignoring or rejecting any contrary signs. It is acting according to wish while not allowing oneself to be deflected by facts." Her four case studies are 1 ) The Trojans taking the wooden horse inside their walls, 2 ) the Renaissance popes provoking the Protestant secession, 3 ) the British loss of American colonies, and 4 ) the American war in Vietnam. Kind of heavy reading for Christmastime but .... I'm in a nonfiction kind of mood. None of my fiction books can hold my attention; I have picked up and put aside three just since Saturday. I should be pre-reading the novels I will be assigning for my high schooler in the spring. Anyone want to give me some crib notes about Animal Farm, To Kill A Mockingbird, and Our Town? Â To Kill a Mockingbird is a great movie. That would be a great one for Book vs Movie challenge. Â Okay, I have 161 books on my TBR list. That doesn't include the list I have saved at the library. Oy. How will I get through them all when you all keep posting more and more books that look interesting? Â I know! Every few months I have to go through and ruthlessly take books off my to-read list. I bet I've added and taken Anne Perry's first book off my list three times. It just gets overwhelming so I'll take the list down to thirty books (I did say ruthlessly take books off!). Somehow I'll add a book or two and next thing I know it's bordering on triple digits again. Â The other option is to neglect your family, children, and housework and hide out in your room reading until your list is down to a managable level. Â Really, either option is good. Â Here's one for Animal Farm: http://www.rinkworks.com/bookaminute/b/orwell.animalfarm.shtml :laugh: Â "Four legs good. Two legs baaaad." Â :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 Found what Bill Gates read this year. Interesting lot of books.  That's quite an interesting list. I found it amusing that he read the bio of Steve Jobs. It wasn't on the linked page, but I came across it while exploring the site. Scroll down to Reader Recommendations: Books I've Read  Glad to see you back and thanks for letting us know what you've been up to! Now that you mention I think I might have a 10 year old cross stitch project around her too. I'll leave it in the craft basket for another year or two though.  I know I have cross stitch projects that are at least 10 years old because I came across them recently during a decluttering episode. Instead of either finishing them or tossing them, I put them aside again. Declutter Fail.  I've started one of Dickens's christmas stories  I'm reading A Christmas Carol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 The other option is to neglect your family, children, and housework and hide out in your room reading until your list is down to a managable level. Â I like this option! Where do I find a nanny, maid, cook, and tutor who will work for free (like I do) so I can tackle my TBR list? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 I just finished The Timekeeper by Mitch Albom and am reading The Oracle of Stamboul. I'm working on making a list of the books I've read this year, I dropped the ball around September and didn't record anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 Declutter Fail. Â That would be an awesome name for a book, I think. :laugh: Â I like this option! Where do I find a nanny, maid, cook, and tutor who will work for free (like I do) so I can tackle my TBR list? Â :smilielol5: Â am reading The Oracle of Stamboul. Â Oh, please post a review when you're done. That one has been on my 'want to read' list for many months now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostSurprise Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 I hate To-Read lists. I believe in reading serendipity. All books are not for all times. Â Of course, this doesn't keep me from picking interesting books and putting them on shelf until who knows when. :tongue_smilie: Â Finished A Christmas Carol as a read-aloud. Doing The Best Christmas Pageant Ever now. Â Reading a lot of Christmas cookie books right now. :001_rolleyes: I'm not going to count them but I will say the King Arthur Cookie Companion is a really basic cookie primer (varying the recipes to show how to make the basics more soft/chewy/crunchy) and some added interesting ones. I really liked the Nick Malgieri one too (Cookies Unlimited). That one has lots of interesting international ones (especially Italian cookies). There's also a Gourmet one which has 1 cookie chosen from each year of Gourmet magazine. I'd tell you the bombs but I can't remember their titles anymore. I returned them a week or two ago. Â I'm also reading Mad Mary Lamb about Charles and Mary Lamb and their friends. Interesting things about women's roles, art, and mental illness, but I've put it down once or twice before. I'm trying to plow through this time. It was interesting to learn that Wordsworth had a sister who sometimes worked with him on poem ideas. Her journals are an interesting mirror of his work, but she stopped keeping them after he got married. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 Â Â The other option is to neglect your family, children, and housework and hide out in your room reading until your list is down to a managable level. Â Really, either option is good. Â Â Â Â I confess to having used this option in the past. :blush: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 I like this option! Where do I find a nanny, maid, cook, and tutor who will work for free (like I do) so I can tackle my TBR list? Â Â Sister wife? :) Â Finished A Christmas Carol as a read-aloud. Doing The Best Christmas Pageant Ever now. Â Reading a lot of Christmas cookie books right now. :001_rolleyes: I'm not going to count them but I will say the King Arthur Cookie Companion is a really basic cookie primer (varying the recipes to show how to make the basics more soft/chewy/crunchy) and some added interesting ones. I really liked the Nick Malgieri one too (Cookies Unlimited). That one has lots of interesting international ones (especially Italian cookies). There's also a Gourmet one which has 1 cookie chosen from each year of Gourmet magazine. I'd tell you the bombs but I can't remember their titles anymore. I returned them a week or two ago. Â Â I read Best Christmas Pageant Ever to DD and we loved it last year. I think I'll read it again on the night before Christmas Eve. We rarely reread read alouds so this will be a nice surprise. Â I'm putting that King Arthur Cookie book on reserve at my library because I would love a book like that. I'm always on the lookout for new cookie recipes so if you have a favorite from this year please post it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 Sister wife? :) Â :smilielol5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 Gah. I said I was starting early on my TBR pile (and I am -- I'm working on my 2nd book now), but guess what arrived today? Two books I ordered from PaperbackSwap, lol. http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/public/style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/ph34r.png They're for a good cause, though -- the upcoming Canadian reading challenge (assuming the Mayans don't take us out first http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/public/style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/wink.gif ). Â Klondike and Women of the Kondike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 (assuming the Mayans don't take us out first ;) ). Â If it looks like Armagedon then I'm going to loot the library. This would be a good book for us to all add to our to-be-looted List: Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted December 20, 2012 Author Share Posted December 20, 2012 Maybe you need ... Â a Cheeto? ;) :lol: Â Â Not just one, but a whole bagful! I've been craving Cheetos lately. Guess what I'll be buying this weekend. :laugh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted December 20, 2012 Author Share Posted December 20, 2012 ...am reading The Oracle of Stamboul.  Oh, please post a review when you're done. That one has been on my 'want to read' list for many months now.  I read it last year and thoroughly enjoyed it. Here are my thoughts on the book. Look forward to hearing what you have to say about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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