Stacia Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Nice: The Greatest Literary Catchphrases (over at FlavorWire). Here's my own partial mash-up of their article.... Person 1: "Old sport, Big Brother is watching you! The horror! The horror! Constant vigilance!" Person 2: "Bah, humbug! So it goes." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lakeside Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Well, I started the year off with The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence. I haven't fully decided what challenges to try. I'll definitely be doing the dusty books. Some of those will overlap with other categories. After reading about the Centuries challenge I was intrigued and decided to pull The Letters of Abelard and Heloise off the shelf. I know that there aren't many hard and fast rules to participate, but is the idea for the Centuries challenge to read them in order? Also, are they books that are either written in or set in the specific century? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 You don't? Oh, good! We'll just pretend I didn't spend two months talking about how slow and wordy it was. :lol: You know, when I think about the story now, I really liked it. Go figure. LOL Stacia, the kitty is so cute! We have two ragdolls, and they are with us in the classroom all the time. They like to lay on the girls work. :tongue_smilie: :lol: about 1Q84. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackie Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I've never participated in the book challenge. I've been "in recovery" from my former career, which left me feeling too drained to do anything but tune out completely after work. I'm finally starting to read again for fun. A couple questions... Does it matter if I read total crap for a while? :) I'm going on vacation next week and will probably blow through several YA bookshelf on the beach, but don't see anything of that ilk on this thread. Is it one book per week? Or 52 in the year? I seem to go through binges and then droughts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted January 2, 2014 Author Share Posted January 2, 2014 Well, I started the year off with The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence. I haven't fully decided what challenges to try. I'll definitely be doing the dusty books. Some of those will overlap with other categories. After reading about the Centuries challenge I was intrigued and decided to pull The Letters of Abelard and Heloise off the shelf. I know that there aren't many hard and fast rules to participate, but is the idea for the Centuries challenge to read them in order? Also, are they books that are either written in or set in the specific century? I loved Brother Lawrence. Will have to find my copy and reread it. Regarding the centuries challenge, the idea is to read in order, but if you end up skipping around that is okay. I'll be trying to highlight and read some books in century order, but like I said previously rabbit trails will abound. And I would go with books set in the the specific century, but if you find books written in that century - awesome. I've never participated in the book challenge. I've been "in recovery" from my former career, which left me feeling too drained to do anything but tune out completely after work. I'm finally starting to read again for fun. A couple questions... Does it matter if I read total crap for a while? :) I'm going on vacation next week and will probably blow through several YA bookshelf on the beach, but don't see anything of that ilk on this thread. Is it one book per week? Or 52 in the year? I seem to go through binges and then droughts. Yes, you have our permission to read total crap. Or what we prefer to call fluff, twaddle, cozy, light reads. The majority of my reads are really actually light with heavy ones thrown in here and there. So read what you want to read and don't feel intimidated. And the goal is 52. You don't have to read one book per week. We all read short and long books, so most of the time it all averages out in the end. For all you newbies and to even some of our regulars - the joy is in the reading and the goal is secondary. The goal is there as an enticement, an encouragement to read, to explore, to branch out of your comfort zones. Without a goal, we would all flounder and wonder hither and thither, not really accomplishing anything. So reach for the stars and if you only hit the upper atmosphere, you went higher than you intended in the first place. Right! If you attempt to read one book each month and end up reading 13 instead of 12, then you exceeded your goal. You went a step further. Baby steps, then toddler, then tween, then teenager, then out the door. I think I had too much champagne tonight and its making me verbose. You get the picture. Have fun and enjoy, and don't sweat it, and you'll end up surprising yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I've been experiencing a thirty plus hours long New Year's Day (due to international travel), and it's not over yet! Consequently, I finished a couple of books today. One I almost completely read in a horrifically long immigration line at the airport. (The wait was over two hours; I kid you not.) These are both romantic suspense novels, and I enjoyed them both. Darkness at Dawn by Elizabeth Jennings"A threat to the Himalayan Kingdom of Nhala unites Army Captain Mike Shafer and Lucy Merritt, an expert restorer of manuscripts. A deadly ancient prophecy of the world's end is manifesting-and so is their attraction to each other. Can they save the world and their chance at love?" Elizabeth Jennings also writes as Lisa Marie Rice. Killing Time (One-Eyed Jacks) by Cindy Gerard"New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Cindy Gerard plunges readers into the heart of a seductive contest of wills between a hard-living hero and a beautiful rogue operative who is on a mission to dig up the secrets of his past. Tension sizzles in this pulse-pounding first adventure in Gerard’s action-packed new series as Eva Salinas lures Mike Brown from the sultry streets of Lima, Peru, to the desolate Idaho wilderness on the hunt for the cold-blooded traitor behind a fatal military operation that haunts them both." Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Wowzers, Kareni. Hang in there! :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlbuchina Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Oh, my, Kareni! I hope you continue to have safe travels and will be somewhere where you can get some good rest soon. I forgot to say in my post up thread that I hope to do the 5/5/5 challenge as well. I haven't quite decided what they are going to be, but I do know I want one to be travelogue types (I have The Geography of Bliss that will go in this category), and one to be old favorite sci-fi/fantasy. I found The Dragon Prince trilogy at the used book store, and remember them fondly from late middle school. I also have The Rowan and Ender's Game to add to this list. Now I just need three more categories... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 My next winter read: Mrs. DeWinter by Susan Hill. :lol: :leaving: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Neverland Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Started reading: The Rage Against God: How Atheism Led Me to Faith by Peter Hitchens (brother of famous atheist Christopher Hitchens) Finished reading: 1. The Curiosity by Stephen Kiernan I also started "The Round House" but I am 57 pages in and I'm bored and slightly depressed by it. Not sure if I will finish it. Next up is "Unwind" by Neal Shusterman. I think. But I also have "Reading Lolita in Tehran" so maybe I will do that one. I'm not sure yet. But I am going on vacation to Singapore in the morning so I will definitely do some reading over the next few days! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welovetoread Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Speaking of free E-books, CBD.com has a ton of free e books right now. You do have to download their e reader app. :) http://www.christianbook.com/page/ebooks/free-ebooks?pg=1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladydusk Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Christianaudio.com has the audio ESV Bible for free. ETA link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Yesterday, I read Timeless which is a strange combination of Steampunk mystery and urban fantasy. The series was a fun diversion over the holidays. I'll start The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles tonight. It has been a while since I read any Haruki Murakami. I just remember being entertained and confused. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trinchick Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 After completing my first successful BaW year in 2013, I'm hoping to participate again but with a smaller goal. My DS is going to be commuting with me so I won't be able to listen to books in the car and will lose 2 hours a day of "reading" time. I'm really going to miss it, but I will enjoy more time with him, so I guess it's a tradeoff. Anyhow, new goal is 26 books for 2014. I had planned to start The Goldfinch this week, but I got a notice that the next Flavia de Luce from the library is available on my Kindle, and as we've all bemoaned, that needs to come first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 After completing my first successful BaW year in 2013, I'm hoping to participate again but with a smaller goal. My DS is going to be commuting with me so I won't be able to listen to books in the car and will lose 2 hours a day of "reading" time. I'm really going to miss it, but I will enjoy more time with him, so I guess it's a tradeoff. My ds and I spent many hours in the car listening to books together, books I'd have never tried on my own and some books I introduced to him. I have very fond memories of those drives and the conversations we'd have about the books. We still trade book titles and talk about them long distance now that he is in college. There were those times, of course, when we both just needed quiet or he would suddenly want to talk about what was on his mind -- you never know when that is going to happen with teen aged boys. But you might try some shared audio books on your commute. By the way, for all you Angelmaker fans out there, my ds has just started listening to it based on my raves about it last fall. Just another example of the powerful reach BaW has on the reading public! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodland Mist Academy Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 My next winter read: Mrs. DeWinter by Susan Hill. :lol: :leaving: I'm doomed. :svengo: I had no plans to make this a Du Maurier year, but it looks like it may be--thanks to certain posters. :tongue_smilie: Thank goodness I have many of her books-- both read and unread-- on my shelves. If I remember correctly, I tried this book in the past, but didn't make it all the way through. I'm curious to hear what you think. Just seeing DeWinter makes me want to reread Rebecca. Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again. . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I'm doomed. :svengo: I had no plans to make this a Du Maurier year, but it looks like it may be--thanks to certain posters. :tongue_smilie: Thank goodness I have many of her books-- both read and unread-- on my shelves. If I remember correctly, I tried this book in the past, but didn't make it all the way through. I'm curious to hear what you think. Just seeing DeWinter makes me want to reread Rebecca. Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again. . . Well, it's not love at first sight. I had trouble getting into the feel of the book at first. Now that I'm about 1/3 of the way through, it just seems like there is a whole lot of words for a whole lot of nothing going on. I'll finish it, but I'm suspending judgement for the moment. I've read all of DuMaurier's books, some multiple times, even though I usually felt like I had a hangover when I finished each one. There is something addictive about them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trinchick Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 My ds and I spent many hours in the car listening to books together, books I'd have never tried on my own and some books I introduced to him. I have very fond memories of those drives and the conversations we'd have about the books. We still trade book titles and talk about them long distance now that he is in college. There were those times, of course, when we both just needed quiet or he would suddenly want to talk about what was on his mind -- you never know when that is going to happen with teen aged boys. But you might try some shared audio books on your commute. DS is only three years old, so will not make a good audio-book buddy! If I could count Berenstain Bear books towards my total, though, I'd be able to raise my goal about 500% :laugh: . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 DS is only three years old, so will not make a good audio-book buddy! If I could count Berenstain Bear books towards my total, though, I'd be able to raise my goal about 500% :laugh: . Ah. Well. That changes things a bit. Then again, you never know. He might prove to be a listening prodigy and will soon be discussing the finer points of Moby Dick with you!! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CupOCoffee Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 OK, I did not make the 52 book mark, as a matter of fact I don't even know how many exactly I read since I eventually stopped tracking... :( However, since one of my goals this year is to spend less time on the computer in the evenings, I am up for the challenge this year! First up for me will be Divergent, Insurgent, and Allegiant -- re-reads to see if my 12 year old will be able to handle them. Determined to carry it through this year! Even if I don't make 52, I at least want to track my books! ~coffee~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAMom Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I also started "The Round House" but I am 57 pages in and I'm bored and slightly depressed by it. Not sure if I will finish it. I checked this one out from the library several months ago and couldn't finish it. It was depressing, yes, but the lack of punctuation drove me crazy. The author does not use quotation marks at all and half of the time I couldn't tell who was speaking or if they were speaking aloud or just thinking something. It really halted the flow of the story for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 For Stacia, Michele and the other cat lovers here... The longest chunk of reading time I got this last week was thanks to my grandcat. The management at my son's apartment complex thought the day after Christmas was the perfect time to fumigate the building, and everyone -- humans and pets-- had to be out for 2 hours. My son had to work, of course as he helps keep everyone happy at the happiest place on earth, so I drove the 90 miles to his place, got the cat in her carrier and sat, parked in the carport for 2 hours. She just quietly watched me read! It was nothing for her after the hours we spent in the car last summer driving from Florida to California. I listened on the drive to The Fortune of War, the 6th of the Master and Commander series, and read, while parked with the cat, W is for Wasted, the latest Sue Grafton mystery. And I thought I had figured out how to add a photo here, even started a flickr account just for the WTM boards, but I'm failing miserably. Any tips on what code to paste where?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 The idea of 52 books in 52 weeks seemed an impossibility whenever I'd see these weekly threads. However that was pre-kindle. I installed the app on my phone a couple of months ago and then got a PW for Xmas and since then have read 5 books and am just starting my 6th. My dc wants me to read the first book of a much-loved series (I've been told it's better than LOTR!) and that's available on kindle too. I *love* my kindle as it has 're-kindled' my love of reading. I used to read extensively but then home school and technology took over. And I developed an aversion to fiction--it was only non-fiction for years and years. Now however I hope to jump back in the stream. I'm reading my way through the Isabel Dalhousie mystery series by Alexander McCall Smith. Very well written. I'm on book 8 of the to-date 9 book series :D Still I don't think I'd be capable of 52 in 52 but book tracking seems like a fun and affirming idea. Do y'all do that on GR? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Now happily home and rested after a good night's sleep in my own bed. Ah. Well. That changes things a bit. Then again, you never know. He might prove to be a listening prodigy and will soon be discussing the finer points of Moby Dick with you!! :lol: And he could read along (so to speak) with his own copy ~ Moby Dick: A BabyLit Ocean Primer Cozy Classics: Moby Dick and, in a couple of years, Moby Dick Retold For Kids: (Beginner Reader Classics) Regards, Karnei Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Ok, I read a very cute book this morning that would be an AWESOME read-aloud for kids of all ages. Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman (w/ great illustrations by Skottie Young, according to the cover, but the linked article mentions Chris Ridell & I think they look like Ridell's style, so I'm :confused1: -- anyway, the illustrations are perfect for the story). Yes, it's a slight, silly tale (where the ending reminded me of The Usual Suspects so it's funny that the article I linked said the same thing), & it tickled my funny bone this morning (& ds' funny bone yesterday when he read it). If you're the parent who puts all your acting chops & voices into dramatic readings for your kids, this would be a fun book to perform. :thumbup1: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Ok, I read a very cute book this morning that would be an AWESOME read-aloud for kids of all ages. Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman (w/ great illustrations by Skottie Young, according to the cover, but the linked article mentions Chris Ridell & I think they look like Ridell's style, so I'm :confused1: -- anyway, the illustrations are perfect for the story). Yes, it's a slight, silly tale (where the ending reminded me of The Usual Suspects so it's funny that the article I linked said the same thing), & it tickled my funny bone this morning (& ds' funny bone yesterday when he read it). If you're the parent who puts all your acting chops & voices into dramatic readings for your kids, this would be a fun book to perform. :thumbup1: Dc got this for Xmas and *loved* it. I happen to have a talent for various accents and voices so maybe we'll do a reread of it in this way. I read The Secret Garden with all the North Country accents and it was great fun for both of us :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlbuchina Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 And I thought I had figured out how to add a photo here, even started a flickr account just for the WTM boards, but I'm failing miserably. Any tips on what code to paste where?? Are you able to right click the picture on flickr? Usually in the pop-up menu there is "copy image url", or something like that. I click on that to post pictures here because I never know which code to use either! LOL Just tried it myself, and that's a no-go. Hmm... I find photobucket to be easier to share pics. Nope, I'm no help to you at all. Bummer. :( Hopefully, someone with far better flickr mojo than me will chime in. The idea of 52 books in 52 weeks seemed an impossibility whenever I'd see these weekly threads. However that was pre-kindle. I installed the app on my phone a couple of months ago and then got a PW for Xmas and since then have read 5 books and am just starting my 6th. My dc wants me to read the first book of a much-loved series (I've been told it's better than LOTR!) and that's available on kindle too. I *love* my kindle as it has 're-kindled' my love of reading. I used to read extensively but then home school and technology took over. And I developed an aversion to fiction--it was only non-fiction for years and years. Now however I hope to jump back in the stream. I'm reading my way through the Isabel Dalhousie mystery series by Alexander McCall Smith. Very well written. I'm on book 8 of the to-date 9 book series :D Still I don't think I'd be capable of 52 in 52 but book tracking seems like a fun and affirming idea. Do y'all do that on GR? Ooo, please share the series that is better than Lord of the Rings. :laugh: People keep records of what they are reading in lots of different ways, but many of us use GR. Also, many of us keep a running list of what we have read on our weekly post to this thread. Like this: (this is how I do it) The Roundup: 1. The Last Unicorn That will be at the bottom of my, usually, first post in each week's new thread. As I finish books, the list just grows longer. Easy! Welcome to the thread! I look forward to hearing about all you're reading! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlbuchina Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I'm getting off to a slow start this year - we're still recovering from the flu and we're in the middle of staggered visits from our East Coast kids... ...and, absorbing much of my thoughts for the past few months, but not sharable news until now: dd#1 and Dsil are expecting a baby the end of May!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (The only down side - figuring out how to get us there and them here often enough!) Congratulations to you and the new parents!!!!! :party: May babies are great. I know 'cause I have one. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Ooo, please share the series that is better than Lord of the Rings. :laugh: People keep records of what they are reading in lots of different ways, but many of us use GR. Also, many of us keep a running list of what we have read on our weekly post to this thread. Like this: (this is how I do it) The Roundup: 1. The Last Unicorn That will be at the bottom of my, usually, first post in each week's new thread. As I finish books, the list just grows longer. Easy! Welcome to the thread! I look forward to hearing about all you're reading! Thanks for the warm welcome :D The series is a kids' series but apparently the writing is in dc's words "really great because there are so many descriptive adjectives, the author creates such a visual world with words. It's very poetic. The main characters are full of complex feelings even though they are animals (squirrels to be exact sic). The quests are unusual because they're all different. This isn't monotonous at all as some quest series can be." So the series is called 'The Mistmantle Chronicles' and the first book is 'Urchin of the Riding Stars' I believe that some of the books are OOP but can be gotten on Abebooks or BD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladydusk Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 DS is only three years old, so will not make a good audio-book buddy! If I could count Berenstain Bear books towards my total, though, I'd be able to raise my goal about 500% :laugh: . My brother used to listen to Teaching Company CDs with his daughter. He may surprise you ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Dc got this for Xmas and *loved* it. I happen to have a talent for various accents and voices so maybe we'll do a reread of it in this way. I read The Secret Garden with all the North Country accents and it was great fun for both of us :D Excellent! <clearing throat>... I think my best out-loud reading was/is of the book The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett. (My dc still beg me to read this one out loud & they're 12 & 15 now.) Brush off your Scottish accent! (Of course, I'm sure Scots would be completely flummoxed by my accent, but my dc love it. :tongue_smilie: ) The Wee Free Men is a highly-recommended, best-of-everything favorite in our household. In fact, ds has been ringing in the new year by re-reading The Wee Free Men. (When we were on a car-buying quest in the middle of last year, we sadly lost his copy somewhere. We can only hope that some new reader has now discovered The Wee Free Men.) Ds got a new copy of the book for Christmas & decided to make it his New Year's Day reading. If your dc haven't read this one, they might love it. (And I highly recommend it for adults too. It's one of my favorite books.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Eliana, I don't see a link to your Goodreads page??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Excellent! <clearing throat>... I think my best out-loud reading was/is of the book The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett. (My dc still beg me to read this one out loud & they're 12 & 15 now.) Brush off your Scottish accent! (Of course, I'm sure Scots would be completely flummoxed by my accent, but my dc love it. :tongue_smilie: ) The Wee Free Men is a highly-recommended, best-of-everything favorite in our household. In fact, ds has been ringing in the new year by re-reading The Wee Free Men. (When we were on a car-buying quest in the middle of last year, we sadly lost his copy somewhere. We can only hope that some new reader has now discovered The Wee Free Men.) Ds got a new copy of the book for Christmas & decided to make it his New Year's Day reading. If your dc haven't read this one, they might love it. (And I highly recommend it for adults too. It's one of my favorite books.) Oh, that sounds great. Dc loved 'The Color of Magic'. And I happen to love doing Scots accents though, as you say, the Scots would likely be appalled :D We'll be checking this one out. Thanks for the rec! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trinchick Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 My brother used to listen to Teaching Company CDs with his daughter. He may surprise you ... You know what would be a nice surprise? If he'd learn how to use the blasted potty! Moby Dick and all other educational materials can wait. I wonder if there are any audio versions of "Elmo's Potty Book." Now THAT would be putting our commuting time to good use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Bay Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Right now I'm reading a Paulette Jiles literary dystopian novel (NOT SciFi, happily as I'm getting tired of the dystopian scifi connection as that is so BTDT & has been since SciFi took off) called Lighthouse Island. I am not choosing any mini challenges yet but am sure I'll pick some up as the year goes on, including a 5/5/5. It's 12:08am here on the west coast. I think I'll go start a new book. :DHappy New Year! I started my book around midnight, but that was a few hours earlier since I no longer live on the west coast. Aw, you are sweet. That pic was taken shortly after we moved into the forever home three years. Here's a more recent pic, taken from a different angle. A sunken livingroom is so 1970s, I know, but I love how it delineated the room from the foyer and from the piano room. We had a house with a sunken living room that was built in 1972. However, it was far more than that--it was designed by a then hippie architect right after he graduated & was a west coast (BC, please don't think CA :)!) built into the hill (there was a "bridge" between the top floor of the main house & the master bedroom/nursery-which-would-later-be-a-study), lots of 3 foot walls & different levels, an enormous skylight, shag rugs, feature walls of cedar still with some texure, beams showing in feature rooms, etc. Then the energy crunch hit & the skylight leaked & was made smaller. My parents sold it a few years later to a friend with enough $$ to build an indoor gym & pool right next door (big lot). Their next house didn't have any sunken rooms even though it was built in the end of the 70s, and no shag rugs as those were already passe. I have no qualms about ditching books I don't like. Sometimes that may be within just a few pages or sometimes many chapters into a book. I always have plenty I *do* want to read, so ditching ones I don't like is like separating the wheat from the chaff imo. :thumbup1: :thumbup: Exactly. Life it too short to waste it reading too many books you hate once you're out of school. I rarely read those now, and if I do there is always a valid reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 My grandcat in all her glory... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Oh my, a Sealpoint. She's lovely! Is she chatty? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAMom Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Wow! I want to be Eliana in my grown up reading life. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 And now that I've figured this photo thing out I can share a shelfie! This is the former homeschool center right by the breakfast table which has cookbooks, garden books, knitting/crochet books and bird books all organized for quick reference, with a mishmash of everything else jumbled together. The rest of the books are scattered throughout the house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Oh my, a Sealpoint. She's lovely! Is she chatty? Oh my yes she loves to talk. And she had a few pointed things to tell us as we drove West on the I-10 last summer!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Ok, pals, I think I may have hit the invisible limit for using the "Like" button as it won't let me do it anymore. :tongue_smilie: By the way, for all you Angelmaker fans out there, my ds has just started listening to it based on my raves about it last fall. Just another example of the powerful reach BaW has on the reading public! Awesome. Let us know how he likes it! DS is only three years old, so will not make a good audio-book buddy! If I could count Berenstain Bear books towards my total, though, I'd be able to raise my goal about 500% :laugh: . :laugh: For Stacia, Michele and the other cat lovers here... She's gorgeous. Hope your ds does some special spotlighting for her around the house. She looks like the queenly sort who would deserve & expect it! :D Still I don't think I'd be capable of 52 in 52 but book tracking seems like a fun and affirming idea. Do y'all do that on GR? Ah, you may surprise yourself! Glad you're here. And a big welcome to all the others joining in too!!! Dc got this for Xmas and *loved* it. I happen to have a talent for various accents and voices so maybe we'll do a reread of it in this way. I read The Secret Garden with all the North Country accents and it was great fun for both of us :D Sounds great. Hey, another one I thought of that was great to read-aloud is Zorgamazoo (the whole thing rhymes; it's like Dr. Seuss on steriods). My dc didn't like the story (bummer -- what is up with them??? :rolleyes: ), but it was so much fun to read-aloud. I think my cats liked listening. I'm getting off to a slow start this year - we're still recovering from the flu and we're in the middle of staggered visits from our East Coast kids... ...and, absorbing much of my thoughts for the past few months, but not sharable news until now: dd#1 and Dsil are expecting a baby the end of May!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (The only down side - figuring out how to get us there and them here often enough!) I finished a few books before the new year started: The Flying Creatures of Fra Angelico by Antonio Tabucchi (thank you, Stacia!): quirky, interesting little stories. (and the only Italian thing I read last year (not counting Ancient Roman lit). Eliana, :grouphug: & hope the flu goes away soon! And many congrats to your & your family on the baby-on-the-way. Glad you enjoyed the quirky Fra Angelico. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I see that I never posted the second half of my wrap up for 2013... Here's a link to my Goodreads page - click on the 2013 shelf to see my final list for the year. Love your wrap-up, esp. seeing your countries list. Awesome stuff. Please repost your Goodreads link -- I can't see it here. So the series is called 'The Mistmantle Chronicles' and the first book is 'Urchin of the Riding Stars' I believe that some of the books are OOP but can be gotten on Abebooks or BD. Do your dc like the Redwall series by Brian Jacques? TO make up for not posting it last week, I seem to have posted it a million times this week! . :lol: You know what would be a nice surprise? If he'd learn how to use the blasted potty! Moby Dick and all other educational materials can wait. I wonder if there are any audio versions of "Elmo's Potty Book." Now THAT would be putting our commuting time to good use. :lol: (except then you might have to stop for restroom breaks about every 3 miles)... Wow! I want to be Eliana in my grown up reading life. :D Me too. But, even on coffee, my eyes & brain don't go fast enough to keep up with her! Eliana, you're like the Speedy Gonzalez of reading! :laugh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 You know what would be a nice surprise? If he'd learn how to use the blasted potty! Moby Dick and all other educational materials can wait. I wonder if there are any audio versions of "Elmo's Potty Book." Now THAT would be putting our commuting time to good use. :lol: (except then you might have to stop for restroom breaks about every 3 miles)... Ah, my thought too! Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 ...and, absorbing much of my thoughts for the past few months, but not sharable news until now: dd#1 and Dsil are expecting a baby the end of May!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (The only down side - figuring out how to get us there and them here often enough!) What happy news. Congratulations! Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam in CT Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I've been waiting for January, to join in on this thread! Happy New Year, readers! I used to post on the WTM old boards, a hundred years ago, and got out of the habit... but I've lurked these threads for years and finally decided to COMMIT and come back so I could join in. Earlier this week, I finished Tinkers by Paul Harding, which won the 2009 Pulitzer. Allusive and odd, and the voices are hard to sort through in the beginning, but it grew on me. Yesterday I finished In the Shadow of the Banyan by Waddey Ratner, historical fiction set in wartime Cambodia by a young woman who lived through it herself -- very good. I am nearly done with The Cutting Season, by Attica Locke; and haven't quite made up my mind -- it's maybe a little too self conscious? But I'll wait until the end for the final, uh, verdict (it's a murder story...) Next up are Americanah, by Ngozi Adichie; and a re-read of Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart, both set in Nigeria -- part of a country-study challenge I've been doing for a while. I think I'll also sign on for the A-Z challenge -- so many fun ways to approach this! Mazel tov, Eliana! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAMom Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Yesterday I finished In the Shadow of the Banyan by Waddey Ratner, historical fiction set in wartime Cambodia by a young woman who lived through it herself -- very good. I just put this on my want to read list since I'm reading a similar story right now and have become interested in learning more about the time period. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Eliana--What great news! Your lists are awesome. I will be pleased if I manage half of the number of countries you did. Great job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 DS is only three years old, so will not make a good audio-book buddy! If I could count Berenstain Bear books towards my total, though, I'd be able to raise my goal about 500% :laugh: . You might not get much conversation about the audiobooks, but don't be too quick to assume what a 3yo will listen to. My kids, at that age, were happy to listen to Heidi, Secret Garden and I think I even inflicted Salman Rushdie on them. They got fed up of him after a few hours and wanted Winnie the Pooh, but that's ok. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murmer Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Finished: An Unlikely Witch by Debora Geary Working on: Fiction: Final Act by C. Paul Anderson Kindle: The DNA of Relationships by Gary Smalley Non-fiction: A Mathematics Source Book by University School Support for Education Reform Phone: Lies, Da** Lies, and Science by Sherry Seethaler Well Education Mind: Whatever comes after DQ (again not near me at the moment but will start as soon as I get home) Angel Girl: Aesop Tales (not sure which one right now since it is not near me lol) Sweet Boy: Hans Christian Anderson Fairy Tales Book Total Read for 2014: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim in Appalachia Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I'm slowly reading Winter's Tale. It feels slow and I'm having trouble getting into it. The writing feels like it's a bit over the top, and i just finished the first big romantic scene but i couldn't "feel" the romance. I don't want to ditch it yet, so I'll keep going. I would love to join the Murakami book read, but it will have to wait. I read Wind-up Bird, and I think it is his most approachable (out of what I've read so far). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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