Robin M Posted December 22, 2015 Author Share Posted December 22, 2015 Good morning! Eliana, Rose, Idnib, VC and Pam. Do you want me to add in Plato readalong during May Mediterranean medley month? 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted December 22, 2015 Share Posted December 22, 2015 Good morning! Eliana, Rose, Idnib, VC and Pam. Do you want me to add in Plato readalong during May Mediterranean medley month? Yes please. Aragorn > Legolas Legolas is the boy who writes angsty poems and whom you don't mind dating your daughter but it would be nice if he cut his hair before he meets the more rural relatives at Thanksgiving. Aragorn is the guy who can build that cedar plank deck you've been thinking about. 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted December 22, 2015 Share Posted December 22, 2015 Yes please. Aragorn > Legolas Legolas is the boy who writes angsty poems and whom you don't mind dating your daughter but it would be nice if he cut his hair before he meets the more rural relatives at Thanksgiving. Aragorn is the guy who can build that cedar plank deck you've been thinking about. :lol: I think it all boils down to whether you like your men smooth, coiffed, and GQ-ready, or if you like them rugged and scruffy looking. I definitely go for the latter, so the Aragorn>Legolas thing is a no-brainer. 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted December 22, 2015 Share Posted December 22, 2015 Good morning! Eliana, Rose, Idnib, VC and Pam. Do you want me to add in Plato readalong during May Mediterranean medley month? That works for me! 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted December 22, 2015 Share Posted December 22, 2015 That works for me! Me too! 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 I finished The Magician's Nephew today. It was okay. I didn't particularly enjoy it. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 Hey my Platonic friends! You know that I am coming along for the ride. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted December 23, 2015 Author Share Posted December 23, 2015 Hey my Platonic friends! You know that I am coming along for the ride. Sounds good and I'm quite tempted as well. In my meanderings about the interwebz - Two Archipelago Books on World Literature Today’s 75 Notable Translations List. Jeaniene Frost and Lynn Viehl – Anatomy of a Vampire Romance 14 CREATIVE BOOKS FOR THE ARTSY FRIEND Check out John Cleese's (from monty python) speech on creativity -- so much wisdom, wit and humor. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 (edited) Aragorn here Jeaniene Frost and Lynn Viehl – Anatomy of a Vampire Romance I had never even heard of Lynn Viehl's series but really want to read it now. Has anyone here read it? Eta: I just went looking for Viehl's Darkyn series and couldn't find the first one so looked at another series of hers. Disenchanted and Co is Steampunk set in America and looks interesting.https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18144127-disenchanted-co At the bottom of the vampire fiction article I clicked on this http://freshfiction.com/blog/amanda-carmack-who-is-your-favorite-wife-of-henry-viii/. Boleyn and Parr have always been my favourites also. I already have her book in my stack. Edited December 23, 2015 by mumto2 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 (edited) As the year comes to an end, I have been thinking about reading challenges. I don't do all of the group challenges; in fact, I focus on the personal. Nonetheless I want to sing the praises of challenges that move me out of my comfort zone."Comfort Zone" is a dangerous term. Stephen King is not in my comfort zone and I have no intention of reading him, thank you very much. Perhaps I should say I'd like to discuss "Reading Hard Things" but that sounds intimidating. We need to recognize how personal this all is. Reading Shakespeare can be very difficult for some; reading non-fiction is often a challenge for me.One very good thing about this BaW group is seeing the variety of interesting books that move our members. Roz Chast's graphic novel on her parents is not an easy read even though it is a graphic novel which in general are pretty quick reads. Reading a book of poetry or a play requires a different mindset than reading a cozy mystery. For some these sorts of books may be "hard things".I think it was a good plan that I gave myself the entire year to read both HoMW and The Golden Legend in the background of other reading. Taken in bits, they were things I could manage. My son shook his head at one point and asked me how I survived college where one might have an overnight assignment requiring reading 200 pages. I told him that my mind was different than, disciplined in a different way. If one does not read philosophy regularly, philosophy is hard to read. While he read stacks of classics and dry archaeological treatises as an undergrad, he did not use the mental muscle required in mathematics. Our brains adapt but we need to keep them in shape, so to speak.On that note, I am thinking about my "hard book" (for me) challenges for 2016. HoRW and Darwin are on the list. I am also thinking of reading Marcus Aurelis's Meditations although my son repeatedly reminds me that I need to read Tacitus. The Annals is one of his favorite books. Enter Plato via Eliana's encouragement. Panic--this reader requires a steady diet of fiction!So as we look ahead and I scan my dusty stack with several Archipelago books and many others, I am also thinking about personal challenges that will take me out of my comfort zone, exercise some mental muscle, and teach me something in the process.And I thank all of you for the hand holding, the suggestions and the laughter. Edited December 23, 2015 by Jane in NC 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyBC Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 I've started Lorna Doone. This is going to take more than a week. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam in CT Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 As the year comes to an end, I have been thinking about reading challenges. I don't do all of the group challenges; in fact, I focus on the personal. Nonetheless I want to sing the praises of challenges that move me out of my comfort zone. "Comfort Zone" is a dangerous term. Stephen King is not in my comfort zone and I have no intention of reading him, thank you very much. Perhaps I should say I'd like to discuss "Reading Hard Things" but that sounds intimidating. We need to recognize how personal this all is. Reading Shakespeare can be very difficult for some; reading non-fiction is often a challenge for me. One very good thing about this BaW group is seeing the variety of interesting books that move our members. Roz Chast's graphic novel on her parents is not an easy read even though it is a graphic novel which in general are pretty quick reads. Reading a book of poetry or a play requires a different mindset than reading a cozy mystery. For some these sorts of books may be "hard things". I think it was a good plan that I gave myself the entire year to read both HoMW and The Golden Legend in the background of other reading. Taken in bits, they were things I could manage. My son shook his head at one point and asked me how I survived college where one might have an overnight assignment requiring reading 200 pages. I told him that my mind was different than, disciplined in a different way. If one does not read philosophy regularly, philosophy is hard to read. While he read stacks of classics and dry archaeological treatises as an undergrad, he did not use the mental muscle required in mathematics. Our brains adapt but we need to keep them in shape, so to speak. On that note, I am thinking about my "hard book" (for me) challenges for 2016. HoRW and Darwin are on the list. I am also thinking of reading Marcus Aurelis's Meditations although my son repeatedly reminds me that I need to read Tacitus. The Annals is one of his favorite books. Enter Plato via Eliana's encouragement. Panic--this reader requires a steady diet of fiction! So as we look ahead and I scan my dusty stack with several Archipelago books and many others, I am also thinking about personal challenges that will take me out of my comfort zone, exercise some mental muscle, and teach me something in the process. And I thank all of you for the hand holding, the suggestions and the laughter. What Jane said. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 I finished The Magician's Nephew today. It was okay. I didn't particularly enjoy it. I started the Narnia books in March and am still not done. I loved the first one but the others haven't held up as well for me. I get it! On that note, I am thinking about my "hard book" (for me) challenges for 2016. HoRW and Darwin are on the list. I am also thinking of reading Marcus Aurelis's Meditations although my son repeatedly reminds me that I need to read Tacitus. The Annals is one of his favorite books. Enter Plato via Eliana's encouragement. Panic--this reader requires a steady diet of fiction! So as we look ahead and I scan my dusty stack with several Archipelago books and many others, I am also thinking about personal challenges that will take me out of my comfort zone, exercise some mental muscle, and teach me something in the process. I am also looking ahead to 2016. This was the first year I did BaW and it really expanded my horizons. Before this I had never heard of Murakami, nor Archipelago. I was also hoping to become a faster reader, but that didn't happen. If anything, I've slowed down! I am thinking my challenge this year might be the Plato (plus associated rabbit trails) and catching up with Knausgaard's My Struggle. The translation of Book 5 is coming out in April, I have yet to begin Book 1. I'm not sure when Book 6 is coming out. Beyond that, I might co-read some materials with others in the group, try and catch up with other Archipelago books, and see what the Classics and the Western Canon group is planning. I haven't been keeping up with them since September or so. They are currently reading Thoreau, but I wasn't up for that. They are reading On the Nature of Things next, which could be a good discussion. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 I had never even heard of Lynn Viehl's series but really want to read it now. Has anyone here read it? Eta: I just went looking for Viehl's Darkyn series and couldn't find the first one so looked at another series of hers. Disenchanted and Co is Steampunk set in America and looks interesting.https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18144127-disenchanted-co It probably won't surprise you to learn that I've read and enjoyed a number of Lynn Viehl's Darkyn series. As with most series, I've enjoyed some books more than others. You might well enjoy them, too. I haven't read any of the Disenchanted series though. I've read very few steampunk books; this series does look intriguing though. Regards, Kareni 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 Jeaniene Frost and Lynn Viehl – Anatomy of a Vampire Romance 14 CREATIVE BOOKS FOR THE ARTSY FRIEND I enjoyed both of these links, so thank you, Robin. The second link featured Danny Gregory's enjoyable Art Before Breakfast which I mentioned in a recent past thread (which sounds rather oxymoronic!). Regards, Kareni 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 I read two quite different Christmas books recently; I enjoyed them both. Mary Balogh's Christmas Gifts is a collection of three holiday novellas. All were enjoyable and all would be appropriate for any reader. "CHRISTMAS GIFTS brings together three previously published and long out-of-print novellas, each on the theme of Christmas gifts that will last forever because the gift, in essence, is love. In "The Best Christmas Ever" a boisterous house party is in progress and all the children when asked are eager to tell what they want for Christmas. But one man feels sad, for his young child has not spoken since her mother died and he does not know if the gifts he has bought her will be what she really wants. Unknown to him, her one fervent wish is for a new mother for Christmas, and when she sees one of the guests she knows who that will be. But the lady concerned has an unhappy history with the child's father. In "The Porcelain Madonna" a gentleman becomes involved with helping an impoverished lady, who thinks of everyone's happiness but her own. However, he has seen her gaze with longing at a porcelain madonna well beyond her means displayed in a shop window. In "The Surprise Party" a man and woman who are antagonistic to each other find themselves landed with the care over Christmas of children who are related to each of them. They quarrel over which of them should undertake the task. It is not a happy situation until the children teach them the true meaning of Christmas, and of love, and they discover that they can do it together." ** The second book is A Fortunate Blizzard by L. C. Chase which is a romance featuring two men. Adult content. "There are worse things than being stranded in a blizzard. Artist Trevor Morrison has always appreciated the little things in life, treating each day as a gift. And with good reason: he’s been on the transplant-recipient list for too long now. When he learns just how numbered his days truly are, he resolves not to take them for granted. But he won’t be unrealistic, either—which means romantic commitments are off the table. Marcus Roberts seems to have it all. He’s handsome, financially sound, and on the fast track to partnership at a prestigious law firm. In reality, though, his drive for success has meant no time for friends or relationships. Add in the fact that his family discarded him long ago, and he’s facing yet another holiday season alone. When the biggest snowstorm to hit Colorado in decades leaves Marc and Trevor stranded at the same hotel, a chance encounter and a night of passion leads to more than either of them expected. Finding comfort in each other is a welcome surprise, but time is not on their side. Either they find a way to beat the odds, or they lose each other forever." Regards, Kareni 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 Cool post, Jane. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 I started the Narnia books in March and am still not done. I loved the first one but the others haven't held up as well for me. I get it! I am also looking ahead to 2016. This was the first year I did BaW and it really expanded my horizons. Before this I had never heard of Murakami, nor Archipelago. I was also hoping to become a faster reader, but that didn't happen. If anything, I've slowed down! I am thinking my challenge this year might be the Plato (plus associated rabbit trails) and catching up with Knausgaard's My Struggle. The translation of Book 5 is coming out in April, I have yet to begin Book 1. I'm not sure when Book 6 is coming out. Beyond that, I might co-read some materials with others in the group, try and catch up with other Archipelago books, and see what the Classics and the Western Canon group is planning. I haven't been keeping up with them since September or so. They are currently reading Thoreau, but I wasn't up for that. They are reading On the Nature of Things next, which could be a good discussion. Yup, then there is Knausgaard. My Struggle Book 1 is on my top five for 2015. Book 4 is is in the dusties (courtesy of my Archipelago subscription) so I need to catch up with these too. I want to sew and knit more in 2016 also. Where is the tool to add more hours to the day? Or is sleep for wimps? Totally off topic, my son made dinner for us tonight: Okonomi Yaki. This is a pancake with cabbage, scallions, etc. topped with a spicy sauce that he also made. My husband contributed a spinach salad with ginger/miso dressing. I drank a glass of wine as they slaved away. Ah...this is the life... 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 Kareni, I have been reading an old Mary Balogh Christmas book today also! :lol: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/969590.A_Christmas_BrideEnjoyable! It was no surprise to discover Kareni had discovered Viehl's Darkyn series first but I am glad to know I should pursue it. I have to admit to feeling a bit guilty at times because Kareni gives me so many great reading ideas and it is very rare for me to be able to reciprocate. Maybe that can be one of next years goals... ;) All these plans for next year are making me feel like a huge underachiever. ;) British Cozies and BINGO are close to my current limits. Like Jane I want to make time for my quilting and knitting in 2016. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 Finished 58. Izaak Walton, The Compleat Angler. Recommended, but with the caveat that I would just as soon have skipped the final section, a sort of Compleat Angler II by Walton's friend Charles Cotton, which is just further instruction on fishing methods with none of the digressions, poetry, or charming observations that make Walton's book a classic. What shall be the final book(s) of the year ... hmmmm ... 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 All these plans for next year are making me feel like a huge underachiever. ;) British Cozies and BINGO are close to my current limits. Like Jane I want to make time for my quilting and knitting in 2016. All this except switch quilting and knitting with crochet and scapbooking. I love reading about everyone's reading adventures and impressed with you ladies that read the books that both impress and that intimidate me. I know I will probably not ever read them but I think that makes it more fun to "eavesdrop" on the conversations of people who are reading them. I'm reading vicariously through my BaW friends! 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 Finished the audiobok of Carry On, Jeeves. Just what a gal needs around the holidays. Everyone's favorite good intention-ed airhead and the most capable man in the world. Five stars! 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted December 24, 2015 Author Share Posted December 24, 2015 All these plans for next year are making me feel like a huge underachiever. ;) British Cozies and BINGO are close to my current limits. Like Jane I want to make time for my quilting and knitting in 2016. Oh honey! I can't tell you how to feel but please know that interspersed with all these grand ideas I'll be cozying up to quite a few paranormal, contemporary romances, and thrillers too. None of this is meant to intimidate and its all optional. Many times I get the eyes are bigger than my stomach syndrome and make grand plans. Then, life intervenes and I reach for my comfort reads. We all read at different levels and speeds as you know. Maybe the ideas are a bit ambitious but it all for the joy of reading. Pick and choose what works for you and forget the rest. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 All these plans for next year are making me feel like a huge underachiever. ;) British Cozies and BINGO are close to my current limits. Like Jane I want to make time for my quilting and knitting in 2016. If it makes you feel any better, I feel like a huge underachiever because I have no idea how to sew, crochet, or knit. :( 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 (edited) Oh honey! I can't tell you how to feel but please know that interspersed with all these grand ideas I'll be cozying up to quite a few paranormal, contemporary romances, and thrillers too. None of this is meant to intimidate and its all optional. Many times I get the eyes are bigger than my stomach syndrome and make grand plans. Then, life intervenes and I reach for my comfort reads. We all read at different levels and speeds as you know. Maybe the ideas are a bit ambitious but it all for the joy of reading. Pick and choose what works for you and forget the rest. Yes! Part of the reason it takes me so long to finish those "cultural virtue points" books is because I put them aside for a time and pick up one of my detective novels or historical mysteries. Those are my comfort reads and I make sure I leave plenty of time for them. Edited December 24, 2015 by Lady Florida 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 We're very happy here because my daughter arrived home last night after about fifteen months in South Korea. She'll likely be home for several months before returning to Korea. :party: Skype is wonderful - and I am so grateful for it... it kept my little guy connected with sisters on the other side of the country (and world, for one year) & me connected with my first grandbaby.... but it doesn't hold a candle to real, in person connection. Very well, thanks for asking! I get uncomfortable if I sit up too long, but I have to force myself to sit a few hours every afternoon now. It's been 4 weeks today. :grouphug: I am glad you are getting better still, but I wish it would happen a little faster and easier! :grouphug: Star Wars.... I was 7 when it came out. It was special to me because my brother and I saw it together (he was terminally ill). We both became Star Wars obsessed. I dressed up as Leia for Halloween. My brother's mattress, on the new bed he got that year, had Star Wars all over it. He got a lot of great Star Wars stuff for Christmas too. Empire Strike's Back was a super sad movie for me. I went, without my brother (he had died the year before) and then the movie was sad too. All I could think about was how much he would have loved the big reveal. Oh, sweetheart. :grouphug: This will sound weird, but I am glad you had something you shared with each other & that brings back special memories of your time together. ....but so sad for your loss. Did you guys have some of the SW figures? My grandparents gave us some - I was never a proper fan, but a few of the figures were regular parts of my imaginative play. (and my brother had a plastic Millennium Falcon which was really neat - I bet your brother would have loved one too!) Echoing crstarlette re: it's nice to come here & have the wonderful thread to read. Thanks, friends! :grouphug: In addition to the impending job loss, life has handed me more than lemons this week. To say that it has been a %#&*$%@$ week is probably a positive & upbeat description of how it's been. :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: The truckloads of lemons can get a little old, can't they? ...I hope your next delivery is all chocolate and champagne... and books! ...and that this next year is one of only sweet, good things... no need for squeezing, or adding sugar, or any dilution of the intensity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 All these plans for next year are making me feel like a huge underachiever. ;) British Cozies and BINGO are close to my current limits. Like Jane I want to make time for my quilting and knitting in 2016. You are as much an overachiever as anyone here - you are reading things you love, you are reading in ways that match your self, your desires, and where you are in life right now. There is no higher, better level. Our reading journeys aren't (and shouldn't be) about amassing mythical (sorry, Robin) cultural virtue points, they are about being the reader we want to be, using books and reading and the companionship here to enhance our lives in ways that work for us. ...and 50 Shades of Gray can achieve that for some readers and Plato for others.... and the one reader isn't somehow a better reader (or person!!!) than the other. ...they just want different things from their reading. ...either in general or at this season in their lives. And the most beautiful thing about our group here is that both those readers, and every shade (*giggle*) between can be her real self here - and we can all live a little vicariously through each other's journeys... and there will be times when we'll walk along a stretch of road together, and others when we won't.... but always every person's journey will be equally celebrated and valued.... (though we won't all equally value each book itself! As we've all demonstrated a few times over.... but that, too, is part of the specialness here... that we can each have our own experience with a book and share it here and be heard, if not always agreed with!) You're perfect just the way you are. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 Japanese Bookshop Stocks Only One Book at a Time Interesting. It's like having a subscription but in an actual store. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 Good morning! Eliana, Rose, Idnib, VC and Pam. Do you want me to add in Plato readalong during May Mediterranean medley month? :party: "I count myself in nothing else so happy as in a soul remembering my good friends" Thank you, everyone! Life has been hard lately and this gives me an embarrassingly enormous amount of joy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 Thanks for all the sweet encouragement but I honestly wasn't hunting for sympathy. I love the fact that so many of you gave what you thought I needed, you guys are the best! I am really incredibly fortunate to be part of this group. I was just trying to say upfront that I wouldn't be participating in many potentially fun reads. Other years I have happily said that I will do several of these new challenges and sometimes even done them. But many have fallen by the wayside because of lack of time and I always feel really bad when that happens. I was simply trying to say that this coming year I will be reading these more thoughtful choices through your posts and am willing to admit it right now! I love reading everyone's posts. I am trying really hard to be honest with myself regarding what I can actually achieve in the coming year. In my real life I have been working hard at saying no to outside commitments that take me away from my family. Books don't take me away from home but I need more concentrated reading time than I actually expect to have to read and comprehend anything more than fluff. Idnib, If you decide you want to learn to sew, knit, or crochet several of us would be willing to coach you! :lol: 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawneinfl Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 You are as much an overachiever as anyone here - you are reading things you love, you are reading in ways that match your self, your desires, and where you are in life right now. There is no higher, better level. Our reading journeys aren't (and shouldn't be) about amassing mythical (sorry, Robin) cultural virtue points, they are about being the reader we want to be, using books and reading and the companionship here to enhance our lives in ways that work for us. ...and 50 Shades of Gray can achieve that for some readers and Plato for others.... and the one reader isn't somehow a better reader (or person!!!) than the other. ...they just want different things from their reading. ...either in general or at this season in their lives. And the most beautiful thing about our group here is that both those readers, and every shade (*giggle*) between can be her real self here - and we can all live a little vicariously through each other's journeys... and there will be times when we'll walk along a stretch of road together, and others when we won't.... but always every person's journey will be equally celebrated and valued.... (though we won't all equally value each book itself! As we've all demonstrated a few times over.... but that, too, is part of the specialness here... that we can each have our own experience with a book and share it here and be heard, if not always agreed with!) You're perfect just the way you are. :grouphug: Beautifully said, Eliana! 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to all who celebrate. To those of you with college or other adult children coming home, I wish you a wonderful visit. Those of you with other family, the same wishes. To those of you missing loved ones for whatever reason, :grouphug: I'll pop in here and there if I can but it's going to get busy. I need to go finish making my mom's Italian sauce (made the meatballs yesterday). Ds' girlfriend is coming for dinner, which will be ravioli and meatballs, salad, and garlic bread. Her mother is Italian and he's had their sauce. Now he wants gf to have mine. Her mother and I joked that they're having an Italian heritage exchange. Tonight we'll probably ride around looking at lights, then come home to watch either A Christmas Story or Christmas Vacation (or both). Tomorrow we'll go to dss' house for dinner. We get to see the grandsons and enjoy Christmas with littles but without all the work. :) Ddil's parents and sister will be there too. Fortunately both families get along and actually enjoy each other's company. Happy Merry Everyone! 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 (edited) Happy Christmas Eve, all! Non-book, birding update: As we were crossing the salt marsh this morning, three kingfishers were making a racket. We Three Kingfishers?? And a flock of Cedar Wax Wings was buzzing about: Edited December 24, 2015 by Jane in NC 16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 (edited) After weeks of stress & heartache, I decided to make myself sit down & read a bit last night. It was a nice respite from real life. Finished Yuri Herrera's Signs Preceding the End of the World in one sitting. It's short, lyrical, & powerful. Worthy of re-reading. Highly recommended. (I especially think idnib & Eliana might like this one.) I found this book on one of the 2015 'best of' lists, but can't remember which one; wish I could remember! "Signs Preceding the End of the World" is one of the most arresting novels to be published in Spanish in the last ten years. Yuri Herrera does not simply write about the border between Mexico and the United States and those who cross it. He explores the crossings and translations people make in their minds and language as they move from one country to another, especially when there's no going back.Traversing this lonely territory is Makina, a young woman who knows only too well how to survive in a violent, macho world. Leaving behind her life in Mexico to search for her brother, she is smuggled into the USA carrying a pair of secret messages one from her mother and one from the Mexican underworld.In this grippingly original novel Yuri Herrera explores the actual and psychological crossings and translations people make with their feet, in their minds, and in their language as they move from one country to another, especially when there's no going back. ETA: This lists some of the places the book has been named in 'best of' lists. Edited December 24, 2015 by Stacia 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 And, Merry Christmas &/or Happy Holidays to all who celebrate! 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 (edited) If it makes you feel any better, I feel like a huge underachiever because I have no idea how to sew, crochet, or knit. :( Exactly! :lol: Or draw, or take fantastic photographs, or many of the other things you ladies excel at! Reading is what I got. Not exactly a skill/interest rewarded by popular culture, so it's nice to find like-minded friends who also love reading. I have read *so many* books this year that I never would have picked up had it not been for suggestions and encouragement from this group! I just counted, and 52 books I read this year, I read directly because of suggestions, discussions, or links posted by people here. That is amazing!! Edited December 24, 2015 by Chrysalis Academy 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam in CT Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 Fellow Platonists - I just received Timaeus (Kalkavage translation). Pleased to see that Introduction/Notes take up 46 pages, and Glossary starts on p. 133. And the font size is normal and the intervening body pages are approximately 1/3 filled with footnotes. I'm still intimidated, don't get me wrong, but I'm pleased to see that the total NUMBER OF WORDS at least appears manageable. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 Remember that feeling during final exams week when you've finished the hardest exam or turned in that monster project but you still have to take that one last exam for the easy class? Your body and mind are ready for vacation -- your fluffy comfort reads are beckoning, friends are calling you to come play, but duty demands one last push to the end of the week. That is me today. All I have are 2 services tonight, and I know they will be a joy to play (our little orchestra always swells at Christmas as the college kids all come back to join us), but I don't want to get up off this couch!! But I've got to finish wrapping presents and put my music together for tonight. I don't get to sit on the couch tomorrow, either, but for a good cause. We'll be in the car for about 3 hours total so we can meet the oldest ds for lunch and exchange presents. He is working night shifts at Disney to make sure all the holiday magic stays in working order for the hordes of people swarming the parks. Jane -- I always love your bird pictures and yes, "We Three Kingfishers" of North Carolina could be a song for the holidays!! I, too, feel like a book underachiever, but I need to get over myself and accept that I can't and won't be keeping up with the cool kids who read Plato! My mental challenges come from tackling music, so comfort reads are what I want. Easy reads that aren't too simplistic, and thanks to this group there is a endless list of titles and authors to explore. Wishing you all a cozy end of 2015! Looking forward to the wrap up posts next week! 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 Kareni, I have been reading an old Mary Balogh Christmas book today also! :lol: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/969590.A_Christmas_BrideEnjoyable! It was no surprise to discover Kareni had discovered Viehl's Darkyn series first but I am glad to know I should pursue it. I have to admit to feeling a bit guilty at times because Kareni gives me so many great reading ideas and it is very rare for me to be able to reciprocate. Maybe that can be one of next years goals... ;) I too have enjoyed The Christmas Bride; it's something of a spin off of the author's A Precious Jewel. My favorite Mary Balogh books include Slightly Dangerous (Bedwyn Saga) Simply Love (Simply Quartet) The Secret Pearl Silent Melody (this one is a Georgian setting) I'd be happy to consider any future recommendations you care to make! Regards, Kareni 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 (edited) Idnib, If you decide you want to learn to sew, knit, or crochet several of us would be willing to coach you! :lol: Thanks! I think I might have the best luck with sewing due to the lack of repetitive patterns. I have tried to learn to knit before (with in-person coaching) and it was a disaster. Same with my daughter's rainbow loom and learning to tie different knots. I think it's the same reason I'm not good at drawing: my brain fills in things and I can't look at them as they really are. So if I make a mistake knitting, it's had for me to see it and to back it out because I now just see the whole swath. Or something. It's hard to explain. This drawing sums up my experience with the drawing, painting, and textile arts. Happy Christmas Eve, all! Non-book, birding update: As we were crossing the salt marsh this morning, three kingfishers were making a racket. We Three Kingfishers?? And a flock of Cedar Wax Wings was buzzing about: Great picture! Cedar waxwings are on my "to see" list. They live around here but are not very common and several times I have been told "I just missed them" so maybe it's not to be. Edited December 24, 2015 by idnib 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 Just popping in to say that I finished Elie Wiesel's Night, and while I wouldn't necessarily recommend it for holiday reading, it is a book that I think everyone should read. Every citizen of the world. I could write a lot more but don't wish to dwell in darkness on Christmas Eve. Night helped me finish off Robin's spell your name challenge issued last August: Americanah Library of Souls Infinite Home Slaughterhouse Five Once on a Moonless Night Night That's some of the heaviest reading of the year for me--now back to Sebastian St. Cyr mysteries (which all seem to start with W). 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-M- Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 Happy jólabókaflóð! I love that the way I've celebrated Christmas Eve for more than thirty years has a name. The following image is from the Facebook page of Women and Children First Bookstore in Chicago. It was one of my favorites when we lived in the city. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 To give credit where credit is due, most of the photos I post are taken by my husband, the family photographer. He is a software engineer who uses photography as a creative outlet. Great picture! Cedar waxwings are on my "to see" list. They live around here but are not very common and several times I have been told "I just missed them" so maybe it's not to be. I do think that Waxwings are elusive especially as they don't necessarily stand out from the tree tops where they hang out. Last year we saw them a couple of times on a dead tree in the salt marsh. Word got out to an area photographer, a guy who has a camera with a really big lens that speaks "I am a serious photographer, people". We encountered the fellow with camera (and really big lens) in the salt marsh one day and commented that we had indeed seen the Cedar Waxwings there the day before. He sighed and tromped off in the opposite direction. Arriving at the main road, we looked up and saw a tree full of Cedar Waxwings greeting us. I think they knew that Man with the Really Big Lens was on the prowl, attempting to steal their souls my husband would say. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-M- Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 We won't exchange our book gifts until later this evening, but these are my companions until then: 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 So MMV--I too am reading H is for Hawk and having a bit of a hard time with the ethics of falconry. With regular up-close-and-personal time shared with hawks at the bird shelter where I volunteer, I have great respect for raptors. I recognize that many of the birds used in falconry are raised for use in the hunt (as opposed to stealing chicks or eggs from nests); nonetheless I have a hard time reconciling placing these magnificent birds in captivity. We have had some interesting family discussions on this and domestication of animals as a result of this book which I have not yet finished reading. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 Oh! What fun to see a familiar name in MMV's stack of books. Fanny Howe, the poet, is a lovely person, and was one of my favorite faculty members when I worked in the literature department at the big local university. A gentle, artistic soul. She was so pleased to have a poem published in the New Yorker, said how exciting it was to see her name printed in that familiar font. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 We had a fun evening with friends last night chatting, eating, and playing Bananagrams. We got home late, and then I stayed up until after two reading the contemporary romance Coming Apart at the Seams: Riley O'Brien & Co by Jenna Sutton. It's the second in a series but could stand alone well. It was an enjoyable read. "Teagan O’Brien, heiress to the Riley O’Brien & Co. denim empire, is anything but a spoiled rich girl. She’s worked hard to secure her place in the family business and can hold her own, in and out of the office. Only one man has ever been able to get under her skin—sexy football star Nick Priest. Years ago they crossed the line from friends to lovers, but he left her heartbroken. Since then, she’s been determined to keep him at arm’s length—no matter how tempting he looks in his jeans...Nick has fortune, fame, and looks that make most women hot and bothered. But he doesn't have the woman he really wants. He knows he screwed up when he walked away from Teagan, and now that he has a second chance, he’ll do whatever it takes to win her over—no matter how tongue-tied he gets..." Regards, Kareni 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted December 25, 2015 Share Posted December 25, 2015 Great picture! Cedar waxwings are on my "to see" list. They live around here but are not very common and several times I have been told "I just missed them" so maybe it's not to be. They're elusive around here too. About 5 years ago I came home one day and let the dog out. I heard a bunch of birds, looked up and saw a flock of Cedar Waxwings in one of our trees. I ran inside, grabbed my camera, and managed to get a not-so-great shot. I've never seen them here since, though they're often spotted at some of the wildlife refuges (we have several) in the area. They're just not spotted by me any time I go. I admit it was pretty exciting to find them in my backyard even if it was only once. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted December 25, 2015 Share Posted December 25, 2015 This is currently free to Kindle readers ~ A Child's History of England by Charles Dickens "In this accessible history volume, Charles Dickens turns his talents to the saga of the United Kingdom. With characteristic wit and perspicacity, he brings the kings, soldiers, and civilians who shaped England, Scotland, and Ireland to vivid life. Beginning in 50 B.C.E. and extending through the reign of James II in 1688, this immensely readable book offers readers a complete and engaging look at England’s past. Originally appearing in serial form, A Child’s History of England provides rare snapshots of Britain throughout the ages as rendered by an unparalleled master." *** I read and enjoyed this currently free historical romance some years ago. Marrying Stone (Marrying Stone series Book 1) by Pamela Morsi From Publishers WeeklyWhen Harvard-educated J. Monroe "Roe" Farley ventures into the darkest depths of the Ozark Mountains with his ediphone (a 1902 voice recording machine) to search for long-forgotten folk songs, he inadvertently finds himself becoming part of the Best household. They're an odd bunch; Jesse Best is a simpleminded, amiable giant who rescues Roe when he becomes lost and wants to know, "Can we keep him?" Jesse's sister Meggie immediately throws herself into Roe's arms, claiming he's her long-awaited prince, and their lame father Ornery puts more value in Roe's strong back then in his wallet. After nearly dying from Meggie's disastrous cooking, Roe settles into the slow-paced Ozark life with its patchwork quilt of lovable characters. His plans to leave the town of Marrying Stone Mountain at the end of summer are altered drastically when he accidentally ends up wedded to Meggie. But Meggie refuses to settle for anything less than true love from her dream prince. The Garrison Keillor of romance, Morsi's ( Runabout ) stories are always filled with lively narration and generous doses of humor. This latest offering is no disappointment; it's as rich and heady as a jug of mountain "donk"--and just as hard to put down.Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. Regards, Kareni 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted December 25, 2015 Author Share Posted December 25, 2015 Merry Christmas Eve to all who celebrate. We will be doing the Iceland curl up with a book thing after watching grumpy cat Christmas. There are quite a few books under the tree. I may get to open a couple later, much later. I've been cleaning for the past couple days since having family over tomorrow. Murphy's law - if you mop on a rainy day, cats and drenched husband will track footprints all over your clean floor. Murphy's law- ask husband to wipe down cabinets after mopping and guess who gets to mop the floor again after spraying 409 a bit to vigorously. He does! Although he did give my oven a major cleaning last weekend so I'll give him some slack. Love, hugs and kisses my bookish sisters! 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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