Book a Week 2017 - BW5: festive february

[Robin M]

Happy Sunday my lovelies!  This is the beginning of week 5 in our quest to read 52 books. Welcome back to all our readers, to those just joining in and all who are following our progress. Mr. Linky is all set up on the 52 Books blog to link to your reviews. The link is also below in my signature.

 

 

52 Books Blog - Festive February:  This week we wave bye bye to January and hello to Festive February.  We have lots to celebrate this month from Groundhog's Day, the Superbowl, Daytona 500, Valentine's Day, and Lincoln and Washington's birthday's to national monthly celebrations including Black History, Women Inventors, Haiku Writing, American Heart, Library Lovers and Bird Feeding.  And let's not forget Grapefruit or Barley month, Spunky Old Broads month or Adopt a Rescued Rabbit month.   As well as international celebrations of Candelmas, Fat Tuesday, New Zealand's Waitangi day and Japan's National Founding Day.

 

 

The Birthstone of the month is Amethyst. You may choose to spell out the word, reading one book per letter or read a book with the name or the colors of the stone in the title.  Or perhaps find an author whose name is Amethyst.  You may decide to find a book set in the time period where the birthstone was discovered or surrounding the myth and lore or set in countries where the birthstone is currently found. 

 

 

Historically, the Amethyst has both spiritual as well as mythological symbolism.  Derived from the Ancient Greek term Amethystos,  meaning not intoxicated, it was considered an antidote to intoxication.  It is associated with the wine God Bacchus. In Hebrew, the stone's name is Aclamah and has religious significance as the 9th stone on the high priest's breastplate representing the 12 tribes of Israel.    Saint Valentine is said to have worn a ring with an Amethyst stone carved in the shape of cupid.   In the medieval period, soldiers believed the stone had healing properties, and Astrologers in the 1500's thought the stone helped with intelligence.

 

The stone is primarily mined in Brazil and neighboring states, but may also be found in South Korea, Russia, India, Africa and the United States. Plus, the Amethyst is the official state gemstone for South Carolina. 

 

 

As you can see there are many rabbit trails to follow from celebrations, both cultural and historical, spanning from the ancient times to the present.  The possibilities are limitless.

 

Since our armchair travels have taken us to Brazil, you have a variety of authors to choose from rather than a singular author flavor of the month.  Check out Goodreads Popular Brazilian Author Books  or Culture Trips 10 Best Brazilian Writers.   Spread out across the continent and check out 22 Classic and Contemporary Female Latin American Authors or 6 Nobel Prize Winning authors from Latin America.  

 

 

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The Story of Western Science - Preface through Chapter one

 

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What are you reading this week?

 

 

 

 

Link to week 4 

Edited January 29, 2017 by Robin M

[Violet Crown]

Yesterday evening I finished volume 3 of Hakluyt's Voyages. I'm also partly through Selected Poems of D. H. Lawrence. I need to pick an "L" title next and decided Lawrence doesn't count, so either Lorna Doone or Little Dorrit next, neither of which should be too taxing.

 

But in the spirit of for once going with one of Robin's challenges, I'm first reading The Green Man by Kingsley Amis. Amis - Amethyst - pretty close, right?

 

ETA: stupid autocorrect

Edited January 29, 2017 by Violet Crown

[Lady Florida.]

Finished Three Men in a Boat. Very Wodehousesque which made me love it. There is a sequel I will now read. 

 

I went to Amazon to see if there's a free Kindle version, and Amazon tells me I "purchased" this in December 2013. I think I'll have to move it up the queue.

 

Three Men on a Brummel. It has me laughing more than the first book. 

 

 

Today is cold, rainy, and gray. I need to clean some things in the house, prepare for my class tomorrow, go to a couple stores, and do work for my practicum. Instead, I have made a second cup of chai tea and crawled back into bed with several books. I am not being very responsible. 

 

I didn't have the sequel so I added it. It's free so if I don't like it I lost nothing.

 

It's a cold, dreary day here. I'm going to make a pot of chili and let it simmer while I curl up and read. 

[Stacia]

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Edited November 2, 2017 by Stacia

[Jane in NC]

I finished a satisfying police procedural, Death of an Englishman, from a previously unknown series set in Florence by Magdalen Nabb and featuring Inspector Maresciallo Guarnaccia.  As usual, the Soho Crime imprint does not disappoint. Jenn, unless you have read this, I'll send you the book which you might want to keep on your shelf until next  December.  After you crash from your seasonal fiddling gigs, you can enjoy a mystery set in the days leading up to Christmas.

 

Thanks Secret Santa!  (Note for Bingo players:  this book is slightly under 200 pages so read this one for the fun, not for the game.)

 

Negin had recommended Mrs. Bridge which has been sitting on m TBR list for a while.  I was immediately taken by Evan Connell's writing--lovely!  This book will be a treat.

 

This fiction reader regularly makes mental notes that she should read more poetry and plays.  Why not a poetry book a month?  Sounds reasonable.  I started with the 11th century poet Solomon Ibn Gabirol's work which Archipelago published in translation from the Hebrew.  I now move on to another Archipelago selection--although I think this will take me more than a month as In Praise of Defeat weighs in with over 800 pages!  Granted, there is French text on the facing page--most of which I'll skip. But still.

 

Poet Abdellatif Laâbi is a Moroccan born francophile poet and political activist.  During an eight year imprisonment for "crimes of opinion" in the 1970's, Amnesty International declared  Laâbi  a prisoner of conscience.  From the dust jack of In Praise of Defeat:

 

[T]hroughout his career Laâbi has been a poet not just of revolt, not just of the violence visited upon the oppressed, but also a love poet in the grand tradition.  Indeed for Abdellatif Laâbi , love and struggle are inseparable.

 

A poet for our current political times, eh? 

 

Story of Western Science is standing by.  I'll be joining in that readalong.

 

Here is my January book list:

 

7) Death of an Englishman, Magdalen Naab, 1981

6) Vulture in a Cage, Solomon Ibn Gabirol, 11th century poetry; translated from the Hebrew by Raymond P. Scheindlin

5) By Gaslight, Steven Price, 2016 (atmospheric chunkster)

4) My Brilliant Career, Miles Franklin, 1901 (inspiring feminist tale)

3) Sputnik Sweetheart, Haruki Murakami, 2001; translated from the Japanese by Philip Gabriel (meh)

2) The Underground Railroad, Colson Whitehead, 2016 (Fiction, five stars; National Book Award winner)

1) To Lie with Lions, Dorothy Dunnett, 1995 (#6 in the House of Niccolo series; epic fiction started in 2016)

Edited January 29, 2017 by Jane in NC

[Robin M]

I started and abandoned Norwegian Wood yesterday.  I read the first few chapters, then did something I rarely do which was  skip to the very last chapter to see if it got any better.  It's simply not for me. Y'all are free to move about the cabin now and tell us what you loved  or hated, what moved or disgusted you.  

 

I delved into two books last night -  The Nightingale by Kristen Hannah  (N book for Garnet) and Marie Brennan's Natural History of Dragons. (B book for a to z authors).   After finishing Russian Winter, I took a cue from crstarlette and cleared my palate with a reread of one of J.D.Robb's In Death series.  I'd been listening to them in the car, so am up to  #17 Imitation in Death.  Found my box of paperbacks in the garage (yeah)   

 

I'm on a media diet for a while so today is going to be a lazy reading day, after I finish writing up James grades. Our first semester is over, far too quickly.  

Edited January 29, 2017 by Robin M

[Loesje22000]

I finishes 2 books this week:

 

Lost woman from Willa Carther.

I did not care much for this book.

I try to catch one of the pioneer serie, but it seems my library has just this one.

 

The song of the dodo from David Quammen.

I am absolutely not a biology fan by any mean,but this book grapped me to read on.

I had never heard about biogeography, and have totally missed most of the 'hard discussions' mentioned in the book.

 

Now I have to find another set of books to read ...

[Chrysalis Academy]

I'm full of plans for February reading. This is the month I begin battling seasonal depression in earnest, and so planning things to look forward to is healthy. This year I'm adding in daily exercise, hoping that will help.

 

My reading will mostly be focused on Black History month - some of the books I hope to read this month are The Color Purple (also in honor of Amethyst), I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Autobiography of Malcolm X, 12 Years a Slave, A Colony in a Nation, Tears We Cannot Stop, and The Fire This Time.

 

My title spellout includes some of these, plus an Achado book, Esau & Jacob, which nicely incorporates the Brazil theme!  Most of the "or" books are alternatives off my shelves if things I have on hold don't come in. Our library hold are taking an inordinate amount of time to arrive recently, not sure what's up.

 

Cloud Atlas

Miranda & Caliban or Mansfield Park

Evicted or Esau & Jacob

The Fire This Time or Bath Tangle

Half of a Yellow Sun or The Spider's House

I Know I am But What are You or Twelve Years a Slave

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

Tears we Cannot Stop

[Chrysalis Academy]

 

 

P.S. I noticed that Jamie Lee Curtis' list on One Grand Books includes Stoner. Stone is on my to-read list thanks to the many here who read & highly recommended it.

 

 

Completely fantastic book, Stacia, but not . . . uplifting. Just so's you know.  :)

[Penguin]

I finished Weed the People last week. It would have been so much better if the author would have kept himself out of the narrative. By the end, he was sitting on my last nerve. He really should have stuck to journalism and kept away from personal story. And how can you have a discussion of legal marijuana in a chapter called "Going International" that does not even glance at the Netherlands?

 

He quoted The New Jim Crow a few times, and I have seen that book mentioned here so I am putting on my TBR list.

 

Three stars. I learned some things, but it could have been much better. I am, however, eager for the book club discussion this week. Yay for meeting new people who read!

 

 

[6packofun]

I am reading The Distance by Helen Giltrow based on good reviews by Nancy Pearl, Lee Child, and others.  It's a good thriller so far, yet can be a bit slow and there are torture scenes that, while brief, are fairly intense (to me).  I'm intrigued to see how it concludes!

 

I'm also reading Different: The Story of an Outside-the-Box Kid and the Mom Who Loved Him by Sally Clarkson and her son Nathan.  Pretty good so far, but as she says, it's not a book of answers, per se, which is usually what my utilitarian mind tends to look for when reading about this sort of thing.  lol  I'm enjoying reading about how another struggling mom feels and honestly thinks as she deals with her child's challenges and differences, though, which is not something I tend to care for.  (Tell me what to DO, not how you feel because I may or may not feel the same thing anyway!!  lol)

[Narrow Gate Academy]

I managed to finish up two books this week bringing my total to six so far this year and also made progress on others. :thumbup1:

 

Finished This Week

• The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams - This is my second audiobook of the year and had me laughing out loud repeatedly (review here).  I'm counting it for my outer space bingo square.
• Stormbreaker by Horowitz - I picked this one up intending to preread a few chapters for ds and instead read the whole book (review here).  This meets my one word title bingo square between my total to four completed squares. :hurray:

 

Long term reads:

• ESV Bible - finished Exodus today
• History of the Ancient World - finished chapters 7 and 8 this week

 

Current reads (always subject to change on a whim)

• Audiobook:  Crocodile on the Sandbank by Peters - This one is still on hold at Overdrive, but I'm next in line and it's been 14 days since I put it on hold so hopefully I'll get it today or tomorrow
• Fiction books:
  • Slathbog's Gold by Forman - Still only three chapters in, will pick up again this week
  • The Seventh Bride by Kingfisher - Checked this out with my prime account to fill the prime number bingo square and started on my kindle while waiting for the kids, only a few chapters in but it seems promising so far.
• Nonfiction book:  The Happiness Project by Rubin - I made it through the July chapter this week and will try to keep reading a chapter a day

 

Finished for the year

6.  The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Adams (Bingo: outer space)

5.  Stormbreaker  by Horowitz (Bingo: one word title)

4.  Moon Dance by Rain (Bingo: flufferton)

3.  The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Doyle (Bingo: collection of short stories)

2.  The Strange Library by Murakami

1.  Written in Red by Bishop

[Stacia]

.

Edited November 2, 2017 by Stacia

[fastweedpuller]

I finished three this week...a surprising thing considering how busy life's lately been here, as my one and only is now a teenager (!!) and we're still celebrating three days on now...

 

The Nightingale, by Kristin Hannah, which is a re-read (but as audio, the reader did a decent job), for book club.  I liked it before, I liked it again.  Realistic-ish WWII.

The Grand Sophy, by Georgette Heyer, which I initially really liked but it went downhill from there and then (ew! spoiler!) just couldn't bring myself to condone a first-cousin love.  But I tried.
I Contain Multitudes:  The Microbes wiithin us and a Grander View of Life, by Ed Yong, which I completely enjoyed, setting aside all other books to run through.  His enthusiasm for the subject matches mine, and he was entertaining...not that I am saying that is a must for nonfiction reading, it just helps.  He's got a gift for descriptions, especially that of oddball animals.  Great big-picture view of small things affecting all life, I recommend this book highly. :thumbup:

 

And ETA:  I started The Sunne in Splendour last night and surprisingly got through quite a bit of it, according to the Kindle, like 4%!  yay me it's only what a 950 page book?  I can see why so many of you liked it...

(and while I am at it again, seeing as many of us are doing a January tally, the three above make 9 books, also including:

The Unwinding:  An Inner HIstory of the New America by George Packer

The Age of Genius:  THe 17th Cenury and the Making of the Modern Mind by A.C. Grayling

Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami

A Canticle for Liebowitz by Walter M Miller Jr.

The Beak of the Finch:  A Story of Evolution in Our Time by Jonathan Weiner

The Dream of Enlightenment  The RIse of Modern Philosophy by Anthony Gottlieb)

Edited January 29, 2017 by fastweedpuller

[mumto2]

Yesterday evening I finished volume 3 of Hakluyt's Voyages. I'm also partly through Selected Poems of D. H. Lawrence. I need to pick an "L" title next and decided Lawrence doesn't count, so either Lorna Doone or Little Dorrit next, neither of which should be too taxing.

But in the spirit of for once going with one of Robin's challenges, I'm first reading The Green Man by Kingsley Amis. Amis - Amethyst - pretty close, right?

ETA: stupid autocorrect

 

 

I had to take a look at The Green Man because they are some of my favourite carvings to hunt for in churches. I actually have a toy green man on my knitting needles which I hope to finish this year! I was a bit shocked to discover that I had been born when this book was released! ;) I read a couple of interesting reviews and think I might give it a try. I actually need to join a hold list for it so it might be awhile.

 

 

I started and abandoned Norwegian Wood yesterday.  I read the first few chapters, then did something I rarely do which was  skip to the very last chapter to see if it got any better.  It's simply not for me. Y'all are free to move about the cabin now and tell us what you loved  or hated, what moved or disgusted you.  

 

I delved into two books last night -  The Nightingale by Kristen Hannah  (N book for Garnet) and Marie Brennan's Natural History of Dragons. (B book for a to z authors).   After finishing Russian Winter, I took a cue from crstarlette and cleared my palate with a reread of one of J.D.Robb's In Death series.  I'd been listening to them in the car, so am up to  #17 Imitation in Death.  Found my box of paperbacks in the garage (yeah)   

 

I'm on a media diet for a while so today is going to be a lazy reading day, after I finish writing up James grades. Our first semester is over, far too quickly.

 

I have been keeping track of my authors for the A to Z challenge but I wasn't planning to read in alphabetical order. At this stage I can change because I don't have that many books for that challenge completed. Is is supposed to be read in alphabetical by author order?

 

I was going to follow Robin's lead and talk about Norwegian Wood but decided I should wait and make sure everyone is done. Please post if you aren't. :)

 

I finished Miss Seeton Draws the Line by Heron Carvic. This is an older cozy with a retired British spinster who has a gift fot drawing the truth. She works with a policeman to solve crimes. My affection for this series is growing. I am able to get them with my Amazon prime membership.

[Kareni]

A currently free classic  (today only) ~ Typee by Herman Melville

 

"Inspired by Melville’s own experiences on the high seas, this classic adventure tale pits two sailors against an island of cannibals

After six months of  relentless battering by the turbulent South Pacific, the whaling ship known as the Dolly is beginning to resemble a swollen and cracking prison. For Tommo, it’s been six months of little to eat but stale biscuits, six months of steady abuse and derision from his shipmates, six months with nothing to distract him from the daily drudgery of life aboard the boat. All that time and not even a hint of land—it’s enough to drive anyone mad. Thousands of miles from home, the Dolly finally chances upon a remote island, and Tommo and fellow sailor Toby resolve to strike out on their own. Intrigue and excitement ensue when they discover their new haven to be inhabited by a tribe of cannibals!"

**

 

Jane, this is not free but perhaps it might be of interest ~ The Avignon Quintet by Lawrence Durrell.  Sale price is $3.99.

 

"From the visionary author of the Alexandria Quartet comes a landmark five-part series hailed by the Sunday Times as “one of the great novels of our time.â€

One of the most celebrated English writers ever, Lawrence Durrell was a bestselling author whose vivid metafictions pushed the boundaries of modern literature. The cosmopolitan provocateur transcended borders, ideologies, and time in his work, and he’s at the height of his powers in the Avignon Quintet.
 
More formally daring than the Alexandria Quartet, these sweeping and stylish novels set before, during, and after World War II loosely center on the race to uncover a treasure buried by the Knights Templar. Each reveals a seemingly disparate piece of the puzzle. In Monsieur, it’s the bittersweet return to southern France by a British doctor; in Livia, it’s two sisters driven apart by the rise of Nazism in Europe. In Constance, a Freudian analyst struggles for clarity in a world on fire; in Sebastian, she reconnects with the charismatic cult leader she knew in the deserts of Egypt. And in Quinx, long-buried plots reemerge as the past and future are funneled into the present.
 
Durrell himself described the Avignon Quintet as a “quincunx,†a series of novels “roped together like climbers on a rockface, but all independent.†Together they form a powerful meditation on the search for meaning in a world of chaos and brutality."

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Negin]

I read Victoria and Albert: A Family Life at Osborne House - 5 Stars - My edition is used and I was delighted to see that Sarah Ferguson autographed it! Many years ago, I remember her saying on Oprah that Queen Victoria has always been her favorite monarch. I have to say that she is mine also. I’ve loved Queen Victoria and Prince Albert since I was a child, although loved is probably an understatement.

This book is simply breathtaking. Although the final chapters seemed a bit rushed, overall it is well written and the illustrations are gorgeous. It’s about their life at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight. They would often go there to escape Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle. Osborne House was conceived and planned by Prince Albert as a sanctuary for his wife and their nine children. I recommend this book highly if you love Queen Victoria and British royalty. After reading this and telling my husband all about it, he suggested that we should someday go to the Isle of Wight and visit Osborne House. I would love to!

Some of my favorite quotes:

 

“Both the Queen and Prince Albert seemed to have spent far more time with their children, than one usually associates with Victorian life. They ate together, and walked, rode, played and painted together. And the fond parents were often present at bath time and in the nurseries that Prince Albert had designed close at hand.â€

 

About Prince Albert and Queen Victoria’s relationship:

“He was always teaching, moulding her, encouraging her to curb her temper; in many ways he was as much a father figure to her as he was her husband; she in turn admired his knowledge and teaching, as she did everything about him.â€

 

“Even at Osborne, Albert had to start his day early if he was to get through the relentless agenda that he had set himself. The Queen did not have a private secretary; this role was filled by Albert, and as in every other area of their lives together – in the running of her establishments, in the upbringing of their children, in emotional support – she completely relied on him. He drafted, clarified, advised, and she approved nothing that he did not agree with. This self-imposed task of supporting, and moulding a constitutional monarch, who also made considerable emotional demands on him, would have been burden enough for most men. But for Albert, it was only part of his work, for the German prince had taken on an active role in the cultural life of his adoptive country.â€

 

“There are today many institutions, taken for granted as pillars of the establishment, which owe their existence, or their appearance, in part to Albert. He is regarded as the architect of the modern monarchy; and when his great-great granddaughter, Queen Elizabeth II, waves to people from Buckingham Palace, she does so standing on the balcony which was Albert’s idea.â€

“More than husband and consort, Albert was everything to Victoria, and Osborne was unthinkable without him.â€

 

“One of the ‘faults’, which Albert attempted to cure her of, and failed, was the Queen’s inability to live in the present. When she was happy, she fended off the future by anticipating it; and dealt with change when it came by dwelling on the past. The band under her window would wake her with a hymn – ‘Now thank we all our God’, or Psalm 100 – while Albert wished her joy so tenderly, so merrily, so lovingly, that she confessed humbly: ‘Often I feel surprised at being so loved, and tremble at my great happiness, dreading that I may be too happy.’â€

 

 

MY RATING SYSTEM

5 Stars

Fantastic, couldn't put it down

4 Stars

Really Good

3 Stars

Enjoyable

2 Stars

Just Okay – nothing to write home about

1 Star

Rubbish – waste of my money and time. Few books make it to this level, since I usually give up on them if they’re that bad.

Edited January 29, 2017 by Negin

[Mom-ninja.]

Okay, so I pulled myself out of bed after my tea. I drove around doing my errands, did some stuff for my class tomorrow, took care of my practicum business, folded some laundry, and I'm helping ds with a writing assignment. I will treat myself to reading a bit before helping ds cook dinner. 

[Jane in NC]

 

I had to take a look at The Green Man because they are some of my favourite carvings to hunt for in churches. I actually have a toy green man on my knitting needles which I hope to finish this year! I was a bit shocked to discover that I had been born when this book was released! ;) I read a couple of interesting reviews and think I might give it a try. I actually need to join a hold list for it so it might be awhile.

 

Ooh...is your Green Man project on Ravelry or another online place?  I'd love to see what you are knitting.

 

I should be finished with my leaf pattern cowl ("Noble Cowl" on Ravelry) this week.  I was distracted by some embroidery and a long leaf pine needle basket project.

 

A currently free classic  (today only) ~ Typee by Herman Melville

 

"Inspired by Melville’s own experiences on the high seas, this classic adventure tale pits two sailors against an island of cannibals

 

After six months of  relentless battering by the turbulent South Pacific, the whaling ship known as the Dolly is beginning to resemble a swollen and cracking prison. For Tommo, it’s been six months of little to eat but stale biscuits, six months of steady abuse and derision from his shipmates, six months with nothing to distract him from the daily drudgery of life aboard the boat. All that time and not even a hint of land—it’s enough to drive anyone mad. Thousands of miles from home, the Dolly finally chances upon a remote island, and Tommo and fellow sailor Toby resolve to strike out on their own. Intrigue and excitement ensue when they discover their new haven to be inhabited by a tribe of cannibals!"

**

 

Jane, this is not free but perhaps it might be of interest ~ The Avignon Quintet by Lawrence Durrell.  Sale price is $3.99.

 

"From the visionary author of the Alexandria Quartet comes a landmark five-part series hailed by the Sunday Times as “one of the great novels of our time.â€

 

One of the most celebrated English writers ever, Lawrence Durrell was a bestselling author whose vivid metafictions pushed the boundaries of modern literature. The cosmopolitan provocateur transcended borders, ideologies, and time in his work, and he’s at the height of his powers in the Avignon Quintet.

 

More formally daring than the Alexandria Quartet, these sweeping and stylish novels set before, during, and after World War II loosely center on the race to uncover a treasure buried by the Knights Templar. Each reveals a seemingly disparate piece of the puzzle. In Monsieur, it’s the bittersweet return to southern France by a British doctor; in Livia, it’s two sisters driven apart by the rise of Nazism in Europe. In Constance, a Freudian analyst struggles for clarity in a world on fire; in Sebastian, she reconnects with the charismatic cult leader she knew in the deserts of Egypt. And in Quinx, long-buried plots reemerge as the past and future are funneled into the present.

 

Durrell himself described the Avignon Quintet as a “quincunx,†a series of novels “roped together like climbers on a rockface, but all independent.†Together they form a powerful meditation on the search for meaning in a world of chaos and brutality."

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

Thanks for the heads up.  My husband downloaded Typee.  And while I stubbornly stick to paper books, your reminder that I should read Durrell is a good one.

[BarbecueMom]

I'm a bit of a baseball nut and a lifelong Cardinals fan, so I picked up Joe Buck's memoir, Lucky Bastard. Or rather, sat on the wait list for it for weeks. I'm not sure anyone outside the St. Louis area would have really grasped what he was trying to convey. I got it, but I could recognize where my memory was filling in gaps and details and background information. I enjoyed it as a St. Louis native, but as a general sports-related memoir, I'm not sure it would be as entertaining.

 

It was comfort reading, to me. Probably not what most homeschooling moms consider comfort reading!

 

I'm about halfway through The Name of the Wind. I still have The Twenty-Seventh City on my nightstand, along with Ancillary Justice and the Yiddish Policeman's Union. I'm next on the wait list for Hidden Figures, so I expect to have that by the end of the week.

 

I believe I've read seven books this month/year so far, plus the two books I've read to the kids (Holes and Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe). I do need to figure out how to keep this pace without plopping my kids down in front of the TV for the peace and quiet. That's become a bad habit.

[Stacia]

.

Edited November 2, 2017 by Stacia

[Schadenfreude]

My reading will mostly be focused on Black History month - some of the books I hope to read this month are The Color Purple (also in honor of Amethyst), I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Autobiography of Malcolm X, 12 Years a Slave, A Colony in a Nation, Tears We Cannot Stop, and The Fire This Time.

 

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings was a good book to read, but it was an amazing book to listen to. Maya Angelou narrated the audiobook herself and it was moving.

[Mothersweets]

Hello everyone! I'm still having a bit of trouble getting started with anything new. I tried listening to The Good Earth but I just don't like the reader. So, I started listening to Brat Farrar with Carole Boyd as the narrator  and am loving it. I read the book maybe 10 years ago so I don't remember all the plot points (yay!) and the reader is excellent!

 

I've read several chapters of the first Miss Seeton book and am liking it but something about the writing style is bothering me. I wish it was a little more straightforward maybe? 

 

Also, I thought of one more fun holiday for February - National Pizza Day on February 9th! http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-pizza-day-february-9/

 

[Lady Florida.]

 

 

Also, I thought of one more fun holiday for February - National Pizza Day on February 9th! http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-pizza-day-february-9/

 

That's a pretty neat site overall. Tomorrow is National Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day. Pop that bubble wrap!  :lol:

[ErinE]

I have India: A History by John Keay in my TBR pile so maybe that will be my Amethyst read. Maybe.

 

Once up a time (early last November), Facebook had a way to create lists of people and pages. I could click on my list and read about the writers' and editors' pages I follow. Another list, crafting, planner, and DIY pages. Another, random pages from the places I've lived, like museums, sports teams, or social groups. A few days after the election, Facebook got rid of them. I can create a list for people, but not pages. Clicking on each one page individually is a pain because I have so many. So I have to wade through a mass of political posts when all I want to see is writing updates or bullet journal spreads. Robin, I may need to join you; I think I should go on a media diet as well.

 

I have several fiction books in progress, but I've been battling a case of the blahs, perhaps due to the impending month of February. I think I have four fiction books I'm trying to work through, but I'm not feeling it. I finally gave up on finishing a fiction book this week and turned to mythology.

 

Book read last week:

 

• Goddesses: Mysteries of the Feminine Divine by Joseph Campbell. Mythology. Campbell is known for The Hero with a Thousand Faces and The Hero's Journey, which heavily influenced Star Wars. I set aside everything else I was reading and focused on this wonderful book about goddesses and women in mythology. Written based on lectures and notes and published posthumously, the conversational tone shines with stories put in modern terms. Though a short book, he manages to pack in many interesting tidbits and thoughts, including bits of myths from Pre-Colombian America, Polynesia, Africa, and Japan. Though I'd hoped for more from cultures not of the West, the primary focus is Western mythology. I have several of Campbell's Masks of God books and they've moved to the top of my TBR pile.

• "Her body is her magic; it both invokes the male and is the vessel of all human life. Woman's magic is thus primary, and of nature."  

[JennW in SoCal]

I'm ready to talk Norwegian Wood. Am I the only person who loved it?

 

 

 

About Three Men in a Boat:

I went to Amazon to see if there's a free Kindle version, and Amazon tells me I "purchased" this in December 2013. I think I'll have to move it up the queue.

Kathy -- I seem to have also "purchased" this in 2013 but never read it. Just downloaded it onto my Paperwhite.

 

 

 I had to take a look at The Green Man because they are some of my favourite carvings to hunt for in churches. I actually have a toy green man on my knitting needles which I hope to finish this year! I was a bit shocked to discover that I had been born when this book was released! ;) I read a couple of interesting reviews and think I might give it a try. I actually need to join a hold list for it so it might be awhile.


I finished Miss Seeton Draws the Line by Heron Carvic. This is an older cozy with a retired British spinster who has a gift fot drawing the truth. She works with a policeman to solve crimes. My affection for this series is growing. I am able to get them with my Amazon prime membership.

Another who would love to see the Green Man pattern. And Miss Seeton sounds like something I'd enjoy -- just added the 1st to my Kindle queue.

 

 The Avignon Quintet by Lawrence Durrell.  Sale price is $3.99.

 

"From the visionary author of the Alexandria Quartet comes a landmark five-part series hailed by the Sunday Times as “one of the great novels of our time.â€

One of the most celebrated English writers ever, Lawrence Durrell was a bestselling author whose vivid metafictions pushed the boundaries of modern literature. The cosmopolitan provocateur transcended borders, ideologies, and time in his work, and he’s at the height of his powers in the Avignon Quintet.
 
More formally daring than the Alexandria Quartet, these sweeping and stylish novels set before, during, and after World War II loosely center on the race to uncover a treasure buried by the Knights Templar. Each reveals a seemingly disparate piece of the puzzle. In Monsieur, it’s the bittersweet return to southern France by a British doctor; in Livia, it’s two sisters driven apart by the rise of Nazism in Europe. In Constance, a Freudian analyst struggles for clarity in a world on fire; in Sebastian, she reconnects with the charismatic cult leader she knew in the deserts of Egypt. And in Quinx, long-buried plots reemerge as the past and future are funneled into the present.
 
Durrell himself described the Avignon Quintet as a “quincunx,†a series of novels “roped together like climbers on a rockface, but all independent.†Together they form a powerful meditation on the search for meaning in a world of chaos and brutality."

And another Kindle addition this afternoon. I've been re-listening to My Family and Other Animals and just love how Gerald Durrell writes about his brother. I've been wanting to read Lawrence for a while now, and was dismayed at how few titles were in my library system. This sounds really good.

 

I read Victoria and Albert: A Family Life at Osborne House - 5 Stars - My edition is used and I was delighted to see that Sarah Ferguson autographed it! Many years ago, I remember her saying on Oprah that Queen Victoria has always been her favorite monarch. I have to say that she is mine also. I’ve loved Queen Victoria and Prince Albert since I was a child, although loved is probably an understatement.

This book is simply breathtaking. Although the final chapters seemed a bit rushed, overall it is well written and the illustrations are gorgeous. It’s about their life at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight. They would often go there to escape Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle. Osborne House was conceived and planned by Prince Albert as a sanctuary for his wife and their nine children. I recommend this book highly if you love Queen Victoria and British royalty. After reading this and telling my husband all about it, he suggested that we should someday go to the Isle of Wight and visit Osborne House. I would love to!

This sounds like fun! I loved the Netflix series The Crown about the early days of the current queen, but am not loving the Masterpiece series on Victoria. 

 

[mumto2]

Ooh...is your Green Man project on Ravelry or another online place? I'd love to see what you are knitting.

 

I should be finished with my leaf pattern cowl ("Noble Cowl" on Ravelry) this week. I was distracted by some embroidery and a long leaf pine needle basket project.

 

 

The Green Man is on Ravelry but not for sale yet because it was in a magazine recently http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/green-man-3 It should be out on his web site or Ravelry really soon. Dd and I have made many of Alan Dart's patterns over the years and he is the best knit toy designer. We subscribe to Simply Knitting just for his patterns. The Dickens Mice are great and sat in the library's Christmas window one year. Dd has made many of his different mice including the fairytale ones.http://www.alandart.co.uk/product/all-patterns/dickensian-party-mice/

 

I bought St. George the Dragon http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/george-of-york-dragon for dd's birthday while in York a couple of weeks ago. She made Goswald http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/goswald-of-graveney-st-george--gargoyle a couple of years ago and he is great!

 

I feel like I need to mention a book or is Dickens enough? Currently reading a Miranda James cozy, Digging up the Dirt.

 

Eta, I hope I have the links fixed. Odd.....

Edited January 29, 2017 by mumto2

[Stacia]

.

Edited November 2, 2017 by Stacia

[fastweedpuller]

I'm ready to talk Norwegian Wood. Am I the only person who loved it?

Me!  but I probably won't be able to get back to the computer until tomorrow.  I hope all who're wanting to discuss it have finished it so we don't spoil it for them :D

[Jane in NC]

The Green Man is on Ravelry but not for sale yet because it was in a magazine last spring. http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/green-man-3. It should be out on his web site or Ravelry really soon. Dd and I have made many of Alan Dart's patterns over the years and he is the best knit toy designer. We subscribe to Simply Knitting just for his patterns. The Dickens Mice are great and sat in the library's Christmas window one year. http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/dickensian-mice-outdoor. Dd has made many of his different mice including the fairytale ones.

 

I bought St. George the Dragon for dd's birthday while in York a couple of weeks ago. http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/george-of-york-dragon. She made Goswald http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/goswald-of-graveney-st-george--gargoyle a couple of years ago and he is great!

 

I feel like I need to mention a book or is Dickens enough? Currently reading a Miranda James cozy, Digging up the Dirt.

For some reason I am having trouble with your links but I did check out Alan Dart's stuff. Wow!  What fun!  Are the patterns straightforward? 

[JennW in SoCal]

I finished 9 books in January, a record pace for me. Doubt I can keep it up for the rest of the year but it's been fun!

 

Strange Library by Haruki Murakami

Strange Shores by Arnaldur Inridason

Cotillion by Georgette Heyer

A Hundred Days by Patrick O'Brian

Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami

A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki

Snow Angel by James Thompson

Thief of Time by Terry Pratchett

Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold   

 

And I'm half way through By Gaslight by Steven Price.

 

 

Should we discuss Norwegian Wood tomorrow then?

[mumto2]

I've read several chapters of the first Miss Seeton book and am liking it but something about the writing style is bothering me. I wish it was a little more straightforward maybe? 

 

 

 

 

I really liked the second one better because I simply read it cover to cover this morning with very few breaks because I needed to get my January prime book. I think it tended to jump around character wise rather unexpectedly which probably means these are chapter at a time books not paragraph at a time. I read the first one a couple of months ago and tried something else the next month. I wasn't happy with that series at all so I'm back to Miss Seeton.

 

 

I'm ready to talk Norwegian Wood. Am I the only person who loved it?

 

 

 

Kathy -- I seem to have also "purchased" this in 2013 but never read it. Just downloaded it onto my Paperwhite.

 

 

 

Another who would love to see the Green Man pattern. And Miss Seeton sounds like something I'd enjoy -- just added the 1st to my Kindle queue.

 

 

And another Kindle addition this afternoon. I've been re-listening to My Family and Other Animals and just love how Gerald Durrell writes about his brother. I've been wanting to read Lawrence for a while now, and was dismayed at how few titles were in my library system. This sounds really good.

 

 

This sounds like fun! I loved the Netflix series The Crown about the early days of the current queen, but am not loving the Masterpiece series on Victoria.

 

  

I read Victoria and Albert: A Family Life at Osborne House - 5 Stars - My edition is used and I was delighted to see that Sarah Ferguson autographed it! Many years ago, I remember her saying on Oprah that Queen Victoria has always been her favorite monarch. I have to say that she is mine also. I’ve loved Queen Victoria and Prince Albert since I was a child, although loved is probably an understatement.

This book is simply breathtaking. Although the final chapters seemed a bit rushed, overall it is well written and the illustrations are gorgeous. It’s about their life at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight. They would often go there to escape Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle. Osborne House was conceived and planned by Prince Albert as a sanctuary for his wife and their nine children. I recommend this book highly if you love Queen Victoria and British royalty. After reading this and telling my husband all about it, he suggested that we should someday go to the Isle of Wight and visit Osborne House. I would love to!

Some of my favorite quotes:

 

“Both the Queen and Prince Albert seemed to have spent far more time with their children, than one usually associates with Victorian life. They ate together, and walked, rode, played and painted together. And the fond parents were often present at bath time and in the nurseries that Prince Albert had designed close at hand.â€

 

About Prince Albert and Queen Victoria’s relationship:

“He was always teaching, moulding her, encouraging her to curb her temper; in many ways he was as much a father figure to her as he was her husband; she in turn admired his knowledge and teaching, as she did everything about him.â€

 

“Even at Osborne, Albert had to start his day early if he was to get through the relentless agenda that he had set himself. The Queen did not have a private secretary; this role was filled by Albert, and as in every other area of their lives together – in the running of her establishments, in the upbringing of their children, in emotional support – she completely relied on him. He drafted, clarified, advised, and she approved nothing that he did not agree with. This self-imposed task of supporting, and moulding a constitutional monarch, who also made considerable emotional demands on him, would have been burden enough for most men. But for Albert, it was only part of his work, for the German prince had taken on an active role in the cultural life of his adoptive country.â€

 

“There are today many institutions, taken for granted as pillars of the establishment, which owe their existence, or their appearance, in part to Albert. He is regarded as the architect of the modern monarchy; and when his great-great granddaughter, Queen Elizabeth II, waves to people from Buckingham Palace, she does so standing on the balcony which was Albert’s idea.â€

“More than husband and consort, Albert was everything to Victoria, and Osborne was unthinkable without him.â€

 

“One of the ‘faults’, which Albert attempted to cure her of, and failed, was the Queen’s inability to live in the present. When she was happy, she fended off the future by anticipating it; and dealt with change when it came by dwelling on the past. The band under her window would wake her with a hymn – ‘Now thank we all our God’, or Psalm 100 – while Albert wished her joy so tenderly, so merrily, so lovingly, that she confessed humbly: ‘Often I feel surprised at being so loved, and tremble at my great happiness, dreading that I may be too happy.’â€

 

 

MY RATING SYSTEM

5 Stars

Fantastic, couldn't put it down

4 Stars

Really Good

3 Stars

Enjoyable

2 Stars

Just Okay – nothing to write home about

1 Star

Rubbish – waste of my money and time. Few books make it to this level, since I usually give up on them if they’re that bad.

Jenn, I loved Norwegian Wood too. I am also finding it improves with age. I have been thinking about that book quite a bit.

 

Osbourne House is one of our favourites. We go to Isle of Wight every summer because we always love it there. I had just finished watching the Victoria series http://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2016/10/02/victoria-a-pregnant-pause-for-jenna-colemans-witty-queen--episod/ when we went this year. The house tour was laid out differently because Judy Dench was filming Victoria and Abdul. The show actually made a couple of rooms that I think were new on the tour more meaningful. Also the carpet was up and I was able to see some incredible mosiac floors! Yes, everyone I like mosaics and green men. I study gargoyles too! :lol: There are a couple of new Victoria books out. I had been planning on reading one of them this year but am now wondering if I should read this one.

[Chrysalis Academy]

I cannot wait to hear what you will say about this, Jane. I don't read a lot of poetry, but I would be very interested in reading his, mainly based on the fact that I read Rue Du Retour by Abdellatif Laâbi in 2015. It is a memoir about his eight years of imprisonment for "crimes of opinion". (Which also makes me realize I need to dig up my copy of Nineteen Eighty Four & give it another read.)

 

The Publishers Weekly description of Rue Du Retour:

 

What I wrote about Laâbi's Rue Du Retour when I read it:

 

I'd definitely recommend Rue Du Retour for those that are interested in it. I sent my copy on to someone else (can't remember -- Eliana?, idnib?, Chrysalis Academy?)....

 

 

:grouphug: , Rose, as you deal with seasonal depression. I look forward to your reviews of books you are reading for Black History month.

 

And, :hurray:  for Cloud Atlas. I LOVE that book. Really  :001_wub:  it. (And the movie too.)

 

 

 

I was definitely in the Rue du Retour loop - I think it went from you to Eliana to me, then I sent it on to someone, but don't recall who. It was a deeply moving book.

 

I had to  :lol: at that movie preview - I know essentially nothing about Cloud Atlas, and I'm only on the second section (1931) so imagine my surprise at some of what is upcoming . . . I'm really liking it so far, but didn't quite expect what I was seeing there. I decided to quit watching so I'll be more surprised, but it looks like a movie I will love.

 

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings was a good book to read, but it was an amazing book to listen to. Maya Angelou narrated the audiobook herself and it was moving.

 

Thanks, noted - I'll put the audio version on hold.

Edited January 30, 2017 by Chrysalis Academy

[Kareni]

I finished a satisfying police procedural, Death of an Englishman, from a previously unknown series set in Florence by Magdalen Nabb and featuring Inspector Maresciallo Guarnaccia.  ...

 

Thanks Secret Santa! 

 

I'm glad you enjoyed it, Jane!

**

 

I read and enjoyed (NOT a romance!) A Boy Made of Blocks: A Novel  by Keith Stuart which has a blurb on the cover from Graeme Simsion, author of The Rosie Project, ""Funny, expertly plotted and written with enormous heart. Readers who enjoyed The Rosie Project will love A Boy Made of Blocks―I did.""  I can see why. 

 

The book is quite British and it took a couple of chapters to get me hooked; I was ultimately engrossed in the story.  I recommend it.

 

 

"Alex loves his family, and yet he struggles to connect with his eight-year-old autistic son, Sam. The strain has pushed his marriage to the breaking point. So Alex moves in with his merrily irresponsible best friend on the world’s most uncomfortable blow-up bed.

 

As Alex navigates single life, long-buried family secrets, and part-time fatherhood, his son begins playing Minecraft. Sam’s imagination blossoms and the game opens up a whole new world for father and son to share. Together, they discover that sometimes life must fall apart before you can build a better one.

 

Inspired by Keith Stuart’s own relationship with his autistic son, A Boy Made of Blocks is a tear-jerking, funny, and, most of all, true-to-life novel about the power of difference and one very special little boy."

**

 

I also re-read with pleasure a couple of contemporary romances by Mariana Zapata ~

 

Kulti

and

The Wall of Winnipeg and Me

 

Regards,

Kareni

[mumto2]

For some reason I am having trouble with your links but I did check out Alan Dart's stuff. Wow!  What fun!  Are the patterns straightforward?

 

Hopefully the links are fixed. The patterns are straightforward. Occasionally fiddly if doing fingers but generally they are all there. I don't remember problems with directions being wrong ever.

[Mom-ninja.]

Finished listening to Hollow City and downloaded Library of Souls. I didn't think I'd get sucked into this series but I did. The author has managed to surprise me and that doesn't happen often. Normally, I've gotten things figured out however this books threw some curve balls I didn't expect. That makes the books fun. 

 

 

A note about Feb. blahs. Nobody should feel blah in Feb. due to it being my birthday month.  :D  So pick up Wee Free Men and feel happy!

[Granny_Weatherwax]

I awakened at 12:30am and was unable to fall back asleep so I finished The Plover. I'm not sure what to think about the book. There were characters who grated on my nerves and characters I enjoyed. I wasn't a fan of the mysticism which surprised me because I am one who believes we can commune with animals and nature. I guess I'm trying to determine if that particular character was using a form of astral projection or what.

 

A funny turn of fate: DGD asked me to go see Moana with her today so I watched a movie about an island people communing with nature and the gods.

--

Once I have enough time to begin a new book I'm moving on to The Underground Railroad. I'm already steeling myself for an emotional read. 

Edited January 29, 2017 by Scoutermom

[Just Robyn]

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings was a good book to read, but it was an amazing book to listen to. Maya Angelou narrated the audiobook herself and it was moving.

 

Thanks for saying that. This is one of those books that I haven't read and that I know I should read but really don't want to. Audio may be the way to go for me.

 

I'm ready to talk Norwegian Wood. Am I the only person who loved it?

 

 

I loved it! I loved the characters and Toru's struggle to find strength when others couldn't, and I love how the facility that Naoko stayed at was like a strange place in between life and death. 

 

I finished Believing Is Seeing: Creating the Culture of Art. It was a readable art history book The author's feminism came through in a way that I couldn't identify with. She seemed angry, but she didn't explain why other than a rant against generic he that seemed out of place, unbalance, and perhaps uninformed. To me, she maybe should have included a chapter on sexism in the art world to educate outsiders like myself instead of allowing herself to boil over a bit in places where sex wasn't really the point. That was pretty minor though. Overall, it provided a good overview of history along with a few explanations/interpretations of some pieces. It would make a nice addition to an art history course and if anyone wants the book, let me know and I'll send it.

 

I also read The Frozen Thames by Helen Humphreys, recommended, I believe, by Jane. This is a set of 40 vignettes, each about a different instance of the river Thames freezing over, something that no longer happens because the current design of the London Bridge doesn't dam up the river the way the old design did. There is no magic in these vignettes, but they felt a little magical anyway because of the atmosphere of change and possibility as well as solitude set against celebration. Some of it felt a little repetitious, but it was also poetic and interesting. I'll try to read more by this author.

 

I finished The Obesity Code by Jason Fung. Fung argues that insulin is the real reason we gain weight, not calories, and the science presented is very interesting. But in the end, the practical application is not much different. It still comes down to not eating too much, everything healthy. Or, eat tiny portions, nothing too delicious. Or, always a little hungry, never completely happy. However you want to say it. He does modify many diet recommendations by being honest. Calorie restriction diets make you feel like you can eat poorly so long as you stay within the calorie limit, even if the person/company recommends increasing fruit and vegetable intake. Low carb diets make you feel like you can at as much as you want need to to feel full and happy so long as you stick to the restrictions of food type. Fung gives it to you straight. Cut calories AND carbs - not one or the other. He goes even further and recommends intermittent fasting. I enjoyed listening to the audiobook, but now that I've finished, I'll probably buy the print version so that I can revisit specific sections easily.

 

 

I think I'd like to do a sort of study of YA literature this year if I can squeeze it in with my other reading goals. I'd love recommendations to add to the to-read list I've been trying to make. Hoping I can get my kids to read some with me, too. 

Edited January 29, 2017 by crstarlette

[Ali in OR]

I finished Marilynne Robinson's Gilead which I thought was just beautiful. Low key and beautiful. A 76-year-old minister who has been told his heart ailment is terminal writes a long letter to his 7 year old son so that when the boy is an adult he can know his father better. The father shares a lot of history with his father and grandfather, both ministers, and a personal struggle with the son of his best friend. It's not heavy on plot but just a lovely little book with a lot of wisdom in it. I read her Housekeeping several years ago, and while I thought she was a good writer, the characters were a little off-kilter for me. But this book fit me well. And I read it just to get it off my bookshelf and donate it back to the library book sale where I got it, but now I'm hesitating a little. This is my first Bingo square--one word title. At this point I'm just reading what I want to read and only filling Bingo squares that come up serendipitously.

 

After finishing that I picked up Love in the Time of Cholera and discovered that the people I thought would be the focus of the book are both dead and it's really about the wife of one of them and the man who loved her when they were young. That's actually a more interesting story and I'm able to read it a little faster.

 

We finished two audiobooks in the car this week because I'm doing a lot of driving kids to activities. They're both sequels to The City of Ember--The People of Sparks and The Diamond of Darkhold.

[Ali in OR]

I'm full of plans for February reading. This is the month I begin battling seasonal depression in earnest, and so planning things to look forward to is healthy. This year I'm adding in daily exercise, hoping that will help.

 

 

A note about Feb. blahs. Nobody should feel blah in Feb. due to it being my birthday month.  :D  So pick up Wee Free Men and feel happy!

 

 

January is the long, dark, cold month to me. February is much more hopeful. The increasing daylight starts to be noticeable. I expect it to start being light when I put my dd on the bus in the next week or two. I once tracked sunrise and sunset times and I think we start gaining about 3 minutes of daylight per day (it's only a second or two more right after the solstice). Also crocuses come out--first flower of spring. And we usually get a week of false spring with lovely sun and warmer temps (and then the March rains blow it all out of memory, but it's nice while it lasts). And hooray for February birthdays--me too! I'm usually good at spoiling myself. Chocolate milkshake anyone?

[thessa516]

Only Book Completed This Week:

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

 

Still Reading and Making Progress:

Tales from the Odyssey Part 2 by Mary Pope Osborne (read aloud with little kids)

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey (study with the older kids)

Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes by Jonathan Auxier (family read aloud)

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman

The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles by Julie Andrews Edwards (read aloud with little kids)

[shukriyya]

I found my library book  :hurray: It was hiding under a pile of my own books that had been stacked on the floor beside the bed. So I'm back in with that and really enjoying it. From the GR page :: Stunningly original and haunting, the voices of Mrs. Midas, Queen Kong, and Frau Freud, to say nothing of the Devil's Wife herself, startle us with their wit, imagination, and incisiveness in this collection of poems written from the perspectives of the wives, sisters, or girlfriends of famous -- and infamous -- male personages. Carol Ann Duffy is a master at drawing on myth and history, then subverting them in a vivid and surprising way to create poems that have the pull of the past and the crack of the contemporary. Link to one her poems, a favorite so far, Little Red Cap and here is a link to a long interview with the author for those interested in more from her. 

 

Still reading Beauty and Uprooted and just a few chapters to go in The Palace of Illusions. It hasn't been a productive reading week but it's been one with a steady pace, tortoise-like 

[Joules]

I have started several books since I was enthusiastic January 1.  

I'm working on Proven Guilty by Jim Butcher right now and I think that is the one I will finish this week.

I've started Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman but that will be a longer term one.

Also, in progress but not abandoned yet: 1632 by Eric Flint and The Dragons of Dorcastle by Jack Campbell.

 

 

[JennW in SoCal]

I finished a satisfying police procedural, Death of an Englishman, from a previously unknown series set in Florence by Magdalen Nabb and featuring Inspector Maresciallo Guarnaccia.  As usual, the Soho Crime imprint does not disappoint. Jenn, unless you have read this, I'll send you the book which you might want to keep on your shelf until next  December.  After you crash from your seasonal fiddling gigs, you can enjoy a mystery set in the days leading up to Christmas.

 

 

Just realized I hadn't included this in my massive multi-quote post. Jane, I will happily read any mystery/procedural you recommend! Thank you for thinking of me. :001_smile:

 

Also, just finished the balloon section of By Gaslight, then read the article you had linked about the real balloons in the Civil War, something I had never heard of before. The section seemed somewhat random within the flow of the book, but this author is purposeful in his story telling, so perhaps the significance will be revealed in the next 300 pages. 

 

And Shukriya -- lol about finding your library book buried in a stack of books.  :D

[Jane in NC]

 

I also read The Frozen Thames by Helen Humphreys, recommended, I believe, by Jane. This is a set of 40 vignettes, each about a different instance of the river Thames freezing over, something that no longer happens because the current design of the London Bridge doesn't dam up the river the way the old design did. There is no magic in these vignettes, but they felt a little magical anyway because of the atmosphere of change and possibility as well as solitude set against celebration. Some of it felt a little repetitious, but it was also poetic and interesting. I'll try to read more by this author.

 

 

I did recommend this one.  Such a charming little book, I thought.

 

Just realized I hadn't included this in my massive multi-quote post. Jane, I will happily read any mystery/procedural you recommend! Thank you for thinking of me. :001_smile:

 

Also, just finished the balloon section of By Gaslight, then read the article you had linked about the real balloons in the Civil War, something I had never heard of before. The section seemed somewhat random within the flow of the book, but this author is purposeful in his story telling, so perhaps the significance will be revealed in the next 300 pages. 

 

And Shukriya -- lol about finding your library book buried in a stack of books.  :D

 

I'd drop the book in the mail to you later in the week, Jenn.

 

Yes, there is a purpose to the balloon episode as you shall discover!

[SEGway]

I finished Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria, North! Or Be Eaten, and The Monster in the Hollows  last week. (I got my oldest DD started on the Peterson series, and she's read most of the first three already today. I guess that was a hit. :) )

 

I had a pretty lazy day at home with the fam today and got to read all afternoon. This almost never happens!

I read Agatha Christie's Death in the Clouds (which I didn't realize until half-way through was a re-read...and, I still guessed wrong!) and finished up Walter Dean Myers' Fallen Angels (which was one of the suggested reads in WAAtBKSTitC....also, that acrostic looks...strange to me. hmmm)

 

Why Are All the Black Kids... was so helpful for me. I have been a complete newbie in the last few years to the idea that white privilege is a real thing. (Embarrassing, but true) She explained rationally what I had seen glimmers of intuitively but couldn't coherently articulate previously. It gave me a helpful game plan for responding to the people in my sphere of tiny interactions. Very glad to have read this. 

 

Fallen Angels was brutal. I haven't read very much about the Vietnam War era. I wasn't even alive then. But, if the story was anything close to a real veteran's experience...well, it felt both painful and necessary to finish it. My brother was in Iraq, and I want to read his followup novel Sunrise over Fallujah. I want to ask my brother if the portrayal has any resemblance to his own experience. But, I'm not sure that would be a kind thing to do. I don't know. But, it was really affecting in ways I might have to think about for a while in order to make sense of. 

 

I enjoyed Andrew Peterson's books. They were what I was kind of hoping for when I picked up The Green Ember having heard the hype about that. I much prefer On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness, North! Or Be Eaten, and The Monster in the Hollow. I haven't purchased the fourth (and final) book, yet. But, I plan to do that soon. It's not like it's in a competition with Narnia. But, it did have that _something_ that allowed me to get into a different world without being jarred by the author's close-but-couldn't-quite-manage-it. It's got lots of corniness, but in the class-clown-loveable-foolishness vibe not the trying-too-hard vein. Clear as mud?

 

I think I'm going to have to go back and find the Bingo file for this year and see if any of my finished books qualify for a square and start planning for the future. :)

As always, it's just plain fun to read what is interesting to you. 

Thanks!

[Stacia]

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Edited November 2, 2017 by Stacia

[Butter]

This morning I finished book #10 for the year.  Nelson Mandela: A Life Inspired by Gillian Kendall and Wyatt North.  I loved it.  I really didn't know much about Mandela or apartheid.  Now I want to learn more.  He was quite an amazing man.  The book really drew me in.  The only thing I couldn't figure out was the classification of coloured.  There were whites, blacks, Indians, and coloureds.  So, this being the Internet age and me having a friend in South Africa, I messaged my friend to ask her.  Turns out coloureds were/are mixed race people.  I also found out from this friend and a friend of hers that Japanese were labeled white and Chinese were labeled black... but only in some places and apartheid was unevenly applied across the country.  This book made me want to read Trevor Noah's Born a Crime.

 

What are you reading this week?

Chains by Laurie Halsie Anderson (AtoZ authors)

Don Quixote (which is turning out to be WAY funnier than I ever expected)

The Fever Code by James Dashner

Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee (I am SO glad she revised dramatically before publishing To Kill a Mockingbird)

The Key of Kilenya (reading that to my boys)

Stories from Separation, Texas

Terminal Value by Thomas Waite (so far not much of a thrilling thriller)

Texas by James Michener (pretty sure this is going to take me 6 years to finish)

The Train to Crystal City (because my mayor, who I have a serious girl-crush on, said to read it)

All the Gallant Men (my friend said I'd love it)

A Man Called Ove (RL book group choice)

and of course The Story of Western Science

 

I'll pick my amethyst books after I finish my garnet books (Go Set a Watchman and Terminal Value are the two left).

 

 

Tomorrow to talk about Norwegian Wood sounds good.  I'm still meh on it and can't figure out whether I liked it or not.  It certainly is thought-provoking and has stuck with me, but kind of in an icky way.

[LaughingCat]

I finished The Obesity Code by Jason Fung. Fung argues that insulin is the real reason we gain weight, not calories, and the science presented is very interesting. But in the end, the practical application is not much different. It still comes down to not eating too much, everything healthy. Or, eat tiny portions, nothing too delicious. Or, always a little hungry, never completely happy. However you want to say it. He does modify many diet recommendations by being honest. Calorie restriction diets make you feel like you can eat poorly so long as you stay within the calorie limit, even if the person/company recommends increasing fruit and vegetable intake. Low carb diets make you feel like you can at as much as you want need to to feel full and happy so long as you stick to the restrictions of food type. Fung gives it to you straight. Cut calories AND carbs - not one or the other. He goes even further and recommends intermittent fasting. I enjoyed listening to the audiobook, but now that I've finished, I'll probably buy the print version so that I can revisit specific sections easily.

 

 

The thing I thought was different in Fung's book vs others I've read about insulin, such as Taubes, is that it seemed like the focus was on eating less often vs just eating less/less carbs. It was one of those eye openers where I thought "I already don't ...."(eat very often in this case) only to find to find that in fact I do exactly what I thought I did not. Seems I am have turned into a snacker-- which I have been working to change since reading the book with mixed success.

[strawberries]

January is the long, dark, cold month to me. February is much more hopeful. The increasing daylight starts to be noticeable.

 

January is the month I dread, though we were lucky and had a very mild one this year. I drive to a class on Tuesday evenings and it has been nice over the past couple of weeks seeing how much farther I can get down the road while there's still a little daylight. Maybe this will be the week I'll make it into the parking lot before the sun sets!

 

I finished Lab Girl this week. I liked it, especially the science-centric chapters among the more memoir-centric chapters. Also, it really made me think about funding struggles for research scientists. Not really knowing anyone who works in any field of science, I'd naively assumed that if you worked in a university lab you had easy access to state-of-the-art everything, right? Yeah, no. I also made progress on but did not finish The Wise Man's Fear, Winter is Coming, and a Warriors special edition. I'm struggling to stay engaged with Winter is Coming. Kasparov makes good points and I'm learning some history, but his writing style leaves a lot to be desired. He is very repetitive.

 

We were on the road a lot this week with assorted activities and three birthdays among local extended family, so in DH's car we finished the Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets audiobook and started Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. The kids and I have the Wayside School stories going in my car.