Book a Week 2017 - BW5: festive february

[Stacia]

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Edited November 2, 2017 by Stacia

[Stacia]

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Edited November 2, 2017 by Stacia

[Lady Florida.]

Ooh, I just realized Hidden Figures was a debut book in 2016. Bingo square! (Well not yet, but after I read it I can mark off that square.)

 

 

I'm sorry your ds is sick Mom-ninja. That's great they gave you a return pass so he can join you when he's better. BTW, my 19 yo son is still my baby too.

[Negin]

Thank you!  I read that book years ago in paper form and Truman is my very favorite president ever (like, I was so upset when I learned he died before I was even born) so now I have it on my Kindle :)

I read this one a few years ago and loved it. I wouldn't mind re-reading it. 

 

[Kareni]

As I'd mentioned yesterday, my Secret Sister gifted me with two Kindle books.  The Carla Kelly book I read yesterday; the other book was one I'd already received as a Christmas gift.  This experience was good in that I learned how to convert a gift Kindle book into a credit which I promptly used to buy a different book.  I just finished that book.

 

Those who enjoy paranormal stories (Mumto2, Robin, Melmichigan, ...) might like Wolfsong by TJ Klune.  I recommend it highly.  (There are a few pages of adult content.)

 

Here are links to a couple of enthusiastic reviews ~ one and two.

 

"Ox was twelve when his daddy taught him a very valuable lesson. He said that Ox wasn't worth anything and people would never understand him. Then he left.

 

Ox was sixteen when he met the boy on the road, the boy who talked and talked and talked. Ox found out later the boy hadn't spoken in almost two years before that day, and that the boy belonged to a family who had moved into the house at the end of the lane.

 

Ox was seventeen when he found out the boy s secret, and it painted the world around him in colors of red and orange and violet, of Alpha and Beta and Omega.

 

Ox was twenty-three when murder came to town and tore a hole in his head and heart. The boy chased after the monster with revenge in his bloodred eyes, leaving Ox behind to pick up the pieces.

 

It's been three years since that fateful day and the boy is back. Except now he s a man, and Ox can no longer ignore the song that howls between them."

 

So, thank you again, Secret Sister!

 

Regards,

Kareni

[PrairieSong]

This book has been on my wish list for a long time. The Kindle version is on sale today for $2.99.

 

My dad loved this book and told me how good it was. We started cleaning some things out of his house and this is one of the books I brought home with me.

 

Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk

[shukriyya]

These look like adult novels, not kid or YA, yes?  

 

Shannon read Uprooted when it first came out - about a year ago, I guess? Having failed to pre-read it, I failed to warn her about (or shield her from) a scene that she wasn't quite ready for. Not traumatized by, but just not quite ready for. She's another year older, and has read some darker things this year, but I'm still trying to do a better job of not putting things in her hands that are more adult than I might expect. 

 

I didn't finish Uprooted - I don't love the fairy tale retold genre, which is kind of weird since I do like modern retelling of Shakespeare and other classics. But I'm enjoying The Bear and the Nightingale quite a lot.  It feels more grounded in actual Russian folklore than a pure fantasy tale, though it certainly has fantastic elements, and I like that very much.

 

I don't know, the Patricia Wrede books looked like YA to me and I believe that's her target audience. However I would have thought Uprooted to be YA until I got towards the end of the book and one scene in particular, likely the one that made you think twice about your daughter having read it. I'm looking forward to The Bear and the Nightingale. But what I like about Uprooted is that it doesn't feel formulaic despite being a "fantasy-fairy-tale". An amalgamation of tales perhaps such that there are lots of unexpected twists and turns. 

[Kareni]

A book I read recently (and I don't believe I mentioned previously) is the contemporary romance  Finding Your Feet (Toronto Connections)  by Cass Lennox.  This romance features an asexual heroine and a trans hero, a combination I've not previously encountered in a romance.  I enjoyed the story.

 

"While on holiday in Toronto, Evie Whitmore planned to sightsee and meet other asexuals, not audition for a dance competition. Now she’s representing Toronto’s newest queer dance studio, despite never having danced before. Not only does she have to spend hours learning her routine, she has to do it with one of the grumpiest men she’s ever met. Tyler turns out to be more than a dedicated dancer, though—he might be the kind of man who can sweep her off her feet, literally and figuratively.

 

Tyler Davis has spent the last year recovering from an emotionally abusive relationship. So he doesn’t need to be pushed into a rushed routine for a dumb competition. Ticking major representation boxes for being trans and biracial isn’t why he went into dance. But Evie turns out to be a dream student. In fact, she helps him remember just how good partnering can be, in all senses of the word. Teaching her the routine, however, raises ghosts for him, ones he’s not sure he can handle.

 

Plans change, and people change with them. Learning a few steps is one thing; learning to trust again is another entirely."

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

[Stacia]

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Edited November 2, 2017 by Stacia

[Rosie_0801]

I bought my brother Wodehouse's 'Love Amongst the Chickens' or something like that as a joke, after seeing someone mention it on here.

 

It brought him and his workmates amusement as the cover makes it looks like chicken erotica.

[Stacia]

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Edited November 2, 2017 by Stacia

[Stacia]

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Edited November 2, 2017 by Stacia

[Kareni]

I bought my brother Wodehouse's 'Love Amongst the Chickens' or something like that as a joke, after seeing someone mention it on here.

 

It brought him and his workmates amusement as the cover makes it looks like chicken erotica.

 

I'm reminded of this book which (somewhat to my surprise) I spotted once at the local library ~

 

Fifty Shades of Chicken: A Parody in a Cookbook by F.L. Fowler

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Rosie_0801]

My brother will be delighted to hear about this, I'm sure.

 

I also noticed the link on that page to the 'Cookie Sutra.' I hope it is more interesting than the original.

[Negin]

My dad loved this book and told me how good it was. We started cleaning some things out of his house and this is one of the books I brought home with me.

That just got me all teary-eyed. I know that I'll remember this when I get around to reading it. Thinking of you and sending hugs and prayers your way.  :grouphug:

[Negin]

I cannot believe that I have lived my life without reading Mrs. Bridge until now.

 

There.  I have admitted it. What an amazing book!  Published in 1959, one would think that Mrs. Bridge would have gone on my radar in some previous decade but it was Negin who brought the novel to my attention within the past year or so.  In 1990, there was a Merchant/Ivory film of the novel and its sequel, Mr. Bridge.  I love Merchant/Ivory films--how did I miss this too?

 

In the NPR series, You Must Read This, James Patterson said that it was probably the novel that most influenced him. Never having read any Patterson, I gleaned from the NPR story that his best sellers are quite different from Evan S. Connell's brilliant novel. But Patterson does sum up what is so intriguing about this book:

Jane, I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed it also. I haven's seen the movie and am not sure if I will get around to doing so. Sometimes movie versions of books disappoint me. The good thing is that if I do see it now, some time has passed since I read the book. :) Thank you for that link! Off to look into very soon. 

 

I'm reading The Obesity Code now on Negin's recommendation and that is much better.

I recently received the hard copy version of his second book, but I'm annoyed at the poor quality. The book has started to fall apart at the seams before I've even started to read it. I didn't want the Kindle version since it's so full of detailed info and I prefer a hard copy for that. I need to go and get it fixed. They take forever to do things like that here. 

 

I am afraid of heights. 

Me too. Very, very afraid. We visited Santiago a few months ago. They have the tallest building in South America there - the Sky Costanera. Everyone would go right by the windows. Not me. I was glued to the back wall. 

 

I'm so sorry that your son was sick. I hope that he's feeling better now. Hopefully your birthday celebration can continue through the weekend. You deserve that. 

[mumto2]

Mom ninja, Another person in the afraid of heights club. I have mastered some places like stairs in ancient buildings. I still avoid driving over mega bridges etc. Too stressfull. I'm sorry your son was sick on your birthday but have to say it was so nice of them to give you passes to come back with all the kids!

 

I finally finished my culture read from our challenge a couple of weeks ago. I decided to read the book How to Read a Village by Richard Muir https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2323020.How_to_Read_a_Village because I had already read Hillbilly Elegy this year and this has been in my stack for years. I decided vllages are definitely part of my culture although I am really irritated with my little part of the world right now. So the book was interesting but dry and not nearly as interesting as the How to read a Church I read several years ago. I learned a bit but to be honest it added more to my list of great day trips than actual new knowledge.

 

I learned a couple of interesting bits that I will share.

 

Fishing villages generally have shale beaches for pulling boats onto beach overnight....less apt to wash away before harbours etc. Makes sense and observation says true. I enjoyed the fishing village pictures greatly. I ended up searching for potential new houses in fishing villages along our northeast coast because of it. I found a Victorian Sea Captain's house with an incredible original tile floor that I fell in love with breifly. Then reality in the form of dh entered the picture when he calmly asked if I considering running a B & B because 7 insuite bedrooms were a bit much for a family of 4! There went that dream house or should I say floor! The reality was I wanted the floor and the house was attached. :lol:

 

Because old villages were built from local materials they tend to blend into the landscape and are pleasing to the eye. True. I had to laugh because the author provides a list of villages that were gentrified during the 1800's and standout because other cultures building techniques were employed. The ones that I have visited or just driven through were all places I really remember being because my brain must have registered that they didn't quite belong. Since someone here may have visited Chatsworth, the village there is an example, Swiss influence I believe.

 

While I found some tourist type pleasure in this book much of it concentrates on doing a village study of your own. My village has been studied endlessly and I have copies of the books to show for it. If it's on your library shelf the pictures are nice. ;) For the record I actually read about 90% of it pretty seriously but I doubt any of you would want to.

Edited February 4, 2017 by mumto2

[Ausmumof3]

Mom ninja, Another person in the afraid of heights club. I have mastered some places like stairs in ancient buildings. I still avoid driving over mega bridges etc. Too stressfull. I'm sorry your son was sick on your birthday but have to say it was so nice of them to give you passes to come back with all the kids!

 

I finally finished my culture read from our challenge a couple of weeks ago. I decided to read the book How to Read a Village by Richard Muir https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2323020.How_to_Read_a_Village because I had already read Hillbilly Elegy this year and this has been in my stack for years. I decided vllages are definitely part of my culture although I am really irritated with my little part of the world right now. So the book was interesting but dry and not nearly as interesting as the How to read a Church I read several years ago. I learned a bit but to be honest it added more to my list of great day trips than actual new knowledge.

 

I learned a couple of interesting bits that I will share.

 

Fishing villages generally have shale beaches for pulling boats onto beach overnight....less apt to wash away before harbours etc. Makes sense and observation says true. I enjoyed the fishing village pictures greatly. I ended up searching for potential new houses in fishing villages along our northeast coast because of it. I found a Victorian Sea Captain's house with an incredible original tile floor that I fell in love with breifly. Then reality in the form of dh entered the picture when he calmly asked if I considering running a B & B because 7 insuite bedrooms were a bit much for a family of 4! There went that dream house or should I say floor! The reality was I wanted the floor and the house was attached. :lol:

 

Because old villages were built from local materials they tend to blend into the landscape and are pleasing to the eye. True. I had to laugh because the author provides a list of villages that were gentrified during the 1800's and standout because other cultures building techniques were employed. The ones that I have visited or just driven through were all places I really remember being because my brain must have registered that they didn't quite belong. Since someone here may have visited Chatsworth, the village there is an example, Swiss influence I believe.

 

While I found some tourist type pleasure in this book much of it concentrates on doing a village study of your own. My village has been studied endlessly and I have copies of the books to show for it. If it's on your library shelf the pictures are nice. ;) For the record I actually read about 90% of it pretty seriously but I doubt any of you would want to.

That's interesting about the fishing villages. There is a really cute one around five hours drive from here, near a place we went for holidays once. It's is lovely ... Except for the smell!

[Chrysalis Academy]

Now starting to read The Second Mrs. Hockaday by Susan Rivers.

 

 

 

That looks very interesting. Looking forward to hearing what you think of it.

 

I'm reminded of this book which (somewhat to my surprise) I spotted once at the local library ~

 

Fifty Shades of Chicken: A Parody in a Cookbook by F.L. Fowler

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

And that is hysterical! My library has a copy and I just put it on hold. I happen to have a raw chicken in my fridge as we speak, who knows what I will do with it now????

[ErinE]

Well, stopping by the library today, they had a ton of books for sale for a quarter. How can you pass that up? I got:

 

The Peabody Sisters: Three Women Who Ignited American Romanticism by Megan Marshall

The History of Southern Literature, edited by Louis Rubin & others

Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison (because of ErinE's rave reviews -- Erin, how are you doing???)

La Maravilla by Alfredo Vea, Jr.

Property by Valerie Martin

Destination Tempest by Sky Masterson (looks like it is free for kindle unlimited users)

The Eggman's Apprentice by Maurice Leitch

I'm glad you got Song of Solomon. A friend gave me Sula during my surgery recovery a few weeks ago which I'm finally reading now.

 

I've found my reading mojo again after not feeling it for weeks. DH had a conference to attend at a ski resort and I tagged along. I spent the morning skiing (my first lessons and only second time trying it) and the afternoon resting and reading. After months of pain, it's wonderful to return to active play.

 

PrairieSong, I'm so sorry about your father's death. :grouphug:

[Kareni]

Currently free for one day only ~

 

McTeague: A Story of San Francisco by Frank Norris

 

"A couple’s life and love are destroyed when they win the lottery in this tragic tale of turn-of-the-century San Francisco.
 
McTeague and Trina are in love, and with the modest income from McTeague’s dentistry office, their needs are few. But when Trina wins a small fortune from a lottery ticket, jealousy and distrust begin to unravel their happy home. As tension erupts between McTeague and Trina’s cousin Marcus, Trina’s impulse to save her winnings slowly gives way to a pathological obsession with hoarding money. Betrayed and destitute, the couple embarks on a journey down a path of violence, theft, and murder.
 
Considered transgressive for its brutality and sordid subject matter upon first publication in 1899, McTeague has since served as the basis for the films Greed (1924) by Erich von Stroheim and Slow Burn (2000), starring Minnie Driver and James Spader. Widely acclaimed as Frank Norris’s masterpiece, the novel was hailed as “a literary masterpiece†by the New York Times."

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

A goodly number of historical stories with a naval bent feature hardtack.  Here's a fun post if you've ever wondered precisely what it is or how to make it:

 

RedHeadedGirl’s Historical Kitchen: Hardtack

 

Regards,

Kareni

[JennW in SoCal]

A goodly number of historical stories with a naval bent feature hardtack.  Here's a fun post if you've ever wondered precisely what it is or how to make it:

 

RedHeadedGirl’s Historical Kitchen: Hardtack

 

 

Lobscouse and Spotted Dog, which is the source of the hardtack recipe in the link, is full of delightful recipes, all from the Master and Commander series. You'd think I would have tried my hand at some of them, being such a fan girl and all, but I'm much, much happier (as is my dh) reading about the attempts made by others!!

 

Thank you for the link, Kareni!!

[Penguin]

My dad loved this book and told me how good it was. We started cleaning some things out of his house and this is one of the books I brought home with me.

 

Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk

My dad died in 1995 and this is the book I most associate with him.  He loved it. To this day, I see that book and picture him holding it.

 

 

:grouphug:  :grouphug:

Edited February 4, 2017 by Penguin

[Butter]

Book #13: All the Gallant Men by Don Stratton.  He was a USS Arizona survivor.  It's mostly his memoir with an emphasis on what happened at Pearl Harbor.  It was really good and really well written.  Only 5 Arizona survivors are left.

 

This was my book for the selected by a friend bingo square.

Edited February 4, 2017 by Butter

[Chrysalis Academy]

Lobscouse and Spotted Dog, which is the source of the hardtack recipe in the link, is full of delightful recipes, all from the Master and Commander series. You'd think I would have tried my hand at some of them, being such a fan girl and all, but I'm much, much happier (as is my dh) reading about the attempts made by others!!

 

Thank you for the link, Kareni!!

 

My dh is reading that as we speak! He is now full of (mostly gross) maritime cuisine trivia. He loved the M&C series and is now reading the Horatio Hornblower series.

[Chrysalis Academy]

We just went to see Hidden Figures.  If you haven't seen it, run, don't walk! It was incredibly inspiring and uplifting although also sobering and thought-provoking. I'm asking myself why it took till 2016 for these women to get the recognition they deserved and for their stories to hit the mainstream. Looking forward to reading the book, too.

[mumto2]

Mercy Thompson fans look what I just found https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30687916-silence-fallen?ac=1&from_search=true. Coming in March! I think I'm number 27 on my overdrive list. Off to try and find a better list.....

[Mom-ninja.]

My youngest succumbed to the fever last night. Both sick boys spend the day alternating from couch and bed. I spent the day binge cleaning while listening to Library of Souls.

[Lady Florida.]

Book #13: All the Gallant Men by Don Stratton.  He was a USS Arizona survivor.  It's mostly his memoir with an emphasis on what happened at Pearl Harbor.  It was really good and really well written.  Only 5 Arizona survivors are left.

 

This was my book for the selected by a friend bingo square.

 

 

This sounds like something my husband would like to read. I'm going to tell him about it. He's a WWII buff.

 

 

  

We just went to see Hidden Figures.  If you haven't seen it, run, don't walk! It was incredibly inspiring and uplifting although also sobering and thought-provoking. I'm asking myself why it took till 2016 for these women to get the recognition they deserved and for their stories to hit the mainstream. Looking forward to reading the book, too.

I started reading the book last night. I'm sure I'll see the movie but probably not in the theater.

[Stacia]

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Edited November 2, 2017 by Stacia

[Stacia]

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Edited November 2, 2017 by Stacia

[Storygirl]

In my quest to find a new mystery series, this week I tried Bone Dust White by Karin Salvalaggio (a book I pulled from the library shelf). I noticed it because there were several books by the same author, and the first one was available.

 

Although this book was slightly rough in spots, I think there is promise for the series. The author tends to sum up conversations too often, instead of using actual dialogue. And some of the transitions between scenes are choppy. Too bad the editor didn't help her work through those issues. I think the author would consider them a mark of her style, but as a reader it broke the seamlessness of the narrative for me.

 

With that said, I like the main character, a detective with the Montana state police. There is potential to explore both her backstory and her future both personally and professionally, as in this book she is nearing the end of a pregnancy; the identity of the baby's father adds a complicating factor. The story focuses mainly on the case, but details about the personal lives of the characters and vivid descriptions of the setting near the US--Canadian border bring the story to life.

 

I'll keep reading this series, hoping that subsequent books may be as enjoyable as some of my favorites, which tend to feature strong female detectives who live in areas with as much character as the characters themselves:

  Linda Castillo (Amish country)

  Tana French (Ireland)

  Julia Spencer-Fleming (upstate New York)

  Julia Keller (Appalachia)

  Alan Bradley (Flavia!! -- rundown English manor)

Just a few off the top of my head.

 

 

 

[Kareni]

Mercy Thompson fans look what I just found https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30687916-silence-fallen?ac=1&from_search=true. Coming in March! I think I'm number 27 on my overdrive list. Off to try and find a better list.....

 

I'm number four out of thirteen at my library.  I'll count myself lucky that I learned about Silence Fallen a month or so ago.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Robin M]

Robin, how's your household faring?

 

:grouphug: to all those who are sick, tending the sick, hurting, or mending.... Or for anyone who just needs a hug today. :grouphug: :)

Thanks doll! My energy has returned after 5 days of listless lazing about. James is still hacking his head off. Poor kid. Plus I think the blue dye in mucinex is making him hyper. Will stop by Walgreens tomorrow for some dye free cough medicine. John's doing better but made him go to work past couple days. He'll probably sleep half of tomorrow knowing him. How about you?

[Stacia]

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Edited November 2, 2017 by Stacia

[mumto2]

In my quest to find a new mystery series, this week I tried Bone Dust White by Karin Salvalaggio (a book I pulled from the library shelf). I noticed it because there were several books by the same author, and the first one was available.

 

Although this book was slightly rough in spots, I think there is promise for the series. The author tends to sum up conversations too often, instead of using actual dialogue. And some of the transitions between scenes are choppy. Too bad the editor didn't help her work through those issues. I think the author would consider them a mark of her style, but as a reader it broke the seamlessness of the narrative for me.

 

With that said, I like the main character, a detective with the Montana state police. There is potential to explore both her backstory and her future both personally and professionally, as in this book she is nearing the end of a pregnancy; the identity of the baby's father adds a complicating factor. The story focuses mainly on the case, but details about the personal lives of the characters and vivid descriptions of the setting near the US--Canadian border bring the story to life.

 

I'll keep reading this series, hoping that subsequent books may be as enjoyable as some of my favorites, which tend to feature strong female detectives who live in areas with as much character as the characters themselves:

Linda Castillo (Amish country)

Tana French (Ireland)

Julia Spencer-Fleming (upstate New York)

Julia Keller (Appalachia)

Alan Bradley (Flavia!! -- rundown English manor)

Just a few off the top of my head.

 

I love the same type of series so thank you for two new to me authors. At some point I will go through my older lists and see if I can find some new ones for you. I was already listening (well it's checked out :lol:) to Tana French's The Trespasser. I have seen Bone Dust White but haven't tried it so will pick that one up when at the library and found the Julia Keller's in overdrive.

 

 

I'm glad you got Song of Solomon. A friend gave me Sula during my surgery recovery a few weeks ago which I'm finally reading now.

I've found my reading mojo again after not feeling it for weeks. DH had a conference to attend at a ski resort and I tagged along. I spent the morning skiing (my first lessons and only second time trying it) and the afternoon resting and reading. After months of pain, it's wonderful to return to active play.

PrairieSong, I'm so sorry about your father's death. :grouphug:

 

I loved skiing in my teens but it's one of the things that I was told never again to when I had my back surgery. I was so disappointed

 

 

I'm number four out of thirteen at my library. I'll count myself lucky that I learned about Silence Fallen a month or so ago.

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

I did find a better list late last night. I think I ended up 5 on that one. I saw that there is a new Scarlett Bernard too. Anything else?

 

I should get Echoes in Death by JD Robb the first day 7th) when the copy number gets expanded. I am number 4 out of 200 or so! Really happy about that because that's my E with zero effort!

 

So, I started reading yet another thing in my library pile... an older edition of Kalevala: The Land of Heroes, Volume 1, translated by W. F. Kirby.

 

The Kalevala is the national mythology/epic of Finland, gathered from singing/oral storytelling traditions. Much of the work of gathering the stories is credited to Elias Lönnrot (1802-1884).

 

I know nothing really about Finland & certainly nothing of their national epic. So, this is a completely new world to me.

 

From Wikipedia:

 

 

It may take me awhile on this one, but I think I will slowly work my way through it. I have volumes one & two from the library.

Glad you found something kinder to read! I am hoping to really get started on By Gaslight today. We were supposed to be in the car for a couple of hours which would have been perfect but dh apparently cancelled those plans during the night because he couldn't sleep. Now I am around the house for most of the day with the sun shining and my garden which has been sorely neglected. I never had a chance to do a fall tidy and now my bulbs are popping up amid a dead jungle from last year. I spent a half hour yesterday outside and that section looks so much better! Edited February 5, 2017 by mumto2

[Chrysalis Academy]

Re: The Second Mrs. Hockaday...

 

I read the first few chapters last night & was drawn in. But, I'm afraid this is going to be a hard book (emotionally) to read. Given the subject matter, how can it not be? So then I'm thinking I may need to read this one in the daytime so I'm not crying before going to bed. I want to read it, I really do, but maybe now is not the time. I'm still deciding.

 

In the meantime, I picked up a mother-lode of books from the library today. I sat down & read the first chapter of a Western book (I think from one of the lists Robin posted): Welcome to Hard Times by E. L. Doctorow. I had not read a description of it beforehand. Damn. Talk about a brutal first chapter. Again, I'm pulled in, but I'm wondering if I really want to go there now?

 

Sheesh. Two hard ones -- emotional, violent, bleak. Both seem very good & enticing. But.... I'm on the fence. Votes, anyone?

 

May also page through the variety of books I got today to see what else is there.

 

ETA:

 

Description of The Second Mrs. Hockaday:

 

Description of Welcome to Hard Times:

 

 Ouch - those descriptions make both of those sound extremely harsh. Hmm. Part of me wants to read them both and part of me wants to avoid them both. I think if I were choosing between them I'd pick the Doctorow book, simply because I've read and appreciated things of his like March which were harsh, but bearable. But it sounds like you might have found a better place in Finnish mythology? Do keep us posted on what you decide/what you think of Mrs. Hockaday and Hard Times, though.

[Runningmom80]

I'm still on track! :hurray:

 

1. I'm Judging You: The Do-Better Manual // Luvvie Ajayi

2. No-Drama Discipline // Daniel J. Siegel

3. Song of Solomon // Toni Morrison

4. Better Than Before: Mastering the Habits of Our Everyday Lives // Gretchen Rubin

5. Men We Reaped // Jesmyn Ward

6. Not Buying It: Stop Overspending and Start Raising Happier, Healthier, More Successful Kids // Brett Graff

 

Current Read: Commonwealth by Ann Patchett

[Joules]

I've had a rough week so I'm still plugging away on the Dresden book , Proven Guilty.  Ds says it is his favorite, but either I've not gotten to the good part, or I'm just "in a mood."

I may pick something else up this week and save that one.

[SpreadingtheFeast]

Kalevala: The Land of Heroes, Volume 1, translated by W. F. Kirby.

 

The Kalevala is the national mythology/epic of Finland, gathered from singing/oral storytelling traditions. Much of the work of gathering the stories is credited to Elias Lönnrot (1802-1884).

 

I know nothing really about Finland & certainly nothing of their national epic. So, this is a completely new world to me.

 

I'm half Finnish! My Mom was Finnish and she talked a lot about this story, she even had some jewelry inspired by the it. I should really read this book as well.

[Kareni]

I'll repost this later when the new thread starts.

 

A currently free classic ~ (this may be today only; I'm not sure)

 

Anthem by Ayn Rand

 

"Ayn Rand’s searing portrait of a dystopian future in which all ego has been erased 

In a world where science and learning are banned and the simple utterance of the Unspeakable Word, I, is punishable by death, a man named Equality 7-2521 struggles with his unquenchable desire to investigate, to think, to know. His instincts are a “curse†that threatens to bring him to the attention of a government dedicated to the elimination of the self. But Equality 7-2521 cannot ignore his true nature, just as he cannot ignore the fruits of his curiosity: the discovery of the mysterious “power of the sky.†His great awakening—in heart, mind, and soul—represents the inevitable triumph of the individual over the collective.

A riveting, thought-provoking parable based on the author’s experience of life in a socialist state, Anthem serves as an invaluable introduction to Ayn Rand, her fiction, and her philosophy."

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Shawneinfl]

 

I'll repost this later when the new thread starts.

 

A currently free classic ~ (this may be today only; I'm not sure)

 

Anthem by Ayn Rand

 

"Ayn Rand’s searing portrait of a dystopian future in which all ego has been erased 

In a world where science and learning are banned and the simple utterance of the Unspeakable Word, I, is punishable by death, a man named Equality 7-2521 struggles with his unquenchable desire to investigate, to think, to know. His instincts are a “curse†that threatens to bring him to the attention of a government dedicated to the elimination of the self. But Equality 7-2521 cannot ignore his true nature, just as he cannot ignore the fruits of his curiosity: the discovery of the mysterious “power of the sky.†His great awakening—in heart, mind, and soul—represents the inevitable triumph of the individual over the collective.

A riveting, thought-provoking parable based on the author’s experience of life in a socialist state, Anthem serves as an invaluable introduction to Ayn Rand, her fiction, and her philosophy."

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

 

Got it! Thanks.

 

 

[Shawneinfl]

Thanks doll! My energy has returned after 5 days of listless lazing about. James is still hacking his head off. Poor kid. Plus I think the blue dye in mucinex is making him hyper. Will stop by Walgreens tomorrow for some dye free cough medicine. John's doing better but made him go to work past couple days. He'll probably sleep half of tomorrow knowing him. How about you?

 

Robin, I hope everyone is feeling better. My 14 yo just started coming down with it and I thought she was going to be the only one in the family to avoid the crud. We also have to make sure to buy "dye-free" but our issue is with RED #40.

 

[Robin M]

Link to week 6 - please continue conversation in new thread! 

[Nan in Mass]

I'll bring over a pot of soup so you won't have to stop to make dinner!

Thank you!

[Lady Florida.]

Wishing you a smooth and speedy recovery Nan.  :grouphug:

 

I finished Three Men in a Boat this morning while I was in the dentist's waiting room. I loved it. It did drag a bit near the end but overall was hilarious. Thanks Mom-ninja for posting about it while you read it. It would never have been on my radar otherwise. I'll wait a while before reading Three Men in a Bummel though.