Robin M Posted April 30, 2017 Share Posted April 30, 2017 Happy Sunday and welcome to week 18 in our 2017 adventurous prime reading year. Greetings to all our readers and those following our progress. Mister Linky is available weekly on 52 Books in 52 Weeks to share a link to your book reviews. Fare thee well April, it's been fun. Join me in song and dance while we usher in Eastward May, named after Maia, the Greek goddess of fertility, spring and growth. Around the world, folks will be celebrating May Day as well as May the Fourth be with you, Cinco de Mayo, Mother's day, Armed Forces day, Victoria day and Memorial Day. Let's not forget the Kentucky Derby, Frog Jumping Day in honor of Mark Twain's The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, International Jazz day or the beginning of Ramadan. Our birthstone of the month is Emerald. 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 Emerald or Beryl since it is in the beryl mineral family. 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.Emeralds are ancient minerals discovered in Egypt, way back in 330 BC and Cleopatra's favorite gemstone. Legends tell of the stone being one of four precious stones given by God to King Solomon endowing him with power over all creation. The green of the emerald is a sign of spring and also believed to protect the wearer from evil spirits. Ancient Egyptians believed the stone could ease childbirth and also buried Mummies with the stone in hopes of bringing them eternal youth. Also found in Columbia, the emeralds were used by the Incas for religious ceremonies. After the Spanish invaded in the 1600's, they began to trade the stones in Europe and Asia. Presently Emeralds are mined in Columbia and Brazil, Zambia and Zimbabwe, the Ural Mountains in Russia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and China. Jaipur, India has become the leading cutting and trading center of emeralds in the world. Our armchair travels are taking us to Eastern Europe this month. Exactly where does Eastern Europe begin? Depends on who you ask, whether you get a political, historical or geographical answer. Rick Steves discusses The Former Eastern Europe as well as the 'Gypsy Question.' Francis Tapon in his Hidden Europe ponders where is Eastern Europe and what countries are in it. We can travel in high style part of the way taking a river cruise on board one of Emerald Waterways luxury ships from Budapest to Bucharest. We can also follow Rick Steves Best of Eastern Europe in 14 Days tour. From history to science to food to outer space, there are plenty of rabbit trails, heavy or light, to travel as you read your way through Eastern Europe. Follow your own path and see where it takes you. Our author flavor of the month is W. Somerset Maugham and we'll be diving into Razor's Edge which Jane from our Well Trained Mind 52 Books group will be talking about next week. Happy Reading! ***************************************************** Story of Western Science – Chapter 13 ***************************************************** What are you reading this week? Link to week 17 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted April 30, 2017 Author Share Posted April 30, 2017 (edited) Thank you to Jane for providing a great list of links for Eastern European authors "This list is far from complete. Suggestions include authors that might be available in your library. I am limiting the number of authors so as not to overwhelm. Also, I have tried to include various kinds of novels and some non-fiction, a little something for everyone." Poland: Bruno Schultz (magical realism): Street of the Crocodiles Stanislaw Lem (science fiction): No recommendations as this is not my genre. Witold Gombrowicz (banned satire) Ferdydurke (on Jane’s to be read list for 2017) Henryk Sienkiewicz (Nobel Prize winner) Quo Vadis Czech Republic Jaroslav Hašek (cuz everyone needs a Bohemian anarchist in their lives) The Good Soldier Švejk Milan Kundera (Czech born French citizen) Kundera’s novels are readily available. I am going to suggest a non-fiction choice for writers in the group. The Art of the Novel Bohumil Hrabel: A number of Hrabel’s novels have been translated into English. For a while, there was only one: Closely Watched Trains. Note: the movie version of this novel won an Academy Award back in the ‘60’s for Best Foreign Film Karel Čapek (best known for his plays but his book The Gardener’s Year is also a delight) R.U.R. (play) Hungary Magda Szabo: The Door László Krasznahorkai (winner of 2015 International Man Booker prize) The Melancholy of Resistance Bulgaria Ilija Trojanow: Along the Ganges (travel book) Croatia Slavenka Drakulic (political reporter): Café Europa: Life After Communism Not an Eastern European author, but a familiar name writing about the Balkans and Eastern Europe (going on my wish list): Patrick Leigh Fermor: Between the Wood and the Water: On Foot to Constantinople: From the Middle Danube to the Iron Gates Edited April 30, 2017 by Robin M 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted April 30, 2017 Author Share Posted April 30, 2017 (edited) I'm currently reading Robert Jordan's 6th book in the Wheel of Time - Lord of Chaos. Thanks to Jane and the list she provided, I added Stanislaw Lem's Solaris to my virtual shelves: "When psychologist Kris Kelvin arrives at the planet Solaris to study the ocean that covers its surface, he finds himself confronting a painful memory embodied in the physical likeness of a past lover. Kelvin learns that he is not alone in this and that other crews examining the planet are plagued with their own repressed and newly real memories. Could it be, as Solaris scientists speculate, that the ocean may be a massive neural center creating these memories, for a reason no one can identify? Long considered a classic, Solaris asks the question: Can we understand the universe around us without first understanding what lies within?" I followed a variety of rabbit trails and also added Martha Hall Kelly's debut novel - Lilac Girls "New York socialite Caroline Ferriday has her hands full with her post at the French consulate and a new love on the horizon. But Caroline’s world is forever changed when Hitler’s army invades Poland in September 1939—and then sets its sights on France. An ocean away from Caroline, Kasia Kuzmerick, a Polish teenager, senses her carefree youth disappearing as she is drawn deeper into her role as courier for the underground resistance movement. In a tense atmosphere of watchful eyes and suspecting neighbors, one false move can have dire consequences. For the ambitious young German doctor, Herta Oberheuser, an ad for a government medical position seems her ticket out of a desolate life. Once hired, though, she finds herself trapped in a male-dominated realm of Nazi secrets and power. The lives of these three women are set on a collision course when the unthinkable happens and Kasia is sent to Ravensbrück, the notorious Nazi concentration camp for women. Their stories cross continents—from New York to Paris, Germany, and Poland—as Caroline and Kasia strive to bring justice to those whom history has forgotten." Edited April 30, 2017 by Robin M 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted April 30, 2017 Share Posted April 30, 2017 I just finished The Bear and the Nightingale, which was thoroughly enchanting. I have a little story to go with it: Part of our local commute is on a ferry. A grizzled old ferry mechanic saw me reading and struck up a conversation about books. He was reading Chesapeake by Michner, he has an e-reader, he has multiple books preordered on Amazon, we discussed the relative prices of old vs new books...I was feeling ashamed and embarrassed because, frankly, I would not have thought he was the type of person to be so into reading. I judged a book by its cover. Then, he astonished me more by telling me the genre he loved was fairy/fey/magical. I shared the title of my book with him. Never assume. 21 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loesje22000 Posted April 30, 2017 Share Posted April 30, 2017 I finished 'land of the Living' from Nikki French. A bestseller in dd birthyear. I did not like it very much. I am over the middle of The map of Time for my steampunk field. So far I'm very disappointed in the storyline. 20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted April 30, 2017 Share Posted April 30, 2017 Before I mention my reading of the past week, I'd like to add something to the list that Robin presented above. When I was compiling suggested authors for this month, I was only familiar with one Bulgarian author who has been translated into English, Trojanow. Archipelago Books has just published a book by Bulgarian author Ivalo Petrow, Wolf Hunt, something that just arrived in my mailbox. I hope to dive into it this week. Let me report back and perhaps I can send it along to one of the BaWers. Now to my recent page turning... Graham Greene's novel The Quiet American is probably one of the most disconcerting books I have ever read. Set in Vietnam during the French occupation, The Quiet American has Greene predicting future involvement of the US in the country while telling a surface tale of a romantic entanglement between a Vietnamese woman, a cynical British journalist and a zealous but naive American. As the two men compete for the woman, we see the last gasp of colonialism and the first forays of the US into its war against Communism in Southeast Asia. The writing is vivid, painting the lush landscapes of the countryside and the bustling urban scenes. This book was one that NPR highlights in its You Must Read This series. Unfortunately the copy which I read came from a Wee Free box and was literally falling apart as I read it. The volume now goes into the recycle bin. It is no secret that I am a huge fan of Arnaldur Indridason. Because of his popularity in the English speaking world, a translation of an earlier work, Operation Napoleon, was published. This is not part of the wonderful Erlendur series. In fact, this book is nothing like his Erlendur mysteries featuring the brooding detective in Iceland's desolate landscape. Rather, Operation Napoleon is one of those preposterous "fasten your seat belt and prepare for the ride" thrillers, not at all my sort of thing. I do like to read the occasional thriller but I prefer the psychological to the action packed. The only reason I stuck with this book is because of the Vatnajokull Glacier. Yeah, I am that intrigued by Iceland. Here is a fun idea: the Hay Festival is looking for 30 books from the last 30 years that deserve more attention. You can read about it here. 20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted April 30, 2017 Share Posted April 30, 2017 I just finished The Bear and the Nightingale, which was thoroughly enchanting. I have a little story to go with it: Part of our local commute is on a ferry. A grizzled old ferry mechanic saw me reading and struck up a conversation about books. He was reading Chesapeake by Michner, he has an e-reader, he has multiple books preordered on Amazon, we discussed the relative prices of old vs new books...I was feeling ashamed and embarrassed because, frankly, I would not have thought he was the type of person to be so into reading. I judged a book by its cover. Then, he astonished me more by telling me the genre he loved was fairy/fey/magical. I shared the title of my book with him. Never assume. I love this story! I also loved The Bear and the Nightingale, so glad you enjoyed it. :) 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted April 30, 2017 Share Posted April 30, 2017 (edited) Not an Eastern European author, but a familiar name writing about the Balkans and Eastern Europe (going on my wish list): Patrick Leigh Fermor: Between the Wood and the Water: On Foot to Constantinople: From the Middle Danube to the Iron Gates Between the Wood and the Water is actually the second book in the author's journey. He starts with A Time of Gifts. These books are actually goals for this years reading for me. Both have already spent time in the stack. I doubt May will be the month but definitely this year! Eta I can't seem to make a link work. Robin has it below. Edited April 30, 2017 by mumto2 16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loesje22000 Posted April 30, 2017 Share Posted April 30, 2017 An update from dd's Bingo reading: Science Fiction: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16065725-secret-histories?from_search=true Short Stories: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13583463-the-legacies One word title: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5056084-wings?ac=1&from_search=true 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted April 30, 2017 Author Share Posted April 30, 2017 Before I mention my reading of the past week, I'd like to add something to the list that Robin presented above. When I was compiling suggested authors for this month, I was only familiar with one Bulgarian author who has been translated into English, Trojanow. Archipelago Books has just published a book by Bulgarian author Ivalo Petrow, Wolf Hunt, something that just arrived in my mailbox. I hope to dive into it this week. Let me report back and perhaps I can send it along to one of the BaWers. Yes, definitely interested in hearing about it. Speaking of Archipelago books, if anyone wants Laxness's Great Weaver of Kashmir, let me know and I'll pass it on. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted April 30, 2017 Author Share Posted April 30, 2017 Between the Wood and the Water is actually the second book in the author's journey. He starts with A Time of Gifts https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/253984.A_Time_of_Gifts. These books are actually goals for this years reading for me. Both have already spent time in the stack. I doubt May will be the month but definitely this year! The link didn't work for me. Try this one: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/722592.A_Time_of_Gifts or Amazon 3 book series 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted April 30, 2017 Share Posted April 30, 2017 I finished my re-read of Wolf Hall and jumped right into Bring Up the Bodies. We're also watching the PBS series. I love these books so much. I know some don't like the writing style and/or the ambiguous "he" but, uncharacteristically, this doesn't bother me at all. I love how she creates the deep, rich characters. I love sinking into this world. It's inspired me to dust off a writing project I've been contemplating for awhile and get on it. More to follow if it actually goes anywhere. I also finished The Obesity Code, which was just as great as y'all said it was. Thank you! I also appreciate the suggestion to listen to Born a Crime (rather than read it) - I'm enjoying that very much. I'm doing a re-read of Walden, another book that I loved as a young woman and still deeply appreciate. It's really written for the young, I can see how people who read it for the first time in their mature adulthood can find themselves a little impatient with Thoreau, but I remember reading it as a senior in high school and I can see how it helped shape some of hte values I still hold. I'm going to encourage dd to pick it up at some point during her high school years. Dd and I are also really enjoying reading The Hidden Life of Trees together. It reminds us a bit of The Forest Unseen, which we read together last year. Both highly recommended for people of all ages. I've been plugging away at my 240 Bingo: I've got 90+ squares crossed out now. No patterns marked off yet, not even a single 5-book row! I've been reading what I want and finding a square for everything, but it's starting to get a bit tight, as I've used up all the Free Spaces and some of my purpose-driven reads (school pre-reading, etc.) don't fit into any leftover categories. So at some point I might start tackling squares more systematically. Still very much enjoying the challenge, and it's definitely led me to read some things I would never have picked up - most of which I've enjoyed! Who else is working on this Big Bingo? I think a few of you are. How's it going? Is anybody else finding that the easy pickings are getting picked off and the choices are getting a bit narrower? 16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted April 30, 2017 Share Posted April 30, 2017 Finished three books this week. 46. Roadside Picnic by Boris and Arkady Strugatsky. Science fiction written by Russian men in the 1970's. Aliens visited our planet then left, leaving a bunch of junk that is also really cool advanced science no one understand and weird zones where the laws of physics don't work right and your kids end up mutated if you hang about. Oh, and dead people come back and hang out in their old houses (even if still inhabited). In spite of the dangers while in these zones where there's unexplainable lightning and bone-disappearing slime and gas and one wrong step gets you vaporized or otherwise horribly killed, the characters still think it's a good idea to light up cigarettes and get drunk while in there looking for the cool science junk for $. 3 stars. 47. Exiles of Erin: 19th Century Irish-American fiction. I'm done. I'm done. I'm done. Bingo square check. That is all. 1 star. 48. Todeshauch/Silence of the Grave by Arnaldur Indriðason. I continue to really enjoy this series. I have already ordered the next one. :) 4 stars. Currently Reading: - Secondhand Time (audio): by Svetlana Alexievich Oral history of the fall of the Soviet Union. Really fascinating. Very glad I'm listening to it on audio; it is pretty much composed of spoken interviews and has voice actors who do a great job. - Happiness Like Water by Chinelo Okparanta (ebook): Collection of short stories set in Nigeria. Coming up: I have Razor's Edge in from the library and ready to go. Hidden Figures is finally in from Overdrive hold, so that's the next ebook. I'm going to be reading Station Eleven and Mockingbird in May for my SciFi book club (and the former for Prime Number bingo). I wasn't sure which book to read hard copy next, and ordered The Plover and Song of the Dodo from the library; not sure in which order I'll get to them. Now I need a book for Emerald (I'm not spelling it ;) ) - any suggestions?? And for some reason I seem to have read a lot of Russians this year, but I don't think any Eastern Europeans. I do notice that one of the authors above (Karel Čapek) wrote a book on my to-read list, War with the Newts. It sounds intriguing; I may try to get to that. :) 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted April 30, 2017 Share Posted April 30, 2017 I've been plugging away at my 240 Bingo: I've got 90+ squares crossed out now. No patterns marked off yet, not even a single 5-book row! I've been reading what I want and finding a square for everything, but it's starting to get a bit tight, as I've used up all the Free Spaces and some of my purpose-driven reads (school pre-reading, etc.) don't fit into any leftover categories. So at some point I might start tackling squares more systematically. Still very much enjoying the challenge, and it's definitely led me to read some things I would never have picked up - most of which I've enjoyed! Who else is working on this Big Bingo? I think a few of you are. How's it going? Is anybody else finding that the easy pickings are getting picked off and the choices are getting a bit narrower? Where is this Big Bingo? I'm almost done with Small Bingo, and we're not halfway through the year! Although I think I need Medium Sized Bingo - I'm 99% sure I'm not going to hit 240 books! Although I could make some patterns or rows, so still worth a look? I need more Bingo. :lol: 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loesje22000 Posted April 30, 2017 Share Posted April 30, 2017 Rose, Could you please link to the post about your 240 bingo? I have searched it, but could not find it... TIA 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethel Mertz Posted April 30, 2017 Share Posted April 30, 2017 A review of a book that might interest some here. The comments are interesting, too ~ Bold Spirit by Linda Lawrence Hunt (reviewed by Carrie S) "In 1896, Helga Estby went for a walk with her seventeen-year-old daughter, Clara. They started off from Spokane, Washington, and ended up in New York City. The story of that walk is the topic of the nonfiction book, Bold Spirit: Helga Estby’s Forgotten Walk Across Victorian America. Helga emigrated to the US from Norway when she was eleven years old. At fifteen, she became pregnant. She married a farmer, Ole Estby, and had the baby — Clara, who probably had a different father — while married to him. During their married life they had ten children (counting Clara and a baby who was stillborn). They lost another son to heart problems just after he turned twelve. During the Financial Panic of 1893, the Estbys were in danger of losing their farm. An anonymous source (who has never been identified) offered Helga a prize of $10,000 if she and Clara would walk across America. There were various stipulations – for instance, they had to work their way across the country and could not start off with more than $5, they couldn’t ask anyone for a ride but if offered they could ride in some kinds of conveyances (a wagon, for instance) but not others (no trains). Once they got from Spokane to Salt Lake City, the women would have to wear bicycle skirts (shorter than regular dresses, with leggings instead of petticoats). The women would have to complete the walk within seven months of starting out...." Regards, Kareni Thanks for this, Kareni. I just added it to my TBR list. Thanks for the Eastern European list, Jane. I may also read the Melancholy Resistance. For Eastern Europe, I'm reading Madeleine Albright's Prague Winter: A Personal Story of Remembrance and War: 1937 to 1948. I finished Robert Morgan's Gap Creek last week and may also read his sequel. Set in the western Carolina's, the novel brings to the foreground rural life in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted April 30, 2017 Author Share Posted April 30, 2017 Where is this Big Bingo? I'm almost done with Small Bingo, and we're not halfway through the year! Although I think I need Medium Sized Bingo - I'm 99% sure I'm not going to hit 240 books! Although I could make some patterns or rows, so still worth a look? I need more Bingo. :lol: The pictures and list is in this thread - scroll down and you'll find the complete list made up by Stacia and company 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted April 30, 2017 Share Posted April 30, 2017 (edited) This week I finished Thomas De Quincey's Confessions of an English Opium-Eater (1821). Half De Quincey's autobiography, half his defensive account of his longterm and continuing opium addiction (he harps frequently on how easily one can discontinue taking opium; he knows because he's done it so many times), it's a surprisingly timely book, particularly in his discussions of how opium addiction has affected every English class on a wide scale, and how it's related to difficulties in treating chronic pain, and its role in self-medication of the poor for depression and malaise. Particularly wrenching are assertions by druggists in Manchester (interviewed by De Quincey) about opium use by the working poor: the druggists make no attempt to distinguish between recreational use and pain management, and only try to keep large quantities out of the hands of the suicidal. There's an odd disconnect between De Quincey's unrealistic claims for the benefits of opium, and his own testimony about his terrifying dreams and hallucinations, and opium's interference with his own work: there was supposed to be a Part 3 to his serialized life story, but instead he added an appendix explaining that he was simply unable to continue writing. (Warning: crocodile-as-part-of-opium-hallucination content) This week I'm starting Paul Johnson's The Birth of the Modern, his thousand-page exposition of all aspects of life in every country between the years 1815-1830, which has extensive material on De Quincey and his opium use, and might also be of interest to fans of the Aubrey/Maturin novels. Also starting a collection of four of Karel ÄŒapek's plays, including "R.U.R.," the origin of the word "robot." Hey, Eastern Europe! And the science fiction bingo square! ETA: ... and I hadn't even read down to the second post with Jane's list! Serendipitous. Edited April 30, 2017 by Violet Crown 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted April 30, 2017 Share Posted April 30, 2017 The pictures and list is in this thread - scroll down and you'll find the complete list made up by Stacia and company Thanks, Robin! 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted April 30, 2017 Share Posted April 30, 2017 (edited) The pictures and list is in this thread - scroll down and you'll find the complete list made up by Stacia and company Aaaaah! That is quite the intimidating bingo card! :lol: I remember seeing it back at the start of the year, but that was when my reading goal for the year was 20ish books.... But... I can't read any of the squares in that picture, even if I zoom it. :( I don't see a written-out list anywhere? Sorry if I'm missing the obvious somewhere... Edited April 30, 2017 by Matryoshka 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted April 30, 2017 Share Posted April 30, 2017 An update from dd's Bingo reading: Science Fiction: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16065725-secret-histories?from_search=true Short Stories: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13583463-the-legacies One word title: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5056084-wings?ac=1&from_search=true Great job to your Dd! I finished DE Stevenson's Vittoria Cottege early this morning. It was absolutely lovely. The first of three and they are comparatively easily available....free to Prime. I gave it five stars. Reminded me of Mrs. Tim in style. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26800128-vittoria-cottage 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted April 30, 2017 Share Posted April 30, 2017 (edited) Thank you to Jane for providing a great list of links for Eastern European authors "This list is far from complete. Suggestions include authors that might be available in your library. I am limiting the number of authors so as not to overwhelm. Also, I have tried to include various kinds of novels and some non-fiction, a little something for everyone." Poland: Bruno Schultz (magical realism): Street of the Crocodiles Bruno Schultz -- yea! :) Also tossing in two more ideas: - short stories by Isaak Singer (Poland) - children's books by author/illustrator Peter Sis (Czech Republic). Sis' books of The Three Golden Keys, and, The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain, are set in his homeland Two more famous Eastern European authors: - Romanian-born author Elie Wiesel - Polish poetess (1996 Nobel prize winner) Wislawa Szymborska Edited April 30, 2017 by Lori D. 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted April 30, 2017 Author Share Posted April 30, 2017 (edited) Matry - here is the list. 240 book bingo Set in Asia Local Author Random book from the 240 shelf in your library Female villain Book translated from a non-European language Astronomy Dorothy Dunnett Cheesy! (Cheese or type of cheese in title) Book you remember reading during high school Royalty Middle East Book selected by your younger daughter Seaworthy Yellow is the predominant color on the cover Prime number Essay Collection Mountain-climbing A book about books Mars Made into a movie A woman in heels on the cover How-to book Published in the year you were married Epistolary Kraken! Russian Revolution Agatha Christie Basque Indie publisher Selected by a friend Zadie Smith Dystopian Textiles Set on a tropical island Happy ending Book from a Bogota39 author Fashion I need a tissue bos for this one! Modern retelling of a classic or myth Written in your older daughter's birth year Hmmmm..... An original Grimm's fairy tale Biology Pulitzer Prize winning poet The Borgias Travel gone wrong Neil Gaiman Make 'em laugh! Has a cemetery in it Book set in Oceania Cartels Opera South Africa Outer space Murder, Mayhem, & Madness Book by a sinner ;-) I would be embarrassed to be seen reading this on the subway... Published in at least 5 different languages Type or brand of beer, wine, or spirits in the title Michael Ondaatje Voodoo Free Space Written by a blogger Free Space Something silly Record-breaker An insect in the title Oscar Wilde As your librarian to select a book for you Vietnam A rose on the cover Character smokes Art Edgar Award I want to be or to know the main character of this book Sherlock Holmes Manga Book from an Africa39 author Autobiography Narrated from multiple viewpoints Etiquette I fell down a wormhole, the rabbit hole, or into a black hole Book you see someone else reading in public Desert Talking animals I cannot believe there's a book about this! Set in North America People wearing pantaloons Pyramids Jeanette Winterson Birthstone in the title Donald or Hillary Book you remember reading during elementary school Author's first published book UNESCO World Book Capital Written by an author who uses a pen name Ancient (BC) up to 100 AD Free Space Eastern Europe One-word title Magical Realism Wrath Book with chickens on the cover Paranormal Crimean War Museum-related Book by an author named Rose Buddhist Classic Book that makes you hungry when you read it Your favorite holiday as the main theme or timeframe of the book Rainforest Book from a friend's "read" list on Goodreads Medical Elves, sprites, or other impish creatures A book listed on onegrandbooks.com France Book selected by your spouse A Roosevelt (Teddy, FDR, or Eleanor) Book by a saint Nebula Award "Cake" in the title A sword fight might break out. En garde! Set in Antarctica Short story collection Clouds or type of could on the cover Female adventure Part of a series Book I would buy for a friend Author who is the same age you are Free Space Unicorns! "Night" in the title Cuba Free Space Set on a Pacific island "Crazy" in the title Published in 2017 Chemistry Tudor LBGTQ Free Space Kurt Vonnegut Free Space Book recommended by NPR Book with a Duke as a main character Has pretty pictures in it Mystery Translated from a language you have not read previously in translation Oprah book club selection Arctic Book made into a musical Free Space Italian Renaissance Book involving magic tricks/illusions Translated Thriller Banana! Finance Set in the 1970s "Sun" in the title Set in a country bordering the Indian Ocean Written by a comedienne Jane Austen fan fic Disease Newsworthy YA Bootlegging Your name in the title Cooking Random pick from the 700 section of the library Man-hunk on the cover (a bodice-ripper) A book you would recommend to a stranger Banned Book from a Beirut39 author Alien protagonist Shape in the title Set in a country bordering the North Sea Folklore Swashbuckling Women's suffrage Gothic Vampires Set in Africa Dinosaurs Philosophy Mythological character in the title Made into a musical Western Philately Book you remember reading during middle school Has a caravan in it "Chocolate" in the title Somerset Maugham Female world leader Set in South America Middle Ages Climate Classical composer or musician De. Seuss compilation Maya Angelou An author you think you hate Novella Book selected by your older daughter Cozy mystery written in the 1960s Booker Prize Argentinian author Charlemagne Book bought used Pilots Characters need saddles in this book Set underwater Flufferton Cold War Noir Written in your younger daughter's birth year Curse word in the title Icelandic On a 2016 "Best of" list Set in your state of birth (or country of birth if outside the US) Set in a major American city Botany Olympian "Queen" in the title Gold Rush Civil Rights Your favorite animal on the cover Lewis & Clark Ugly cover I laughed until I cried.... Steampunk Sci-fi Geography or Maps Haruki Murakami Silk Road Written by a comedian Book from Emma Watson's Feminist book club Set in Europe Over 500 pages No human characters Edited April 30, 2017 by Robin M 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted April 30, 2017 Share Posted April 30, 2017 I finished Hidden Figures this week...and that's it. And I was almost done with it last week. I'm only halfway through Etched in Bone and I only have it one more week so I need to get it done. I thought maybe it's not as compelling as the first books, but then I also realized that I wasn't on the treadmill this week and that's where I get most of my reading done these days. I've been doing dog walks instead--better for a sore heel/ankle and better for the dog's behavior, but not so good for reading! The new Sebastian St. Cyr is up next, I think I have one waiting at the library, still have the A.J. Fikry one unstarted, and would love to do Razor's Edge. But obviously not enough time to do everything! 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted April 30, 2017 Share Posted April 30, 2017 I read Monet's Palate Cookbook - 3 Stars - The photos of Monet’s kitchen gardens are absolutely lovely. Every recipe has a short description immediately before it, some background details, for example, “Monet enjoyed this dish†– that sort of thing. Monet and his wife loved the gourmet life and entertaining. The latter is not my strongest point by any means and I need to work on that. I’m hoping that books like this may inspire me to improve in that area. If you love Monet’s art and enjoy food, you may enjoy this book. As far as Monet books go, I prefer “Monet’s House†over this one. I also read Lessons from Madame Chic - 5 Stars - This is a lifestyle guide and also a memoir of a college student’s experience living with a Parisian family. I don’t usually enjoy reading memoirs that are written by people who are quite young, as in younger than say forty. In fact, I tend to avoid them. I can easily see how some would be irritated by this book. I felt that way at first. Much of the advice is obvious and most of us have heard it before. It could have been timing, which is often the case as to whether or not I’ll like a book. The more I read, the more I enjoyed it. As with most books like this, I certainly won’t be following every single tip, yet I do feel inspired to make some changes. I am intrigued with her tips on having a capsule wardrobe. Books like this often inspire me to make small improvements in my life. I’ve already started to give some clothes away. Also, I was exhausted the other day and really didn’t feel like making dinner. I remembered what I had just read about one’s attitude and I was pleasantly surprised to see that it didn’t feel like the usual drudgery. I need reminders like this from time to time. Overall, this was a fun read. I look forward to reading her other books and I decided to subscribe to her You Tube channel. Some of my favorite quotes: “To live well—to live within your means and to avoid the seduction of the material world. That is what I call prospering.†“Extracting pleasure from simple things can be the key to a happy life. If you slow down and take pleasure in simple things, you are more likely to lead a contented and well-balanced existence and less likely to incur unhealthy habits like overspending, hoarding, and overeating. You are also more likely to be present in the moment and pleasant with your family.†“The truth of the matter is, these mundane tasks must be done. There is no getting around them. Almost everyone has to do a task on a daily basis that is less than fun. The key is to find pleasure in the task and to not wish you were doing something else while doing it.†“To do two things at once is to do neither. —Publilius Syrus This is one of my favorite quotes on multitasking and it absolutely pertains to eating. Before I lived in Paris, it was not uncommon to see me eating a meal standing up, perhaps at my kitchen counter, with my cell phone lodged between my ear and my shoulder. Or worse yet, in front of the TV. By the time the meal was over, I wouldn’t have known I had eaten anything at all.†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. 16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted April 30, 2017 Share Posted April 30, 2017 I'm currently re-reading my way through Anne Bishop's five volumes of the Others series. I see that the first book is on sale (NOT FREE) for $2.99 down from the normal $7.99 which I saw a couple of days ago. I recommend it. I think I'll splurge and send my daughter a copy as a welcome back to the world of work after a month off. Written In Red: A Novel of the Others by Anne Bishop You can see others of Anne Bishop's books that are also on sale here. She's probably best known for her Black Jewels series and the first volume of that is also on sale. (I had something of a love/hate/disgust reaction to that series and have no desire to revisit it.) ** A currently free romance for Kindle readers is RUSH by Emma Scott ~ "To be blind is not miserable; not to be able to bear blindness, that is miserable. --John MiltonCharlotte Conroy, Juilliard-trained violinist, was on the cusp of greatness when tragedy swooped down on dark wings, crushing her hopes and breaking her heart. The music that used to sing in her soul has grown quiet, and she feels on the verge of setting down her violin for good. To pay the bills, she accepts a job as a personal assistant to a bitter, angry young man who’s been disabled by a horrific accident…Noah Lake was an extreme sport athlete, journalist and photographer. He roamed the world in search of his next adrenaline high, until a cliff-dive left him in a coma. He awakes to find his career gone, his dreams shattered to pieces, his world an endless blackness that will never lift.Charlotte begins to see that beneath Noah’s angry, brittle exterior is a young man in pain. She is determined to show him that his life isn’t over, that he has so much to live for, never dreaming that she would become the only light in his darkness, or that he would help her find the music in hers.The life he knew is over. The life she wants is just out of reach.Together, they must face their fears and rediscover what it means to really live." Regards, Kareni 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted April 30, 2017 Share Posted April 30, 2017 Matry - here is the list. 240 book bingo Wheee! Thanks! While I'm on track to read less than half that number of books this year, this will still be really fun for picking out new books. Maybe I can make some fun patterns, some rows, or even a column (that alone would be a feat!). I already see some categories for books I've read or on my to-read list that didn't fit in the smaller Bingo. And things I could move around because they fit into new categories. I see all the original Bingo squares are there but moved all far away from each other... ;) And I finally know why Rose added a giant pile of Banana books to her Goodreads to-read list. I was wondering about that... :lol: 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted April 30, 2017 Share Posted April 30, 2017 What are you reading this week? I'm reading Killing Hemingway by Arthur Byrne currently. I just finished The Bear and the Nightingale, which was thoroughly enchanting. I have a little story to go with it: Part of our local commute is on a ferry. A grizzled old ferry mechanic saw me reading and struck up a conversation about books. He was reading Chesapeake by Michner, he has an e-reader, he has multiple books preordered on Amazon, we discussed the relative prices of old vs new books...I was feeling ashamed and embarrassed because, frankly, I would not have thought he was the type of person to be so into reading. I judged a book by its cover. Then, he astonished me more by telling me the genre he loved was fairy/fey/magical. I shared the title of my book with him. Never assume. I love that. It's true and sad that we make a lot of assumptions about people. We probably miss out on some conversations like you had with him because of it. I had an interesting experience with assumptions at a Sabrina Carpenter concert last fall. I blogged about it https://thefamilywho.wordpress.com/2017/02/13/looks-can-be-deceiving/ Last night I finished I Want it Now! by Julie Dawn Cole. She played Veruca Salt in the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Most of the book is her memories of that truly magical experience. And that finishes diamond. I finally finished one in the right month! Especially amazing since I didn't finish March's birthstone until the middle of April. Death in Yellowstone I Want it Now! Absolution My Story Once Upon a More Enlightened Time Night of the Purple Moon The Darwin Awards Next Evolution 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted April 30, 2017 Share Posted April 30, 2017 Wheee! Thanks! While I'm on track to read less than half that number of books this year, this will still be really fun for picking out new books. Maybe I can make some fun patterns, some rows, or even a column (that alone would be a feat!). I already see some categories for books I've read or on my to-read list that didn't fit in the smaller Bingo. And things I could move around because they fit into new categories. I see all the original Bingo squares are there but moved all far away from each other... ;) And I finally know why Rose added a giant pile of Banana books to her Goodreads to-read list. I was wondering about that... :lol: Yep, I blame all the most bizarre books on my To-Read shelf on the Bingo! Bananas, Chickens on the cover, Cheesy, Cake in the title, Pyramids, Kraken, Women in high heels . . . you name it. I even have an Ugly Cover: 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted April 30, 2017 Share Posted April 30, 2017 Okay, Big Bingo questions... what are all the 39 authors? (Africa39, Bogota39, Beirut39) And does "Birthstone in Title" mean my birthstone, or any one? And what does "Record breaker" mean? Is it a book that broke a record (like sales?), or about someone who broke a record...? And "Newsworthy"? A book in the news, a book about the news, a book of investigative journalism? 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Narrow Gate Academy Posted April 30, 2017 Share Posted April 30, 2017 I finished up three books this week mostly by ignoring housework (besides I couldn't actually do the laundry until the dryer was repaired midweek). Finished This Week (Books 42-44) 📚Crystal Clear by Jane Heller - I grabbed this one on a whim of a library endcap for the April birthstone challenge. 3 stars. 📚The Power of Habit by Duhigg - This was my latest nonfiction read. He did a good job of explaining how habits worked, and many of his example were entertaining, but most of the information on changing a habit was in an appendix. 3 stars. 📚Homicide in Hardcover by Carlisle - A delightful cozy mystery that I should thank Theresa for helping me discover. 4 stars. Long Term Reads 📚ESV Bible - I finished First Chronicles and am now 25% of the way through.🢠📚The History of the Ancient World - I finished part three!!😸 Currently reading 📚Bloody Jack by Meyer - a YA audio book for my seaworthy bingo square. I'm almost halfway done and finding it to be a fun tale. The narrator's voice reminds me of Jackie the mom in the first two seasons of Doctor Who. 📚The Amulet of Samarkand by Stroud - My ds got into the book and finished it well ahead of me, so I checked out the rest of the series to keep him occupied. I still plan to finish as I am enjoying it. On deck for the week, 2k to 10k by Aaron for my next nonfiction and The Circle which I'm reading along with a Goodreads group and checking out to decide whether to take dd to the movie. 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 (edited) Okay, Big Bingo questions... what are all the 39 authors? (Africa39, Bogota39, Beirut39) And does "Birthstone in Title" mean my birthstone, or any one? And what does "Record breaker" mean? Is it a book that broke a record (like sales?), or about someone who broke a record...? And "Newsworthy"? A book in the news, a book about the news, a book of investigative journalism? It means whatever you want it to mean!! This is a Bingo challenge without any external rules - everything is totally open to your interpretation. No rules, no prizes, just a fun self-challenge. Stacia made this Bingo for me, with some help from other BaWers, partly because she loves me and partly because she was teasing me - in the most loving way possible - for my anal-retentive list-making and challenge-following! Part of the fun is to come up with your own twists and interpretations of things. Some of mine are quite . . . liberal. ;) For example, for "Kraken" I used A Clash of Kings, which is the first GOT novel in which the Greyjoys are introduced. Their sigil is a Kraken, so, there you go! And for unicorns, I picked Too Like the Lightning. There is definitely a unicorn in that book, but it's a very incidental character - it's not a book about unicorns or anything. And if it takes more than a year to complete - who's counting? just have fun with it! ;) :biggrinjester: Oh, about the "39" authors: just google it and you should be able to find a list of authors on wikipedia, or some of them actually have their own websites. What is the ‘39 Project’?As one of the leading literature festivals in the world, Hay Festival has always been interested in highlighting new talent and has collaborated with the UNESCO ‘World Book Capital’ project so far in Bogotá and Beirut. This title is awarded to a different city every year to celebrate the quality and variety of its initiatives to promote books, readership and the editorial industry. . . Edited May 1, 2017 by Chrysalis Academy 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 Continuing on with my Anne Bishop re-read ~ I read and enjoyed Vision In Silver: A Novel of the Others. Do read this series in order. "The Others freed the cassandra sangue to protect the blood prophets from exploitation, not realizing their actions would have dire consequences. Now the fragile seers are in greater danger than ever before—both from their own weaknesses and from those who seek to control their divinations for wicked purposes. In desperate need of answers, Simon Wolfgard, a shape-shifter leader among the Others, has no choice but to enlist blood prophet Meg Corbyn’s help, regardless of the risks she faces by aiding him. Meg is still deep in the throes of her addiction to the euphoria she feels when she cuts and speaks prophecy. She knows each slice of her blade tempts death. But Others and humans alike need answers, and her visions may be Simon’s only hope of ending the conflict. For the shadows of war are deepening across the Atlantik, and the prejudice of a fanatic faction is threatening to bring the battle right to Meg and Simon’s doorstep…" Regards, Kareni 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angelaboord Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 (edited) Goodness! It's only Sunday night and already there's so much in this thread! I've been trying to mostly keep up with thread reading but I had a couple of weeks where I really didn't finish any books. I think I have only added 3 since I last reported, and 1 of those happens to be mostly illustrations. 1. Artist's Journal Workshop, Cathy Johnson - I'm not sure I was the intended audience, as it seemed a little advanced for me. Mainly inspirations and ideas for keeping various kinds of sketchbooks, but primarily those of the sort popularized by the Urban Sketcher's website. There's a little bit of drawing instruction, but mostly the author assumes that you already know how to draw. 2. A Trail Through Leaves: The Journal As a Path to Place, Hannah Hinchman -- I love this book. It has been on my shelf for a good 15 years now and I pick it up and read bits of it frequently. Last week I read it through again cover to cover and was startled to realize that she had been talking about the Wind River range of central Wyoming all along, which we visited a couple of years ago. Lovely illustrations and beautiful ruminations on nature and life in general make this book far more than just a "how to keep a journal" book. 3. Am I Alone Here? Notes on Living to Read and Reading to Live, Peter Orner -- another book about books. Orner writes primarily about the books he read during the time in his life when he was coping with his father's last illness and death and attempting to come to terms with the difficult man his father was; and also at the same time dealing with the breakup of his first marriage because of his wife's mental illness. It could be a very bleak book (and I found it at times heartbreaking), but his acerbic wit and self-deprecating humor keep it from being too bad. That said, I liked the first 2/3 better than the last 1/3. There's also an East European connection; he writes about the years he lived in Prague, right after the fall of communism. Alas, here I am in May already (well, practically) and I think I have read exactly ONE Bingo book. (ETA: No, TWO! Hurrah! I have Name in the Title and Free Space. [emoji5]) Not sure it's going to happen this year, but I must confess that Rose's 240 bingo card looks like a lot of fun! At my current rate of reading it would only take me a little over 3 years. [emoji5] Stacia (and all who suffered losses last week or were taking care of injured spouses), I hope this week will be a better one!! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Edited May 1, 2017 by Angelaboord 16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angelaboord Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 Oh, I forgot a book! I also read Touch Magic: Fantasy, Faerie, and Folklore in the Literature of Childhood by Jane Yolen. This was the first book I read for my own shelf project, based on Raifta's. It's a thin little book, but excellent - a defense of why we need the old fairy tales, not the sanitized modern versions. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk 16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 I've been plugging away at my 240 Bingo: I've got 90+ squares crossed out now. No patterns marked off yet, not even a single 5-book row! I've been reading what I want and finding a square for everything, but it's starting to get a bit tight, as I've used up all the Free Spaces and some of my purpose-driven reads (school pre-reading, etc.) don't fit into any leftover categories. So at some point I might start tackling squares more systematically. Still very much enjoying the challenge, and it's definitely led me to read some things I would never have picked up - most of which I've enjoyed! Who else is working on this Big Bingo? I think a few of you are. How's it going? Is anybody else finding that the easy pickings are getting picked off and the choices are getting a bit narrower? I am. I've got 39 read I read Monet's Palate Cookbook - 3 Stars - The photos of Monet’s kitchen gardens are absolutely lovely. Every recipe has a short description immediately before it, some background details, for example, “Monet enjoyed this dish†– that sort of thing. Monet and his wife loved the gourmet life and entertaining. The latter is not my strongest point by any means and I need to work on that. I’m hoping that books like this may inspire me to improve in that area. If you love Monet’s art and enjoy food, you may enjoy this book. As far as Monet books go, I prefer “Monet’s House†over this one. I also read Lessons from Madame Chic - 5 Stars - This is a lifestyle guide and also a memoir of a college student’s experience living with a Parisian family. I don’t usually enjoy reading memoirs that are written by people who are quite young, as in younger than say forty. In fact, I tend to avoid them. I can easily see how some would be irritated by this book. I felt that way at first. Much of the advice is obvious and most of us have heard it before. It could have been timing, which is often the case as to whether or not I’ll like a book. The more I read, the more I enjoyed it. As with most books like this, I certainly won’t be following every single tip, yet I do feel inspired to make some changes. I am intrigued with her tips on having a capsule wardrobe. Books like this often inspire me to make small improvements in my life. I’ve already started to give some clothes away. Also, I was exhausted the other day and really didn’t feel like making dinner. I remembered what I had just read about one’s attitude and I was pleasantly surprised to see that it didn’t feel like the usual drudgery. I need reminders like this from time to time. Overall, this was a fun read. I look forward to reading her other books and I decided to subscribe to her You Tube channel. Some of my favorite quotes: “To live well—to live within your means and to avoid the seduction of the material world. That is what I call prospering.†“Extracting pleasure from simple things can be the key to a happy life. If you slow down and take pleasure in simple things, you are more likely to lead a contented and well-balanced existence and less likely to incur unhealthy habits like overspending, hoarding, and overeating. You are also more likely to be present in the moment and pleasant with your family.†“The truth of the matter is, these mundane tasks must be done. There is no getting around them. Almost everyone has to do a task on a daily basis that is less than fun. The key is to find pleasure in the task and to not wish you were doing something else while doing it.†“To do two things at once is to do neither. —Publilius Syrus This is one of my favorite quotes on multitasking and it absolutely pertains to eating. Before I lived in Paris, it was not uncommon to see me eating a meal standing up, perhaps at my kitchen counter, with my cell phone lodged between my ear and my shoulder. Or worse yet, in front of the TV. By the time the meal was over, I wouldn’t have known I had eaten anything at all.†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. I love her youtube channel. I've read all 3 books. They are a bit repetitive. I now have a capsule wardrobe thanks to her. Okay, Big Bingo questions... what are all the 39 authors? (Africa39, Bogota39, Beirut39) And does "Birthstone in Title" mean my birthstone, or any one? And what does "Record breaker" mean? Is it a book that broke a record (like sales?), or about someone who broke a record...? And "Newsworthy"? A book in the news, a book about the news, a book of investigative journalism? The bingo was created for fun for Rose. As she said, no rules. Have fun with it. 16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 (edited) . Edited November 2, 2017 by Stacia 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 (edited) . Edited November 2, 2017 by Stacia 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaughingCat Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 At 3, younger loved the Gossie & Gertie set and later 'read' them to herself over and over as she was figuring out how to read. Thought of it just yesterday when I saw the cutest little set of them at Costco with a picture across the spines -- how she would have loved that. I almost wanted to buy the set just in memory of her love of them. Didn't finish squat this week. Even my re-reads were bits and pieces rather than books. Well, I did finish Lois McMaster Bujold's latest Penric -- but that is really a short story anyway. 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loesje22000 Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 Loesje, I also was not really a fan of The Map of Time. The cover was so cool but the story didn't live up to the cover for one thing. VC, I love that crocodiles appear in opium-induced hallucinations. Seems like a sensible hallucination, in a way.... Lol. I picked the book based upon the library description & cover. And the first part I thought: 'they've put the wrong story in this cover'. The second part was very desillusional. And the third part made me wonder if the book is kind of a parodie on 'real' steampunk books, or if the book is comparable to some austen-fan-fiction that is terribly written. I still think that the plot is a good, interesting enjoyable one. It could have been a book I really liked. I also considered the writing style annoying with explanations why he changes his telling perspective. Just change the perpespective... I hope I have nobody offenced, but I really disliked the book. Ugh 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 (edited) I picked the book based upon the library description & cover. And the first part I thought: 'they've put the wrong story in this cover'. The second part was very desillusional. And the third part made me wonder if the book is kind of a parodie on 'real' steampunk books, or if the book is comparable to some austen-fan-fiction that is terribly written. I still think that the plot is a good, interesting enjoyable one. It could have been a book I really liked. I also considered the writing style annoying with explanations why he changes his telling perspective. Just change the perpespective... I hope I have nobody offenced, but I really disliked the book. Ugh Well I guess I can cross Map of Time off my list! ;) Goodreads is having a mystery/thriller week. Some potentially interesting treads have been started for cozies and series books for anyone who enjoys those genres. I just added several to my wish list and plan to check back and see if the comments add any others to my list. Eta.....I thought someone up thread asked what people plan to read for Emerald in the title. There appear to be many choices this month so I ended up putting requests in for three that my library has that have possibilities....... Emerald Aisle by Ralph McInerny....not the first in the mystery series but an author i've been planning to try. Emerald Embrace by Shannon Drake....the cover is a rather gothic looking romance. Not at all sure about it but wanted alternatives to my mystery. Emerald Windows by Terri Blackstock....another romance by a prolific author I have never read. It's about stained glass windows so another alternative. Edited May 1, 2017 by mumto2 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErinE Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 (edited) I missed yesterday's thread. I was really busy with our new family member, Felix I've wanted a dog for a long time, but life has been too unsettled and my children were too young. DH had discussed getting one within the next year, but changed his mind and Felix arrived yesterday. He is very rambunctious, but so sweet. He likes to cuddle, run, and chew things. We have plenty of chew toys on hand to keep him happy. Book read: Labyrinth by Catherynne Valente. Fantasy. A woman searches for the way out of a fantastical Labyrinth. I believe this is Valente's first published book and while her talent is still raw, her unique prose and lyrical voice shine. Bizarre, unique, and mind-bending with vivid imagery and talking animals.I have several books in progress, but was only able to finish the one book. I'm nearly a quarter of the way through Don Quixote, finishing up an audiobook A History of India, reading the Hogfather, and working on The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers. I've also started Story which discusses the purpose and meaning behind storycraft, focusing on movies, but much of the advice can translate to writing. Most of my writing books have dealt with the hows of writing; this could be a college course on the whys. Interesting read thus far. I am also working on the big bingo challenge with 27 books read. Edited May 1, 2017 by ErinE 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 Welcome Felix! Our yellow lab pup is just about 9 months old now. Still chews too many things! 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 (edited) I haven't been reading much because I've been working on some crocheted items. I do listen to audio books if I'm doing a project with a repetitive stitch that doesn't need counting. Last week I finished Bellevue: Three Centuries of Medicine and Mayhem at America's Most Storied Hospital. It was one of my expired library loans on my Kindle. Now I just have to finish Dodge City: Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, and the Wickedest Town in the American West, which expires today. Last night I turned the wifi on to download a few books because I'll need to leave it off now until I finish Dodge City. One of the books I downloaded is The Razor's Edge. I started reading it last night and am enjoying it so far. This isn't my library system but it's close enough to me that it made our local news: The Lake County Library system's annual food drive forgives late fines if you bring in a food donation. Lost or damaged books aren't forgiven, just overdue fines. Still, I think it's a wonderful idea. Each food item equals $1 in fines. https://www.lakecountyfl.gov/media/news_releases/news_release.aspx?id=3127 ETA: Here's my Goodreads review of the Bellevue book - Like many people, when I hear Bellevue I think of involuntary commitment and barbaric psychiatric treatment, usually against the patient's will. I had no idea the hospital has such a rich and interesting history.This book is not just a history of Bellevue Hospital. It's a history of New York City, of America. of medicine, of immigrants. An interesting history well told. Reading this book was well worth my time. Edited May 1, 2017 by Lady Florida. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 (edited) double post Edited May 1, 2017 by Lady Florida. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 I missed yesterday's thread. I was really busy with our new family member, Felix ... Welcome to Felix! ** A one day only currently free classic for Kindle readers ~ The Art of Worldly Wisdom by Baltasar Gracián About the AuthorBaltasar Gracian y Morales, SJ (8 January 1601 – 6 December 1658), formerly Anglicized as Baltazar Gracian, was a Spanish Jesuit and baroque prose writer and philosopher. The son of a doctor, in his childhood he lived with his uncle, who was a priest. He studied at a Jesuit school in 1621 and 1623 and theology in Zaragoza. He was ordained in 1627 and took his final vows in 1635. "Life guidance from a famed Renaissance man. This influential work of philosophy by one of the great thinkers of the Renaissance era advises people of all walks of life how to approach political, professional, and personal situations in a dog-eat-dog world. Comprised of three hundred pithy aphorisms, it offers thought-provoking and accessible advice. Some subjects include “Never Compete,†“The Art of Letting Things Alone,†and “Anticipate Injuries and Turn Them into Favours.â€" Regards, Kareni 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 I finished reading Tales of Japan by Helen and William McAlpine to Adrian. It was good. Lots of fairy tales and myths from ancient Japan. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 Erin, Felix is adorable! 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 I've continued my Anne Bishop re-read and have now finished Marked In Flesh (A Novel of the Others Book 4) by Anne Bishop. On to book five! "For centuries, the Others and humans have lived side by side in uneasy peace. But when humankind oversteps its bounds, the Others will have to decide how much humanity they’re willing to tolerate—both within themselves and within their community... Since the Others allied themselves with the cassandra sangue, the fragile yet powerful human blood prophets who were being exploited by their own kind, the delicate dynamic between humans and Others changed. Some, like Simon Wolfgard, wolf shifter and leader of the Lakeside Courtyard, and blood prophet Meg Corbyn, see the new, closer companionship as beneficial—both personally and practically. But not everyone is convinced. A group of radical humans is seeking to usurp land through a series of violent attacks on the Others. What they don’t realize is that there are older and more dangerous forces than shifters and vampires protecting the land that belongs to the Others—and those forces are willing to do whatever is necessary to protect what is theirs..." ** An article from Tor.com that might interest those who write ~ Write Like A Painter by Veronica Rossi "On May 16th, Seeker, the sequel to Riders, will release. I’m really proud of it, but for part of writing process, I felt utterly lost in the woods. I wanted to bring sword fights and swoons to the story, but deep themes like forgiveness and redemption kept showing up instead. Not what I wanted. Clearly, I’d gone wrong somewhere. Then I remembered: there are no mistakes in art. There is only process. We writers think we have control over our creative process, but the best we can really do is coax it along. We read books that teach us how to structure scenes and how to create characters. We attend conferences and join critique groups. But in the end, the book has its own ideas about what it wants to be. More and more, I believe we’re simply the vessel, holding the story inside us. If we’re clumsy, hasty, disrespectful, we make a mess as we spill our tale. But if we take our time, the pour is clean...." Regards, Kareni 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 (edited) It means whatever you want it to mean!! This is a Bingo challenge without any external rules - everything is totally open to your interpretation. No rules, no prizes, just a fun self-challenge. Stacia made this Bingo for me, with some help from other BaWers, partly because she loves me and partly because she was teasing me - in the most loving way possible - for my anal-retentive list-making and challenge-following! Part of the fun is to come up with your own twists and interpretations of things. Some of mine are quite . . . liberal. ;) For example, for "Kraken" I used A Clash of Kings, which is the first GOT novel in which the Greyjoys are introduced. Their sigil is a Kraken, so, there you go! And for unicorns, I picked Too Like the Lightning. There is definitely a unicorn in that book, but it's a very incidental character - it's not a book about unicorns or anything. Thanks to Stacia for making it, and thanks to you, Rose for inspiring it! :D I may share some of those anal-retentive list-making and challenge-following tendencies, as this has made me geekily happy the past day filling in boxes! I have managed to match 22 of the books I've read that didn't count for the other Bingo to squares on the Big Bingo (not sure what it says about me that there are very few books I've read that don't match to something, and of course I had no idea what the other squares even where when I read them...) Oh, and the reason I was able to do that so handily is that I made a big list when I started the A-Z challenges, and added a column for what other challenges they matched (since I was told I could double-dip with A-Z just as long as I didn't use authors and titles from the same book). And there may be color-coding... And if it takes more than a year to complete - who's counting? just have fun with it! ;) :biggrinjester: Since it appears that you read about 2x or more faster than I do at pretty much top speed (there's no way I can fit more reading time in than I already am!), it does seem that this should last me next year as well. I'm at almost 50 books now at 1/3 through the year, and I'm sure I won't fit 100% of what I read to Bingo, even with creativity. But will I be tempted if you start another Big Bingo next year? Ah, dilemmas... Oh, about the "39" authors: just google it and you should be able to find a list of authors on wikipedia, or some of them actually have their own websites. What is the ‘39 Project’? As one of the leading literature festivals in the world, Hay Festival has always been interested in highlighting new talent and has collaborated with the UNESCO ‘World Book Capital’ project so far in Bogotá and Beirut. This title is awarded to a different city every year to celebrate the quality and variety of its initiatives to promote books, readership and the editorial industry. . . Cool!! Thanks. I already had a book from one of the Africa39 on my to-read list; I will have to look in to the other two lists to see what's interesting. :D Edited May 1, 2017 by Matryoshka 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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