ErinE Posted June 12, 2017 Share Posted June 12, 2017 I started something last night that finally stuck! Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson. It's not even for a Bingo square! It was mentioned in the Writing Great Fiction class and I picked it up on the dollar rack at the library. It's just perfect for my mood - slow moving, mostly characters and not much plot so far, a coming of age story about a girl and the women who raised her. It's set in rural Idaho, and I can't even tell exactly when (it was published in 1980) - there haven't been any major markers like wars to help me place it exactly, although there is an elderly character who lived through the SF earthquake, so early-mid 20th century I'm guessing. So, not contemporary ;) . I loved Housekeeping. I found it quiet, but deeply moving. Robinson is one of the few fiction authors my husband will read. His normal reading material are legal contracts and business management books. He also liked Gilead, another Robinson book. 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastweedpuller Posted June 12, 2017 Share Posted June 12, 2017 Hello! I read three this week, one being an audiobook but you tell me that counts so I counted it: News of the World by Paulette Jiles, I liked it Did You Ever Have a Family, by Bill Clegg, I liked it more and Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls through the 7 Transitions to Adulthood, by Lisa Damour, which I cannot say enough about, I absolutely loved it and appreciated every hard truth therein. Not a big fan of self-help but this was so much more than that. Considering I have read War and Peace 2.75 times, I am reading Middlemarch while you are all at it. :) And interestingly HP never did much for me, I tried 2x, but it never stopped me from turning the kid into a fan. SHe's even read that last one, the play. 18 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted June 12, 2017 Share Posted June 12, 2017 Yesterday I read a new book by a favorite author; I enjoyed it even though it's not my favorite of her books. It's an epistolary novel in that the main characters are emailing/instant messaging for the first half of the book; they do not talk or see each other until well into the second half. Dear Aaron by Mariana Zapata "Ruby Santos knew exactly what she was getting herself into when she signed up to write a soldier overseas.The guidelines were simple: one letter or email a week for the length of his or her deployment. Care packages were optional.Been there, done that. She thought she knew what to expect.What she didn’t count on was falling in love with the guy." Regards, Kareni 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted June 12, 2017 Share Posted June 12, 2017 Stacia, I hope you had a wonderful vacation. I would love to visit Alaska. The French Beauty Solution - 2 Stars - I didn’t learn much from this book at all. She is quite pushy about her own skin care line (Caudalie), but to be fair, I knew that she would be before I even read it. I may try her grape detox and am curious to see if it works. What irritated me is her overall attitude that Americans need to pretty much become French in order to be beautiful. That sort of mentality rubs me the wrong way. There’s one part in particular that I thought was particularly condescending, where she refers to “the prudish Americans†and that being one of the reasons why American women apparently hide behind a ton of makeup. Since I personally don’t favor the idea of nudity or sunbathing topless I’m sure that she would consider me a prude, which quite frankly, I don’t mind, since I wear my badge of prudishness with honor :D! The funny thing is that she would likely be baffled by the fact that I don’t wear any make up at all really. Some of my favorite quotes: “The key for me is keeping it simple, with an emphasis on the best skincare rather than makeup.†“There should be a palpable pleasure in pampering your skin.†If she's so into skin care why are her products loaded with fragrance? Any Paula fan knows that's not good for skin. As much as I wanted to like The Moonstone I'm finding it tedious and will most likely abandon it. I loved The Woman in White and wanted to like this book, especially since it's famous for being the "first English detective novel". I often find those books that were originally printed in serial form (as this was) can be tedious when the author obviously tried to stretch out the story over many issues. Dickens is certainly guilty of that but he still manages to keep my attention enough for me to finish his novels (and I'm never sorry for sticking it out with his work). I might try to read a bit more but probably not. I can't see myself wanting to finish this book so why keep trying? I actually preferred Moonstone over The Woman in White. I haven't finished anything. I have been busy with everyday summer life and planning vacation. Dh and I are going on a 2 week vacation sans kids! We've done two weekends by ourselves this past year, and now for the first time since having kids we're doing a long childfree vacation. Excited but nervous at the same time. One can get sucked into a time trap planning vacation. I have looked at so many hotels/vacation rentals this past week I can't tell the difference anymore. 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted June 12, 2017 Share Posted June 12, 2017 Time for more photos. First, a view from the top of Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon. There is a well maintained path about a kilometer long that takes a walker to the viewing bridge. This canyon looks like something out of Middle Earth! And kuddos to you Jane, for finding the keyboard strokes to make all those Icelandic letters! Now, how on earth do you pronounce that? Fyara--something or another?!! And....what yarn did you buy? Jenn, I have been teaching for VIPKID since April. I teach English onliine to Chinese students. It is so interesting to me to get to experience a different culture for 3 to 4 hours every day right inside my own home. My main job is to get the students to speak English - they can read it beautifully but speaking...well, I understand what your son is dealing with. Also, the parent feedback is hilarious after it is run through the translator. Does your son speak Japanese or is it total immersion with his classes? This is a whole new world to me but one I'm finding fascinating. :) :laugh: which audio version are you listening to? Ooops, I did this backward - I didn't really pick up on the fact that he was a teacher's aide but that makes sense now. There were a few scenes where I expected him to take charge of the classroom and he seemed to be content to let the tiny female teacher step up and stop the much-larger-than-her boy from being a problem. How does your son like teaching? and does he feel comfortable living there? I find it so interesting! A little more about my son's teaching gig. He did not speak much Japanese before arriving, and is learning the language through immersion as nobody in his community speaks English. The classes are in English, and the English teachers in the school speak passable English. He seems to be enjoying himself though bug season just kicked in and over the weekend had his first encounter with a Mukade, the poisonous centipede that you have to pick up with tongs and throw into a pot of boiling water to kill!!! That and giant, palm sized spiders. He was never a fan of creepy crawlies! And the audio version of War and Peace is the Naxos version read by Neville Jason. He is actually quite a good reader -- don't let my initial reaction to his saying the name of Count Bezukhov with a flemmy-throat sound on the "khov" scare you off! The Naxos version is the Maude translation, 60 hours long, and it is divided into 2 volumes, meaning you have to use 2 credits. Oh -- and it was 6pack of Fun who recommended In Bitter Chill, the mystery by Sarah Ward. I really liked it, and recommend it to my fellow mystery readers -- Jane, Mumto2, Lady Florida, and anyone who likes a solid British police procedural. 16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted June 12, 2017 Share Posted June 12, 2017 This canyon looks like something out of Middle Earth! And kuddos to you Jane, for finding the keyboard strokes to make all those Icelandic letters! Now, how on earth do you pronounce that? Fyara--something or another?!! And....what yarn did you buy? A little more about my son's teaching gig. He did not speak much Japanese before arriving, and is learning the language through immersion as nobody in his community speaks English. The classes are in English, and the English teachers in the school speak passable English. He seems to be enjoying himself though bug season just kicked in and over the weekend had his first encounter with a Mukade, the poisonous centipede that you have to pick up with tongs and throw into a pot of boiling water to kill!!! That and giant, palm sized spiders. He was never a fan of creepy crawlies! And the audio version of War and Peace is the Naxos version read by Neville Jason. He is actually quite a good reader -- don't let my initial reaction to his saying the name of Count Bezukhov with a flemmy-throat sound on the "khov" scare you off! The Naxos version is the Maude translation, 60 hours long, and it is divided into 2 volumes, meaning you have to use 2 credits. Oh -- and it was 6pack of Fun who recommended In Bitter Chill, the mystery by Sarah Ward. I really liked it, and recommend it to my fellow mystery readers -- Jane, Mumto2, Lady Florida, and anyone who likes a solid British police procedural. I want to hear about the yarn too! When you mentioned bugs I thought you meant mosquitoes. They are called midges here and spoke of as a season especially North of us. But poisonous crawling things eek! I never associated Japan with poisonous centipedes or other creatures of the poisonous variety.....the island thing. 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted June 12, 2017 Share Posted June 12, 2017 (edited) Last week I joined those who have read News of the World. I enjoyed it but it didn't hit fantastic for me. I don't know why. Yes, the lack of quotation marks was slightly annoying. I plan on reading Parnassus on Wheels this week, but I don't know if it will happen. Too much going on. Edited June 12, 2017 by Onceuponatime 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted June 12, 2017 Author Share Posted June 12, 2017 I love this reading group. Absolutely love you all! Robin does such a wonderful job beginning the threads each week. I love her tidbits, factoids, and encouragement. The reviews and recommendations each of you posts are inspiring. I have a long list of books I want to investigate or read although I forget about most of them when I'm at the library, a bookstore, or browsing on my Kindle. I think I need to create a new page in my Bullet Journal for book recommendations. :) I love the discourse and the openness, the acceptance and the respect shown to and by everyone. I love the sharing of adventures and life experiences and the deep sense of friendship that is found in this group. :grouphug: Aw, thank you. You made my day! I just finished Starrigger by John DeChancie. New to me sci fi author. I picked it up since he is running the Writer's Digest Short Story class starting this week. Reader wise, it was an interesting, entertaining story. Writer wise, I have a few nitpicks with typo's and other things. :gnorsi: Note to self: Perhaps I should wait until after taking a class to read their books. :lol: . Dove into Welcome to Night Vale by another new to me author - Joseph Fink. It's odd but interesting so far. 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted June 12, 2017 Share Posted June 12, 2017 A note to curious knitters: Traditional Icelandic sweaters are knitted from unspun wool. The fiber forms long strands that are rolled. A single strand will pull apart but three strands become more stable. And that is what is used to knit the traditional sweater. Problem: it is far too warm for my climate! A wonderful employee of the Handknitting Association of Iceland spent some time with me. This store sells knitted sweaters as well as yarn. I decided that I wanted to buy yarn to knit one for myself. I told the helpful clerk that I knit socks, I have done Fair Isle patterns, but I have never knitted a sweater. She said that I could make a slightly thinner sweater from two strands of unspun but she suggested I go with spun yarn for stability. The Association's shop sells handknitted sweaters so I had examples to see. I selected a traditional pattern and then chose my four yarn colors. The wool for this sweater was a bargain. I heard people comment about the high price of hand knitted sweaters but I did not think they were outrageous when considering adequate compensation for the labor involved. Why should knitters not be compensated for their time? Cheap sweaters are on the market in Iceland--made in China. I did buy some of the unspun yarn--not from the Association though but a grocery store! In a far back corner of a village shop was a selection of yarns and sewing/knitting notions. I was so startled by this that I had to buy what I called "roving". Because Icelandic sheep have such long hair, these unspun fibers form long strands. Amazing stuff. It will be fun playing with it. I also bought The Boy an Icelandic wool blanket. It will be cozy in his Colorado digs, something that should last a lifetime. 18 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted June 12, 2017 Share Posted June 12, 2017 This canyon looks like something out of Middle Earth! And kuddos to you Jane, for finding the keyboard strokes to make all those Icelandic letters! Now, how on earth do you pronounce that? Fyara--something or another?!! And....what yarn did you buy? Yarn question answered in previous post. Google is my friend when it comes to Icelandic spellings and the needed letters. Pronunciations are impossible for me. To my ear, Icelandic is both guttural and melodic. Some of the sounds are really challenging to reproduce. One word that I mastered: plokkfiskur. This is a basic fish stew that is Icelandic comfort food. I loved it. My Icelandic vocabulary consists of "takk" (thanks) and plokkfishkur. Pathetic, I know. I could read little bits of Icelandic from my minimal knowledge of German. 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mothersweets Posted June 12, 2017 Share Posted June 12, 2017 This canyon looks like something out of Middle Earth! And kuddos to you Jane, for finding the keyboard strokes to make all those Icelandic letters! Now, how on earth do you pronounce that? Fyara--something or another?!! And....what yarn did you buy? A little more about my son's teaching gig. He did not speak much Japanese before arriving, and is learning the language through immersion as nobody in his community speaks English. The classes are in English, and the English teachers in the school speak passable English. He seems to be enjoying himself though bug season just kicked in and over the weekend had his first encounter with a Mukade, the poisonous centipede that you have to pick up with tongs and throw into a pot of boiling water to kill!!! That and giant, palm sized spiders. He was never a fan of creepy crawlies! And the audio version of War and Peace is the Naxos version read by Neville Jason. He is actually quite a good reader -- don't let my initial reaction to his saying the name of Count Bezukhov with a flemmy-throat sound on the "khov" scare you off! The Naxos version is the Maude translation, 60 hours long, and it is divided into 2 volumes, meaning you have to use 2 credits. Oh -- and it was 6pack of Fun who recommended In Bitter Chill, the mystery by Sarah Ward. I really liked it, and recommend it to my fellow mystery readers -- Jane, Mumto2, Lady Florida, and anyone who likes a solid British police procedural. Oh man, the mukade would have me freaked out :scared: I hope that is the only one your son sees! I have the Naxos version in my wish list on Audible now - thanks! 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mothersweets Posted June 12, 2017 Share Posted June 12, 2017 A note to curious knitters: Traditional Icelandic sweaters are knitted from unspun wool. The fiber forms long strands that are rolled. A single strand will pull apart but three strands become more stable. And that is what is used to knit the traditional sweater. Problem: it is far too warm for my climate! A wonderful employee of the Handknitting Association of Iceland spent some time with me. This store sells knitted sweaters as well as yarn. I decided that I wanted to buy yarn to knit one for myself. I told the helpful clerk that I knit socks, I have done Fair Isle patterns, but I have never knitted a sweater. She said that I could make a slightly thinner sweater from two strands of unspun but she suggested I go with spun yarn for stability. The Association's shop sells handknitted sweaters so I had examples to see. I selected a traditional pattern and then chose my four yarn colors. The wool for this sweater was a bargain. I heard people comment about the high price of hand knitted sweaters but I did not think they were outrageous when considering adequate compensation for the labor involved. Why should knitters not be compensated for their time? Cheap sweaters are on the market in Iceland--made in China. I did buy some of the unspun yarn--not from the Association though but a grocery store! In a far back corner of a village shop was a selection of yarns and sewing/knitting notions. I was so startled by this that I had to buy what I called "roving". Because Icelandic sheep have such long hair, these unspun fibers form long strands. Amazing stuff. It will be fun playing with it. I also bought The Boy an Icelandic wool blanket. It will be cozy in his Colorado digs, something that should last a lifetime. How fun!! We used to have a small herd of Icelandic sheep. Their wool is warm. Your son will be nice and toasty!! IIRC the unspun yarn from the Icelandic's wool was called Lopi yarn - does that ring a bell? Also, your pics of your trip are beautiful! 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted June 12, 2017 Share Posted June 12, 2017 How fun!! We used to have a small herd of Icelandic sheep. Their wool is warm. Your son will be nice and toasty!! IIRC the unspun yarn from the Icelandic's wool was called Lopi yarn - does that ring a bell? Also, your pics of your trip are beautiful! Lopi is the unspun, Léttlopi is the worsted weight spun yarn. Folks, tell me if you are tired of the photos. More are coming! 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted June 13, 2017 Share Posted June 13, 2017 Folks, tell me if you are tired of the photos. More are coming! I'm enjoying the photos. Please keep them coming! Regards, Kareni 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mothersweets Posted June 13, 2017 Share Posted June 13, 2017 Lopi is the unspun, Léttlopi is the worsted weight spun yarn. Folks, tell me if you are tired of the photos. More are coming! Ah, I didn't know the difference - so interesting! And I am loving the photos! 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted June 13, 2017 Share Posted June 13, 2017 Some currently free Kindle books ~ Mission: Improper (London Steampunk: The Blue Blood Conspiracy Book 1) by Bec McMaster Moonlight (Moon Series Book 1) by Lisa Kessler I read and enjoyed this romance: Broken Heart Syndrome by Susie Tate Regards, Kareni 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loesje22000 Posted June 13, 2017 Share Posted June 13, 2017 Yarn question answered in previous post. Google is my friend when it comes to Icelandic spellings and the needed letters. Pronunciations are impossible for me. To my ear, Icelandic is both guttural and melodic. Some of the sounds are really challenging to reproduce. One word that I mastered: plokkfiskur. This is a basic fish stew that is Icelandic comfort food. I loved it. My Icelandic vocabulary consists of "takk" (thanks) and plokkfishkur. Pathetic, I know. I could read little bits of Icelandic from my minimal knowledge of German. I didn't know my mothers recipe has a name!! We love plokkfishkur :) My mother used to make it when the money was tight. But dd placed it on her list of 'recipes I want to learn to cook before attending college' (We don't have mealplans here, student rooms have shared kitchens and students are supposed to cook for them selves) 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted June 13, 2017 Share Posted June 13, 2017 If she's so into skin care why are her products loaded with fragrance? Any Paula fan knows that's not good for skin. My thoughts exactly. I have to admit that I love the aroma of her products, the ones I've tested anyway. My skin isn't sensitive, so I personally don't have a problem with fragrance, but that's not the point really. It is odd that her products have so much fragrance. If I remember correctly, she attempts to justify it in her book, something to do with not too much or whatever. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted June 13, 2017 Share Posted June 13, 2017 In less than a month, my middle boy will be getting his letter. I need to order his owl! My older son's owl lives on a shelf in his room. We love Harry Potter here (obviously). We did midnight releases for the books and midnight showings for the movies once they started doing that (5th or 6th movie). We've seen all of them, including Fantastic Beasts, on the release day. The first movie came out when Cameron was a month old so he was at that one, too (and slept through the whole thing). We had all the books in their original English (ordered from Amazon UK). I kind of agree with Gus on Psych that you have to read the HP series once a year to stay centered (and that the whole thing about Pluto is messed up). I haven't read the series in a while. I keep meaning to. Yesterday I finished reading An Affair to Dismember by Elise Sax. It was just not good. The premise is a woman who has jumped from job to job for years moves in with her grandmother to help with the family business of matchmaking. Then bodies start piling up and she just must solve the crime and two hot guys are totally vying for her attention. The writing was juvenile. Phrases such as "I had a mouthful of chili cheese dog in my mouth." Editing issues, grammar mistakes, missing words. Usually, it's just annoying when there are missing words. Other times it changes the whole meaning. One character says "I did see" the person who threw a frozen knish at her, but by the context of the rest of the conversation it should be "I did NOT see..." At one point the main character and the hot chief of police go on a stakeout (because it's of course totally reasonable to take a civilian on a police stakeout). He immediately notices that the flowers in the many flower boxes in front of the cabin are all long dead, but since there is furniture inside, they should just wait for her to return. This allows for a somewhat funny scene where the main character pees in the bushes while telling the policeman not to turn around and then she falls asleep in the car cuddled up to him thereby increasing the sexual tension. She wakes up and the chief of police announces that the cabin must be abandoned because the woman didn't come back and, of course, the flowers are dead. Then they do something else that by the times given had to have taken 3-4 hours and, somehow, they return home at 2pm (having left around 9 or 10 in the morning) making the timeline, something that the reader is constantly reminded about, make absolutely no sense. Like the stakeout could literally have only taken 10 minutes based on the numbers given. I figured out the who did it early on which is unusual for me. I am generally a very trusting reader and the big reveal is usually a big surprise for me. This time it wasn't. And the big reveal was very long and tedious. I felt like the book was trying to throw in way more than mattered. Some of the side stuff was mildly amusing, but it was randomly thrown in and storyline threads would come up and either be completely abandoned or be picked up now and again later in ways that were strange and didn't make sense. It's the first in a series and I most definitely will not be reading anymore of them. 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastweedpuller Posted June 13, 2017 Share Posted June 13, 2017 A note to curious knitters: Traditional Icelandic sweaters are knitted from unspun wool. The fiber forms long strands that are rolled. A single strand will pull apart but three strands become more stable. And that is what is used to knit the traditional sweater. ... I did buy some of the unspun yarn--not from the Association though but a grocery store! In a far back corner of a village shop was a selection of yarns and sewing/knitting notions. I was so startled by this that I had to buy what I called "roving". Because Icelandic sheep have such long hair, these unspun fibers form long strands. Amazing stuff. It will be fun playing with it. As a spinner, it's my experience that the stuff is still spun, it's just not plied together...it's all singles (single ply). Most hand-spun yarns are at least double plied and commercial yarns have the sky's the limit on plies. Just adds to the tensile strength of the yarn itself. And Icelandic sheep are what they not so endearingly call an "unimproved" (closer to wild) sheep...they have the coarse long outer hairs that weep the water away from their coats, and an inner, warmer, insulating poofy wool closer to their bodies. When I hand-card the stuff, the outer (called "tog") quickly separates from the fluffy inner ("thel"). I purchased a fleece on a whim when I was considering sheep of my own, as I wanted something small and hardy and having lots of natural variation in colors. So I went with Shetland sheep, who don't have that stiffer hair. I will say though I love using the Icelandic stuff for socks! Some of it can be poky in a sweater or neckpiece, but if I use it all it's a very durable wool for my scruffy scuff socks. As it's colder in Michigan than North Carolina... but I would love to see some pics of your yarn AND your "roving", Jane! 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted June 13, 2017 Share Posted June 13, 2017 Butter, I don't know the series so I could be way off, but it sounds like Elise Sax is trying to cash in in the Stephanie Plum craze. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted June 13, 2017 Share Posted June 13, 2017 I finished The Bear and the Dragon audiobook by Tom Clancy!!!!!!! It took forever but my bestseller in child's birth year is done. It wasn't a bad book just very long. I don't plan to continue reading the series. I started The Moonstone as my next audiobook. I totally get what Kathy was saying earlier. As I don't have another audio ready to go I will stick with it in hope of it growing on me. 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted June 13, 2017 Share Posted June 13, 2017 Butter, I don't know the series so I could be way off, but it sounds like Elise Sax is trying to cash in in the Stephanie Plum craze. I've never read them, but one of the negative reviews on Amazon pretty much said that. They said just move it from NJ to CA, change it from bail bonds to matchmaking, keep all the fat jokes, and it's the same series, just not as well written. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted June 13, 2017 Share Posted June 13, 2017 (edited) Jane, definitely post more photos. So far the canyon is my favorite. Pleased to see that Icelandic retained the letter "eth." Just got back from Skye, dh on business and the rest of us as his entourage, where the hill walking is gorgeous, the rain is constant, and wifi is theoretical. I finished two books: George Mackay Brown, An Orkney Tapestry. Another by Orkney's great poet, this is a series of essays, historical pieces, and a short play that is Tolstoy's "What Men Live By," set of course in an Orkney fishing village. Brown's lyrical prose is interspersed with his poems. Edwin Muir, Selected Poems. Muir was Brown's mentor. Scotland 1941 We were a tribe, a family, a people. Wallace and Bruce guard now a painted field, And all may read the folio of our fable, Peruse the sword, the sceptre and the shield. A simple sky roofed in that rustic day, The busy corn-fields and the haunted holms, The green road winding up the ferny brae. But Knox and Melville clapped their preaching palms And bundled all the harvesters away, Hoodicrow Peden in the blighted corn Hacked with his rusty beak the starving haulms. Out of that desolation we were born. Courage beyond the point and obdurate pride Made us a nation, robbed us of a nation. Defiance absolute and myriad-eyed That could not pluck the palm plucked our damnation. We with such courage and the bitter wit To fell the ancient oak of loyalty, And strip the peopled hill and altar bare, And crush the poet with an iron text, How could we read our souls and learn to be? Here a dull drove of faces harsh and vexed, We watch our cities burning in their pit, To salve our souls grinding dull lucre out, We, fanatics of the frustrate and the half, Who once set Purgatory Hill in doubt. Now smoke and dearth and money everywhere, Mean heirlooms of each fainter generation, And mummied housegods in their musty niches, Burns and Scott, sham bards of a sham nation, And spiritual defeat wrapped warm in riches, No pride but pride of pelf. Long since the young Fought in great bloody battles to carve out This towering pulpit of the Golden Calf, Montrose, Mackail, Argyle, perverse and brave, Twisted the stream, unhooped the ancestral hill. Never had Dee or Don or Yarrow or Till Huddled such thriftless honour in a grave. Such wasted bravery idle as a song, Such hard-won ill might prove Time's verdict wrong, And melt to pity the annalist's iron tongue. Edwin Muir Edited June 13, 2017 by Violet Crown 16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted June 13, 2017 Share Posted June 13, 2017 Pleased to see that Icelandic retained the letter "eth." My name is Heather and my cousin calls me Heath (said like Heather without the -er). For a long time she was the only person who ever called me by a nickname but then my brother majored in linguistics (he's 8 years older so I was still young when he was in college). He has called me eth like the letter ever since. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted June 13, 2017 Share Posted June 13, 2017 Some currently free Kindle books that might be of interest ~ Fantasy ~ Muse (Tales of Silver Downs Book 1) by Kylie Quillinan Crime fiction ~ The Poisoned Rose (The Gin Palace Trilogy, Book 1) by Daniel Judson Young adult/new adult (I read and enjoyed this some years ago; it has over 8000 reviews on Amazon.) ~ Hopeless by Colleen Hoover Visionary fiction (a category of which I'd never heard) ~ The Anesthesia Game by Rea Nolan Martin Young adult fantasy ~ Orville Mouse and the Puzzle of the Shattered Abacus by Tom Hoffman Regards, Kareni 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted June 13, 2017 Share Posted June 13, 2017 From Tor.com ~ This post seemed timely given the discussion of Harry Potter above. And now I want to re-read the Tairen Soul series: Rebellious Acts of Kindness: C.L. Wilson’s Tairen Soul Series by Cora Carmack "I grew up reading Harry Potter. I was eleven. Harry was eleven. Harry Potter was such a huge part of my childhood and my early adulthood. Some of my best friendships started because we bonded over Harry Potter. I don’t even date guys unless they’ve read Harry Potter. So you can imagine my surprise at twenty-eight years old when I read a book that rivaled my love for Harry Potter for the first time ever. First, I freaked out. HOW COULD ANY BOOK RIVAL HARRY POTTER? And furthermore… WHO AM I IF HARRY POTTER IS NOT MY FAVORITE BOOK? It was actually pretty distressing. And in the end, I had to decide that Harry Potter was the favorite book of my childhood, but perhaps I could have another favorite book of my adulthood. And that book (or series rather) is the Tairen Soul Series by C.L. Wilson...." ** A Sort of Fairy Tale: Victor LaValle’s The Changeling by Leah Schnelbach "When I was a child I read every folktale and myth available to me. I loved Goldilocks and Baba Yaga, Br’er Rabbit and Cú Chulainn and Thor and Anansi. I loved them all, and held them all as equally important. I loved their adventures, and I figured they might as well all be real. (I still do.) I imagined myself into their adventures, and if that meant hopping over the barrier between male and female that’s what I did, and that’s how I learned that that barrier was an illusion. I was able to have those adventures in my mind, and it was fine. But what if I had been faced with one of those adventures in life, in corporeal flesh, where people would look at me and make assumptions because of the shape my flesh took? What if my adventure was, repeatedly, interrupted by others’ assumptions about me? Victor LaValle’s new novel The Changeling is a horror story, a fairy tale, an epic myth, and a modern, urban fiction. It’s about parenthood, and toxic masculinity, and internet privacy, and a horrific world of magic hiding behind a veneer of civilization, and it’s one of the most New York books I’ve ever read. But most of all it’s about what happens when a Black man is the hero of a fairy story. What happens when your quest requires you to venture into a dark forest…but that forest lies beyond a tony white neighborhood patrolled by racist cops? What if your quest means that you must do prison time? What if your quest ends up broadcast on NY1? What if even the most terrifying monsters aren’t as tough as simply surviving in America?..." ** Regards, Kareni 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 (edited) . Edited November 2, 2017 by Stacia 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 So sorry, Stacia. Sending hugs, Jane 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted June 14, 2017 Author Share Posted June 14, 2017 So much sadness here. After losing one beloved cat to cancer in April, we had to put our elderly lady cat to sleep this afternoon. Our gal that we said goodbye to today is on the left; our guy that we said goodbye to in April is on the right. :crying: :crying: :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 ((((Stacia)))). I'm so sorry you lost both of your fur babies, especially so close together. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 Considering I have read War and Peace 2.75 times, I am reading Middlemarch while you are all at it. :) Middlemarch is another one I want to reread some time in the next year or two. Time for more photos. First, a view from the top of Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon. There is a well maintained path about a kilometer long that takes a walker to the viewing bridge. This one is my favorite. It's just gorgeous and almost looks like it's not of this earth. A little more about my son's teaching gig. He did not speak much Japanese before arriving, and is learning the language through immersion as nobody in his community speaks English. The classes are in English, and the English teachers in the school speak passable English. Oh -- and it was 6pack of Fun who recommended In Bitter Chill, the mystery by Sarah Ward. I really liked it, and recommend it to my fellow mystery readers -- Jane, Mumto2, Lady Florida, and anyone who likes a solid British police procedural. Should I tell you about dh's nephew who married the Japanese woman who was his English student? :D Actually they met here in the states at the University of Florida. He was an English major who needed money, so he found a job in the department tutoring some of the foreign students in English. She was a business major. (Both were adult college students and he wasn't in a power position over her so there was nothing wrong with them being in a relationship). They hit it off right away, have been married 15 years, and have 6 yo twin girls. I downloaded the sample of In Bitter Chill to my Kindle but haven't read it yet. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 Oh Stacia--I'm so sorry. It's so hard when our furry family members get old. Sad day. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 Sending sympathy, Stacia, on the death of your cat. Regards, Kareni 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loesje22000 Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 :grouphug: Stacia. That will leave a hole in your life... 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loesje22000 Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 Maybe we can read Middlemarch next summer? :D 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 Your dear kitties, Stacia. So very hard. You are a good owner who has seen them through, and they have been blessed in you. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 Stacia, I am so sorry. :grouphug: 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErinE Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 Our gal that we said goodbye to today is on the left; our guy that we said goodbye to in April is on the right. :crying: :crying: I'm so sorry. :grouphug: 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Granny_Weatherwax Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 Stacia, I'm sorry for your losses. :grouphug: 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 Stacia, I'm so sorry :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastweedpuller Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 Stacia, that is so hard! Hugs to you and your family :crying: It's so tough, esp. when they occupy so much of your children's lives too I had forgotten how very good Middlemarch is. I have so many other books in the pile but I keep coming back and sneaking another chapter. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Granny_Weatherwax Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 I began a new audiobook for traveling: The Butterfly Garden by Dot Hutchison It was one that popped up early in the list of suggested books by Amazon. It's a crime thriller about a group of girls who were kidnapped around age 16 and kept as butterflies in a private garden. Each girl is tattooed with a specific butterfly wing design on her back. When the girl turns 21, she is killed and displayed in a butterfly collection. There is quite a bit of foul language and discussions of sex but it's not gory, more suspenseful. I listened to it yesterday on my way kayaking. I had the option of having a passenger with me on the return trip but declined since I still wanted to listen to my book and did not want to subject someone else to the language or subject. I felt sort of bad for declining the passenger but it was 2 hours of prime listening time and I really wanted to continue the book.This makes me wonder, what are your audiobook listening rules? Do you listen to them only while alone? Do you monitor what you listen to when others are around? 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastweedpuller Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 It depends on the book, but mostly it's me doing chores or commuting to work or gardening. If it is an interesting book, I have dd hear a slice of it and then ask her if she wants to listen to it with me. We did that for The Aeronaut's Windlass, though I did have to back up about 3 hours! And i cracked up that you declined the 2nd kayak space, I probably would've been shamed into sharing (grin) This makes me wonder, what are your audiobook listening rules? Do you listen to them only while alone? Do you monitor what you listen to when others are around? 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Granny_Weatherwax Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 <snip> And i cracked up that you declined the 2nd kayak space, I probably would've been shamed into sharing (grin) It was just the passenger. She had borrowed one of my kayaks and I hauled both kayaks and related gear to and fro. She rode with our friend who was hauling a small sailboat and who would have been alone during the return trip. I didn't feel guilty. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 This makes me wonder, what are your audiobook listening rules? Do you listen to them only while alone? Do you monitor what you listen to when others are around? I don't listen to audiobooks properly speaking; but I have some poetry readings -- mostly Keats -- loaded onto my phone that I listen to when I'm mowing the lawn. It's the only time other than running when I can possibly get 30 uninterrupted seconds to myself to listen to something I like. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mothersweets Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 Stacia, I'm sorry about your kitties. :( 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 Stacia, I'm so sorry about your kitties. We lost two cats over just a couple of years (and one was only 8yo :crying: ). I still miss them. I do think it's extra hard when they go close together. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 For the most part I have turned to audiobooks while the kids are doing their online school work. So I listen while I work on quilts. Occasionally I will listen without headphones while cooking. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 This makes me wonder, what are your audiobook listening rules? Do you listen to them only while alone? Do you monitor what you listen to when others are around? I pretty much listen to them while alone in the car. If I have a passenger I will chat or we'll put music in (good think I like my kids' taste in music). I do sometimes make an exception if a kid would rather put their earphones in and tune out instead of interacting with me. Then I may listen to a book (especially if it's one is due back on Overdrive soon. ;) ) 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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