Robin M Posted December 3, 2017 Share Posted December 3, 2017 Happy Sunday and welcome to week 49 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. Welcome to Delightful December and our birthstone of the month, Turquoise. We have much to celebrate this month with St. Nicholas Day, Advent, Hanukkah, St. Lucia Day, Christmas, arrival of Winter as well as Festivus for the rest of us, Iceland's Jolabokaflod, Sweden's Julbok (Yule goat) and Finland's Joulupukki. I'm in the mood to go to the North Pole and do some cooking with Mrs Claus. If cold December gave you birth— The month of snow, and ice, and mirth— Place on your hand a turquoise blue, Success will bless whate'er you do. ~Author unknown, "A Gem for Every Month," c.1883 Speaking of Turquoise, our birthstone of the month, 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. Perhaps find an author whose name is Topaz or spell out the word using author names. 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. This month, I think I'll join Harold and his purple crayon as he goes in search of the north pole in Harold at the North Pole. Unfortunately, we won't find any penguins there, but we may find the occasional polar bear, ringed seals or Arctic foxes roaming about. You may want to bundle up before you read about Arctic expeditions to the North Pole with Hampton Sides - In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette or Bruce Henderson's True North: Peary, Cook, and the Race to the Pole as well as Fatal North: Murder and Survival on the First North Pole Expedition. Or take a thrilling fictional trip with Alistair MacLean in Ice Station Zebra, Jack London in Call of the Wild or Lincoln Child's Terminal Freeze. Read more about the North Pole in the New Yorker's Literature's Arctic Obsession and Ali Shaw's The Written World: The North Pole. Be sure to check out Goodread's list of Popular Arctic books as well as the Listopia of North Pole books. Have fun exploring! What are you reading this week? Link to week 48 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted December 3, 2017 Author Share Posted December 3, 2017 Sorry for the late post. We had a fence emergency to deal with as the two german shepherds from our behind the house neighbor broke one of the slats and had a rollicking good time in our backyard last night. :toetap05: I have finished my 52 book challenge! The 52nd book was What Made Maddy Run: the Secret Struggles and Tragic Death of an All-American Teen by Kate Fagan. The book is a good book about a serious and heartbreaking topic. If you have experience with depression, anxiety, or suicidal ideation I would think twice about reading this book as it could trigger negative thoughts and emotions. The book is insightful about the role of technology and modern societal expectations on young people. Obviously, much of what is discussed about this particular case is conjecture, pieced together through interviews, emails, and instant messages after the event but the author is respectful throughout and there is no victim shaming or survivor blaming. There were many times throughout the book in which I had to pause and reflect; my roles as DIII coach, college recruiter, and parent of young adults are all portrayed in the book. Once I became a coach I felt the weight of responsibility for my SAs and, now more than ever, that mantle is cumbersome. I sincerely wish all potential students, student-athletes, parents, and coaches could read this book. :party: Congratulations on reaching 52 Books! Continuing 2 books:- the Mann family biographyI would have like a biography about Thomass Mann’s youth and life and writing of Buddenbrook more propably then this book.- the book about Dvorak is - to me - not an easy just for bedtime read. I think I am missing some background knowledge to put this book in :) I haven't read Buddenbrook but did read Magic Mountain which was quite good. Since Nobel Prize winners are on next year's bingo, I'll put Buddenbrook on my want list. I'm currently reading Vicki Pettersson's The Taste of Night which is #2 in her Sign of the Zodiac series. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted December 3, 2017 Share Posted December 3, 2017 Robin, I hope the cats were inside last night! I finished Sarum this morning! I feel like I should throw a party because it was long. Really, really, long. The characters kept changing. I became so grateful that the author kept using the last name as well as the first. If I was still teaching I would probably be happily dividing this books into sections to use with a good text for a British history course. It wasn’t perfect by any means but it was accurate for the character of the moment in that part of England. It was interesting to see the decedents of a very small group of original people against the backdrop of centuries of history. Someone was burned as a witch, another was convicted of a crime and sent to Australia, emigration to America. It all happened. I have 2hours of The Runemarks left to listen to and then one more book to a Bingo blackout! I also have my Author A to Z to finish....5 books I think. I have to moan for a minute, Turquoise is a long one with lots of vowels. I have saved vowel books to read in December but still need a Q and an E. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted December 3, 2017 Share Posted December 3, 2017 Sorry for the late post. We had a fence emergency to deal with as the two german shepherds from our behind the house neighbor broke one of the slats and had a rollicking good time in our backyard last night. :toetap05: :eek: I finally finished The Agony and the Ecstasy - 3 Stars - This is a thoroughly well-researched historical novel about the life of Michelangelo. What an incredible time in history! Michelangelo was definitely passionate and driven when it came to his art. He finished the Pietà when he was just twenty-five years old! He finished the statue of David before he was thirty. Sculpting marble was what he loved most and most of his works were sculptures. He painted the Sistine ceiling alone over a four-year period. He felt driven by God to create. He also had to face many challenges – and I assume that’s what “The Agony†part of the title is referring to. His obstacles included: his money-grubbing family members and all their demands, pettiness, and drama; his own financial troubles; various corrupt popes; as well as wars. I was amazed that he managed to get much done with all the craziness around him. I can’t recommend this book unless if you’re eager to learn about Michelangelo, that period of time in history, or if you just love art history. It got excessively long (more than 700 pages long) and I felt bogged down by way too many repetitive details. However, for me it’s not the length that bothered me. When it comes to loving books, length is never an issue. In fact, if I love a book, I don’t want it to end. This book just didn’t draw me in the way that I had hoped. Am I happy that I read it? Yes. Did I love it? Not necessarily. Some of my favorite quotes: “God was the first sculptor; He made the first figure: man. And when He wanted to give His laws, what material did He use? Stone.†“The Tuscan treats stone with the tenderness that a lover reserves for his sweetheart.†“He had always loved God. In his darkest hours he cried out, ‘God did not create us to abandon us.’ His faith in God sustained him; and now he must make manifest to the world who God was, what he looked and felt like, wherein lay His divine power and grace. His God must not be special or peculiar or particular, but God the Father to all men, one whom they could accept, honor, adore.†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. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zebra Posted December 3, 2017 Share Posted December 3, 2017 This week I finally finished The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri. I had several false starts, I just wasn't ready to read it at those times. The book is about two brothers who grow up in India in the 50's, one brother decides to move to America during the Vietnam era, and the other one becomes part of a communist movement in India. It was a good story, I have found all her books engaging. Not thrilling, but more a stories of how people's lives are played out. I also finished Elizabeth The First Wife which was about a Shakespeare scholar who works with her ex-husband on a summer stock production of A Midsummer's Night Dream. It was fine. This week I started What She Knew by Gilly MacMillan. The story is about a child who disappears, and all the aftermath. I'm about halfway and it just finally. got. interesting. I did learn a new vocabulary word, which I was convinced was a typo. The word was "juddering" which I thought was supposed to be "shuddering". Apparently it's like shuddering, but for things of a mechanical nature. Next time I bring my car in I can tell them it was "juddering, not shuddering" It just goes to show that even very old ladies who are far beyond school age can learn new words :lol: ! I also started A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. I have had it on hold for awhile. At some point it came available and I had to decline it because I had too many other books in the air. It seems interesting so far. I have a very loooooong list of books recommended on this thread for the past, I don't know how many, years. I seem to remember that this one was recommended by Negin. After all the build-up and waiting, I hope it's good :laugh: . I sat down this week and made a list of 30 books that have been sitting on my shelves that I really want to read this year. I'm not like other readers on here, I don't like collecting books. (I know, cover your eyes and close your jaws book lovers!) I want to get these books out of my small house. I have made lists like this in the past, and it never works. I don't know if I need to promise myself money or punishment to get myself to finally read these dusty books. I am starting to think I should just donate them somewhere and pretend I read them.... 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErinE Posted December 3, 2017 Share Posted December 3, 2017 I've had plenty of time to read this week since I've spent it on the couch or in bed. DS4 gave me his cold a few weeks ago (kids are generous that way) and since then, I'd been suffering from a cough and feeling pretty terrible, out of breath and tired all the time. Tuesday my chest started hurting, but I figured it was from the persistent coughing. Thursday I picked up DD3 and felt like I was stabbed in the heart. I figured it was time to see a medical professional. During the examination, he asks: "Are you hot?" "No, I'm comfortable. Thanks for asking." "You have a fever. Can you hear okay?" "Yes." "You have an ear infection. Head or face hurt?" "No." "You have a sinus infection. You also have crackling sounds in your lungs, indicating an infection there as well." "Ok, the last part isn't a surprise." I received a big bag of medicine to fight off everything. Of course, I return home to find my older two in a loud argument and my younger two had destroyed the house. DH came home in time to get everyone calmed down, cleaned up, and in bed. With a weekend of rest almost behind me, I'm feeling much better now. Books read last week: Raising Steam by Terry Pratchett. Fantasy. Steam locomotion comes to Discworld, but not everyone wants it. Nocturnes by Kazuo Ishiguro. Short Stories. A collection of stories centered on music and memory. The Unconsoled by Kazuo Ishiguro. Literature. A pianist prepares for a performance in a town where people and events aren't what they seem. I'm not sure what to call this genre as it seemed an attempt at magical realism - events are bizarre, timelines are uncertain, people come in and out of the narrative. I felt like I was almost in a dreamlike state reading it. Though Remains of the Day continues to be my favorite book, I can appreciate Ishiguro's attempts to write something different each time he releases a book. An Artist of the Floating World and Remains are similar, but set a world apart as two older men look back on their life, wondering if they've done the right thing. Never Let Me Go was a sci-fi utopia/dystopia, The Buried Giant an Arthurian fantasy, When We Were Orphans a Sherlock Holmes homage, but with an extremely unreliable narrator. I can't say all his books work for me, but it's clear Ishiguro isn't trying to write the same thing over and over. I think he has one last book I haven't read (A Village After Dark), but for now, it's my last Ishiguro read as part of his Nobel Price in Literature award. From Here to Eternity by Caitlin Doughty. Sociology - Cultural Practices. A mortician travels the world to discover various practices towards the dead and mourning. The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman. History - World War II. A zookeeper and his wife hide Jews escaping from Nazi-occupied Warsaw. Elizabeth of York: A Tudor Queen and Her World by Alison Weir. History - Tudor England. A biography of the daughter of king, niece of a king, wife of a king, mother of Henry VIII, and grandmother to Elizabeth I. This may have worked better as historical fiction than a biography as there's not much insight into the personal life and experiences of the subject. There's plenty of detail about her spending and eating habits as that seems to be the basis for much of Weir's work. The author makes a few dubious statements such as Elizabeth had to economize like a poor peasant's wife. Yeah, I'm going to say that's a ridiculous assertion. Overall, an interesting read if you like extensive historical detail or plan to write a fiction book set in the time period. Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okafor. Post-Apocalyptic Fantasy. A sorceress crosses the desert to fight her powerful father in East Africa. I plan on reading more from Okafor, but if you're sensitive to violence against women, be warned there's rape and mutilation in the story. The Secret Financial Life of Food by Kara Newman. History - Commodity Trading. A short book on the trading of food futures, like sugar, coffee, tea, corn, and wheat. I'm listening to The Third Chimpanzee by Jared Diamond and Music as a Mirror of History. For reading, I have Red Famine by Anne Applebaum and the second book in Brian McClellan's Powder Mage series. Also, Pachinko came in so I'm looking forward to reading it. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErinE Posted December 3, 2017 Share Posted December 3, 2017 (edited) For the Arctic reads, The Terror by Dan Simmons is aptly named, terrifying and engrossing. I also liked A Dream in Polar Fog, a story about an explorer left among the Chukchi people in northern Siberia. Edited December 3, 2017 by ErinE 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zebra Posted December 3, 2017 Share Posted December 3, 2017 I can’t recommend this book unless if you’re eager to learn about Michelangelo, that period of time in history, or if you just love art history. It got excessively long (more than 700 pages long) and I felt bogged down by way too many repetitive details. However, for me it’s not the length that bothered me. When it comes to loving books, length is never an issue. In fact, if I love a book, I don’t want it to end. This book just didn’t draw me in the way that I had hoped. Am I happy that I read it? Yes. Did I love it? Not necessarily. I had to read this in college, and I remember it was interesting, but just so darn long. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zebra Posted December 3, 2017 Share Posted December 3, 2017 Nocturnes by Kazuo Ishiguro. Short Stories. A collection of stories centered on music and memory. The Unconsoled by Kazuo Ishiguro. Literature. A pianist prepares for a performance in a town where people and events aren't what they seem. I'm not sure what to call this genre as it seemed an attempt at magical realism - events are bizarre, timelines are uncertain, people come in and out of the narrative. I felt like I was almost in a dreamlike state reading it. Though Remains of the Day continues to be my favorite book, I can appreciate Ishiguro's attempts to write something different each time he releases a book. An Artist of the Floating World and Remains are similar, but set a world apart as two older men look back on their life, wondering if they've done the right thing. Never Let Me Go was a sci-fi utopia/dystopia, The Buried Giant an Arthurian fantasy, When We Were Orphans a Sherlock Holmes homage, but with an extremely unreliable narrator. I can't say all his books work for me, but it's clear Ishiguro isn't trying to write the same thing over and over. I think he has one last book I haven't read (A Village After Dark), but for now, it's my last Ishiguro read as part of his Nobel Price in Literature award. This is what I find so fascinating about Ishiguro, he ability to write in completely different books. I loved Remains of the Day and I liked Never Let Me Go very much. I would eventually like to read all his books. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErinE Posted December 3, 2017 Share Posted December 3, 2017 Good news! I mentioned last week how much we enjoyed the movie Coco and hated the Frozen short beforehand. It sounds like Disney will be removing it from the lineup after December 8th (warning: link to reddit because I can't find the news elsewhere). So go see it! I highly recommend the movie (but not the short). 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zebra Posted December 3, 2017 Share Posted December 3, 2017 Good news! I mentioned last week how much we enjoyed the movie Coco and hated the Frozen short beforehand. It sounds like Disney will be removing it from the lineup after December 8th (warning: link to reddit because I can't find the news elsewhere). So go see it! I highly recommend the movie (but not the short). I keep hearing about this, it's a hilarious misstep by Disney. Was it that the short was terrible, or was it just too much alongside a 2 hour movie? 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted December 3, 2017 Share Posted December 3, 2017 I also started A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. I have had it on hold for awhile. At some point it came available and I had to decline it because I had too many other books in the air. It seems interesting so far. I have a very loooooong list of books recommended on this thread for the past, I don't know how many, years. I seem to remember that this one was recommended by Negin. After all the build-up and waiting, I hope it's good :laugh: . I hope that you enjoy it. I just glanced at my Good Reads review and I remember that it's not huge in plot, but the writing is beautiful. I loved the characters, especially the Count. I had to read this in college, and I remember it was interesting, but just so darn long. Yes, exactly. I'm happy that I read it, but I need something light now! 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErinE Posted December 3, 2017 Share Posted December 3, 2017 (edited) I keep hearing about this, it's a hilarious misstep by Disney. Was it that the short was terrible, or was it just too much alongside a 2 hour movie? The sisters don't have any Christmas traditions, can Olaf find some in time for the holiday? Olaf goes house to house disturbing families celebrating their traditions because the royal family can't make up their own. Oh no, Olaf screwed up, set things on fire, and now he's missing. Christmas is ruined! Quick, call out all the families from their cozy homes to search for Olaf because reasons. Yeah! Olaf is found and Christmas is saved! Add in fifty new songs and there you go. Given the contrast with the lush, gorgeous, delightful, touching Coco, it felt like Disney didn't think a movie about a family in Mexico could stand on its own so it added Frozen to get people in the seats which must have backfired because I could hear grumbles in the theater after it was over. Or it was a shameless marketing plug for Frozen merchandise before Christmas. Either way, a terrible decision on Disney's part. I adore how Pixar pushes storytelling in their shorts and that risk-taking was missed. I have so many favorites, but I think Piper for sheer wonderous beauty has to be my favorite. ETA: The "short" is 21 minutes long. After trailers, it amounted to 40 minutes before the movie started. Edited December 3, 2017 by ErinE 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mothersweets Posted December 3, 2017 Share Posted December 3, 2017 Hi everyone! This past week I have been reading the new Laura Ingalls Wilder biography - Prairie Fires:The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Caroline Frasier. It's quite the chunkster - over 600 pages. I'm at about the 250 page mark and it's been sooo interesting. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/20/books/review/prairie-fires-laura-ingalls-wilder-biography-caroline-fraser.html I also finished a re-read of Valerie by Joan Smith - it's a fluffy that I read earlier in the year. I needed a pick-me-up and this one called to me. :) I'm just popping in to post real quick but will be back to fully read the thread. :) 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted December 3, 2017 Share Posted December 3, 2017 The sisters don't have any Christmas traditions, can Olaf find some in time for the holiday? Olaf goes house to house disturbing families celebrating their traditions because the royal family can't make up their own. Oh no, Olaf screwed up, set things on fire, and now he's missing. Christmas is ruined! Quick, call out all the families from their cozy homes to search for Olaf because reasons. Yeah! Olaf is found and Christmas is saved! Add in fifty new songs and there you go. Given the contrast with the lush, gorgeous, delightful, touching Coco, it felt like Disney didn't think a movie about a family in Mexico could stand on its own so it added Frozen to get people in the seats which must have backfired because I could hear grumbles in the theater after it was over. Or it was a shameless marketing plug for Frozen merchandise before Christmas. Either way, a terrible decision on Disney's part. I adore how Pixar pushes storytelling in their shorts and that risk-taking was missed. I have so many favorites, but I think Piper for sheer wonderous beauty has to be my favorite. ETA: The "short" is 21 minutes long. After trailers, it amounted to 40 minutes before the movie started. It's as if Disney can't let a marketing opportunity slip by. There was, or so I've heard, even a preview or promo of the short at the live Frozen show at Disneyland. ***************** On the reading front, I'm still on my epic quest to finish the epic fantasy Oathbringer. Don't know if I'll be done by next weekend, but I've got lots of drive time this week, so I'll be enjoying the audiobook rather than stressing out over traffic. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 Currently free for Kindle readers ~ Past Crimes: A Compendium of Historical Mysteries by Ashley Gardner (a pseudonym of Jennifer Ashley) Also free by the author: The Hanover Square Affair (Captain Lacey Regency Mysteries Book 1) and From Jennifer Ashley, With Love: Three Paranormal Romances from Bestselling Series by Jennifer Ashley and Allyson James From a different author ~ Saving the Sheriff: A Three River Ranch Novella by Roxanne Snopek plus A bookish post from the Word Wenches site: What We're Reading: The Christmastide Edition Regards, Kareni 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 The Club Dumas is on sale today. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 The Club Dumas is on sale today. This looks like a really good book and it would mark Spain (Spanish author) off my list for next years plans. My overdrive has it which is even better! ;) ErinE I hope you are feeling much better today! I have found a Q for Turquoise thanks to Erin. Her recommendation of The Quant's for my DC will work for me too. It's already reserved so bonus points! In the distant past I really loved the quantitative analysis course I took so I suspect this book will be really interesting. I finished listening to Runemarks by Joanne Harris for my local author Bingo square. It was interesting but I can't say I loved it. I thought I would really enjoy the mythology element and didn't. When I was recording it in Goodreads I discovered she also wrote The Gospel of Loki which I abandoned a few years ago after reading a significant portion of. I would have read her other series if I had known that! https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1877314.Runemarks 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 The sisters don't have any Christmas traditions, can Olaf find some in time for the holiday? I wrapped up 24 Christmas books for the boys to open one each evening leading up to Christmas. Saturday was the book that is based on that short. It took me maybe 5 minutes to read. I can't imagine stretching it out so incredibly long. --- I read Summerlost by Ally Condie. I loved it. It's a middle grade book so it reads really fast, but I love her writing so I'll read anything by her. It was so touching. It was about loss, grief, and finding friendship. Excellent book. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 (edited) I had to read this in college, and I remember it was interesting, but just so darn long. Re: The Agony and The Ecstasy We enjoyed the movie and called it good:) The book sits on the shelf, but so far it has had no takers. ETA: I have heard good things about a this new biography of Leonardo da Vinci. Edited December 4, 2017 by Penguin 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 Still working through Untangled for personal reading. Finished So Dear to My Heart (North). For audiobooks, we're halfway through Oliver Twist, but took a break to listen to the middle school discussion book, Harriet the Spy. It's really funny (to me) in some places. Or maybe I'm just goofy. Read-aloud is still A Polar Bear Christmas - roughly halfway done. May work some short books in before I do my next hand-me-down box for my nieces. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 I'm listening to The Painted Veil, which I really like. The narrator is doing a good job, which is always a plus when listening to an audio book. I also started reading Acqua Alta. It's a typical Inspector Brunetti book, which means I'm enjoying it. I also started A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. I have had it on hold for awhile. At some point it came available and I had to decline it because I had too many other books in the air. It seems interesting so far. I have a very loooooong list of books recommended on this thread for the past, I don't know how many, years. I seem to remember that this one was recommended by Negin. After all the build-up and waiting, I hope it's good :laugh: . I bought the Kindle version over a year ago but have been holding off because I wanted to choose it as my book for book club. However, the book club seems to be falling apart and I'm tired of waiting to read it. I'm probably going to start it soon. If book club revives I'll still choose it, but I'm not going to wait any longer. We don't have a rule that you can't choose a book you've already read, but most of us choose one we've been wanting to read and discuss. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 An enjoyable post from the Book Riot site ~ My Favourite Souvenirs: Collecting Library Cards to Document My Life and Travels by Jen Sherman ** Currently free for Kindle readers ~ a one day only classic: Mary Barton by Elizabeth Gaskell historical inspirational romance: Larken (Graceling Hall Book 1) by Suzanne G. Rogers NOT free but a deal for $1.00: The Boxcar Children Mysteries: Books One Through Twelve by Gertrude Chandler Warner Regards, Kareni 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 I read The Feud That Sparked the Renaissance by Paul Robert Walker. It was textbooky but I learned so much. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant is on sale today. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 For the Arctic reads, The Terror by Dan Simmons is aptly named, terrifying and engrossing. This was a book that kept me reading and up late! 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 I reached my goal of 60 books this year last week. I finished Artemis by Andy Weir (The Martian) and it was ok/good. eh. I'm on The Whispering Room by Koontz, 2nd in a new series. Next will be Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng, which has been raved about too much for me to ignore! 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 (edited) I hit my goal of 52 Adult /YA books this week. :hurray: I count Children's/ Middle Grades separately. Congrats to those wrapping up their personal challenges. I have one novel left to read for a Goodreads group challenge, and then I will have completed the 2017 challenges I set for myself. I am so excited about my next read!!!!!!!! Seth's Christmas Ghost Stories: Each book is a petite 4" X 6" and contains one short story. From the back of each book: "Revive a Spooky, Old Christmas Tradition: Reading a ghost story on Christmas Eve was once as much a part of traditional Christmas celebrations as turkey, eggnog, and Santa Claus." I am swooning over the prospect of reading these older stories as well as swooning over the book design. Take a look at the covers in the link, if you are interested. But what you can't see are that there are also internal illustrations by the comic artist Seth. My indie bookstore had them sitting by the cash register - I bought for both myself and for stocking stuffers. Titles: The Empty House by Algernon Blackwood The Signalman by Charles Dickens One Who Saw by A.M. Burrage The Diary of Poynter by M.R. James Afterward by Edith Warton. This the longest one - 84 pages. Most are 50-ish pages. The Toll house by W.W. Jacobs The Crown Derby Plate by Marjorie Bowen How Fear Departed the Long Gallery by E.F. Benson Edited December 4, 2017 by Penguin 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted December 4, 2017 Author Share Posted December 4, 2017 (edited) I finished the 2018 bingo and will get it posted to the blog soon. If you have any questions, let me know. What do you all think about lowering the page count to 100 or 150? I'll post a picture tomorrow as my work pc isn't cooperating. ETA: Yes, something happened when copied it over so some words missing- corrected copy 2018 52 books bingo 20 x 18 (1).pdf 2018 52 books bingo 20 x 18 (1).pdf Edited December 4, 2017 by Robin M 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 I'll throw out another polar title from my TBR list: Memoirs of a Polar Bear by Yoko Tawada. Magic realism. Translated literature. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 (edited) I finished Becoming Brilliant and didn't learn anything new. Not one thing. Great book for someone who has not read anything about child development and how children learn. I did find it interesting that the authors never once mentioned homeschooling as an option. 1.5 more books and I'm done with bingo. Edited December 5, 2017 by Mom-ninja. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zebra Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 I finished the 2018 bingo and will get it posted to the blog soon. If you have any questions, let me know. What do you all think about lowering the page count to 100 or 150? I'll post a picture tomorrow as my work pc isn't cooperating. ETA: Yes, something happened when copied it over so some words missing- corrected copy 2018 52 books bingo 20 x 18 (1).pdf I'm confused about how this works. For example in the top left corner, are you supposed to find a book written in the 14th century written by an author with your initials and size in the title set on an island? Or are the squares independent of each other? I would assume the squares are independent, but you guys have always been book bingo ninjas... 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loesje22000 Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 I finished the 2018 bingo and will get it posted to the blog soon. If you have any questions, let me know. What do you all think about lowering the page count to 100 or 150? I'll post a picture tomorrow as my work pc isn't cooperating. ETA: Yes, something happened when copied it over so some words missing- corrected copy 2018 52 books bingo 20 x 18 (1).pdf I love it! I think lowering to 150 - 175 would be nice. I would feel less guilty then when a book has 185 pages.... Most books I read have more pages, but debute author was one that was hard to find :) 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loesje22000 Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 Hi guys, Can you help us with English Literature Vocab? In dutch we have: Verteltijd = the actual amount of pages or sentences that is needed to tell about a certain time frame Vertelde tijd = the actual time frame that is covered by the story As you can see, those words are pretty similar in Dutch, and therefore confusing. We hope that English (or French or German) has also words for this but less similar, so we can remember the difference better. Does anybody knows such words? 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 Late posting this week! Finished two books this week.... 141. Going Postal by Terry Pratchett (audiobook) - I liked this one even better than Wee Free Men. The guy who did the audio was great - he really did all the voices well. I don't think I have a need to go read all the Discworld books, but I do think I'd like to hit the highlights - I think I've heard Mort and Guards, Guards! are other ones that are especially good? Any more I should add to a short list? For the Philately square. 4 stars. 142. El olvido que seremos by Héctor Abad Faciolince - really liked this book, a loving memoir about the author's father who was murdered. For the 'Set in South America' square. 4.5 stars. Currently reading - The Map Thief (audiobook) - enjoying this one so far. History of the thief but also of cartography and the antiquarian map trade. - Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver (ebook) - Told from three different points of view; the three protagonists are in the same small town but as yet haven't met - expecting that the three threads will intertwine by the end? Coming up: Next audio will be Stardust by Gaiman. Next hardcopy book I'll have to make up my mind between that Women in the Klondike book or The Sisters Brothers; I have them both here now. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 (edited) I'm confused about how this works. For example in the top left corner, are you supposed to find a book written in the 14th century written by an author with your initials and size in the title set on an island? Or are the squares independent of each other? I would assume the squares are independent, but you guys have always been book bingo ninjas... They must be independent because if they aren't, I am in trouble! Robin would never do that to us. It's supposed to be fun. :). I need to find time to sit down and start trying to match books that I have on lists to the categories. I am going to second Loesje with dropping the page count to 150. I normally have a hard time in one category finding a book that is long enough. It would be nice not to feel guilt because many of my books for Bingo are chunky. Loesje, I hope someone can answer your vocabulary question. I showed it to dd who is my in house expert and she can't think of any similar words in her languages. I am too stressed with finishing my challenges to read an artic book but my author A to Z did take me to Iceland for I, Indridason. Reykjavik Nights https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18803656-reykjav-k-nights has been on my list all year so I was glad to have a good excuse to read it. ;) I really enjoyed it and hadn't expected to. I was advised to start with Jar City which I liked. Reykjavik Nights came close to 5stars for me which might just be because it was the first in the series. Edited December 5, 2017 by mumto2 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 I'm confused about how this works. For example in the top left corner, are you supposed to find a book written in the 14th century written by an author with your initials and size in the title set on an island? Or are the squares independent of each other? I would assume the squares are independent, but you guys have always been book bingo ninjas... I believe the outer rim blocks are the bonus 18 mystery squares. Not sure if all those 18 are supposed to be in the mystery category. For example a mystery written by an author with your initials. A mystery with a size in the title and so forth. Correct? Or are the 18 mystery squares any category? 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 Loesje, I hope someone can answer your vocabulary question. I showed it to dd who is my in house expert and she can't think of any similar words in her languages. I'm actually glad to hear you say that, because I was thinking I had absolutely no idea, and maybe my analysis skills were just really poor because I'd never thought of differentiating those things, much less coming up with words for each thing! Another example of how words can help define how you see the world. If you don't have a word for it, sometimes it's like the concept doesn't exist in your mind. Like those two different ways to say 'to be' in Spanish. It's a huge brain exercise to tease out the differences, because in most other languages, there's just no difference at all! Loesje, do you know if those words have German translations? I'm wondering if I could wrap my head around it better if they did... 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mothersweets Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 Have you all seen this? It's NPR's Book Concierge - looks like a good way to lose an hour or two, lol. http://apps.npr.org/best-books-2017/#/_ 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loesje22000 Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 Loesje, do you know if those words have German translations? I'm wondering if I could wrap my head around it better if they did... Yes, German has the same problem according to wiki: Erzählzeit erzählte Zeit Dd understands the difference pefectly, but she mixes word - meaning all the time because the words are so close. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 Yes, German has the same problem according to wiki: Erzählzeit erzählte Zeit Dd understands the difference pefectly, but she mixes word - meaning all the time because the words are so close. Okay, bizarrely having the German translation makes me understand what you're getting at in a way that your descriptions alone didn't (although I still kind of needed both to wrap my head around it)... And yet, I have absolutely no idea how one would express either term in English or if there even if the concepts behind those things are a thing in literary analysis beyond 'timeframe', which doesn't differentiate... why is the first one (Erzählzeit) even important? Is there really some standard analysis that goes into how many pages are used by the author in covering a specific span of time? That seems so random. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 Currently free for Kindle readers ~ a one day only classic: Indiana by George Sand Elsker by S.T. Bende North of Need by Laura Kaye The Threat of Madness by D.K. Holmberg Regards, Kareni 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted December 5, 2017 Author Share Posted December 5, 2017 Hi guys, Can you help us with English Literature Vocab? In dutch we have: Verteltijd = the actual amount of pages or sentences that is needed to tell about a certain time frame Vertelde tijd = the actual time frame that is covered by the story As you can see, those words are pretty similar in Dutch, and therefore confusing. We hope that English (or French or German) has also words for this but less similar, so we can remember the difference better. Does anybody knows such words? Maybe it refers to time line versus timeframe of the story. The sequence of events versus the time period in which the story took place. The amount of pages needed to tell the story depends on the story being told. Or Verteltijd May refer to the percentage of pages to read [which Kindle uses) whereas Vertelde tijd is the amount of time which are pretty close in English language. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loesje22000 Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 Okay, bizarrely having the German translation makes me understand what you're getting at in a way that your descriptions alone didn't (although I still kind of needed both to wrap my head around it)... And yet, I have absolutely no idea how one would express either term in English or if there even if the concepts behind those things are a thing in literary analysis beyond 'timeframe', which doesn't differentiate... why is the first one (Erzählzeit) even important? Is there really some standard analysis that goes into how many pages are used by the author in covering a specific span of time? That seems so random. YesThe flemish and dutch do... It is in our exam requirements for Dutch, English, German and French :) It makes a difference if one needs 5 pages for 50 minutes in a story or 5 sentences. It is about the pace of a story.... 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loesje22000 Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 Maybe it refers to time line versus timeframe of the story. The sequence of events versus the time period in which the story took place. The amount of pages needed to tell the story depends on the story being told. Or Verteltijd May refer to the percentage of pages to read [which Kindle uses) whereas Vertelde tijd is the amount of time which are pretty close in English language. It is the latter 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 It is the latter Don't you mean the former (the first one)? The latter one (the second) that Robin describes sounds like just how much time it takes you (the reader) to physically read a book vs. how many pages you still have to read (like on a Kindle) - that's not a tool of literary analysis nor does it have anything to do with what the author has done, only what the reader has done. Robin's first description is how I understood your meaning (and what it seems you're explaining elsewhere). Or maybe you're just mixing up former and latter? ;) 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loesje22000 Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 Don't you mean the former (the first one)? The latter one (the second) that Robin describes sounds like just how much time it takes you (the reader) to physically read a book vs. how many pages you still have to read (like on a Kindle) - that's not a tool of literary analysis nor does it have anything to do with what the author has done, only what the reader has done. Robin's first description is how I understood your meaning (and what it seems you're explaining elsewhere). Or maybe you're just mixing up former and latter? ;) I will answer back when it is morning here :) 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted December 5, 2017 Author Share Posted December 5, 2017 (edited) I'm confused about how this works. For example in the top left corner, are you supposed to find a book written in the 14th century written by an author with your initials and size in the title set on an island? Or are the squares independent of each other? I would assume the squares are independent, but you guys have always been book bingo ninjas... The squares are all independent of each other. However ... mum gave me an idea ... Another way is to do a book scavenger or clue hunt and connect each read to the next one somehow. They must be independent because if they aren't, I am in trouble! Robin would never do that to us. It's supposed to be fun. :). I need to find time to sit down and start trying to match books that I have on lists to the categories. I am going to second Loesje with dropping the page count to 150. I normally have a hard time in one category finding a book that is long enough. It would be nice not to feel guilt because many of my books for Bingo are chunky. Loesje, I hope someone can answer your vocabulary question. I showed it to dd who is my in house expert and she can't think of any similar words in her languages. I am too stressed with finishing my challenges to read an artic book but my author A to Z did take me to Iceland for I, Indridason. Reykjavik Nights https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18803656-reykjav-k-nights has been on my list all year so I was glad to have a good excuse to read it. ;) I really enjoyed it and hadn't expected to. I was advised to start with Jar City which I liked. Reykjavik Nights came close to 5stars for me which might just be because it was the first in the series. Glad to hear you enjoyed Indridason's books. I've debated which one to start with. And I'm the same as you. Like to start at the beginning versus in the middle of series. Yes, the kitties are good by the way. They were all inside for the night. I believe the outer rim blocks are the bonus 18 mystery squares. Not sure if all those 18 are supposed to be in the mystery category. For example a mystery written by an author with your initials. A mystery with a size in the title and so forth. Correct? Or are the 18 mystery squares any category? The bonus squares started out as applying to mysteries since most of the books I found with each category ended up being a mystery. But we don't need to stick with mysteries and books can be in any category. Edited December 5, 2017 by Robin M 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted December 5, 2017 Author Share Posted December 5, 2017 Yes The flemish and dutch do... It is in our exam requirements for Dutch, English, German and French :) It makes a difference if one needs 5 pages for 50 minutes in a story or 5 sentences. It is about the pace of a story.... It is the latter I will answer back when it is morning here :) Hmm! Not sure I entirely understand. Is it a math or comprehension question? Is it in regards to the writing of a story and how much time it takes to write a page of words or the reading of the story and how long it takes to read a certain number of words or pages? Or how time is calculated in a story? It sounds like the questions James gets on annual educational tests and we spend an hour debating word usage and what exactly they are asking for. :laugh: Have a good evening! :001_smile: 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loesje22000 Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 Hmm! Not sure I entirely understand. Is it a math or comprehension question? Is it in regards to the writing of a story and how much time it takes to write a page of words or the reading of the story and how long it takes to read a certain number of words or pages? Or how time is calculated in a story? It sounds like the questions James gets on annual educational tests and we spend an hour debating word usage and what exactly they are asking for. :laugh: Have a good evening! :001_smile: It is about literature analyse, But seeing you all struggling with these concepts give us confidence :) I think the english words are narritive time & narration time, Does that sounds familiar? 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.