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Book a Week 2018 - BW15: National Poetry Month goes International


Robin M
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Happy Sunday and welcome to week Fifteen in our Open Roads Reading Adventure. Greetings to all our readers and to all following our progress.  Mister Linky is available weekly on 52 Books in 52 Weeks  to share a link to your book reviews.

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In April 1996 the National Poetry Month was established by the Academy of American Poets for the purpose of introducing more people to the pleasures of reading poetry and to appreciate the achievements of American poets.  This year's celebration include the Dear Poet project and invites students to watch the chancellors read a poem, then write a letter in response.  The poster was created by graphic designer Paula Scher.  It celebrates typography and is concrete poetry and evokes Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass.

Included in the list of 30 ways to celebrate are

 ·         Buy a book of poetry 

·         Attend a poetry reading

·         reading Edward Hirsch’s essay “How to Read a Poem.

·         Read Allen Ginsberg’s classic essay about Walt Whitman’s “Leaves of Grass.” 

·         Recreate a poet’s favorite food or drink by following his or her recipe.

·         Watch or read Carolyn Forche’s talk “Not Persuasion, But Transport: The Poetry of Witness.”

·         Read or listen to Mark Doty’s talk “Tide of Voices: Why Poetry Matters Now.”

·         Write a poem of your own. 

Poetry is a way of celebrating and/or processing emotions: from the happy - full of laughter, to the sad - filled with angst, to the mad - fit to burst.  Npr's 2018 Poetry review runs the gamut of emotions with their selection of powerful books of poetry with The Personal is Always Political.  

 According to Bustle, these are the 18 poets you need to read in 2018

 We mustn't forget to celebrate English Poets and Poetry as well as other international poets including Icelandic poets such as Vatnsenda-Rósa,  Magnús Sigurðsson or  Gyrðir Elíasson, or  Gerður Kristný.  Don't forget to check out Hello Poetry's selection of Icelandic Poems.

Take a peek at the poets involved in Versefest 2018,  Ottawa’s annual International Festival of Poetry, which took place a couple weeks ago.  

Want to try your hand at translating a poem? Participate (online or personally) in the the poetry translation project - In Other Words - at the 49th Poetry International Festival taking place in Rotterdam on May 29th through June 3rd.

Celebrate poetry with me this month and read a poem or book of poems or read about the life of a poet. Try your hand at writing a poem and try different forms  including haiku, free verse, sonnet or verse.

Blank

 

What do you see,

When you draw a blank?

Letters, foggy and fuzzy

Roam and flee.

 

Words, simple.

Yet not.

 

Like butterflies waiting to land.

Do you catch them or wait?

They sit on the tip of your tongue.

On the back of your hand.

 

Rhythm and rhyme,

Let it be.

Make you see.

Take your time.

 

Words, simple.

Yet not.

 

Pens bleed

Across the page.

Strokes and symbols

Take on need.

 

Blank and blind

Thoughts and letters,

Illuminate and illustrate

What comes to mind.

 

Words, simple.

Yet not.

 

~by Robin M~

******************************************

For our brit trippers following Dere Street, Durham has been the home to an incredible number of famous and talented people, alive and dead. From St. Cuthbert to Hugh Walpole to Mary Stewart to the beloved Rowan Atkinson.

 Rabbit trails:  Durham Cathedral  Barnard Castle

 ******************************************

 

What are you reading? 

Link to Week 14

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I'm currently reading Michael Connolly's The Black Echo as well as kid's book Hatchet by Gary Paulsen.

Hubby and I watched the new Jumanji movie last night with Dwayne The Rock Johnson and Jack Black.  One scene I laughed so hard was crying and breathless.  Great movie.

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I am totally lost in the Britt Tripp. Having the boards down made me aware I read more when I am reading about what you guys are reading. It was great for my crocheting though, but now I have to find my reading habit back...

I did read for some Bingo squares, some Medieval set books. I did not care much about them.

I did like the book ‘ In vredesnaam’ (In the name of peace) very much. Part of it was set at the time of the Peace of Utrecht. Part of it was set in current times. I know Utrecht well, and liked to mind travel through the streets :) The ‘women against men’ consparicy was well written. It was a while ago I really enjoyed a book, and this is a new one :)

 

No grades for French exam yet, so we become a little nervous. checking the examboard way too often....

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Woohoo -- my first post on the new boards!  I was out of town much of last week, and it took some doing to get back on the forums due to password issues and an old e-mail address. But here I am!

While we were on blackout, I read and very much enjoyed Elizabeth George's latest Inspector Lynley novel, The Punishment She Deserves. I know folk who gave up on the series a few years ago, for understandable reasons, but this felt like the good old days of her novels. This was a book I found at Costco -- I always stop by the book table, and while I don't often find something to buy, it is a pleasant surprise when I find a new title by a favorite author.  Mumto2 -- I was using your postcard as a bookmark for this book as it seemed fitting to have an English postcard for a book set in England. And, for those of you Brit tripping, this was set in Shropshire. 

I'm about 3/4 through Middlemarch, but have slowed down a bit as I've once again hit a dull section on politics. It's like the war sections in War and Peace, a necessary part of the novel, but a slog nevertheless.The war scenes out-slog the political scenes by far, lol!

I've been listening to some podcasts, including some of the Duolingo stories for intermediate learners of Spanish. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy they were to follow, so have been hunting for some more listening practice on youtube. The plan is to follow up with some Spanish language novels.

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I read Rick Steves' Pocket Venice - 5 Stars - I really like convenience and size of the Rick Steves Pocket Guides, as well as the fact that they’re such useful resources, as with all of his books. 

Angels and Demons - 3 Stars - I probably read this more than ten years ago, shortly after reading “The Da Vinci Code”. I didn’t remember it too much and chose to read it again, since the book is set in the Vatican, which we’ll be visiting soon. This was a fun and interesting page-turner, that wasn’t too predictable, at least not for me. Finally, I appreciated the fact that the romance didn’t take over the story. 

Some of my favorite quotes:

“God answers all prayers, but sometimes his answer is 'no'.” 

“Whether or not you believe in God, you must believe this: when we as a species abandon our trust in a power greater than us, we abandon our sense of accountability. Faiths… all faiths… are admonitions that there is something we cannot understand, something to which we are accountable. With faith we are accountable to each other, to ourselves, and to a higher truth. Religion is flawed, but only because man is flawed. The church consists of a brotherhood of imperfect, simple souls wanting only to be a voice of compassion in a world spinning out of control.”

“Science tells me God must exist. My mind tells me I will never understand God. And my heart tells me I am not meant to.”

“The media is the right arm of anarchy.”

“Skepticism has become a virtue. Cynicism and demand for proof has become enlightened thought. Is it any wonder that humans now feel more depressed and defeated than they have at any point in human history?”

9781631213106.jpg     9780552161268.jpg

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.

 

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Finished one hardcopy book and one audiobook last week.

Lady Fortescue Steps Out  Lighthearted Regency with a group of somewhat standard characters doing something a bit different. I liked how the author had one of the characters be something of a scoundrel and yet she to gave him a bit of humanity, too. I listened to this on audio - narrated by Davina Porter - and it was a lot of fun. I see that Amy read this a few years ago and wasn't impressed. :) I think the audio really upped the whole experience for me and I find that a lot of my enjoyment of these types of books depends on my current state of mind. I'm currently listening to the next in the series as I signed up for Audible's Romance package and it's worth it for me so far. 

The Last Anniversary Fast paced early novel by the author of Big Little Lies, Liane Moriarty. Enjoyed this, interesting story with characters that are a bit stereotyped but still relatable and amusing. 

I want to hop back on the Rebel bus but haven't quite found just the thing to get me there. 

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A number of currently free books for Kindle readers ~

inspirational fiction:   The Dragons of Alsace Farm: A Story of Love and Redemption  by Laurie Lewis

paranormal suspense:   First Touch  by Teyla Branton

paranormal shifter:  Wild Hearts (Wild Lake Origins Book 1)   by Kimber White

action thriller:  Slaughter: Origin Story (DJ Slaughter Book 1)  by James Beltz

humorous mystery:  Eat, Pray, Die  by Chelsea Field

romantic comedy  :  Beg, Borrow or Steal  by Susie Tate

regency romance:   Never Wager Against Love  by Maureen Driscoll

regency romance:  A Kiss for Miss Kingsley (A Waltz with a Rogue Book 1)  by Collette Cameron

small town romance:    Fire and Glass (Main Street Merchants)   by Linda Seed

science fiction for children:  Sleep Writer (Book 1)   and a fantasy:   Island of Fog (Book 1)  both by  Keith Robinson

LGBTQ sword and sorcery:   Dragonoak: The Complete History of Kastelir   by Sam Farren

LGBT coming of age:  A Faithful Son  and  Aunt Sookie & Me: the sordid tale of a scandalous southern belle  both byMichael Garvin

Regards,
Kareni

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Only finished one book since the boards came back mid-last week

29. Children of God by Mary Doria Russell - this is the sequel to The Sparrow.  It picks up right where the first book left off.  If you liked the first book at all, maybe even especially if you liked it but were a little disturbed by it, I highly recommend reading the second one as it clarifies a lot what/why things happened the way they did in the first book, continues the story, and ends on a more positive note. 4.5 stars.

Currently reading:

- Menschensöhne by Arnaldur Indriðason - This is the first Erlendur mystery.  I don't believe it's been translated into English, but I thought I'd go back to the first one (I started originally with Nordermoor/Jar City, the third one, and have since read the fourth, fifth, and second...)   Nice that I managed to at least start it on the week that aligned with BaW - and I didn't even do it on purpose!  Good so far, per usual.  Erlendur and Sigurður Oli have just started working together and don't know each other well yet.

- Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman (audiobook) - At first I wasn't sure I was going to like this that much, but it quickly grew on me, and there's obviously a lot more going on with Eleanor than appeared at the beginning.  Curious where the story will go.  Also enjoying all the Scottish narration. :)

- Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Killings and the Birth of the FBI (ebook) - still reading, still very interesting

- Middlemarch by George Eliot (audiobook) - a bit over halfway done and still quite enjoying it; I'm taking a bit of a break to listen to Eleanor Oliphant. :)

Coming up:

Would like to finish up my next SciFi book club book (We Are Legion, We Are Bob!) before I leave for Spain next Sat.  Then I'm going to bring some Spanish books with me to Spain - Kalpa Imperial and maybe El poeta niño.  I'll probably pick something Spanish for my next ebook(s), too.  Might as well immerse while I'm there! 

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4 hours ago, Robin M said:

I'm currently reading Michael Connolly's The Black Echo as well as kid's book Hatchet by Gary Paulsen.

Hubby and I watched the new Jumanji movie last night with Dwayne The Rock Johnson and Jack Black.  One scene I laughed so hard was crying and breathless.  Great movie.

I thought the new Jumanji was great too!

4 hours ago, JennW in SoCal said:

Woohoo -- my first post on the new boards!  I was out of town much of last week, and it took some doing to get back on the forums due to password issues and an old e-mail address. But here I am!

While we were on blackout, I read and very much enjoyed Elizabeth George's latest Inspector Lynley novel, The Punishment She Deserves. I know folk who gave up on the series a few years ago, for understandable reasons, but this felt like the good old days of her novels. This was a book I found at Costco -- I always stop by the book table, and while I don't often find something to buy, it is a pleasant surprise when I find a new title by a favorite author.  Mumto2 -- I was using your postcard as a bookmark for this book as it seemed fitting to have an English postcard for a book set in England. And, for those of you Brit tripping, this was set in Shropshire. 

I'm about 3/4 through Middlemarch, but have slowed down a bit as I've once again hit a dull section on politics. It's like the war sections in War and Peace, a necessary part of the novel, but a slog nevertheless.The war scenes out-slog the political scenes by far, lol!

I've been listening to some podcasts, including some of the Duolingo stories for intermediate learners of Spanish. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy they were to follow, so have been hunting for some more listening practice on youtube. The plan is to follow up with some Spanish language novels.

I really think I have only read one Inspector Lynley, the first.  It was OK but part of my lack of enthusiasm was I was expecting a gentle cosy mystery and it was not gentle.  I think I am ready to try another.....I actually went through the list last night hunting for a Durham setting.  No luck.  What do you think, just start where I left off or skip ahead a few?  I have watched and enjoyed several of the TV episodes.

4 hours ago, loesje22000 said:

I am totally lost in the Britt Tripp. Having the boards down made me aware I read more when I am reading about what you guys are reading. It was great for my crocheting though, but now I have to find my reading habit back...

I did read for some Bingo squares, some Medieval set books. I did not care much about them.

I did like the book ‘ In vredesnaam’ (In the name of peace) very much. Part of it was set at the time of the Peace of Utrecht. Part of it was set in current times. I know Utrecht well, and liked to mind travel through the streets :) The ‘women against men’ consparicy was well written. It was a while ago I really enjoyed a book, and this is a new one :)

 

No grades for French exam yet, so we become a little nervous. checking the examboard way too often....

Fingers crossed on the French exam.  ? 

Medieval settings are a bit hit or miss for me also.  I have two on my Kindle that are new to me authors which I hope to try this week.  Absolution of Murder by Peter Tremayne which is set in Whitby and Hangman Blind by Cassandra Clarke which is set in York.  I have given up on Hangman Blind in the past.  It’s popular in gift shops around York and I think I bought it and passed in on years ago unread.

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1 hour ago, mumto2 said:

 

I really think I have only read one Inspector Lynley, the first.  It was OK but part of my lack of enthusiasm was I was expecting a gentle cosy mystery and it was not gentle.  I think I am ready to try another.....I actually went through the list last night hunting for a Durham setting.  No luck.  What do you think, just start where I left off or skip ahead a few?  I have watched and enjoyed several of the TV episodes.

 

Elizabeth George does a great job filling in any pertinent background info you need, so I think you'd be fine jumping into this one. It certainly isn't cozy (or cosy for that matter!) but it isn't as dark as some of her earlier titles. 

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National poetry month! Yes! Which moves us up to the furthest corner of early medieval Northumbria: Edinburgh, and the poet of "Auld Reikie," Robert Fergusson. Born in Edinburgh in 1750, Fergusson died, mad and destitute, at the age of 24, leaving a remarkable body of some of the best Scots poetry ever written.

Quote

Reikie, farewel! I ne'er cou'd part

Wi' thee but wi' a dowy heart;

Aft frae the Fifan coast I've seen

Thee tow'ring on thy summit green,

So glowr the saints when first is given

A fav'rite keek o' glore and heaven;

On earth nae mair they bend their ein,

But quick assume angelic mien;

So I on Fife wad glowr no more,

But gallop'd to Edina's shore.

 

On the way to Tyne & Wear and Edinburgh, I passed through Durham with two lives of St. Cuthbert: the "Anonymous Life" (700) and Bede's "Prose Life" (721), based on the already-popular anonymous Life of St. Cuthbert. Now it's iffy, I admit, arguing that these are set in Durham when Durham really only exists as an entity because that's where St. Cuthbert's relics ended up (having been moved from place to place in Northumbria - then stretching from the Humber to Edinburgh - to keep them away from marauding Vikings). Durham was a desolate wasteland at the mouth of the Wear in the seventh century. But one of his miracles is in fact set at the mouth of the River Wear: he's traveling between monasteries and his horse miraculously fetches him fresh bread and meat in the middle of uninhabited nowhere, i.e. someday-Durham. And furthermore, my edition of Two Lives of St. Cuthbert was translated and edited from the original manuscripts by a Reader in English at the University of Durham. So I'm going to count it.

From Bede's Life of St. Cuthbert, here's an endearing part that should be familiar to anyone who read Ring of Bright Water:

Quote

Going into the deep water until the swelling waves rose as far as his neck and arms, [Cuthbert] spent the dark hours of the night watching and singing praises to the sound of the waves. When daybreak was at hand, he went up on to the land and began to pray once more, kneeling on the shore. While he was doing this, there came forth from the depths of the sea two four-footed creatures which are commonly called otters (quadrupedia quae vulgo lutraeae vocantur). These, prostrate before him on the sand, began to warm his feet with their breath and sought to dry him with their fur, and when they had finished their ministrations they received his blessing and slipped away into their native waters.

(I'd like to point out that my cat is performing this very miracle right now.)

And ... I believe the Anonymous Life of St. Cuthbert gets the "one book published anonymously" requirement for the "Jane Austen" level of the Rebel Rank.

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I fulfilled a wish today - I saw Shakespeare performed at the Folger Theater in DC. A friend and I saw The Winter's Tale this afternoon. It was so lovely - both the staging and the venue. We were able to peek into the Reading Room, but you can't go in without a tour. While waiting for the theatre doors to open, we were able to view the current exhibition Beyond Words: Book Illustration in the Age of Shakespeare. It was a great day :)

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JennW, I read The Punishment She Deserves last week and I had the same reaction.  Finally the series is back on track!

This weekend I reread Marjorie Morningstar, by Herman Wouk, which I last read about 30 years ago, when I was a teenager myself.   I vaguely remembered enjoying it the first time around, but this time I just adored it.  It is such a period piece, just embedded in one particular historical/cultural/social moment (middle-class Jewish life in the 1930s and 40s), yet it holds up extremely well.   I now completely identified with Marjorie's mother, of course, and there is a description of Majorie's brother preparing for his bar mitzvah that made me burst out laughing; my oldest is preparing for his bar mitzvah in about 6 weeks, and it was as if Wouk was describing the current scene in our house.

 

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Evening, ladies.  Taxes are almost done. One more review and then we can send them off. Yeah!

For Brit Trip so far, I've hit five counties, totally out of order, of course with:  London, York, Somersetshire, Leicestershire, and Kent.

Sheri Cobb South's For Deader or Worse and Dinner Most Deadly from her Detective John set Picket series set in England are ready to move on to a new home.  Wonderful series. Let me know if you would like to read them and I'll sent your way.   Now that I started in the middle of the series, will have to go back and read the first three. 

Hatchet was a quick read about 13 year old surviving in Canadian wilderness after plane crash. Quite good. 

Karen - Thank you as always for all the great links.

Loeseje - keeping fingers crossed for good results.  Hang in there.

Negin - great quotes and makes me want to read the book again! 

As Arnold say's "I'll be baaacckk!"  Off to finish lesson plans and get dinner on the table. 

Rose Emoticon

 

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Figuring I'd better post now, and come back to carry on reading what you're each doing later.

Audible has a 30% of the list price for members so I've purchased a few lower priced, Brit Trip,  audios to enjoy:  Further Afield ~ Miss Read,  Parker Pyne Investigates ~ Christie, The Unexpected Guest ~ Christie ( I can't recall having ever read this one). 

I still have my small pile of sip reads on the go and I'm currently listening to, or, reading the following: 

  • The Barefoot Investor: The Only Money Guide You'll Ever Need ~ Scott Pape N/F (Audio. contains coarse language and some off colour jokes)
  • Battles at Thrush Green: Bk4 ~ Miss Read     “English village” in the Cotswold Gloucestershire
  • A Circle of Quiet ~ Madeleine L'engle       N/F   USA  epukapuka copy
  • A Beautiful Blue Death ~ Charles Finch

 

Completed since last check-in:

  • The Unknown Ajax ~ Georgette Heyer, narrated by Daniel Philpott  (re-listen)  (3.5) Sussex/Yorkshire
  • The Labour of Hercules: Hercule Poirot ~ Agatha Christie, narrated by Hugh Fraser (2.5)  Berkshire/ “English village” / “Lyde Manor”/ “Mertonshire” / “Cranchester” / Devon / London
  • Sister Eve, Private Eye ~ Lynne Hinton  (library book)   (USA)  (3)  I enjoyed the story about Eve, but thought the mystery portion wasn’t so well written.

 

 

 

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This past week I reached Book 38:

■ Little Fires Everywhere (Celeste Ng; 2017. Fiction.)
■ Everything I Never Told You (Celeste Ng; 2014. Fiction.)
■ Black Hammer, Vol. 1: The End (Jeff Lemire; 2017. Graphic fiction.)

While I adore Jeff Lemire, I do not, in general, adore “superhero” narratives, so Black Hammer was only meh for me; I won’t pursue other volumes in the series. The Ng novels were pretty terrific, though. Over the weekend, I began Meg Wolitzer’s new novel, The Female Persuasion. It began a little slowly, but I’ve settled in with it. My husband and I are also reading American Kingpin (Nick Bilton), the story of the Ross Ulbricht and the darknet market, Silk Road. I’m celebrating Poetry Month with Etter’s Alliance, Illinois. 

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20 hours ago, loesje22000 said:

No grades for French exam yet, so we become a little nervous. checking the examboard way too often....

*fingers crossed* I hope you guys get good news very soon!

18 hours ago, Mothersweets said:

Lady Fortescue Steps Out  Lighthearted Regency with a group of somewhat standard characters doing something a bit different. I liked how the author had one of the characters be something of a scoundrel and yet she to gave him a bit of humanity, too. I listened to this on audio - narrated by Davina Porter - and it was a lot of fun. I see that Amy read this a few years ago and wasn't impressed. :) I think the audio really upped the whole experience for me and I find that a lot of my enjoyment of these types of books depends on my current state of mind. I'm currently listening to the next in the series as I signed up for Audible's Romance package and it's worth it for me so far. 

 

I find it very interesting/humorous that about 90% of the time our reading tastes are perfectly aligned and then sometimes we're randomly on opposite ends of the spectrum. I do agree completely that a good narrator can increase a book's ranking by one to two stars.

When DD was little I tried reading The Wizard of Oz to her and we gave up because she just didn't like it. Then we tried it as an audiobook and we ended up driving in circles for an hour one evening to finish it up.

13 hours ago, Violet Crown said:

And ... I believe the Anonymous Life of St. Cuthbert gets the "one book published anonymously" requirement for the "Jane Austen" level of the Rebel Rank.

Hurrah!

11 hours ago, Robin M said:

Evening, ladies.  Taxes are almost done. One more review and then we can send them off. Yeah!

<snip>

Hatchet was a quick read about 13 year old surviving in Canadian wilderness after plane crash. Quite good.

Things I don't want to talk about ... 1. Taxes. And that's the list!

I adored Hatchet as a kid. Was this your first time reading it?

Should we ask about the contractor or just ignore that topic?

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20 hours ago, Robin M said:

Blank

 

What do you see,

When you draw a blank?

Letters, foggy and fuzzy

Roam and flee.

 

Words, simple.

Yet not.

 

Like butterflies waiting to land.

Do you catch them or wait?

They sit on the tip of your tongue.

On the back of your hand.

 

Rhythm and rhyme,

Let it be.

Make you see.

Take your time.

 

Words, simple.

Yet not.

 

Pens bleed

Across the page.

Strokes and symbols

Take on need.

 

Blank and blind

Thoughts and letters,

Illuminate and illustrate

What comes to mind.

 

Words, simple.

Yet not.

 

~by Robin M~

 

Love it!

My contribution to poetry month. The Soldier by Rupert Brooke read by Sophie Okonedo

 

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ErinE, Robin, and anyone else reading the Incrytid  series by  Seanan McGuire in the back of the kindle edition of Tricks for Hire there is a novella that should be read before the rest of the book.   I wish I had known that!  ;).  The story of the youngest Price daughter confined and I really enjoyed it!  Because she is in hiding she takes a job with a fake Disneyworld called Landryland located in Lakeland Florida.  The two parks have an intense competition but Landryland has something extra apparently because the place is filled with magic of the real variety.  Witches and lots of cryptic in hiding.  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23244609-tricks-for-free

I also finished Grace Burrowes latest Historical romance, A Tongue of Her Own.  No clue to the setting beyond Welsh border.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35723631-a-rogue-of-her-own

 

Finally finished my audiobook  which was my last book by Ariana Franklin, Grave Goods.  There is one more in the Mistress of the Art of Death series written by her daughter which I will eventually read.  This one was good fun if you enjoy the legend of King Arthur.  A fire at Glastonbury Cathedral disturbed a grave which the Cathedral is claiming belongs to Arthur and Guinevere.  Henry 2 sends in his experts to determine it the skeletons really are the remains of the legendary King.  This series has been a job to listen to.  I have to admit my hesitation to continue with the daughter  as author is there is some resolution to the greater storyline at the end of this book.  I like what happened and hate to see it disturbed!  Lol. Cambridge, Buckinghamshire, and Somerset

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6407662-grave-goods

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Last night I finished  Melissa F. Olson's Blood Gamble (Disrupted Magic Book 2) which I enjoyed.  I'd recommend that this series be read in order.  In fact, it would be best to start with the author's earlier series since a number of the characters reappear.   I know others here also read this author.  I prefer the series with  Scarlett and Lex to the author's Nightshades books ... how about you?

I've also been re-reading T. Hammond's Team Red books; I'm about to start book five.

Regards,
Kareni

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Some bookish posts ~

10 Witch Books That Will Hold You Spellbound by Olivia Mason

12 Portal Fiction Books That Will Transport You by Carolyn Cox

 

Some currently free books for Kindle readers ~

Mistaken Kiss: A Humorous Traditional Regency Romance  by Kathleen Baldwin

Can't Buy Me Love: A wild coming of age journey through the swinging sixties  by Martin Humphries

A Spirit's Kindred  by Katherine Kim

Mythical Doorways  stories by H. L. Burke and others

Life on the Mississippi  by Mark Twain
 
Regards,
Kareni
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Just discovered a lovely list of Agatha Christies's settings in Everyman's Guide to the Mysteries of Agatha Christie.

 

27. "Partners in Crime" by Agatha Christie. (London, Surrey, Sussex, Berkshire, Suffolk, Devon) A collection of short stories featuring Tommy and Tuppence, husband and wife detectives.

26. "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" by J.K. Rowling. (London, Surrey, and Devon) Listened while we traveled to and from our spring break trip.

25. "Give Your Child the World" by Jamie C. Martin.  Definitely going to try the books recommended here.

  • 24. "Vanishing Girl" by Shane Peacock. (London, Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire, Bedforshire, and Hampshire! --  I'll have my choice, and I've finally left London on my Brit trip!)
  • 23. "Honey for a Child's Heart" by Gladys Hunt.
  • 22. "How to Train Your Dragon" by Cressida Cowell.
  • 21. "Death in the Air" by Shane Peacock. (London) 
  • 20. "Her Royal Spyness" by Rhys Bowen. (London)
  • 19. "Teach Like Your Hair's On Fire" by Rafe Esquith.
  • 18. "Every Falling Star" by Sungju Lee. 
  • 17. "The Nature Fix" by Florence Williams.
  • 16. "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" by J,K. Rowling. (London and Surrey)
  • 15. "Why Don't Students Like School?" by Daniel T. Willingham.
  • 14. "Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd" by Alan Bradley. (London and fictional Bishop's Lacy)
  • 13. "Eye of the Crow" by Shane Peacock. (London)
  • 12.  "Secret Adversary" by Agatha Christie.  (London, Dorset, Kent,  and fictional England, and WWI at the beginning -- The opening scene is set on the sinking Lusitania.)
  • 11.  "Mysterious Affair at Styles" by Agatha Christie.   (London, Essex,  and fictional England, and WWI -- Hastings is home from the war for convalescence.  So to go with it, I read the poem, "In Flanders Field" by John McRae, and several of the other poems on the same site.)
  • 10.  "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" by J.K. Rowling. (London or Surrey)
  • 9.  "An Unsuitable Job For a Woman" by P.D. James. (Mainly Cambridge, some London)
  • 8. "Creative Schools" by Ken Robinson and Lou Aronica.
  • 7.  "CopShock: Surviving Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)" by Allen R. Kates.
  • 6. "Rethinking School: How to Take Charge of Your Child's Education" by Susan Wise Bauer.
  • 5. "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by J.K. Rowling.  (London or Surrey)
  • 4. "Guerrilla Learning: How to give your kids a real education with or without school" by Grace Llewellyn and Amy Silver.
  • 3. "Monkey Mind: A Memoir of Anxiety" by Daniel Smith.
  • 2. "Mother had a Secret: Learning to love My Mother & Her Multiple Personalities" by Tiffany Fletcher.
  • 1. "Life's lessons Learned" by Dallin H. Oaks. (LDS)
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Here's my flower and Brit Trip updates. Books in RED are in progress. I'm still laughably behind in my flower challenge. (Kara - how are you doing? I think we were going at the same pace.)

C – The Children of Green Knowe
H - Henrietta's War
R -  Winterdance: The Fine Madness of Running the Iditarod
Y – Young Men in Spats
S - Stormy Petrel
A – The Great and Terrible Quest
N – Now You See Me
T - Past Perfect, Present Tense
H - How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind
E - Editor-Proof Your Writing
M - The Scarlet Slipper Mystery
U -  Uncle Dynamite
M – The Magic Words

R – The Red House Mystery
O – The Old Fox Deceiv’d
S – Sad Cypress
E – Everyday Fashions of the Twenties

C – Cambridge Blue
L – A Day for Love
O –
V –  Cherry Ames, Visiting Nurse
E –
R – Rose Cottage

A – A Murder for her Majesty
V –
E –
N –

BRIT TRIP:

London (Scotland Yard) – Now You See Me
Cambridgeshire – Dead Scared
Huntingdonshire – The Children of Green Knowe
Bedfordshire – Cambridge Blue
Northamptonshire and Rutland – The Red House Mystery (Wild Card)
Nottinghamshire – Miss Silver Comes to Stay
East and West Riding of Yorkshire – Dying in the Wool
York – A Murder for her Majesty
North Yorkshire – The Old Fox Deceiv’d
Durham – Rose Cottage

 

 

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4 hours ago, aggieamy said:

 

I find it very interesting/humorous that about 90% of the time our reading tastes are perfectly aligned and then sometimes we're randomly on opposite ends of the spectrum. I do agree completely that a good narrator can increase a book's ranking by one to two stars.

When DD was little I tried reading The Wizard of Oz to her and we gave up because she just didn't like it. Then we tried it as an audiobook and we ended up driving in circles for an hour one evening to finish it up.

 

 

Yep, we've had a few of those  "second chance" books, too!

3 hours ago, mumto2 said:

 

Finally finished my audiobook  which was my last book by Ariana Franklin, Grave Goods.  There is one more in the Mistress of the Art of Death series written by her daughter which I will eventually read.  This one was good fun if you enjoy the legend of King Arthur.  A fire at Glastonbury Cathedral disturbed a grave which the Cathedral is claiming belongs to Arthur and Guinevere.  Henry 2 sends in his experts to determine it the skeletons really are the remains of the legendary King.  This series has been a job to listen to.  I have to admit my hesitation to continue with the daughter  as author is there is some resolution to the greater storyline at the end of this book.  I like what happened and hate to see it disturbed!  Lol. Cambridge, Buckinghamshire, and Somerset

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6407662-grave-goods

 

I have the first in this series on hold at the library and I think my turn is coming up soon. My aunt recommended it to me a few years ago and now hearing that you like the series too makes me even more eager to read it. :)

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5 hours ago, aggieamy said:

Things I don't want to talk about ... 1. Taxes. And that's the list!

I adored Hatchet as a kid. Was this your first time reading it?

Should we ask about the contractor or just ignore that topic?

Yes it was my first read of Hatchet.  Last night I asked James what would he do in the same situation and we had a long conversation during dinner about survival skills. He had no clue other than 'hug a tree' which he learned in cub scouts.  Then, walk until he found civilization. 

Contractor is officially fired.  We're waiting upon another contractor to finalize his bid, which has to include fixing old contractor's mistakes. More money.  Insert swoon icon here. 

 

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I am popping in to share a poem I'm putting in my daytimer weekly spread: 

 

The Peace of Wild Things by Wendell Berry

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

(& the review of his latest book where it appears: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/feb/20/the-peace-of-wild-things-wendell-barnes-rich-harvest)

I'm reading The Hanover Square Mystery (Captain Lacey Regency Mysteries 1) by Ashley Gardner 

& listening to Richard Armitage's narration of Sylvester by Georgette Heyer 

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Actually, I fulfilled TWO wishes in DC this weekend. We saw the Cherry Blossoms at peak bloom. They are NOT over-hyped as a must-see :) If you like flowers, they are absolutely worth seeing. We were tracking them online for weeks.

As far as reading goes, I am almost finished with Book 4 of Middlemarch. That is the half-way point. As soon as I get there, I am going to take a break and read Catherynne Valente's most recent book for children. In The Glass Town Game, in which the Bronte children find themselves within Glass Town - the world that they created. Has anyone read Tales of Glass Town, Angria, and Gondal: Selected Early Writings by the Brontes?

ETA: Loading pictures is so easy now. Hooray for that!

Cherry Blossoms 2018.jpg

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3 hours ago, hornblower said:

I am popping in to share a poem I'm putting in my daytimer weekly spread: 

 

The Peace of Wild Things by Wendell Berry

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

(& the review of his latest book where it appears: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/feb/20/the-peace-of-wild-things-wendell-barnes-rich-harvest)

I'm reading The Hanover Square Mystery (Captain Lacey Regency Mysteries 1) by Ashley Gardner 

& listening to Richard Armitage's narration of Sylvester by Georgette Heyer 

Thanks so much for sharing this.  This poem came to me at the right time today.

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DH is out of the hospital; he was there three days. He is going to be fine but will have to make some life changes if he wants to remain healthy.  Thank you to those who sent well wishes. It is appreciated. He came home from the Big City and we took a half day to rest and then I was off coaching and traveling with the team. Luckily, the spring snow storm that just came through allowed me to take the evening off and I am able to log in here.

I took my Kindle and my current print book to the hospital with me and was able to do a bit of reading. Unfortunately, I put my water bottle in the same bag and it leaked. The Kindle case and book were soaked. Luckily, those two items absorbed the water and the Kindle is working fine. I dried the book on the radiator and, although it is now somewhat pudgy and warped (much like me, I guess), it is readable and I am continuing to read it.

I hope everyone is doing well.

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29 minutes ago, The Accidental Coach said:

DH is out of the hospital; he was there three days. He is going to be fine but will have to make some life changes if he wants to remain healthy.  ...

I'm happy to hear this positive news and also glad to hear that your Kindle did not die in the flood.

Regards,
Kareni

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For my reading I can't remembered when I last updated but recent completions were

"my Italian bulldozer" which I started last year but had to return and reborrowed recently.  It's funny and sweet and even funnier after hearing the author talk about it and realising it's actually based on something that happened to him not just imagination.

Bel Canto!  Oh my goodness I couldn't put this down.  The writing was beautiful.  There were a couple of places where I had to actively engage in suspension of disbelief but that author did an overall fantastic job of making you desperately hope for a happy ending all the while realising it was impossible.  The very very ending seemed a bit jarring or disjointed but it didn't exactly spoil the book just left me reflecting on how certain events in life change the course of life for people forever and psychologically you will always be there in some way.

 

will definitely be looking for more Ann Patchett books.

 

other reading 

had to return "princess Masako" my chrysanthemum read unfinished.  I did enjoy learning a bit more about a different country and culture though.

We had Midnite the wild colonial boy on audio for the kids.  They found plenty to laugh at.  We also finished Wrinkle in Time for our school read aloud.  I have mixed feelings about the books.  It's well written and definitely emotionally powerful but the mix of sci fi and scripture was slightly off putting to me.  

Also reading "the read aloud family" and listening to "hidden life of animals" on audio.  But the chapter I got to has some fairly graphic descriptions of animal reproduction techniques and it feels weird to listen to out loud although it wouldn't bother me in a book.

 

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  1. Murder on the Orient Express // Agatha Christie
  2. Sing, Unburied, Sing // Jessmyn Ward
  3. Braving the Wilderness // Brene Brown
  4. Buddhism for Mothers // Sarah Napthali
  5. Miller’s Valley // Anna Quindlen
  6. The Hate U Give // Angie Thomas
  7. Woman Code // Alisa Vitti
  8. The One in a Million Boy // Monica Wood
  9. Rethinking School // Susan Wise Bauer 
  10. The Hidden Life of Trees // Peter Wohlleben
  11. The Body Keeps the Score // Bessel Van Der Kolk
  12. The Sun and her Flowers // Rupi Kauer

I’m a few behind but almost done with Interpreter of Maladies and I’m also listening to What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

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Just checking in for the week.  I don't think I finished anything since last week but made progress on all.  I am way behind the rebel bus but making progress and may catch up again at some point.  Or at least, wave hi as the bus zooms by me.  I am zigzagging between London, Northamptonshire, and Liverpool which I believe is Merseyside for county.  

Accidental Coach, good to hear your husband is out of the hospital and there is a good road forward.

 

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I'm a bit frustrated that the upgrade doesn't allow me to subscribe to site only notifications. I don't want emails but that's the only way I can subscribe to a thread. So, I just have to keep looking for this thread because I refuse to go the email notification route. Anyway -

Yesterday I finished We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy. It took me a long time to finish because there was a lot to digest. I would read a section then put it down for a bit while I thought about what I just read, move on to the next section and repeat. It was excellent reading though and I recommend it to anyone who truly wants to try and understand issues in the African American community. The author didn't give a pass to any group and was clear about what worked and what didn't. He pointed out how both sides of the political fence made mistakes or (worse)  purposely made choices that were detrimental to African Americans. I recognize that he doesn't speak for all Black people and there are plenty who disagree with him. However, the historical facts in this book were eye opening and aside from his opinions I learned much beyond what I thought I already knew.

Current books -

I'm almost finished listening to Alexander the Great, one of my recent Audible purchases. I started Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress, which was a recommendation from a BaWer (I think it was ErinE). So far I like it. Finally, I'm still rereading two of my favorite novels - Middlemarch and Emma.

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This currently free Kindle book looks appealing ~  The Lady  by Judy Higgins

'South Georgia, 1956.
When sixteen-year-old Quincy Bruce goes to live with her Aunt Addy, she has no idea that what happened thirteen years earlier in wartime London can destroy her future. Her parents have gone to Africa as missionaries, leaving Quincy with her free-spirited and lively aunt, a war widow, and the only person who supports Quincy’s ambition to become a musician. When another aunt accuses Addy of having been the inspiration for the adulterous woman in Nathan Waterstone’s infamous wartime novel, The Lady, Quincy vows to prove her wrong. As Quincy settles into her new life with Addy, she sets about unraveling the secrets of Addy’s life, and of Nathan’s, in an effort to discover the true identity of the Lady. When she makes a discovery of a different type, Quincy’s dreams of becoming a pianist come crashing down.'

Regards,
Kareni

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On 09/04/2018 at 12:53 PM, Kareni said:

Last night I finished  Melissa F. Olson's Blood Gamble (Disrupted Magic Book 2) which I enjoyed.  I'd recommend that this series be read in order.  In fact, it would be best to start with the author's earlier series since a number of the characters reappear.   I know others here also read this author.  I prefer the series with  Scarlett and Lex to the author's Nightshade.

Regards,
Kareni

I haven't read the latest in the Disrupted Magic series yet but am looking forward to it.  I prefer Scarlett to Lex in general although my Goodreads rating would indicate that I like them equally.  I have not tried the other series yet.  I totally agree with the in order recommendation.

I also want to add that I have read most of these for free thanks to Prime. ;)

AccidentalCoach, Glad to hear your dh  is home!

Has anyone been able to skip to the latest post on any thread?  I used to love it when we got to the second page of posts.

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On 4/9/2018 at 2:29 PM, aggieamy said:

Here's my flower and Brit Trip updates. Books in RED are in progress. I'm still laughably behind in my flower challenge. (Kara - how are you doing? I think we were going at the same pace.)

 

I had to go get more books today.  I picked up a couple random books on Overdrive but wasn't feeling them, so then I abandoned them.  :P  Oh well, life is too short for books I don't like.  

So here is where I stand right now:

C: The Crucible
H: Harry Potter & the Cursed Child
R: The Residence
Y: You Shall Know Our Velocity
S: The Secret Keeper
A: Just picked up today - The Adoration of Jenna Fox
N: Never Let Me Go
T: Too Small to Ignore
H: Hyperbole and a Half
E: The Expatriates
M: Men Without Women
U: Still working on it - Uncle Tom's Cabin
M: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

R: Rosemary's Baby
O: The Ocean at the End of the Lane
S: Silence
E: Started today - Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine

C: Crazy Rich Asians
L: The Little Book of Hygge
O: Over Sea, Under Stone
V: Venus Plus X
E:
R: Currently Reading - The Radium Girls

 

I haven't gotten started on Aven yet, but I've decided to do authors for that one!  :)  But overall I'm doing okay!  :D 

I think the only one I've finished lately is Over Sea, Under Stone, which I ended up really liking.  

As for life in general, packing is blech but getting done.  Closed on the house this morning, going to do some painting tomorrow.  Yay!

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13 hours ago, Lady Florida. said:

Here's my contribution to the poetry week thread. I can't take credit for finding it though. That goes to our Jane.

 

*heart*

This makes me love the British Empire even more. When I try to read poetry I get frustrated and I feel as though I'm missing the point or message. Listening to it read like this registers more with me.

16 hours ago, mumto2 said:

Has anyone been able to skip to the latest post on any thread?  I used to love it when we got to the second page of posts.

On the home page if you click on the blue dot (or star) next to the thread title then it will open the thread and take you to the newest post. (Is that what you're asking about or did I misread the question?)

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16 hours ago, mumto2 said:

 

Has anyone been able to skip to the latest post on any thread?  I used to love it when we got to the second page of posts.

If you mean getting to the post where you left off, the blue dot works like it used to. If I participated in a thread it shows as a star, a dot if I haven't posted. Either way it takes me to where I left off. If I want to go to the very last post I click on the far right under the name of the last poster (where it shows the time and date they posted). That takes me to the last post in a thread regardless of where I left off.

It's weird how some things are working for some people and while a number of us are having problems with the new forum we aren't necessarily having the same problems.

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I finished a writing book that had some good information but you had to trudge through an immense amount of profanity to get to it. I don't really know why I finished it. I will admit to an incredible amount of skimming towards the end. So so much vulgarity. I guess I'm not really recommending the book. Only warning about it.

500 Ways to be a better Writer by Chuck Wendig

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42 minutes ago, Lady Florida. said:

Well, he isn't praising the empire for sending mermaids back to the deep where we never get to see them. :) (I really wish emoticons were back).

I guess my post could be misconstrued into an anti-mermaid prejudice (which I promise I don't have!) but really I just love a country who can pass laws on mythical creatures. Unless of course the Ministry of Magic had something to do with this ...

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Thanks Kathy and Amy.....My dot  now works!   It didn't at first and I gave up. Lol

I have to add the Mermaid Poem is so sad....What if they aren't mythical.  What if that silly law just forced them away??????

 

Just want to say I hate autocorrect.

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