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Book a Week 2018 - BW19: Nobel Prize Winners


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

One of our 52 Books Bingo categories is read a book by or about a Nobel Prize Winner.  We have a few authors from the Scandinavian Peninsula who won the Nobel Prize for Literature.   

 Finland  

Frans Eemil Sillanpää -  1939

Norway

Sigrid Undset - 1928
Knut Hamsun - 1920
Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson - 1903

 Sweden

Tomas Tranströmer - 2011
Eyvind Johnson - 1974
Harry Martinson - 1974
Nelly Sachs - 1966
Pär Lagerkvist - 1951
Erik Axel Karlfeldt - 1931 (posthumously)
Carl Gustaf Verner von Heidenstam -1916
Selma Lagerlöf - 1909

We don't need to limit our reading choices to Nobel Prize Winners to literature.  There are a number of people who won the Nobel Prize for Peace as well as Sciences from the Scandinavian Peninsula.  The complete list broken down by country is available here or on Wikipedia. 

10 Things you should know about Finnish Nobel Prize Winner Bengt Holmström 

The Nobel Prize: History and Trivia 

Culture Trip's Norway's Nobel Laureates

*******
For our Brit Trippers currently on Ichnield Way on the way to Dorset:

Famed as one of the most beautiful locations of England, Dorset is located on the English Channel and was the birthplace of the novelist Thomas Hardy and poet William Barnes

Rabbit trails: Sherborne Abbey,  History with the Black Plague

 

What are you reading this week? 

Link to Week 18

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I made a separate thread on the chat board for those who don't read BaW but wanted to post it here too.

West Cork, a true crime podcast is free on Audible until May 9th. If you don't have an Audible account you can create one for free. You don't need a paid subscription to have an account. I think this is free even for non-paid members but I make no guarantees. I also can't guarantee it's free outside the U.S.

https://www.audible.com/pd/Nonfiction/West-Cork-Audiobook/B0792F5VBW?ref=a_home-page_c20_audoriginals-d_1_1&pf_rd_p=2ee8873d-9198-4ffc-b209-29fda46f557c&pf_rd_r=VH0EFWX1GY3EKJSK6YG6&

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Some bookish posts ~

Does Anyone Actually Remember What They’ve Read?!   by Anna Cramer  (I can identify!)
**
A  post from 2012:   Badly Channeling Jane Austen: Georgette Heyer’s Regency Buck   by  Mari Ness

Discussion of other Heyer titles can be found here:   https://www.tor.com/tags/georgette-heyer/
**

5 Books Set On Extreme Worlds   by Michael Johnston
** 

Five Mystery Series with Awesome Detectives   by Emily Devenport
**

Today only free download:

An Autobiography: Or, The Story of My Experiments with Truth by Mohandas K. Gandhi

"The remarkable life and inspiring beliefs of a legendary peacemaker and liberator of India; in his own words. Remember that all through history, there have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they seem invincible. But in the end, they always fall. Always. In the story of his life from early childhood through 1921, Mohandas K. Gandhi candidly reveals his young investigations into sin and seeking atonement; the philosophy, art, and literature that influenced his thoughts and ideas; and his first experiences with politics and protest, which would provide the foundation for his nonviolent struggle for justice, equality, and Indian independence from the British Empire. Gandhi’s intention in setting down an account of his formative years was to clarify the spiritual principles by which he lived and to inspire individuals and movements in their quests for personal and political freedom. The timeless lessons to be derived from the autobiography of this dedicated seeker of truth and brilliant leader continue to resonate wherever freedom is challenged by tyranny."

Regards,
Kareni

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On 5/5/2018 at 10:07 AM, marbel said:

 

I think I know what put me off  Far From... for so long.  I was looking at movie trailers this morning and the 1967 Julie Christie version looks like a pot-boiler romance.  That would have come out during my formative years so my impression of the book could have been skewed. 

Bringing this from last week's thread. 

I hate when adaptations do that to a novel. I"m pretty sure that the Colin Firth version of Pride and Prejudice is what makes people think that Jane Austen is all about romance. 

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Lots of book still to go on my Hampshire read, Malory's Le Morte D'Arthur, so time to pick up the pace. Arthurian tales of adventure from 1485, set in Camelot (Winchester). This isn't the Tales of King Arthur we read to our kids:

Quote

 

Right so as they sat [at the Round Table] there came running in a white hart into the hall, and a white brachet [hunting dog] next him, and thirty couple of black running hounds came after with a great cry, and the hart went about the Table Round as he went by other boards, the white brachet bit him by the buttock and pulled out a piece, wherethrough the hart leapt a great  leap and overthrew a knight that sat at the board side, and therewith the knight arose and took up the brachet, and so went forth out of the hall, and took his horse and rode his way with the brachet.

Right so anon came in a lady on a white palfrey, and cried aloud to King Arthur, 'Sir, suffer me not to have this despite, for the brachet was mine that the knight led away.'

'I may not do therewith,' said the king.

With this there came a knight riding all armed on a great horse, and took the lady away with him with force, and ever she cried and made great dole. When she was gone the king was glad, for she made such a noise.

 

The past really is a foreign country.

Middle Girl selected another book for me the via the True Randomness Generator: this time one of dh's books, Monday Starts on Saturday, by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky. While I've reserved to myself veto power over any of dh's books that get selected, I decided to give this one a try, as I liked Roadside Picnic; and we have the nucleus of an unofficial book group started at church (we read books not by saints or G. K. Chesterton ... shhhhh ...), in which the Strugatsky brothers are popular, I thought it would be companionable to join in.

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11 minutes ago, Violet Crown said:

 

Middle Girl selected another book for me the via the True Randomness Generator: this time one of dh's books, Monday Starts on Saturday, by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky. While I've reserved to myself veto power over any of dh's books that get selected, I decided to give this one a try, as I liked Roadside Picnic; and we have the nucleus of an unofficial book group started at church (we read books not by saints or G. K. Chesterton ... shhhhh ...), in which the Strugatsky brothers are popular, I thought it would be companionable to join in.

Your church book group sounds like fun!

Loesje,  Hugs to your dd and you.  I hope she feels better soon!

I finished Day of the Triffids last night and really enjoyed it.  Of the half dozen dystopian books I have read this one is very mild and I am reading pretty mild ones in general.  I am saying that in case anyone is looking for a book for Dorset.  Much of Triffids actually occurs in Dorset.  

I am still working on both The Virgin Widow and How the Heather Looks.  They seem to have become unintentional sip reads!  The Virgin Widow is interesting but fortunately is set during Richard 3 lifetime which I have not been concentrating on recently so it is easy to keep separate in my mind.  I am hoping to finish it this week and have both a V for Aven and a Bingo square completed!  I still need an E for Aven........

My C S Harris re-read continues.  I haven't been able to read much lately unfortunately.  

I am listening to Nesbo's The Bat.  I really like it!  It's definitely has a bit of a holiday feel to it for me with the Australian setting.

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A few currently free books for Kindle readers ~ 

Winner of the Philip K. Dick Award (supernatural):  Strange Toys  by Patricia Geary

Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2016:  Sugarland: A Jazz Age Mystery   by Martha Conway

The Arrangements: The Flower Shop Mystery Series (Books 1-3)   by Annie Adams

urban fantasy:  Blood Cure  by K. R. Willis

contemporary romance:   Once Upon a Prince  by Rachel Hauck

contemporary fiction:   Surviving Cyril  by Ramsey Hootman

Regards,
Kareni

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My Family and Other Animals on audible  - really enjoyed this. The writing is so good and frequently had me laughing out loud. 

Miss Silver Comes to Stay this was recommended last week by Amy (or am I making that up?) and I really liked it! I'd love to read another Miss Silver but am not sure which one to go for. I had thought I would start at the beginning but reviews of the first one are rather abysmal. Suggestions?

The Viscount and the Vicar's Daughter Well written but the story is a bit too simple. Not much happens beyond the "poor girl meets rich nobleman who saves her from dismal future, the end." 

Kareni, I enjoyed the Badly Channeling Jane Austen link above!

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Mostly I'm not reading much as life is busy, but I did finish Major Pettigrew's Last Stand which I enjoyed. I have Ta-Nehisi Coates' Black Panther comic book from the library to dive into next, and then possibly back to Middlemarch where I'm close to half way through.

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5 minutes ago, Mothersweets said:

My Family and Other Animals on audible  - really enjoyed this. The writing is so good and frequently had me laughing out loud. 

Miss Silver Comes to Stay this was recommended last week by Amy (or am I making that up?) and I really liked it! I'd love to read another Miss Silver but am not sure which one to go for. I had thought I would start at the beginning but reviews of the first one are rather abysmal. Suggestions?

The Viscount and the Vicar's Daughter Well written but the story is a bit too simple. Not much happens beyond the "poor girl meets rich nobleman who saves her from dismal future, the end." 

Kareni, I enjoyed the Badly Channeling Jane Austen link above!

I read both the second and third Miss Silver's this year.  The knitting of a gift in the third is a present to a character in the second but otherwise independent.  That's all I know for sure.  I may start going out of order for specific locations which is unusual for me to say!

 

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I have finished nothing this week. I may have to fess up to having spent probably too much of my time catching up on two weeks of TV shows on the TiVO...  I think I've done that, as well as gotten caught up on work stuff, so time to get back to more reading!

Currently reading:

- Kalpa Imperial by Angélica Gorodischer - I am enjoying this one.  It does remind me of LeGuin, so I can see why she liked it and decided to translate it (although I'm reading it in the original Spanish).  It's a bunch of reflective stories told to the reader by a 'storyteller' or 'teller of tales' over vast periods of this imagined empire.  (This is yet another book that I've seen compared to both the writings of Calvino and Borges.  What the heck does it say about me that I love Calvino and can't stand Borges?  Apparently I'm the only one that sees a vast difference between the two?)  I am liking this one.

- Middlemarch by George Eliot (audiobook) -  Almost 32 hours of audio, but I've only got a couple left. :)  

- Claire of the Sea Light by Edwidge Danticat (ebook) - Another book of semi-connected short stories about a place.  I seem to like this kind of thing more than many others.  I'm through the first two stories and liking it quite a bit so far.

Coming up:  I'm first in line for a whole bunch of ebooks and audiobooks on Overdrive, but still nothing's coming free.  Hopefully something will before I finish the current ones so I can free up my holds list for new stuff (rather than picking something freely available and putting the current stuff back on suspended hold...).  I'm thinking my next German book might be Sommerhaus, Später by Judith Hermann, which I picked up because someone here had read the translation and liked it.  And apparently I'm supposed to be reading The Doomsday Book by Connie Willis for my next SciFi book club, so it's waiting at the library!

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4 hours ago, Mothersweets said:

Kareni, I enjoyed the Badly Channeling Jane Austen link above!

I'm happy to hear it!
**

Some recent reads here ~

I enjoyed this portal fantasy and suspect that others might, too: Namesake   by Kate Stradling; I suspect I'll re-read this at some point.

"“Who needs magic in an age of electricity? I can flip the switch on the wall with the best of them.”

Anjeni Sigourna bears the name of a legendary goddess, but her resemblance to that honored figure ends there. Eighteen and jaded, she has cultivated sarcasm instead of the elusive magic everyone expects her to possess. Such power lacks purpose in her modern world.

But when an adverse encounter with the Eternity Gate lands her in an alien realm, magic marks the boundary between life and certain death. Anjeni alone holds the keys to saving an ancient people from a savage enemy. Her bitterness notwithstanding, she must now create a legend instead of living in its shadow."

ETA: I think this would be fine for teens as well.  There is no adult content that I recall.
**

I enjoyed M.L. Buchman's currently free  Daniel's Christmas (The Night Stalkers Book 3)

"-a Night Stalkers White House romance-

NAME: Dr. Alice Thompson
JOB: Senior CIA Analyst
MISSION: To create the path from data to detente

NAME: Daniel Drake Darlington III
JOB: White House Chief of Staff
MISSION: To make the world a safer place

TWO BRILLIANT MINDS.
AN ADVENT CALENDAR.
ONE IMPOSSIBLE ASSIGNMENT.

Dr. Alice Thompson discovers a covert strategy to create diplomacy with the most reclusive nation on the planet. She needs help from someone in power.

Daniel survived flying with the Night Stalkers in The Night Is Mine. Now he must survive Alice—and a mission into North Korea.

Alice’s discovery launches him once again into dark and dangerous skies. Will Daniel survive to see all 24 days of his Advent Calendar?"
**

I quite enjoyed Keira Andrew's historical male/male romance Semper Fi;   I'll definitely be revisiting this book.  (Adult content)

"The war is over. The battle for love has just begun.

As Marines, Cal and Jim depended on each other to survive bloodshed and despair in the Pacific. Relieved to put the horrors of war behind him, Jim went home to his apple orchard and a quiet life with his wife and children. Knowing Jim could never return his forbidden feelings, Cal hoped time and an ocean between them would dull the yearning for his best friend.

But when Jim’s wife dies, Cal returns to help. He doesn’t know a thing about apple farming—or children—but he’s determined to be there for Jim, even as the painful torch he carries blazes back to life. Jim is grateful for his friend’s support as he struggles with buried emotions and dark wartime memories. Then Jim begins to see Cal in a new light, and their relationship deepens in ways neither expected. Can they build a life together as a family and find happiness in a world that would condemn them?

This gay historical romance from Keira Andrews contains violence and depictions of post-traumatic stress, as well as enduring love, hope, and of course a happy ending."

Regards,
Kareni

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This week I read The Rabbi and the Hit Man, by Arthur Magida, a true-crime book about a rabbi in Southern NJ who hired someone to kill his wife, back in the early 1990s.  I actually came across the book at the library while looking for an entirely different book, but it looked interesting -- and I vaguely remembered reading about the crime way back when -- and so I picked it up.  The book is not all that well-done, in my opinion (which surprised me a bit, as the author's bio is reasonably impressive) but it was certainly an interesting, sad case.  

We have a lot going on at our house this month and I have been having trouble concentrating, but I started Neuland, by Eshkol Nevo, and am liking that much better.  (This was the book that I was originally looking for; the rabbi who hired the hit man is named Neulander, so searching for "Neuland" in the library database brought up the book about the murder.)

 

 

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I finished Clade, a dystopian novel about climate change, today. It was OK; I seem to be in the minority giving it a low rating. For the Brit-trippers - there is a chapter set in Norfolk.  

I need to update my Brit-tripping tomorrow. I have some a couple things in progress and some things planned out.  

And, re: Thomas Hardy (from last week). I'm about halfway through Far From the Madding Crowd and think I will probably take a break from Hardy for a bit. I do love it though and I know I'll read more before too long.    I was very tempted by the Alan Rickman-narrated book, but neither of my libraries has it!
 

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I didn't post a reading update last week. I've abandoned a few books and finished a few others.

My first two abandoned books of the year. 

The Forgotten Garden. I just can't take any more of this drivel. I apologize if you're a fan. I did like the other two Kate Morton books I read but I can't take the formula anymore.

Flies in the OIntment: Essays on Supplements, Complimentary and Alternative Medicine. Besides the fact that it's riddled with typos, I think it was written to his fellow infectious disease professionals. It definitely wasn't written with lay readers in mind. I realize that the essays are basically his previous blog posts, but they could have been cleaned up and made a bit more accessible. 

I finished two books. The first was Blue Lightning, a Shetland mystery by Ann Cleeves. Something that happened in this one brings it more in line with how the detective's personal life plays out in the tv series. I wasn't happy about it though.

I also finished A River in Darkness. That was a difficult read. There similarities but also big differences between this book and The Girl With Seven Names, which I read earlier this year. I picked that one up when the Kindle version was free. In the first book, the author's family is tricked into leaving Japan and returning to "the homeland", "paradise". He's half Korean and half Japanese and apparently at the time (1960) there was mass migration of Koreans and part Koreans from Japan to N. Korea. They were all tricked. He was only 13 then but he saw right away that they most certainly didn't move to paradise.

In The Girl, she was born in N. Korea into a family that wasn't a high caste but was at least mostly respected by the Party. She bought into the brainwashing that had been her normal since birth, and slowly came to realize what hogwash it was. Her family's status also fell and the reality of living in their country hit them only then. Her escape story and his also differ. The similarities of course tell about the hardships and starvation. Both I think are worth reading.  I look forward to the WTM discussion Amira will be leading for A River in Darkness.

I also finished my reread of Middlemarch. I do love that book and am glad I reread it.

I'm currently reading Little Fires Everywhere for my book club and listening to the West Cork podcast.

 

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26 minutes ago, Lady Florida. said:

I didn't post a reading update last week. I've abandoned a few books and finished a few others.

My first two abandoned books of the year. 

The Forgotten Garden. I just can't take any more of this drivel. I apologize if you're a fan. I did like the other two Kate Morton books I read but I can't take the formula anymore.

Flies in the OIntment: Essays on Supplements, Complimentary and Alternative Medicine. Besides the fact that it's riddled with typos, I think it was written to his fellow infectious disease professionals. It definitely wasn't written with lay readers in mind. I realize that the essays are basically his previous blog posts, but they could have been cleaned up and made a bit more accessible. 

I finished two books. The first was Blue Lightning, a Shetland mystery by Ann Cleeves. Something that happened in this one brings it more in line with how the detective's personal life plays out in the tv series. I wasn't happy about it though.

I also finished A River in Darkness. That was a difficult read. There similarities but also big differences between this book and The Girl With Seven Names, which I read earlier this year. I picked that one up when the Kindle version was free. In the first book, the author's family is tricked into leaving Japan and returning to "the homeland", "paradise". He's half Korean and half Japanese and apparently at the time (1960) there was mass migration of Koreans and part Koreans from Japan to N. Korea. They were all tricked. He was only 13 then but he saw right away that they most certainly didn't move to paradise.

In The Girl, she was born in N. Korea into a family that wasn't a high caste but was at least mostly respected by the Party. She bought into the brainwashing that had been her normal since birth, and slowly came to realize what hogwash it was. Her family's status also fell and the reality of living in their country hit them only then. Her escape story and his also differ. The similarities of course tell about the hardships and starvation. Both I think are worth reading.  I look forward to the WTM discussion Amira will be leading for A River in Darkness.

I also finished my reread of Middlemarch. I do love that book and am glad I reread it.

I'm currently reading Little Fires Everywhere for my book club and listening to the West Cork podcast.

 

I couldn't believe the BIG Thing that happened at the end of Blue Lightning! I knew it was coming but not how sudden it was. Have you seen the tv series?

Also, Middlemarch is one of my favorite books - so glad you love it, too!

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10 minutes ago, Mothersweets said:

I couldn't believe the BIG Thing that happened at the end of Blue Lightning! I knew it was coming but not how sudden it was. Have you seen the tv series?

 

I wasn't expecting the Big Thing. I was thinking that's where the books and series would stay different. Yes dh and I watch the series. We've been watching the latest season on Britbox and have 2 more episodes left (I think only up to episode 5 is currently available). 

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6 hours ago, Mothersweets said:

My Family and Other Animals on audible  - really enjoyed this. The writing is so good and frequently had me laughing out loud. 

Miss Silver Comes to Stay this was recommended last week by Amy (or am I making that up?) and I really liked it! I'd love to read another Miss Silver but am not sure which one to go for. I had thought I would start at the beginning but reviews of the first one are rather abysmal. Suggestions?

This year is the first time I've been through MFaOA and totally agree with your review -  a seriously entertaining listen!

Here is my take on the Miss Silver titles I've listened to (I listen out of order and with decent gaps between each book so that I enjoy another Miss Silver with a clean palate):

  • The Case is Closed   #2  (currently a 4.  Thanks to mum2to's list, I'm listening to this Bedfordshire)        
  • The Key   #8    (3.5)                
  • Pilgrim's Rest   #10  (2.5) the perpetrator of the crimes is a psychopath … I think that aspect ruined the story for me           
  • Spotlight   #12 (2)
  • The Case of William Smith   #13  (3)             
  • Eternity Ring   #14      (2.5)       one of the key characters is a spoilt brat.  Ho-hum story
  • Miss Silver Comes to Stay   #16  (4)  
  • Anna Where Are You?   #20   (3)                   
  • The Alington Inheritance   #31  (3)   After 4 or 5 drop and restarts, and then not until Jenny ran away did I feel any real interest in this story.

A trivial extra about Miss Silver books, there is about 10 years between the first two books and a reviewer (amazon? years back) noted the growth in the writing and Miss Silver due to that factor.

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7 hours ago, Lady Florida. said:

<snip>

The Forgotten Garden. I just can't take any more of this drivel. I apologize if you're a fan. I did like the other two Kate Morton books I read but I can't take the formula anymore.

<snip>

 

 

I had a similar experience with Kate Morton.  I just checked my Goodreads list for her books.  I read two (The Distant Hours and The Forgotten Garden), and gave them both 4 stars. The third (The Secret Keeper), I left unfinished, partly due to the formula.  I've never had the desire to read another. 

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7 minutes ago, marbel said:

 

I had a similar experience with Kate Morton.  I just checked my Goodreads list for her books.  I read two (The Distant Hours and The Forgotten Garden), and gave them both 4 stars. The third (The Secret Keeper), I left unfinished, partly due to the formula.  I've never had the desire to read another. 

The "Secret Keeper" is the one Kate Morton book I never finished either.  I did enjoy her newest "The Lake House".   

I am currently reading "The Proposal" by Mary Balogh which is set in Dorset.  This is my fist, and probably last, Mary Balogh book.  

I am still working on clover, so next up in "The Weaver's Daughter" by Sarah E. Ladd which will either be the "E" or the "L", then one more book and hopefully I will have clover wrapped up.  I am debating on if I should skip aven, and move directly to lily.  I think I will see where my Brit Trip books line up.

On another note, I am ordering my school stuff today!!  Always exciting.  I can't believe next year will be my 12th year as a homeschooler.  

 

 

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8 minutes ago, LuvToRead said:

 

On another note, I am ordering my school stuff today!!  Always exciting.  I can't believe next year will be my 12th year as a homeschooler.  

 

 

I actually really miss the thrill of the planning and ordering process.  I have been so tempted to order a couple of the bits of curriculum I have read about on the board to add to my saved collection.  My saved collection is probably larger than most peoples because I had to carry most of it on planes. Lol. I worked hard for those books!  On a side note home ed curriculum is so much easier to buy in the UK now which is wonderful.

Going through my email I discovered this article about th 10 most mysterious places in Britain thanks to Anna Lee Huber’s newsletter.  https://strandmag.com/top-10-most-mysterious-settings-in-Britain She has set Lady Darby mysteries near many of these sites I believe.

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17 minutes ago, mumto2 said:

I actually really miss the thrill of the planning and ordering process.  I have been so tempted to order a couple of the bits of curriculum I have read about on the board to add to my saved collection.  My saved collection is probably larger than most peoples because I had to carry most of it on planes. Lol. I worked hard for those books!  On a side note home ed curriculum is so much easier to buy in the UK now which is wonderful.

Going through my email I discovered this article about th 10 most mysterious places in Britain thanks to Anna Lee Huber’s newsletter.  https://strandmag.com/top-10-most-mysterious-settings-in-Britain She has set Lady Darby mysteries near many of these sites I believe.

I love it!  I am a planner by nature, so I completely understand the thrill!  Sometimes homeschool curriculum can be too easy to buy, if you know what I mean?  (Insert smiley face emoji)  I have read the "Anatomist's Wife" and enjoyed it, so I will try more Lady Darby at some point.  

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15 hours ago, Mothersweets said:

 

 

 

The Lake House was my first Kate Morton, followed by The Secret Keeper. I don't think it matters much where you start. Sooner or later you get to the one book where you realize these books are all the same

Edited by Lady Florida.
I'm not sure why my quote and previous reply was still there.
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Today only free download: 

The Age of Reason by Thomas Paine

"The author of Rights of Man and Common Sense argues for belief in God without religion. My own mind is my own church. The Age of Reason, political activist and Founding Father Thomas Paine makes a powerful case for a rational approach to theology. In keeping with the intellectual tradition of British Deism, Paine rejects the notion of divine revelation, saying “it is revelation to the first person only, and hearsay to every other.” He proceeds with a detailed analysis of the Bible’s inconsistencies and historical inaccuracies to conclude that it cannot be a divinely inspired text. Arguing against all forms of organized religion, he declares nature itself to be the only true testament to the existence of a divine creator. Originally published in three parts, in 1794, 1795, and 1807, The Age of Reason was a major influence on the freethinker movement in the United States. In Britain, however, it was declared seditious and led to the arrest of those who dared to print and distribute it."
**

Some bookish posts ~

12 Funny Romance Books That Will Melt Your Heart While Making You Laugh

10 Must-Read Jane Yolen Books

Regards,
Kareni

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Hi friends. Reading Persuasion (again) and trying to keep up with my kids in AO Year 7 (and failing miserably) ... at least we're enjoying Beowulf and Ivanhoe as audiobooks. ... hope you're all well. @aggieamy ... I didn't know you were moderating the thread now. ❤️ 

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I've been procrastinating getting things done around the house by reading too much (is there such a thing as reading too much?), but I've got to start getting ready for my parents to visit. Here is my list of recent reads:

78. Never Wager Against Love, by Maureen Driscoll (Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Norfolk, Nottinghamshire, Shropshire)
79. Never Deny Your Heart, by Maureen Driscoll (Leicestershire, London, West Midlands)
80. Never Run From Love, by Maureen Driscoll (London)
81. Never Turn Away, by Maureen Driscoll (London, Oxfordshire)
82. When Gods Die, by C.S. Harris (London, Sussex) 5 stars - I am really enjoying this series
83. Mortal Arts, by Anna Lee Huber - I love the Lady Darby series! 5 stars
84. Tennyson's Gift, by Lynne Truss (Isle of Wight) - I only stuck with this one because I didn't have any other Isle of Wight books. "Absurd" is the only word that I can find to describe it, and I don't mean that in a good way.
85. A Grave Matter, by Anna Lee Huber (Northumberland, Scotland) - 5 stars
86. A Crimson Warning, by Tasha Alexander (London) - I like Lady Emily better now that she's gotten over some of her insecurities, and I also appreciate that she and Colin have developed a good working relationship *cough*Julia and Brisbane*cough*
87. The Lost Duke of Wyndham, by Julia Quinn (Lincolnshire, Merseyside, Ireland) - this book and the following one are the same story told from two different perspectives.
88. Mr. Cavendish, I Presume, by Julia Quinn (Lincolnshire, Merseyside, Ireland)
89. The Dark Enquiry, by Deanna Raybourn (London) - finished up this series, as well as the novellas, which are short and silly.
90. Why Mermaids Sing, by C.S. Harris (Hertfordshire, Kent, London) - this was a fantastic story and was going to be 5 stars until I got to the daytime soap opera type drama at the end.
91. Only Beloved, by Mary Balogh (Cornwall, Devon, Gloucestershire, London) - finished this series, which I generally liked.
92. The Autumn Bride, by Anne Gracie (Devonshire, London)
93. Love and Other Scandals, by Caroline Linden (London)
94. Where Serpents Sleep, by C.S. Harris (London) - 5 stars, but I caught a continuity error towards the end. Sebastian is identifying victims of the killer in this book, and names some characters from the previous book. One of the characters mentioned was actually killed by Sebastian in a fight toward the end of Why Mermaids Sing. I am definitely not on Team Kat.
95. A Study in Death, by Anna Lee Huber (Scotland) - 5 stars
96. One Night in London, by Caroline Linden (London)

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38 minutes ago, ladydusk said:

Hi friends. Reading Persuasion (again) and trying to keep up with my kids in AO Year 7 (and failing miserably) ... at least we're enjoying Beowulf and Ivanhoe as audiobooks. ... hope you're all well. @aggieamy ... I didn't know you were moderating the thread now. ❤️ 

Waving,  It’s good to see you!

26 minutes ago, Cascadia said:

I've been procrastinating getting things done around the house by reading too much (is there such a thing as reading too much?), but I've got to start getting ready for my parents to visit. Here is my list of recent reads:

78. Never Wager Against Love, by Maureen Driscoll (Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Norfolk, Nottinghamshire, Shropshire)
79. Never Deny Your Heart, by Maureen Driscoll (Leicestershire, London, West Midlands)
80. Never Run From Love, by Maureen Driscoll (London)
81. Never Turn Away, by Maureen Driscoll (London, Oxfordshire)
82. When Gods Die, by C.S. Harris (London, Sussex) 5 stars - I am really enjoying this series
83. Mortal Arts, by Anna Lee Huber - I love the Lady Darby series! 5 stars
84. Tennyson's Gift, by Lynne Truss (Isle of Wight) - I only stuck with this one because I didn't have any other Isle of Wight books. "Absurd" is the only word that I can find to describe it, and I don't mean that in a good way.
85. A Grave Matter, by Anna Lee Huber (Northumberland, Scotland) - 5 stars
86. A Crimson Warning, by Tasha Alexander (London) - I like Lady Emily better now that she's gotten over some of her insecurities, and I also appreciate that she and Colin have developed a good working relationship *cough*Julia and Brisbane*cough*
87. The Lost Duke of Wyndham, by Julia Quinn (Lincolnshire, Merseyside, Ireland) - this book and the following one are the same story told from two different perspectives.
88. Mr. Cavendish, I Presume, by Julia Quinn (Lincolnshire, Merseyside, Ireland)
89. The Dark Enquiry, by Deanna Raybourn (London) - finished up this series, as well as the novellas, which are short and silly.
90. Why Mermaids Sing, by C.S. Harris (Hertfordshire, Kent, London) - this was a fantastic story and was going to be 5 stars until I got to the daytime soap opera type drama at the end.
91. Only Beloved, by Mary Balogh (Cornwall, Devon, Gloucestershire, London) - finished this series, which I generally liked.
92. The Autumn Bride, by Anne Gracie (Devonshire, London)
93. Love and Other Scandals, by Caroline Linden (London)
94. Where Serpents Sleep, by C.S. Harris (London) - 5 stars, but I caught a continuity error towards the end. Sebastian is identifying victims of the killer in this book, and names some characters from the previous book. One of the characters mentioned was actually killed by Sebastian in a fight toward the end of Why Mermaids Sing. I am definitely not on Team Kat.
95. A Study in Death, by Anna Lee Huber (Scotland) - 5 stars
96. One Night in London, by Caroline Linden (London)

Lol,  Lady Emily and Lady Julia are quite similar.  Have you tried any of Tracy Grant’s books?  Tracy Grant actually writes the serits with two sets of character names but same series.  https://www.goodreads.com/series/163940-rannoch-fraser-chronological-order  I have read a couple of these but my order got messed up a i became frustrated.  I am planning to go back and start again because my overdrive has most of the books! 

Btw, My BF read most of the Tracy Grant's and really liked them.

I just want to add no one that I know is a Kat fan.  I almost feel bad for her! ?

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Hi gang!  I got home yesterday and crashed.  So did hubby after being in duty 24/7 with James.  He took a three hour nap while James talked my ear off.  Had a wonderful time with my family and getting to meet Janessa’s new hubby Sean and his family. Will catch up and post some pictures later.  Big thanks to Amy for taking care of things while I was gone.   

Hugs and Love!

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On 5/6/2018 at 1:57 PM, Lady Florida. said:

Bringing this from last week's thread. 

I hate when adaptations do that to a novel. I"m pretty sure that the Colin Firth version of Pride and Prejudice is what makes people think that Jane Austen is all about romance. 

 

I agree, however, I am not sad about the wet shirt scene. That's all I have to say about that. 

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Count me in as another long time fan of My Family and Other Animals. I read it in college and a couple of times since. I haven't read (or listened to) the other 2 books that continue the "Corfu Trilogy".  My ds read another of his non-Corfu books and said it wasn't nearly as good.

And count me in as another long time fan of Shetland, both the tv series and the books. I wasn't a fan of how the BIG THING happened in Blue Lightening. But Shetland is now a bucket list location to visit. I've really enjoyed Ann Cleeve's Vera mysteries, too, though they are hard to find in the local libraries, or even on the shelves at bookstores. 

I'm agnostic about the Colin Firth wet shirt scene. It didn't render me weak in the knees or change my opinion of the novel. I do love that series, though, just for all the little things that were spot on. Anyone here know and love the Bollywood adaptation, Bride and Prejudice? 

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Arggh... I need a new book for North Yorkshire.  I am about 1/3 of the way through Just One Damned Thing After Another and I just can't go on.  I know several of you rated it highly, and I really wanted to like it but it is not what I expected.  I don't want to risk any spoilers so I'll leave it at that.  

Now I know there are a lot of books set in Yorkshire...though most I know of are Victorian chunksters...but I should be able to find something.  :-)  :-)

 

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3 hours ago, JennW in SoCal said:

And count me in as another long time fan of Shetland, both the tv series and the books. I wasn't a fan of how the BIG THING happened in Blue Lightening. But Shetland is now a bucket list location to visit. 

We watched a few episodes, but I can't get past the detective's Glaswegian accent. I haven't been to Shetland, but I've been to Orkney, and the Orcadians sound like Scots with vaguely Norwegian accents, so I bet the Shetlanders don't sound like they're from the mean streets of Strathclyde.

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1 hour ago, marbel said:

Arggh... I need a new book for North Yorkshire.  I am about 1/3 of the way through Just One Damned Thing After Another and I just can't go on.  I know several of you rated it highly, and I really wanted to like it but it is not what I expected.  I don't want to risk any spoilers so I'll leave it at that.  

Now I know there are a lot of books set in Yorkshire...though most I know of are Victorian chunksters...but I should be able to find something.  ? ?

 

 

For North Yorkshire, I read St. Ælred of Rievaulx's classic Spiritual Friendship (Rievaulx was a famous abbey in North Yorkshire), but I considered Stoker's Dracula (set in Whitby) and A. S. Byatt's Possession (set in Goathland). 

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2 hours ago, marbel said:

Arggh... I need a new book for North Yorkshire.  I am about 1/3 of the way through Just One Damned Thing After Another and I just can't go on.  I know several of you rated it highly, and I really wanted to like it but it is not what I expected.  I don't want to risk any spoilers so I'll leave it at that.  

Now I know there are a lot of books set in Yorkshire...though most I know of are Victorian chunksters...but I should be able to find something.  ? ?

 

I have to admit I really enjoyed the first Chronicles of St. Mary's enjoyable but I don't seem to be able to pick up A Second Chance which has been sitting on my nightstand for two months.  No worries............

Have you read The Moonstone by Willie Collins already?  I guess it is chunky but it really didn't feel chunky. It was a book that made me wonder why I had been avoiding it.

Another classic is Dorothy Sayers Clouds of Witness.  The hunting estate is in North Yorkshire.I

The Virgin Widow is one of my current reads.  It is fine and they spent some time in North Yorkshire. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7506776-virgin-widow?ac=1&from_search=true

I picked up a book today that I am pretty intrigued by called A Talent for Murder by Andrew Wilson.  It is a new take on Agatha Christie 's missing 10 days.  Since she was found in Harrogate I am assuming North Yorkshire is going to be visited. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32620331-a-talent-for-murder?ac=1&from_search=true

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I didn't get much reading done the past few days!  Started C.S. Harris's What Angels Fear on the plane but then didn't open it again the whole time was in Texas.  We rented an AirBnB house in North Richland Hills which was beautiful, roomy, and convenient to everything.  With 8 people in the house, we spent more time gabbing than anything else.  We had a "may the fourth be with you"  rehearsal dinner  at TopGolf which was a really neat place. Found we have one here so will be taking James and John to have some fun. Friday we took Janessa out to lunch, did a quick trip into Barnes and Noble, then went to Posh Nails and Spa to get manicure and pedicure.  First time for me and totally enjoyed it.    Saturday before the wedding we went to Fort Worth Botanical Gardens. We used to go there way, way, way back when we were kids.  The wedding was a blast.  Janessa looked beautiful. Meet all of Sean's extended family.  His mother, a truly strong southern mom, took over all the arrangements for the rehearsal and the wedding.  My sister was in her usual scattered mode so Mary taking command was a good thing.   I kept forgetting to take pictures, too caught up in the festivities but managed to get a few. Most are posted on facebook if you want to see. Here's me and my dad.

Image may contain: Robin McCormack and Arthur Walsh, people smiling, people standing

 

 

 

 

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Kathy, my daughters and I have been watching the current series, too, and I think we have one last episode. 

TuesdaysChild, thanks for the recommendations! 

Jenn, I agree with you on the wet shirt scene - meh! I've seen Bride and Prejudice a couple of times and it's a lot of fun!

 

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Thanks for the recommendations on the Yorkshire books!  I will look into those.  I have tried The Moonstone a few times over the years but always end up putting it aside. Maybe I'll try again. On the other hand I have never read Dracula!  I also have a few things coming from the library - a sampler pack of Yorkshire to try out!   In the meantime, I have a few other things to read....

Robin, what a sweet photo!  Glad you had a good trip.

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Just popping in for a break from working. This 9-5 stuff is the pits. I've got six deadlines this month, someone just called about another project, and next week John and I are going to fly out and visit my folks for a week. It's crazy. But it's the self-employed life. And when I'm super busy with work I get a lot of audiobook time in.

On 5/4/2018 at 4:59 PM, Maus said:
 

I just picked this up for DD for her birthday. She's a big AC fan too. I'm so glad you recommended it.

On 5/5/2018 at 6:32 PM, mumto2 said:

 

I appear to have 6 Thomas Hardy books available on Overdrive to listen to but none with Alan Rickman as narrator!  Several with Simon Vance who I have been happy with in the past.  One of the Hardy choices is Under a Greenwood Tree which (blush) is unfamiliar........

I am willing to listen to any of them but give me a few days to get organized.

Btw,  I am reading the last of the Day of the Triffids as I type.  I have really enjoyed it and have read most of it today in between birthday festivities.

Did the group decide which Hardy book we were going to read?

On 5/6/2018 at 5:11 PM, Mothersweets said:

Miss Silver Comes to Stay this was recommended last week by Amy (or am I making that up?) and I really liked it! I'd love to read another Miss Silver but am not sure which one to go for. I had thought I would start at the beginning but reviews of the first one are rather abysmal. Suggestions?

Kareni, I enjoyed the Badly Channeling Jane Austen link above!

I'm so glad you liked it. I read the first Miss Silver book a couple of years ago and rated a firm ... meh. This one I really enjoyed. I just started Miss Silver and the Chinese Shawl. Will report back when I finish it.

@tuesdayschild Thanks for posting your recommended Miss Silver books. I'm adding more of her books to my goodreads list.

19 hours ago, ladydusk said:

Hi friends. Reading Persuasion (again) and trying to keep up with my kids in AO Year 7 (and failing miserably) ... at least we're enjoying Beowulf and Ivanhoe as audiobooks. ... hope you're all well. @aggieamy ... I didn't know you were moderating the thread now. ❤️ 

You caught us on the one week this year that I posted for Robin. I'm just glad I didn't mess it up. All Saturday night I was up with worry that I'd forget to post the BaW thread.

Stick around m'dear. You are a missed voice around here.

15 hours ago, JennW in SoCal said:

 Anyone here know and love the Bollywood adaptation, Bride and Prejudice? 

It's available on amazon prime. Yay. This looks really cool. I haven't watched any Bollywood ever so this will be a double treat.

11 hours ago, Robin M said:

Image may contain: Robin McCormack and Arthur Walsh, people smiling, people standing

 

You look lovely! And your dad looks like such a classic southern gentleman. Glad you had such a great time!

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I posted this a couple of weeks ago because I was on the wrong bus but I'll repost it if anyone is looking for a fun cozy Dorset mystery.

This Side of Murder (Verity Kent) by Anna Huber.

Also a few images to inspire your reading and start packing things up to move to Dorset.

image.thumb.png.f4f5228da63902db46412f59109f8b87.png

Image from Purley Phottr on Flickr

gallery-1458141559-dorset-beach-scene.jp

Image courtesy of country living uk

 

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16 hours ago, JennW in SoCal said:

Count me in as another long time fan of My Family and Other Animals. I read it in college and a couple of times since. I haven't read (or listened to) the other 2 books that continue the "Corfu Trilogy".  My ds read another of his non-Corfu books and said it wasn't nearly as good.

And count me in as another long time fan of Shetland, both the tv series and the books. I wasn't a fan of how the BIG THING happened in Blue Lightening. But Shetland is now a bucket list location to visit. I've really enjoyed Ann Cleeve's Vera mysteries, too, though they are hard to find in the local libraries, or even on the shelves at bookstores. 

I'm agnostic about the Colin Firth wet shirt scene. It didn't render me weak in the knees or change my opinion of the novel. I do love that series, though, just for all the little things that were spot on. Anyone here know and love the Bollywood adaptation, Bride and Prejudice? 

I love Bollywood movies but the rest of my family doesn't.  I watch them on airplanes. ;). That being said I might need to get a copy of Bride and Prejudice.

 

I seem to have failed at the liking to watch the shows based on Ann Cleeves books  but I really like Vera in book form.  Everyone watched them including the Dc's friends.  I stalled reading the Shetland series and abandoned the book I was on.  At the time I couldn't get past what had happened in the storyline..........a murder, but I liked the character a whole lot!

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