Book a Week 2018 - BW21: Bookish Birthdays

[Robin M]

 

Happy Sunday and welcome to week twenty one 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.

It's time for another round of Bookish Birthdays.  We have quite a variety of authors to honor this week.

May 20:  French novelist Honoré de Balzac and Norwegian novelist Sigurd Undset

May 21: Italian poet Dante Alighieri, British poet  Alexander Pope, and American novelist Harold Robbins

May 22:  Scottish author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and American author Peter Patthiessen

May 23: English Poets Thomas Hood and Sheila Wingfield, plus american writers Scott O'Dell and Margaret Wise Brown

May 24: English playwright Sir Arthur Wing Pinero, Russian novelist Mikhail A. Sholokhov, and American Novelist Michael Chabon

May 25:  English writer Edward George Earle Bulwer-Lytton, American poet Ralph Waldo Emerson, and American author Robert Ludlum.

May 26:  American Poets Maxwell Bodenheim and Michael Benedikt

A Guide to Reading Sigurd Undset

The bold, boisterous woman behind the classic children’s tale ‘Goodnight Moon’

Paris Review's Peter Matthiessen, The Art of Fiction No. 157

19 Thing You Didn't Know about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

 

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

Our Brit Tripping is taking us to Berkshire this week.

Berkshire is famous for the Royal residence at Windsor Castle and its tech industry in modern days. Historically it was well known for its famous battles including the Battle of Newbury during the Civil War.

 Rabbit trails: Paddington Bear author Michael Bond ,  Royal Ascot Horse Races ,  More Battle of Newbury ,  Highclere Castle

 ****************

What are you reading this week?

Link to Week 20

 

[Robin M]

I'm currently reading Keri Arthur's Hell's Bells which is the 2nd book in her Lizzie Grace paranormal series.  

I've added At Play in the Fields of the Lord by Peter Matthiessen to my stacks. I saw the movie years ago and it was quite good so glad I found the book.  Now would be a good time for me to read Dante's Purgatoria as well but think I'll save for June's Tulip read as well.  

[-M-]

Hello! Here are some commonplace book entries from my last five books.

■ With or Without You (Domenica Ruta; 2013. Non-fiction.)
p. 23
Pride like this is both tyrannical and tragic, for the chief function of pride is to usher in the fall.

My parents had sufficient raw materials to achieve a level of fame in a small town, but not much more than that.

p. 119
It made sense to me. There are some things that we have to forget about in order to get through the day.

■ I’m Supposed to Protect You from All This (Nadja Spiegelman; 2016. Non-fiction.)
p. 87
According to neuroscientists, when we stir up a long-term memory, it floats in our consciousness, unstable, for a window of approximately three hours. During this time, the memory is malleable. The present infiltrates the past. We add details to fill in the gaps. Then the brain re-encodes the memory as if it were new, writing over the old one. As it sinks back down into the depths of our minds, we are not even aware of what we have gained or lost, or why.

p. 235
It had happened to me once, the unexpected resurgence of a difficult childhood memory. It had made me feel I was losing my hold on reality. It terrified me, already, that I was composed of a past that was so lonely, that was made up of memories and narratives no one else in my family could agree upon. It was too much that it might be unknowable to myself as well. I wondered often how many other memories lurked within me, dark and alien as cancers.

■ I’ll Be Gone in the Dark (Michelle McNamara; 2018. Non-fiction.)
p. 199
In their reserve and in virtually every other way, detectives differ from show-biz folks. Detectives listen. They’re getting a read. Entertainers get a read only to gauge their influence on a room. Detectives deal in concrete tasks. I once spent an hour listening to an actress analyze a three-line text that hurt her feelings. Eventually I’ll see the cracks in a detective’s veneer, but in the beginning their company is an unexpected relief, like fleeing a moodily lit cast party loud with competitive chatter and joining a meeting of determined Eagle Scouts awaiting their next challenge. I wasn’t a native in the land of the literal-minded, but I enjoyed my time there.

■ A Higher Loyalty (James Comey; 2018. Non-fiction.)
p. 118
I had never met President Obama before and was struck by two things: how much thinner he appeared in person and his ability to focus.

p. 121
On the way out the door, I told Kathy Ruemmler how surprised I was by the interesting discussion, telling her, “I can’t believe someone with such a supple mind actually got elected president.”

p. 123
Though it was a small moment, what struck me about President Obama’s remark is that it displayed a sense of humor, insight, and an ability to connect with an audience, which I would later come to appreciate in a president even more. These are all qualities that are indispensable in good leaders. A sense of humor in particular strikes me as an important indicator – or “tell” – about someone’s ego. Having a balance of confidence and humility is essential to effective leadership. Laughing in a genuine way requires a certain level of confidence, because we all look a little silly laughing: that makes us vulnerable, a state insecure people fear. And laughing is also frequently an appreciation of others, who have said something that is funny. That is, you didn’t say it, and by laughing you acknowledge the other, something else insecure people can’t do.

■ The Rules Do Not Apply (Ariel Levy; 2017. Non-fiction.)
p. 4
My lined notebooks were the only place I could say as much as I wanted, whenever I wanted. To this day I feel comforted and relieved of loneliness, no matter how foreign my surroundings, if I have a pad and a pen.

p. 5
(When we expressed subdued versions of our outrage to our elders, their responses invariably included the phrase “paying your dues.” It was not a phrase we cared for.)

p. 154
How did people do this? People who’d lost children who had existed – not for minutes but days, decades? Children who had voices, who had opened their eyes. Children with names. Did these people wake up every morning until the day they died and beg Mother Nature to return what she had given and then taken away?

[mumto2]

I have several books in process right now but have to say my current audiobook is my favorite and I cannot wait to finish it..........The Mapping of Love and Death by Jacqueline Winspear is part of the Maisie Dobbs series which is a series I have been occasionally dipping into for several years.  In this installment Maisie is hired to find out how an American Cartographer died during WWI and who his “English Nurse” love interest was.  This book seems to be winding up the old and launching Maisie into new and interesting things.  I think I may be reading the next Maisie sooner than normal because this book isn’t making me as sad as they normally do.  I do want to point out Cartography has been discussed frequently..........I have another book preselected for that Bingo square but am wondering if a book about a Cartographer is appropriate.

I also have A Talent for Murder in progress and saw Marbel is planning to read it.  Yeah!  Berkshire is definitely in this one.  So far I am enjoying it quite a bit and have spent quite a bit of time reading online about Christie and her disappearance.  This book seems to be playing within the boundaries of what is known and putting a more sinister spin on the events.  I keep thinking about the Dr. Who episode The Unicorn and the Wasp (David Tennant and Donna) which is one of my all time favorites which put an alien spin on Christie’s disappearance.  About a third of the way through and enjoying it......

Still plugging away at Lord Peter Views the Body which seems to be a bit uneven.  A couple have been new to me and very clever so worthwhile overall.

 

 

[Ali in OR]

Not too much time for reading during these busy days, but I'm reading a bit of Middlemarch on my kindle when I walk on the treadmill each morning. I'm in the middle of book six. I peeked at my hard copy and I have about 250 real pages left. I'm enjoying it.

[Mothersweets]

I had a hard time this week with my reading. I have several books from the library that I have to hurry and read and one of them is  Grey Mask by Patricia Wentworth. It's #1 in the Miss Silver series and Miss Silver isn't in it very often. The other characters I'm having a hard time liking or caring about them and they just go on and on and on and on. I'm thinking of ditching this one and jumping ahead to #13 as it seems to be highly rated. What do y'all think?

I did pick up and read The Rosie Project over the last two days. Fun story and the main character reminded me of Sheldon from Big Bang Theory.

I love Kristin Lavransdatter and enjoyed the article you linked, Robin. I never realized how beautiful Sigrid Undset was or that she lived in the US for a bit. Neat!

[Kareni]

A one day only free download ~ 

Hand and Ring by Anna Katharine Green

"A classic detective story of murder and punishment by one of America’s finest mystery writers

In a small New York town, the local legal professionals are discussing the nature of crime. Breaking the law, they conclude, does not pay in modern society, as the criminal will undoubtedly be caught. A mysterious hunchbacked stranger approaches the group to interject. “The smart ones don’t make tracks,” he says before disappearing. Meanwhile, just out of earshot, a woman has been murdered. Mrs. Clemmens was attacked in her home and there is no sign of the killer. As the case unfolds, several plausible suspects present themselves. But who actually committed the crime? And what should be made of the mysterious stranger who had such confidence in the abilities of the seasoned outlaw?"

Regards,
Karen

[Kareni]

Some bookish posts ~

Why Some Novels Say “A Novel” on the Cover, and If Yours Should Too  by Annie Neugebauer
**

10 LITTLE WOMEN-Inspired Items  by Katherine Willoughby
**

Unicorn for me.  You?    Quiz: What Animal Would Your Fantasy Sidekick Be?  by Sarah S. Davis
**

The Best Cross Stitch Books  by Lisa Ruiz

Regards,
Kareni

[Penguin]

Hi. I missed last week and will have to go back and see what was posted about Sigrid Undset. I picked up a vintage biography of her earlier this year at the thrift shop - photo below!

I missed last week mostly because our city was hit by a flash flood. We watched the water in the street rise from the safety of our second story apartment, but my car was a flood victim. The water had reached at least a foot in the streets, and my car is small and low to the ground. I was afraid that it would not be salvageable, but I am happy to report that the insurance company deemed it fixable. 

I'm reading several books, but the one I am most excited about at the moment is The Story of a New Name (Book 2 of the Neopolitan Novels by Elena Ferrante). Has anyone else read this series? 

[Kareni]

23 minutes ago, Penguin said:

I missed last week mostly because our city was hit by a flash flood.

I'm sorry to hear about the flood but glad that you are well and that your car is fixable.  Nature is truly a force.

Regards,
Kareni

[Soror]

I read the first 2 books of the Earthsea series, putting me at 20 books for the year. I've not read fantasy since January(when I finished off the Dark is rising series) and quite enjoyed the change of pace. 

I started on the new book for Read the World book club, it is another short one. I'm also going by the library to pick up Tribe and have requested the next book in the Earthsea Cycle (they do not have it).

[Mothersweets]

12 hours ago, Penguin said:

Hi. I missed last week and will have to go back and see what was posted about Sigrid Undset. I picked up a vintage biography of her earlier this year at the thrift shop - photo below!

 

Glad to hear your car will be ok!

Hmmmm, the link Robin gives in the first post http://www.integratedcatholiclife.org/2016/11/pearce-a-guide-for-reading-sigrid-undset/ has a lovely pic of the author. It must have been taken when she was very young. Sigrid doesn't look very happy here, does she? 

[Matryoshka]

Finished three books this week:

38. The Doomsday Book by Connie Willis - While if I suspended all my disbelief there was a fun story, so I didn't hate it, I found the whole plot so contrived that it overshadowed the story.  Everything that drives the plot is because no one can communicate with anyone else, because there apparently are no cell phones, internet, or other remote ways of communicating with each other in the future.  The one with time travel.  Only a phone system circa 1975 (so, 20 years before the book was written).  No beepers, no answering machines even, and all the lines are always busy.   It was more like a farce with all the miscommunications and missed opportunities to clear them up.  Delirious people who only regain consciousness to offer feverish rants and maybe clues, people who disappear on 'fishing trips' leaving incompetent bumblers in charge, everyone having to leave messages with third parties on pieces of paper and no way to get back in touch with them, and the girl they sent into the past has no idea how to get back to where she needs to be picked up, because she didn't bring back some kind of tracker/tracer, a technology that apparently does exist because one is used for that exact purpose later in the book.  But she didn't bring one... because otherwise there would have been less stupid miscommunication?  So the entire.book. is everyone running around trying to contact unreachable people. Sorry, it just ended up annoying me.  2 stars.

39. Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue (audiobook) - about a Cameroonian couple attempting to immigrate to the US, set in NYC right around the time of the financial crisis.  She is there on a student visa, he's attempting to gain asylum (bogusly).  He gets employment as a chauffeur from a Lehman Bros. exec, which goes very well at first, and the two families become more and more intertwined.  Then the financial crisis hits.  An interesting story with lots of shades of gray and twists you don't expect.  The narrator for the audio is excellent.  3.5 stars. 

40. Kalpa Imperial by Angélica Gorodischer - This was a slow read, but I really enjoyed it.  A series of stories about the "Most Vast Empire that Never Existed", all narrated by a 'teller of stories'.☺️  4 stars.

Currently reading:

- Sommerhaus, später by Judith Hermann - a collection of short stories about disaffected people in relatively recent Germany.  

- Exit West by Mohsin Hamid (audiobook) - about a couple in an unnamed war-torn city in the Middle East somewhere.  Apparently things go timey wimey or at least interdimensional at some point, but I haven't gotten that far yet. 

- The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo (ebook) - Really loving this collection of 'fairy tales' so far.  Things don't always work out quite as expected.

- For We Are Many (Bobiverse #2) - sequel to We Are Legion (We Are Bob), which was a really fun read.  Just started this this afternoon when I couldn't find where I'd left Sommerhaus (finally tracked it down!).

Coming up:

Lots of things on request - Laurus, The Queue, and The Great Passage (the last is for Amira's next readalong, I think I'll try that one), and on Overdrive Notes on a Foreign Country and Magpie Murders both came in off hold, so I need to finish what I'm working on and get to those!

[Penguin]

1 hour ago, Mothersweets said:

Glad to hear your car will be ok!

Hmmmm, the link Robin gives in the first post http://www.integratedcatholiclife.org/2016/11/pearce-a-guide-for-reading-sigrid-undset/ has a lovely pic of the author. It must have been taken when she was very young. Sigrid doesn't look very happy here, does she? 

Ah, ok. I missed it in that post. Thanks. I went back and read last week's thread and saw no reference to Undset so I was a bit confused.

[mumto2]

Penguin, Glad your car can be saved and eek! to being able to watch the flooding from your window.

Well, I just discovered that I messed up on overdrive massively.  Yesterday was busy and at some point I did queue my audiobook thinking I was finally going to be able to listen to it and finish,  didn’t happen.  I just sat down to quilt and listen and it’s gone from my account!  I know I went in to the account to make room for a new book yesterday and must have returned the book I was listening to also.   I can’t get the audio back but was able to get a copy of the book.  Yeah!

So on to my next audiobook,  Wilkie Collin’s Woman in White.  I have never read and am trying to get caught up with the bus.......set in Hampshire.

I read a charming Lord Peter Wimsey short this morning, The Learned Adventure of the Dragon’s Head, in which Wimsey’s young nephew is staying with him and they visit a book shop.  The nephew discovers a rather damaged copy of a classic text in Latin with incredible illustrations and buys the heavily discounted book.  The book leads to quite an adventure....... ?

[Granny_Weatherwax]

I haven't been around for a few weeks. I hope everyone is doing well.

I finished my 15th book today. I highly recommend it for those who like biographies.

Never Stop Walking by Christina Ardsson.

This was a free book on Kindle awhile back. I believe someone here posted the link to the group of books that were being offered.

-- 

Reading with the reading glasses causes a bit of nausea which means I can only read in small doses. This makes me sad. It doesn't matter whether the book is electronic or print. So frustrating.I have only paid $1.99 for an audiobook so far this year. There are so many books here in the house and the free ones offered on Kindle are keeping me on track.

My library card expired and I have to renew it today. I hope to find a couple of audiobooks to listen to while doing yard work and walking.

[Kareni]

3 hours ago, Mothersweets said:

Sigrid doesn't look very happy here, does she? 

I must have been reading too many paranormal books recently.  When I look at the picture of Sigrid, I see fangs!

Regards,
Kareni

[tuesdayschild]

On 5/21/2018 at 6:14 AM, Robin M said:

Now would be a good time for me to read Dante's Purgatoria as well but think I'll save for June's Tulip read as well.  

Thanks for all the interesting links Robin, enjoyed the fun fact of authors with birthdays this week; and, it's a good reminder for me to carry on reading, some more,  Dante.  

On 5/21/2018 at 8:03 AM, Ali in OR said:

I'm reading a bit of Middlemarch on my kindle when I walk on the treadmill each morning. I'm in the middle of book six. I peeked at my hard copy and I have about 250 real pages left. I'm enjoying it.

Quite a few BaW posters keep mentioning this book and that they've enjoyed it.  I think I'm going to have to pull it forward in my TBR pile.

On 5/21/2018 at 8:26 AM, Mothersweets said:

It's #1 in the Miss Silver series and Miss Silver isn't in it very often. The other characters I'm having a hard time liking or caring about them and they just go on and on and on and on. I'm thinking of ditching this one and jumping ahead to #13 as it seems to be highly rated. What do y'all think?

I purposely never read #1 as it's the first in the series and written at least 10 years before the 2nd book in the series.  I'd ditch it (grin) and jump forward.

On 5/21/2018 at 11:20 AM, Kareni said:

10 LITTLE WOMEN-Inspired Items  by Katherine Willoughby

I love the coffee mug in this link ?

On 5/21/2018 at 11:45 AM, Penguin said:

I missed last week mostly because our city was hit by a flash flood. We watched the water in the street rise from the safety of our second story apartment, but my car was a flood victim. The water had reached at least a foot in the streets, and my car is small and low to the ground. I was afraid that it would not be salvageable, but I am happy to report that the insurance company deemed it fixable. 

So sorry to read that.  We live in a town that has had epic flooding,  and the damage water leaves ....... ?  Hoping your repair comes up better than you imagined.

On 5/22/2018 at 2:47 AM, mumto2 said:

I read a charming Lord Peter Wimsey short this morning, The Learned Adventure of the Dragon’s Head, in which Wimsey’s young nephew is staying with him and they visit a book shop.  The nephew discovers a rather damaged copy of a classic text in Latin with incredible illustrations and buys the heavily discounted book.  The book leads to quite an adventure....... ?

I'm a LPW fan and I haven't encountered this story yet - sounds great.  Are you reading Sayers in order of publication?

On 5/22/2018 at 3:19 AM, The Accidental Coach said:

Reading with the reading glasses causes a bit of nausea which means I can only read in small doses. This makes me sad. It doesn't matter whether the book is electronic or print. So frustrating

Will your eyes right themselves eventually?  That is a very frustrating place to be for someone who loves to read (hug)

[tuesdayschild]

I’ve just started A Red Boyhood ~ Anatole Konstantin  (N/F autobiography / library loan) and though it’s not the best in writing style, is still an interesting read.

I think I’m on the main Brit Trip bus this week with my Queen Elizabeth book. If it has enough of Berkshire in there (ETA: it does) I may use this it for that county, and, failing that I can slip Three Men in A Boat into that spot.   

For anyone reading Agatha Christie, one of her stories is set in Berkshire from  the collection:  The Labour of Hercules: Hercule Poirot ~ Agatha Christie  (2.5 overall)  Berkshire/ “English village” / “Lyde Manor”/ “Mertonshire” / “Cranchester” / Devon / London

My current Brit Trip reads:

• False Colours ~ Georgette Heyer   (audio. Nighttime listen) Sussex/ London
• Elizabeth the Queen ~ Sally Bedell Smith  N/F    London/ Scotland/ Norfolk/ Berkshire(?)     

[JennyD]

So sorry to hear about the flooding, Penguin.  Glad you are all safe and sound.

This week I finished Neuland, by Eshkol Nevo,an Israeli novel set mostly in South America.  It took me a while to settle into the book but the last part in particular was quite good.  I also read When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing, by Daniel Pink.  It's one of those books that really could have been a magazine article, but it was a quick, interesting read.

 

[Guest]

On 5/20/2018 at 7:45 PM, Penguin said:

Hi. I missed last week and will have to go back and see what was posted about Sigrid Undset. I picked up a vintage biography of her earlier this year at the thrift shop - photo below!

I missed last week mostly because our city was hit by a flash flood. We watched the water in the street rise from the safety of our second story apartment, but my car was a flood victim. The water had reached at least a foot in the streets, and my car is small and low to the ground. I was afraid that it would not be salvageable, but I am happy to report that the insurance company deemed it fixable. 

I'm reading several books, but the one I am most excited about at the moment is The Story of a New Name (Book 2 of the Neopolitan Novels by Elena Ferrante). Has anyone else read this series? 

I was wondering how you were making out with all that flooding, Penguin. 

[Guest]

 I finished the book Amish Grace, which was very good. There was so much food for thought in there. I felt the authors did a remarkable job of describing why the Amish believe as they do without ever seeming condescending or disparaging of beliefs the authors may not have been able to relate to. 

I began reading the short Letters by a Modern Mystic as I mentioned before. One page that was very, extremely striking, was where he describes one of the “side-effects” of his intention to always stay in communion with God. What is striking was that I had this same experience when I did this and it was a surprising result. One might think, for example, they notice themselves being more patient, or feeling more love for humanity or some positive thing. But one thing that happened when I did this experiment was that people looked beautiful to me. I went to a party that I didn’t really want to attend and I expected to see some people who have some bad habits that I don’t endorse, but I went anyway. And, I kid you not, I started thinking each person was actually beautiful. Not in a pat sort of way like, “Gee, everyone is beautiful in his own way.” No. I really felt like I was seeing people through God’s eyes, as if God was right there whispering to me, “See how beautiful C——- is? See how handsome W——- is? These are all my special Creations.” It was really an amazingly spiritual moment in my life. 

On his entry dated April 18, 1930, Frank Laubach says, “Everywhere people are beautiful - or at least they have a beautiful side.” Then he talks about how he met a “painted lady” on a trip and she had the most spiritually true things to say, though she did not represent a Christian. 

Another thing I really love about this collection of journal entries is that - lol, he is just as schizophrenic as I am! Four days after the “everyone is beautiful” entry, he says he is “not very successful” at his intention. There are other entries, too, where he talks about how hard it is, how often he fails, how he hopes he can do something worthwhile in this life (miliions of people learned to read because of his work!) and how it is so easy to let God slip from his awareness. It gives me hope. 

[Violet Crown]

Nothing finished, or likely to be soon. Dh is out of the country for 3 weeks and I'm single-momming it while everyone finishes up their academic year and must be driven to endless social events ... I think I read thirty pages in all last week. 

[Granny_Weatherwax]

I listened to a short (90 min) audiobook this morning while I went on a 5 mile walk with my dog. The author/narrator had a lovely (Scottish?) accent and was accompanied by a string quartet. It was quite enjoyable despite the dark theme of the story.

I'm counting it as book since it was longer than the short H. Murikami books I read.

#16 The Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountains by Neil Gaiman and accompanied by the Fourplay String Quartet.

-

I did make it to the library yesterday and renewed my library card so I am good to go. I found two audiobooks and registered for the summer reading program.My free book for registering is The Burning Girl: A Novel by Claire Messud. 

I had to laugh because my profile pic is the book I received for registering for last year's summer reading program. I guess I need to take another kayak-reading trip and snap a new pic with this year's book.

[Kareni]

A one day only free download ~  

The Luck of Roaring Camp by Bret Harte

"In the mid-nineteenth century, the Wild West grabbed ahold of American consciousness and never let go. With the discovery of gold, all eyes and wagons turned westward.

This collection of stories brings readers back to the American frontier. In “The Luck of Roaring Camp,” when a Native American woman dies in childbirth, the miners take it upon themselves to raise the child. Naming the baby Luck, the miners learn more about responsibility and class through raising the boy than they have through anything else in their lives. Other stories in the collection include classic prospecting-set short stories such as “Tennessee’s Partner” and “The Outcasts of Poker Flat” and the short novels “Muck-a-Muck” and “Selina Sedilia.” In this timeless collection, Bret Harte has captured the California gold rush as no other writer could."
**

Also currently free to Kindle readers ~

described as Christian fiction:  Stealthy Steps (Nanostealth Book 1)  by Vikki Kestell

Southern short stories:   Grace, Grits and Ghosts  by Susan Gabriel

Regards,
Kareni

[mumto2]

16 hours ago, tuesdayschild said:

 

I'm a LPW fan and I haven't encountered this story yet - sounds great.  Are you reading Sayers in order of publication?

I am attempting to read in chronological order using this list as my basis http://www.leftfield.org/~rawdon/books/mystery/sayers.html.   The short story collection titled Lord Peter Views a Body has most(if not all ? ) of the early stories which is what I am reading now.  I haven’t attempted to match my completed list yet but think I am close.

[Kareni]

I challenge you to not drool ...  Afternoon tea time from the Word Wenches site which is celebrating its 12th anniversary this week.
**

Some bookish posts ~ 

REVIEW: Human Errors by Nathan H. Lents

(This book sounds intriguing.)

**

The Perfect Chaotic Worlds of Diane Duane  by Elizabeth Bear
**

Five Mystery Series with Awesome Detectives   by Emily Devenport
** 

Five Books With Kickass Moms
** 

Also from the Word Wenches: 

The Mighty Pen

Regards,
Kareni

[Robin M]

On 5/20/2018 at 12:51 PM, mumto2 said:

I have several books in process right now but have to say my current audiobook is my favorite and I cannot wait to finish it..........The Mapping of Love and Death by Jacqueline Winspear is part of the Maisie Dobbs series which is a series I have been occasionally dipping into for several years.  In this installment Maisie is hired to find out how an American Cartographer died during WWI and who his “English Nurse” love interest was.  This book seems to be winding up the old and launching Maisie into new and interesting things.  I think I may be reading the next Maisie sooner than normal because this book isn’t making me as sad as they normally do.  I do want to point out Cartography has been discussed frequently..........I have another book preselected for that Bingo square but am wondering if a book about a Cartographer is appropriate.

Any book having anything to do with a cartographer or cartography will work.  ?

On 5/20/2018 at 4:20 PM, Kareni said:

Unicorn for me.  You?    Quiz: What Animal Would Your Fantasy Sidekick Be?  by Sarah S. Davis

 

Hmmm! Mine is a raven - Sometimes you can be withdrawn, which is why you need someone to understand that side of you. A raven companion might seem like a stoic, silent companion, but he has the ability to communicate for you and would travel to the end of the world to do your bidding. Ravens have a reputation for being grim and edgy, a bit like you, and are fiercely intelligent and thoughtful.

Any yes, I'm drooling over Word Wenches afternoon tea!  

Penguin - so glad you are okay, but sorry about your car.  

Violet Crown - Hope you are finding some time for yourself during your hubby's absence. 

Accidental Coach -  So sorry you are having difficulties with reading glasses.    Did you get a prescription?   Hubby's had all sorts of difficulties with Optometrist getting eye glass strength correct.  Maybe they are too strong? Try out different strengths from the grocery store and see which works the best for you.  Hugs, doll!

[Maus]

I've been checking out some of the book recommendations from "Give Your Child the World."  I think someone responsible for ordering children's books at my local library must be a fan, because our library seems to have most of them.  Now if she'll just write a teen version....

43.  "Candy Bomber" by Michael O. Tunnell.  (Jr)  and "Christmas From Heaven" by David T. Warner.  The second is a lovely picture book with a DVD included featuring Tom Brokaw reciting the book for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert, and then welcoming Gail Halversen to the stage.   Mr. Halversen is still alive.  He participated in an air candy drop (with the help of his son) at an elementary school next town over from me a year ago, and was the guest of honor at a 4th of July event here not long after.

42.  "After the Train" by Gloria Whelan.  (Jr)  Set in Germany in the '50s in a community still rebuilding and recovering from the war.

41.  "Nora Ryan's Song" by Patricia Reilly Giff.  (Jr)  I knew about the Irish potato famine, but more from working for my dad and other professional genealogists.  I don't think we ever covered it in school, and this is the first book I've read set there.

40.  "Breaking Stalin's Nose" by Eugene Velchin.  (Jr)  This will be great for helping my kids understand life behind the Iron Curtain.

39.  "The Book Whisperer" by Donalyn Miller.  Doesn't have much of a recommendation list, but I like how she got buy-in from her class.

• 38.  "The Man in the Brown Suit" by Agatha Christie.
• 37.  "How to Speak Dragonese" by Cressida Cowell.
• 36.  "Reading Magic" by Mem Fox. 
• 35.  "Murder on the Links" by Agatha Christie. (France, London, Warwickshire)
• 34. "The Grave's a Fine and Private Place" by Alan Bradley.  (Fictional England)
• 33. "The Read-Aloud Family" by Sarah Mackenzie. 
• 32. "Poirot Investigates" by Agatha Christie.  (London, Northamptonshire, Derbyshire, Lancashire, Sussex, Kent, Devonshire) 
• 31.  "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" by J.K. Rowling.  (London and Surrey) .
• 30.  "The Skull Beneath the Skin" by P.D. James. (Dorset, London)  
• 29. "How to Be a Pirate" by Cressida Cowell.
• 28.  "Simply Classical" by Cheryl Swope
• 27. "Partners in Crime" by Agatha Christie. (London, Surrey, Sussex, Berkshire, Suffolk, Devon)
• 26. "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" by J.K. Rowling. (London, Surrey, and Devon)
• 25. "Give Your Child the World" by Jamie C. Martin.
• 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)

Agatha Christies's settings in Everyman's Guide to the Mysteries of Agatha Christie.

[Mothersweets]

I got a raven, too!

[mumto2]

I missed Kareni's quiz link https://bookriot.com/2018/05/08/animal-sidekick-fantasy-quiz/

I am a unicorn also.

I keep getting lost in these links today.  The ad links keep sending me to my Overdrive.  I learned VE Schwab has a new series coming out.  The first one is titled Vicious.  I put a purchase request in..........I loved the Shares of Magic series so am pretty excited! https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13638125-vicious?ac=1&from_search=true

[Granny_Weatherwax]

I also got a raven.Those quizzes make my brain wonky because some questions simply don't have responses that accurately fit me and I tend to overthink the choices.

I began Sweet Mandarin by Helen Tse. It's a non-fiction book about Chinese immigrants to Britain. It's a book my daughter read for one of her college courses.

My current audiobook (checked out from the library) is Turtles All the Way Down by John Green (the author who wrote The Fault in Our Stars).

[Soror]

I finished The Great Passage, the next Read Around the 'World book, book 21 for the year.  I'm still working on my review.

 I started on Tamora Pierce's new book Tempests and Slaughter, I've never read anything by her but saw it on the new rack in YA and thought I'd check it out. 

Five books that I requested have arrived at the library, Hillbilly Elegy, The Hungry Brain, 2 exercise books, and a cookbook.

[LuvToRead]

I am working on my last book for Clover

C-"The Crow Trap" Ann Cleeves
L-"A Passion Redeemed" Julie Lessman - currently reading
O-"The Outlaws of Sherwood" Robin McKinley
V-"Beneath a Prairie Moon" Kim Vogel Sawyer
E-"The Weaver's Daughter" Sarah E. Ladd
R-"Raspberry Danish Murder" Joann Fluke

I have decided to skip Aven and will move on to Tulip.

I think I fell off the Brit Trip bus, although I did read "The Duchess" (about Camilla Parker Bowles) by Penny Junor, which I didn't enjoy.  I also finished "The Proposal" by Mary Balogh for Dorset.

Next up is "Mist of Midnight" by Sandra Byrd which is set in Hampshire.  I think I may read a couple of cozy mysteries for some of my Tulip letters.  

[marbel]

I started The Killings at Badger's Drift last night - being on the bus in the right place at the right time for once! - and realized I had started and rejected the book once before. I'm going to continue because I don't recall why I rejected it.  I have a backup Berkshire book (A Talent for Murder) so we'll see what happens. Sometimes I just reject a book because I'm not in the mood for what it's offering so maybe it was a timing problem.  It seems like it's my kind of book.  

The last two days I was immersed in Jar City.  Such a grim book but quite good.  

I have Enigma by Robert Harris set for Buckinghamshire, but after getting it from the library I suspect that is another I have started and rejected!  

[mumto2]

1 hour ago, LuvToRead said:

I am working on my last book for Clover

C-"The Crow Trap" Ann Cleeves
L-"A Passion Redeemed" Julie Lessman - currently reading
O-"The Outlaws of Sherwood" Robin McKinley
V-"Beneath a Prairie Moon" Kim Vogel Sawyer
E-"The Weaver's Daughter" Sarah E. Ladd
R-"Raspberry Danish Murder" Joann Fluke

I have decided to skip Aven and will move on to Tulip.

I think I fell off the Brit Trip bus, although I did read "The Duchess" (about Camilla Parker Bowles) by Penny Junor, which I didn't enjoy.  I also finished "The Proposal" by Mary Balogh for Dorset.

Next up is "Mist of Midnight" by Sandra Byrd which is set in Hampshire.  I think I may read a couple of cozy mysteries for some of my Tulip letters.  

I just saw The Duchess in my Overdrive for the first time last night and will admit to feeling a bit of interest but don’t want to read it if she is portrayed heavily in the negative.  

Cozy mysteries and historical romances are my favorite way to fill my flower letters.  Although Lily is not progressing overly well!

 

Marbel,  I messed up my quote apparently.  I had started Badger’s Drift at least once before reading it this year.  I ended up really enjoying it but have to say I think it may have been a right book for the right moment.  No idea why I quit read it in the past but I do plan to read more in the series at some point.  I also still need to watch an episode of Midsummer Murders.........

Today I have been busy listening to Woman in White and quilting.  It’s long......25 hours, even at 1.5 speed it is taking awhile, 20 hours to go.  It does seem to be good but moves super slow so I can’t listen when tired.  I drift off and fall asleep so I keep turning my current Prime series on.  Anyone else watch Eureka?  Just started season 4 and still like it.  Lol.

Btw, hand quilting currently so I am not falling asleep slumped over my sewing machine.  Think couch or propped up on my bed.

[LuvToRead]

1 minute ago, mumto2 said:

I just saw The Duchess in my Overdrive for the first time last night and will admit to feeling a bit of interest but don’t want to read it if she is portrayed heavily in the negative.  

Cozy mysteries and historical romances are my favorite way to fill my flower letters.  Although Lily is not progressing overly well!

 

Marbel,  I messed up my quote apparently.  I had started Badger’s Drift at least once before reading it this year.  I ended up really enjoying it but have to say I think it may have been a right book for the right moment.  No idea why I quit read it in the past but I do plan to read more in the series at some point.  I also still need to watch an episode of Midsummer Murders.........

Today I have been busy listening to Woman in White and quilting.  It’s long......25 hours, even at 1.5 speed it is taking awhile, 20 hours to go.  It does seem to be good but moves super slow so I can’t listen when tired.  I drift off and fall asleep so I keep turning my current Prime series on.  Anyone else watch Eureka?  Just started season 4 and still like it.  Lol.

Btw, hand quilting currently so I am not falling asleep slumped over my sewing machine.  Think couch or propped up on my bed.

Actually, Camilla is portrayed as a Saint while Diana was a monster, and maybe that is true.  I felt like she tried too hard to make Camilla and Charles faultless and wonderful, when in reality, we all have our faults.  No one is perfect.

 

I too love a cozy mystery, especially in the summer (and in the winter, spring, and fall!).  This is the first year without a pool, but in the past I read them while the girls swam.

[Matryoshka]

13 hours ago, texasmom33 said:

Out of curiosity, I have to ask..........does the guy's writing style develop any between book 1 and book 2? My dh loves these books, and I read half of book 1 and almost died because of the prose style. It was a little better listening on Audible than reading it, but I just couldn't do it- and quit. But I'm curious if it improved over the course of the book, or maybe into the second because you read some very high falutin' style books, so I'm just curious how you feel about the style of the Bob writer? ? I really like having some reading overlap with dh, but he usually reads Sanderson and Follet type books that go on for years, so the Bob books seemed like books I could actually fit in. Anyway, just wondering. 

LOL, I am sorry to tell you that the writing style continues apace... this appears to be the kind of lower-brow writing that tickles me rather than annoys me.  There is in fact a lot of popular writing that annoys me no end and makes me want to poke myself in the eye, but Bob I just enjoy.  It's probably because I'm an über-geek and apparently just giggling at the sci-fi film/tv references makes me happy.  I do read a lot of heavier stuff, and for geekazoid me, this is a fun and silly change.  If you are not the type that can watch the entire Star Trek/Stargate/Dr Who canon 50+ times and still not be tired of it (as I sadly am...), then this might not be as fun, lol.   I'm sure I'd tire of it after a while (as I think I recall doing by the end of the Hitchhiker series), in fact the first chapter or two, when it seemed to be more of the same, I wondered if I already had, but I warmed up to it again.  I do think I'll read book 3 at some point, just to see how some of it comes out, but I think that will be enough.  ?

The rub is that this is a book/series for someone who's already consumed and enjoyed vast quantities of SciFi.  It's not good for someone who isn't as fond of or hasn't read/watched much SciFi and is looking for an accessible entry point.  

[mumto2]

59 minutes ago, LuvToRead said:

Actually, Camilla is portrayed as a Saint while Diana was a monster, and maybe that is true.  I felt like she tried too hard to make Camilla and Charles faultless and wonderful, when in reality, we all have our faults.  No one is perfect.

 

I too love a cozy mystery, especially in the summer (and in the winter, spring, and fall!).  This is the first year without a pool, but in the past I read them while the girls swam.

Well,  I don’t think I want to read about Diana the monster either.  I have to thank you for the reading it.  One book less on hold!  Lol. It’s rare for BaW to remove books from my list......

  Over the years I have grown to respect Camilla,  she appears to work really hard to fulfill duties and has done an incredible job supporting the military regiment she is “attached” to especially.  I hate to see that hard work portrayed poorly because she does deserve respect.  But I was a huge Di fan girl way back when....... ?

[aggieamy]

On 5/20/2018 at 3:26 PM, Mothersweets said:

I had a hard time this week with my reading. I have several books from the library that I have to hurry and read and one of them is  Grey Mask by Patricia Wentworth. It's #1 in the Miss Silver series and Miss Silver isn't in it very often. The other characters I'm having a hard time liking or caring about them and they just go on and on and on and on. I'm thinking of ditching this one and jumping ahead to #13 as it seems to be highly rated. What do y'all think?

 

I disliked the first ones but have enjoyed the others I've read in the series. Skip it!

On 5/20/2018 at 6:45 PM, Penguin said:

I missed last week mostly because our city was hit by a flash flood. We watched the water in the street rise from the safety of our second story apartment, but my car was a flood victim. The water had reached at least a foot in the streets, and my car is small and low to the ground. I was afraid that it would not be salvageable, but I am happy to report that the insurance company deemed it fixable.

Are you on the east coast? My parents live in south central PA and have had crazy rains but ... they've been here visiting me and traveling in the midwest for the last month so they've missed it all.

On 5/21/2018 at 9:47 AM, mumto2 said:

So on to my next audiobook,  Wilkie Collin’s Woman in White.  I have never read and am trying to get caught up with the bus.......set in Hampshire.?

Yay! One of my favorite books! Kevin has attempted to read it but thought it was too slow which is strange because he's the reader of chunksters and classic books in our house. Hope you like it.

On 5/21/2018 at 11:02 PM, Violet Crown said:

Nothing finished, or likely to be soon. Dh is out of the country for 3 weeks and I'm single-momming it while everyone finishes up their academic year and must be driven to endless social events ... I think I read thirty pages in all last week. 

The amount of kid driving when kids get to be older is crazy. My car tells me how long each trip is and one day last fall I spent three hours in my car during the day between driving Sophia places and picking her up.

Hope you get some time pages in soon!

On 5/22/2018 at 11:18 AM, The Accidental Coach said:

I did make it to the library yesterday and renewed my library card so I am good to go. I found two audiobooks and registered for the summer reading program.My free book for registering is The Burning Girl: A Novel by Claire Messud.

I've never heard of library cards expiring before. Interesting. Nor of summer reading programs for adults. I guess I haven't visited many libraries outside the midwest.

1 hour ago, mumto2 said:

Well,  I don’t think I want to read about Diana the monster either.  I have to thank you for the reading it.  One book less on hold!  Lol. It’s rare for BaW to remove books from my list......

  Over the years I have grown to respect Camilla,  she appears to work really hard to fulfill duties and has done an incredible job supporting the military regiment she is “attached” to especially.  I hate to see that hard work portrayed poorly because she does deserve respect.  But I was a huge Di fan girl way back when....... ?

I have heard that American's think that the Brits must hate Charles and Camilla because everyone loved Di so much but that the Brits actually don't think that way at all. Have you found that to be true?

[aggieamy]

Last week I flew down to San Antonio to meet my parents for a week of fun. We lived there while I was in high school so we were going to visit all the old places. Meanwhile my parents had been driving all over the SW USA on vacation because my mom just retired. John and I were supposed to fly down on Monday but we got delayed because John had strep throat. So we flew down on Tuesday evening and my parents picked us up at the airport and went to one of our favorite restaurants for dinner.
This is the funny part ...
Then we got back in the Suburban and drove to Houston. Yes. I flew to San Antonio to have dinner and then drive three hours to Houston.

Ah well. It was still a good time. We went to Galveston for two days and then spent two days driving back to KC without getting on the interstate.

I didn't get a ton of reading done but since I've been back I have been swamped with work and that means lots of audiobooks.(I can't take credit for all of yesterday. DD helped with a few hours of that reading.)

I'm still trying to catch up to the Brit Trip Mystery Van ...

 

[aggieamy]

Finished this week:

Rose Cottage by Mary Stewart - Not her usual keep you up to 3 am wondering type book. It was sweet and gentle and not much happened. If I'd read it as a young woman I probably wouldn't have enjoyed it. As an older woman I liked it. Durham

The Cat Who Said Cheese by Lillian Jackson Braun - I've only listened to this one about ten time so far in life. I always can trust that the Cat Who books will keep me entertained.

I've started a PG Wodehouse book that I had intended to use as a WILD CARD but it's set in New York. Bah humbug!

[Granny_Weatherwax]

21 minutes ago, aggieamy said:

 

I've never heard of library cards expiring before. Interesting. Nor of summer reading programs for adults. I guess I haven't visited many libraries outside the midwest.

I am in the midwest but grew up in the west. Every library card I have ever had had an expiration date. They are usually issued for 2-5 years; our current town issues cards for two years.

Aside: I have a stack of old ibrary cards; I just can't seem to throw them away. The oldest is from when I was 10.

The adult reading program is simple: it runs for 8 weeks and requires reading 1 book in 8 different categories. If you complete all 8 books, you receive a $5 gift certificate for the local coffee house and a chance to win a stack of books. 

[Kareni]

2 hours ago, aggieamy said:

I've never heard of library cards expiring before. Interesting. Nor of summer reading programs for adults.

Our local library cards do not have a printed expiration date; however, every three years we must verify our contact information.  This is due to the fact that my city's library is supported by city taxpayers; those living outside the city limits are welcome to purchase a membership.

2 hours ago, The Accidental Coach said:

The adult reading program is simple: it runs for 8 weeks and requires reading 1 book in 8 different categories. If you complete all 8 books, you receive a $5 gift certificate for the local coffee house and a chance to win a stack of books. 

My local library also has an adult summer reading program (in addition to children's and teen programs).  For the past few years, the adult program has consisted of a bingo.  It's similar to the Book a Week bingo in that one must read books in a given category.
**

 

19 hours ago, mumto2 said:

I am a unicorn also.

A fellow unicorn!

20 hours ago, Robin M said:

Mine is a raven

 

19 hours ago, Mothersweets said:

I got a raven, too! 

 

8 hours ago, The Accidental Coach said:

I also got a raven.

Unicorns 2, Ravens 3.  We seem to be outnumbered, mumto2!  (And now I'm wondering what other fantasy sidekicks are possible.)

Regards,
Kareni

[aggieamy]

2 hours ago, Kareni said:

Our local library cards do not have a printed expiration date; however, every three years we must verify our contact information.  This is due to the fact that my city's library is supported by city taxpayers; those living outside the city limits are welcome to purchase a membership.

My local library also has an adult summer reading program (in addition to children's and teen programs).  For the past few years, the adult program has consisted of a bingo.  It's similar to the Book a Week bingo in that one must read books in a given category.
**

 

A fellow unicorn!

 

 

Unicorns 2, Ravens 3.  We seem to be outnumbered, mumto2!  (And now I'm wondering what other fantasy sidekicks are possible.)

Regards,
Kareni

 

Fox 1!

 

 

[marbel]

Another raven here!

[Kareni]

1 hour ago, aggieamy said:

Fox 1!

Something different (you rebel!).

6 minutes ago, marbel said:

Another raven here!

So the count is now:

4 Ravens
2 Unicorns
1 Fox

Regards,
Kareni

[tuesdayschild]

4 hours ago, Kareni said:

Unicorns 2, Ravens 3.  We seem to be outnumbered, mumto2!  (And now I'm wondering what other fantasy sidekicks are possible.)

A cat.

[Violet Crown]

8 hours ago, aggieamy said:

The amount of kid driving when kids get to be older is crazy. My car tells me how long each trip is and one day last fall I spent three hours in my car during the day between driving Sophia places and picking her up.

Hope you get some time pages in soon!

 

At a stoplight the other day I saw the man next to me immediately pick up a book, prop it on the steering wheel, and start reading. So I suppose there are others who dislike driving getting in the way of reading. I wonder if our city's hands-free law applies to books as well as phones.

Great beach photo! Was there much sign of hurricane damage in Galveston?

Penguin, sorry about the flooding. ?

[mumto2]

18 minutes ago, tuesdayschild said:

A cat.

So my question is do you enjoy The Cat Who.......books?  I can’t believe Amy didn’t get the cat! ?

Amy,  Royals are sort of like politics in terms of people honestly do not talk about them beyond personal stories if they have truly spoken to someone in the family.  The Queen and the corgi’s make for a good story, seriously.  They really enjoy showing off their nan’s Coronation Cup collection.............I will say both the Queen and Kate are the favorites with my friends.  I think Camilla is accepted pretty widely, at least I haven’t heard anything negative said irl, ever.