Book a Week 2018 - BW38: To a Young Lady, With Some Lampreys

[Robin M]

Happy Sunday and welcome to week thirty-eight  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.

In honor of the John Gay, an English burlesque poet and dramatist, born September 16, 1685

 To a Young Lady, With Some Lampreys

by 

JOHN GAY

With lovers, ’twas of old the fashion
By presents to convey their passion;
No matter what the gift they sent,
The Lady saw that love was meant.
Fair Atalanta, as a favour,
Took the boar’s head her Hero gave her;
Nor could the bristly thing affront her,
’Twas a fit present from a hunter.
When Squires send woodcocks to the dame,
It serves to show their absent flame:
Some by a snip of woven hair,
In posied lockets bribe the fair;
How many mercenary matches
Have sprung from Di’mond-rings and watches!
But hold – a ring, a watch, a locket,
Would drain at once a Poet’s pocket;
He should send songs that cost him nought,
Nor ev’n he prodigal of thought.
Why then send Lampreys? fye, for shame!
’Twill set a virgin’s blood on flame.
This to fifteen a proper gift!
It might lend sixty five a lift.
I know your maiden Aunt will scold,
And think my present somewhat bold.
I see her lift her hands and eyes.
‘What eat it, Niece? eat Spanish flies!
‘Lamprey’s a most immodest diet:
‘You’ll neither wake nor sleep in quiet.
‘Should I to night eat Sago cream,
‘’Twould make me blush to tell my dream;
‘If I eat Lobster, ’tis so warming,
‘That ev’ry man I see looks charming;
‘Wherefore had not the filthy fellow
‘Laid Rochester upon your pillow?
‘I vow and swear, I think the present
‘Had been as modest and as decent.
‘Who has her virtue in her power?
‘Each day has its unguarded hour;
‘Always in danger of undoing,
‘A prawn, a shrimp may prove our ruin!
‘The shepherdess, who lives on salad,
‘To cool her youth, controuls her palate;
‘Should Dian’s maids turn liqu’rish livers,
‘And of huge lampreys rob the rivers,
‘Then all beside each glade and Visto,
‘You’d see Nymphs lying like Calisto.
‘The man who meant to heat your blood,
‘Needs not himself such vicious food –’
In this, I own, your Aunt is clear,
I sent you what I well might spare:
For when I see you, (without joking)
Your eyes, lips, breasts, are so provoking,
They set my heart more cock-a-hoop
,Than could whole seas of craw-fish soupe.

 ?

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

Brit Trip

 This week, we begin our final Roman road on Watling Way in Kent! Another jewel of England with a rich history of peace and war. It’s the home of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Church of England. On clear days possible to see France from the cliffs which led to it being the site of the Battle of Britain during WWII. 

Rabbit trails: Leeds Castle, Wilkie Collins, Jocelyn Brooke,  Wartime Tunnels,  Ian Fleming,  Channel Tunnel, Dickens

 

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

Kristin Lavransdatter Readalong

Book One -The Wreath.

Part III – Lavrans Bjorgulfson  Chapter 1 to 8  (100 Pages)

 

What are you reading this week?

Link to week 37

[Robin M]

Currently reading Melissa Olson's Blood Gamble in her Disrupted Magic series as well as Kristin Lavransdatter.

[mumto2]

I am all caught up in Kristin Lavrenstadder.......currently I don’t like her very much.  Silly girl!  How about the rest of you?

I am reading Sayers The Five Red Herrings which I have never made it through.  I don’t really expect it to appear on my favorites list but I do think I will finish it this time.  Currently listening to Lauren Willig’s The Mischief of the Mistletoe for the Brit Trip’s bus stop in Bath.  So far it’s a fun Austen spoof,  quite enjoying Jane’s appearances in the book.  Very fluffy but so far not overly connected to the other Pink Carnation series.

Our Bus is finally pulling in to Kent which Dh and I have vacationed in since our honeymoon 30 years ago.  Leeds Castle is possibly my favorite place to visit and I have dragged Dh there many times thanks to annual passes.....lately I have been able to pay for one visit and return free for a year.  We visit for an hour every time we are nearby.   I just clicked on the link and discovered they now have clamping.....it actually looks like fun says the person who hates camping because my back just can’t handle it.  Thanks to the Maisie Dobson series I have visited Kent several times this year but I just checked the first Bess Crawford mystery out as an audiobook.  Trying “the other” Charles Todd series was one of my must reads for the year and since I can start at the beginning with A Duty to the Dead I will. ? 

Robin, not sure if you have watched any of the Keys of Time Dr, Who series with Tom Baker or not but The Androids of Tara was filmed at least in part at Leeds Castle.  Naturally it’s a favorite!  It is actually recognizable because I figured it out watching the episode not from research.

 

[Negin]

I read The Best We Could Do - 5 Stars - I loved this graphic memoir. The illustrations are gorgeous, the story grabbed me right away, and the pain of the author and her family’s past was beautifully depicted. They were refugees who moved to the U.S. after the Vietnam War, but that’s not all that the story is about. There is far more to it than that. It’s a story of a family, rather than just the Vietnam War. This has to be one of the most emotionally-gripping books that I have read in a while. 

My favorite quote:
“Proximity and closeness are not the same.” 

I also read The Lost Symbol - 3 Stars - This was entertaining and a fairly quick read. It was enjoyable enough, but nothing incredible, which is what I expect with Dan Brown. 

Some of my favorite quotes:

“To live in the world without becoming aware of the meaning of the world is like wandering about in a great library without touching the books.”

“Darkness feeds on apathy.”

“The more man learned, the more he realized he did not know.”

“Google' is not a synonym for 'research'.”

“Imagine how different a world might be if more leaders took time to ponder the finality of death before racing off to war.” 

“Knowledge is a tool, and like all tools, its impact is in the hands of the user.”

     

 

MY RATING SYSTEM
5 Stars
Fantastic, couldn't put it down
4 Stars
Really Good
3 Stars
Enjoyable 
2 Stars
Just Okay – nothing to write home about
1 Star
Rubbish – waste of my money and time. Few books make it to this level, since I usually give up on them if they’re that bad. 

 

Edited September 16, 2018 by Negin

[Ali in OR]

I'm mostly not reading these days. Started my first job in 21 years (other than subbing last year) as an Educational Assistant at my dd's high school. I love the work but am still getting used to being a working mom. Work all day, then come home and...work some more. So the only reading I'm doing is half an hour on the treadmill at 6 am every morning. I'm slowly working through Jane Gardam's Faith Fox. Faith is an infant whose mother died in childbirth and this is mostly a somewhat humorous character study about the extended family and friends around her.

[Kareni]

Some bookish posts ~

Outside the Lines: Unique Narrative Devices in Fantasy  by Martin Cahill

*

Parker Peevyhouse 's  Five Books About Waking Up In A Strange Situation 

* 

Asimov’s Guide To Shakespeare Exists, and You Need It  by Alex Livingston

Did anyone else read a LOT of books by Asimov as a younger person?  I certainly did.  He wrote prolifically on all matter of subjects, and I'm fairly certain I owned the above book at one point.

Regards,
Kareni

[Kareni]

Some more: 

21 Incredible Books Based on True Stories  by Beulah Maud Devaney 

10 Great Audiobooks in Translation  by Sarah Ullery

30 Easy to Advanced DIY Crafts With Old Books You Can Do  by Susie Dumond  -- some neat projects here!
 

And slightly less bookish but intriguing ~

Feast Your Eyes On This Wicked Slytherin Wedding  by  Christina Marfice

From the Book Wenches site:  Pretty, Pretty Porcelain

Regards,
Kareni

[mumto2]

Kareni, Once again thank you for the entertaining links that I spend way too much time pursuing!  

A Slytherin wedding is quite a concept ....as you know my family was way too involved with the weddings at our village church for several years and have seen a few themes go by.  Other than the wedding invitations I didn’t love any of it....well the dress is lovely but I can’t say it says bride to me. ?  The Steampunk wedding was much more fun imo.  Just a general update.....the tower is still closed because of some potential issues with the structure.  No idea when it will reopen for ringing.  On a positive note, it has been nice to have Saturday’s free......practice is currently at a different tower.

I saw an adorable Folded Book Hedgehog the other day in a store window.  I love the book crafts but just don’t seem to be able to hurt a book to try and make one of the crafts.  The garland was beautiful and the headboard is really cool.

The book lists were great.  I may have picked out my new year’s Murakami thanks to one of the lists, After Dark looks intriguing.  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17803.After_Dark

[Miss Tick]

3 hours ago, Kareni said:

Asimov’s Guide To Shakespeare Exists, and You Need It  by Alex Livingston

Did anyone else read a LOT of books by Asimov as a younger person?  I certainly did.  He wrote prolifically on all matter of subjects, and I'm fairly certain I owned the above book at one point.

I have this book from an old WTMForum recommendation and i love it! When the opportunity arises i pull that our and feel like I have half a chance I'd really understanding what is going on. ?

[Faithr]

5 hours ago, Negin said:

I read The Best We Could Do - 5 Stars - I loved this graphic memoir. The illustrations are gorgeous, the story grabbed me right away, and the pain of the author and her family’s past was beautifully depicted. They were refugees who moved to the U.S. after the Vietnam War, but that’s not all that the story is about. There is far more to it than that. It’s a story of a family, rather than just the Vietnam War. This has to be one of the most emotionally-gripping books that I have read in a while. 

My favorite quote:
“Proximity and closeness are not the same.” 

 

This sounds really good!  I'll have to look for it at our library.

I read another D. E. Stevenson novel, Miss Buncle's Book, which I found humorous and charming.  I started on the next Miss Buncle book but I am having a harder time getting into it.  

I'm still working through Beginning to Read the Fathers by Father Boniface Ramsey - just don't have the time or ability to concentrate to move quickly through it.

I started listening to Brunelleschi's Dome - got the cd from the library.  Just finished chapter 1 but so far, it's intriguing!  

And because my new puppy is proving to be such a handful, I'm about to download Zak George's Dog Training Revolution to get some tips on teaching my pup manners.  

 

 

[Ottakee]

Last week I finished Instant Mom.  Written by the writer and actress in My Big Fat Greek Wedding it is a story of her struggle with infertility and ultimate path to motherhood by adopting through foster care.   I loved the movie and she was very real in the book.  Not great literature but as I adopted older kids through the foster care system it made it more personal for me. 

A solid 4 stars.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0062231847/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_ZxWNBb9CC7QE1

[Violet Crown]

Robin, thank you for bringing John Gay to everyone's attention. Of course Gay is most famous for writing The Beggar's Opera, the most popular play of the 18th century, updated by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill as Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera) with immortal songs such as "Mack the Knife."

No books finished in this busy week: near the end, though, of Henry Mayhew's London Labour and the London Poor, which was apparently the basis for a Terry Pratchett novel, a thing I had not known. Also finishing Wordsworth & Coleridge's Lyrical Ballads, which would also have counted for Somerset if Sheridan hadn't got me there first with The Rivals.

BritTrip: Kent was checked off over the summer by mega-medieval-chunkster The Canterbury Tales, including "The Tale of Melibee" and "The Parson's Tale," which no one ever reads. Took considerably more than one week but fortunately there were a lot of train trips. I do believe I can catch up with the Bus by October. Anyone else still reading her way along the Roman Roads...?

Edited September 17, 2018 by Violet Crown

[Lady Florida.]

It's been a few weeks since I posted. There's been a lot going on here but I've still managed to get a fair amount of reading in. 

I don't remember what Sebastian St. Cyr mystery I was on when I last posted but I'm currently reading Where the Dead Lie. There's only one more after this (though I'm sure she'll write more) but my library doesn't have it.  I did recommend it and hope they'll buy it. I'm pretty sure they will since they have the whole series but the last one only came out this spring so maybe they just didn't get around to it yet. 

I'm making slow progress in A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century. I got bogged down in a chapter that gave a battle play by play but finally made it past that. 

Library hold math is weird. I was on the hold list for Bob Woodward's book Fear: Trump in the White House. The day it came out I was #38 on the list for the Kindle version. Just before I went to bed that night I was #37. I woke up Friday morning to an email saying my hold was available and had been automatiocally borrowed. My theory is a bunch of people decided to just buy it so they took themselves off the hold list. I've been reading it in small bursts. I like Woodward. I remember watching the Watergate hearings with my mother and read All The President's Men not long after it was published. I think it was the first adult non-fiction book I read.  

Edited September 17, 2018 by Lady Florida.

[Mothersweets]

Kathy, did you listen to the Fresh Air interview last week with Bob Woodward? Bob Woodward on Fresh Air with Terry Gross  so very interesting!

 

I finished listening to Little Women this week - it was my third (I think?) time through the book and I actually listened to it Little Women read by Barbara Caruso

I also read Wild Fire (Shetland Island #8) by Ann Cleeves - I flew through this one but ended up giving it only 3 and a half stars. The mystery was solid but there was one big thing that really disappointed me - Ann Cleeves,  why would you have our wonderful, empathetic Jimmy act this way?! I'm not buying it! Jenn, I know you've read this - what did you think of Jimmy's reaction to you-know-what? 

Still reading along in Kristin Lavransdatter  and oh, dear - she's making some not-so-smart choices. This next section on Lavrans is a favorite of mine!

[Matryoshka]

Finished 3 books this week:

90. The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal - This is an alternate history where a meteorite takes out Washington DC and a large chunk of the eastern seaboard in 1952, precipitating what could be an extinction level event.  Humanity is (mostly) motivated to get off this planet, stat, and so the space program is accelerated by about a decade, and then continued past flag-planting to colonization (although the latter takes place in the sequel, which I haven't read yet, but plan to).  A very enjoyable read that incorporates a lot that will seem familiar from recent nonfiction like Hidden Figures (the author notes at the end that she wrote this before that came out, and was really happy it did, as knowledge of that history makes this fiction more believable).  Some of the GR reviews mention awkward sex scenes - fortunately not frequent and mostly just really corny flirty talk with far too many rocket references.  Skim past, the rest is really good. :)  For my SciFi book group.  4 stars.

91. The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World by Eric Weiner (ebook) - This was a really fun book to read, which I guess is good for a book on happiness.  The author also has a self-deprecating wit.  4 stars. 

92. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck (audiobook) - it took me a while to get into this - what with every other chapter being not told from the character's point of view, including a whole chapter about a turtle crossing the road - but once the 'hitchhiker' gets a name and back to his family and they hit the road, it got a lot better.  I'd probably only give it 3 stars for actual enjoyment of reading - it is bleak - but it really does lay out some important ideas and get you inside the lives of these desperate people.  We have never treated poor and displaced refugees like humans.  Depressing how little that has changed.  I thought the book ended rather abruptly.  4 stars.

Currently reading:

- The Mapmaker's War by Ronlyn Domingue - for the Cartography Bingo square.  I'm actually liking the story/plot, but it is written almost exclusively in simple declarative sentences.  This wears on me, and I find I can only read it in short bursts.  Phrases and dependent clauses, compound sentences and varying sentence length are all good things.

- The Wreath (Kristin Lavransdatter #1) by Sigrid Undset - I am all caught up with the readalong, and enjoying it.  Undset does really make you feel like you're there.  Others have mentioned how foolish Kristin is being - true.  But then she's only 16 or so at this point, yes?  Glad we no longer expect 16yos to be adults.

- There, There by Tommy Orange (ebook) - this just came in on Overdrive and I've just started, so not much to say yet...

[Loesje22000]

Somehow I lost the thread of last week ?

I finished several books, I hope to post about today.

DD is attending French Exams last and this week,she failed French oral again, so we have our hope on the written part this week...

[Loesje22000]

Last week I finished several books:

De komst van Joachim Stiller (The arrival of Joachim Stiller) written by Hubert Lampo. Lampo is considered the Flemish master of magical realistic writing. I have never read something magical realisitic before and I am not sure what I think about it. I like his use of words though.

De bekentenis van de leeuwin (The confession of the Lioness) written by Mia Couto an author from Mozambique. I liked the change of point of view every chapter while continuing the story line.

The Fire, a sequel on The eight a story about a chess mystery in current and past times. I liked The Eight better then the fire.

 

Currently reading:

Mali Blues by Lieve Joris. Joris is a Flemish author who writes often about Congo and other African countries. Most often her books are a kind of travellogs. I like her writings.

It becomes winter by Kasparov. A book about Poetin, compared to Jeltsin and other leaders in Russia after the fall of the USSR.

 

[Negin]

8 hours ago, Faithr said:

 

If you do find it, I hope that you enjoy it. 

[mumto2]

9 hours ago, Faithr said:

 

Someone here, perhaps @aggieamy, had the same experience with Miss Buncle in terms of not particularly liking the second book.  Thanks to your recommendation I just checked Anna and Her Daughters out of the prime lending library.  Looking forward to reading it.

3 hours ago, loesje22000 said:

Last week I finished several books:

De komst van Joachim Stiller (The arrival of Joachim Stiller) written by Hubert Lampo. Lampo is considered the Flemish master of magical realistic writing. I have never read something magical realisitic before and I am not sure what I think about it. I like his use of words though.

De bekentenis van de leeuwin (The confession of the Lioness) written by Mia Couto an author from Mozambique. I liked the change of point of view every chapter while continuing the story line.

The Fire, a sequel on The eight a story about a chess mystery in current and past times. I liked The Eight better then the fire.

 

Currently reading:

Mali Blues by Lieve Joris. Joris is a Flemish author who writes often about Congo and other African countries. Most often her books are a kind of travellogs. I like her writings.

It becomes winter by Kasparov. A book about Poetin, compared to Jeltsin and other leaders in Russia after the fall of the USSR.

 

I read The Eight close to when it was first published and loved it.  I did a reread a couple of years ago and just liked it.  My intention had been to read The Fire at that time.  I know I had it in the stack but appear to have no record of trying it.  I must of read a few pages and returned, I didn’t always mark the ones I might want to try again as abandoned back then.  

Wishing your Dd good luck on her exam!

[Violet Crown]

8 hours ago, Lady Florida. said:

I'm making slow progress in A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century. I got bogged down in a chapter that gave a battle play by play but finally made it past that. 

 

Keep us updated on this one? It's been on my TBR shelf for literally decades, to the point I worry that it's now dated. But maybe not?

[Kareni]

10 hours ago, loesje22000 said:

we have our hope on the written part this week...

Sending good thoughts to your daughter, Loesje.

16 hours ago, mumto2 said:

Kareni, Once again thank you for the entertaining links that I spend way too much time pursuing!  

Always happy to help you ... uh ... spend your time wisely.

Regards,
Kareni

[Kareni]

A couple of books that are currently free to Kindle readers ~

This one may be for just today:   Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery 

Lucy Maud Montgomery: The Complete Christmas Stories  by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Regards,
Kareni

[Lady Florida.]

13 hours ago, Mothersweets said:

Kathy, did you listen to the Fresh Air interview last week with Bob Woodward? Bob Woodward on Fresh Air with Terry Gross  so very interesting!

I also read Wild Fire (Shetland Island #8) by Ann Cleeves - I flew through this one but ended up giving it only 3 and a half stars. The mystery was solid but there was one big thing that really disappointed me - Ann Cleeves,  why would you have our wonderful, empathetic Jimmy act this way?! I'm not buying it! Jenn, I know you've read this - what did you think of Jimmy's reaction to you-know-what? 

 

re Woodward: No, I didn't catch that. He was also supposed to be on 1a today, which I only know because I was listening to a 1a program on Friday that advertised his appearance. I have the NPR app and will likely listen to one or both interviews at some point.

re Shetland: I haven't made it very far in the books but am up to date on the tv series. I wonder if this is a case of the tv show being better than the books. I experienced that with some mysteries, including Inspector Langley and Midsommer Murders.

13 hours ago, Matryoshka said:

 

92. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck (audiobook) - it took me a while to get into this - what with every other chapter being not told from the character's point of view, including a whole chapter about a turtle crossing the road - but once the 'hitchhiker' gets a name and back to his family and they hit the road, it got a lot better.  I'd probably only give it 3 stars for actual enjoyment of reading - it is bleak - but it really does lay out some important ideas and get you inside the lives of these desperate people.  We have never treated poor and displaced refugees like humans.  Depressing how little that has changed.  I thought the book ended rather abruptly.  4 stars.

 

The Grapes of Wrath is one of my all time favorite novels and my favorite Steinbeck, followed closely by East of Eden. As you said, the subject matter is depressing but I loved the writing, the characters, and I even liked the weird in-between chapters. 

5 hours ago, Violet Crown said:

 

Keep us updated on this one? It's been on my TBR shelf for literally decades, to the point I worry that it's now dated. But maybe not?

I will. My copy was reissued in 2011 but says nothing about being updated. However, she makes it clear at the beginning of the book what she is doing - comparing that time to the two big wars of the early 20th century. If you're looking for strict history of the time period this is probably not the right book. I think that's a problem with most narrative history attempts though. For example I love Dan Jones, both his books and his tv documentaries, but I take his "historical information" with a grain of salt. I think this book deserves a grain or two of salt as well. It's worth a read for anyone interested in the middle ages as long as you don't use it as your primary historical source.

[JennW in SoCal]

15 hours ago, Mothersweets said:

I also read Wild Fire (Shetland Island #8) by Ann Cleeves - I flew through this one but ended up giving it only 3 and a half stars. The mystery was solid but there was one big thing that really disappointed me - Ann Cleeves,  why would you have our wonderful, empathetic Jimmy act this way?! I'm not buying it! Jenn, I know you've read this - what did you think of Jimmy's reaction to you-know-what? 

Still reading along in Kristin Lavransdatter  and oh, dear - she's making some not-so-smart choices. This next section on Lavrans is a favorite of mine!

 

Mothersweets -- I too was annoyed with that part of the story. It was a clumsy way of creating some tension, of keeping readers worried til the end about Jimmy's fate. 

About Kristin Lavransdatter. It isn't just young Kristin being a silly, compulsive 16yo that is annoying, it is the men in the book, too. I find Erlend very unlikable, and am dismayed that he is the love of her life. But the following section at the end of The Wreath is really good, it is back to being compulsively readable. Perhaps I'll come to like Erlend, or perhaps he will prove me Lavrans to be right about his character!

I really enjoyed Anthony Horowitz's newest mystery, The Word is Murder. It is the beginning of a series in which he himself is a character in the story, and it works. It is a clever, fun read.

I also finished a beautifully written novel, The Garden of Evening Mists by the Malaysian author Tan Twan Eng. It jumps around in time from the WWII Japanese occupation to a more current time, but never in a confusing manner. The focus of the story is a Japanese garden, its creator and his relationship to the Chinese/Malasian woman, a survivor of a WWII slave labor camp, who winds up inheriting the garden. The prose is luscious, the descriptions of life under Japanese occupation jarring but not gratuitous. I loved it. 

[Robin M]

On 9/16/2018 at 12:02 PM, mumto2 said:

I am all caught up in Kristin Lavrenstadder.......currently I don’t like her very much.  Silly girl!  How about the rest of you?

Robin, not sure if you have watched any of the Keys of Time Dr, Who series with Tom Baker or not but The Androids of Tara was filmed at least in part at Leeds Castle.  Naturally it’s a favorite!  It is actually recognizable because I figured it out watching the episode not from research.

I'm hoping Kristin grows on me.

We haven't watched the Keys of Time yet. We've seen a few of Baker's episodes with Sarah Jane Smith. Most of Patrick Troughton's who reminds me of Columbo.  Right now James has us doing a mini marathon to complete all of Matt Smith's episodes before the New Dr. starts in October.   At least I finally have him going in order instead of jumping randomly between Doctors. So much better when watched in order.  ?  He wants to subscribe after that to BritBox via Amazon to watch all the classic series. 

Karen, Thanks for the great links.  In the Five books waking in a strange situation, I loved Rook.  Just added Paradox to my virtual shelves. 

Edited September 17, 2018 by Robin M

[mumto2]

55 minutes ago, JennW in SoCal said:

 

Mothersweets -- I too was annoyed with that part of the story. It was a clumsy way of creating some tension, of keeping readers worried til the end about Jimmy's fate. 

About Kristin Lavransdatter. It isn't just young Kristin being a silly, compulsive 16yo that is annoying, it is the men in the book, too. I find Erlend very unlikable, and am dismayed that he is the love of her life. But the following section at the end of The Wreath is really good, it is back to being compulsively readable. Perhaps I'll come to like Erlend, or perhaps he will prove me Lavrans to be right about his character!

I really enjoyed Anthony Horowitz's newest mystery, The Word is Murder. It is the beginning of a series in which he himself is a character in the story, and it works. It is a clever, fun read.

I also finished a beautifully written novel, The Garden of Evening Mists by the Malaysian author Tan Twan Eng. It jumps around in time from the WWII Japanese occupation to a more current time, but never in a confusing manner. The focus of the story is a Japanese garden, its creator and his relationship to the Chinese/Malasian woman, a survivor of a WWII slave labor camp, who winds up inheriting the garden. The prose is luscious, the descriptions of life under Japanese occupation jarring but not gratuitous. I loved it. 

I dislike Erlend also.  Honestly I don’t care for any of her suitors but Simon is the best of the bunch.

 

23 minutes ago, Robin M said:

I'm hoping Kristin grows on me.

We haven't watched the Keys of Time yet. We've seen a few of Baker's episodes with Sarah Jane Smith. Most of Patrick Troughton's who reminds me of Columbo.  Right now James has us doing a mini marathon to complete all of Matt Smith's episodes before the New Dr. starts in October.   At least I finally have him going in order instead of jumping randomly between Doctors. So much better when watched in order.  ?  He wants to subscribe after that to BritBox via Amazon to watch all the classic series. 

Karen, Thanks for the great links.  In the Five books waking in a strange situation, I loved Rook.  Just added Paradox to my virtual shelves. 

I have always wanted to watch Dr. Who in order,  at least the ones we own in order but I start the project and get outvoted by the guys. The Empty Child is one of my favorites....... I just applied for tickets to the red carpet premiere via BBC Audiences.  We will never win the draw but are local so I tried, supposedly 50% of the tickets will be given to people in our post codes.

[Kareni]

2 hours ago, Robin M said:

Just added Paradox to my virtual shelves. 

That one does sound intriguing.  If you read it, I'll be interested to learn your thoughts.

Regards,
Kareni

[Lady Florida.]

17 hours ago, Robin M said:

I'm hoping Kristin grows on me.

 

One of the reasons I didn't join the read along is that it didn't grow on me. I tried and abandoned it late last year. People said it would get better once I got to the part where she was an adult but for me it didn't. I know I'm in the minority because it seems to be a well loved story, but don't feel bad if you don't like it.

[Kareni]

I just finished reading Colson Whitehead's  The Underground Railroad which my book group will be discussing later this week.  I found it a dismal story which likely means that the author did a good job.  I look forward to hearing what others in my group think of it.  (Warning for all manner of violence)

"Cora is a slave on a cotton plantation in Georgia. Life is hell for all the slaves, but especially bad for Cora; an outcast even among her fellow Africans, she is coming into womanhood—where even greater pain awaits. When Caesar, a recent arrival from Virginia, tells her about the Underground Railroad, they decide to take a terrifying risk and escape. Matters do not go as planned—Cora kills a young white boy who tries to capture her. Though they manage to find a station and head north, they are being hunted.

     In Whitehead’s ingenious conception, the Underground Railroad is no mere metaphor—engineers and conductors operate a secret network of tracks and tunnels beneath the Southern soil. Cora and Caesar’s first stop is South Carolina, in a city that initially seems like a haven. But the city’s placid surface masks an insidious scheme designed for its black denizens. And even worse: Ridgeway, the relentless slave catcher, is close on their heels. Forced to flee again, Cora embarks on a harrowing flight, state by state, seeking true freedom.

     Like the protagonist of Gulliver’s Travels, Cora encounters different worlds at each stage of her journey—hers is an odyssey through time as well as space. As Whitehead brilliantly re-creates the unique terrors for black people in the pre–Civil War era, his narrative seamlessly weaves the saga of America from the brutal importation of Africans to the unfulfilled promises of the present day. The Underground Railroad is at once a kinetic adventure tale of one woman’s ferocious will to escape the horrors of bondage and a shattering, powerful meditation on the history we all share."
**

I also finished Leta Blake's Any Given Lifetime  which I quite enjoyed despite the story aspects that strained credulity.  It's a book I'll likely re-read.  (Copious adult content)

"He'll love him in any lifetime.

Neil isn’t a ghost, but he feels like one. Reincarnated with all his memories from his prior life, he spent twenty years trapped in a child’s body, wanting nothing more than to grow up and reclaim the love of his life.

As an adult, Neil finds there's more than lost time separating them. Joshua has built a beautiful life since Neil’s death, and how exactly is Neil supposed to introduce himself? As Joshua's long-dead lover in a new body? Heartbroken and hopeless, Neil takes refuge in his work, developing microscopic robots called nanites that can produce medical miracles.

When Joshua meets a young scientist working on a medical project, his soul senses something his rational mind can't believe. Has Neil truly come back to him after twenty years? And if the impossible is real, can they be together at long last?"

Regards,
Kareni

[Zebra]

Lately I've read How to Stop Time, Three Junes, and Blessings.   They were all interesting enough in their own ways.

I also finally gave up on A Suitable Boy.    I have been reading it all summer, and read 750 pages out of 1400.   I really hate giving up at this point.   But, I have had a very stressful summer with my DH being out of work.   Today he accepted a job offer, which is wonderful news.   Even though I am happy and extremely relieved, I just suddenly feel completely exhausted and worn out and decided I could not read a book I hated any more.  I don't have the energy.

Why I am saying this is it could just be ME and what I am going through right now and not the book for any of you that may be interested in this behemoth of a book.  ?

[Violet Crown]

1 hour ago, Zebra said:

Lately I've read How to Stop Time, Three Junes, and Blessings.   They were all interesting enough in their own ways.

I also finally gave up on A Suitable Boy.    I have been reading it all summer, and read 750 pages out of 1400.   I really hate giving up at this point.   But, I have had a very stressful summer with my DH being out of work.   Today he accepted a job offer, which is wonderful news.   Even though I am happy and extremely relieved, I just suddenly feel completely exhausted and worn out and decided I could not read a book I hated any more.  I don't have the energy.

Why I am saying this is it could just be ME and what I am going through right now and not the book for any of you that may be interested in this behemoth of a book.  ?

 

Hurrah for employment! Yes, let the book go. Or read the last page and count it.

[Kareni]

3 hours ago, Zebra said:

...he accepted a job offer, which is wonderful news.

That is wonderful, indeed.  I hope he relishes his new position.

3 hours ago, Zebra said:

...decided I could not read a book I hated any more

I've decided that life is too short to read dissatisfying books.

1 hour ago, Violet Crown said:

Yes, let the book go. Or read the last page and count it.

Sounds like a good plan to me, and you can learn what happens to the suitable boy.

Regards,
Kareni

[Kareni]

I'm participating in a challenge on another site; this week's challenge requires one to read a novel set in a country other than one's own.

I read Jackie North's Heroes for Ghosts: A Love Across Time Story. This was (surprise!) a time travel romance set in WWI era and present day France featuring a student of history working on his thesis and a doughboy (an American soldier). I have a fondness for time travel stories, and I enjoyed this one despite having a few quibbles. It’s the first in a time travel series by the author and I look forward to reading the next book which features different characters. (Some adult content).

"In present day, near the village of Ornes, France, Devon works on his master's thesis in history as he fantasizes about meeting a WWI American Doughboy.

In 1916, during the Battle of Ornes, Stanley is a young soldier facing the horrors of the battlefield.

Mourning the death of his friends from enemy fire, Stanley volunteers to bring the message for retreat so he can save everyone else in his battalion. While on his mission, mustard gas surrounds Stanley and though he thinks he is dying, he finds himself in a peaceful green meadow where he literally trips over Devon.

Devon doesn't believe Stanley is who he says he is, a soldier from WWI. But a powerful attraction grows between them, and if Stanley is truly a visitor from the past, then he is Devon's dream come true. The problem is, Stanley's soul wants to finish his mission, and time keeps yanking him back to relive his fateful last morning over and over, even as his heart and body long to stay with Devon.

Will Stanley have to choose between Devon and saving his battalion? Will time betray their love, leaving each alone?"
**

I then read Would it Be Okay to Love You? by Amy Tasukada which was a pleasant story set in Japan featuring two very different characters: a voice actor and an accountant (a salaryman). I thought the story did well at giving a sense of place through food, celebrations, even bathing.  That said, I don't have an interest in continuing the series.  (Some adult content).

"Sato’s only long-term relationship is the one he shares with his Gundam collectibles. He dreams about the kind of unconditional love his parents enjoy. If only he could break out of his shell, he might find his special someone…

Outgoing playboy Aoi has sworn off relationships. He knows they only distract him from his budding voice acting career. He’s earned a few loyal fans, and if he keeps at it, he may even earn enough to never worry about being evicted again…

When Sato meets Aoi at the local anime store, there’s definitely a spark. But even as they tread carefully, their commitment issues and Aoi’s troubled past soon muck things up before they can start. In order for Sato and Aoi to have their happily-ever-after, they’ll both have to take a leap of faith… and hope to be caught."

Regards,
Kareni

 

[Zebra]

12 hours ago, Kareni said:

That is wonderful, indeed.  I hope he relishes his new position.

What felt like a horrible thing earlier this summer, now feels like a good opportunity.   We feel blessed that it all went down this way it did.  Just putting that out there for anyone who may go through something similar and be terrified.   

And as silly as it sounds, I haven't been able to enjoy reading all summer.   It's felt like taking medicine.  Which is a first world problem, but there it is.  I went to the library today, for the first time in months, and was able to enjoy browsing and picking out books.   Such a simple pleasure in life, and it felt so very good.

 

 

[Kareni]

Currently free for Kindle readers ~

For one day only:  Anthem by Ayn Rand

The Displaced: Fall of a Fortress  by Frieda Watt  

"The Displaced is an engaging work set in one of the most intriguing locales in Canadian history." — Kirkus Reviews

 

And a bookish post from the Word Wenches that asks difficult to answer questions; I answered on the site: 

Too Fond of Books  by Susan Fraser King

"Susan here, thinking there are So. Many. Books. in the world right now, including in my house—I’ll never find the time to read them all. And yet I keep acquiring them. They look so good and enticing on the shelves, and stacked in toppling piles here and there . . . they even look great in rows and rows in my Kindle . . . There’s a comfort in being surrounded by books, by that wealth of knowledge and thought and imagination, by the color and texture and scent of the pages and covers, by the promise they hold, and the memories that others keep for us. Regardless of whether or not we’ve read the books that surround us, as many of us know--there can never be too many books.

..."

Regards,
Kareni

[Kareni]

Currently free for Kindle readers ~

For one day only: Agnes Grey  by Anne Bronte

contemporary romance: Easy Love (The Boudreaux Series Book 1)  by Kristen Proby

LGBT:  Yanni's Story (The Spencer Cohen Series Book 4)  by N.R. Walker

Regards,
Kareni

[mumto2]

On 9/19/2018 at 4:07 PM, Zebra said:

What felt like a horrible thing earlier this summer, now feels like a good opportunity.   We feel blessed that it all went down this way it did.  Just putting that out there for anyone who may go through something similar and be terrified.   

And as silly as it sounds, I haven't been able to enjoy reading all summer.   It's felt like taking medicine.  Which is a first world problem, but there it is.  I went to the library today, for the first time in months, and was able to enjoy browsing and picking out books.   Such a simple pleasure in life, and it felt so very good.

 

 

I was so happy to read your post!

On 9/17/2018 at 8:56 PM, JennW in SoCal said:

 

About Kristin Lavransdatter. It isn't just young Kristin being a silly, compulsive 16yo that is annoying, it is the men in the book, too. I find Erlend very unlikable, and am dismayed that he is the love of her life. But the following section at the end of The Wreath is really good, it is back to being compulsively readable. Perhaps I'll come to like Erlend, or perhaps he will prove me Lavrans to be right about his character!

I really enjoyed Anthony Horowitz's newest mystery, The Word is Murder. It is the beginning of a series in which he himself is a character in the story, and it works. It is a clever, fun read.

I also finished a beautifully written novel, The Garden of Evening Mists by the Malaysian author Tan Twan Eng. It jumps around in time from the WWII Japanese occupation to a more current time, but never in a confusing manner. The focus of the story is a Japanese garden, its creator and his relationship to the Chinese/Malasian woman, a survivor of a WWII slave labor camp, who winds up inheriting the garden. The prose is luscious, the descriptions of life under Japanese occupation jarring but not gratuitous. I loved it. 

Compulsively readable is the perfect way to describe the third section of book 1!   Wow,  I couldn’t put it down.  Lol   I am still struggling through The Five Red Herrings....

[Negin]

If you like historical fiction, this Kindle book is on sale today. 

 

[Kareni]

A limited time offer for a FREE book!

 

Tor.com’s eBook of the Month Club      All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders

Now is your chance to read Charlie Jane Anders’ Nebula Award-winning novel.

An ancient society of witches and a hipster technological startup go to war in order to prevent the world from tearing itself apart. To further complicate things, each of the groups’ most promising followers (Patricia, a brilliant witch and Laurence, an engineering “wunderkind”) may just be in love with each other.

As the battle between magic and science wages in San Francisco against the backdrop of international chaos, Laurence and Patricia are forced to choose sides. But their choices will determine the fate of the planet and all mankind.

In a fashion unique to Charlie Jane Anders, All the Birds in the Sky offers a humorous and, at times, heart-breaking exploration of growing up extraordinary in world filled with cruelty, scientific ingenuity, and magic.

Available from September 18th to September 22nd. Download before 11:59 PM ET September 21st, 2018.

Note from me, I don't know which of those dates is correct!
**

Also currently free for Kindle readers: 

Marshland  by D. R. Bell  ... "A remarkable detective novel, thanks in part to its sincere, exemplary protagonist." -- Kirkus Reviews 

Soldier of Fortune: A Gideon Quinn Adventure  by  Kathleen McClure

A Match Made in Spell: A Lexi Balefire mystery  by ReGina Welling

LGBT:  Storm Season (Accidental Roots Book 1)  by Elle Keaton

Regards,
Kareni

[Kareni]

I read two books that the authors describe as "...essentially Regency Romances set on alien world -- Space Regencies, if you will, and our bow to Georgette Heyer ...."  They are set in what is known as the Liaden Universe; I enjoyed them both.

Local Custom  by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller

"Master Trader Er Thom yos'Galan knows that Liaden custom is to be matched with a proper bride and provide his clan, Korval, with an heir. Yet his heart is immersed in another universe, influenced by another culture, and lost to a woman not of his world. And to take a Terran wife such as scholar Anne Davis is to risk both his honor and reputation—not to mention the lives of loved ones."

and   Scout's Progress  by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller

"Aelliana Caylon is a brilliant mathematician, revered by pilots for the life-saving revisions she brought to the ven'Tura Piloting Tables. Despite this, her home life is terrifying, as the target of her elder brother's spite and her mother's indifference. Convinced that she has no recourse, Aelliana endures, until, on a dare, she plays a game of chance and wins a spaceship. Suddenly she has a way to escape her drab life—if she can qualify as a pilot, and survive her brother's abuse."
**

I also read, after seeing mention of it somewhere on the board,  TEAR SOUP: A Recipe for healing after loss  by Pat Schwiebert and Chuck DeKlyen which was a book about grieving.  It was a thoughtful story that is intended to be shared with children.

"If you are going to buy only one book on grief, this is the one to get! It will validate your grief experience, and you can share it with your children. You can leave it on the coffee table so others will pick it up, read it, and then better appreciate your grieving time. Grand's Cooking Tips section at the back of the book is rich with wisdom and concrete recommendations. Better than a casserole!"

Regards,
Kareni

[Robin M]

On 9/18/2018 at 4:30 PM, Zebra said:

I also finally gave up on A Suitable Boy.    I have been reading it all summer, and read 750 pages out of 1400.   I really hate giving up at this point.   But, I have had a very stressful summer with my DH being out of work.   Today he accepted a job offer, which is wonderful news.   Even though I am happy and extremely relieved, I just suddenly feel completely exhausted and worn out and decided I could not read a book I hated any more.  I don't have the energy.

Why I am saying this is it could just be ME and what I am going through right now and not the book for any of you that may be interested in this behemoth of a book.  ?

I  suggest reading the last chapter as well and call it done.  

Did she or didn't she marry a suitable boy?  I'm sorry I won't share and remain coy, except to say, he was, for me, the most unsuitable boy.   

Spoiler - which boy she chose. (highlight to read)  She went with the boy her mother chose instead of going with her heart and marrying the one who really loved her. Made me throw the book across the room.

[Robin M]

Link to week 39 - please continue conversation in new thread