Robin M Posted November 15, 2018 Author Share Posted November 15, 2018 From my internet wanderings this morning Georgia O'Keefe on the Art of Seeing 50 Must Read Microhistory books Saturday Evening Post -200 Years of History 2018 National Book Award Winners 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 @Robin M How is the smoke in your area? We had some smoke at the beginning of the week, but then the strong Santa Ana winds picked up and cleared it all out. There were a handful of small fires that were immediately knocked out by our local firefighters, AND the power company cut power to communities in the mountains and canyons where downed lines can be a hazard, so all in all I feel like we dodged a bullet. In case you all missed it, someone on the chat board posted a link to a homeschool store that is accepting donations for homeschool families who lost everything in the Camp fire up north. https://www.abrighterchild.com/ @Angelaboord I loved reading the update on Abby! Our own LadyFlorida (Kathy) has a new grandbaby with DS who is facing heart surgery shortly. I know the Abby update will be of extra interest to and comfort for her. I finished The Three Body Problem last night, then went searching on line to try to understand the science of the last bit of the book. And I think it broke my brain because of quantum, as Terry Pratchett would say in the Discworld books. @Violet Crown -- did your husband like it? I read an interview with the author and translator about how the order of story was changed a bit in translation because it was felt Western readers really needed an education in the Cultural Revolution, and I learned that the author was raised by his grandparents in a small village during that time as his parents were sent to work in dangerous coal mines as part of their "re-education". I know Mumto2 liked the first book but not so much the second book. Did you notice the 2nd book has a different translator? 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 (edited) On 11/13/2018 at 7:59 PM, aggieamy said: Finished: Ordeal by Innocence by Agatha Christie. I listened to this as an audiobook and forgot to check the publication date. I was strongly reminded why I have a "best before 1950" date on all AC books. There were parts I liked but it just pales in comparison to her earlier books. The pacing and the plotting were all in order but the characters were lacking and her prejudices showed through so strongly it left me with a bit of an icky feeling. Don't highlight below unless you really want spoilers because I'm not holding anything back. And that kids is why you never read Agatha Christie books written after 1955. Thanks @aggieamy I appreciate your review (yes, I read the spoilers). It's been a while since I read any Agatha Christie and was thinking of starting one in the near future. This one, as well as of her other later works, will be off the table. 22 hours ago, Angelaboord said: Abby is doing well! She's 2.5 now and we are on the "only visit every 2 years" plan at the cardiologist because her heart is perfectly normal. Other than her heart, which has been fixed, she's been very healthy. She's still not walking but the range for walking in kids with DS is very large -- from 13 months to 4 years. So we're still at PT every week. She likes to play Itsy-Bitsy Spider and she loves mirrors. It's hilarious to watch her check her hairbows in the mirror. She's really a girly-girl. Maybe it's because she has so many brothers. ☺️ I'm so glad to hear that Abby is doing well. You've been gone a while so I'm not sure if you know that my granddaughter, born in August, has Down Syndrome. Her heart valve surgery is scheduled for December 13th and right now she's within that 30 day window where she absolutely can't get sick or it will have to be postponed. We're all going to have to be extra careful in our interactions with her on Thanksgiving Day. I never thought I'd look forward to an infant's open heart surgery but we all want it behind her so she can get on with the business of being a baby. She's on a feeding tube at home because she wasn't gaining enough weight and the doctor wanted to see her weighing more by the date of surgery. It's working really well; she started gaining nicely right after she started on the tube. How many boys do you have? Our Emma has two big brothers so it will be interesting to see the dynamic as time goes on. ? Edited November 15, 2018 by Lady Florida. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 1 hour ago, JennW in SoCal said: @Robin M How is the smoke in your area? We had some smoke at the beginning of the week, but then the strong Santa Ana winds picked up and cleared it all out. There were a handful of small fires that were immediately knocked out by our local firefighters, AND the power company cut power to communities in the mountains and canyons where downed lines can be a hazard, so all in all I feel like we dodged a bullet. In case you all missed it, someone on the chat board posted a link to a homeschool store that is accepting donations for homeschool families who lost everything in the Camp fire up north. https://www.abrighterchild.com/ @Angelaboord I loved reading the update on Abby! Our own LadyFlorida (Kathy) has a new grandbaby with DS who is facing heart surgery shortly. I know the Abby update will be of extra interest to and comfort for her. I finished The Three Body Problem last night, then went searching on line to try to understand the science of the last bit of the book. And I think it broke my brain because of quantum, as Terry Pratchett would say in the Discworld books. @Violet Crown -- did your husband like it? I read an interview with the author and translator about how the order of story was changed a bit in translation because it was felt Western readers really needed an education in the Cultural Revolution, and I learned that the author was raised by his grandparents in a small village during that time as his parents were sent to work in dangerous coal mines as part of their "re-education". I know Mumto2 liked the first book but not so much the second book. Did you notice the 2nd book has a different translator? I don’t remember knowing the translators were different but I think the search for understanding the quantum was what pushed me on. I listened to them close to back to back and the second book simply did not pull me in as much and the translator difference could explain totally explain that. The parts about the Cultural Revolution were not completely new to me so apparently I should have considered the first book to be a bit long too. ?. One of my Scandinavian mysteries changed translators I believe and I didn’t mesh well well with the new voice. It’s hard for me the believe that it really makes that big of a difference but obviously it does. Do you plan to read the second book? Btw, I loved The Three Body Problem so much I got Dd to read it also! Jenn, are you the person who recommended Leviathan Wakes by James Corey? I think I am hooked and just discovered there are 9 books and several novellas. I guess that may be my Sci Fi for the coming year....... @Kareni It’s good to have you back! Glad you had a great time! @Robin M I am glad the spelling challenge is returning! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted November 15, 2018 Author Share Posted November 15, 2018 Smoke is pretty bad and lingering low level. Quite hazy all over town. Air quality index in the hazardous range as we aren't getting any breeze to blow it out. Classes have been cancelled at all the surrounding college campuses. Some of the school districts have closed early, extending next week's thanksgiving break and those that haven't have cancelled outdoor activities. Brighter Child is accepting monetary donations which will be turned into gift certificates to be given to those homeschool parents who lost supplies in the fire and can choose what they need. They aren't accepting any physical donations of books. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 34 minutes ago, mumto2 said: I don’t remember knowing the translators were different but I think the search for understanding the quantum was what pushed me on. I listened to them close to back to back and the second book simply did not pull me in as much and the translator difference could explain totally explain that. The parts about the Cultural Revolution were not completely new to me so apparently I should have considered the first book to be a bit long too. ?. One of my Scandinavian mysteries changed translators I believe and I didn’t mesh well well with the new voice. It’s hard for me the believe that it really makes that big of a difference but obviously it does. Do you plan to read the second book? Btw, I loved The Three Body Problem so much I got Dd to read it also! Jenn, are you the person who recommended Leviathan Wakes by James Corey? I think I am hooked and just discovered there are 9 books and several novellas. I guess that may be my Sci Fi for the coming year....... I need a break before the 2nd book, but I'm sure I'll read it and the third. And it was not me who recommended Leviathan Wakes, but am glad to have it put on my radar? 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuesdayschild Posted November 16, 2018 Share Posted November 16, 2018 (edited) Run out of time to post, too busy reading the new posts. Tossing this reply up ? Thank you Brit Trip Moderators - you've gifted me with a really interesting reading British based reading year - your edict ? opens up that last option hugely. Welcome back Kareni - hoping you got to have a wonderful visit with your sister, and time at the wedding! ETA: Amy.... The Clock Strikes 12: Miss Silver Bk7 ~ Patricia Wentworth (technically the new year, but close enough to Christmas ? ) Edited November 16, 2018 by tuesdayschild 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted November 16, 2018 Share Posted November 16, 2018 I just saw this ~ Novelist, Screenwriter, and Author of The Princess Bride William Goldman, 1931-2018 Regards, Kareni 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted November 18, 2018 Share Posted November 18, 2018 On 11/11/2018 at 1:34 PM, Matryoshka said: - Der Prozess / The Trial by Franz Kafka - This is slow going. I have never read any criticism on this book - I'm thinking the Narrator is unreliable. Things aren't lining up. I liked Metamorphosis better. At least it's short. Critics have remarked that Kafka's short fiction is superior to his long. I haven't met anyone yet who disagreed. But I did like parts of The Trial. Robin, thank you for all those poetry links. Odd how there doesn't seem to be so much World War II poetry in English. Middle Girl has a collection of WW2 poetry in French, which she tells me is hard to read as it's very modern (besides being in French...). It seems like the American and English poetic efforts went into the Lost Generation. Angela, so good to see you! Please, take off your coat, stay a while. Loesje, fingers crossed and most hopeful thoughts for your daughter's exams. I'm blown away by how polylinguistic so many Europeans are. Kathy, what a treasure that diary is. Yes, transcribe it! On 11/11/2018 at 5:31 PM, aggieamy said: Hahaha. Okay. I just read that aloud to my family because it was so funny. In fact it was it's almost something out of Wooster and Jeeves novel. Clever girl! I don't know what it is about Jeeves and Wooster. I love the tv series. The books are unreadable. On 11/12/2018 at 12:44 PM, mumto2 said: FWIW I loved The Three Body Problem 5* which ended in a manor that forced me to continue on and was well worth the read. The second book The Dark Forest was no where near as wonderful 3*, ending on the high note would have been a good idea. Imo VC, totally agree that those are considered Guy books. In my house Guy Books are lengthy books based on intricate minutiae of historical battles. I don’t read those ever....... The good stuff with spies etc I read in spurts. I used to trade spy books with my Fil. We both loved Cold War themed books. Truman Capote is definitely something I might read.......think I did in the past. If you are in the mood for a read along, let me know. The Tarzan movies were enough for me but I liked the Lost Worlds.......... I think it is a matter of moods and interests. Right now I can not handle anything heavy but like Jenn seem to be feel a bit of a pull towards Sci Fi which I would consider to be more guy if I was stereotyping. I have no long history with Sci Fi beyond movies etc. so I am more finding my own way with lists from Kareni and recommendations from here. On 11/12/2018 at 4:28 PM, aggieamy said: I think the original thought was that while it was Christmas for us (the reader) we would spend it in London. Which would be the book would be set in London but at any time period. But since Sandy and I are not cruel ruthless Brit Trip leaders we will happily allow any book set in England at Christmas OR set in London at any time period. Or you could just listen to one of the many incredible audiobooks of A Christmas Carol. Might I recommend this one? It's my favorite. Guy vs Girl books. What an interesting discussion! I'd say my views on this have morphed over the years because so many of the books that I grew up thinking were only for girls I've now seen men read and enjoy. (My DH has read all my Georgette Heyer books!) Books focusing more on relationships and less on plot would be my consideration earlier but now I'm not so sure. Perhaps it's more of a 'can a man identify with the protagonist' and generally men can identify with other men much more easily than they could a woman? I don't know. I'm interested in what other people think! I tend to think of "guy" books as oriented around problems arising from traditionally masculine contexts, and their solutions. The problems can be technical or relational: the problem in The Caine Mutiny, for instance -- a quintessential guy book -- involves the professional and personal relations between the sailors and their captain, but arise from a naval context. I don't know about identifying with protagonists; so many great novels that spring to mind have protagonists that nobody (I hope) could identify with: Maupassant's Bel Ami (male protagonist), Trollope's The Eustace Diamonds (female), Thackeray's Vanity Fair (female), James' The Wings of the Dove (male & female). Although on reflection I'd say none of these are either guy or girl books; they don't feel written for a particular sex. On 11/13/2018 at 3:08 PM, Robin M said: @Violet Crown "Welcoming now arguments over what makes a book a 'guy' book or a 'girl' book" My brother introduced me to Edgar Rice Burroughs back in the early 80's and I consumed all his books which lead me to the rest of the world of fantasy and science fiction. I never ever gave a thought to if any of the books were guy books. But I do when it comes to picking out books from James. He has absolutely no interest in Jane Austen and other books of that sort. For him, there is a definite swing to books with male protagonists and action stories. What makes some books more guy than girl or more girl than guy? Forty years ago I couldn't fathom a guy reading a romance novel. There was definitely an invisible dividing line in the bookstore when it came to romances and guys wouldn't step foot in that area of the store. So I guess what I would have considered back then as guy books would be those that are very technical and deals with war, science, facts and figures and not a whole lot of emotion. Now I don't think there's really any difference and it all depends on the person and whether they are drawn or entertained by emotional versus action packed or historical stories. I think I generally agree, except I strongly suspect the sales figures do show a difference in readership. On 11/13/2018 at 3:33 PM, Robin M said: 2019 is coming up quick and realized it will be 52 Books 10th Anniversary. We've come a long way, baby! ? Lots of 2019 challenges are popping up now which got my brain percolating on a few ideas for next year. Ten Categories - not sure what yet. Following rabbit trails versus named destinations. Mount TBR definitely needs to be addressed in my case. Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue is rolling through my brain. Probably because I just finished a romance which that was the entire plot. Finding the special somethings. ? Time to start brainstorming. What would you all like to do or see more of this coming year? I really have loved the BritTripping. It's become obsessive. I've been making myself read the counties in order (best as I can), choosing books that have a strong and significant connection to the county in question. I'm actually a little sad that it's wrapping up. Usually I don't do the Bingo because my field of reading is just too narrow for the different genres (I know, the whole point of Bingo is to stretch one's reading preferences ... but I don't want to stretch!). BritTrip has made it possible to join in, in a way that lets me stick to pre-1970 fiction and poetry but still try books I might not have read, or at least read any time soon. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted November 18, 2018 Share Posted November 18, 2018 On 11/15/2018 at 2:32 PM, JennW in SoCal said: I finished The Three Body Problem last night, then went searching on line to try to understand the science of the last bit of the book. And I think it broke my brain because of quantum, as Terry Pratchett would say in the Discworld books. @Violet Crown -- did your husband like it? I read an interview with the author and translator about how the order of story was changed a bit in translation because it was felt Western readers really needed an education in the Cultural Revolution, and I learned that the author was raised by his grandparents in a small village during that time as his parents were sent to work in dangerous coal mines as part of their "re-education". I know Mumto2 liked the first book but not so much the second book. Did you notice the 2nd book has a different translator? He confessed that he didn't like it. He liked the first section, about the Cultural Revolution, but said it then turned into standard science fiction fare with nothing to make it stand out, in concept or writing. But he's a very picky reader. Back to Edith Wharton for you, dear husband! (For his recent 50th birthday I got him the Library of America 2-volume set of Edith Wharton's short stories.) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted November 18, 2018 Author Share Posted November 18, 2018 52 minutes ago, Violet Crown said: I really have loved the BritTripping. It's become obsessive. I've been making myself read the counties in order (best as I can), choosing books that have a strong and significant connection to the county in question. I'm actually a little sad that it's wrapping up. Usually I don't do the Bingo because my field of reading is just too narrow for the different genres (I know, the whole point of Bingo is to stretch one's reading preferences ... but I don't want to stretch!). BritTrip has made it possible to join in, in a way that lets me stick to pre-1970 fiction and poetry but still try books I might not have read, or at least read any time soon. I'm going to leave Brit Trip info up on the blog for next year. There are so many counties that the same path can be followed and be totally different each time depending on what books choose to read. @mumto2 Sandy and @aggieamy Amy put a lot of work into it, so I think it should be a perpetual challenge for anyone who wants to continue. Thank you both, you're awesome. 6 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angelaboord Posted November 18, 2018 Share Posted November 18, 2018 On 11/15/2018 at 4:04 PM, Lady Florida. said: I'm so glad to hear that Abby is doing well. You've been gone a while so I'm not sure if you know that my granddaughter, born in August, has Down Syndrome. Her heart valve surgery is scheduled for December 13th and right now she's within that 30 day window where she absolutely can't get sick or it will have to be postponed. We're all going to have to be extra careful in our interactions with her on Thanksgiving Day. I never thought I'd look forward to an infant's open heart surgery but we all want it behind her so she can get on with the business of being a baby. She's on a feeding tube at home because she wasn't gaining enough weight and the doctor wanted to see her weighing more by the date of surgery. It's working really well; she started gaining nicely right after she started on the tube. How many boys do you have? Our Emma has two big brothers so it will be interesting to see the dynamic as time goes on. ? Congratulations on your new granddaughter! ? It's so hard waiting on that surgery! We had a cold go through the house the week before Abby was supposed to have her surgery. I bought surgical masks and we quarantined people upstairs and fortunately Abby didn't get sick. We were also fortunate in that the heart surgeon said Abby's heart defects were "garden variety" -- although a 3.5 hour open heart surgery never sounded "garden variety" to me -- so the surgery was fairly straightforward. Even so, those 9 days in the hospital were tough. (If the parents are allowed to stay in ICU overnight as we were, bring flip-flops for the shower, as you will probably be sharing it with everyone else, and also those Burt's Bees facial wipes were lifesavers. A cup of herbal tea at night and a walk outside every day helped me de-stress.) But I never imagined how much *better* Abby would get so quickly after we got home! Before her surgery, she was so tired she hardly did anything. Her cry was only a squeak and she slept all night. We thought that was just her. But as soon as her heart was patched, she wanted to nurse constantly and she started actually crying. She also started rolling over the day after we brought her home. I thought rolling over would surely hurt that scar, but -- nope. I think she gained 3 lbs in a month. Abby has 7 big brothers and 1 big sister, and now she is right there in the middle of them all the time. The learning curve was pretty steep the first year, but it gets better. ? 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loesje22000 Posted November 18, 2018 Share Posted November 18, 2018 6 hours ago, Robin M said: I'm going to leave Brit Trip info up on the blog for next year. There are so many counties that the same path can be followed and be totally different each time depending on what books choose to read. @mumto2 Sandy and @aggieamy Amy put a lot of work into it, so I think it should be a perpetual challenge for anyone who wants to continue. Thank you both, you're awesome. Thanks! Brit Trip didn't work finally this year (it is hard to do Brit Trip in Dutch ? ) But I would like to continue if possible, so I can finish it in 3 years or something like that ... I think when the majority of the exams has been passed, my brains can handle reading in English again. For the moment I am just glad I can read (in Dutch) and sing. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted November 18, 2018 Share Posted November 18, 2018 Kindle book on sale today 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted November 18, 2018 Share Posted November 18, 2018 11 hours ago, Robin M said: I'm going to leave Brit Trip info up on the blog for next year. There are so many counties that the same path can be followed and be totally different each time depending on what books choose to read. @mumto2 Sandy and @aggieamy Amy put a lot of work into it, so I think it should be a perpetual challenge for anyone who wants to continue. Thank you both, you're awesome. I am so happy that everyone had as much fun as I did! I have to admit that I was wondering what to do with my mammoth Goodreads shelf, now I can just keep adding to it! Next year the plan is to finish some of my series and see how close that takes me to completing the counties! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loesje22000 Posted November 18, 2018 Share Posted November 18, 2018 3 hours ago, mumto2 said: I am so happy that everyone had as much fun as I did! I have to admit that I was wondering what to do with my mammoth Goodreads shelf, now I can just keep adding to it! Next year the plan is to finish some of my series and see how close that takes me to completing the counties! Please do!! I often use your shelves! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted November 18, 2018 Share Posted November 18, 2018 7 hours ago, Negin said: Kindle book on sale today Thank you. That's on my TR list. I follow Bill Gates' book recommendations on Gates Notes and he recommended this a while ago. He said it's similar to The Better Angels of Our Nature but less academic and more relatable. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted November 18, 2018 Author Share Posted November 18, 2018 Link to week 47 - please continue conversation in new thread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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