Robin M Posted January 19, 2020 Posted January 19, 2020 Happy Sunday! Our first bingo category is Four Corners and there are a number of ways to go with this. Explore quadripoints, different countries, cultures and archaeological sites, people, and titles. A quadripoint is a point on earth which intersects with four distinct territories. The first one that comes to mind is Four Corners region, a quadrant in the southwestern United States where Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah intersect. The land and Four Corners Monument is maintained by Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation and serves also as a boundary between the Navajo Nation and the Ute Mount Ute Tribe reservation. Read stories set in Four Corners Country, or mysteries set on Native American Reservations or set in the Navajo Nation, poems by Four Corners Poets, as well as check out Four Corners Press. Learn about the Ute's and other Native American Tribes and Nations. The second quadripoint is the Four Corners of Africa, where the Chobe River flows into the Zambezi River - Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Explore art books published by Four Corners Books, armchair travel to New Guinea with Kira Salak in Four Corners: Journey into the Heart of Papua New Guinea, explore basketball with FOUR CORNERS: How UNC, Nc State, Duke, And Wake Forest Made North Carolina The Crossroads Of The Basketball Universe or delve through the Library of Congress 4 Corners of the World: International Collections for book ideas. “I sailed a bit as a child, but it wasn't until I was around 40, when I was halfway through Patrick O'Brian's 'Master and Commander' novels, that I had the sudden epiphany that I had to go sail on a square-rig ship.” -- Billy Campbell Another 52 Books Bingo category is Fourth in a Series which can be the fourth book in any series or books such as Isaac Asimov Presents the Golden Years of Science Fiction Fourth Series or Five Anonymous Plays (Fourth Series) by John Stephen Farmer. Or the fourth man or woman or musical note or a cover with four somethings in a row. Let your imagination be your guide and have fun following rabbit trails. Link to Week two Visit 52 Books in 52 Weeks where you can find all the information on the annual, mini and perpetual challenges, as well as share your book reviews if you like. 5 1 Quote
Robin M Posted January 19, 2020 Author Posted January 19, 2020 Good afternoon! Sorry to post so late. I didn't get any sleep Friday night so caught up on my rest and thankfully my guys and cats let me sleep in. 170 more pages to go and I will be done with Robert Jordan's Knife of Dreams , my first chunky and dusty book of the year. Will dive back into The Hobbit when I'm done. Discovered I can't read more than one physical fiction book at a time, although I have no trouble with multiple nonfiction books. I'm almost finished with my reread of Dark Horse (Kindle) and started Cassandra Clare's Clockwork Angel, #1 in Infernal Devices trilogy (dusty nook read) Sipping on A.J. Jacob's It's All Relative as well as multiple writing books. 10 Quote
mumto2 Posted January 19, 2020 Posted January 19, 2020 Great post Robin! I can’t wait to explore the links more. I clicked a few and was happy to confirm that my planned Anne Hillerman read for my book chain challenge should work for the Four Corners......I knew at least one of her father’s portion of the series visited the four corners. Tony Hillerman’s books are great and I have read most if not all of them but many years ago. I have been reading the Hobbit very slowly and I agree with Robin, two fantasy books at once is hard! I have been listening to Patricia Brigg’s Dragon Blood and can’t wait to be done so I can sit back and enjoy the Hobbit. Last night I finished the second book by Greg Iles https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44473861-turning-angel for my spelling challenge and it was a great thriller filled with uncomfortable topics. I don’t know how else to describe it........I believe this series always will have racism at the forefront but this one had a serious relationship between a 17 yo girl and her 40ish Doctor. 9 Quote
Kareni Posted January 19, 2020 Posted January 19, 2020 Some bookish posts ~ 20 THINGS OVERHEARD IN BOOKSHOPS https://bookriot.com/2020/01/11/20-things-overheard-in-bookshops/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CYS - 011720&utm_term=BookRiot_CheckYourShelf_DormantSuppress How Tolkien and The Lord of the Rings Changed Publishing Forever by Alan Brown https://www.tor.com/2020/01/03/how-tolkien-and-the-lord-of-the-rings-changed-publishing-forever/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CYS - 011720&utm_term=BookRiot_CheckYourShelf_DormantSuppress DAVID MAURER, THE DEAN OF CRIMINAL LANGUAGE https://crimereads.com/david-maurer-the-dean-of-criminal-language/ 10 OF THE GREATEST SFF CURSE WORDS, RANKED https://fantasy-hive.co.uk/2018/06/10-of-the-greatest-sff-curse-words-ranked/ The Best Books Of The 2010s, According To 30 Of The Decade's Debut Authors https://www.bustle.com/p/the-best-books-of-the-2010s-according-to-30-of-the-decades-debut-authors-19433961?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Today in Books&utm_term=Suppress_Disengage_BookRiot_TodayInBooks Regards, Kareni 7 3 Quote
Kareni Posted January 19, 2020 Posted January 19, 2020 A free book for Kindle readers, today only ~ The Wrong Box by Robert Louis Stevenson and Lloyd Osbourne "Two brothers will do whatever it takes to hide a body and inherit a fortune in this laugh-out-loud crime caperElderly Joseph and Masterman Finsbury are the last survivors of a tontine established in their youth. Their nephews, Morris and John, have one simple goal: Keep Uncle Joseph alive longer than Uncle Masterman. If they succeed, the brothers will be set for life. If they fail, the fortune goes to cousin Michael—and poverty will be their fate. When the siblings regain consciousness after a train wreck, they discover that Joseph—or a man dressed exactly like him—died in the crash. Not to worry; Morris has a plan. Instead of burying the body where anyone might dig it up, they’ll ship it around the world until Uncle Masterman dies. It seems foolproof, until the incorrect package arrives at the first destination and Morris and John have to find poor, dead Uncle Joseph before somebody opens the wrong box." Regards, Kareni 7 Quote
Ali in OR Posted January 19, 2020 Posted January 19, 2020 I finished up White Rage (very worthwhile read) and I started two. I'm re-reading The Power of Habit while on the treadmill in the morning, reading specifically for things I think apply to learning math. Then I started Beneath a Scarlet Sky which was in our Jolabokaflod, but I'll probably set it aside for awhile because two library holds came in. So sometime midweek I'll be picking up How to be an Antiracist and The Starless Sea and try to get both of those done within 3 weeks. And I suspended my other 2 holds for awhile. 11 Quote
Mothersweets Posted January 19, 2020 Posted January 19, 2020 Hello! It looks like I'm one step ahead of you @Robin M as I just finished A Room Full of Bones (Ruth Galloway #4), haha. My aunt recommended the series to me and this was the only one available at my library. Dr.Ruth Galloway is a forensic archeologist who gets involved in local murders in her town in Norfolk (I think?). The story in this one involves Aboriginal artifacts and drug running. It got a little mystical and kind of went on a little too much with that and I started skimming those bits. The other characters in the book are interesting and I look forward to finding out more about them. Has anyone else read these? Looking forward to going through all the fun links! 12 Quote
Ottakee Posted January 20, 2020 Posted January 20, 2020 This week I finished 3 books. Flight Girls is the story of a female pilot and her friends during WWII. Entertaining book and I learned quite a bit about the history of female pilots during this time. 4 stars. Harbor Me is a short middle school book about 6 5th and 6th graders in a special class and the bonds they develop over the course of the school year. Very well done and I really enjoyed it. 4 stars My Mother's Secret is a very short, easy to read but powerful book based on a true story of a poor Polish woman that hid Jews during WWII. It is told in 4 different perspectives. A book that will stay with you. 5 stars 12 Quote
mumto2 Posted January 20, 2020 Posted January 20, 2020 1 hour ago, Mothersweets said: Hello! It looks like I'm one step ahead of you @Robin M as I just finished A Room Full of Bones (Ruth Galloway #4), haha. My aunt recommended the series to me and this was the only one available at my library. Dr.Ruth Galloway is a forensic archeologist who gets involved in local murders in her town in Norfolk (I think?). The story in this one involves Aboriginal artifacts and drug running. It got a little mystical and kind of went on a little too much with that and I started skimming those bits. The other characters in the book are interesting and I look forward to finding out more about them. Has anyone else read these? Looking forward to going through all the fun links! That series is actually a favorite of mine. I am so glad you liked it. 😀 That said these books are so interesting and most are so descriptive......they make the Kings Lynn area sound rather bleak, and I personally consider it to be. Very flat with dykes etc. Definitely go back and read as many as are available in order because even the archeological dig sites repeat themselves within this series which imo makes things realistic. I can’t remember that particular book in the series but can remember the first one pretty clearly! Lol 8 Quote
tuesdayschild Posted January 20, 2020 Posted January 20, 2020 (edited) It's taken me from 9am this morning until now, 3pm, to piecemeal read through last weeks thread 😀 I'm just going to post on this new one and come back another day. Thank you... love the photos shared last week: the pictures are windows into completely different "worlds" to the one I live in. I have not started The Hobbit yet ... but @Lori D.'s (Amazing) reading notes that mention the trolls, made me think about our cows and how The Hobbit influences our naming of them so often...... the first picture (L front: Tom, back steer is Burt.) Dd named some of 2015's calves after the trolls in The Hobbit... they definitely sport the very troll like booby expression. “You’re a booby,” said William. “Booby yerself!” said Tom.” Tolkien (I cannot get a picture of William, he's a very, very shy boy and doesn't like the camera.) This second photo includes three of our most current Hobbitons, Lowline Angus, named after Bilbo's friends: (L to R: Bifur, Bofur, Bombur (hidden), and then Coal, and, Char) A portion of Bilbo's farewell speech rings true for us with these boys, 'I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.' They're in the house paddock atm and in this pict had gathered to listen to Dd playing on the piano. Edited January 20, 2020 by tuesdayschild typos 11 4 Quote
tuesdayschild Posted January 20, 2020 Posted January 20, 2020 (edited) I completed the book @aggieamy mentioned (such a good book) and I too am keen to listen to more by this author. Death in Captivity: A second world war mystery ~ Michael Gilbert, narrated by Gordon Griffin (4+) I should have taken note of Amy's comment above devouring it in one go, as Death in Captivity is definitely a story that you'll want to swallow down in one seating 🙂 Enjoyable vintage mystery. The forward at the being of the audiobook adds depth to the story being told. For me, the book felt like a chance to revisit The Great Escape, though in Italy, with shades of John Buchan's Thirty-nine Steps, and, a dash of Agatha Christie with plenty of red herrings .... I could bot work out who had dunnit. Fun listening. (I did increase the speed of the book as the narration felt too slow). Quote to note: Things always sound worse by someone who's tried it and failed. Extra for others that like to know things like this too: some Grandpa generation cursing (no f.bombs). A few joking suggestions are made about an Italian Officer's sexual preferences. Edited January 20, 2020 by tuesdayschild 9 Quote
Kareni Posted January 20, 2020 Posted January 20, 2020 I finished a book this evening that is quite unlike any other book I've read; it's very visually rich. I enjoyed it. Here's the Amazon blurb: Dear Data by Giorgia Lupi and Stefanie Posavec "Equal parts mail art, data visualization, and affectionate correspondence, Dear Data celebrates "the infinitesimal, incomplete, imperfect, yet exquisitely human details of life," in the words of Maria Popova ( Brain Pickings), who introduces this charming and graphically powerful book. For one year, Giorgia Lupi, an Italian living in New York, and Stefanie Posavec, an American in London, mapped the particulars of their daily lives as a series of hand-drawn postcards they exchanged via mail weekly—small portraits as full of emotion as they are data, both mundane and magical. Dear Data reproduces in pinpoint detail the full year's set of cards, front and back, providing a remarkable portrait of two artists connected by their attention to the details of their lives—including complaints, distractions, phone addictions, physical contact, and desires. These details illuminate the lives of two remarkable young women and also inspire us to map our own lives, including specific suggestions on what data to draw and how. A captivating and unique book for designers, artists, correspondents, friends, and lovers everywhere. " Regards, Kareni 6 Quote
Mothersweets Posted January 20, 2020 Posted January 20, 2020 2 hours ago, mumto2 said: That series is actually a favorite of mine. I am so glad you liked it. 😀 That said these books are so interesting and most are so descriptive......they make the Kings Lynn area sound rather bleak, and I personally consider it to be. Very flat with dykes etc. Definitely go back and read as many as are available in order because even the archeological dig sites repeat themselves within this series which imo makes things realistic. I can’t remember that particular book in the series but can remember the first one pretty clearly! Lol I must have missed when you've talked about this series! and that's good to know about the Kings Lynn area - I knew that Norfolk is more flat and open (watching all those episodes of Escape to the Country have come in handy, lol) but didn't realize it has that undesirable reputation. Happy to hear you like this series! 7 Quote
SereneHome Posted January 20, 2020 Posted January 20, 2020 Oh you ladies are listing sooo many great books. I bought Beneath the Scarlet Sky last year - so may be will get to it soon. Same with Flight Girls. I am finishing up Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See. I am learning so so much. Need to figure out what my next book will be.... 10 Quote
mumto2 Posted January 20, 2020 Posted January 20, 2020 33 minutes ago, Mothersweets said: I must have missed when you've talked about this series! and that's good to know about the Kings Lynn area - I knew that Norfolk is more flat and open (watching all those episodes of Escape to the Country have come in handy, lol) but didn't realize it has that undesirable reputation. Happy to hear you like this series! I wouldn’t say undesirable is exactly the right description as the canal boat holidays there are super popular with many of my friends. There are also many places with holiday house rentals along the coastal areas. Many love it but honestly not me. I guess that came through in my pp! 8 Quote
Lori D. Posted January 20, 2020 Posted January 20, 2020 My personal reading: currently juggling Lighthouse Island (Jiles) -- almost done! -- with Something Wicked This Way Comes (Bradbury) and The Time Machine (Wells) -- trying to dig into those for teaching/leading discussion for my Lit. class, and preparing lessons to go with those books. My next installment of thoughts while reading The Hobbit -- and -- *ahem* -- [insert toe-tapping emoji here] -- waiting to hear OTHER people's thoughts as you all read The Hobbit... CHAPTER 4 - "Over Hill and Under Hill" - a bit of fun here with the future Lord of the Rings trilogy (which Tolkien had not yet started writing) -- look at the last 2 words of the chapter title: "Mr. Underhill" is the traveling disguise name Gandalf gives to Frodo as he starts his journey 50 years after this, Bilbo's journey! 😄 - How about that thunder and lightning storm description while out on a mountainside! My bones shivered and ached just reading that. - More great language use, that also feels like a well-written fairytale: "Out jumped the goblins, big goblins, great ugly-looking goblins, lots of goblins, before you could say rocks and blocks... they were all grabbed and carried through the crack before you could say tinder and flint." -- repetition for building up the tension, and rhyme/near-rhyme to create rhythm and motion. - LOL, okay SOOO human, and SOOO very hobbit-like in understatement: "Bilbo was more unhappy than even when the troll had picked him up by his toes. He wished again and again for his nice bright hobbit-hole. Not for the last time." Also -- future echoes of The Return of the King where the hobbits Merry and Pippin are captured and carried off by orcs (large-size soldier goblins) - Tolkien having more fun, with the goblin's song -- and what a fun visual-looking rhyme of "goblins quaff" and "goblins laugh" (And does anyone else think of goblins quaffing (slurping up foamy beer in mugs) makes a funny picture? 😂🍺) - LOL - goblins as "spin doctors": "Several of our people were struck dead with lightning in the cave, when we invited these creatures to come below..."CHAPTER 5 - "Riddles in the Dark" - the epic hero's journey to the underworld -- all alone, his choices carry such weight through this chapter - very early in the chapter, Bilbo finds the Ring by "chance" -- "it was a turning point in his career, but he did not know it" - and then late in the chapter -- "[Bilbo] was desperate. He must get away, out of this horrible darkness, while he had any strength left. He must fight. He must stab the foul thing, put its eyes out, kill it. It meant to kill him. No, not a fair fight. He was invisible now. Gollum had no sword. Gollum had not actually threatened to kill him, or tried to yet. And he was miserable, alone, lost. A sudden understanding, a pity mixed with horror, welled up in Bilbo's heart: a glimpse of endless, unmarked days without light or hope of betterment, hard stone, cold fish, sneaking and whispering. All these thoughts passed in the flash of a second. He trembled. And then quite suddenly in another flash, as if lifted by a new strength and resolve, he leaped." - such a powerful, spiritual moment -- I had tears in my eyes reading that paragraph of Bilbo's moral dilemma and choice - this chapter is the turning point not only of this story, but it also becomes the entire basis of events in The Lord of the Rings! -- and Gollum -- SUCH a tragic character, fallen, yet not quite completely ruined; akin to Bilbo, and he becomes a "foil" in this chapter - the theme of Christian Pity comes in here; Christian Pity is not just "feeling emotion for" or "sympathy for", but it is pity (feeling) that prompts action, or puts spurs to that emotion (Hebrews 10:24: "...let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds" So... Tolkien was a professor of Anglo Saxon and other old Norse languages; the Anglo Saxons did not leave many writings, as few people were literate. But, they would tell each other rhymed riddles, and as you plowed the field it gave you something to ponder over and see if you could come up with the answer, or invent your own rhymed riddle. Here is an article on kennings (another medieval device, esp. in Beowulf), and with some sample Anglo-Saxon riddle rhymes. Yes, kennings show up some in The Hobbit, but esp. in The Lord of the Rings!CHAPTER 6 - "Out of the Frying Pan Into the Fire" - LOL -- Human nature again (or wizard nature??) -- "The wizard, to tell the truth, never minded explaining his cleverness more than once" 😄 - And if you had any doubts that Tolkien identified with hobbits, here Bilbo is a bit of a philologist like Tolkien, coining an adage, even while on the run: " 'Escaping goblins to be caught by wolves!' he said, and it became a proverb..." - Poor Bilbo -- his journey to the underworld experience has begun to change him, and he seems to be neither "fish nor fowl" right now -- even his dreaming self realizes it in the last line of chapter 6: “But all night he dreamed of his own house and wandered in his sleep into all his different rooms looking for something that he could not find nor remember what it looked like.” - LOL -- Tolkien gives the most amusing (and ghastly) song lyrics -- to the goblins! 😄 Tolkien is at heart a hobbit. He once said of himself: "I am in fact a Hobbit in all but size. I like gardens, trees, and unmechanized farmlands; I smoke a pipe, and like good plain food ... I like, and even dare to wear in these dull days, ornamental waistcoats. I am fond of mushrooms... have a very simple sense of humor (which even my appreciative critics find tiresome); I go to bed late and get up late (when possible). I do not travel much.” 💕 And finally, if you all aren't tired of me yet... 😉 Some questions on The Hobbit, that I posed to my class several years back, if anyone is interested...- Culture: We have now been introduced to 8 different peoples/cultures: Hobbit, Wizard, Dwarf, Troll, Elf, Goblin, Gollum, and Wargs. Your thoughts about the interactions between these peoples/cultures? Do you identify/not identify with of them? Or especially like/dislike? Believe/disbelieve?- Adventure:Bilbo is initially very uncomfortable with the idea of adventure (chap. 1), and then very uncomfortable while he is in the midst of adventures (chap. 2, 4, 5, 6). Why is Bilbo is so opposed to Adventure? Adventures are an integral part of an Epic Quest or Journey -- do you think Bilbo is cut out to be an Epic Hero? Will he succeed in this epic quest/journey? What is an adventure -- Is it something that happens—or how we react to what happens? Can we live without adventures? Is there a spiritual lesson or connection for us with the idea of adventure?- Song/Poetry: As a philologist, J.R.R. Tolkien was very interested in language and the culture and history of those speaking the language. He also loved puns, word origins, poetry, songs. Compare the songs sung by Dwarves (chap. 1), Elves (chap. 3), and Goblins (chap. 4 and chap. 6) -- how do the songs differ in tone, content, or structure? How do songs/poetry help “flesh out” the culture of those who are singing, or what does the difference in songs reveal about the different nature of the creatures singing? 8 6 Quote
Lori D. Posted January 20, 2020 Posted January 20, 2020 3 hours ago, tuesdayschild said: ... the trolls, made me think about our cows and how The Hobbit influences our naming of them so often...... the first picture (Tom, back steer is Burt.) Dd named some of 2015's calves after the trolls in The Hobbit... they definitely sport the very troll like booby expression. “You’re a booby,” said William. “Booby yerself!” said Tom.” Tolkien (I cannot get a picture of William, he's a very, very shy boy and doesn't like the camera.) ... This second photo includes three of our most current Hobbitons, Lowline Angus, named after Bilbo's friends: ... Bifur, Bofur, Bombur... 😂 LOVE your Lord of the Rings inspired cows! 😄 6 1 Quote
Dicentra Posted January 20, 2020 Posted January 20, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, Lori D. said: My next installment of thoughts while reading The Hobbit -- and -- *ahem* -- [insert toe-tapping emoji here] -- waiting to hear OTHER people's thoughts as you all read The Hobbit... 😄😂🍺😄 Ummm... My thoughts (as a science/math brained person who never really learned to do much of any kind of literary analysis) are: Book. Good. Elevenses. And then I go to find a snack. 😜😁 Edited January 20, 2020 by Dicentra 5 9 Quote
Dicentra Posted January 20, 2020 Posted January 20, 2020 7 hours ago, Mothersweets said: Hello! It looks like I'm one step ahead of you @Robin M as I just finished A Room Full of Bones (Ruth Galloway #4), haha. My aunt recommended the series to me and this was the only one available at my library. Dr.Ruth Galloway is a forensic archeologist who gets involved in local murders in her town in Norfolk (I think?). The story in this one involves Aboriginal artifacts and drug running. It got a little mystical and kind of went on a little too much with that and I started skimming those bits. The other characters in the book are interesting and I look forward to finding out more about them. Has anyone else read these? Looking forward to going through all the fun links! I've not heard of that series but I'm now putting book #1 on my TBR list. 🙂 8 Quote
Pen Posted January 20, 2020 Posted January 20, 2020 My 4 corners book: Margaret Mizushima’s _Killing Trail_ setting is Colorado Main character is a deputy sheriff with a K9 partner. 8 Quote
Pen Posted January 20, 2020 Posted January 20, 2020 9 hours ago, Dicentra said: I've not heard of that series but I'm now putting book #1 on my TBR list. 🙂 Glad you quoted that. I missed original post and it looks like a fun book. 8 Quote
Penguin Posted January 20, 2020 Posted January 20, 2020 I seem to read The Hobbit and LOTR once every decade or so. I am going to skip this readalong, as I did re-read the series fairly recently. However, I have lots of other Tolkiens on my shelf that I would like to read so perhaps I will actually get to them this year! These are the books that I have completed thus far in 2020. I don't think I previously posted about any of them. Two of them were started at the end of 2019 Love of Country: A Journey through the Hebrides by Madeleine Bunting. I thank @JennW in SoCal for leading me to this one. I really knew nothing about the Hebrides before I read this. The bibliography alone is a treasure. It took me quite some time to get through, because I paused to Google so very many things. I think the book was excellent when it stuck to the history and geography of the islands. I did not enjoy the travel writing parts much, but they were a relatively small percentage of the narrative. I think I added at least ten to my TBR thanks to this book. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. I thought is was as charming as everyone said it was. First Ladies: NPR American Chronicles hosted by Cokie Roberts. I loved listening to this, although I hesitate to call it a book. It is really a series of NPR interviews stitched together by Cokie Roberts. Well, audible considers it a book and so does Goodreads so by golly, I'm counting it as a book. It was excellent, and I will listen to more of the series.With this, I am launched my First Ladies reading project. I have a long-term project to read one biography or autobiography about each First Lady. If you have any to recommend, I'd love to hear your recommendations. The Age of Anxiety by Pete Townshend. This is Pete Townshend's (from The Who) first novel. Parts of it were extremely creative and parts of it were icky. I loved the way the many hallucinations were woven into the story, but I despised the ending. Soldier: A Poet's Childhood by poet/activist June Jordan. This was also an audiobook. I loved every minute of it. June Jordan, the only child of Jamaican immigrants, grew up in Harlem and Brooklyn in the late 1930s / early 1940s. This memoir only covers up to age 12, which is rather unusual. 11 Quote
SKL Posted January 20, 2020 Posted January 20, 2020 My kid got the Rose Wilder Lane series and a couple of Laura Ingalls Wilder diaries for her birthday. I have never read any of them before, so I am going to read them. I finished the first diary, On the Way Home. A fairly quick read and interesting enough (but certainly not scholarly) look into the past. Yes, there are politically incorrect statements in there, but it was the 1890s so that is to be expected. Still working through the final section of Boundaries with Teens. The section discusses a list of teen issues in alphabetical order, and I think I last finished Ignoring. 😛 Audiobooks - haven't listened in a few weeks. I need to finish Matthew and maybe Mark, and then pick a novel. Maybe Wuthering Heights. I also want to start another read-aloud. But which one? So many books, so little time. Maybe during the school year I should stick to short stories so the inconsistency doesn't matter. 11 Quote
vmsurbat1 Posted January 20, 2020 Posted January 20, 2020 I finished I, Claudius. It ends with Claudius becoming emperor; there is a second book detailing his actual reign (in fictional form), but I need a break from the vulgar decadence of the Roman era. So, in a completely different vein, I'll be starting The Book of the Dun Cow. I've read snippets in the past and the style of writing is rather lyrical, something I'm not used to, so this will be a stretcher book for me; I'm looking forward to it! 6 hours ago, Penguin said: A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. I thought is was as charming as everyone said it was. I loved this book and have been recommending it right and left, even giving it as Christmas presents... Hmmm. Maybe I'll put that in my stack of 52 to read as a re-read. It would be fun to visit with the Count again. 10 Quote
JennW in SoCal Posted January 21, 2020 Posted January 21, 2020 19 hours ago, Seasider too said: Book #4 will be Disappearing Earth by Julia Phillips. I started the first chapter late tonight but had to stop, in tears, halfway through the first chapter. I think I was still feeling the emotions from Last Romantics, but wanted to get started because tomorrow will be a busy day with little reading time. I realize I need to get over the LR book handover first. Hooray for Disappearing Earth! I really liked it, but what makes it extra special to me is that my niece's best friend since childhood wrote it! One of the little girls is named for my niece and at least one of the stories in the book is based on something that happened to her. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. It is a little different in that it is like a collection of inter-connected short stories. 9 hours ago, Penguin said: Love of Country: A Journey through the Hebrides by Madeleine Bunting. I thank @JennW in SoCal for leading me to this one. I really knew nothing about the Hebrides before I read this. The bibliography alone is a treasure. It took me quite some time to get through, because I paused to Google so very many things. I think the book was excellent when it stuck to the history and geography of the islands. I did not enjoy the travel writing parts much, but they were a relatively small percentage of the narrative. I think I added at least ten to my TBR thanks to this book. Isn't that a good book? I was lucky enough to get a small taste of the Hebrides last summer on my trip -- we performed at Iona Abbey. Will have to return later to talk about this week's books... 8 Quote
aggieamy Posted January 21, 2020 Posted January 21, 2020 On 1/19/2020 at 8:28 PM, tuesdayschild said: I can't get over how cool that hill in the background looks! On 1/19/2020 at 8:34 PM, tuesdayschild said: I completed the book @aggieamy mentioned (such a good book) and I too am keen to listen to more by this author. Death in Captivity: A second world war mystery ~ Michael Gilbert, narrated by Gordon Griffin (4+) I should have taken note of Amy's comment above devouring it in one go, as Death in Captivity is definitely a story that you'll want to swallow down in one seating 🙂 Enjoyable vintage mystery. The forward at the being of the audiobook adds depth to the story being told. For me, the book felt like a chance to revisit The Great Escape, though in Italy, with shades of John Buchan's Thirty-nine Steps, and, a dash of Agatha Christie with plenty of red herrings .... I could bot work out who had dunnit. Fun listening. (I did increase the speed of the book as the narration felt too slow). Quote to note: Things always sound worse by someone who's tried it and failed. Extra for others that like to know things like this too: some Grandpa generation cursing (no f.bombs). A few joking suggestions are made about an Italian Officer's sexual preferences. *Yay* I'm so happy you enjoyed it. The other book by Gilbert that people love is Smallbones. To me it was more of a traditional Golden Age mystery than Death in Captivity. 22 hours ago, Lori D. said: My next installment of thoughts while reading The Hobbit -- and -- *ahem* -- [insert toe-tapping emoji here] -- waiting to hear OTHER people's thoughts as you all read The Hobbit... I'm listening to The Hobbit as an audiobook which wouldn't be a bad idea but I'm also listening to Reaper Man by Terry Pratchett and it's impossible to listen to two audiobooks at a time. What I like about The Hobbit so far is that it's so fast moving and fun. I feel like it doesn't take itself seriously and it's a wild romp. In someways it's interesting to have it going along with Terry Pratchett because there's hints in Pratchett's work that remind me vaguely of The Hobbit. Kind of like if you mushed 95% PG Wodehouse with 5% Tolkien then you'd end up with Terry Pratchett. 8 1 1 Quote
aggieamy Posted January 21, 2020 Posted January 21, 2020 Mistakes have been made. I've got four non-fiction books going, two fiction books, and two audiobooks. I'm a scattered reading mess right now! 11 2 Quote
SereneHome Posted January 21, 2020 Posted January 21, 2020 OK, I'll say it - I started reading YA novel. I have no idea how it ended up in my library request pile, but it's now here, so... The book is Color me in by Natasha Diaz. It's suppose to be a coming of age story of girl who comes from a very diverse background - both religiously and culturally. I hope it won't be too YA, but I am excited 7 Quote
mumto2 Posted January 21, 2020 Posted January 21, 2020 2 hours ago, JennW in SoCal said: Hooray for Disappearing Earth! I really liked it, but what makes it extra special to me is that my niece's best friend since childhood wrote it! One of the little girls is named for my niece and at least one of the stories in the book is based on something that happened to her. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. It is a little different in that it is like a collection of inter-connected short stories. Isn't that a good book? I was lucky enough to get a small taste of the Hebrides last summer on my trip -- we performed at Iona Abbey. Will have to return later to talk about this week's books... I now know how Disappearing Earth found its way onto my library wish list! My library does have it.....it just didn’t fit with last years plans but I knew it fit (I think it fits at least) with this years........hopefully a Russian detective? I will think of you as I read it! @tuesdayschild Your photos are wonderful! I love your cows names and like Amy I find those very green hills very beautiful! One of my good friends named her dogs after characters in LotR....Pippin and Gimli are all I remember. @Pen I finished a book in another cozy series today. I read Rock a Bye Bones which is number 16 but the first is Them Bones https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/905887.Them_Bones?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=SlqFHSIswC&rank=2. I have never listened to an audio so no idea on the skill of the narrators. This is a series that I actually remembered enjoying reading many years ago and hunted for it on some lists....the fact I cared is the recommendation!😉 I added them to my reread and finish the series pile a couple of years ago. I also managed to finish my audiobook while sewing today. Patricia Brigg’s Dragon Blood was good but sort of rushed in the end. I think it may have been planned as the middle book in a trilogy that turned into just two books. There were a couple of shall we say story starters that didn’t happen in that book that I would have liked to see happen. 8 1 Quote
Pen Posted January 21, 2020 Posted January 21, 2020 6 minutes ago, mumto2 said: @Pen I finished a book in another cozy series today. I read Rock a Bye Bones which is number 16 but the first is Them Bones https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/905887.Them_Bones?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=SlqFHSIswC&rank=2. I have never listened to an audio so no idea on the skill of the narrators. This is a series that I actually remembered enjoying reading many years ago and hunted for it on some lists....the fact I cared is the recommendation!😉 I added them to my reread and finish the series pile a couple of years ago. Alas I don’t see an audio of it currently available to me on any of my audio apps. Maybe someday I’ll pick up a real book of it. I’m liking Maus. 7 Quote
aggieamy Posted January 21, 2020 Posted January 21, 2020 I'm rudely stealing one of Sandy's 10x10 categories for cozy mysteries. I think she's using it to mark series she's going to finish- correct me if I'm wrong @mumto2. (I am in awe ... I think the only series I've finished is Harry Potter!) I'm going to use it to revisit cozy mystery series I've read before and enjoyed but haven't come back to in awhile. So... Hamish MacBeth ... gals ... can I pick one that sounds interesting or do I need to go way back? I think the last I read was book four or five and that might have been twenty years ago now. I was thinking about #30 Death of a Liar because it's one of the better ranked ones on Goodreads. 3 Quote
Pen Posted January 21, 2020 Posted January 21, 2020 3 minutes ago, aggieamy said: I'm rudely stealing one of Sandy's 10x10 categories for cozy mysteries. I think she's using it to mark series she's going to finish- correct me if I'm wrong @mumto2. (I am in awe ... I think the only series I've finished is Harry Potter!) I'm going to use it to revisit cozy mystery series I've read before and enjoyed but haven't come back to in awhile. So... Hamish MacBeth ... gals ... can I pick one that sounds interesting or do I need to go way back? I think the last I read was book four or five and that might have been twenty years ago now. I was thinking about #30 Death of a Liar because it's one of the better ranked ones on Goodreads. O hey, I did not remember Hamish MacBeth nor MC Beaton names, but Death of a Liar was familiar. I just looked and found several Death of a ______ titles in my collection including Death of an Outsider that might perhaps be the first in series. 4 Quote
Kareni Posted January 21, 2020 Posted January 21, 2020 A bookish post from the New York Times ~ The Book That Changed My Life Do you have a book that changed your life? Regards, Kareni 1 2 Quote
mumto2 Posted January 21, 2020 Posted January 21, 2020 52 minutes ago, aggieamy said: I'm rudely stealing one of Sandy's 10x10 categories for cozy mysteries. I think she's using it to mark series she's going to finish- correct me if I'm wrong @mumto2. (I am in awe ... I think the only series I've finished is Harry Potter!) I'm going to use it to revisit cozy mystery series I've read before and enjoyed but haven't come back to in awhile. So... Hamish MacBeth ... gals ... can I pick one that sounds interesting or do I need to go way back? I think the last I read was book four or five and that might have been twenty years ago now. I was thinking about #30 Death of a Liar because it's one of the better ranked ones on Goodreads. Not sure which of my 10’s you want to use.....I think it’s the Cozy Corner Cafe which for me means trying new series or revisiting ones I read years ago. Now for my Hamish advice, a few books in the series that were not as good and I didn’t rate Death of a Liar, I must have read it and it sounds familiar. I know I didn’t like the previous one, Death of a Policeman. If it sounds good to you read it.....these books are pretty consistent character wise. Priscilla and her dad will appear, some of the villagers, his assistant changes but all are similar. If someone plans to read several order might be better but otherwise enjoy! 5 Quote
Negin Posted January 21, 2020 Posted January 21, 2020 On 1/19/2020 at 10:28 PM, tuesdayschild said: It's taken me from 9am this morning until now, 3pm, to piecemeal read through last weeks thread 😀 I'm just going to post on this new one and come back another day. Thank you... love the photos shared last week: the pictures are windows into completely different "worlds" to the one I live in. I have not started The Hobbit yet ... but @Lori D.'s (Amazing) reading notes that mention the trolls, made me think about our cows and how The Hobbit influences our naming of them so often...... the first picture (L front: Tom, back steer is Burt.) Dd named some of 2015's calves after the trolls in The Hobbit... they definitely sport the very troll like booby expression. “You’re a booby,” said William. “Booby yerself!” said Tom.” Tolkien (I cannot get a picture of William, he's a very, very shy boy and doesn't like the camera.) This second photo includes three of our most current Hobbitons, Lowline Angus, named after Bilbo's friends: (L to R: Bifur, Bofur, Bombur (hidden), and then Coal, and, Char) A portion of Bilbo's farewell speech rings true for us with these boys, 'I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.' They're in the house paddock atm and in this pict had gathered to listen to Dd playing on the piano. I love your photos! I love cows and the setting is so pretty! 5 1 Quote
Violet Crown Posted January 21, 2020 Posted January 21, 2020 This week, reading Charles Dickens, David Copperfield; James Joyce, Dubliners; Robert Louis Stevenson, South Sea Tales; and Penguin Modern Poets 23 (Grigson, Muir, Stokes). JennW, are you planning on reading more Dickens this year? I think I mentioned that we're having a Crown Family Year of Dickens, wherein Wee Girl (from picture books to Dickens in less than 2 years! Yeah!) reads the Puffin (abridged but not adapted) Dickens, the rest of us read the full novels, and we all watch the BBC adaptations afterwards. We just saw the BBC David Copperfield (I'm running a little late) and it was quite good. The scriptwriter made many of the same abridgment choices as the Puffin editor, all of which I thought were good. Anyway I recommend it, and Great Expectations is up next. Whenever Wee Girl finishes her Stories from Sherlock Holmes. Junie, don't let people here know but I usually buy cheap books and break the spine to let them lie flat. They're going to have fallen apart by the time I'm done with them anyway. (This is why no one who sees me read even thinks of lending me a book.) 9 1 Quote
Violet Crown Posted January 21, 2020 Posted January 21, 2020 16 hours ago, vmsurbat1 said: I finished I, Claudius. It ends with Claudius becoming emperor; there is a second book detailing his actual reign (in fictional form), but I need a break from the vulgar decadence of the Roman era. Middle Girl just finished both of them (I made her wait until she was 17...) and confirmed my memory that the first novel is much better than the second. She's about to take the second half of her Roman history class, so it's diving into the imperial decadence for her! Tuesday'schild, thanks for the cattle pics! Lovely critters. Idle curiosity question: what are those fence posts made from? Around here they'd be mountain cedar (mesquite further west) for posts or stays. 8 Quote
Penguin Posted January 21, 2020 Posted January 21, 2020 (edited) Can anyone tell me how amazon pre-orders work? I place a book on pre-order for the first time ever, and I am confused. The release date was today. I see no record of my pre-order nor it does not show up as an order. And the book shows an out of stock message 😞 It was Hungarian author Magda Szabo's Abigail, in case you are wondering. It was published in Hungary in 1970 but is just now being released in English. Edited January 21, 2020 by Penguin 5 Quote
Loesje22000 Posted January 21, 2020 Posted January 21, 2020 47 minutes ago, Penguin said: Can anyone tell me how amazon pre-orders work? I place a book on pre-order for the first time ever, and I am confused. The release date was today. I see no record of my pre-order nor it does not show up as an order. And the book shows an out of stock message 😞 It was Hungarian author Magda Szabo's Abigail, in case you are wondering. It was published in Hungary in 1970 but is just now being released in English. 47 minutes ago, Penguin said: Can anyone tell me how amazon pre-orders work? I place a book on pre-order for the first time ever, and I am confused. The release date was today. I see no record of my pre-order nor it does not show up as an order. And the book shows an out of stock message 😞 It was Hungarian author Magda Szabo's Abigail, in case you are wondering. It was published in Hungary in 1970 but is just now being released in English. sometimes the release dat will be delated. I’ve pre-ordered several books and cd’s and have always get my stuff and often a lower price. 4 1 Quote
Penguin Posted January 21, 2020 Posted January 21, 2020 I just did chat with amazon and I am supposed to reorder. Sounds like my pre-order indeed vanished. Sigh. 1 2 3 Quote
Loesje22000 Posted January 21, 2020 Posted January 21, 2020 On 1/20/2020 at 3:28 AM, tuesdayschild said: It's taken me from 9am this morning until now, 3pm, to piecemeal read through last weeks thread 😀 I'm just going to post on this new one and come back another day. Thank you... love the photos shared last week: the pictures are windows into completely different "worlds" to the one I live in. I have not started The Hobbit yet ... but @Lori D.'s (Amazing) reading notes that mention the trolls, made me think about our cows and how The Hobbit influences our naming of them so often...... the first picture (L front: Tom, back steer is Burt.) Dd named some of 2015's calves after the trolls in The Hobbit... they definitely sport the very troll like booby expression. “You’re a booby,” said William. “Booby yerself!” said Tom.” Tolkien (I cannot get a picture of William, he's a very, very shy boy and doesn't like the camera.) This second photo includes three of our most current Hobbitons, Lowline Angus, named after Bilbo's friends: (L to R: Bifur, Bofur, Bombur (hidden), and then Coal, and, Char) A portion of Bilbo's farewell speech rings true for us with these boys, 'I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.' They're in the house paddock atm and in this pict had gathered to listen to Dd playing on the piano. Love your cows! When I was a child the only cows I knew were like this: (photo) It has taken a while before I believed that other cows were cows too... 8 1 Quote
Miss Tick Posted January 21, 2020 Posted January 21, 2020 On 1/20/2020 at 12:23 AM, Lori D. said: *ahem* -- [insert toe-tapping emoji here] -- waiting to hear OTHER people's thoughts as you all read The Hobbit... We listened to the series last fall. I prefer audiobooks for these rather than reading aloud, because I drive myself batty trying to do 13 different dwarf voices and I drive my audience batty when I can't stop trying to sing all the songs. However! My educational background must be similar to @dicentra's (computer doesn't feel like tagging today...) because I find myself following her response pattern. Just yesterday I was introduced to a list of stages called "the hero's journey" and thought, "golly, you can wrap a pattern around these things?" I am learning a lot as I teach my children, although I think I could teach them more effectively if I already knew everything. Your notes on the Hobbit are educational for me. Sorry I can't engage in the dialog - Yet! 10 Quote
Lori D. Posted January 21, 2020 Posted January 21, 2020 8 minutes ago, SusanC said: We listened to the series last fall. I prefer audiobooks for these rather than reading aloud, because I drive myself batty trying to do 13 different dwarf voices and I drive my audience batty when I can't stop trying to sing all the songs. However! My educational background must be similar to @dicentra's (computer doesn't feel like tagging today...) because I find myself following her response pattern. Just yesterday I was introduced to a list of stages called "the hero's journey" and thought, "golly, you can wrap a pattern around these things?" ... Gosh, I LOVE hearing your thoughts and @Dicentra's thoughts -- hearing about how you go about reading the book and what you're learning as you read. And Dicentra's comments on "hairy toes" and "elevnsies" (lol). That IS dialoguing about the book -- sharing what is standing out to YOU in the experience of reading it. Thanks ladies, for sharing! 8 1 1 Quote
mumto2 Posted January 21, 2020 Posted January 21, 2020 I have been keeping a secret........and just convinced my friend to let me share it. Over the weekend I had the privilege of being a Beta reader for a duel timeline mystery called Where Rivers Meet. Now for the secret .......The author is Amy, yes @Aggieamy finished her book! I hate to write a description because I am confident Amy probably has one all ready to share. Being a Beta Reader is a new experience for me and I am afraid I enjoyed the book so much that I read it faster than I probably should have. Dh wanted to know if I was reading Amy’s book still......”yes dear, it’s good, leave me alone!” She managed to do a great job intertwining the midwestern US at the close of WWII with a British boys school in 1956. So yes, one might say she Brit Tripped!😉 15 1 Quote
Matryoshka Posted January 21, 2020 Posted January 21, 2020 Checking in late this week! Finished 3 books: 6. Good Morning Midnight by Lily Brooks-Dalton (ebook) - reminded me of Station Eleven, in a good way - even the cover is similar, so maybe it's just not me. The apocalypse has come, but who knows why. Our protagonists are an old man at a polar research station who did not evacuate with everyone else and a young girl who seems to have been left behind by accident, and 6 astronauts on their way back from a manned expedition to the Jovian moons. There has been radio silence for over a year. It's not hopeful in the sense that if everyone else on the planet is in fact gone rather than just for some reason have lost, say, electricity (though the guy in the Arctic's electricity and radio work fine), these people cannot repopulate the planet, but it's still somehow got that vibe. The ending is very open-ended, in that we are still left with no idea what happened to everyone, and there's even some extra ambiguity thrown in at the last minute. 4.5 stars. 7. Was man von hier aus sehen kann by Mariana Leky - I really enjoyed this one, maybe more because finally a German novel that's just a nice story and not full of its own Importance. It reminded me a lot of those British novels set in small towns full of quirky characters, where that's kind of the whole story (or similar ones set in small Southern or Maine towns...). Kinda like Cranford. Nothing all that earth-shattering happens, the characters don't even change that much, but it was nice visiting with them. A teeny tiny bit of magic realism. 4 stars. 8. Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer (audio) - Loved this. Read by the author, who does a great job. Just maybe this will inspire me to garden this year, for the first time in ages. Definitely makes you want to spend more time paying attention to nature. Also a lot of Native American history, folklore, and botanic wisdom. Will be wanting to read her other book as well. 5 stars. I've started Cien años de soledad / One Hundred Years of Solitude, my nemesis read for the year - figured I'd get it out of the way! It really helps to have a larger edition (from the library) than the one that's been staring at me from the shelf, which is small, with small print and also a zillion footnotes in even tinier type. Ahhh, readable type and white space. I may or may not go back and look at some of them after I've just plain old read the book. Per usual with García Márquez, I'm looking up way more words than usual, and most of them don't have straightforward translations; I'm very happy that Google Translate added a Spanish/Spanish dictionary so if the English word isn't in their database, or has a stupid/wrong base translation, there's usually a Spanish definition. Also reading Citizen: An American Lyric, Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson, and A Diamond in the Window, a children's book that I'd never heard of but someone here said it was their favorite and it's set in nearby Concord, so I decided to take a look. I'm probably not going to join in on The Hobbit readalong, though I'm still very much enjoying Lori's commentary! I'm another that struggles with detailed commentary, which is why I probably end up gravitating to star reviews - book good, book bad. LOL. I am still strongly considering joining in when you all get to LOTR! 10 Quote
Miss Tick Posted January 21, 2020 Posted January 21, 2020 18 hours ago, aggieamy said: What I like about The Hobbit so far is that it's so fast moving and fun. I feel like it doesn't take itself seriously and it's a wild romp. In someways it's interesting to have it going along with Terry Pratchett because there's hints in Pratchett's work that remind me vaguely of The Hobbit. Kind of like if you mushed 95% PG Wodehouse with 5% Tolkien then you'd end up with Terry Pratchett We have a Terry Pratchett book going as our read-aloud (The Wintersmith) and some of the names he chooses really make us giggle, Miss Tick (mystic) is one of the witches and the pictsies are hilarious - Wee Billy Bigchin, Not-as-big-as-Medium-Sized-Jock-but-bigger-than-Wee-Jock-Jock, or Rob Anybody. Mr. Pratchett strikes me as someone who devoted a fair amount of attention to language. 9 Quote
Kareni Posted January 21, 2020 Posted January 21, 2020 A free book for Kindle readers, today only ~ The Semi-Attached Couple by Emily Eden Regards, Kareni 4 1 Quote
Kareni Posted January 21, 2020 Posted January 21, 2020 1 hour ago, mumto2 said: I have been keeping a secret........and just convinced my friend to let me share it. Over the weekend I had the privilege of being a Beta reader for a dual timeline mystery called Where Rivers Meet. Now for the secret .......The author is Amy, yes @Aggieamy finished her book! I hate to write a description because I am confident Amy probably has one all ready to share. What fun for you, mumto2! And congratulations to you, aggieamy, for finishing your book. What a wonderful accomplishment! Regards, Kareni 6 Quote
Kareni Posted January 21, 2020 Posted January 21, 2020 2 hours ago, SusanC said: I am learning a lot as I teach my children, although I think I could teach them more effectively if I already knew everything. Wouldn't that be wonderful! If only.... Regards, Kareni 6 Quote
Kareni Posted January 21, 2020 Posted January 21, 2020 Some bookish posts ~ 8 LONG READS TO COMMIT TO IN COLD WEATHER by LEAH RACHEL VON ESSEN The 7 Best Vegetarian Cookbooks of All Time, According to Me by SARAH JAMPEL 15 Small Press Books To Kick Off Your 2020 Reading Season THE BEST BOOKS OF 2019: DEBUT FICTION https://crimereads.com/the-best-books-of-2019-debut-fiction/ WHY CRIME WRITERS HAVE TO TRAVEL On the importance of setting and atmosphere—and the surreal Icelandic summer by NICK PETRIE https://crimereads.com/why-crime-writers-have-to-travel/ Regards, Kareni 3 1 Quote
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