Book a Week 2020 - BW48: Ladies of Fiction Bookology - Rumer Godden

[Kareni]

Currently FREE for Kindle readers ~

Decker and Joy: North Pole Unlimited 1 by Elle Rush

In Unfair War with Love, My Marquess: A Historical Regency - Patricia Haverton

Wyoming Sundown (The McAllister Brothers Book 3)

Bride for the Sake of Duty: A Historical Regency Romance - Bridget Barton

SERENA (REGENCY UNDONE Book 3) by Claire Firth

Regards,

Kareni

[Junie]

I have really enjoyed reading many Newbery award winners (and runner-up Honors) this year.  I really enjoy children's literature in general, but especially if it's well written.

Hoot -- Carl Hiaasen -- Not my favorite book of the year, but I enjoyed it.

Thimble Summer -- This book won the Newbery in 1939.  It feels similar to Charlotte's Web, with more childish antics but without the animal whimsy.  It was ok, but not nearly as good as Charlotte (imo).

I've also been reading some classic literature.

This week's selection was Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson.  It's almost a series of short stories about a small town in Ohio.  I wanted to like this book, but it was not really a winner for me.

 

[Kareni]

Last night I finished The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab. I REALLY enjoyed this book; in fact, my husband (who hasn't read it) could likely tell you quite a bit about this book given how much I shared with him! Right after I finished the book, I reread portions.

"A Life No One Will Remember. A Story You Will Never Forget.

France, 1714: in a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever—and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets.

Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world.

But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name."

The book has won a host of kudos:

Recommended by Entertainment Weekly, Real Simple, NPR, Slate, and Oprah Magazine

A “Best Of” Book From: CNN * Amazon * Amazon Editors * NPR * Goodreads * Bustle * PopSugar * BuzzFeed * Barnes & Noble * Kirkus Reviews * Lambda Literary * Nerdette * The Nerd Daily * Polygon * Library Reads * io9 * Smart Bitches Trashy Books * LiteraryHub * Medium * BookBub * The Mary Sue * Chicago Tribune * NY Daily News * SyFy Wire * Powells.com * Bookish * Book Riot *

Regards,

Kareni

[VickiMNE]

4 minutes ago, Kareni said:

Last night I finished The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab. I REALLY enjoyed this book; in fact, my husband (who hasn't read it) could likely tell you quite a bit about this book given how much I shared with him! Right after I finished the book, I reread portions.

"A Life No One Will Remember. A Story You Will Never Forget.

Ebook now on hold!  Thanks for the recommendation! 

[marbel]

3 hours ago, SereneHome said:

Did you read his This Tender Land? I really liked it!!

Yes, I did! I liked it, but not as much as his Ordinary Grace.  So far Iron Lake is not as compelling, but it is enjoyable. 

[Penguin]

Wow @Karenithat is indeed a lot of book kudos! Glad it lived up to them!

Edited December 2, 2020 by Penguin

[Kareni]

41 minutes ago, VickiMNE said:

Ebook now on hold!  Thanks for the recommendation! 

I hope you'll also enjoy it!

14 minutes ago, Penguin said:

Wow @Karenithat is indeed a lot of book kudos! Glad it lived up to them!

Me, too! In our annual holiday letter, I like to mention a few of our favorite reads of the year. I'm off to add this to my notes.

Regards,

Kareni

[Negin]

On 12/1/2020 at 8:24 AM, VickiMNE said:

FYI: The link you shared actually goes to Polish Christmas carol.

Vicki, sorry to have to bother you, but would you mind please removing that link from your post? 

Thank you so much. 

[Negin]

On 11/30/2020 at 3:26 PM, -M- said:

Postscript: After reviewing last week’s thread, I wanted to know if anyone has heard from Negin. As always, I appreciate Robin’s efforts on behalf of this longtime group of readers, but I also know that even a well-worded, well-intentioned request can feel like a reproach. So virtual hugs to Negin and to Robin and to all BaWers.

I would like to thank you again, so much, for caring, and also for being so fair. It means the world to me. 

On 11/30/2020 at 10:07 PM, Robin M said:

Thank you and yes, I have and still feel badly.  It's uncomfortable being stuck in the middle and trying to balance everyone's needs.  She's joined a non WTM private group and haven't mentioned whether she'll be returning.  I hope she does. 

I have been re-thinking all of this and am upset. I was only being polite earlier, since I loathe confrontation, in person and online. Mind you, I can be upset and angry while still being polite and considerate. 

On 11/30/2020 at 11:12 PM, -M- said:

If a poster includes a passage from or link about a book that isn’t my cuppa, either ideologically or stylistically, I don’t become worried or offended; I just keep scrolling. I figured that’s what we all do. I didn’t see what quotes @negin included, but she’s a longtime contributor to BaW, so regardless of the content, it’s unlikely anything in her posts would inspire me to suggest that she delete them. Our ranks were diminished two three years ago over something similar, unless I’m misremembering. It would be a shame to lose anyone else.

Thank you. This is how I feel exactly. When I disagree with something, or at least if something upsets me, I just scroll on down and ignore it. I feel sure that someone must have complained to Robin, and very quickly, may I add! I'm  not sure who it was, but I have some suspicions.  

On 12/1/2020 at 1:24 AM, Robin M said:

 I don't want you to censor anything you say or post.  And don't want you to worry about offending anyone.  It's all a big misunderstanding.  Negin was a bit overenthusiastic with her extensive quotes and it triggered a great deal of discomfort.    I just typed up a long post and ended up losing everything I said which is probably for the best for the moment as I'm a bit peeved by letting myself be put in this position again. None of which is your fault. I'll explain more later. 

This post has me a little confused. Robin, on the one hand, you want us to not feel censored and all, and yet, on the other, you are judging my post and my quotes, with descriptions such as "overenthusiastic" and "extensive", never mind "triggered a great deal of discomfort." 

On 12/1/2020 at 1:51 AM, Robin M said:

"There was (and is) a spectrum of opinion on the BaW forum, which of course comes through via the books people choose to read and their reviews. So there had to be a reasonable tolerance of cultural and political discussion once-removed.  One of the readers chose to start sharing her active involvement in progressive causes, including video of her participation in a protest. Objections were made; sides were taken; unfortunate things were said on both sides. Half the group withdrew to a private social group."  

Just keep it in mind, Fanny or Junie or Bobby would love to go into great detail and tell you everything there is about Erotica, horror, or political theory, but it would be so overwhelming, we'd all be running around with our fingers in our ears singing la la la.  Please don't put that image in my head.  So my dears, if you have an issue, take it up with that person.  I may host this wonderful group, but I'm by no means a moderator, a censor, or the messenger.  We're all adults and given that we're homeschoolers and have spend years trying to teach our children to communicate, we should be able to communicate effectively with each other rather than going through me.  Next time, I'll just tell you to handle it yourself.  I'm removing myself from the role of mediator. 

I don't even recall the first part, about the one person on progressive causes, etc. I guess this was either before my time or I just ignored it all. 

I appreciate you removing yourself as mediator. I agree with you completely that we are all adults and should handle differences of opinions as adults, as opposed to running to Mummy with every complaint. 

I have been posting here for over a decade, I believe.  Right now, I'm not sure how I feel about whether to continue participating in this thread or not. I am not asking for sympathy, just being genuine and real here.  Most people here are just lovely, other than the one or two who rushed to complain about my review and "overenthusiastic" quotes. I certainly feel hurt by their actions, smacks of tattle-tale behavior. Something seems to have changed. Maybe it's these boards entirely. I don't know. I do feel sad about it, because, again, I've been there for at least a decade or so. I love hearing what everyone's been reading and all that. On the other hand, I don't like feeling stifled or restricted. Sadly, I think that it's often one-sided. I could be wrong.  One would think and hope that these boards would be different, as one of my good friends here said the other day, "considering how everyone proclaims to be all smart, logical, and educated, but people are people." Agreeing with what two friends here shared with me recently, along the same lines:

"It's completely appropriate to talk about political books if that's what you're reading. If you were to use every book you read as a springboard for talking about your pet political projects, that wouldn't be appropriate. But you don't."

No. I never did use ANY of my reviews as a springboard. Never have done. Never plan on doing so. 

Edited December 2, 2020 by negin

[marbel]

Well my library trip was lovely. The new building is light and airy. I saw only 1 other browser in the place. Very easy to be social-distanced! Checkout is self-serve but there is a librarian behind plexiglass if needed.

There are a few things still to get used to, and some things I'm not sure I like, but overall it was lovely to be back in a library to browse.  I'm thankful for the ability to request books online, and for ebooks and all, but I have loved libraries since I was a kid and really feel that is my happy place. Why I did not become a librarian I do not know. 

[Junie]

43 minutes ago, marbel said:

Well my library trip was lovely. The new building is light and airy. I saw only 1 other browser in the place. Very easy to be social-distanced! Checkout is self-serve but there is a librarian behind plexiglass if needed.

There are a few things still to get used to, and some things I'm not sure I like, but overall it was lovely to be back in a library to browse.  I'm thankful for the ability to request books online, and for ebooks and all, but I have loved libraries since I was a kid and really feel that is my happy place. Why I did not become a librarian I do not know. 

I sometimes wonder the same thing... :)

[theelfqueen]

7 hours ago, marbel said:

 

"My" branch of our county library system was in the middle of moving to a new, larger building when everything shut down. They were to open in May... well that got pushed back.  We have been able to keep ourselves in books via Overdrive and by requesting and picking up from another county library, which is open for short periods, but I miss "my" library and am anxious for it to open.  

 

 

Whereas for me, the single best thing to come out of all of this? MY LIBRARY HAS A DRIVE THRU!! I can pull up to a window and drop my returns and pick up my holds and never get out of my car!!!! So awesome! I have always dreamed of such a thing and now it is REAL! 

[marbel]

14 minutes ago, theelfqueen said:

Whereas for me, the single best thing to come out of all of this? MY LIBRARY HAS A DRIVE THRU!! I can pull up to a window and drop my returns and pick up my holds and never get out of my car!!!! So awesome! I have always dreamed of such a thing and now it is REAL! 

LOL, that is a nice feature! Our new library has that as well. I don't know if it was an afterthought due to Covid or what. It is nice to drive up and get those holds and get moving! 

[SereneHome]

7 hours ago, marbel said:

Yes, I did! I liked it, but not as much as his Ordinary Grace.  So far Iron Lake is not as compelling, but it is enjoyable. 

I didn't read Ordinary Grace. It has been on my ever-growing TBR. Let me know what you think of Iron Lake when you finish it.

[VickiMNE]

8 hours ago, negin said:

Vicki, sorry to have to bother you, but would you mind please removing that link from your post? 

Thank you so much. 

Done!

[Robin M]

16 hours ago, negin said:

I have been re-thinking all of this and am upset. I was only being polite earlier, since I loathe confrontation, in person and online. Mind you, I can be upset and angry while still being polite and considerate. 

I don't blame you for being upset, I would be too,  Actually I am.  And here are  my thoughts after hours of tossing and turning and thinking about this.  You didn't have to agree.  You could have said, Robin, I think you're out of line and here's why and not deleted the post.  I'm not in charge, have no position of authority so you didn't have to agree to remove the quotes or the post. But like me, you wanted to avoid confrontation and deleted it. Then thought about it a while, like I have, and the more you thought about it, the more it upset you.    Now we're in a position in which we're talking about something that essentially doesn't exist since you deleted it and it's hard to talk about something when it's not there and people aren't getting the whole picture.  

Doesn't part of the book talk about how to stand your ground? You did say "In all fairness, he does encourage the reader to not be intimidated, to not feel the need to stay silent, and, most importantly, to remain respectful when it comes to differences of opinion."   We both failed and we were intimidated and took the easy way, acquiesced instead of standing our ground.   

And all the quotes you posted begged to be discussed. Which was part of the issue with the complaints is that the issues were controversial and "unkind as well as inconsiderate to post controversial viewpoints that cannot be responded to without stirring conflict on a thread." Their words not mine.  

Let's talk about the book. I think we all have known each other long enough that we should be able to discuss the topics  quoted without the group blowing up.  We'll agree to disagree, civilly.  My hubby and I were polar opposites politically when we started dating and I told him I wouldn't hold it against him. LOL!  We meet in 1992 so almost thirty years later, we sort of meet in the middle these days, but have still have some adamant discussions. So let's have an adamant discussion, polite and considerate,  with everyone agreeing, we still be friends afterwards.   We can either discuss it on this thread or post a new 52 Books special book chat thread.  Somebody mentioned once before having book discussions off thread.  It's up to y'all.   Let me know when and where.  

Negin, please repost your review and the quotes. Pretty please with sugar on top. 

😘  

 

Edited December 3, 2020 by Robin M

[Miss Tick]

16 hours ago, marbel said:

Why I did not become a librarian I do not know. 

I when I have this thought I remind myself that I would be really bad at the culling part of the job. My library would have no copies of, say, Hank the Cowdog, while having a surfeit of "classic" books that are OOP and I don't want to become unavailable. My library would be a mess, and probably a fire hazard, and i would be too busy reading to remedy any of the issues! 😄

[Penguin]

Maybe I shouldn't be, but I am surprised that someone would go to Robin with a complaint about a BaW post and expect her to moderate that. 

--

I haven't really been reading many books and have instead been playing around with languages that I can't yet read well. But I have read a few things since I last posted about my books. I don't think I have posted about any of these before - my apologies if I am repeating myself.

Why Karen Carpenter Matters by Karen Tongsen. This is a mix of biography/memoir/gender study/music criticism. That's a lot to pack into 138 pages, but it did a good job. The author, originally from the Philippines, comes from a family of musicians and she was named after Karen Carpenter. I really enjoyed this book and followed it up with a Karen Carpenter YouTube binge.

On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century by Timothy Snyder. This was wildly popular on the left in 2017, and I wasn't sure how it would read in 2020. But, as someone concerned about the state of democracy, I found it perfectly suited to right now.  This is also a very short book, and I have now read both of Timothy Snyder's short books (the other one was Our Malady). I would like to read his longer works about Eastern Europe.

Dracula by Bram Stoker. It took me longer than it should have to get through this, but I was very distracted in November. As it turns out, I did not really know the story of Dracula at all! I feel so enlightened now!

Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson. I have read a selection of anti-racism books this year, and this was easily the best written of the batch. I look forward to reading more of her work. @Dreamergal I also learned quite a bit about India from this book. 

 

Edited December 3, 2020 by Penguin

[Kareni]

2 hours ago, SusanC said:

...when I have this thought I remind myself that I would be really bad at the culling part of the job. My library would have no copies of, say, Hank the Cowdog, while having a surfeit of "classic" books that are OOP and I don't want to become unavailable. My library would be a mess, and probably a fire hazard, and i would be too busy reading to remedy any of the issues! 😄

Thinking of Hank the Cowdog brings me all sorts of good memories as my husband read the first thirty-five volumes aloud to our daughter when she was between the ages of five and ten. And did you know that the first volume has recently been translated into Latin? (Said daughter who went on to major in Latin was delighted to hear that news!)

Hancus ille Vaccanis: Hank the Cowdog by John R. Erickson, translated by Karen T. Moore

I had the experience of building a library from scratch when I was hired to be the librarian at a homeschooling resource center. I had a small budget to begin ($1100.00) so bought much of the collection through library book sales and thrift store shopping. There are few things more pleasurable than buying books with someone else's money! Writing grant proposals on the other hand .... The collection had over 3,000 diverse items when the center closed. (And, yes, it had both Hank the Cowdog and classics!)

Regards,

Kareni

[Junie]

My library still doesn't have a copy of Beowulf, even after I asked nicely. 😉  They have a juvenile graphic novel of the story and they have the Wishbone version.  Not exactly what I was looking for...

This is why I have a library in my house. :)  (So, I guess I am a librarian after all...)

[-M-]

1 hour ago, Penguin said:

Maybe I shouldn't be, but I am surprised that someone would go to Robin with a complaint about a BaW post and expect her to moderate that. 

 

This. 

[Miss Tick]

29 minutes ago, Kareni said:

Thinking of Hank the Cowdog brings me all sorts of good memories as my husband read the first thirty-five volumes aloud to our daughter when she was between the ages of five and ten.

Sorry. I had trouble coming up with a book that would be universally reviled. Your memories sound so sweet. My memories of this series are less so, although I don't really have negative feelings towards Hank. I have trouble coming up with any books that wouldn't have some kind of home in the tremendously large library of my imagination!

[Kareni]

Last night I finished  Axiom's End: A Novel (Noumena, 1) by Lindsay Ellis. This science fiction was an intriguing read which frequently strained credulity; I read it over the course of a few weeks and nearly abandoned it. I notice now that it is the first in a series. I have to admit to being curious as to where the next volume will go, but by the time the next book is published I may have lost that interest.

"Truth is a human right.

It’s fall 2007. A well-timed leak has revealed that the US government might have engaged in first contact. Cora Sabino is doing everything she can to avoid the whole mess, since the force driving the controversy is her whistleblower father. Even though Cora hasn’t spoken to him in years, his celebrity has caught the attention of the press, the Internet, the paparazzi, and the government―and with him in hiding, that attention is on her. She neither knows nor cares whether her father’s leaks are a hoax, and wants nothing to do with him―until she learns just how deeply entrenched her family is in the cover-up, and that an extraterrestrial presence has been on Earth for decades.

Realizing the extent to which both she and the public have been lied to, she sets out to gather as much information as she can, and finds that the best way for her to uncover the truth is not as a whistleblower, but as an intermediary. The alien presence has been completely uncommunicative until she convinces one of them that she can act as their interpreter, becoming the first and only human vessel of communication. Their otherworldly connection will change everything she thought she knew about being human―and could unleash a force more sinister than she ever imagined."

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

4 minutes ago, SusanC said:

Sorry. I had trouble coming up with a book that would be universally reviled. Your memories sound so sweet. My memories of this series are less so, although I don't really have negative feelings towards Hank. I have trouble coming up with any books that wouldn't have some kind of home in the tremendously large library of my imagination!

I'm not at all offended, and I understood what you were getting at. My personally disliked children's book would be The Giving Tree, but I know that many others like it.

Regards,

Kareni

[Miss Tick]

Just now, Kareni said:

I'm not at all offended, and I understood what you were getting at. My personally disliked children's book would be The Giving Tree, but I know that many others like it.

Regards,

Kareni

Hahaha! I have that one in latin. It was a gift, though, l don't particularly love that story either.

[Negin]

6 hours ago, Robin M said:

And all the quotes you posted begged to be discussed. Which was part of the issue with the complaints is that the issues were controversial and "unkind as well as inconsiderate to post controversial viewpoints that cannot be responded to without stirring conflict on a thread." Their words not mine.  

Let's talk about the book. I think we all have known each other long enough that we should be able to discuss the topics  quoted without the group blowing up.  We'll agree to disagree, civilly. 

I am not sure whether I think it's wise to or not. I still stand by this: 

"It's completely appropriate to talk about political books if that's what you're reading. If you were to use every book you read as a springboard for talking about your pet political projects, that wouldn't be appropriate. But you don't."

Edited December 3, 2020 by negin

[Negin]

Here goes. 

Don't Burn This Book (I should call it, Don't Burn This Review 😄 OR "At Least Now I'll Have a Better Idea as to Who/Whom Complained 😄)

Don't Burn This Book: Thinking for Yourself in an Age of Unreason - 4 Stars - In today’s world, the ability to think for oneself is like a breath of fresh air and needed more than ever before. I appreciated the author’s humility and vulnerability. Although he doesn’t have an amazing writing style, he writes from the heart. Plus, it helped that I enjoyed his sense of humor. This book covers a wide range of topics, and, as with anyone, I don’t agree with him on everything. I had hoped that the book would offer more practical advice as to how to stand up for oneself in this age of unreason. That’s my only criticism. In all fairness, he does encourage the reader to not be intimidated, to not feel the need to stay silent, and, most importantly, to remain respectful when it comes to differences of opinion.

Here are some of my favorite quotes:

African American
“I’m black—not African American. That’s a term I don’t like. I was born in America and I’ve never been to Africa. It’s an absurd term. A term that Jesse Jackson crammed down the throats of the media. It’s ridiculous.”

America
“America isn’t perfect, nor could any nation ever be, but that she has granted more people more freedoms than any other country in the history of the world.”

“… the left wants you to believe that the United States is a lethal cocktail of imperialism, xenophobia, toxic masculinity, and capitalist greed designed to enslave the masses. This is a fascinating take, considering the left also wants open borders so that everyone can apparently share in the nightmare that is America.”

Balance (keeping it together)
“When we fail to live a life outside politics, we become a slave to it. While it’s certainly important to be aware of all the issues I’ve discussed here, it’s way more important to live a well-rounded, fully-realized life that’s regularly removed from all the drama.
In order to do this, we must learn to distinguish between being politically engaged and politically obsessed.”

“Twice each year, take a one-week break from social media. I recommend the last week of the summer and the final week of the year—this will recharge your batteries at convenient times and restore your perspective. Then slowly reintroduce yourself to it all with fresh eyes. (If you’re feeling really adventurous, join me once a year for the month of August, when I shut off all my devices and stop reading the news entirely.”

Borders
“Borders are all around us in various forms—they’re the laws that stop criminals from stealing our property, the front doors that keep us safe at night, and the parameters of personal space that discourage people from getting in our faces. Even literal borders are good. The triple-fence erected along San Diego’s U.S.-Mexican border has been hugely successful, reducing illegal access by 90 percent. Likewise, Israel’s border wall with the West Bank is considered another triumph for its citizens. Before its existence, Israel suffered countless suicide bombings, which terrorized thousands of innocent people.”

“… other nations throughout Europe have built their own territory markers, including Spain, Greece, Norway, Hungary, Macedonia, and Austria. Are these countries racist? Are they building walls in the name of racism? Of course not.”

“’We are a generous and welcoming people here in the United States,’ Obama said in 2005. ‘But those who enter the country illegally, and those who employ them, disrespect the rule of law, and they are showing disregard for those who are following the law.’ He added: “We simply cannot allow people to pour into the United States undetected, undocumented, unchecked, and circumventing the line of people who are waiting patiently, diligently, and lawfully to become immigrants into this country.’ A few years later, in a 2013 State of the Union address, Obama promised to put illegal immigrants ‘to the back of the line.’
He even once told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos: ‘Our direct message to families is ‘do not send your children to the border.’ If they do make it, they’ll be sent back. But they may not make it [at all].’ Yes, that’s progressive hero, Mr. Hope and Change himself, Barack Obama, sounding an awful lot like evil, racist Republican Donald Trump, wouldn’t you say?

Capitalism
“As it stands right now, the top 1 percent already pay 90 percent of the money generated through federal tax, while the lower 10 percent pay basically nothing—yet still we’re told the rich need to pay more.
And if the rich must pay more, then how much more—and for how long? Answers on a postcard please. Why not increase the rate annually until they’re eventually paying 100 percent tax? That’ll really teach them not to be greedy. This anticapitalist approach does little to encourage entrepreneurialism and most likely does the opposite. Once again, Thomas Sowell nailed it when he said: ‘No government of the left has done as much for the poor as capitalism has. Even when it comes to the redistribution of income, the left talks the talk but the free market walks the walk’.”

Fathers
“Elder was right and he damn well knew it. ‘The biggest burden that black people have is being raised without fathers,’ he declared. ‘A black kid raised without a dad is five times more likely to be poor and commit crime, nine times more likely to drop out of school, and twenty times more likely to end up in jail. When I hear people tell me about systemic racism or unconscious racism I always say ‘give me an example.’ And almost nobody can do it. I give the facts . . . and [according to left-wingers] the facts are racist.’”

“As he noted in The Daily Signal, children from fatherless homes are likelier to drop out of high school, die by suicide, have behavioral disorders, join gangs, commit crimes, and end up in prison. They are also more likely to live in poverty-stricken households. Conversely, nuclear families—whether black or white—are richer in all ways.”

Feminists
“… If one still needs a reason to justify being a militant feminist, then head over to the Middle East. That’s where you’ll find real misogyny, which is propped up by a proper patriarchy. Happy travels!”

Gender Equality Paradox
“Researchers at the University of Missouri had found a ‘gender equality paradox’ when they studied 475,000 teenagers across the globe. They noted that hyperegalitarian countries such as Finland, Norway, and Sweden had a smaller percentage of female STEM graduates than countries such as Albania and Algeria, which are considered less advanced”

Gender Pay Gap
“There are two things that could survive a nuclear war: cockroaches and the myth of the gender pay gap.
… young women who don’t have kids are outearning their male peers. According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, unmarried, childless females under age 30 who live in cities earn 8 percent more than their male peers in 147 of 150 U.S. cities. In Atlanta and Memphis, the figure is approximately 20 percent more, while young women in New York City, Los Angeles, and San Diego make 17 percent, 12 percent, and 15 percent more, respectively. Besides, even if men and women do earn different sums, statistical disparity doesn’t always mean discrimination—sometimes they are the reward for life choices, which is fair. This is good news, unless you crave victimhood.”

Global Warming
“… the global polar bear population has actually increased since the 1960s.
According to Danish environmentalist Bjørn Lomborg, the greatest threat to polar bears comes from hunters, who shoot between three hundred and five hundred of them every year—not global warming.
The panic is best summarized by British journalist and author Matt Ridley, who told me: ‘Global warming is real, but slower than expected. The latest hysteria is based on exaggeration rather than evidence. We are told that we must panic, despair, and deliberately impose harsh austerity on ordinary people just in case the current gentle warming of the climate turns nasty at some point later in the century. That is like taking chemotherapy for a head cold.’”

Gun Violence
“… the root of our gun problem isn’t the weapon itself but the human beings behind them. After all, it’s a person who pulls the trigger. If you think this isn’t relevant, it may be worth noting that one of the Columbine, Colorado, shooters, Eric Harris, had Luvox (a Prozac-like, psychotropic medicine) in his bloodstream. Likewise, Stephen Paddock, the man who slaughtered fifty-eight people in the Las Vegas shooting—the worst in modern American history—had antianxiety medication in his system and had previously been prescribed diazepam. Meanwhile, Parkland, Florida, shooter, Nikolas Cruz, had been on psychotropic drugs before he embarked on his killing spree as well. These are facts. Yet we still allow mind-altering medication to be advertised on television, even though their side effects produce all sorts of problems, such as suicidal tendencies, anxiety, and insomnia. I’m no expert on prescription medicine or mental health, but perhaps focusing on these elements could be a sane place for the debate to go. After all, it maintains our Second Amendment freedoms without ignoring some pivotal factors.”

Identity Groups
“Think about yourself right now. Do you represent all white people, or black people, or straight people, or gay people? No, of course not. You only represent yourself. Segregating Americans into identity groups—the very essence of bigotry—has been fully embraced by modern progressivism, which has absolutely nothing to do with classical liberalism. Progressivism has traded a love of individual rights for paternalistic, insincere concern for the collective. It judges people based upon their skin color, gender, and sexuality, thus imagining them as competitors in an Oppression Olympics in which victimhood is virtue.”

The Irony
“’Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.’ In other words, today’s progressives have now become the sexists and racists they’ve claimed to hate.”

Islamic Terrorism
“Suddenly, out of nowhere, rationalizing Islamic terror had become a progressive position. According to progressives, it was another 2-D argument: brown people = good, white people = bad.”

Socialism
“… socialism, which was a founding principle of the Nazi movement. The name ‘Nazi’ is an acronym for the National Socialist German Workers’ Party, which most of today’s Democrat socialists conveniently forget. Actually, that’s an understatement. These people don’t just overlook this truth, they’ve totally rewritten history on the matter. These days, Nazism gets associated with conservatism at the drop of a hat, but historically it stems from the left. Adolf Hitler? An art-loving vegetarian who seized power by wooing voters away from Germany’s Social Democrat and communist parties. Italy’s Benito Mussolini? Raised on Karl Marx’s Das Kapital before starting his career as a left-wing journalist and, later, implementing a deadly fascist regime.”

Systemic Racism
“Harvard University has chosen to make it harder for Asian applicants to be accepted into the university because they outperform their peers. So yes, systemic racism is real . . . at America’s top university.”

Virtue Signaling
“This is because outward virtue signaling is separate from being a considerate, moral person. Whereas the latter is central for common decency (and is something we should all strive for), the former is just a display of faux morality. One that’s designed to offer protection from the mob ever turning on them. It’s a protection racket—a form of insurance. You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.”

Edited December 3, 2020 by negin

[Little Green Leaves]

3 minutes ago, negin said:

Here goes. 

Don't Burn This Book (I should call it, Don't Burn This Review 😄)

Don't Burn This Book: Thinking for Yourself in an Age of Unreason - 4 Stars - In today’s world, the ability to think for oneself is like a breath of fresh air and needed more than ever before. I appreciated the author’s humility and vulnerability. Although he doesn’t have an amazing writing style, he writes from the heart. Plus, it helped that I enjoyed his sense of humor. This book covers a wide range of topics, and, as with anyone, I don’t agree with him on everything. I had hoped that the book would offer more practical advice as to how to stand up for oneself in this age of unreason. That’s my only criticism. In all fairness, he does encourage the reader to not be intimidated, to not feel the need to stay silent, and, most importantly, to remain respectful when it comes to differences of opinion.

Here are some of my favorite quotes:

African American
“I’m black—not African American. That’s a term I don’t like. I was born in America and I’ve never been to Africa. It’s an absurd term. A term that Jesse Jackson crammed down the throats of the media. It’s ridiculous.”

America
“America isn’t perfect, nor could any nation ever be, but that she has granted more people more freedoms than any other country in the history of the world.”

“… the left wants you to believe that the United States is a lethal cocktail of imperialism, xenophobia, toxic masculinity, and capitalist greed designed to enslave the masses. This is a fascinating take, considering the left also wants open borders so that everyone can apparently share in the nightmare that is America.”

Balance (keeping it together)
“When we fail to live a life outside politics, we become a slave to it. While it’s certainly important to be aware of all the issues I’ve discussed here, it’s way more important to live a well-rounded, fully-realized life that’s regularly removed from all the drama.
In order to do this, we must learn to distinguish between being politically engaged and politically obsessed.”

“Twice each year, take a one-week break from social media. I recommend the last week of the summer and the final week of the year—this will recharge your batteries at convenient times and restore your perspective. Then slowly reintroduce yourself to it all with fresh eyes. (If you’re feeling really adventurous, join me once a year for the month of August, when I shut off all my devices and stop reading the news entirely.”

Borders
“Borders are all around us in various forms—they’re the laws that stop criminals from stealing our property, the front doors that keep us safe at night, and the parameters of personal space that discourage people from getting in our faces. Even literal borders are good. The triple-fence erected along San Diego’s U.S.-Mexican border has been hugely successful, reducing illegal access by 90 percent. Likewise, Israel’s border wall with the West Bank is considered another triumph for its citizens. Before its existence, Israel suffered countless suicide bombings, which terrorized thousands of innocent people.”

“… other nations throughout Europe have built their own territory markers, including Spain, Greece, Norway, Hungary, Macedonia, and Austria. Are these countries racist? Are they building walls in the name of racism? Of course not.”

“’We are a generous and welcoming people here in the United States,’ Obama said in 2005. ‘But those who enter the country illegally, and those who employ them, disrespect the rule of law, and they are showing disregard for those who are following the law.’ He added: “We simply cannot allow people to pour into the United States undetected, undocumented, unchecked, and circumventing the line of people who are waiting patiently, diligently, and lawfully to become immigrants into this country.’ A few years later, in a 2013 State of the Union address, Obama promised to put illegal immigrants ‘to the back of the line.’
He even once told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos: ‘Our direct message to families is ‘do not send your children to the border.’ If they do make it, they’ll be sent back. But they may not make it [at all].’ Yes, that’s progressive hero, Mr. Hope and Change himself, Barack Obama, sounding an awful lot like evil, racist Republican Donald Trump, wouldn’t you say?

Capitalism
“As it stands right now, the top 1 percent already pay 90 percent of the money generated through federal tax, while the lower 10 percent pay basically nothing—yet still we’re told the rich need to pay more.
And if the rich must pay more, then how much more—and for how long? Answers on a postcard please. Why not increase the rate annually until they’re eventually paying 100 percent tax? That’ll really teach them not to be greedy. This anticapitalist approach does little to encourage entrepreneurialism and most likely does the opposite. Once again, Thomas Sowell nailed it when he said: ‘No government of the left has done as much for the poor as capitalism has. Even when it comes to the redistribution of income, the left talks the talk but the free market walks the walk’.”

Fathers
“Elder was right and he damn well knew it. ‘The biggest burden that black people have is being raised without fathers,’ he declared. ‘A black kid raised without a dad is five times more likely to be poor and commit crime, nine times more likely to drop out of school, and twenty times more likely to end up in jail. When I hear people tell me about systemic racism or unconscious racism I always say ‘give me an example.’ And almost nobody can do it. I give the facts . . . and [according to left-wingers] the facts are racist.’”

“As he noted in The Daily Signal, children from fatherless homes are likelier to drop out of high school, die by suicide, have behavioral disorders, join gangs, commit crimes, and end up in prison. They are also more likely to live in poverty-stricken households. Conversely, nuclear families—whether black or white—are richer in all ways.”

Feminists
“… If one still needs a reason to justify being a militant feminist, then head over to the Middle East. That’s where you’ll find real misogyny, which is propped up by a proper patriarchy. Happy travels!”

Gender Equality Paradox
“Researchers at the University of Missouri had found a ‘gender equality paradox’ when they studied 475,000 teenagers across the globe. They noted that hyperegalitarian countries such as Finland, Norway, and Sweden had a smaller percentage of female STEM graduates than countries such as Albania and Algeria, which are considered less advanced”

Gender Pay Gap
“There are two things that could survive a nuclear war: cockroaches and the myth of the gender pay gap.
… young women who don’t have kids are outearning their male peers. According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, unmarried, childless females under age 30 who live in cities earn 8 percent more than their male peers in 147 of 150 U.S. cities. In Atlanta and Memphis, the figure is approximately 20 percent more, while young women in New York City, Los Angeles, and San Diego make 17 percent, 12 percent, and 15 percent more, respectively. Besides, even if men and women do earn different sums, statistical disparity doesn’t always mean discrimination—sometimes they are the reward for life choices, which is fair. This is good news, unless you crave victimhood.”

Global Warming
“… the global polar bear population has actually increased since the 1960s.
According to Danish environmentalist Bjørn Lomborg, the greatest threat to polar bears comes from hunters, who shoot between three hundred and five hundred of them every year—not global warming.
The panic is best summarized by British journalist and author Matt Ridley, who told me: ‘Global warming is real, but slower than expected. The latest hysteria is based on exaggeration rather than evidence. We are told that we must panic, despair, and deliberately impose harsh austerity on ordinary people just in case the current gentle warming of the climate turns nasty at some point later in the century. That is like taking chemotherapy for a head cold.’”

Gun Violence
“… the root of our gun problem isn’t the weapon itself but the human beings behind them. After all, it’s a person who pulls the trigger. If you think this isn’t relevant, it may be worth noting that one of the Columbine, Colorado, shooters, Eric Harris, had Luvox (a Prozac-like, psychotropic medicine) in his bloodstream. Likewise, Stephen Paddock, the man who slaughtered fifty-eight people in the Las Vegas shooting—the worst in modern American history—had antianxiety medication in his system and had previously been prescribed diazepam. Meanwhile, Parkland, Florida, shooter, Nikolas Cruz, had been on psychotropic drugs before he embarked on his killing spree as well. These are facts. Yet we still allow mind-altering medication to be advertised on television, even though their side effects produce all sorts of problems, such as suicidal tendencies, anxiety, and insomnia. I’m no expert on prescription medicine or mental health, but perhaps focusing on these elements could be a sane place for the debate to go. After all, it maintains our Second Amendment freedoms without ignoring some pivotal factors.”

Identity Groups
“Think about yourself right now. Do you represent all white people, or black people, or straight people, or gay people? No, of course not. You only represent yourself. Segregating Americans into identity groups—the very essence of bigotry—has been fully embraced by modern progressivism, which has absolutely nothing to do with classical liberalism. Progressivism has traded a love of individual rights for paternalistic, insincere concern for the collective. It judges people based upon their skin color, gender, and sexuality, thus imagining them as competitors in an Oppression Olympics in which victimhood is virtue.”

The Irony
“’Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.’ In other words, today’s progressives have now become the sexists and racists they’ve claimed to hate.”

Islamic Terrorism
“Suddenly, out of nowhere, rationalizing Islamic terror had become a progressive position. According to progressives, it was another 2-D argument: brown people = good, white people = bad.”

Socialism
“… socialism, which was a founding principle of the Nazi movement. The name ‘Nazi’ is an acronym for the National Socialist German Workers’ Party, which most of today’s Democrat socialists conveniently forget. Actually, that’s an understatement. These people don’t just overlook this truth, they’ve totally rewritten history on the matter. These days, Nazism gets associated with conservatism at the drop of a hat, but historically it stems from the left. Adolf Hitler? An art-loving vegetarian who seized power by wooing voters away from Germany’s Social Democrat and communist parties. Italy’s Benito Mussolini? Raised on Karl Marx’s Das Kapital before starting his career as a left-wing journalist and, later, implementing a deadly fascist regime.”

Systemic Racism
“Harvard University has chosen to make it harder for Asian applicants to be accepted into the university because they outperform their peers. So yes, systemic racism is real . . . at America’s top university.”

Virtue Signaling
“This is because outward virtue signaling is separate from being a considerate, moral person. Whereas the latter is central for common decency (and is something we should all strive for), the former is just a display of faux morality. One that’s designed to offer protection from the mob ever turning on them. It’s a protection racket—a form of insurance. You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.”

Thanks Negin.

The gender equality paradox is really, really interesting (women from hyper-egalitarian countries getting STEM degrees less often than women in less egalitarian countries). I wonder why that is. 

In my totally unscientific, anecdotal experience, the Scandinavian women I've met seem really, really pragmatic about their futures. (I'm thinking about Norwegian and Swedish people since those would be the hyper-egalitarian countries.) The women I'm thinking about had a really clear plan for their lives: graduate college, get a 9 to 5 job, marry, have kids. Being a SAHM seems to be socially taboo for middle and upper middle class families in Norway now. They seemed really focused on work-life balance though. Which I guess is healthy, but probably makes it harder to be passionate about your career.

 

[Robin M]

Alright my darlings. Quite apropos that you are talking about libraries. You must have esp. Y'all will  probably get a kick out of the new 2021 spelling challenge -- Fictional Librarians Bookology, in which there are a variety of librarians from various series and  you can spell out all or part of the character name and/or author name or read books in the series. 

Fictional Librarians Bookology
Month	Character	Author	Series
January	Madam Irma Pince	J.K. Rowling	Harry Potter
February	Aurora Teagarden	Charlaine Harris	Aurora Teagarden
March	Horace Worblehat	Sir Terry Pratchett	Discworld
April	Irene Winters	Genevieve Cogman	Invisible Library
May	Beatrice De Novo	Elizabeth Hunter	Elemental
June	Cheshire Cat	Jasper Fforde	Thursday Next
July	Israel Armstrong	Ian Sansom	Mobile Library
August	Lindsey Norris	Jenn McKinley	Library Lovers Mystery
September	Jess Brightwell	Rachel Caine	Great Library
October	Hanna Casey	Felicity Hayes-McCoy	Finfarran Peninsula
November	Raymond Ambler	Con Lehane	42nd Street Library
December	Sarah Dove	Karen Hawkins	Dove Pond

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Robin M]

On 12/2/2020 at 11:54 AM, Dreamergal said:

@Robin M Have a question about the Bingo for 2021.  

I saw Translation as one of the categories and I want to ask if part of my reading plan will fit into it.

I come from a country with 22 nationally recognized languages

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_with_official_status_in_India

 I plan to read English translations of one book each as part of my "India" in read-around-the-world challenge. 

My question to you is, can I have two 10X10 bingos of 10 translations each ? 

That will leave two languages, Bengali which I can use for Bangladesh and Urdu for Pakistan. 

You can do whatever makes you happy and organize it however you would like. There are no hard rules when it comes to Bingo or the other challenges.  Have fun!

[mumto2]

I seem to have missed a ton of posts while sewing today!  Quoting failed me so will tag a few comments.....

@PenguinSeeing your Karen Carpenter book title seemed rather surprising.  I was a fan.  and very struck by her death as one of my high school friend’s had died from anorexia not long before her.  Last week I was listening to the radio in our car I heard a beautiful Christmas song done with a great voice and  I discovered it was Karen Carpenter singing....... all those memories came rushing back.  Sort of a blast from the past twice in a week!

@neginWhat an interesting book!
 

@Robin M l can’t wait to start spelling! 😉

 

@KareniWhat a fun library experience!  You time as a librarian was far more fun than mine........I never got to pick books as that job was outsourced largely to a computer program.  For real!

 

[Robin M]

On 12/1/2020 at 7:00 PM, melmichigan said:

I'm sorry to hear that some members won't be here anymore.  Everyone contributes in their own way, and I've picked up more than one book that I wouldn't have ever considered based on what I read here.

One of my favorite authors has a book on sale right now. Circle of the Moon by Faith Hunter is $0.99 for the ebook.  

@Robin M Maybe I'm doing it wrong, but I'm doing A to Z based on book titles. So any of those you'd like to send my way I'd appreciate. (I actually already have those authors on the list.) 😊

Look for Just in the title and that will garner dozens of titles.  I liked the Grace Mountain Trilogy by Robyn Carr and the 2nd book is Just Over the Mountain. Have you read Sue Grafton's X yet in her Kinsey MIlhone series? Here are a bunch of titles with X. I just downloaded the first book in the X-OPs paranormal romance series - Her Perfect Mate by Paige Tyler. Looks good. Yes, you can use the series name if you want too.  🙂

 

[Robin M]

On 12/2/2020 at 11:05 AM, Kareni said:

Last night I finished The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab. I REALLY enjoyed this book; in fact, my husband (who hasn't read it) could likely tell you quite a bit about this book given how much I shared with him! Right after I finished the book, I reread portions.

"A Life No One Will Remember. A Story You Will Never Forget.

France, 1714: in a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever—and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets.

Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world.

But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name."

The book has won a host of kudos:

Recommended by Entertainment Weekly, Real Simple, NPR, Slate, and Oprah Magazine

A “Best Of” Book From: CNN * Amazon * Amazon Editors * NPR * Goodreads * Bustle * PopSugar * BuzzFeed * Barnes & Noble * Kirkus Reviews * Lambda Literary * Nerdette * The Nerd Daily * Polygon * Library Reads * io9 * Smart Bitches Trashy Books * LiteraryHub * Medium * BookBub * The Mary Sue * Chicago Tribune * NY Daily News * SyFy Wire * Powells.com * Bookish * Book Riot *

Regards,

Kareni

Thank you! I also bought it and look forward to reading. 

[Robin M]

@Dreamergal  Love your plan and thanks for all the links

@marbelSo happy you enjoyed your trip to the library.  Didn't we all want to be Librarians when we were younger, so just we could be around books and have unlimited access.  At one point in my life I contemplated a Library Science Degree.  I don't remember what changed my mind. Hmm!

9 hours ago, Kareni said:

I'm not at all offended, and I understood what you were getting at. My personally disliked children's book would be The Giving Tree, but I know that many others like it.

 

Not one of my favorites either. I remember when reading to my son that I couldn't help thinking this is so sad and I really didn't like the boy, felt really sorry for the tree. I know its all about self sacrifice, but I didn't think the kid was really learning that lesson at all. 

 

[Robin M]

7 hours ago, negin said:

I am not sure whether I think it's wise to or not. I still stand by this: 

"It's completely appropriate to talk about political books if that's what you're reading. If you were to use every book you read as a springboard for talking about your pet political projects, that wouldn't be appropriate. But you don't."

Yes, let's go with this. And thank you for reposting your review. 

In ongoing conversations with 'the other party', they feel badly and has this to say: 

"She apologizes to everyone, as they were not trying to make hurt feelings or put you in an awkward position, but are happy to hear that potentially controversial books can be discussed/quoted if people want. Sorry, sorry, sorry. " 
 

12 hours ago, Penguin said:

Maybe I shouldn't be, but I am surprised that someone would go to Robin with a complaint about a BaW post and expect her to moderate that

Yes, I think it may well have all worked out for the better as I've been having conversation with others who have revealed things to me I wasn't aware of. 

"Within every adversity is the seed to an equal or greater benefit." Napoleon Hill.  This is a saying I have believed in for years and I think this will only makes us stronger as a book community.  We value the sharing of ideas, thoughts, and words, otherwise we all wouldn't still be here.  

Our conversation revealed that "I don't feel the need to argue, or make rebuttals, I just want to feel like different voices/opinions are all okay to express."

It has been revealed that because of the schism years ago, people have felt like they can't talk about certain books in great detail and have been censoring themselves in order not to offend me or anyone else  when they'd really like to be able to process, share insights and impressions, and review in greater detail.  They thought they had to keep it light and if they had to keep it light, then everyone should abide by the same guidelines.  This was the great misunderstanding caused by the schism.  And I have really missed those conversations, the insights, the sharing of books that I may not necessarily agree with, but make me think.  Things have gotten a little lopsided towards one side so I understand the frustration when everyone wants to feel they are valued for their ideas and thoughts.  I want everyone to have the freedom to express themselves without worry no matter what they are reading.   

    

[Kareni]

Currently FREE for Kindle readers ~

The Lady Who Came in from the Cold

Enchanting Sebastian (Big Sky Royals Book 1)

Beautiful Storm (Lightning Strikes Book 1) by Barbara Freethy

Regards,

Kareni

[Granny_Weatherwax]

My reading journey took an unexpected twist - I had all of my books ready for Dec and was into my next Terry Pratchett book (Thank you, Robin, for including Horace in the fictional librarian challenge) when the library called to inform me a book I had requested in July has arrived. Since there is a wait list for it and it will have to be returned promptly in two weeks and since I actually ordered it for my DD, I had to stop everything (had to, I tell you) and read it. Luckily, it was an easy read.

Idiot by Laura Clery.  I wouldn't recommend reading it unless you know who Laura is and are vested in her life and history. I had no idea who she is but was told this book is a must read. Um, not unless you're someone who watches a lot of YouTube videos and follows social-media influencers (which I don't). The book was literally 245 pages about her drug, alcohol, and sex addictions along with multiple references to her comedic prowess, height and beauty. Needless to say, I still don't know who she is but am contemplating doing a Youtube search and watching some of her videos. I hope they are humorous because the book certainly wasn't.

[Robin M]

2 hours ago, The Accidental Coach said:

Needless to say, I still don't know who she is but am contemplating doing a Youtube search and watching some of her videos. I hope they are humorous because the book certainly wasn't.

She keeps popping up in my facebook watch feed and I've watched some and lasted all of a couple minutes each time because I find her annoying and not all that funny. 

Edited December 4, 2020 by Robin M

[Lady Florida.]

I finally finished The Romanovs. It was always meant to be a long term read, and Goodreads says I started reading it in July, but these last few weeks it felt like it was taking too long to finish. I was enjoying it (and did enjoy it to the end) but I was just ready to move on. Now I can. 🙂 

The other day I picked up What Matters in Jane Austen from the library. I try to borrow Kindle books (or other ebooks I can read on my Overdrive app) but they didn't have an ebook edition and it isn't a book I was willing to buy. I'm glad my library has curbside pickup so I didn't have to go inside to get it. It's interesting but not oh-my-god-this-is-fantastic interesting. I think you have to be a fan and have read all or most of her work to appreciate it. Since I am an Austen fan I like the trivia and inside information in the chapters I read so far.

As I'm trying to do a final bit of 2020 reading goals, I started reading As You Like It. I want to finish this and read one other Shakespeare play before the year is out. That will bring me to a number that makes it easy to complete my personal Shakespeare challenge by the end of 2021 (my challenge was to read all of his works). 

[Kareni]

I just finished a book that I quite enjoyed ~ The Lost Love Song: A Novel by Minnie Darke. I think I'll be rereading this at some point. 

"Concert pianist Diana is finally ready to marry her longtime fiance, Arie; she’s even composing a beautiful love song for him, and finishes it while on tour. Before she can play it for him, though, tragedy strikes—and Diana is lost to Arie forever.

But her song might not be.

In Australia, the world has gone quiet for Arie and he lives his life accordingly, struggling to cope with his loss. In Scotland, a woman named Evie is taking stock of her life after the end of another lackluster almost-relationship. Years of wandering the globe and failing to publish her poetry have taken their toll, and she might finally be ready to find what her travels have never been able to give her: a real home. And through a quirk of fate or circumstance, Diana’s song is passed from musician to musician. By winding its way around the world, it just might bring these two lost souls together.

With heart-wrenching emotion, The Last Love Song explores what it means to be lost, what it means to be found, and the power of music to bring people together."

Regards,

Kareni

[LaughingCat]

On 12/2/2020 at 2:47 PM, marbel said:

Well my library trip was lovely. The new building is light and airy. I saw only 1 other browser in the place. Very easy to be social-distanced! Checkout is self-serve but there is a librarian behind plexiglass if needed.

There are a few things still to get used to, and some things I'm not sure I like, but overall it was lovely to be back in a library to browse.  I'm thankful for the ability to request books online, and for ebooks and all, but I have loved libraries since I was a kid and really feel that is my happy place. Why I did not become a librarian I do not know. 

Just wanted to say I NEVER wanted to be librarian -- which I attribute dually to 

1- my grade school librarian who STRICTLY controlled what children were allowed to read.  Especially 1st graders (who could ONLY read up to a special not-quite 2nd grader shelf)  -  thankfully my 1st grade student teacher had a little library he loaned out to the 'advanced' readers (this was pre-classroom libraries as is so popular now).  For comparison, the one book of his I particularly remember reading was Charlotte's Web -- where the librarian's 'special' shelf was still all early reader material. 

2- the town librarians were all old and fussy (I suppose the librarian stereotype had to come from somewhere LOL)

My mom tried really hard to convince me to go the librarian route after I did some career personality test thing that earmarked me for that - and I was a strong NO!  Looking at it objectively now, I would probably have been very happy as a librarian 🙂

Just finished Trader's Leap -- by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller.  It was excellent! but it takes off from Alliance of Equals which is 4 books back in the series -- wish I had realized that and done a re-read first.  

 

[Robin M]

Good day, my lovelies.  Interweb wonderings today 

Bill Gates Notes and Reviews

Foreign Affairs Best of Books 2020   

Which reminds me, if you haven't checked out Munk Debates, you may want to. The best and the brightest debate world issues and not only are they fascinating and educational, I'm filling up my bookshelves with books by all the debaters.  

New York Times By the Book interviews Dolly Parton:  Dolly Parton Likes to Read by the Fire in Her Pajamas.  I also have Haig's book in my stacks. Great minds. Maybe. 

15 Adorable Wind in the Willows Illustrations and art pieces -- so cute. Perhaps some inspiration for our crafty BAWers.

Gift yourself with a bookish tshirt. I did.

 

 

Let's all be book dragons in 2021!  Hmm!  New name for 52 books?  The Book Dragons.  Kidding or not? Hmm!  😁

😘

[Shawneinfl]

I finished Miracle Creek by Angie Kim this week which I waffled on somewhat. It had an interesting premise and I enjoy courtroom dramas however, somehow I actually felt the author worked way too hard to neatly tie up every character's story line (if that is even possible). She set it up so that she had a tangled knot of every character ending up a possible suspect. Untying this knotty situation bogged down the flow of the book with too many repetitive details.

[Granny_Weatherwax]

8 hours ago, Dreamergal said:

Book Dragons all the way.

Who wants to be a worm when you can be a dragon ??

Thanks for the links. I think I have a love-hate relationship with this thread. Love the recommendations, hate that I cannot read all the books, all the time. 

In my short time here definitely increased my reading broadly and deeply. Thank you for that.

I have to agree (bolded for emphasis). I think I know what I want to read and then get swept away by reviews and recommendations. I am envious of the Book Dragons who read 75+ books a year. I cannot imagine reading 100+ books.  And the Dragons who read in multiple languages...I'm in awe.

[Robin M]

Week 49 is live - please continue conversation in new thread