rainpebble ROOTs on!

DiscussionsROOT - 2013 Read Our Own Tomes

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rainpebble ROOTs on!

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1rainpebble
Modifié : Fév 26, 2013, 5:04 pm


glitter-graphics.com

So far this year I have cleared my bookcases of 133 books previously read. I am vowing not to keep any book that I don't think I will read again, that I don't love, and that I don't collect, such as my Steinbecks, Hoffmans, Woolfs, my Virago & Persephone. I am even passing my Oranges on. And I think I must have at least 1500 books or thereabouts on my shelves that I've yet to read. Should actually count them one day.
So this sounds like a perfect group for me. Twelve overflowing bookcases plus several stacks around this small two bedroom home is just too many books. The hubby claims our home is wallpapered with bookcases and would love to see some of them gone.
What a great group to cheer us on and a great place to come for such encouragement.




(note to self: #63)

2connie53
Jan 30, 2013, 12:25 pm

Welcome, rainpebble! Do you have a goal for this challenge?

3rainpebble
Modifié : Fév 2, 2013, 1:36 pm

Hello Connie. Thank you for popping in.
I have not attempted this before so to start with I am going to try an average of 4 per month. This month I read mainly Library books as I was concentrating on the Orange January challenge and while I have purchased those books in the past, I have decided to no longer do that and take advantage of the library. So my goal for the year is currently set at 48 but if I find that it is not working for me, I can alter that goal. Correct? However out of nearly 2500 books in my collection here at home, four per month should be doable.
I will have to check out your thread as I just got mine set up a short bit ago I was very surprised to come back from setting up my ticker and finding a post here already.
See you on your thread.

4rainpebble
Modifié : Août 3, 2013, 6:19 pm

January break down:

Thus far the only ROOTs I've read are:

1. Some Tame Gazelle by Barbara Pym; {acquired 09/2009}; (3 1/2*); (back on the shelf),
2. Watertales by Alice Hoffman; {acquired 09/2008}; (3*); (back on the shelf),

The remainder of my fourteen January reads were nine Orange January books and one chick lit book, all from the library and one fantasy tale.

tickers updated

5cyderry
Jan 30, 2013, 3:42 pm

2 is a good start. Library books are always tempting, but there will be months when your shelves will be more irresistible than the library.

6rainpebble
Modifié : Juil 10, 2013, 1:34 pm

I have been doing a lot of short ROOTs the past 2 days.

Evangeline by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow,
Shopgirl by Steve Martin &
The Lost Garden by Helen Humphreys.

7rainpebble
Fév 6, 2013, 11:39 am

And now off my shelves I am reading Iris Murdoch's Henry and Cato. It is only 400 pages but my edition is an old Penguin mass market and the font is tiny so it taking some time as my eyes tire even with the little bookmark magnifier that I am using.

8rainpebble
Modifié : Fév 12, 2013, 2:25 pm

I finally finished my 9th ROOT of the year. Henry and Cato by Iris Murdoch; very good book and it's going back on the shelf.
Woo Hoo!~!

9connie53
Fév 12, 2013, 5:32 am

WOW, You're doing great, RP. Keep up the good work.

10rainpebble
Modifié : Mar 23, 2013, 2:20 pm

Thank you Connie. I have segregated two shelves of books that I know I won't want to keep after having read them and am going to try to get to some of them this year and BOOT them out of the house. lol!~! Henry and Cato will not be one of them.
Thanks for popping over. :-)

11mabith
Fév 12, 2013, 4:32 pm

Starting with the short ones sounds like a great idea! I ended up looking at my library for audio editions of a lot of mine, since holding the books is difficult.

Congrats on knocking so many off already!

12rainpebble
Modifié : Fév 28, 2013, 4:41 pm

Audio books are awesome as long as you have a good reader. A reader with a poor reading voice can totally ruin a wonderful book. My favorite is The Old Man and the Sea. I am not sure but I believe it was James Earl Jones who read that. Someone please correct me if I am wrong.
My M-I-L uses the audio books all the time because of her macular degeneration and my mother uses them because of her hands. She is nearly 95 and her fingers on her right hand have all curled into her palm. She won't have the surgery to correct it and is an avid reader so the audio books keep her happy. So I am happy that you are still 'reading'. It is what feeds my soul.
xoxo

13mabith
Fév 13, 2013, 9:18 pm

I've always listened to a lot of audiobooks, but the most since I started having chronic pain, of course. I definitely just turn it off and skip the book (at least on audio) if the reader is bad. It's definitely all still reading, just another way to get the information, and with a good reader it's often more powerful and more effective than a print book.

14rainpebble
Fév 15, 2013, 2:09 am

Just keep reading baby, just keep reading. When I get a great reader on an audio book, I find that I am usually simply swept away into the story so I totally agree with you.
I must say however, that Don Quixote on tape really sucked!

15rainpebble
Modifié : Août 3, 2013, 6:21 pm

February Roots:
3. Evangeline by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow; {handed down to me from my father and his father before him, a 1908 edition; entered into my L.T. library 09/2007}; (5*); back on the shelf.
4. Shopgirl by Steve Martin, {acquired 09/2007}; (4*); listed on PBS
5. The Lost Garden by Helen Humphreys, {acquired 12/2011}; (4*); back on the shelf.
6. The Magic Toyshop by Angela Carter, {acquired 12/2011};
(4 1/2*); back on the shelf.
7. All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes by Maya Angelou, {acquired 08/2009}; (4*); back on the shelf.
8. Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson; {acquired 06/2009}; (3 1/2*); 2nd read, listed on PBS
9. Henry and Cato by Iris Murdoch; {acquired 03/2010}; (4*); back on the shelf.
10. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold; {acquired 09/2007}; (4*); back on the shelf.
11. A Woman of Jerusalem by Elsie Mack; {acquired 08/2009};
(3 1/2*); listed on PBS
12. The Road by Cormac McCarthy; {acquired 10/2007}; (4 1/2*); listed on PBS

tickers updated

16rainpebble
Modifié : Août 3, 2013, 6:21 pm

10 ROOTS on the month, 2 in January so I am sitting at 12/50. And some of those are leaving the house. Yea!

17mabith
Mar 1, 2013, 12:01 am

Great job!

18rainpebble
Mar 1, 2013, 3:15 am

Thank you. I call this exciting Meredith! And having this group really helps so very much. Who knew?!?

19ipsoivan
Mar 1, 2013, 6:10 pm

>15 rainpebble: There are some favourites of mine here: The Magic Toyshop, Housekeeping, Henry and Cato and the Lovely Bones. Nice. I also loved The Children's Book, having read it in January, and haven't read The Tenant of Wildfell Hall for decades. Maybe I can count it as a ROOT, as I don't remember a thing about it.

20mabith
Mar 1, 2013, 7:05 pm

It does definitely help to have a community doing the same thing, in terms of encouragement.

21rainpebble
Mar 7, 2013, 12:00 pm

I have deleted 2 of my ROOTS as they were acquired post January 1 of this year. Will update tickers accordingly. My bad.

22rainpebble
Modifié : Août 3, 2013, 6:23 pm

March ROOTS:
13. Jane and Prudence by Barbara Pym; {acquired 09/2009}; (4*); back on the shelf

(have updated tickers)

23billiejean
Mar 9, 2013, 12:24 pm

I love how you have the date acquired listed. Some of the books I read I got 25 or more years ago. Scary old! I also have too many books around the house, and I have tried to get my girls to help me target some books to get rid of. However, it is not going that well. :)

24rainpebble
Mar 10, 2013, 3:57 am

It never does BJ~. I am really geared up to do just that this year and so far have found homes for nearly 200 books since the first of the year but it is sooooo hard! Good luck.
blessings,
belva

25rainpebble
Modifié : Avr 16, 2013, 7:18 pm

Tonight I begin my 3rd ROOT of the month: At Home in Mitford. I feel the need for something numbing and that I don't have to tax my brain with. ;-)

(I can't count this one as I didn't read it. I set it aside to read another Library Orange listed book.) :-(

26mabith
Mar 12, 2013, 12:49 am

I feel you there. Just finished two science books (one a bit too heavy and not the science I'm better at understanding) and it's definitely time for some nice fiction.

27rainpebble
Mar 12, 2013, 4:25 pm

Oh I do hope you enjoy the read you choose Meredith. Rest that brain up for what is to come, eh?

28rainpebble
Mar 16, 2013, 11:17 pm

On a run with the library books right now. The Woman's Prize, previously known as the Orange Prize, long list was announced Wed A.M. So from the library today came many of my holds for those listed books. Ten (half) of them in fact and I have already read two of them not yet in print in the U.S. on my Kindle. Good Reads.
So just a moratorium here for a bit.

29rainpebble
Mar 20, 2013, 7:05 pm

I have updated the tickers & so am good on my count.

30rainpebble
Mar 23, 2013, 2:31 pm

I should say that many of my books I have had for eons but my "date acquired" comes from when it was entered into my catalog here on L.T.

31connie53
Mar 23, 2013, 2:38 pm

I work like that too but I know i've owned a book 'before' the date i've entered it! So that book is 'from before'.

32rainpebble
Mar 24, 2013, 2:49 am

Good idea Connie. I wish I had thought of that.

33connie53
Mar 24, 2013, 7:25 am

You can use it if you like ;-). Feel free to do so!

34rainpebble
Mar 24, 2013, 2:29 pm

Okay, I'm going to do just that. Thank you Connie. I like it. :-)

35rainpebble
Avr 2, 2013, 5:58 am

I am beginning my first ROOT for the Month of April tonight: Vita Sackville-West's Family History. I am getting ready to take it to bed with me right about now.

36rainpebble
Modifié : Juil 28, 2013, 3:31 pm

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37rainpebble
Modifié : Août 3, 2013, 6:24 pm

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38raidergirl3
Avr 20, 2013, 10:31 pm

Oh, you did great this month. I read none! But I will try to start one tonight, hopefully.

39rainpebble
Avr 22, 2013, 11:53 am

t/y raider. Some months we nail a few and some months we don't. Not to worry.

Last night I also began The Thirteenth Tale which has been roaming my shelves for over 4 years. I read more than halfway through last night. The book is brilliant! I am sure I will finish it today and then back to The Voyage Out.

40rainpebble
Modifié : Août 3, 2013, 6:25 pm

Thank you for the kind words raider. And no worries. Some months we get some in and some months we don't. Flexibility is good my dear.

When I went to bed last night I began another ROOT: The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield and read at least half of it before having to shut my eyes. This is a brilliant novel! I will probably finish it tonight. I only read at night in bed.

41connie53
Avr 22, 2013, 12:44 pm

Hey Rainpebble, you are the second person reading that book this week. Ipsoivan did so too.

42connie53
Avr 22, 2013, 12:46 pm

Hey Rainpebble, you are the second ROOTmember reading that book this week. Ipsoivan did so too.

43ipsoivan
Avr 22, 2013, 3:45 pm

Ha, yes! I finished it up this morning. Must be some kind of ROOT kismet. Happy reading this evening. I just started Jim Crace's Being Dead. Excellent, and highly recommended. Maybe after I finish, I'll read The Voyage Out.

44rainpebble
Avr 25, 2013, 1:16 pm

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

Margaret helps her father in his antiquarian bookshop. She also writes short bios or essays on long dead authors. She is fascinated by the written word of a hundred years ago. He father attempts to get her to read current fiction but she doesn't enjoy it. Among her favorites are Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights and The Woman in White. She leads a quiet life living in a small flat above that of her parents.

Margaret was born one of a pair of twins. Her twin died at birth and so did a part of her mother. While her father is very engaged in her life and shares a great deal in common with Margaret, her mother is a rather cold and distant part of her life. She doesn't often leave the flat and returns home quite disturbed when she does.

One rainy evening returning from her outside work, Margaret finds, waiting on the step for her, a letter from the very prominent author Vida Winter. She sits down upon the step to read the letter. "(I never read without making sure I am in a secure position. I have been like this ever since the age of seven when, sitting on a high wall and reading The Water Babies, I was so seduced by the descriptions of underwater life that I unconsciously relaxed my muscles. Instead of being held buoyant by the water that so vividly surrounded me in my mind, I plummeted to the ground and knocked myself out. I can still feel the scar under my fringe now. Reading can be dangerous.)" Ms Winter has never given an authentic interview. They all somehow turn into a piece of fiction, a story. But in her letter to Margaret she invites her to come and meet with her. She wants Margaret to write an honest biography of her life.

Margaret is hesitant but after talking it over with her father she decides to meet with Ms. Winter. When she arrives she is taken to the library and while waiting she peruses the shelves and happily finds the books that she herself has so loved. She also finds many editions of each book that Ms. Winter has written except for her much talked about Thirteen Tales of Change and Desperation. This book is a compilation of Ms Winter's own renditions of fairy tales. Margaret had read her fathers much protected edition of the book the night she received the letter and found the tales to be "brutal and sharp and heartbreaking" but she loved them. When she came to the end of the twelfth tale upon turning the next pages she found that there was no "thirteenth tale".

When she asked her father why the book was so valuable he told her "Partly because it's the first edition of the first book by the most famous living writer in the English language. But mostly because it's flawed. Every following edition is called Tales of Change and Desperation. No mention of thirteen. You'll have noticed there are only twelve stories?" There were supposed to have been thirteen stories but only twelve were submitted and there was a mix-up with the jacket design. The book was printed with the original title but only twelve stories. They were recalled except for one which had already been sold. Margaret's father had purchased that edition from a collector. People still called the book the Thirteen Tales even though the corrected title Tales of Change and Desperation had been published for over fifty years.

During the interview with Vida Winter regarding the biography Margaret is told that Ms Winter wishes to tell the whole truth about her life and she thinks that Margaret is the writer to do it. Margaret reluctantly agrees to do it.

And so begins The Thirteenth Tale.

It is an often bizaare and queer tale beginning with the fact that Ms Winter is one of a set of twins just as is Margaret. The story is being told now because Ms Winter is old, ill and has waited too long to tell it herself. In fact she is ill enough that they only meet daily at times when Ms Winter is strong enough to tell more of the story. Margaret spends hours in the evenings transcribing what she has been told that day.

The story is of a village, Angelfield; a house, Angelfield and the Angelfield family of George, Mathilde; their children Charlie and Isabelle, Isabelle's children Emmeline and Adeline and 'their ghost'. Mathilde dies in childbirth with Isabelle and during the birthing, the baby is deprived of oxygen. She becomes known by all as odd. Her brother develops an unnatural obsession with Isabelle. They play strange games, don't develop as 'normal' youth do and eventually she runs off, marries, gives birth to the twins, her husband dies of pneumonia and she returns with her twin girls to the family estate. Only Charlie and the servants remain, her father having pined away to death upon her leaving.

The twins grow up wild and in their own world. Through their lives come others wanting to help but eventually all who remain are the housekeeper, the head gardener, the girls...and the story..........
This story is so fascinating that to put it down even the one time was torture. It was a two sitting read. I found all of the characters to be believable. And the only fault I could find came at the end of the book and was with the doctor, the cat, and the invitation. That didn't ring true to me with the storyline. But this was a five star read for me and I very highly recommend it.

45rainpebble
Avr 25, 2013, 1:19 pm

Family History by Vita Sackville-West

This is the story of Evelyn and Miles. She a 40 year old widow with a 17 year old son and he a 24 year old land holder, writer & political young man.
From the beginning of the novel the reader realizes that this is an affair that will not end well. They meet through friends at a dance and fall for each other. They yearn to be together but that desire comes to each of them very selfishly. She wants to be with him most of the time and wants him to want, need & desire her above all else. She wishes to be everything to him. Whilst he wants to be with her, he has so many interests that keep him away from her for periods of time. He is a new thinker and doesn't live by the Victorian rules of the time. How society sees him is not important to him while to Evelyn it is all important and she begrudges him every moment away from her for she has no other interests than he and her son.
As they go through their affair they attempt to hide it as Evelyn cannot bear for people to gossip about her nor to think poorly of her. She has always been very proper and done what was expected of her and this certainly isn't expected behavior for a lady of her breeding. It doesn't matter to Miles. He wants to take her out and spend time openly with her. And of course as she succumbs to his wishes over time, people begin to talk. This angers Evelyn and she begins to blame Miles. It also angers her a great deal when he spends time on his writing, on his country work and that he needs to spend a certain amount of time with people of like mind with himself. She doesn't understand his needs nor does he understand hers. And so they squabble, fuss & argue. Then come together for wonderfully romantic make-ups but then it all goes to pot again.
It took me a bit to get my head wrapped around all of the characters for there are quite a few. Evelyn still spends a great deal of time with her in-laws even though her husband has been dead, killed in the war, for quite some time. So there are all of them to get to know plus Miles' politically thinking friends.
I liked this book a great deal. I cared about most all of the characters, even the slackers and I fully intend to give it a reread sooner rather than later for I feel I didn't give it my full attention, or that I missed some subtle nuances. I will also say that while reading the last portion of the book, one is unable to set the book aside. This part of the book is a grueling read but a necessary and actually beautiful part of the story.
I rated Family History 4 out of 5 stars and think if I had been able to read it without interruption I would have rated it even higher.

46rainpebble
Modifié : Août 3, 2013, 6:26 pm

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47rainpebble
Modifié : Mai 11, 2013, 3:11 pm

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48rainpebble
Modifié : Août 3, 2013, 6:27 pm

APRIL ROOTS:
14. Family History by Vita Sackville-West; {acquired 10/15/2009}; (4*); back on the shelf
15. Less Than Angels by Barbara Pym; {acquired 9/08/2009}; (3*); back on the shelf
16. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield; (brilliant novel); {acquired 12/31/2009}; (5*); back on the shelf
17. The Collected Poems of W.B. Yeats by William Butler Yeats; {acquired 11/2/2007; (4*); back on the shelf

Tickers updated.

49rainpebble
Modifié : Jan 7, 2014, 12:31 am

MAY ROOTS:
18. The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell; {acquired 12/05/2007}; (4*); back on the shelf
19. Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel; {acquired 10/17/2009}; (3 1/2*); listed on PBS and gonel.........

Tickers updated

50connie53
Mai 11, 2013, 3:36 pm

Good luck, Rainpebble.

51rainpebble
Mai 12, 2013, 2:29 am

Thank you Connie. Right back atcha!

52rainpebble
Mai 25, 2013, 3:25 pm

I am finally reading Wolf Hall by Mantel which I have had on hold since 2009. Reading it now because I want to read the sequel, Bring Up the Bodies which is on the Orange short list, winner to be announced next month. WH is very good so far.

53rainpebble
Modifié : Août 3, 2013, 6:28 pm

JUNE ROOTS:
20. Stuart Little by E.B. White; {acquired 3/11/2009}; (4*); out of here and off to the grandsons
21. Quartet in Autumn by Barbara Pym; {acquired 9/23/2009}; (4*); back on the shelf

54rainpebble
Modifié : Août 3, 2013, 6:29 pm

JULY ROOTS:
22. No Fond Return of Love by Barbara Pym; {acquired 9/1/2009};
(3 1/2*); back on the shelf
23. A Glass of Blessings by Barbara Pym; {acquired 9/8/2009}; (5*); back on the shelf
24. I'm Not Complaining by Ruth Adam; {acquired 9/21/2009};
(3 1/2*); back on the shelf
25. The Sweet Dove Died by Barbara Pym; {acquired 9/8/2009};
(4 1/2*); back on the shelf
26. The Solace of Leaving Early by Haven Kimmel; {acquired /22/2010};
(4 1/2*); back on the shelf

55rainpebble
Modifié : Juil 31, 2013, 10:22 pm

A Glass of Blessings by Barbara Pym

The protagonist of our story, Wilmet Forsyth, is a married woman with a comfortable and routine life. She and her husband live wih her widowed mother-in-law who leads a very full life. Wilmet does not need to work and lives a very shallow life of relative leisure. When not lunching or shopping she occupies her time with occasional good works at the behest of her mother-in-law and she becomes involved in the social life of her church. After a church service one day she renews her acquaintance with a close friend's attractive brother, Piers Longridge. She becomes infatuated with him & begins to believe that he is a secret admirer when in fact the secret admirer turns out to be her best friend's husband.
Wilmet doesn't realize that Piers is gay until she becomes aware of his relationship with Keith, a lower-class young man. We can come to no conclusion other than that when we learn that Piers and Keith live together in a romantic relationship.
Wilmet is shocked when she learns that her mother-in-law is planning to remarry and that she and her husband must find new digs.
I was absorbed by the characters in this book. The three priests, two living in the Parish House and one in a Parishioner's home, the friend who feels called to the Nunnery, the kleptomaniac caretaker of the Parish House and of course the major players. This is one of my favorite Pym's. I highly recommend it. 5*

56rainpebble
Juil 28, 2013, 4:39 pm

from May:
The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell

In the middle of tending to the everyday business at her vintage clothing shop and sidestepping her married boyfriend's attempts at commitment, Iris Lockhart receives a stunning phone call: Her great-aunt Esme, whom she never knew existed, is being released from Cauldstone Hospital—where she has been locked away for over sixty years.

Iris’s grandmother Kitty always claimed to be an only child. But Esme’s papers prove that she is Kitty’s sister Iris can see the shadow of her dead father in Esme’s face. Esme has been labeled harmless, sane enough to coexist with the rest of the world. But Esme is still basically a stranger. She remains a family member never mentioned by the family and one who is sure to bring life altering secrets with her when she leaves the ward. If Iris takes her in, what dangerous truths might she inherit?

Maggie O’Farrell’s intricate tale of family secrets, lost lives, and the freedom brought by truth will haunt readers long past its final page. An absolutely wonderful story. I loved it. 4*

57rainpebble
Modifié : Juil 29, 2013, 1:53 am

from June:
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

While I enjoyed this read I cannot say that I loved it or even found it to be anything extraordinary. I kept telling myself that it was just because I have read so much over the past 50 years on this subject matter and it wasn't until the last fourth of the book that I came upon anything in the least intriguing to me. But I don't think that is it at all. I think that we tend to feel that a book of this size & heft must be of amazing redemptive value. IDK. But I didn't find it so. I have read much slimmer volumes on this subject that I would have to rate higher than I did this one.
The subject matter I do and always have found to be of great interest. I was just expecting this one to bring more to the table, especially with all of the hype it received.
All of that being said this is the story of Henry the VIII, Cromwell & all of the secondary players that go along with this bit of history. I did enjoy the book enough to rate it 3 1/2* and enough to want to read the sequel. I hope it will fulfill my yearnings a bit more.

58rainpebble
Modifié : Juil 29, 2013, 1:53 am

from June:
Quartet in Autumn by Barbara Pym

Barbara Pym’s novels depict ordinary life among middle class Englishmen and women with compassion, humor, and irony. The quartet denoted in this title consists of two men and two women in their sixties and the autumn of their lives. These characters hold menial jobs at the same office in London. Two of them live in rented rooms and two own their own small homes. The opening chapter catches them going to the library because it is free. We are clued in to their personalities by describing their hair. Edwin’s hair is thin, graying and bald on top. Norman’s hair is as difficult as he is. Letty wears her faded brown hair too long and soft and wispy. Marcia’s hair is short, stiff, lifeless and home dyed.
Only Letty visits the library because she likes to read. The others take advantage of the shelter it offers. Edwin frequents the local churches when there are masses or holiday celebrations with sherry and perhaps free food. Pym describes their office routines, conversations, and uneventful lives. When Letty and Marcia retire, the deputy assistant director wonders what they have done during their working life. The activities of their department seemed to be shrouded in mystery. Something to do with records or filing, it was thought. Nobody knew for certain but it was evidently women’s work. The kind of thing that could easily be replaced by a computer.
Letty moves in with another woman and Marcia, alone in her house, wears her old clothes and forgets to eat. She resists the well meaning social worker knocking on her door. Letty begins thinking of her failures. She did not marry and she has no children. After some time Edwin arranges a reunion at a restaurant. Letty tries to be upbeat. She must never give the slightest hint of loneliness or boredom, the sense of time hanging heavy. Marcia complains about the social worker and brags about her operation, a mastectomy. She takes the bus to her surgeon’s house to spy on him and her encounters with him are her happiest moments. After Marcia’s decline into dementia and lonely death the three office mates meet at her house, which Marcia has willed to Norman. Here they divide up the contents of her cupboards. The tins of sardines, butter, beans and macaroni & cheese. They find an unopened bottle of sherry and toast each other as they remember their deceased friend.
I highly recommend this book. I liked it a lot. In fact I enjoy all of Pym's work. I rated it 4 *.

59rainpebble
Juil 29, 2013, 1:54 am

from February:
Excellent Women by Barbara Pym

This story is set in the 1950s & our protagonist, Mildred, leads a quiet life. She is single, in her 30s & unattached. She lives off a small pension from her clergyman father's estate. She works part time for the Society for the Care of Aged Gentlewomen and does good works for the church. She is an 'excellent woman'.
Mildred is friends with the vicar, Julian, & his sister Winifred. Life becomes much more interesting for Mildred when Mrs. Napier moves into the flat that shares her floor's bathroom. Mrs. Napier is an anthropologist & is awaiting the return of her husband, Rockingham, who is returning from service in the Navy. Mildred gets involved in their lives when she realizes that Mrs. Napier appears to be having an affair with another anthropologist, Everard. She initially thinks of Rockingham as the perfect husband and Everard as being sketchy and difficult.
Another situation Mildred is pulled into is the new tenant at the vicarage, Mrs. Grey, who seems to have her sights set on Julian. Mildred does not approve. She thinks that Mrs. Grey is being deceptive.
Mildred slowly picks her way through these entanglements and comes to grips with her own feelings for the three men in her life. She begins to realize what she wants for herself. The ending appears to be a bit unexpected but is quite fitting with our understanding of Mildred.
This is a quiet, charming story of a woman making her own way in the world and I quite liked it. 4*

60rainpebble
Juil 29, 2013, 1:56 am

from April:
The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne

This is the story of the Pyncheon family that is slowly becoming extinct. We meet Hepzibah Pyncheon, poor and old, who lives alone in the family mansion. This house was built with seven gables, thus the title. Without funds Hepzibah opens a penny shop to earn money to live on. Other characters in this tale are her brother Clifford, imprisoned because of the acts of Jaffrey Pyncheon, a wealthy judge who lives in his own country manor and is determined to find an ancient deed to other Pyncheon property.
When the penny shop seems to be failing the young Phoebe Pyncheon appears. She is a lovely, vivacious, and enthusiastic young woman who lives in the country and has come to visit her cousins. She enjoys running the penny store and brightens the gloomy atmosphere in the house. When Clifford returns from prison she entertains him with her charms. In addition she meets Holgrave, a young boarder in the house and romance blossoms.
This story is often considered a romance but I think it is more a story about the Pyncheon family and the curse it endured. Hawthorne sets the stage by giving us an overview of how the original Pyncheon obtained the property and built the house. His actions brought about a curse from the original land owner that is to last throughout the family's existence.
There are ghosts and strange occurrences in the house and we are exposed to the lives of former residents. But life improves for the current residents when another tragedy strikes the Pyncheon family, particularly the judge. Hepzibah and Clifford temporarily leave their ancestral home. It all comes to a climax as the author weaves the tale into an ending that is unexpected but makes the reader smile. Many like to look at the symbolism used to represent aspects of the human condition. I have never been certain that Hawthorne chose to approach the novel in this manner. Nevertheless I like this tale more each time I read it. 4*

61rainpebble
Modifié : Juil 29, 2013, 2:19 am

from April:
The Collected Poems of W.B. Yeats by William Butler Yeats

William Butler Yeats has a gift for language even when the subject of his poetry falls into the repetition of Irish myths. His way with words is astounding and his poems about God and angels speak to me.
There is no doubt that he is a Shakespeare with his words, but he is always good and very enjoyable especially on rainy days.
One of my favorite poems:

"A mermaid found a swimming lad,
picked him for her own,
pressed her body to his body,
laughed; and plunging down,
forgot in cruel happiness
that even lovers drown."

Pure magic. I love this book of poetry. 4*

62rainpebble
Juil 30, 2013, 2:10 am

The Solace of Leaving Early by Haven Kimmel

Langston is an angry young woman. She has abandoned her PhD and a meaningless love-affair. Financial circumstances force her to move back in with her parents in the small middle American town in which they live. Here, self-absorbed and irritated by everything, even the death of a childhood friend fails to snap her out of it.
But the death causes ripples within the community & in her life via the two traumatised children left behind. Under the ever watchful eye of her mother & the local preacher, Amos, Langston is saddled with their care and through them eventually learns to value life again.
The Solace of Leaving Early is a moving and thought provoking story about discovering how other people can change your life when you least expect it. With gentle humour, beautiful prose and much empathy this is one of those books that I will read and reread and tell all of my reading friends about. I loved it. I gave this read 4 1/2 stars.

63rainpebble
Juil 30, 2013, 2:13 am

No Fond Return of Love by Barbara Pym

About 2 middle aged ladies interested in men.
Pretty much any men.
A little different.
Rather humorous at times.
Written with a Brit wit.
I will be reading more of her.
3 1/2 stars.

64rainpebble
Juil 31, 2013, 10:24 pm

I'm Not Complaining by Ruth Adam

I found this book to be filled with negativity and because it is based loosely upon Ms. Adam's own teaching years in a Nottinghamshire school I assume that her days & years as a teacher were rather dismal. It is about the Elementary school in a depressed district (no doubt typical enough in those hard times), presented through the personality of a mistress in a Junior and Infant school.
Miss Adam’s work does not merely convey these facts convincingly and unforgettably, but turns them into the material of reality. The nits in the children’s hair, the rude words chalked on the walls, the constant petty thievery, the troublesome milk bottles, the eternal registers, etc are used not as facts to elicit laughter or political action but collectively to build up the atmosphere of a complete culture. Miss Adam is steeped in the details of her culture and her novel yields more at every reading.
The author very notably conveys an impression that a man is generally a pitiful object.
A book doesn't have to be uplifting for me to appreciate, like or even love it. In fact some of my favorite reads are rather downtrodden, sad, & depressing reads but I am able to find redemptive qualities in them &/or in the writing.
3 1/2 stars.

65rainpebble
Modifié : Juil 31, 2013, 10:26 pm

The Sweet Dove Died by Barbara Pym

I's a bit difficult to write a review on this book after reading those of brenzi, Heaven-Ali and lauralkeet. They have all three done an exceptional job with their reviews.
I will begin by saying that I did not find Leonora totally unredemptive. I will agree that she was totally absorbed with self but she did attempt to be kind to the neighbor with all the cats and she tried to hide some of her dispicable qualities from others at times. But she really was self absorbed and only thought of others as in regards to herself.
It is my understanding that Ms. Pym wrote The Sweet Dove Died based partly upon a relationship she had with a younger antique dealer.
This is the story of Leonora Eyre. She is a fading beauty, wealthy & self-centered. She has always traded on her looks, her charm and enjoyed the many admirers who would come to take her out for quaint little dinners and make her presents of flowers, books and small Victorian antiques.
As the story begins she has just met two antique dealers; 60ish widower Humphrey and his oh, so handsome 20ish nephew James. Humphrey, as most men do, falls for Leonora but Leonora falls for his nephew James. And thus begins a curious triangular relationship. Of course all is perfectly innocent though not by the desires of some of those involved. Things become increasingly complicated when Leonora discovers that James has a girlfriend of sorts; the rather hippieish Phoebe. She is just about able to deal with this development when she is completely undone by James who has returned from Spain having begun a romantic relationship with Ned, a selfish but attractive American academic, whom he met on holiday.
The mood of this book is a bit or actually much darker than most of Pym's works. But I think that all in all I appreciated it more than some of her earlier works which are much lighter. She is a wonderful writer and I enjoy all of her books.
4 1/2 stars.

66rainpebble
Juil 31, 2013, 10:29 pm

My total ROOTs for July are 5 and I have updated the tickers.
WOOT WOOT!~!

67rainpebble
Modifié : Août 1, 2013, 1:37 am

I am beginning my first August ROOT tonight when I go to bed. I will be reading Mary Hocking's Good Daughters. It is the first of a three book series and also my first Virago for the ALL VIRAGO/ALL AUGUST challenge over on the Virago Modern Classics gig. This series sounds so good and I am really looking forward to this read.
Ooops! I cannot count this book because I acquired it in 2012. Blast!
Well, carry on ROOTers. Let's see what you've got!

68connie53
Août 1, 2013, 6:14 am

You are doing great, RP. A pity that the book you are going to read does not count as a ROOT. But you sound really enthousiastic about it. Enjoy.

69rainpebble
Août 3, 2013, 6:16 pm

Thanx Connie. I need to go back and fix the tickers as I found 3 I believe that I got in 2013 and should not have counted. :-(

70rainpebble
Août 3, 2013, 6:34 pm

Okay, so I have updated the tickers (both mine & the group one) to reflect the books that I had to remove as I had acquired them in 2012. Sorry.

71connie53
Août 4, 2013, 5:31 am

Hi Belva. It seems like you and I have the same rules concerning ROOTs? Not counting any books acquired in 2012 or 2013.

That was easy in the beginning of 2013, but now it gets more difficult. To many new books and very very many ebooks and a new reader are not helping either.

72rainpebble
Août 4, 2013, 6:03 pm

Hi Connie. Yes, apparently we did set the same rule for ourselves regarding the time ROOT books must be on our shelves. And I know that it does make it difficult with the e-books as I tend to be more lax with entering them into my library. I need to work on that. But I do not tend to purchase new books except sometimes for the Orange challenge. I prefer reading older books, way older books. ;-)

73rainpebble
Modifié : Sep 1, 2013, 11:11 pm

August Roots:
27. The Orchid House by Phyllis Shand Allfrey; {acquired 5/9/2010};
(4 1/2*)
28. The Lifted Veil by George Eliot; {acquired 11/9/2009}; (4 1/2*)
29. High Rising by Angela Thirkell; {acquired 5/20/2010}; (4 1/2*)
30. The Yellow Wallpaper; by Charlotte Perkins Gilman; {acquired 12/25/2011}; (5*)
31. The Clothes on Their Backs by Linda Grant; {acquired 11/10/2011}; (2*)

74rainpebble
Août 31, 2013, 1:54 am

Five ROOTS for the month of August. Tickers updated.

75rainpebble
Sep 1, 2013, 11:02 pm

The Orchid House by Phyllis Shand Allfrey; 4 1/2 stars

The Orchid House is a house that each of the three daughters in this story ran to when they needed to get away as children. And now as the three of them return one by one to their native Dominica they find themselves turning to the old habit of going there seeking the solace they hope to find. Their dear but very ill friend Andrew lives there with his mistress and their baby girl.
The girls: Stella, Joan & Natalie, were raised on the island of Dominica, cared for by the native woman Lally who is the narrator of our story. Now Lally cares for the children of the returning daughters of the family home, L'Aromatique.
All three of the sisters have married. Stella is married with a son & lives in the United States. Joan, the political activist, is married & also with a son. Natalie, the youngest, returns a widow but a very rich widow.
The story has not much of a plot but is character driven and I found myself enthralled by it and did not wish it to end. I find this one to be very difficult to review for many reasons that I do not really understand myself. I think that for me this is going to be a book that I can read again and again.

76rainpebble
Modifié : Jan 23, 2014, 1:38 am

The Lifted Veil by George Eliot; 4 1/2 stars

I did not find this to be a lovely book, but I do find that my opinion of this book remains drastically different from most L.T. readers of the book.
I thought The Lifted Veil to be quite brilliant. As I read, I felt myself looking into the man's mind and found myself to be momentarily taking on his mental persona as well. I was not bored. I was not piqued. I was not grossed out. The book did not depress me nor did it make me nervous or anxious. I was nothing but a person within another person's ill mind. There was very little within the book that was literal and not simply in his mind.
Yes, I thought it very different and as I said rather brilliant; much as I found Dracula to be when I read it.
Sorry ladies and gentlemen of the jury. I shall, most likely, be the only one here with this opinion. But then too, I am probably the only one here who has been on a psyche ward for depression, anxiety and panic attack as well. I cannot say if that colored my reading of this book.

77rainpebble
Sep 1, 2013, 11:06 pm

High Rising by Angela Thirkell; 4 1/2 stars

This story is a hoot!~! The first of many in the Barsetshire series, I loved it. The characters this author has thought up....oh how I do hope they appear in the next & the next & the next books of the series.

The main character, Laura, reads the most bizarre combination of books. We find her reading Death in the Potting Shed, Bleak House, The Bucket of Blood, The Butcher's Revenge, Omnibus Book of Blood, Torture and Disease, The Noseless Horror, & Who'll Sew His Shroud?. And she is a writer of books, no less. There is also a mention of a writer, Miss Hocking, who is in need of a secretary or typist for her manuscripts.

I am not going to bother writing a review on this one for if you go to the book page there is a wonderful review written by Cariola that lends me to think no others are necessary. Suffice it to say I cannot wait to get along to the second in this series, Wild Strawberries.

78rainpebble
Sep 1, 2013, 11:08 pm

The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman; 5+ stars

This little book is perfection. It is a stark & bare 36 pages & a beyond perfect 5 star read for me. It is the tale of a young woman, told from her POV, falling into the pit of madness. She is unknowingly helped along by her husband who is a doctor & others who should know better.

It begins as the husband takes an isolated house for them for the summer. He feels that his wife will get better if she doesn't have many distractions. His sister Jane comes along to help care for the woman.

She spends her days on the top floor of the house alone for the most part yearning to write but her husband doesn't think that writing is a good thing for her to be doing now. She needs to rest, not worry nor concern herself with anything and get well. He doesn't like her walking out for it may tire her and she needs to be resting.

The room upstairs is papered with ugly yellow wallpaper. Within the pattern of the wallpaper she sees changes occurring as the light changes. New shoots seem to grow within the pattern and forms appear to undulate in the paper. It changes day by day. The woman begins to see faces within the paper and as her madness deepens she thinks that the woman comes out and walks on the pathway outside the house.

Her husband thinks that she is getting better because as she gets deeper & deeper into the wallpaper she becomes happier, begins eating again. He doesn't know it is because she has found something with which to occupy her time and thoughts and that actually she is falling deeper & deeper into a world of madness.

This book is genius. I am so thankful that I picked it up. Charlotte Perkins Gilman is a brilliant author. I hope she has written a great many books for there is a hunger in the pit of my gut for more such as this.

79rainpebble
Sep 1, 2013, 11:10 pm

The Clothes on Their Backs by Linda Grant; 2 stars

Vivien, our protagonist, is a young sheltered woman who has lived her youth in the care of her meek & cloistered parents who are Hungarian refugees of their war torn homeland. To her knowledge there are just the three of them.
Eventually she realizes that she has an uncle. Her father's estranged brother who also came to the new country to make his fortune. And make it he did until he was found out by the housing authorities and arrested for his slumlord activities. By the time that Vivien, unknowingly to her parents, makes his acquaintance he has spent many years in prison. She is fascinated by the fact that here is a relative of hers and she wants to get to know him but they each keep secret from the other that they know who the other is. He wants to write his memoirs and needs a typist. She goes to work for him typing up the notes that he speaks into a tape recorder.
Her parents of course flip out when they find out and so it goes.
I know from the title & from reading other reviews that our Vivien invents & reinvents herself through the clothes & outfits that she puts together & wears. But this ploy didn't work for me. I just didn't get it. I have read Grant before & loved what I read. This time I just liked it. I liked the premise of the story but thought that it took an awfully long time to be told, longer than my interest actually held and that it could have been told much better.

80rainpebble
Modifié : Oct 1, 2013, 10:36 am

September ROOTs:
32. The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer; {acquired 7/29/2011}; have not yet completed this TOME & so none for September & will move it on to October.

81rainpebble
Modifié : Oct 31, 2013, 1:57 pm

October ROOTs:
32. The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer; {acquired 7/29/2011; (5*)
33. Austin City Blue by Jan Grape; {acquired 7/21/2009}; (3*)
34. Surfacing by Margaret Atwood; {acquired 9/28/2011}; (4*)
35. About My Sisters by Debra Ginsberg; {acquired 7/11/2010};
(3 1/2*)
36. Sleepless Nights by Elizabeth Hardwick; {acquired 1/15/2011};
(3 1/2*)
37. The Third Miss Symons by F.M. Mayor; {acquired 8/8/2011; (4*)
38. An Episode of Sparrows by Rumor Godden; {acquired 12/7/2011}; (5*)
39. Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons; {acquired 12/27/2010};
(4 1/2*)

82Ameise1
Oct 1, 2013, 11:37 am

That's a fantastic story. I loved it.

83rainpebble
Modifié : Oct 6, 2013, 4:54 pm

>82 Ameise1::
It was wonderful Ameise1. I too loved it. She writes beautifully and one feels within the story as one reads.

84rainpebble
Oct 7, 2013, 7:05 pm

I have begun my 3rd ROOT for the month, Surfacing by Margaret Atwood. I hope I like it better than most of the L.T. readers have thus far. It doesn't seem to have been well received amongst them but perhaps I will enjoy it.

85rainpebble
Oct 21, 2013, 1:19 pm

The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer; 5 stars

About half-way through this book I knew I was in the middle of one of the best novels I have ever read.

In the late 1930s Andras Levi begins his life as a young ambitious architecture student travelling from Hungary to Paris for his studies. He makes a small circle of friends, finds a job in a theater and learns to speak French. He falls in love with a woman, Klara, who is a bit older than himself. She cannot seem to commit to him though they do share some blissful, romantic months together. Eventually he learns that his scholarship has been revoked because he is of Jewish descent.

While all this is happening to Andras, Hitler is quickly gaining more power throughout Europe. Soon war breaks out. Andras is forced to return to his Hungary, an ally of Germany. Klara returns with him as his wife. He is soon called to join a forced labor unit and things begin to turn much darker and more intense. We learn more about Andras' and Klara's families. Orringer weaves such a believable story of love, anguish and torture and I quickly became totally immersed in the story.

But as Andras marched to work, shoveled earth, ate the miserable food and slogged home through the mud, he didn't feel indignant. In fact he hardly felt anything at all. He was just an animal trying to survive. He was one of millions. And yet he learns what he must do to survive. He survives by remembering the great love of his life. He makes himself a willing party to the life saving trick of life and love. It barely sustains him.

The historic presentation of this book is as forceful and gripping as it is chilling and haunting. Orringer's ability to translate into words the shattering horror of the Jewish experience of the Holocaust and World War II is masterful storytelling of a wrenching, emotional intensity. The story is a familiar one in the telling of the subjection of the Jews, the subjection of human beings to the social forces which have stripped everything away from them and they are made small, consigned to impossibility, crammed into a space too narrow to suffice life.

I was fascinated by the portrayal of Hungary's role in the conflict. I found the historical aspect well integrated with Andras' own history. The characters were very well developed. The lovely Klara, the older woman whom Andras meets in Paris causes him so much joy, confusion and angst. His fellow architecture students, especially the tragic figure of Polaner, who remains steadfast in his devotion to Andras. His supportive older brother Tibor is a constant source of encouragement, even in the face of death. There is an extensive cast of characters who affect Andras' life. Each one with a distinct role in shaping him into the man he would become.

The strength of Orringer's novel is the tender and poignant testimony of the human spirit, the fragile structure of a human being standing against the barbaric forces of history. It is a touching story of the power of love, the foundation of life which withstands the horror, tragedy, grief and despair that come with war.

I cannot say enough wonderful things about this exquisite novel. The skill in which it was written, the seamless blend of history and fiction, and the emotion it evokes is as close to perfection as anything I've read.

I very highly recommend this novel. My only complaint is that I would have liked it to go on for another 784 pages.

86rainpebble
Oct 21, 2013, 1:21 pm

Austin City Blue by Jan Grape; 3 stars

Austin City Blue is a story about one of Austin, Texas' finest. Zoe, one of the female cops on the force, fatally shoots a young man during a hostage situation & in self defense. The hostage is another policewoman. Only afterward does Zoe find out that the man she shot & killed is the same shooter who shot her husband who now lies in the hospital on life support and will never be the same. Zoe will never be the same.
She is assigned to desk duty as is protocol when there has been a shooting by a police officer. While she is on desk duty one of her snitches, a prostitute, is murdered. Zoe also learns that a friend of her husband's thinks his wife has hired someone to murder him.
Another killing and a suspicion of police corruption puts Zoe in a tenuous & vulnerable position and she is left to fight to keep her badge, her honor & her life.
A good mystery & detective story, it was a nice relaxing read & I enjoyed it very much.

87rainpebble
Oct 21, 2013, 1:30 pm

Surfacing by Margaret Atwood; 4 stars

For me this book was an unsolved mystery & a thriller. My second Atwood, the first being The Penelopiad, & I again found myself enamored by her words, her phrasing and by her imagination.

Both Atwood tales I've read were deep & dark to me. I have to remain focused & must constantly think when I read her. (I wonder if all of her books are all like this.) She has a way of working her way into the deepest reaches of one's mind & she finds the humanity that exists and brings it to the front.

Surfacing is about a young woman who returns to her home village in Canada. She is searching for her father in a cabin in the woods where she was raised. She is on this journey with her lover and another couple. As the days go by she finds herself returning to nature in every sense of that word. She becomes primal, driven to the point of madness, as she returns to this original state. It's not happy book. It's heartbreaking and beautiful. There's a purity to her madness, to this return to nature as she slowly loses her friends, her family, her memories, her sense of self.

This small novel really sucked me in and I read in a single sitting. I intently followed the unnamed female lead character through her attempts to find & understand the disappearance of her father.

Surfacing is a very sad & intense novel. And there is so much in it that I read & reread; yet I am sure that I still missed some of Atwood's understanding. I know that one day I will be in the mood to read this book again and it is definitely worth a reread.

88rainpebble
Modifié : Oct 21, 2013, 2:13 pm

I am half-way through my 4th ROOT of October: About My Sisters by Debra Ginsberg. My goal is to read ROOTs for the brief remainder of the month.
Cheers,

89rainpebble
Oct 24, 2013, 8:54 pm

I am on my 5th ROOT of the month: Sleepless Nights by Elizabeth Hardwick and I am hoping to get a few more in before month's end.

90connie53
Oct 25, 2013, 9:40 am

Just keep on reading, rainpebble.

91mabith
Oct 25, 2013, 1:05 pm

Good work on your ROOTS goal!

92rainpebble
Oct 27, 2013, 10:42 pm

Thank you Connie & Meredith. I'm still at it. I finished that one plus a 6th and am 70 pages into my 7th for the month. Yea, me!
I appreciate you girls popping by. I never seem to find time to get around. Need to set a goal to do that. All of us need another goal, right? lol!~!

93rainpebble
Modifié : Oct 29, 2013, 2:29 pm

We were dry camping over the long weekend and I managed to complete Sleepless Nights, (3 1/2*), read The Third Miss Symons, (4*), & begin An Episode of Sparrows, (5*), which I finished last night. I am just now beginning Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons, which will be my 8th ROOT for October and my 39th on the year.

94mabith
Oct 30, 2013, 9:56 pm

My trick is to comment once on a thread I want to keep up with, since then it will pop up on the main page. :) I do feel bad about not following more threads, but if the person mostly reads genres I don't like or just lists titles with no commentary then there's not much point...

I was just camping myself. Nothing better than being in the woods, in a hammock, with a book.

95karspeak
Oct 31, 2013, 1:38 am

I absolutely loved Cold Comfort Farm!

96rainpebble
Modifié : Oct 31, 2013, 2:09 pm

>94 mabith::
Meridith, you are quite right. I generally get a lot of peaceful reading done when we are camping. I had not thought of taking the hammock. I am going to do that when we are camping in fine weather. Yes, yes, yes!

>95 karspeak::
And Karen, I am right there with you regarding Cold Comfort Farm. It was wonderful! I wish it had been a longer read. So funny in places. Flora just manipulated that family until she got them right where she thought they should be. Loved it!

Okay......it's the last day of the month. Time to update the old tickers. Eight on the month. Not too shabby if I do say so myself. Just nine off my goal so I should easily make that. WOOT WOOT!~!

The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer,
Austin City Blue by Jan Grape,
Surfacing by Margaret Atwood,
About My Sisters by Debra Ginsberg,
Sleepless Nights by Elizabeth Hardwick,
The Third Miss Symons by F.M. Mayor,
An Episode of Sparrows by Rumor Godden, and
Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons.

97mabith
Oct 31, 2013, 4:34 pm

That's beyond not shabby! It was a bit cold in the hammock for me in the mornings, so I brought out the heaviest sleeping bag and snuggled down. Then if you've got a confederate to bring over the tea or coffee... Perfection!

98rainpebble
Nov 3, 2013, 1:25 am

Ahhhhhhh, perfection indeed Meredith!

99rainpebble
Modifié : Nov 3, 2013, 1:44 am

Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons; 4 1/2 stars

This story is such a hoot. I can't believe that I put off the reading of it for so very long.
It's the story of a young British lady, Flora, whose parents have died and she only has one hundred pounds a year so she must find a relative to take her in. She sends out letters of entreaty and amongst the responses she only finds one that does not seem tiresome to her; her relation at Cold Comfort Farm. So she goes to the country.
When she arrives at the farm she finds the house sitting in the midst of a muddy yard. In fact no one uses the front door because of all the mud. One must use the back door. Here at the farm Flora finds a great many Aunts, Uncles and cousins.
Her Great Aunt Ada Doom, the matriarch, has remained in her room for twenty years and rules the farm with an iron hand. She comes downstairs twice yearly to count the family and make certain that no one has left/escaped. There is a cousin Seth, who wants to be in pictures, a cousin Amos who preaches wildly, a Cousin Reuben who wants to run the farm, an exquisite cousin who is a fairy girl and runs wild round the countryside & the hills quoting poetry & writing it as well. Frankly, the entire family is a mess.
But Flora takes it all neatly in hand and within a short time she has everyone neatly in their niche, including seeing Great Aunt Ada off to Paris, and she is neatly returning to London herself.
This is a rollicking, laugh out loud tale and it was great therapy for me as I laughed & giggled my way through. I very highly recommend this book & look forward to finding more like it. If any of you out there have any titles similar to Cold Comfort Farm, I should certainly like to entertain them.

100rainpebble
Modifié : Déc 1, 2013, 4:21 am

NOVEMBER ROOTS:
40. Seducers in Ecuador by Vita Sackville-West; {acquired 10/15/2009}; (2 1/2*)
41. The Easter Party by Vita Sackville-West; {acquired 11/9/2009};
(4 1/2*)
42. The Heir by Vita Sackville-West; {acquired 10/15/2009}; (5*)
43. Plagued by the Nightingale by Kay Boyle; {acquired 8/22/2011}; (4*)
44. Monday or Tuesday: Eight Stories by Virginia Woolf; {acquired 12/2/2007}; (3*)
45. The Jungle Books by Rudyard Kipling; {acquired 9/9/2007}; (4*)
46. Girl With A Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier; {acquired 1/5/2011}; (4*)

101rainpebble
Nov 14, 2013, 12:38 am

I have begun my 42nd ROOT of the year. When I complete this one I will be just 6 off my goal of 48 for 2013.

102MissWatson
Nov 14, 2013, 9:22 am

Surely you can do that! You're so close!

103mabith
Nov 14, 2013, 10:31 am

Wow, great progress!!

104connie53
Nov 14, 2013, 11:10 am

Keep on reading, Rainpebble!

105rainpebble
Nov 16, 2013, 11:32 pm

Miss Watson, Meredith & Connie, I have no doubt that I will meet goal. I love this challenge. It is so helpful to dig into it when the shelves are simply overflowing. Read, report & rid the house of those books I do not intend to read again & that are not 'heart' books.
Good luck to all of you with your goals.

106rainpebble
Nov 17, 2013, 4:04 am

I have completed Plagued by the Nightingale and moved on to The Heir & am half way through it. It is wonderful; no, beyond wonderful!

107rainpebble
Modifié : Nov 18, 2013, 3:11 am

Completed the perfectly wonderful The Heir and moved on to and am now finishing Monday or Tuesday: Eight Stories by Virginia Woolf, my 44th ROOT on the year. Some really good stuff here! And only 4 more to goal. WOOT WOOT!~! And 10 more in my reading plan for the remainder of the year if I follow through. But sometimes things change. :-)

108rainpebble
Modifié : Déc 1, 2013, 4:24 am

109rainpebble
Modifié : Déc 1, 2013, 4:25 am

I loved reading The Jungle Books again. What fun and these stories bring back a lot of childhood memories with my two younger brothers and also my children's young years.
I am now reading Christopher and Columbus by Elizabeth von Arnim & loving it as well. I began it on my Kindle on the trip home from Mt. Vernon, Wa yesterday where we played our second round of the State Football Playoffs & had to fight to win. Next Saturday we will play in the Tacoma Dome in the Semi-Finals. When I got home I switched to the hard copy of the book & I had not realized what a tome it is, having exactly 500 pages.

110rainpebble
Modifié : Déc 1, 2013, 4:26 am

Tonight I will begin my 7th ROOT for November: Girl With A Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier. It's only 233 pages so I think I will be able to finish by month's end even with Thanksgiving and us being in the High School State Football Semi-Finals & the travel for that. I can read while on the road. This has been a good month of ROOTs for me.

111MissWatson
Nov 28, 2013, 3:11 am

Yes indeed, you managed so many interesting books. I'm crawling along so very slowly, too much real life interfering...

112rainpebble
Nov 29, 2013, 1:19 am

Real life definitely can have a way of interfering with our lovely reading time. And the older I get the more precious that time becomes. But it isn't the speed with which you read that counts. What counts is that you read what you enjoy & what feeds your soul. So crawling is all fine I do believe. :-)

113rainpebble
Modifié : Déc 1, 2013, 4:31 am

NOVEMBER ROOTS:
40. Seducers in Ecuador by Vita Sackville-West; {acquired 10/15/2009}; (2 1/2*)
41. The Easter Party by Vita Sackville-West; {acquired 11/9/2009};
(4 1/2*)
42. The Heir by Vita Sackville-West; {acquired 10/15/2009}; (5*)
43. Plagued by the Nightingale by Kay Boyle; {acquired 8/22/2011}; (4*)
44. Monday or Tuesday: Eight Stories by Virginia Woolf; {acquired 12/2/2007}; (3*)
45. The Jungle Books by Rudyard Kipling; {acquired 9/9/2007}; (4*)
46. Girl With A Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier; {acquired 1/5/2011}; (4*)

So I have read 7 ROOTs for November. Tickers are updated.
I am only 2 off my goal for this year. WOOT WOOT!~!

114rainpebble
Modifié : Déc 30, 2013, 6:34 pm

December ROOTs:
47. What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day by Pearl Cleage;
{acquired 10/12/2007}; (3*)
48. Paradise by Toni Morrison; {acquired 10/12/2007}; (2 1/2*)
50. The Marble Faun and A Green Bough by William Faulkner; {acquired 01/15/2010}; (3*)
51. Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier; {acquired 09/09/2007}; (5*)
52. She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb; {acquired 10/08/2007}; (5*)

115rainpebble
Déc 16, 2013, 9:14 pm

I made goal a couple of days ago when I finished Paradise. WOOT WOOT!~!~!
So I celebrated by reading a few very nice little Christmas stories.

116mabith
Déc 16, 2013, 10:57 pm

Congrats on reaching your goal!

117Ameise1
Déc 17, 2013, 3:34 am



on reaching your target. Well done!!!
See you on ROOT 2014

118connie53
Déc 17, 2013, 3:36 am

Well done and congrats, RP!!

119MissWatson
Déc 17, 2013, 5:11 am

Another successful ROOTer! Congratulations!

120rabbitprincess
Déc 17, 2013, 5:15 pm

Hurray, congratulations!

121rainpebble
Déc 30, 2013, 5:45 pm

Thank you all so much. I think I will increase my goal by 2 for 2014.
And I want to spend more time on these threads and be a 'rooter' for
all you as you have been for me.
Happy New Year and Happy ROOTing one & all!

122rainpebble
Modifié : Déc 30, 2013, 6:27 pm

Ce message a été supprimé par son auteur

123rainpebble
Modifié : Jan 1, 2014, 3:11 am

Two more ROOTs for December to make it a total of 5 for the month and 52 for the year.
She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb &
Cold Mountain by Charles Lamb.

124rainpebble
Modifié : Jan 7, 2014, 12:43 am

I ended the year with 52 ROOTs, 2 over goal, & 9 of them were 5 star reads so I am happy with my year here. Overall I read 115 books which was 15 over goal and 14 of those were 5 star reads so I am happy with my 100 book challenge as well.

Will update tickers at month's end per usual.

Good luck with your challenges everyone.


glitter-graphics.com

LET'S ROCK THOSE ROOTS!~!

125connie53
Jan 7, 2014, 10:40 am

Lovely picture!